We're visiting Boston for the first time, have tickets for a Thurs. night Red Sox game and are looking for suggestions for a fun restaurant (maybe pub or sports bar?) before the game. It is a 7:00 game - how early would we need to arrive to avoid a significant wait? We don't mind waiting in the bar for a table - just want to avoid standing in line, or of course missing any of the game! Our hotel is in the Back Bay area.

Baseball Tavern is fun and would make it a real memorable "red sox" night, sitting with fans so close to the park...they have an outdoor rooftop deck and you can almost see the game from there. As for "dinner", it's just bar food, sandwiches etc, but I think you'd really enjoy the place. It's at 1306 Boylston Street.

Oops, seems that The Baseball Tavern was demolished to make way for a big development, then with the help of the Sox ended up re-opening but at 1270 BOYLSTON STREET. Check it out at www.thebaseballtavern.com

Do you like Mexican food? You could try La Verdad, a fun restaurant right across the street from Fenway Park.

http://www.laverdadtaqueria.com/home.html

If the weather is nice, you can sit on their outdoor patio and watch the people walking to the game.

There are a few other bar/restaurants in the immediate vicinity as well.

If you decide to eat in the Back Bay, allow about 30 minutes to walk to the Park and get to your seats (if you're starting out near the Prudential Center). I don't think a Thursday night will be too too busy, but if I was going to La Verdad, I'd go about 5:00, eat then meander over to my seats.

Cask n Flagon, Boston Beer Works and Game On are 3 other restaurants near Fenway that will be mobbed before the game. I usually try to get to one of them about 4:00 for a 7:00 game and there is usually plenty of room.

if you want to do something a bit more upscale, you can make a reservation at 5:30 at Eastern Standard or Great Bay, both in the Commonwealth hotel in Kenmore square. With a reservation you don't have the "waiting for a table" problem. but those don't necessarily fit your pub or sports bar request. I do like La Verdad an awful lot, great food. If you like Mexican, but are pressed for time, you could go to El Pelon, on the far side of the park (Kilmarnock, a couple blocks from Boylston St), and have a burrito at a picnic table.

Another option would be either Cambridge 1 for pizza, or Burtons, both in the new Trilogy building on the block between Brookline and Boylston and Kilmarnock.

Game On and Boston Beer Works are both good places for a beer but very crowded. THe last time I went to Game On they had the music excrutiatingly loud too, and I swore I'd never go again...maybe I'm getting old,

Has anybody tried the brand new Bleacher Bar, from the same owners as Game On? It's directly under the Fenway bleachers, and supposedly you can see into the park, and watch batting practice from there. I haven't been yet, but it sounds cool. Bet its incredibly crowded too.

Not overly crowded, check out The Lower Depths 476 Commonwealth Ave.

Go for a fantastic beer selection and $1 hotdogs. This is our new go to place before each game and has a nice local vibe and decent food and specials. I may be there thursday too if my SIL doesn't use my ticket.

Go Sox!

I really like Boston Beer Works, but as someone else mentioned above, it gets PACKED before games, so the earlier you go, the better.

Thanks all for the suggestions!

The closer you get to the park, the more crowded the pubs and restaurants get. The atmosphere around the park at game time is so raucous and crowded, and many go to the local sports places in lieu of being able to attend the game itself b/c tickets are so hard to obtain. We have never been able to get into any of the places that surround the park. If you do not find a table, the food options at Fenway are much greater than in days gone by.

We just got back and had a great time in Boston, despite the weather! We didn't have tickets for the Red Sox game on Friday night, but decided to walk to Fenway anyway and try the Bleacher Bar. We walked right in with no line, and sat down right in front of the window looking out from center field at the game which was just beginning. What a great atmosphere! Watched the game live with the added benefit of flat screens tv's surrouding showing replays and closeup action. It was not crowded at all - maybe because it had been raining all day and most thought the game would be rained out? We had a great time and highly recommend the Bleacher Bar.