Priya B.
Yelp
Next Door is a welcome & fun addition to the fancy cocktail scene in Boston.
Make no mistake - this place is a bit pricey, is the kind of place you need a reservation to go to, and involves the rigmarole of using a password / accessing a secret door / knocking a certain number of times to get in that can turn some people off the swanky cocktail scene, BUT...
They pair that with just an incredibly fun atmosphere, amazing and above and beyond service, and drinks that are TRULY some of the best I've ever had, and the whole experience is just really special.
A heads up: the reservation system still needs some work, and plan to call them if you want more than 1 person in your party. The system only allows you to book a table for 1 person, so my friend and I made individual reservations at the same time and then she called during business hours to make sure they combined our reservation and we could sit at the same table. That said, keep in mind this space is small and it really is ideal for parties of 1-2, maybe 3 max if you sat at the bar.
To get in, arrive at Pazza on Porter and check in with the host. Ours immediately guided us through their back entrance, where there is a hidden door that will take you to the speakeasy. After the hidden door, there's a little waiting room where you give the password for the evening (which is a riddle given in the online reservation) and you wait to be let in. I've been to so many speakeasy-style bars across the country with a password/hidden door situation and the one at Next Door is just so fun. They fully lean into a bit of the silliness and it helps set the tone.
The hostess inside immediately let us in and seated us, with a waitress informing us patrons have a 90 minute limit because they want to be able to accommodate people cycling in and out throughout the night. I love that they are up front about this and love that they do this, rather than stuffing the small space with people (given these pandemic times).
My friend and I tried A LOT of cocktails on the menu. From the presentation standpoint, they just get an A+ for fun. The Lock & Key comes out from a smoky locked box, the Citrus & Smoke has a bubble-like appearance that pops when it gets to your table, the Take Your Time comes with a fire-torch situation, and the Good Idea comes in a glass shaped like a light bulb that flashes different colors. Taste-wise, the Citrus and Smoke and the Take Your Time (smoky old fashioned) were two of the best drinks I've ever had -- perfectly balanced, smooth, unique, and drinks I'll be thinking about for a long time after this visit. Drinks are pricer here ($14-17 range), but I was impressed with their spirit use. You are definitely getting your money's worth in their use of quality spirits, and I loved the Bozal mezcal tiki drink I ended my night on.
For food: this place advertises itself as a raw bar, but the standout here was the charcuterie plate with some cheese favorites (midnight moon, aged parm, and the absolute LICK-THE-PLATE delectable truffle burrata), a selection of prosciuttos, & apricot jam. We also enjoyed the tuna poke (poke to wonton ratio was a bit off, though, prepare to order more wonton) and an EXCELLENT selection of oysters (the PEI were perfection.)
All that said, our server, Bridget, was the absolute highlight of our experience and helped make it a fun & low key evening exploring their menu. She let us know when we were winding down our 90 minute time period, but connected us to free tasty shots from the bar at Pazza on Porter before we left.
Come for a fun, relaxed time with people who really understand the art of a cocktail, don't take yourself too seriously, and you'll really, really enjoy this gem of an addition to East Boston!