L Street Tavern

It’s ok, there are a few decorations to let one know that the movie Goodwill Hunting was filmed there. There was no food only drinks.

I have been coming here for 3 years always amazing. This girl today handing out Jell-O shots dressed as the joker she was mean,rude and aggressive not even just in the sales way she berated us because we did not want to buy what she was trying to give. And when we asked her politely to leave us alone she had us thrown out! Won’t come back unless is something done about her. Again everyone else was amazing as always . Would love to come back but she was out of control and ruined the end of the night!

TLDR: If you’re a Good Will Hunting fan, it’s worth a visit, but try to go earlier in the day if possible. If you’re in the neighborhood and want to watch some games, they’ve got plenty of TVs. They had both the Red Sox and US Open (tennis) on while we were there. We saw a family with kids grab a quick drink at the Good Will Hunting table, so it’s not a bad place for kids—just maybe don’t go too late. Plenty of TVs to watch games, and we were served quickly at the bar, though a smile from the bartender would’ve been nice (maybe he was tired or had a rough day). This is one of the three bars featured in Good Will Hunting, and the only one still standing/open. The layout hasn’t changed much—except they swapped out the low seating tables for high seating, but it’s not a big deal. The rest of the bar looks mostly like it did in the movie. We only had beer, but the pictures and quotes on the tables are a nice touch. We walked over 35 minutes to get to this tavern, and as a Good Will Hunting fan, I’m glad we did. There was only one bartender when we went, and you had to walk up to get your drinks, which isn’t a big deal—it’s a tavern, after all. He was really quick and got me a beer within 5 seconds of walking up, even though the bar was nearly full. The restrooms were surprisingly renovated and very clean. There was a bit of a strong detergent smell, but I didn’t mind since it’s a small bathroom (probably helps mask any odors). Two urinals in the men’s washroom—a good call. If you want it quieter and more kid-friendly, I’d recommend going earlier in the day. It’s a small local tavern, so it’s probably less busy then. One thing that is odd, as others have mentioned, is that the receipt wasn’t itemized. I had 1 Harpoon, 1 Sam Adams Light, and two soda waters, and the total was $21. Is that good? Is that bad? I don’t know—maybe the bartender didn’t charge me for the soda water? I’ll never know. Not a big deal since we didn’t drink much, but it’s weird that they don’t itemize receipts like every other bar. It’s the kind of thing you don’t want to make a fuss about, but it’s definitely an inconvenience.

Cold. Bartender is everything you hear about Boston neighborhoods when you’re not reading TripAdvisor. Most unfriendly bartender and regulars I’ve come across in 100,000 miles. The slice place next door, C makes you feel at home, as does Emmit, go there and then go to the North End. Italians are always warmer. And I’m part Irish, not the good half.

Don’t waste your time. I’ve been kicked out of better bars than this dump. Couldn’t even order a beer because they said they were closing. Even though it clearly says they close till 1 am . We showed up at 11:00 pm. They had bunch of locals there piss drunk that kept ordering. Why advertise it as tourist bar and not want tourist ? Movie sucked anyways!

I used to love L-street tavern, but had a bad experience last night. Ordered 1 Leinenkugel summer shandy and 1 Coors Light on draft. So for 2 beers total, the tab came back as $24. I asked the bartender about the bill (which I never do) because I’d been here before and the receipt wasn’t itemized so I was sure it was mistake. The bartender said it was correct and that “all drafts start at $8”, but wouldn’t say how much each one was, and that they charge extra for serving in plastic cups that we didn’t ask for and we would have much preferred glass. A guy next to me was charged $5 for a miller lite which made me even more confused. Heard there was new ownership of the bar so maybe that’s the change. It’s a real shame because it’s a cool bar but I won’t be coming here again if they’re not transparent about ridiculous prices, even for Boston.

Great stop on the southie pub crawl. Very friendly service. I would never drive by this place without stopping for at least one.

Buffalo Chicken Pizza: 3/10 Extremely dry, 2 slices for $10 should be 2/$3 for that quality

Great pub. Nice pours. Nice and real bartender, although I did miss him off, it was understandable. You can grab good food across the street and eat inside.

The staff is not so friendly and the flavors of beer are limited. Plus, there is few traits related to "Good will hanting", which was so disappointing for me as a fun.

Came here the night before and on St. Patrick's day and had a great time. The space is small but mighty, and the bar tenders were very attentive and helpful. Spent $23 on 2 High Noons but hey, welcome to Boston!

10/10 authentic love this bar so much. If you want the actual Boston experience go here

Quintessential Irish bar is what this is, stick to the beers & spirits, add one mixer to the spirits IF you must. Don't go and do something touristy and demanding like ordering a Mojito, smile. Great place, awesome atmosphere, lots of history, would recommend. Was a great Southie experience that I cherished.

When I heard this establishment was nearby, and given Good Will Hunting is a favorite of mine, I had to stop in. So glad a did. Great history and classic heritage here. No line, not too crowded, and my jack and coke was stellar. Was so happy to be there and can't wait to return.

Stopped here for the cinematic history. Its located in a nice neighborhood. The bartender shared the history of his family's ownership with us, which was a nice treat. Please note: They do not make fancy cocktails. They stick to shots or an alcohol paired with a juice or soda.

If you like apples you should come here, best apples in Boston. If you find it hard to hide the fact that you're gay, you can feel welcome here, because we don't care if you putt from the ruff. Sometimes in the bar ya start dancing and the music just owns ya like boom boom boom.

I visited the L Street Tavern a few weeks back. This is a drink review only. I was more than satisfied. I came to L Street on a pub crawl I made up with daughter to visit Southie dives and bars from movies made in Boston. The L was featured in Good Will Hunting - one of the best Boston movies ever! The bottom line for the L is no complaints and a solid choice for a drink or three. The atmosphere was typical of a bar of this type. The service was better than average and friendly. The beer was cold and the whiskey pour was spot on. I would be happy to have a drink again here anytime.

Wow if you are visiting South Boston this is a must! Owner is a great guy, feels like you are walking into your neighborhood bar. Beer is cold and friendliest service we received while in town.

Gum in my vodka soda. Disturbing. At least I think it's gum who even knows. And when I told the bartender he didn't even care. Got me another that was straight soda. Very disappointing

Great local bar. Even with it being known from outsiders because of Goodwill Hunting, locals still come by and hang. Generous pours during my visit & friendly conversation. Worth stopping by

My favorite bar to visit when in Boston. Cozy atmosphere to enjoy the company of friends or catch the game on tv. Welcoming bartenders helped me have a good time even when visiting solo. True local tavern experience. Will always stop here when Im in town.

Bald bouncer pushed me onto the sidewalk and put his hands all over me. Spent the night in hospital due to injuries I sustained including a broken finger. See attached photos and bruises from his hands wrapped around my arm. owner saw this happen did not intervene. police report filed

L Street Tavern is my home away from home. The best place in the world. They don't serve food but you can bring your own food or get food delivered there. And another plus is that For a dive bar, they accept credit cards and serve wine! Bartenders are always friendly, and so is the crowd. It can get packed on weekends, but you will never have a hard time getting a drink.

Wonderful last night in Boston at the L Tavern! It is a must see if you really want to experience Boston life. This little gem is clearly home to the neighborhood - I'm sure it is a local favourite! Everyone was so friendly and Liam was a world of wisdom who socializes with everyone who walks in. Couldn't have been happier to be in his company to cap off a fantastic week in this beautiful city. Thank you Liam for your hospitality - if ever in Vancouver, look us up Barb & Faith

We are neighbors of L Street Tavern, and love it here. Yes we get bothered by people leaving the bar late at night but that's not really something they can control. It's a down to earth place (which is rare in Southie these days) and the prices are still low. But truthfully my favorite part of being their neighbor is their chalkboard sign out front :) I pass that sign every day and it's ALWAYS a positive or fun message, and never offensive. That means a lot in this world and I truly appreciate that they don't have to resort to negative humor to get people in their door. They are just regular nice people and I think that should be recognized more often.

3.5 stars... Don't let South Boston's (aka "Southie") reputation get to you too much, it's not really a bad or that rough an area, not anymore anyway. This is just a typical neighborhood bar, nothing outstanding about it other than it's lack of tourists or rich pretentious people. Beers were properly cheap (I think a Bud Light was $3) and the bartender I had was sweet and hot. The only complaint I can think of is that the bartender was playing music from an ipod (when someone wasn't using the jukebox) and the sound system for it was muffled and cheap (not the same speakers for the jukebox). It's worth noting that if you're coming here because it's the "Good Will Hunting Bar", they have done a little renovating since the movie including laminating their bar tables with pictures and memorabilia from the movie. I thought this added interest but takes away from the authenticity. It's also worth noting that Anthony Bourdain came here for a segment on one of his shows (no mention of that here).

This place is great. Very authentic Boston tavern with old school feel. Love coming here with friends and family.

Based off my experiences alone for bars and what I like in a bar, I give L Street Tavern 5-stars. It's a small bar in Southie. Southie seems to be gearing itself towards the large bars and a younger crew. But this is also why I love this bar. It's small enough where it doesn't get too over-packed because of it's quaint size. I've never had a problem getting a seat or table if you wait 15-20 minutes and grab a beer in the meantime. The bartenders are wicked nice and the crowd around always seems to be having a good time. The drink prices and service are great. They have KENO which is a huge selling factor for me. The best part is that the JukeBox is a Touch Tunes and you can control what music is getting played. Most of the larger bars will shut down that option once it becomes later in the night, but at L Street you can control the music whenever you want. This is a typical meetup spot for my friends who live in Southie and it's never disappointed.

My wife and I swung by on the movie tour, which was pretty cool. The bar is very small, but the bartender was cool. A fun Boston South Side small bar. If I lived here, a couple of beers would be fun.

L street is a great spot. Easy to grab a drink and reasonably priced.

This is a great local neighborhood bar which is tough to find in Southie. The drinks are good and affordable. It's a casual bar but it gets busy as the night goes on. They have a touch tunes system which allows customers to play and select songs which is definetly a great benefit.

My grandmother used to tell me that I had a "friendly face". It's the kind of face that upon meeting someone for the first time, they almost always say "I think we may have met before..." So maybe that's why I've never felt the you-are-not-wanted vibe here. Or maybe other people are hyper sensitive. Either way, I'm a fan of L St. This is where we go when we are too lazy to walk to one of the bars on Broadway. Or when we just want a beer without a scene. It's a teeny space with pretty limited seating, but more often than not we are offered a seat by a chivalrous gentleman upon entering. We usually end up in a random conversation here; again the tight quarters kind of mandate it. But even if I end up just chatting with the companions I came here with, I don't necessarily think that's weird. Are other people talking to every patron in every other bar they go to? The TVs are at sort of weirdly high angles, so if you are watching a game, you may end up with a crink in your neck, but the ridiculously cheap drinks can probably solve that problem in no time. And the bartenders here are those regular pub pros that only need some quick eye contact to deliver up a speedy refill. I dig speedy refills. To clear up some of the confusion, there is no food here. There IS food at the L St Diner, which is a few blocks down the street. There is also a pizza place right across the street, and yes, they will let you bring it in if you want. But I prefer my carbs to be liquid based. Classy.

Too Busy I just can't get myself to like this bar. Every time I go I find myself fighting for a spot to stand and fighting to get a drink. Then I look at the people I'm with and we say, "Why did we come here?" I can't answer the question and then we leave. Southside has a bunch of cool divey bars and L Street just doesn't fit that bill anymore. The sad part is that I never got to experience the good ole days. If you want a cool neighborhood place go to Touchie's right down the street. Thanks

4 Guinness and a something-lite-beer for $21 ... deal ! Cozy little place, with a long narrow bar, dim lights and a real mix of salty old local men, yuppies, and college students ... it's all good in this neighborhood bar. Some people belly up to the bar, groups of friends chat around the few tables or in little circles, and others try to start a little dance off in the back corner. The good thing here is everyone seemed to be enjoying themeselves ... I sure did ;)

I like L Street. Their house brew is three bucks a glass and generally the bar is exactly what it should be. Like it's not a club, it's a neighborhood bar, you know? I'm a fan. Plus my roommate swears by their steak tips.

Been going here for years (well I do live right across the street) and love going here to enjoy some good company, play some Keno and have a nice cold beer. Not too long ago they put in lots of flat screens which has been a HUGE plus. I'll go here on a weekend afternoon, friday night, or random weekday night just to get out of the house and enjoy a cheap drink and watch the news. They don't serve food but you can bring in whatever you like. I've enjoyed many meals from Mirasola's across the street here at the bar. It has been amazing to watch the transformation of this place, especially on the weekends. Used to pretty much recognize most people but now there are constantly new faces. Doesn't bother me though, everyone is still treated well. and oh yea, the jukebox there is the best!!

Rob M. put it perfectly. The locals own this bar and if ANYONE else comes in they hate you, even if you live down the street. Non- lifers not allowed!!!! The bartender was super rude and everyone there does not emit a friendliness by any matter of means! I'm a reg pub-goer and this one lacks any authenticity of a pub an the attitude doesn't help

Cheap drinks. Dive bar. They have done a little revamping, cool. There is still some odd smell here. No want to be hipters here. Straight up cool people all wanting to hang out and drink on the cheap. A real welcoming family. You might get a few local girls pissed that you are invading their turf.....but they are cool after their third shot. I have been here three times. Twice, there was a major brawl and at the time, I was scared. Right after the fight, they were hugging each other and saying "I love you man"..............yup....neighborhood bar alright.

An impromptu Southie pub crawl was initiated this past Friday night and I found myself happily skipping along and enjoying some bars that I've never been to before. L Street was our second stop and I really liked the vibe here. The dark wood, the table tops covered in Good Will Hunting memorabilia, and an ecclectic crowd of locals. Very chill place to kick back and enjoy some people watching or a game on TV.

No where in South Boston is it more clear how much Southie hearts Ben and Matt. Well, Goodwill Hunting to be exact... and of course the L Street Tavern has this sentiment seeing as scenes from the movie were filmed within its (since refurbished) walls. L Street was a nice place. Just enough space, nice long bar, friendly service, numerous regulars, decent prices... Goodwill Hunting posters... It was all just good. Nothing to rave about. Nothing to bitch about. If you are an avid Keno fan, it seemed to be a popular activity amongst most of the solo stool dwellers.

3.5 stars I really enjoyed this establishment. Sure, it's the Good Will Hunting bar, but it's not trendy at all. In fact, it's pretty much a dive, but clean and great service. I was here with some friends on the earlier side of a Saturday night, so the atmosphere was lively but not crazy. It seemed like after 9 or 10pm, it turns into a crazy place. I would come back for afternoon or early evening drinks.

The L is a great southie bar. It's small, dark, loud usually, and filled with south boston characters. I used to go here all the time and meet my buddy for a drink. He moved, and now I have very little reason to make the trek. It's too bad, it's a spectacular neighborhood bar.

Great brunch. Food was delicious. Staff was attentive and pleasant. So, much food!! All you can eat buffet at a great price. Prime Rib that melts in your mouth, really, you don't even need a steak knife!! You gotta check it out. I'm going back next week.

Instantly brought back nostalgia from Good Will Hunting, even 20 years later. The bar has been remodeled and it looks different, although all the Good Will Hunting poster and pictures is still there. Drinks were average, nothing stood out, typical tavern.

If you get lucky enough you'll get Kevin, the bartender. Needless to say he is a down to earth good guy, with great ideas of places to see in Boston, with also an awesome Boston accent. He is born and raised South Boston boy! All persons there were super friendly and gave a great recommendation for Sicilian food across the road!

This place wasn't bad at all. Small little neighborhood southie bar, with a TON of TV's. I forget how many there were, but enough so no matter where you were seated or looking in the bar, you were able to have your eye on at least one TV. I don't know why some people don't feel welcome here. I almost felt like I should have seen more tourists here with the way it's set up and has all of the Good Will Hunting memorabilia around. The bartender was super nice, and my friend and I didn't really talk to the other patrons, but we were not given a hard time at all... and my friend is German. The woman's bathroom is just to the right of the bar, and can be a little tricky to see. All in all I think this is a good neighborhood spot. No food, to my knowledge... just drinks - so eat before you come. Just one minor gripe for those not living in the neighborhood - no parking except for street... and during the week after 6pm that parking is for residents only. If you're lucky, you can find some parking on E Broadway, and it's not too far of a walk.

I've been coming here for years and wanted to post the new look inside and revised menu and food was awesome! Always a great spot for drinks but now a great spot for food!! Congrats on the revamp

Just a bar. - I was here this past weekend. It's just a small bar. I guess it likes to think it's a local watering hole, but thanks to appearing in the Good Will Hunting movie, along with Anthony Bourdain's Boston episode of No Reservations, the establishment, along with it's clientele have become, well, CLEANER. You won't find many roughneck southies here. Mainly yuppies who have invaded the neighborhood wearing collared shirts. - When I say "it's just a bar" I mean - that's it. It's a small place that serves booze. No band, no food, no nothing. At least they got a jukebox. I can't think I'd ever go back for any particular reason.

What a difference a year can make. Last night we had our annual "boat club reunion" down southie. We decided to give L Street tavern anotha try. And we are GLAD we did. Atmosphere= A+ (the jukebox was a big hit) Service= A+ the bartender was quite friendly and had the fireball flowing. Value was it was very good. I am glad to give this place a 5 star rating. Thanks L Street I'll be back!

This is the "Good Will Hunting" bar but be forewarned-they redid the inside so now doesn't really look like it does in the movie (altho they do have a "Good Will Hunting" table I hear, which I think is where they say in the movie.) Otherwise fairly standard place, on a weeknight around 10:30ish never seems to be too busy. They also have a little section with an arcade game or two if that's your thing. Nice enough bartenders. Walked by it at like 9am on January 1st and it was PACKED (I think it is where all the swimmers meet after the annual dip in the ocean) complete with a bagpiper in a kilt I think? Would definitely be curious to go in next year for those drunken festivities!!

Just stopped-in to use restroom. Cool place. This is where Goodwill Hunting was filmed, so I was told.

This is one of the reasons why I visited Boston. I am a huge "Good Will Hunting" fan, and I really wanted to see the place where it all started. I was totally stoked walking through "Southie" waiting to see this bar. When I got to the bar, a sign outside said the home of GOOD WILL HUNTING. Smaller than I thought it was. From the movie it seemed as if the bar was much bigger, but not at all. The entire inside is dedicated to Good Will Hunting, pictures, memorabilia, etc. It was nice to see it. A table where we sat was dedicated to the movie also, and this table had the original invitations to the Academy Award party at L St Tavern. Now that I have my Good Will Hunting talk out of the way, let's move on to the actual bar aspect of it. The drinks are relatively cheap. In Boston the same beer would be $6 where it is $3 at L St Tavern. We had an old time bartender, Ralph, who was tending on us. I love seeing 70 year old men still working at the bar. Cool stuff. Even though they have remodeled since the beginning (GOOD WILL HUNTING), it still is a good local hangout. They do not serve food, but they allow you to bring food in from across the street (pizza place). And for those who say that the people there are mean, I would have to differ. They are not mean, they are just indifferent to tourist. I struck up a conversation with a guy and he bought my beers the entire night, saying that he would not let a college kid buy beers in his bar. Good times.

Good for hanging out with your buddies - almost always room and lots of action on the TVs. Check out the lotto machine in the back - I won $20. Great prices on beers. Yes, they filmed Good Will Hunting here, but stay at home if you want to do your best 'Ben Affleck' impression.

I can't speak for the bar, although it sounds like I should get there, but I can speak for the PIZZA. My work always orders from here for late night working and it's damn fine. They make their own dough and it's delicious, classic, east coast style pizza. What more can I say?

Good spot. The bartender was great, the other customers were friendly, prices were reasonable, and it had a very Boston feel to it. We went because it was the spot where Good Will Hunting was filmed.

Famous for its Irish mob history and its cameo in Good Will Hunting this little pub has been revamped... its a nice place, but some of the old charm is gone.

If you want a place to escape from the suits and ties that have invaded the other Southie bars, this is the place to go.... Great prices on the drinks, room to walk, no line at the bathroom, and friendly people. my kind of place!