4. Restaurants

The Grand Canal

57 Canal St, Boston, MA, 02114
  • (617) 523-1112
  • Store is closed

The Grand Canal Menu

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  • Jordan C.

    Something is off with this place. I have ended up here from time to time throughout the years, but last Friday will be my last. This place is like any other bar in the area, nothing special, but if its on my way to the main event of drinking for the night, why not stop in and keep the flow going. I am sure this would probably still be the case if i didn't notice the bouncers degrading people. I just so happen to step out for a smoke when I noticed in between the two entrances some type of altercation. I figured it was just a couple of people causing a drunken scene. I obviously kept watching, hoping to see these people make jerks out of themselves when I noticed while the couple was walking away a doorman threw a handful of change at them. The couple clearly got hit by the change, and reacted pretty civilly considered an employee of the establishment was trying to demoralize them. The situation would have probably ended, if the same bouncer didn't throw another handful of coins at them, after that this altercation went from 0 to 60 real quick. There were 4 bouncers "bullying" this skinny blonde girl and average Joe dude, (clearly two people who are not physically a threat) and even after it looked like the girl was crying they didn't stop. This continued for an few minutes, when a few of us watching from the sidelines, felt it was time to step in and make sure the couple was alright. This was pretty mortify to watch, I can't image how they felt, I was scared for them, and clearly I wasn't the only who felt this way considering others stepped in to end it. With that being said, this place is no different then any other bar in Boston, so I think I will stick to the places that wont leave me walking away disgusted.

    (2)

  • Nik B.

    What makes this place is the huge backside patio. I mean this thing is massive, which makes it a great place to go in a large group. Otherwise, this is pretty much your standard overcrowded-on-the-night-of-a-Celtics game bar. Fortunately, the bartenders are quick to get everyone their beers, and while you're guaranteed to have to wait a few minutes to even make eye contact with the bartender, they will get to you in reasonable time. Grand Canal does the sports bar thing well, and the additionally huge patio in back make it a fun place to be with your large group of friends.

    (3)

  • Bobby C.

    We wanted to get a quick dinner before the bruins game. I've been to The Grand Canal a few times but for drinks only. For an appetizer, we had the calamari. I felt like the calamari was made too quickly. There was not enough breading on the calamari which made it taste a bit mushy. For entrées, we had the chicken pesto with ravioli (special) and mesquite steak tips. It was basic bar/comfort food. The tips were a bit bland. The ravioli was ricotta filled cooked with chicken and pesto. Service was ok.

    (2)

  • Emily F.

    Maybe it was a bad night? The food was only so-so, I wouldn't "recommend" anything. My burgers (sliders) were AWFUL, as in "couldn't eat them" bad. The waitress we had was nice, but she seemed so exhausted, and brought over the wrong drink a couple times... didn't charge us, but that was nice and weird at the same time. At least its not crowded?

    (2)

  • Rob C.

    Even though it's totally out of place for a pub that actually does a really nice job of looking like a proper Irish bar, the new addition of the outdoor deck is still pretty awesome. It's one more step in the process of reclaiming the part of the city that used to be a loud, ugly, green highway overpass. Instead of that, you can sit outside eating some very decent pub food, sipping a good pint of Guinness, and look out at the skyline, the new parks, and the streets of the North End. Sure, there's still a busy street, and it's hardly Boylston or Newbury as far as people-watching is concerned, but you can never have too many places to eat outside. As for the food, i only had appetizers. The onion rings were very good. The nachos were a little on the stingy side, but yummy. In addition to a nicely poured pint of Guinness, they also have an interesting variety of imports on tap, particularly German stuff, strangely enough.

    (3)

  • H. G.

    Of the bad North Station bars (the Greatest Bar, the Harp, Hurricane O'Reilly's, et al.), the Grand Canal is probably the best. I would NOT eat the food here. It's standard pub fare done badly. But they often have live music and the outdoor patio is pretty decent. Come with lowered expectations, and you could have a good time here.

    (3)

  • Hisham K.

    I don't think there's anything grand about the Grand Canal. The night that I was there, the band was terrible. On a Saturday night, the kitchen was closing at 10 pm, and even then the food was not spectacular at all - it was one of the least-impressive burgers I've ever had. The one redeeming factor about this place was the outdoor patio seating, but they kicked us off the patio at midnight and crammed us all into the bar, which is not that large. So basically, skip this place. They won't let you stay on the patio, the kitchen closes far too soon, and the band stinks. PS: I must give my kudos to the bartender, however. I don't like straws in my drinks, and I always have a moment of defiance whenever someone serves me a drink with a straw. I take it out of my drink and hurl it away. The bartender saw me do that to my first drink, and when I ordered my second one later on, he did NOT put a straw in it. Good man.

    (2)

  • Francesca R.

    I almost gave this place two stars for the patio but you know what? Service is so bad on the patio that it cancels out the pleasant experience. I do not like this bar. My hubs and his co-workers used to go here all the time because it was directly across the street from their work. I can understand this. There are some places in Harvard Square that I don't love but are convenient and easy for a group to meet and eat at. It happens. So sometimes I'd go meet them after work for some beers and food, and this place always annoyed me. Service is slow and apathetic. The food's mediocre at best and if there's a game on at the Garden they jack up the prices. Something about the feng shui of the place isn't right, either--I always feel gloomy and negative as soon as I enter the place, no matter how chipper I might have been before I entered the Grand Canal's portals of crapitude. Look, it is convenient, but there are several other mediocre places in the area that you can avail yourself of that aren't quite so terrible.

    (1)

  • Laura K.

    Oh, Grand Canal. What can I say about you that hasn't already been said? Just alright food and apps, drinks I could get cheaper elsewhere, and an outdoor patio overlooking the scenic intersection of three roadways. However, I have to agree with my friend Hemanth: "Of the bad North Station bars (the Greatest Bar, the Harp, Hurricane O'Reilly's, et al.), the Grand Canal is probably the best." One benefit of the Grand Canal is that, probably for the reasons listed above, it's rarely crowded. Despite the drawbacks, I always have a good time here, and as long as I'm still living 250yds away in the North End, I'll always come back for more.

    (3)

  • Felecia C.

    This bar...just no. I have been here around 6 PM on a weekday and it's basically empty. This is fine with me, except they don't serve cider. However, I made the unwise decision to go back on a Saturday evening. Upon arrival at 8:30 (yes, we're old ladies), there was a sizeable crowd but there was plenty of room to walk around, hang out at the bar, etc...you know, breathe. Then, the cover band started to play. They started out with John Mayer (?), then played that new Train song twice (?1?), and never once played Bon Jovi or Journey (?!?!!!!!!!?@#$??). My feeling is if you are going to be a top40/pop cover band, play songs people like. Next, the bar started to fill up. Like to the point where inebriated patrons start pushing you out of the way and don't say "excuse me" and then guys think it's ok to touch your back while they try to get to the bar. All of this is bad. THEN, the bathroom flooded. Twenty minutes later a bouncer finally got around to letting people know the bathroom had 2 inches of water on the floor and we should use the bathroom at the bar next door. And what was going on next door, you might ask? A reasonably populated, temperature-controlled dance party to Lady Gaga. IF ONLY I HAD KNOWN. In summary, this bar is Ned Divine's stepchild.

    (2)

  • Andrew R.

    What I like about this place the most is that it's never as crowded as the other bars around the Garden prior to a game. You can usually get seated quickly, even within an hour of gametime. The food is your standard pub fare, and it's good, but nothing you'll really remember long after you've left. Service is fairly fast, and my servers have always been friendly. It's a solid place to get a quick bite when you're looking for more than fast food.

    (3)

  • Brian F.

    I don't frequent the bars around Fanueil Hall too often, so I am glad that a complimentary Buy With Me voucher brought me to the sunny deck of The Grand Canal. Great food options (the Irish sausage was unreal) and friendly service to boot. We went on a lazy Sunday afternoon, so I can't say what this place is like once it fills up at night, but we certainly enjoyed our relaxing al fresco lunch!

    (4)

  • Peter W.

    I agree with another reviewer that this place is less crowded than the other bars on the street. We were able to get seated for dinner before a Celtics game, had two rounds with dinner, and off we went to the game. I had the BBQ combo which was advertised as ribs and steak tips. They didn't have anymore ribs, but offered chicken. I was in a hurry so got the chicken and steak tips. It was ok; nothing special. Service was quick and efficient. The atmosphere was what you would expect for a pre-celtics game - lots of green shirts and lots of beer.

    (3)

  • Kimberley S.

    Ugh, I hate it here. Came here once for dinner. When we walked in, the place was very loud and crowded. By the time we got there (about 6pm) they had already turned up the music to 1AM fist-pumping club volume. It was really strange and unappealing for dinner. There were people everywhere and all the tables on the bar floor were mobbed. There were 3 of us at a table of 4 and on the corner where no one was seated people would just sit without asking or apologizing. We came here because I was so hungry and the waits were huge other places we tried. But in spite of how ravenous I was, nothing on the menu looked special, out of the ordinary, or even very appetizing. I ordered a bowl of clam chowder and the waitress told me they were out of chowder. What? This is Boston, lady! Dejected, I ordered some burger sliders instead. I have had good burger sliders before(try Kinsale's lamb sliders)- these were not. Three very small, dry patties on a bun. That's it. Oh, there was a side of ketchup. Most places will serve it with pickles or some fries or some special sauce but this was BARE MINIMUM. Again, I was starving so I ate them but they were pretty awful. I'd love to give this place one star, but in all fairness my boyfriend thought his pastrami sandwich was great. I'm never coming back.

    (2)

  • Francisco A.

    Oh Grand... ok, not so grand... would say Medium... maybe less than medium... more like a medium that spent too much time in the drier. Food = ok Music = ok Service = ok Beer Selection = ok My veredict, unless you are a 21 year old and are just discovering places in the city, pick a better place to spend the night... for five bucks a beer I would like to have fun with it.

    (3)

  • paul d.

    People that go here for the food expecting something special need to re-evaluate their selection process. It's a bar. That being said, the food here is bad, bad even for a bar. I very rarely eat here and when I do I stick with something that's simple. I generally head to the Canal on Friday or Saturday nights. There's no dress code , there is live music almost every weekend, the bartenders are awesome and very friendly, and if there is a cover its only $5 compared to most Faneuil Hall bars $10 cover. It's also a good spot to go before/after a Bruins game because it doesn't get as annoyingly packed as the other bars closer down Canal St.

    (4)

  • Matt C.

    Never, ever order the crab cake sandwich here. Seeing as I hail from the Chesapeake Bay area, I have low expectations of New England crab cakes - but this was just unreal. The "cake" was basically stuffing from Thanksgiving dinner mixed with a dusting of cornmeal and half a bottle of Old Bay seasoning, then drizzled with some vague seafood-flavored water. Truly awful. Other sandwiches and entrees aren't bad, but this place just seems tired, like it ran too hot for too long and now is just sort of mailing it in. If Gordon Ramsey were to turnaround a Boston restaurant, I hope this will be the one. So much potential - just look at how cool the fans are!

    (2)

  • Chris S.

    Like having fistfuls of coins thrown at you (and striking you) by bouncers as you leave a bar? You'll love Grand Canal!

    (1)

  • Julie T.

    Ah...the Grand Canal. In terms of people and atmosphere, it's kinda nice and the fact that they have that outdoor patio in the back is great. For nicer weather and things of that nature, they have put their outdoor area to great use. However, in terms of food, it's pretty eh. It's one of those places that would probably taste good if you were drunk, but since I'm never drunk when I go to eat there, I'd say the food is more or less mediocre. I work in the area on Saturdays and since some of the places I like to frequent are already closed, if I'm super lazy and only want to go across the street, I have to settle. Last week, I was in my lazy mode and decided to go across the street to get some lunch. Now, first off, if you want to call in your order before you get there? DON'T BOTHER. No one picks up the phone at all so it's really all just wasted effort. Just go there, suck it up, and just wait it out. There's not much else you can do outside of that. I went across the street and got myself a chicken pot pie. The weather was a bit down and cold so I wanted something comforting to put in my belly. I decided to round off the meal with an order of onion rings as well. After ordering and waiting around for about ten minutes or so, the server who took my order handed me a bag and I waved to them and said goodbye as I walked out. As soon as I got back to work, I sat down at my desk and unflatteringly ripped the bag open, grabbing the food from the bag. I was immediately disappointed. The onion rings looked fine, but I was expecting them to be served with a sauce or something, but no. Only a couple Hunt's ketchup packets were tossed in. I can't blame them. They didn't say they were going to serve the rings with a sauce so that was more my fault. However, I'm a fan of Heinz ketchup and the fact that they served me Hunt's made me a tiny bit sad. As for the chicken pot pie. I have never been so disappointed. At $13, I was looking at mush that someone tossed into a box and threw the doughy topping on top. Just imagine soup on a plate. It looked like that: flat, not very much and overall not good looking at all. I guess I'm to blame for that one as well because no idiot in their right mind gets chicken pot pie to go, right? Well, I decided that it was my fault for picking bad items on the menu and just went ahead and tasted it. The onion rings were okay, but I've had plenty better. They were decent and edible, but nothing special, if not mediocre. As for the chicken pot pie, it tastes strong of something that kind of resembled rosemary to me. The taste was off and I only had about 6 puny chunks of chicken in the entire dish. I was incredibly disappointed, but I suppose the two hunks of toasted Italian bread they threw in kind of helped, but what for? I didn't wanna use it to mop up the pot pie! So they kind of sat there, unpicked and untouched before half an hour went by and I touched them and they were as hard as bricks. Overall, I was pretty disappointed. For something that's so conveniently close, why does their food have to suck so bad for me? No matter. I suppose I'll just have to walk down the street to another bar kind of place for some other type of food that I'd only enjoy if I were drunk.

    (2)

  • Kat L.

    Its a dive. The end.

    (2)

  • Chris B.

    Enjoyable summer establishment with a much desired enormous back deck. I enjoy the food and nothing bad to say about the staff, nothing exceptionally great to say either.

    (3)

  • Rune W.

    Disclaimer: This review is predicated solely on the two New Year's Eve private functions that Rune rocked as the ball dropped on '07 and '08. That's right. The first time around, our group comprised about 35% of the overall party population. For this year's event, we managed to sell the place out (save about fifteen folks the GREEDY-ASS owner surreptitiously sold tickets to without contributing a percentage of their fees to our fundraiser) ourselves. For those of y'all needing a large space (100-150 people) for a function, you could do worse than The Grand Canal. Expect dishonesty and indecency when negotiating with the asshole that owns the joint. I suppose that's par for the course with youngsters owning and operating their own establishment. His greed is most obviously manifested by employing some cut-rate schmuck with no discernible skill to moonlight as the event DJ (the dude fucked up on Auld Lang Syne -- our only request -- both years) and, moreover, by understaffing the 'open' bar (I'm sure that profit margin is boosted considerably when folks have to wait twenty minutes or more for drinks they've already paid for). I wouldn't be surprised if the bartenders were under an explicit directive to be inefficient. The bouncers are -- and I'm understating this -- meatball shitheads. Both years, their collectively violent nature led to mild conflicts between party-goers escalating into full-blown brawls necessitating police intervention. They'll get that second star, though, because I like the split, multi-level space very much, the decor is pub-excellence and there's a coat-check (though they perennially lose garments and struggle to keep up with the volume of departure after last call).

    (2)

  • Diana G.

    Since I work in the neighborhood, I have been here before, but today was the first time I actually ordered a meal - Sunday brunch! I got a mushroom/cheese omelet. It was cooked perfectly! I also enjoyed the home fries fruit, & toast that came with it. Very filling meal for only $8.99! I highly recommend it! :P

    (4)

  • Mark M.

    I see there is no option for 0 or negative ratings, so one star will have to suffice. I've been to the canal twice (I refuse to use the word 'grand' at all when describing this place). The first time was to see one of my friends' bands play a show there. It was hot, crowded, the service was terrible, and it was overall a shitty experience. But I had never been out around the Garden at that point and didn't really know what to expect, so I gave it a free pass and figured I'd give it another shot. Tonight, after a two year hiatus from the canal, I finally went back (after being roped into a night out with a bunch of friends from school). Where do I start with the shittyness? First of all, there's a 5 dollar cover to get in. Before 9 PM. That's pretty shitty, but not necessarily unheard of. Got in, and it was at least 100 degrees in there. It was also really, REALLY crowded. Only to get more crowded after the heart breaking Bruins game got out. By crowded I'm talking about "McFaddens during Happy Hour" crowded. Just no room to move at all. Finally got a beer. Miller Lite to be exact, for $4.25. Tipped the barstaff $2.00 for the easiest thing to serve on the menu, since they do have pretty terrible jobs. Next time I went up, I waited for 40 minutes. Bartender took my order (was for another Miller Lite). Laughed at me and said "no". Then moved onto the next person. I was effectively cut off at the canal after one $6 beer. So I left. I've never been so happy to wait for the Orange Line for 40 minutes before in my life. Thank you, canal, for ruining a perfectly good Friday night. Worst. Bar. Ever.

    (1)

  • Angie P.

    I'm a sucker for outdoor seating. And Grand Canal has a massive deck out back. I didn't have any food - just drinks. It was nice to have the option to escape outside and get a breathe of fresh air, especially since we had one of the most gorgeous weekends in April this past weekend. I was here for a Bachellorette party so we got here pretty early. There was no line and it wasn't that busy around 930. Around 10 it really started to pick up and was packed. Inside the bar was probably 100 degrees easily, so plan to get your sweat on here. They had a live band that was pretty decent. One of the highlights of the night for me: My friend and I were standing at the bar talking. She scratched her nose less than 1 second. All of a sudden this guy approaches us and says to her: Guy: "Are you on drugs" Friend: "Umm no" Guy: "Oh okay well I thought you were because you rubbed your nose" Friend: "No" Guy: "Okay!" Then proceeds to make small talk until we quickly broke away. Just a note for guys - this isn't a good line to use on girls to start a conversation! Now to the part that I absolutely hated. The bathrooms were probably the most disgusting bathrooms I've ever been in. There was a river running through the bathroom floor - hmmm maybe its part of the charm of naming the place Grand Canal. If you come here, avoid the bathrooms at ALL costs (which is pretty impossible if you're going to have a cocktail or 2).

    (2)

  • Chris A.

    The only reason I go to The Grand Canal is because it's across the street from my office. The food's alright, though not special in any way. The atmosphere gives off an Irish vibe, but it's a bland Americanized version. The wait staff are friendly but can be slow if it's busy. Also, whoever chooses the music has terrible taste (we're talking country, soft rock sad FM for the over-30, etc.). The best dishes are: bangers and mash (sausages, mashed potatoes, and beans), Irish salmon, and the fish and chips. There's nothing great about them, but they're a good basic lunch or dinner. When going for drinks, they now have an outdoor porch which is nice. The bar has the basics, but don't expect anything exotic or special. I haven't been there during any games or special events so I don't know how good they are for that...but I'm guessing it's about as average as everything else. That's not bad though: it's a great place to be a regular.

    (3)

  • Michele G.

    Went here around 6:30 last Saturday with my BF and a few of his softball buddies. The patio was nice, but they were out of half of the beers the guys tried to order. On a Saturday before the main rush? With a liquor store next door? Oh, and they ran out of silverware and napkins, so they gave us cocktail napkins. We all had burgers, but it would have been nice to actually have the option. Boo.

    (2)

  • Emmet H.

    Terrible. Some of the worst food I've ever had. Chicken fingers were very dry and obviously cooked in the same fat as the fish, nasty. I then had the shepherds pie and things got worse. It was microwaved, scalding carrots cold peas. And it had tomatoes in it which was not on the menu. My co-diner made the simple request to hold the lettuce on her sandwich. Of course she got lettuce, fine DIY dining at it's worst. If you go stick to booze .

    (1)

  • Rocky A.

    It's a bad sign when you're looking at the menu trying to figure out what they're least likely to screw up. I had that experience here. The burger I was initially served was way overdone. (I ordered medium.) Rather than risk it again, I switched to the nachos. They came out burnt. For a drink, it's not a bad place with large flat screen TVs behind each section of the large bar. The TV behind the center part of the bar was on the fritz.

    (2)

  • Debbie B.

    Soon to be renamed as the NOT so Grand Canal. I was here last night before a concert and was rating it in my head as we were leaving! Now I'm not a bar snob at all. I have pretty easy requirements. I don't even need a clean bathroom. But if I'm at the bar drinking...I'm going to need at least A bathroom! GC apparently had some plumbing issues last night so they shut down the bathrooms for like 45 minutes and then finally opened a one- room staff only restroom across the bar. Now- I don't want to get all TMI here but 45 minutes is an ETERNITY to wait for a facility when you have been drinking! The restroom they opened- was unisex without a lock on the door. It had a sign that said "Knock first" but the bar was too loud to hear if anyone answered when you did. This led to my inebriated friend running from the door yelling after seeing a BIT too much of our bartender when she walked in. (OK so it led to a funny story- but still!) Might I also add- NO Grey Goose vodka and no seasonal beers! WTF! Not so Grand also had a crazy long wait for a drink when it was not crowded in there and had a multitude of sporting events to choose from and yet had polo on every TV in the place. The bartenders were however good sports with my party...especially the bathroom dude.

    (2)

  • Matthew D.

    I drank two beers and read The Phoenix here one afternoon while my friend was getting his daily dose of methodone across the street. This joint has a decent atmosphere. It's clean and has a couple of TV's. I only sat at the downstairs bar so I'm not sure what the rest of the place looks like. I didn't eat anything but judging from the other reviews, I would probably steer clear from the food. Otherwise, The Grand Canal seems to be a chill place to drink some beers and catch the game, although I'm not sure why with all the other more popular sports bars down the street? I think I need to come back here again to give a more comprehensive review.

    (3)

  • Carolyn F.

    Went here one time for drinks at night with friends. Every drink that I ordered was terrible. I mean how do you ruin a vodka cranberry or a vodka tonic? They also were pouring these drinks from Absolut bottles that they kept in the well liquor rack of the bar, but whatever alcohol they used was clearly not Absolut and must have been the worst of the worst. Something suspicious there. After ordering these drinks, my friends and I for some reason decided we should get LITs. Big mistake. They were by far the worst LITs I've ever had and were not drinkable by me or the guys I was with. To make things worse, when we told the bartender that they were undrinkable, he told us that it was OUR fault for ordering them. He asked us how old we were and said everyone knows they are terrible, and only younger people drink them. True, LITs are not always the best drink out there, but I have had some pretty good ones, and this was by far probably the worst drink I have ever had, LIT or not. In conclusion, the drinks were bad, and the bartender's attitude made me not want to ever return.

    (1)

  • Shari J.

    Pretty cool place. Not a big fan of the area, but we ended up here for a work party. It was a nasty night, so the outside porch was out of the question--but, I must add, some people were smoking towards the indoor area, not cool at all! The waitress was really nice, kept the drinks coming (and they were STRONG). The spinach artichoke dip was one of the best I've ever had (a little stingy on the chips though). They made us move after an hour or so, due to a private party or something, but they were pretty good about accomodating our party, which fluctuated in number from about 12 to 6 throughout the course of the night. And when all is said and done, it's an easy stumble to the green/orange lines...woohoo!

    (4)

  • Dale N.

    The outdoor patio is a major plus, but that fact that it closes early is a bit strange. The bathrooms were disgusting and even the sidewalk seems dirty. I wasn't impressed at all.

    (2)

  • Carol O.

    I think I like The Grand Canal more for the memories I have of time spent there then the actual bar. We usually stake out our own little corner because the rest of the bar is "young professionals" schmoozing. Picture some of the preppiest guys you will ever meet -- all who think they are completely unique and stylish in their J Crew button down. That's often the type who heads to The Grand Canal. Now, I'm from the South so I totally appreciate there a time and place for this, but if it's not your scene you might want to try another bar. I will say, at least it's away from the Garden enough that there aren't a ton of tourists. I'd never recommend this for a date as the music is so loud you can barely hear the person next to you. Although, the music selection does provide for great conversation starters -- who knew third eye blind was still popular? It's mostly 90's pop music being played. All in all though, it's not bad for a drink after work -- just not a place I'd go out of the way to go to.

    (2)

  • Ryan D.

    Great location. Good beer selection. Decent space. Not that impressive service/food. I've been here three times and last night, I decided I'm not going back. The food was all right--you get what you pay for. My server could have used some better training though. At first, she responded to my question about what was in the soup with "Its spicy." Then, when I asked for her to bring me a new beer because my glass was dirty, she allowed the bartender to pour the remainder of my dirty beer into a new glass. At least they were nice enough to top it off.

    (2)

  • Josh S.

    It's a holiday week, so some coworkers and I took advantage of a very slow week to take a slightly longer lunch than normal. We decided on the Grand Canal because it was within walking distance and because none of us had been there in a while. The food was okay. I had the scallop and feta salad on spinach, a coworker had the shepherd's pie, and two others had some pasta dishes. The service was a little slow given how empty the place was (we had to get up to get our server's attention and to get things from the bartender ourselves), but the food was alright, especially the aforementioned salad!

    (3)

  • Steve N.

    it smells like a cat box. and the Guinness is too cold.

    (1)

  • Betty V.

    Terrible, starting with the fact that a fully stocked bar doesn't carry any red wine and ending with unmelted cheese thrown on cheeseburgers. And rude. Enough to say I won't be back.

    (1)

  • Luke A.

    Me and my wonderful girlfriend took the train down to North Station from Haverhill, MA and were looking to spend a couple of hours in and around the Garden before the Celtics/ Pacers game. So since it was a day before St. Patrick's I thought it would have been nice to do the Irish theme. It was the biggest mistake of my adult dining career. When we walked in we interrupted 2 servers so finally the bar tender made eye contact with me and seated us in a nice window table for 2. We ordered drinks I had a Guinness and she got a Amaretto Sour.. Drinks were good so we ordered our late lunch/ early dinner. I got the Irish Bangers and Mash when it came I was very surprised it was 4 breakfast sausage links over baked beans which were hard I must add. To accompany that I lumpy mashed potato's to inflict more frustration into the "worst dining experience ever". My GF had a turkey club with fries she had half and picked at the fries. I had one bite of the other half and asked for the bill. I only wish I had a smart phone because I would have researched something else during the hour train ride. Please don't make the same mistake we did by giving our business to this establishment.

    (1)

  • Brandon B.

    Never been here at night since it would seem to be small when you walk in, but they do have a big outdoor patio which is certainly nice during the summer. The food is just ok and the drinks are priced accordingly.

    (3)

  • Chris D.

    Never eat here. Low grade dog food. Pastrami served on focaccia. Turkey club with a slice of mystery meat with grill marks buried in it and buffalo sauce tasting like ketchup, sweet&sour, BBQ sauce.

    (1)

  • J B.

    Good buffalo tenders, pbr on tap. With a coupon from Buywithme.com our $130 bill was only $14. Awesomeness!!!! Also, great outdoor deck with tables and chairs.

    (3)

  • Liz K.

    I went with a group of friends for dinner. FYI, their jumbo shrimp platter costs $10 and there are 4 shrimp and lettuce on the plate. Our waitress was snobby and inattentive. I like the bar's layout and ambiance but the staff and food were so mediocre I don't think I'll go back again.

    (2)

  • J B.

    Great food, , great service and a fantastic atmosphere. Either before or after a game or if you just feel like chilling on the patio on a nice night. By far one of my favorite spots to hang in Boston. Highly Recommended!!!

    (5)

  • Brendan M.

    The best of the pubs lined up on Canal Street, as far as I'm concerned. The bar itself is pretty standard, but they have live music and even a bit of a dance floor. The place is roomy without feeling cavernous. They start charging a $5 cover around 11pm, so you might want to get here before then.

    (4)

  • Missus F.

    how convenient that the miller high life keg was tapped on a friday night at 8:00. it smelled like lobsterfest in there. i understand it was still early and this place serves food. it was just weird because i was going there for boozeskies. the smell went away once it wasn't dinnertime anymore. my problem is that i was full from eating somewhere else and i felt borderline nauseous. this isn't the grand canal's fault but it was mentionable. it's pretty expensive when you're a cheapskate/poor. the prices are average for those with funds that frequent the tourist-area bars. it wasn't a pay week for me, but i totally made do. i had some delicious beers first and drank bottled cheap stuff the rest of the night. you know how it goes. there is a decent selection of beer on tap and there are a couple different bars, too. getting a drink was never a problem here. i love that. the bartenders were considerably friendly. i was there from 8 p.m. to... um, maybe 11:30? whenever my boyfriend dragged me out cause i had officially enjoyed more beverages than necessary and our ride was outside. ha. thank the good sweet lord i didn't have to ride the commuter rail that night. friday nights can be fun. the dance floor fills up and the band (whichever may be playing) makes booties shake. decent times. if you're relying on public transportation and you want an easy place for people from different directions to meet up, this is a good location. it's not a cheap date, it's not any different from the other bars in the area, and it's not the raddest place you'll ever go, but it worked enough for me.

    (3)

  • Christine K.

    This bar was part of our bar crawl, they had a lot of space and the staff was really friendly. I really liked the atmosphere and the music in the bar. They had some turkey wraps out for the people in the bar crawl which were really good but I did not have any other food. The bar is nice though with a lot of space and in the warmer weather they set up tables out in front.

    (4)

  • Tony L.

    The atmosphere actually didn't seem bad but I was there to grab dinner with my friend for her birthday before we all headed out for the night and the corned beef sandwich, one of their 'specialties', was horrible. It was chewy (undercooked?) to the point that I couldn't bite through the meat. It was dry as if it had been shaved and then sitting out for a while. I told the waitress and all she could do for me is say, "Oh, I'm sorry."

    (2)

  • Jen K.

    terrible service, terrible beer, the tv was WAY too loud- not normal sports bar too loud, but even shouting you can't hear the person 2 inches from your ear loud. And they didn't even turn it down between periods, just commercials blasting at you for 20 minutes. But the worst part- we tried to order food at 9:30 (kitchen supposedly open until 10) and were told there had been an emergency in the kitchen and they had to close at 9. Ok, things happen, oh well. Then, a minute later, we see a waitress carrying out 2 plates of steaming hot food to another table. A couple minutes later, we see someone else bringing out more hot food. Half an hour after they supposedly closed the kitchen. I won't be going back.

    (1)

  • Belle F.

    I've been there a couple of times with co-workers for lunch because it is close to the office. In the past I would have said the food was okay, nothing to write home about. However, yesterday I ordered the fish and chips and was totally disappointed. I expected the typical large piece of fish in flaky batter that you normally get when you order fish and chips here in NE. Instead what I received were several small flat pieces of fish which appeared to be done in a breadcrumb type coating. Huge disappointment. I later described my meal to someone and he told me it sounded like I had been served frozen fish that had been deep fried to heat it up. I've never though to ask in a restaurant if the fish was previously frozen, because normally, it isn't (at least not at any of the places that I go to). Had I known that I would be served what was essentially frozen fish sticks, I would have ordered something else.

    (2)

  • Dean F.

    I joined Yelp just to express the horrible experience I had at this place. Went there last night with a buddy before the Bruins first game, I was surprised there weren't more people there, but didn't think much of it. The inside was nice and the menu looked good. Our waitress looked like she just got out of bed, not friendly at all and made it sound like she had better things to do than to wait tables. Her sarcastic remarks came off as funny at first, but then we realized she was either having a bad day or hated being there. Beer was overpriced- $3 for a pint of PBR is not a deal no matter how you cut it. But I have to say the worst part of the whole experience was the food. I'm not a picky eater at all, but this was literally food I could have made with my microwave. Got the "loaded" potato skins for an app, which were hard and dry and only had a side of sour cream. $10 for 4 nasty potato skins. Then I got the corned beef sandwich, which consisted of a bun, straight from the grocery store, a bit of mayonnaise and literally 2 slices of corned beef. I wish I had taken a picture, it was so pathetic. Anyways, I didn't complain because we had a restaurant.com voucher, otherwise I would have asked for a full refund. (which I have never done, or even thought about doing) I have literally made better meals over an open fire in the middle of the woods, and I am a horrible,horrible cook. STAY AWAY from this place, I have no idea how it's still in business.

    (1)

  • Stephanie G.

    I like this place. The food is dependably good, the service quick enough to get a meal in a hour during my lunch break, and it's clean. I'm also very partial to the vegetable sandwich, which I get almost every time. There's not much dignity in eating it (by which I mean, it makes a huge, delicious mess) but I think it's one of the best veggies sandwiches around. Also, I love that the waitresses are Irish and call me "love". Plus there is a totally sweet deck to eat outside when the weather is nice.

    (4)

  • Megan M.

    We always have a good time when we come here. The food's good, the bands are fun, and they don't pack it to over-capacity, a rarity in Boston. It's always nice to come to a place where you're not nervously glancing behind you at the wasted idiot whose drink is wavering in their hand like a weeble-wobble. The bartenders are terrific too, I've never waited very long for a drink, and they seem to actually enjoy their jobs, instead of wanting to spray you with the soda gun for ::gasp:: ordering a drink at a bar. I also like bringing out of town friends here, b/c it's one place we can go, dance and sing along like fools, but still be able to hold a conversation if we want to. I'm sure we'll be back.

    (4)

  • Ryan K.

    Really good overall atmosphere. Place seemed pretty spacious, however watch out for the downstairs if the weather is warm (oven). Bartenders were prompt and poured good drinks. Bouncers were nice guys...but whatever you do don't lean your drinks out the huge window (they will not be happy and your drink will be gone!). I was there on a Saturday and the crowd was mixed and the DJ played some fun songs that people really enjoyed.

    (3)

  • Luke R.

    Decent food. Good beer. All in all, a fairly standard Irish pub/restaurant.

    (3)

  • Mark M.

    I like this place because it is on the way to the train station from work and is never crowded at that time. On a Friday afternoon I can walk in there at 5:00pm and there is no wait at the bar. They have a fairly wide tap selection and a patio out back for the summer. I had dinner there once and it was decent pub food-- not disappointed at all. On game nights it can get a little crowded after 6:00. I usually only stay of a quick round before catching a train so it works for me.

    (4)

  • Leah O.

    Just left a lunch meeting at Grand Canal. I have to say I was impressed. Today was my first time eating lunch at Grand Canal, I've only ever been in for a drink on their enormous patio or on a Saturday night. The place was light night and day. I was so impressed at how great it looked inside with just one change- white table clothes and cloth napkins! it looked completely different! And the salad I had was delicious, a simple house salad with grilled chicken. Their location is also awesome, a perfect summer lunch spot with easy access to public transportation and parking.

    (4)

  • Nick A.

    Recent trip yielded an empty, overstaffed bar with advertisement of 50cent oysters from 3-6. Turns out that was bogus. The oysters didn't arrive until 4:30 and they decided to charge me twice what they were advertised for. Long story short, this place sucks.

    (1)

  • michelle c.

    The grand canal isn't sooo bad. Its a teensy bit grimy...but then again that could have been the residual grime I was feeling from my walk over to the "canal" Service was quick, decent draft selection, mixed drinks were pretty good and the 80's band playing was entertaining. Overall I had a good time....but then again I was completely wasted by the end of our delightful evening.

    (3)

  • Christian H.

    This is my after work spot with the people from the office. It's HUGE so I've never been in there and felt like it was too crowded. They have a huge deck in back now which is nice when the weather is warm. The staff is ok. The food is ok. The drinks are ok. The prices are ok. (There's a pattern here, I'll find it. Give me a second). I dig it enough. It's not like I'd take someone from out of town here but it's a great place to go with a big group and it's great to catch a game here too if you're not lucky enough to have tickets.

    (3)

  • heather k.

    Originally I was overcharged on my credit card here, and Yelped about it. Then the manager contacted me and asked how he could make it right. He refunded me the overcharge amount and explained that there was some confusion since we paid with 2 different cards. I am willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. However, I still feel their responsiveness could have been quicker in the beginning. I shouldn't have had to Yelp about it to get some attention--I had previously called the business about 3 or 4 times and didn't get a return call. Anyway, overall I am ok with the Grand Canal.

    (3)

  • Nate H.

    Ok so I'm not sure if it's the policy of the bar or just the bitchy waitress we dealt with but the one time I went to GC I was with 2 of my friends and we grabbed a beer at the bar and then went over and sat down at a table. After about 2 minutes we were approached by the waitress who quickly informed us that the tables were for "dinner guests only" in response my friend looked around the table and was like "ok lets order some appetizers" the response we got from the waitress was "DINNER, not appetizers" and we were told we had to stand by the bar. I understand that as a waitress she's looking to make tips and if we were taking up a table that would have gone to a group of diners that would rack up a big bill and leave a big tip then I would have happily vacated but there were only 2 other tables in the whole place that had people sitting at them. So instead of having a few rounds and a few appetizers we drank our beers and left. Its safe to say I won't be back.

    (1)

  • Brian M.

    I think part of why I love this place is because it's across the street from work. I go in here often for lunch and all the Irish girls working there recognize us. So that's fun. They have a good assortment of food, and the bangers and mash, Shepard's pie, and fish & chips are particularly yummy. Service can be a little slow depending on when you hit it, but they usually only have one or two servers on for lunch. So it's very understandable. The food has always pleased, the prices are decent, and they have a number of good single-malt whiskeys to choose. Since this is all I'm really looking for in a bar/restaurant....4 stars!

    (4)

  • Molly D.

    Went to the Grand Canal for the first time the other night for the first home game of the Celtics-Lakers final. I was expecting it to be overwhelmingly crowded but it wasn't at all. We were able to get a table and they had plenty of TVs and an extra projector screen to show the game. There is a small upstairs and downstairs area that are kind of cool, in addition to the regular bar area and the patio. The nachos were good and the waitress was quick with the beers. The windows were open to the street earlier in the night but then they closed them as soon as people said they were getting cold. I have never been there on the weekend so I can't say what that crowd is like but I was pleased with my first experience there

    (4)

  • J E.

    Hi- I would just like to let the public know of a bad experience I encounter last night. I was at the Grand Canal on Canal St. in North Station with a group of friends. There were six of us sitting at the bar having a great time, when it all began. A friend of mine got up to use the restroom, and two women and a gentleman came toward our group. There was an empty stool at the end of the bar, and next to that stool, was a stool that had my coat and my friends coat. The gentleman picked up our coats, and let them fall to ground while stating to the two women "You may sit wherever you like, I own the place." Then walked away after putting our two coats on a dirty BAR FLOOR!! I was outraged, a friend followed him out to ask why he did it, and he mutter back, "No saving seats". My friend was in the bathroom!!!!!!! I voiced my thoughts to the two ladies, and the group of us, who had already had several beers asked for the check and left the establishment. I will NEVER go back to the Grand Canal and I hope people out there pass this information along that the owner of an establishment could care less about the patrons that are in there spending their hard earned money. No wonder this place is always empty...

    (1)

  • Jill C.

    The exterior has an appealing facade of a well-maintained Irish Pub, however the interior is a bit seedy, including a hodge podge decor and sticky handrails on the dark carpeted staircase to the upper level (a tripping hazard if I ever saw one). The music system was playing Madonna songs at an ear-splitting level (probably due to the Madonna concert at The Garden tonite). Due to the decibel level, communication with the waittress mainly involved pointing at menu items, and conversation with your dining partner was also impossible unless you shouted. The food was so-so; my grilled chicken caesar salad was a bit gloppy with dressing. My husband was satisfied with his hamburger and fries but didn't rave about them. It seems if the main function is a dining establishment they need to turn down the volume. Later in the evening when it is just a bar, crank it up as much as the crowd will tolerate. Since we couldn't actually converse, we ate our food and left as quickly as possible. Not exactly my idea of a friendly Irish pub-style gathering place.

    (2)

  • Mariela S.

    Need a fun night complete with an 80's cover band? Well if your idea of fun consists of singing out loud and dancing to your favorite 80's hits, then the Grand Canal is the place to be on a Saturday night. I have never had so much good clean fun. There is a live 80's cover band with a lead singer that looks like your favorite 80's barbie-complete with the neon pink mini dress, florescent green pumps and hair that is teased and bleached. It was awsome! Throw in a few drinks and some sing-along pals, you end up dancing your buzz off. In fact I had so much fun I didn't notice the decor. I did notice however, that the bathrooms kinda smell- and not in a good way, and that they do need more stalls and perhaps a coat check for when the weather gets cold. Definitely a good place to take a crowd of Girls that wanna have fun, or maybe even take Jesse's Girl there too! One thing for sure, Wake me up before you go-go!

    (4)

  • Casey B.

    There is a special place in my heart for Canal. Maybe it's because I've been going there for years, maybe it's because I always leave in a good mood - a combination of the pints and spending hours dancing around to the live band.

    (4)

  • Kisbee B.

    I've gone here several times and have always had a great time! Its more of a laid back bar environment.. great place to drink and hang out with friends. They even have a dance floor if you are so inclined. I enjoy the downstairs area the best, its never that crowded and the bartender is great. The last time we went.. Captain Morgan was there and giving out tons of free captain morgan stuff, including drinks!

    (4)

  • Kristin G.

    Went here yesterday for the FNX Shiny Toy Guns show. Didn't get any food, but can't complain about the service/drinks.

    (4)

  • Joe R.

    I agree with Brendan - the Grand Canal is the nicest bar in the area. Great cover band called 'The Heavyweights' that plays on Friday nights...

    (3)

  • Stacey G.

    On Saturday night my friends and I went to the Grand Canal. I rarely go out that way for the bar scene but was glad I did. Pros: Live band No line The bar was moderately packed Good mixed drinks There are areas where you can sit and are less crowded The crowd was a good mix of ages 23-29 Cons: $10 cover, could have been $5 especially since the drinks are expensive Expensive drinks for this type of bar scene The band played good music (classic rock and contemporary music) but not enough dance music The bathroom was disgusting and not well kept

    (3)

  • Mo H.

    Dry tasteless food, bad service. I went there before a celtics game after work. I forget my backpack there and went to the game. When I called asking them to find it they said they don't have it. There is no even security camera to see who took it. Went there 3 times trying to speak to a manager. There is no manager in that place. It's the first place ever I regret stepping a foot in. On top of the bad food and service, there is no safety for your belongings.

    (1)

  • Paul W.

    Can't go wrong with the lunch specials here. Just ate here for the first time yesterday and $5.99 for a cheesburger club with fries is what I'm talkin about! Cheap good eats, you won't be disappointed.

    (4)

  • Lambert P.

    The rude waitress did not accept our foreign IDs. I do not understand how it is still possible nowadays, especially for a city with such a strong international community. Even though it seems to be a State regulation, some other bars let us in (after checking our IDs with the ID-scanning machine).

    (3)

  • Ashley K.

    Worst place I have ever been! They were out of everything and the bar tender ignored us. Beers we did get were terrible.

    (1)

  • Art B.

    The drinks are ok, but the food was quite bad. Sweet potato fries undercooked and very slow service. Not the best choice. I won't be back

    (2)

  • Ali M.

    This place was cool for a bar that's a walk away from the hustle of the Garden. There was a line to get in which is annoying wherever you are. When we finally got in, the place in tiny, so no wonder there was a line. The drinks were also pretty cheap. The front room has a band and the back room down the hall has a DJ. We loved the DJ, he was playing early 2000s music all night long!

    (3)

  • Jeff W.

    Went here on a saturday night. Asked the bartender for my tab after being there for only a half hour maybe. He was annoyed and decided to just ignore me. Maybe he forgot, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. Regardless, I had to leave so I would grab my card later. Had two 6 dollar beers. card got closed to 17 dollars. Enjoy your unauthorized tip sir! I can't remember the last time I paid 10 bucks to get into such a small bar. I tried Grand Canal, but I think I'll stick to the Harp and Northstar after a game.

    (2)

  • Kyle D.

    This bar is basically a backup plan. Let's say if you go to St. Anthony's feast in the North End and all of the bars are packed full, this place will have more than plenty of available seats at the bar. But there have been nights when I have walked by and seen this bar jam packed with patrons. The beer prices are decent. Downeast cider costs $5.50, which is pretty good, even if it is not on tap but from the can. You have to consider that everything is expensive in this general location and that price is not too bad. The atmosphere is good. They have an upper level where you can look down on the peasants. They have another lower level that is more private for those of you looking for that type of night with that special someone. And they have a nice long bar with a few tables in back. The windows are open on a nice hot night. Some people have had problems with the service, but my experience was different. I thought it was fine. They took my beer order quick and when I was ready they cashed me out quick. Maybe because it was not too busy. I did not try any food, however, I am not a fan of the food. I saw what some of the people were eating around me, and it did not look too appetizing. Basically, it is a good place to grab a drink when it is not too busy. However, the food can be cheap. For preseason football games, they are offering a beer and burger for $10, which is the best deal around. Plus, half price appetizer. With one preseason game left, it may be a good option. Like I said, a good backup plan.

    (3)

  • Kimmi V.

    Service was mediocre. Drinks took forever. Plenty of options around the area, so opt for pretty much any other bar instead. Really nothing special, unfortunately.

    (1)

  • Corrin W.

    We stumbled upon this place just walking around near North Station. Three customers sitting in this huge open air place on a Saturday afternoon. We cozied up to the bar and ordered two bloody Mary's. Much to our surprise the bartender whisked them up from scratch. Deliciously spicey! I'm a fan.

    (4)

  • Amy D.

    Staying in Cambridge for business and this place was recommended by locals. Easy walk from the Navy yard. I went with 3 acquaintances...we were looking for somewhere to unwind after a long day of training on a Sunday night around 7:30pm. There were only 2 other parties in the place when we got there. Cute bartender with an Irish accent waited on us...he was very friendly and we had excellent service. We sat at a table by the windows - very nice as the weather was beautiful. All 4 of us were very happy with the food. Great draft beer selection as well, and the 1 person in our party that didn't drink beer said the 2 mixed drinks she had were great. We had some nachos, potstickers, and buffalo wings to start. One of us had a mushroom & swiss burger with sweet potato fries, another had fish & chips, and I and the 4th had the fish tacos. I thought the fish tacos in particular were delicious, but it was all great. We all took doggie bags back to the hotel because the portions were very generous - and very reasonably priced. I will definitely come here again the next time I stay in Cambridge.

    (5)

  • Paul C.

    This place has the worst service I have ever delta with the things that were said to me were horribly offensive. Do not come here.

    (1)

  • Jake R.

    Your average bar with pretty bartenders, expensive drinks and meathead bouncers. Good place if you enjoy bumming coke off people in the bathroom. Been here a few times but nothing memorable. I have not tried the food. The Grand Canal serves its purpose for 1 or 2 drinks when you're too drunk to stand in line at one of the good bars in the area.

    (2)

  • Bela S.

    I am quite surprise at the low ratings of this place. granted, we went for a late breakfast, and not for the bar (which is what most people seem to be upset about), but our experience was a good one. Service was friendly, food came quick, tasted fresh, and it was well seasoned. I had the irish breakfast and my wife just had a couple of pancakes. If we were wandering around North ENd and hungry, this is definitely a place we will pop into. Based on the reviews, we might skip the bar scene, especially if there is a line out the door. ;) A note to fellow yelpers: if you feel the place is empty enough to let people in when there is a line out the door, snap a pic and upload it here. Let everyone else be the judge and REALLY call this place out!

    (4)

  • Tom D.

    I've been here in the afternoon, evening and night. From happy hours to late nights All types of atmospheres. All seasons. Verdict: Medicore at best Food is expensive, beers are more expensive than surrounding bars, bathrooms are small and crowded. Band's are never very good. Service is generally poor as well. Nothing memorable or impressive about this place. Actually not sure why I've been here more than a handful of times....get more good bars boston!!!

    (2)

  • Vicky H.

    Food is subpar, tasteless, and Dry. and cocktail garnishes are old and dried out. The mixed vegetables were tender and cooked to perfection and perfect seasoning. Rice pilaf was also very good and served hot on the side since it wasn't on the plate. Instead of swapping it out, I also received the mashed potato as a bonus which also had good consistency and flavor. I was however disappointed in the Salmon. The portion size was very good however, it was over cooked and extremely dry. The piece of lemon that came with the order, was once again, precut and all dried out on the outside and the skin was turning brown. the crab burger was a good portion size as well, however, there was too much breading and it was fried to the point where it was very brown and dried up. The fries were very good on the other hand. The lettuce and tomato looked very fresh and crisp. The pickle tasted better than the crab burger. Drinks were served cold except Blue Moon was somewhat room temperature. It was served with a slice of orange that's completely dry on the perimeters. The slice of lemon and lime on the water was the same. My guest and I did not feel welcomed at all after we sat down. The drinks came out soon enough, however, the waitress was walking back and forth between tables but never came to ask about our meals the entire time there. She only refilled the glass of coke 5 minutes after it was empty. We waited 10 minutes before she came back to take the payment to process. Not one staff member said good bye to us as we left.

    (1)

  • Leslie R.

    We went to Grand Canal for a friend's birthday party this Saturday and arrived at around 10pm. We waited in line for 30 minutes and were told that my sober boyfriend had "stumbled" on the street walking up to the bar and wouldn't be allowed in. When I asked why they allowed us to wait 30 minutes in line without ever intending to let us in, they were unwilling to give me an answer or look me in the eye. Will NEVER go back, extremely disrespectful staff, wouldn't recommend it to anyone.

    (1)

  • Elizabeth S.

    I order lunch here today and got the cheese nachos with Buffalo chicken. The only thing i asked was for them to not put onions on it. My nachos were very saggy and tasted sweet and hardly had any cheese on them. The buffalo sauce that they use was not hot but again sweet. Only thing on my nachos was a little cheese the over sauced chicken and tomatoes...i will never order from here again!! I guess i can give them one star for having ok tasting sour cream.

    (1)

  • Nancy Z.

    Your food looks great! Don't be fooled, it's not really there. You can't taste it. You're probably enjoying the patio outside during a hot summer for your lunch break or after work! Don't be fooled, the sun will burn you after waiting an hour. Your lunch break is over, fool.

    (2)

  • Amanda V.

    I'm giving The Grand Canal 3 stars because of the band. I had the buffalo chicken nachos and they were decent; however, my man-friend and I thought the service was extremely slow. The service was in fact so slow that she must have totally forgotten about us. The only life-saver of the night was the band. A few tequila shots later, and the night turned out pretty decent.

    (3)

  • Jon S.

    I saw the reviews. It wasn't my choice to come here. But they were able to accommodate our party of ~60 (albeit at like 3:30 on a Thursday) so there we were. The place was pretty much empty but given Boston's inability to have happy hour :( I guess the emptiness wasn't too much of a reflection on the quality of the establishment. We sat outside on the patio. The patio itself was nice, lots of chairs, tables and umbrellas. But we had a lovely view of some dead grass, a hobo who choreographed a show to the live music, and a few buildings. I guess this is the middle of Boston after all, but what's the point of a patio if all you're looking at is ugly. We called ahead (like a week) in advance telling them about our large party. Yet, there was only one bartender = long waits to get a beer from the bar. We could have ordered one from the waitresses but they rarely (read: never) came out to the patio. Instead, they were congregated by the door inside. I mean, I know it's hot outside, but checking on your tables every once in a while is in your job description. I will say, that as time went on, the service did improve, and the waitresses were very nice (just not the most attentive). Beers were priced pretty standard $5-7. We ordered the spinach and artichoke dip which was surprisingly not bad. After reading the scathing reviews of the chicken strips here, I wasn't sure if anything was very edible. The dip was great though, and a decently sized portion. Service needed improvement. Patio was whatevs. Overall the menu items seemed a little pricey (though I can't comment on the quality of the entrees). I haven't been to any amazing places in the area, but I don't think I'd recommend this one.

    (2)

  • Sarah E.

    I doubt anyone goes to a pub in Boston for late night food looking for 5-star quality. But post-concert on a week night, that's exactly what we were in search of. The Grand Canal delivered. The bouncer at The Grand Canal promised us music, food and outdoor seating (no cover!). That's exactly what we got. I ordered the buffalo tenders, my friend a mushroom burger. Both satisfied our hunger pains. The staff was great. The place was clean. And the music surprisingly good.

    (3)

  • Jay R.

    The most terrible bar I've been to in my entire life! I've been there once for food, which was mediocre at best (even for pub food) and had the worst night out there of my life this past weekend. Their line is fake! We waited outside for almost an hour (would have left but was meeting friends already inside) in single digit weather when it was not that busy inside. At midnight they let everyone in at once! They have a coat check where they charge $3 per article and later we discovered they gave my gf's $300 Northface coat to someone else! Then they denied that the coat check even existed! The bouncers were extremely rude and pushed me while I didn't even provoke them. When I talked with the manager about all of this he told me to shut up! They wouldn't call us a cab and kicked us outside. I gave my gf my coat and wandered around to get a cab in horrible winter weather. The employees here are on a power trip and LIE and STEAL to promote their business! There is no chance I'll ever return. AVOID AT ALL COSTS!

    (1)

  • Frank W.

    Bottom line: Meh is such an adequate descriptor of this sub-par establishment. It's dark (everywhere), sticky, and so clearly divey that no one expects otherwise. This place readily takes advantage of its location to screw people on covers and make arduous lines that no one quite understands. If I look in the windows and it's not crowded there's NO REASON TO HAVE A LINE 25 PEOPLE LONG OUTSIDE (yes, i'm yelling at you Mr. Bouncer). After waiting a half hour (no joke, i wanted to choke something) I quickly got an overpriced Bud Light (about 2x more then it should be) and made my way to the "dance" floor for my friend's party. There was no dancing, the music was pretty terrible. So we went over to the live music show that was on the other side and that maintained my interest long enough to make it to midnight. At which point I said adios to this monstrosity. Hopefully no one asks me to go here again. Hope hope hope.

    (2)

  • Chelsea C.

    I went here with a friend before a Bruins game last week. We had just gotten out of work and had maybe an hour before we wanted to be on our way inside and to our seats. We picked this place because there was no line outside and it was fairly close to the Garden. The hostess seated us immediately upon entering. I spotted a patio and asked the hostess if we could be served food out there, but she said no, so we were stuck inside. So sad. After sitting at our table for about 15 minutes, our waitress finally showed up to take our orders. I got a beer and a veggie burger and my friend got a beer and the salmon burger special. Then we waited another 15ish minutes for our beers. Given how long we waited to even get water and then our beer, we weren't holding our breath for quick service of our food, but it came out a few minutes after our beer. The food was good, we wolfed it down as we had our eyes on the clock. The place wasn't even really that full, but for the life of us, we couldn't flag down our waitress to get the damn bill. I probably wouldn't go here again if I was in a time crunch, but the food was pretty good, which is making me give it 3 stars instead of just 2.

    (3)

  • Guke L.

    Place Is pretty good- We went there just to get out of cold and some nachos . Place has 3 floors which is pretty cool and also connects to BBB a kind of booshie burger joint . The Nachos were good except we ordered w chili on the side instead got chili nachos. They did fix it w a touch of an attitude from waitress. Burger was actually good, was surprised to be honest and she got the Chowda, which I heard was really good too The burger came w "Irish bacon"aka a slice of ham on it. Only knock I had on the place was the waitress was a bit of space cadet, and she came to the table way to much and just jumped into our conversations. I'd go again, only maybe sit upstairs next time .

    (3)

  • Jack D.

    Short Version: Don't. Just Don't. Longer Version: I was all ready to write a detailed review until I read Alison T. 's review below. We had the exact same experience to the letter - - two weeks after her review appeared, which tells you this clown crew could care less about what is written here on Yelp to improve their customer experience. Run away quickly.

    (1)

  • Amy B.

    I'd imagine that KFC has a time limit for how long they can serve chicken after it's cooked. At some point, it probably needs to be trashed for sanitary and safety reasons. Well, I suspect that The Grand Canal buys the over-time KFC chicken strips to re-use for their chicken fingers. The finished product is somewhere between chicken jerky and what you'd imagine the flesh of a dead man's calf would taste like after simmering in the desert sun for 8 hours. Thank goodness I have healthy teeth or I may not have been able to rip this dry, tough meat apart and choke it down in tiny hunks. Normally I eschew eating Vaseline, but it might have been nice to have something slippery to dunk the almost wood-like chicken into. But don't worry, the news is not all bad! The clam chowder is worth ordering if you must eat here, although it's fairly salty and they don't offer black pepper alongside. Beers are reasonably priced, in my opinion ($5.50 for a pint of Harpoon), although a beer list would be a very classy addition. I would endure moderate hardship in order to eat and drink someplace that is not The Grand Canal.

    (2)

  • Thomas S.

    i cant say much good here. the sheppards pie one bite puker. i was so mad i wanted to whack the cook i thought it was funny giving food like that. he prob messing with drunks the bartender ask me was everything ok .i said no i almost started screaming at him.i told him to get a fork and take a bite of the uneaten part he said no.i said get your cook . he didnt want to come out front. he poured about half cup of sage in my pie .no mistake there u can get deathly sick from it..i never go there again .my temper is rising thinking about it

    (1)

  • Alison D.

    I wish I'd read the yelp reviews before I stepped foot in here.... but alas the fabulous weather swayed me to have a burger on the gigantic deck in the back. What a mistake. Our seemingly lovely, friendly waitress took our drink and dinner orders and the drinks were promptly brought out. Then we waited. Then we waited some more. Then we waited a little more. This wasn't soo bad, because the weather was great and Celtics fans were everywhere, so the atmosphere was fun. Then a busboy brought out our meals - my burger was average, fish and chips quite good according to my husband. But we didn't have any utensils, napkins or salt and pepper. So we waited, figuring the waitress would be right out. After watching our food get cold for a few more minutes, I went and sought out our waitress to ask for another beer and forks and knives. She never came. Luckily the hostess was willing to bring us utensils. When the waitress finally came back to see if we needed anything we were done with our meals and so we asked for the check. SHE CHARGED US FOR THE BEER she never brought. I mean, she never came back to the table, how did she think the beer arrived? I was pissed. I'm not a demanding customer, I know I'm not and I'm hardly ever annoyed that I went to a restaurant, but this sucked beyond belief. I always feel guilty about not leaving a tip, so I still left 10%... and I really wish I hadn't. Adrianna with the dyed blue hair didn't deserve a smile or polite remark, never mind a tip. It wasn't THAT crowded and there appeared to be plenty of servers. LESSON LEARNED: Read the yelp reviews before you randomly walk in somewhere. I could have avoided this experience. It's an hour and a half I'll never get back.

    (1)

  • Abbie M.

    This restaurant confused me. Lets start the review off by clarifying that the establishment was quite literally COMPLETELY empty. We were the only patrons at 6pm on a weekday. We started with the loaded nachos which were very good, and both ordered the steak tips which were also very good. My vodka tonic was strong but not unpleasantly so. Our waitress was very friendly and helpful... and then she disappeared... but other than that our service was great. At times the background music stopped playing, for reasons unknown, and it was a little creepy/strange to be in a silent restaurant with literally no one else there. I had a restaurant.com certificate which is why we went but, I can see why they need the extra draw. Prices were fair/normal without the discount so I may return if I'm in the North Station/Haymarket area. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here though.

    (3)

  • Lauren G.

    We were starving like Marvin and then some when we pulled up to the Grand Canal at around 2pm. We were seated immediately because there was no one there. We sat in the outdoor patio which was kind of nice but not the best idea because it was hot as balls outside. (The umbrellas at each table didn't provide much shade.) The service was ehh, okay. No jumping through hoops of fire for us, but that's okay. (It was a bar after all). Though I was famished and dehydrated I didn't want to eat with my eyes so we ordered fries to start and an order of the Grand Nachos...which aren't much different from the regular nachos by the way (they just have chili and jalapenos). I'm not sure if it was because I was starving or what, but the food wasn't bad. I will say this though, the ketchup that came with my fries was frozen or something. It was sticky. You know when you let the ketchup dry up on the outside of the McDonalds bag before throwing it out? It was exactly like that. I couldn't dip, baby dip. I was a little pissed because ketchup is my favorite condiment. Anyway, my partner in crime ordered the chicken alfredo or something of the sort as his meal. I was planning on picking off his plate but in his first bite he ate a piece of plastic. I'm not sure how or why that was in there, but if I were him I wouldn't have eaten the rest of that pasta. It looked gross. Zero points for presentation. He didn't have much to complain about after he fished the plastic out of his teeth. He said the pasta was pretty decent. (Who orders pasta at a bar though is what I'm wondering.) Cutting to the chase....the experience wasn't half bad until the bill came and we found ourselves sans lube and with our pants around our ankles. Boo you whore. Grand Canal, you raped my bf's wallet. After tip our bill came to over $50.00 for one appetizer, one side order of fries, one entree, and two lemonades. We didn't even have any alcohol. Our dinner the next night at Noche on Appleton Street almost came out to the same price and we had an app, two entrees, wine, and dessert! Grand Canal, you my friend...are tripping. 50+ dollars for lunch excluding alcoholic beverages?? No, thank you. You'll never see this face again. xoxo

    (2)

  • James B.

    Stopped in one weekend afternoon for some drinks and appetizers. To be fair, the chowder was okay, but not good enough to save this place from a one-star review. That was mostly because the chicken fingers were the driest, stringiest, single-most unappetizing chicken dish I've had in recent memory. I never send anything back, usually telling myself that it's not that bad, but I regret not getting my money back for these. Grand Canal also might have the worst outdoor seating in Boston -- you're treated to a view of the hasn't-been-in-business-for-over-twenty-years Scotch 'N' Sirloin building and about eighteen highways that converge in the immediate vicinity. It's depressing. I don't hang out that much in the North Station area, so I don't have alternate recommendations. But don't go here.

    (1)

  • Dave B.

    This places decor reminds me of the rain forest cafe. DONT order the soup!!!! Sick for days! Twice I have been here, I will never come back here again. I'd rather eat at McDonalds.

    (1)

  • Melanie T.

    This place still has the most arrogant and rude staff. Every time I am there, someone is a jerk to me or my group for no reason. They totally don't care. They don't value their customers at all. It's always full and fun and they have a patio (though they close it at 11), but it's not worth it to be made to feel like a schmuck every time by the people who work there. I only return when my favorite band plays. I wish they would play somewhere else.

    (1)

  • Steph D.

    Pretty not happy with the Grand Canal at the moment. I'm an English language teacher and I, on occasion, bring some of my students out for a birthday and a couple of drinks. So, me and my adorable 15 students from 10 different countries come on by on a Monday (MONDAY!) night and order an assload of beer, an assload of food and we BUY STUFF... and it's MONDAY. Did I mention it's MONDAY NIGHT AT 7PM? So, what do we all wanna do? Have a cake for one of my kids' (over 21) birthdays. You knew this already. You saw the cake on the effing table. You knew our plans to celebrate but you waited. YOU DICKS. You waited until we ate before you told us we couldn't have the cake. THREE HUNDRED DOLLARS ON A FUCKING MONDAY NIGHT and we couldn't bring a cake. And you weren't even apologetic about it. You didn't even seem to think it was a HUGE DICK MOVE. It was. By the way. There's 300+ of us. I'm going to spread the word. And we're going to be terrible tippers... forever. Good luck figuring out who not to be nice to.

    (1)

  • Sara M.

    I have been to this bar several times and enjoyed myself. My favorite part about this place is that they have a large deck with tables and chairs. You can look at all the people and see some of the city. It is usually pretty low-key out there and perfect for a warm/cool evening. Inside is a totally different story. It is loud and hot and crowded and hard to get served. I have had to fight my way to the bathroom and I certainly threw a pointy elbow just to get by. I am a big fan of the deck and wish there was a separate exit!

    (3)

  • Jill G.

    Fun spot to hang at night, and connected to Buskers so you have options! A young professional crowd, with loud music and dancing. I had a great time here this weekend!

    (3)

  • Casie G.

    I'm giving the Grand Canal 5 stars for their event handling. I was looking to have my 30th birthday at a bar and since I enjoy the GC and more importantly, their awesome bands, I inquired about having it there. I got an immediate response and they were super helpful in getting everything setup. What really put them over the edge was the service once we arrived. Our bartender was amazing and she not only knew everything that was supposed to happen (open bar times, food time, etc), she was pretty much the best/nicest bartender you could ask for. People legitimately asked me if I I had requested her. The food was delicious, the space was perfect and overall, it's pretty inexpensive to have an event there. If you are looking to hold a party for 50 or so people downtown, definitely check them out.

    (5)

  • Jeremy K.

    Probably one of the worst bars that I've ever been to in Boston. My friend Sean and I headed into town a bit early, before the Bruins's game 2 of the first 08/09 playoff round and wanted to grab a quick beer. We had about 35 minutes and figured that there was no way for us to get into the other Canal street bars since the lines were very long but noticed that there was no line here and so we promptly headed in. There was a terrace which I think is awesome and which ultimately enabled me to give it a star but they didn't let us order any appetizers since they were busy. So they don't want to make money. We ordered 2 bud lights and they cost us a whooping... ready?... suspense... $11. Seriously, what the hell? I guess that their overpriced beers make up for the money they lose by refusing to serve appetizers to people. The music inside is way too loud and disables anyone to have a conversation. It's actually so bad that you can't even call them. My friend Sean thought that he had lost his keys and couldn't find them during the second period. We went to a quiet area and tried to call the bar to see if they had them but you couldn't hear them on the phone because the music was so loud. This place is stupid and I hope that it goes out of business so that a better place can open because it is a complete waste of a premium location.

    (1)

  • Lia M.

    The only reason for two stars is the great outdoor deck, and the hostess, who was super nice. I was here on a pub crawl, and it was awful. My friend had called to let them know we would be stopping here. We arrived a little after 4 on a Saturday, and the place was empty. We sat outside, ordered drinks, and waited for our group to arrive, as this was the first stop, and we were ordering food. We had the worst service ever. One server was great, remembered the lime in my water, was friendly. But the other one was rude, had a bad attitude, skipped people for drinks. Most of the servers were standing around & talking. It took so long to get drinks, that some people started going inside to the bar and coming back out with the drinks. After this happened a couple of times, they were rudely told they could not do this. Well, something should have been said the first time. Obviously, the bartender wasn't upset about it. When the food came, the kitchen made my order wrong. She offered to take it back, but by that time, I was so disgusted (as was everyone else), that I did not want to wait. She handed my sister's veggie burger to her and said "I think this is the veggie burger." You think? Um, vegetarians do not eat meat. You need to know which is which. All in all, a horrible experience, will never go back.

    (2)

  • Nicole S.

    I would def skip the food here, better yet skip this place entirely. It's a good location to North Station and the Garden but other than that it is a mediocre bar. I met a few people here one night after work and unfortunately they had to wait for me to get there to be seated even though there were SEVERAL empty tables available. I would understand if it was really busy or even a wait but there were quiet a few empty tables. Anyway, we were seated upstairs once I got there and we lied about the other person we were waiting on. When we sat down our waitress asked what I wanted to drink since the others had their drinks from the bar. I had just gotten settled and could not think so I told her I was not sure yet. She leaves and then comes back to take our order of Buffalo Tenders, Calamari, and Bruschetta. I would have thought she would have brought a water for me- nope- still no drink. The food was average- Buffalo Tenders were served with sour cream and not blue cheese dressing, Calamari was fine but I was hoping for more hot peppers since the waitress warned us 'It' hot', and the Bruschetta was a ton of chopped tomatoes piled so high on some bread that you could not see the bread yet along take a normal human bite. At the end of the night we all realized how none of us had waters, or were even asked about waters. It's a basic service thing that should be taken care of. Average food+ below average service= the grand canal.

    (2)

  • Stephanie L.

    This place would get two stars for its indoor area, but the deck is fabulous. Go early--it tends to get crowded on Friday for dinner. I've been a couple times and gotten the pub food, which is standard but nothing to write home about (nothing to complain about either), but recently tried the actual lunch/dinner menu and was pleasantly surprised. Our group tried the swordfish and the BBQ platter (both specials) which were both quite tasty, and had just enough alternative-y flavor to be interesting and yet not trying too hard so they were affordable and something I felt comfortable ordering. I go here for happy hour fairly often; now it is on my list for meals as well. (In the summer, of course, when I can sit on the patio.)

    (4)

  • Chris D.

    If you like aggressive bouncers, and getting thrown on the ground as you're trying to quietly leave. You'll love this place. Not surprised about the recent assault there given what happened to me last summer. Stay away.

    (1)

  • Mickey M.

    Ya know the kind of place where you think 'eh, it's a bar, there are drinks, there are seats, and there's music'? Well, The Grand Canal pretty much fits this description. It's not a destination I'd seek out every time I'm nearby, but it's OK if you've been drinking your way through the North Station area. It wasn't incredibly crowded when I was there last, so my group was able to take over a few tables and create our own dancefloor. The Grand Canal, like The Greatest Bar, suffers from the fact its name isn't a reflection of what goes on inside, but is either named after another place, or named for something about the place(ie The Greatest being Boston's greatest moments etc). If this bar were a canal, it'd likely be called the Half Decent Canal, or the Ah, I Guess I'll Stop In For A Drink Canal. I have before, and likely will again, stop here in my travels.

    (3)

  • Sam A.

    The menu is short, food is subpar and over priced (the buffalo chicken is awful) and they don't have a drink menu!!! Poorly managed, we had to argue for a 6th chair for our table even though we were seated for a party of 6. Only restaurant to avoid on Canal street !!!

    (1)

  • Matt K.

    The rude service at Grand Canal is unbelievable. No question, they WILL treat you like crap. The ambience is great which is why I go all the time, but every time I get rude waitresses offering dirty looks. I'd be able to handle it better if the food was great, but it's often pretty dry and burned (burned nachos even). If you want to go to a place around The Garden, I would recommend looking for somewhere else besides Grand Canal.

    (2)

  • Jenn B.

    Go to "The Fours" FIRST!!!! If that place is packed then this place is ok..... The Grand Canal has high prices, small portions, food is good but the service is less than appealing. --------------------------------------------------­-------------------------- We got here by accident because the restaurants that were closer to the Garden was PACKED. We had a very polite waitress. I ordered a pastrami sandwich. i loved it. thick pieces of meat, nice and hot. My boyfriend was disappointed because he likes the meat cut thin. He had the shepherds pie, he said it was alright, but he ate it all. We also got an order of nachos and calamari which were great! The only negative was that we got are appetizers first (great) but only 5 minutes later we had our dinner on our table too. There was no room on our table! I thought the food was good but a tiny bit pricey (but i guess not for being near the Garden), my bf on the other hand was a tiny bit disappointed, but he's very oppionated about his food.

    (2)

  • J P.

    We tried this place for the first time yesterday before the concert at TD garden. So it was kind of early for this place, pretty empty. All five of us were satisfied with what we got. Given that it was a pub, we didn't really have high expectations. But the service was friendly and efficient. The foods we got were good. The youngest got pasta/sauce, we also ordered burger, turkey club, turkey tips and steak tips. The turkey tips and steak tips were very good.

    (3)

  • Steve L.

    Live jazzy band Sat night! Large dance/standing area. Nice crowd. Great staff - very Irish! Recommend

    (3)

  • Maria D.

    I have to give this place some credit. Mainly for its decision to allow buywithme users to buy multiple vouchers, with limited rules- 1 voucher, per person. NOT per table. Fabulous. The patio is also pretty awesome, though the service is rather weak. I came here last night with 3 of my girlfriends and 2 vouchers. If you are seated before 6, you're entitled to $60 towards food AND drinks. amen. Ok so this place is 100% mediocre. Its bar food, what do you expect? However, drafts were exceptionally cheap- shock top for $5.50. Needless to say, after spending a total of about $48 on food, my friends and I had no issue using up the remaining $72 on soley beers. Good times. So if you want a nice patio to drink cheap brews on, this is a decent place to head to. If you're smart and stocked up on those buywithme coupons (luckily, I still have 2 left) enjoy your drinkingfest!

    (3)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :11:00 am - 2:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Accepts Bitcoin : No
    Good For : Brunch, Dinner, Late Night
    Parking : Street
    Bike Parking : No
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : No
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Very Loud
    Music : DJ, Live
    Good For Dancing : No
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Happy Hour : No
    Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
    Coat Check : No
    Smoking : No
    Outdoor Seating : No
    Wi-Fi : Free
    Has TV : Yes
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

The Grand Canal

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