Outdoor Dining Guide: Al Fresco Eats in Kenmore and Fenway

We’ve all been there. It’s a gorgeous day (or night) outside, you’ve got a crew ready to eat and drink, but….where to go? To help, we’re rolling out outdoor dining guides, neighborhood by neighborhood. Up next: Fenway and Kenmore.

(Lansdowne Pub – Photo by lansdownepub via Flickr)

Eastern Standard
A true class act, Eastern Standard has it all: great eats, expertly-crafted cocktails, and a heated patio. Sip an Indian Summer Julep, a blend of calvados, old monk rum, cinnamon, and all spice, while people watching in Kenmore Square (always entertaining). The outdoor seating area is beautifully decorated with seasonal flowers and topped with a red awning. 528 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, 617-532-9100, easternstandardboston.com.

Cask ‘n Flagon
Switching gears here, this Fenway booze bucket is a classic in the area. Get in the Sox spirit and order The Papelbomb (despite his recent relocation) sandwich, marinated steak tips grilled and topped with bell peppers, sautéed mushrooms, caramelized onions, and aged cheddar cheese, to go with a summer beer. 62 Brookline Ave., Boston, 617-536-4840, casknflagon.com.

Boston Beer Works
Summer is a beer-drinking season. Get serious at Beer Works and try one of their 12-16 handcrafted beers on tap daily. Make sure your Fenway-inspired buzz doesn’t get out of hand by ordering the crispy coconut shrimp with a scallion-peanut dipping sauce. 61 Brookline Ave., Boston, 617-536-2337, beerworks.net.

Sweet Cheeks Beer Garden
The Texas bbq-themed restaurant’s outdoor seating features upscale picnic tables, country fair mugs, and gas station decorations. The grub includes pulled pork and “hot and cold scoops” like collard greens and potato salad. There’s even a porch swing–and barrels that provide the perfect resting place for a huge mason jar of beer. 1381 Boylston St., Boston, 617-266-1300, sweetcheeksq.com.

Audubon Circle Restaurant
A top choice for a quick, cheap, and satisfying outside lunch, Audubon has lunch specials for only $8 or $9. Enjoy a cup of soup and a salad, or a fresh veggie sandwich with boursin on a brioche roll. 838 Beacon St., Boston, auduboncircle.us.

Lansdowne Pub
Directly across from the Green Monster, celebrate warm weather at this pub. Another classic Fenway watering hole, the pub’s outside eating area is on the walkway of Landsdowne Street, providing a view of the fans and bar hooligans as they come and go. Enjoy the music wafting from indoors over a beer poured from one of their many taps. 9 Lansdowne St., Boston, 617-247-1222, lansdownepubboston.com.

Tasty Burger
Right behind Fenway, this burger joint has a walk-up counter and outdoor picnic-style tables — a major score. Take a bite out of the Burger-of-the-Day, or a menu staple like the spicy jalapeño burger, covered in spicy cheese sauce and roasted jalapeños. Or bring friends to scarf down the “sack” of five burgers deal (take away only, $18.75-$23.75). They also have a huge selection of beers, so that’s a no-brainer. 1301 Boylston St., Boston, 617-425-4444, tastyburger.com.

Game On!
This sports bar is prepared for large crowds, so their outdoor seating has lots of space. Usual beer-drinking appetizers like wings are served alongside raw oysters and even oyster shooters. Party on. 82 Lansdowne St., Boston, 617-351-7001, gameonboston.com.

El Pelon Taqueria
Authentic Mexican is hard to come by in Boston, but this taqueria puts up a fair fight. The picnic tables with umbrellas and the cozy, off-the-main-road location are reason alone to try out the eats on a warm day. Order chips and salsa for an afternoon snack, or the fish tacos for a cheap dinner. Beware: spicy means spicy. 92 Peterborough St., Boston, 617-262-9090, elpelon.com.

Sweet Caroline’s
If you’re looking to hang outside but don’t want to miss a second of the game, there’s al fresco HD tv’s outside to keep you covered at this relative newcomer. Get dollar oysters on Thursdays, and big Bloody Marys on weekends from the Bloody Mary bar. 12 Boylston St., Boston., 617-424-1260, sweetcarolinesboston.com

Yard House
With affordable lunch specials and a daily happy hour, Yard House is a must for outdoor dining. Inside is a huge bar, with a smaller bar opening up to the outside seating area. Calling their beer selection lengthy would be an understatement; the menu lists their own brews, such as the house IPA, and several different ales and lagers are available to be served in yard glasses. Take advantage of the daily lunch specials (11 a.m.-5 p.m.), such as the spicy jambalaya, or their lunch pairings (half sandwich or pizza, salad, and soup). 126 Brookline Ave., Boston, 617-236-4083, yardhouse.com.

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