If you’d like to dine where Daniel Webster drank his tumbler of brandy and water, or where JFK enjoyed meals in his favorite booth a century later, then you shouldn’t miss the Union Oyster House. One of the city’s famous landmarks and America’s oldest restaurant, the Oyster House boasts an amazing history dating back to 1826.

About the Restaurant
The Union Oyster House has changed ownership only twice since 1826 and is currently owned by the Milano family, who maintains an old-world feel to the establishment. The atmosphere generally is family-style, with a few private booths for parties of two. The wait staff proved friendly and attentive. Because the building itself was designed many years ago, be prepared for tight corridors and tiny restrooms. One of our fellow diners put it well by remarking that you couldn’t "gain an ounce" and still fit in the ladies’ room stalls.

The Oyster House is an attraction for visitors to the city and is better known locally for its historic value than its food. (A clue to the nature of Oyster House clientele is "Ye Olde Gift Shoppe" located on the first floor.) This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t pay the restaurant a visit – we simply recommend that you bear in mind its main claim to fame.

On the Menu
After climbing a set of stairs and being seated by a smiling hostess, our meal began with a basket of cornbread, which we found sweet and moist. We then turned our attention to the menu and its extensive seafood choices. The menu at the Union Oyster House is, by no surprise, predominantly seafood, but there are a few meat and poultry choices if you prefer turf over surf. The wine selection is limited, with only two choices for white (chardonnay or pinot grigio) and two for red (merlot or cabernet).

Appetizers
We recommend beginning with the Hot Oyster House Sampler (for two), which gives you a taste of five of the restaurants most popular shellfish starters. If you want to limit your shellfish intake, however, or are wary of raw oysters, the staff suggests trying the Union Grilled Oysters. We found them flavorful and tender, grilled in olive oil and parmesan cheese, though a little overwhelmed by a generous covering of fresh parsley. Even better were the Fresh Lobster Raviolis (available both as an appetizer and as an entree): al dente pasta dumplings filled with delicate chunks of fresh lobster meat in a light cream sauce. We also sampled the Union Oyster House version of New England Clam Chowder, which was deemed "not too heavy and full of clams" by our tasting experts. The only complaint was in regards to the chowder’s lukewarm temperature.

Entrees
Any seafood lover will be overwhelmed by the number of entrees offered at the Union Oyster House. We counted a total of 39 seafood choices alone, including 15 "Ye Olde New England Favorites" (such as fried clams and blackened swordfish), five lobster choices, a variety of platters and seven chef’s suggestions.

On a recent visit, we decided to go with the Broiled Seafood Platter as to sample a few different fishes, and a chef’s suggestion, Baked New England Haddock, with mushrooms, grilled asparagus and Roma tomatoes. Upon first receiving our selections we were disappointed by the size of the portions and regretted not having chosen a salad as a starter. The platter included tiny tastes of swordfish and salmon (simply prepared and slightly dry), scallops (tender) and grilled shrimp and scrod. The best of the bunch was the scrod, which was topped with delicious seasoned bread crumbs – we would recommend this dish as a good bet for an entree of its own. The baked haddock dish was mediocre, prepared in a olive oil sauté and topped by skinny asparagus stalks and a few mushrooms.

We also sampled the Sauté Shrimp Scampi; the Tender Skewered Shrimp; and the Shrimp with Seasonal Vegetables. Out of the three, the Skewered Shrimp had the best flavor, but none of the selections "knocked our socks off." The Scampi was overdone on the garlic, and again, portions were small in comparison to price.

Desserts
The Union Oyster House dessert menu includes traditional favorites such as Warm Apple Cobbler and Boston Cream Pie. A small selection of dessert wines and coffer with liqueur are also available.

When to Go
The crowd is seasonal and grows with the tourist flow in the spring and summer. The restaurant does recommend reservations at all times and is one of the few in the area that accepts them for parties of two. Both smoking and nonsmoking seating is available.

The Union Bar, adjacent to the restaurant’s oyster bar, features hot hors d’oeuvres and is open for drinks until midnight daily.

Practical Considerations
Unfortunately, combining dining with a history lesson isn’t cheap. Generally, the prices at the Union Oyster House were much higher than restaurants serving similar fare. If you’ve chosen the Oyster House for the history, it’s worth it – but if you’re looking for an outstanding meal we advise looking elsewhere.

If you have your heart set on visiting the famous restaurant and don’t want to break the bank, we suggest trying the oyster bar for shellfish and/or drinks before dining elsewhere. While the establishment is known to some as a "tourist trap" for dinner, locals who do frequent the Union Oyster House often do so for drinks and appetizers only.

Getting There
The Union Oyster House is located conveniently next to Faneuil Hall and is easily accessible via the MBTA subway lines. The closest stops are Government Center on the Green and Blue lines; Haymarket on the Orange line; and Park Street on the Red line. The MBTA web site provides connection, schedule and fare information.

As always, we recommend that you take the subway when visiting the downtown area; however, there are parking garages located throughout the city that offer reduced weekend rates. Valet parking is also offered by the Union Oyster House on all days but Sunday.

by Allyson Krieger

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