Comparison · checked 2026-09-03
Boston's after-work crowd splits two ways: the Seaport, the Northern Ave and Congress Street waterfront of raw bars and lounges — or Back Bay, the Boylston-and-Berkeley grid of steakhouses and patios. Same city, different night. Here is how the cited windows compare.
Seaport: the waterfront rooms
Legal Sea Foods Harborside (270 Northern Ave) posts daily 3–6 at the bar: $1 oysters, 50¢ littleneck clams, $2 shrimp cocktail, $9 bar bites. Eddie Merlot's (505 Congress St) posts Monday–Thursday 4–6:30pm bar bites in the lounge, with premium bar bites, cocktails and wine starting at $10 — its food menu tiers at $10 (Ahi Tuna Wontons, Filet Mignon Potstickers, Truffle House Fries), $15, $20, and $25 (Wagyu Beef Ribs, Lobster Roll, Lobster Cargot). Puttshack Boston (58 Pier 4 Blvd) posts Monday–Friday 3–6 with white queso & chips 5, skirted double cheeseburger 10, and $1 wings. The Seaport is the district for raw-bar math and game-night food.
Back Bay: the polished grid
STK Boston (222 Berkeley St) posts a $3 | $6 | $9 Happy Hour: Monday–Friday 2:30–6:30pm, Saturday–Sunday 2:30–5:30pm, plus Monday–Thursday 10pm–12am and Sunday 10pm–11pm. Earls Prudential (800 Boylston St) posts lounge + patio Happy Hour Monday–Friday 3–6pm and Sunday–Thursday 9pm–close, with plates from oyster 3.5 to petite steak frites 16. The Banks Seafood and Steak (406 Stuart St) posts Caviar Happy Hour daily 3–6pm, with Tuna Tartare 18, Beef Tartare Tacos 19, Oysters & Caviar 38, Caviar Grilled Cheese 19, Mini Lobster Rolls 24 each, and Onion Dip 25. Back Bay is the district for structure: bands, tiers, and a late window.
| Seaport | Back Bay | |
|---|---|---|
| Vibe | Raw bars, lounges, waterfront | Steakhouse, patios, polished rooms |
| Window shape | Afternoon daily (3–6) | Early + late (to 11–12) |
| Price signal | $1 oysters; $1 wings; $10 tiers | $3 | $6 | $9 bands; 3.5–16 plates |
| Best for | Oysters, groups, game nights | Date night, client dinner, late rounds |
The call
One raw-bar night: Seaport — Legal's $1 oysters at 3, Puttshack's $1 wings by 5. One structured night: Back Bay — STK's $3 | $6 | $9 bands, then Earls or the Banks. Check On now for which windows are live this minute; STK's late window makes Back Bay the only side with a real second act. Full cards on Deals.
Sources
- Legal Harborside location page (www.legalseafoods.com)
- Eddie Merlot's happy hour food menu (www.eddiemerlots.com)
- Puttshack Boston food and drink page (www.puttshack.com)
- STK Boston location page (stksteakhouse.com)
- Earls Prudential menu page (earls.ca)
- Banks menus page (thebanksboston.com)
Poured here: Legal Sea Foods Harborside · Eddie Merlot's · Puttshack Boston · STK Boston · Earls Prudential · The Banks Seafood and Steak