Real Estate is Prime in Boston’s South End

Boston’s South End has had a varied, twisting existence. Once a forgotten aspect to the city’s bustling downtown area, the South End has overcome its previous reputation as a down in the mouth area to become one of the city’s most vital locations. Bursting with nightlife, restaurants, parks and a varied culture, Boston’s South End is a wonderful place to invest in Real Estate.

Ethnic melting pot. Yuppie neighborhood. Jazz mecca. Gay neighborhood. Bohemian artists’ enclave. Trendy shopping and dining district. At one time or another, all of these labels have been attached to Boston’s South End, a neighborhood located just south of the glitzy Back Bay and north of the working-class neighborhood of Roxbury. And they’ve all been true—in fact, it could be argued that few Boston neighborhoods have undergone more changes than the South End. Today, however, the neighborhood that’s emerged is one of beautiful brick rowhouses and quiet tree-lined streets, anchored by some of the best thoroughfares in Boston—Tremont, Columbus, Harrison, Washington — for art, culture, shopping and dining. “The South End has absolutely become one of the energetic focal points of the city,” says Darryl Settles, who owned and operated the now-defunct restaurant/jazz club Bob’s Southern Bistro in the South End for 17 years, and has seen the neighborhood develop into a jewel in Boston’s cultural crown. “Every year, we’re seeing more and more options for dining and nightlife…we’ve grown tremendously.”

If you’re in search of a prime spot for lounging with a cocktail while you listen to music, scoping out the singletons or just chilling with friends, the South End offers plenty of options. Flash’s Cocktails (310 Stuart St., 617-574-8888) serves up both classic libations and cutting-edge creations. The ultra-smooth 28 Degrees (1 Appleton St., 617-728-0728) is a sleek and seductive hangout offering tasty cocktails and a diverse beer selection. Clery’s (113 Dartmouth St., 617-262-9874) has a neighborhood pub feel that draws in big crowds on the weekends for food, drink and revelry. And Wally’s Cafe (427 Massachusetts Ave., 617-424-1408) is one of the city’s most venerable nightspots, opened back in 1947, and the last survivor of the South End’s once-impressive array of jazz clubs. Wally’s proudly continues to feature live music 365 days a year, all without charging a cover.

With a thriving gay community calling the South End home, it’s no surprise that the neighborhood boasts a few of the city’s most popular gay bars, including Club Café (209 Columbus Ave., 617-536-0966), a usually packed nightclub with a video bar, regular evenings devoted to ’80s music, karaoke and dance nights, and a tasty restaurant (209 Boston) serving up grub, and Fritz Lounge (26 Chandler St., 617-482-4428), which bills itself as “Boston’s Gay Sports Bar,” and boasts six flat screen plasma TVs, dartboards and a convivial and relaxing after-work atmosphere.

The biggest new addition to the South End nightlife scene is The Beehive (541 Tremont St., 617-423-0069), a 300-seat bar/restaurant/live music venue which opened last May. According to co-owner Settles, the Beehive (named for an early 20th century artists’ colony in Paris) is a place where “mature audiences can come and enjoy themselves. Whatever they want to do—whether it’s eat dinner, come and see live music, just hang out and have a drink—they can stay out late doing it.”

Michael Russell writes about a variety of subjects. This article discusses the South End of Boston. For more information about South End of Boston Real Estate, visit the Real Estate Book.