Row 34

Row 34 at 383 Congress Street in Boston's Fort Point Channel neighborhood is a working oyster bar and restaurant that draws its identity from New England's maritime heritage and the craft beer movement simultaneously. Opened in 2013 by the team behind Island Creek Oysters, the restaurant functions as a showcase for the finest cold-water shellfish from New England's coast alongside an exceptional draft beer program curated by in-house beer director Aaron Margolis. The raw bar anchors the menu with a rotating selection of East and West Coast oysters, littleneck clams, and cold-water shrimp; the fried clams are whole-belly, properly brined, and considered among the best in the city. The lobster roll — offered both hot with butter and cold with mayonnaise — is a consistent favorite, and the haddock fish and chips is a proper British-style preparation rarely executed this well in Massachusetts. The dining room is industrial-chic, with high ceilings, reclaimed wood, and communal tables that seat solo diners as comfortably as groups. The beer list changes seasonally and leans toward New England breweries; the pairing recommendations on the menu are thoughtful and genuinely enhance the seafood. Row 34 also has a Portsmouth, New Hampshire location. The Fort Point setting places it steps from the Institute of Contemporary Art and within easy walking distance of the broader Seaport dining district.