Travel

A Boston bar was just named among the best in America in 2024

An Oscar-winning movie was filmed there.

L Street Tavern in South Boston. Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff

By Kristi Palma

July 30, 2024

1 minute to read

A South Boston watering hole serving Hollywood charm was just named one of the best bars in the nation.

10 best things to do south of Boston this summer

USA Today released a list of the 27 best bars in America in 2024 and Boston’s L Street Tavern made the cut, made famous by the Oscar-winning movie “Good Will Hunting” starring Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.

The publication’s inaugural USA Today Bars of the Year list was selected by its network of food writers across the nation.

“These bars are the places we love – a mix of old, new and in-between. They’re places with stories to tell, places that should be on your bucket list when you travel and your favorites list where you live,” wrote USA Today.

Here’s what Wicked Local wrote about L Street Tavern, which is featured in the USA Today article:

Twenty-seven years ago, an Irish pub on the corner of L and East Eighth streets in South Boston gained worldwide fame. Scouts chose L Street Tavern for scenes in what would become an Academy Award-winning movie, “Good Will Hunting,” starring Robin Williams, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon and Minnie Driver. The same high-top table where one of the most hilarious scenes was filmed remains, covered with movie photos and historic Oscar night memorabilia. Tourists from around the world visit, said co-owner Mark Medico. Seven wide-screen televisions line the wood-paneled walls for Red Sox, Celtics, Bruins and Patriots fans to watch games while drinking L Street’s most popular drink: Guinness in a 20-ounce glass.

The bar is also a popular spot during the L Street Brownies’ annual cold water plunge and a favorite stop on St. Patrick’s Day.

The L Street Tavern changed hands this year after Jack and Susan Woods sold the famous bar after 27 years. It is now owned by Mark Medico, an employee for more than 20 years who said the watering hole will remain the same.

Check out USA Today‘s list of 27 best bars in America in 2024.

Kristi Palma

Culture writer

Kristi Palma is a culture writer for Boston.com, focusing on New England travel. She covers airlines, hotels, and things to do across Boston and New England. She is the author of Scenic Six, a weekly travel newsletter.