Where to hang out with friends in Boston

If you're working out where to hang out with friends in Boston on a weekend, pick one area near the T and plan two stops there, such as a game bar and a meal. The Seaport, the downtown waterfront and Back Bay each have places that open by early afternoon and stay open late. Your friends live in Somerville, Dorchester and Brookline, and nobody wants to spend Saturday on the train.

This post lists seven places, then covers which area to choose, how weekend hours and T service change the plan, and how to pair two stops. It's part of our guide to Boston.

Where to hang out with friends in Boston this weekend?

Choose a place with something to do, such as darts, ping pong, golf or a view, and a place to eat within a short walk. The seven below are in three areas, each a few minutes on foot from a station.

Our picks in Boston

Chosen by the Where2Meet team. Photos, ratings and addresses load live from Google Maps.

• Flight Club Boston

  Darts give a group something to do between drinks, and this Seaport bar is about a 1-minute walk from Courthouse on the Silver Line. It takes reservations, is good for groups and is moderately priced. It opens at 11 a.m. on weekends but closes at 9 p.m. on Sunday.

• SPIN Boston

  Save this ping pong bar in Fort Point for a Saturday, because it's closed on Sunday and Monday. On Saturday it runs from 2 p.m. to 1 a.m. It's moderately priced, good for groups and takes reservations. South Station is about an 8-minute walk.

• VERSUS

  Friends who ride the Red or Orange Line can reach this arcade on Province Street in about 3 minutes on foot from Downtown Crossing. It opens at 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, so plan it for the afternoon or evening. It stays open until 1 a.m. on Saturday.

• Swingers Back Bay

  Indoor golf on Boylston Street keeps a hangout going when the weather turns. It's about a 5-minute walk from Copley on the Green Line. Weekend hours run from noon to midnight on Saturday and noon to 10:30 p.m. on Sunday, and it's closed on Mondays.

• View Boston

  Start a Back Bay afternoon on this observation deck on the 52nd floor at 800 Boylston Street, then walk to the other picks nearby. It's open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day. Copley is about a 7-minute walk.

• The Black Rose

  Groups who want food and a pint after a game can head to this Irish pub on State Street. It's moderately priced, good for groups and open from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. on weekends. Aquarium on the Blue Line is about a 3-minute walk, and State is about 5 minutes.

• Boston Sail Loft

  Seafood by the harbor suits a slow weekend lunch, and this restaurant on Atlantic Avenue opens at 11:30 a.m. every day and stays open until 2 a.m. It's moderately priced and good for groups. Aquarium is about a 6-minute walk.

Google Maps

The hours, price levels, reservations and walk times on these cards come from Google Maps as of October 2026. Walk times start at the MBTA station named in each note.

Which part of Boston should the group pick?

Pick the area that most of the group can reach without changing trains. Count each person's home line first.

• The Seaport works for Red Line riders. They change at South Station to a Silver Line bus, and Courthouse is the first stop. Our Seaport page has more.
• The downtown waterfront works for a mixed group. Downtown Crossing has the Red and Orange lines, State has the Orange and Blue, and Aquarium has the Blue. See downtown Boston.
• Back Bay works for Green Line riders from Brookline and Newton. Copley has every Green Line branch. See Back Bay.

How do weekend hours and the T change the plan?

Check two things before Saturday: each place's weekend hours and the MBTA's service alerts. Some game bars open in the afternoon, and some close early on Sunday.

SPIN is closed on Sunday, and Flight Club closes at 9 p.m. that day. VERSUS doesn't open until 3 p.m. on either weekend day. For a Sunday that starts at noon, the Back Bay and waterfront picks are the safer choice.

The MBTA sometimes replaces trains with shuttle buses on weekends for track work. Look at its subway alerts on Friday. If a line is down, move the plan to an area the others can reach. The subway guide says to reach a downtown transfer station by 1:30 a.m. on Saturday night, or 12:35 a.m. on Sunday night, to make the last connections.

How do you pair two places in one afternoon?

Pair places a short walk apart so nobody gets back on the T midway. From Google Maps walking directions:

1. View Boston to Swingers Back Bay is about a 3-minute walk.
2. The Black Rose to Boston Sail Loft is about a 7-minute walk.
3. Flight Club to SPIN is about a 10-minute walk, across Fort Point Channel.

Put the place with a booking first, since a reserved game slot has a fixed start. Leave the meal open, so a late friend can join you there.

For other Boston plans, see date spot ideas near the T and a restaurant for a big group. For the same occasion in New York, see weekend hangout spots on the Upper West Side.

How to do it in Where2Meet

Make a Weekend hangout plan on Where2Meet on Thursday and post the link where your friends talk. Each friend adds a home station, so the plan shows whether the Red Line riders have it easier in the Seaport or the Green Line riders in Back Bay. Put one pick from each area to a vote, and the organizer picks the one with the shortest trips.

Common questions

Where can friends hang out in Boston on a Sunday?

View Boston, Swingers Back Bay, The Black Rose and Boston Sail Loft all open by noon on Sunday. SPIN is closed that day, and VERSUS opens at 3 p.m.

Which of these places take reservations?

Flight Club and SPIN both take reservations. Book a slot there for a Saturday, then walk in for food afterward.

Is there somewhere to hang out near the Red Line?

VERSUS is about a 3-minute walk from Downtown Crossing, on the Red and Orange lines. SPIN is about an 8-minute walk from South Station, also on the Red Line.