This place is a top notch spot to get an EXCELLENT drink. Sure, they might seem a little expensive, but you truly get what you pay for. Try the P/C Southside, absolutely delicious. The bartender is also entertaining to watch - she has got some serious skills, and is friendly to boot!
Place was reasonably crowded on a Saturday night, but I would go back. Lighting is dark, and the music is contemporary and fits the vibe.
Every time I have visited Boston, I have stayed at the Lenox. Â This is the "up-class" bar in the hotel. Â The first time I visited, it was busy some nights. Â Now it seems to be busy every night. Â The prices reflect the ambiance - meaning high. Â However, the selection of "top shelf" Â alcohol is excellent. Â During most of my visits, the waitstaff has been excellent. Â During one trip, I mentioned to my waitress that the next day was my birthday. Â When I sat down the next night, a complimentary birthday drink "appeared" in front of me. Â The reason I did not give 5 stars was that on one occasion, the service was lower than all other times.
Review Source:Headed her on a Tuesday night for drinks with a friend. It had a chill, really laid back atmosphere and was actually really packed for a weekday evening by the time we left, which was around 11:30pm. (Work event perhaps?)
I ordered the Cool Hand Cuke cocktail, made with rain cucumber & lime vodka, blackberries, lemon, champagne float. Served in a martini glass with an icy rim. Nice, refreshing fruity flavor. What was really interesting was that it actually DID taste like cucumber! The alcohol flavor wasn't overpowering at all, which was  surprising to me.
Can't say it was my favorite bar of all time (I may have even preferred MiniBar down the street), but for a nice chill evening at a place not too pretentious, decent drinks, solid service, City Bar did its job.
To die for ginger peach martinis. Â Yet, an odd mix of a crowd. Â From the awkward couple on a date in the corner, the business men and women in their "fancy" suits, the over dressed "I think it's still New Years" women in their sequins dresses and heels they have yet to learn to walk in, to the regulars and then to me. Â Just another law student who enjoys a great ambiance and stiff drink. Â
Great location tucked inside the Lenox hotel, yet small space that fills quickly. Â Bar seating is the best in house, but if canoodling with that awkward couple is more your thing there is seating at both tables and your typical lounge outfitting. Â
Casual is welcomed, but a pressed button-down is more fitting.
So after a delicious meal at Top of the Hub (see my other reviews), we obviously were not ready to go home for the evening.. and decided to get some drinks..
After contemplating a couple different places, we decided on City Bar... and initially, i will say it was based solely on its proximity to us and the fact it was COLD out!
But it ended up being a GREAT place to go. Dimmed out, but not dark. Nice comfy couches and chairs. We settled in a corner, and the waitress came over with drinks. Where I stuck to my normal (dirty martini then whiskey), my friend tried different signature cocktails.. including the peach martini...
When she was not 100% satisfied.. the waitress offered to add someone thing else to it, countering her objection (I think it was to sweet), which then made the drink perfect for her!
The service was great, the drinks tasty (and they had high end whiskey, with the whiskey knowing the different between scotch and whiskey - a bonus in my book any day!). The environment was warm, comfortable and inviting...
So why 4 stars instead of 5? The MUSIC! UGH!
well, with the type of place it seems to want to be, and with a lot of cliental i suits, dresses and such, while being in a higher end hotel... why were they pumping out old dance music, club music and rap by Nelly, Ne-yo and more!
I would have much liked to see some jazz, quiet music, something to more fit the old school decor and feeling of the bar. Maybe some Sinatra which would have made the night perfect...
A small gripe, but one that makes me think about going there.. or heading somewhere else next time.
This is one of my "go to" places in Boston for a before or after dinner drink and even just a night out with friends. Â It is very classy and nice ambience. Â The style is new age and modern inside with a eclectic selection of alcohol including the best bourbon or scotch. Â The location is perfect right in the middle of back bay in the Lennox hotel. Â The last time I went there I saw Jason Varitek with his wife and kids in the lobby.
Review Source:I came to City Bar last Friday night with some friends who were visiting from out of town. Â They wanted a solid cocktail bar that wasn't too crowded and didn't cost an arm and a leg. Â I asked around, and was told by four different people that City Bar was a great choice. Â After three visits, I agree wholeheartedly. Â Cocktails aren't particularly cheap, with a standard drink coming in around $12, however anyone who has had a poorly prepared cocktail can tell you that a well mixed cocktail is worth the price! Â I ordered an Old Fashioned and was pleasantly surprised to see the bartender properly muddle cherry, sugar, and bitters, before adding Canadian Club and a touch of soda. Â Garnished with an orange, and I've got to tell you - I had five the first night and will definitely return for more!
The bar itself is tucked away inside The Lenox Hotel, and is not a very large space. Â I'd say it could accommodate 50 patrons comfortably, but no more. Â Very convenient to the Copley T Station and Back Bay. Â One knock is that the bar doesn't open until 4:30 PM, which shouldn't be a problem for most bar patrons. Â Not sure if there is an established dress code, however every gentleman I saw inside had a coat and tie on, while most ladies had on a skirt. Â Definitely not a bar for the t-shirt and jeans crowd.
Overall a wonderful establishment.
I want to give this place a 4.5 stars, but am not quite ready to round up to 5 stars...
I REALLY enjoyed City Bar last weekend after having dinner at City Table (btoha re inside of the Lenox Hotel). Â The vibe was cool. The service was great. The music was fun. The drinks were just right.
Everything about this place was on point.
If you are in Copley, then I highly recommend stopping here for a drink.
Fabulous cocktails! My friend and I wanted to get our swank on, so we decided to try City Bar! The Yelp reviews were correct -- 4 stars, baby! I had a fabulous drink made w/Hendrick's, St. Germain, Rosemary...and I forget what else, but it doesn't matter because it tasted so good. Also, it came with the best ice ever (little sphere ice cubes that I could crunch easily!).
Great place to grab some drinks w/friends and be able to talk w/o having to yell over each other. Also, nice crowd and you can get dressed up! And, I always love the bathrooms at the Lenox because they have real cloth hand towels = score! And I love getting the stall with my own sink...it really transforms my bathroom experience.
A hidden gem. Â I've been dining and wining my way through Back Bay for a couple few years and to be frank, I've been to the Sonsies of the world a few too many times.
This past weekend, I was pleased to find City Bar tucked away in the Lenox Hotel on Boylston. Â It's a low key place offering spot on cocktails and plenty of comfy seating.
Friday night. Five friends pile into a cab fit for four.
Requirement: Celebrate good times. Come on?
Destination: Drink.
Time: Dag, too late, do not want to wait in a line. We are dressed too snappily to queue in queue.
Reroute: City Bar.
Just kidding, its pee time. Damn this button fly. Lenox lobby urinals have TV's affording my eyes the only-in-America luxury of glazing over while I take care of business. Damn this button fly. Tie check in mirror. Blazer adjustment confirmed.
"Eagle Rare, neat, pretty please." Gussied up divorced 30 something women in fine evening-wear errywhere. Eagle RAWR. Five minutes post-arrival, the lights go from no sexy to so sexy. Who touched my butt? Hand check: all accounted for. Ghosts.
Don't see any reason why this place shouldn't be given 5 stars. Its a great lounge tucked away at the Lenox hotel.
The waiters never ever try to rush you, no matter how crowded it gets. They also have enough items on the menu to have a satisfying dinner.
And the drinks - soo potent! I had a couple of guava martinis and loved them. Can't wait to come back here to try their other cocktails! Hic...
I Â must echo what others are saying: if you work in Copley, this is a cute little place for an after-work drink. Â
It is very dark in the bar and not too loud, so it has a bit of a loungy feel. Â Nice but small selection of wines by the glass. Â Beer selection is not too interesting. Â This place seems to focus more on mixed drinks and martinis.
I would love to give this place four stars... they have an excellent Tequila and Scotch list... but this just isn't my kind of place, and I have a hard time separating the 'me' from my reviews.
starting with the good.
it is nice and dark, and both of the staff were fabulous. Â friendly and seemed to have a hop in their step to get things done.
it is hidden away in the middle of the hotel- so you don't have to worry about running into an ex there.
the drink menu is very fun and creative.
now the bad.
most of the people there are suits. Â I know... this shouldn't be enough to knock an entire star off for... but seriously annoying staring creepy suits... I can't handle that.
the other issue was that - despite the creativity- the menu just didn't translate into excellent food. Â but I suppose i might be expecting too much from a hotel bar.
if you are staying at the lenox- or hoping to meet some old sugar daddy in a suit. Â this might be the perfect place for you- otherwise... meh.
A great place to meet up with friends and throw back a few suds after work. Bartenders know how to mix a strong albeit pricey cocktail. A great selection of scotch, so I usually stick with the single malts. Keep in mind that Citybar is a small and cozy spot, so repeat sex offenders will love this place - you'll be bumping into people and overhearing their conversations all night long. It's like riding the Red Line after 6 PM. Â I've seen local celebutante Gary Zerola here a few times.
Biggest drawback: increased sightings/presence of locals. They're your typical union hacks, nursing/sipping on their $8 Buds and Coors Lights, screaming in their wicked hahsh bahston accents about what went wrong with the 2010 Red Sox or the genius of Bill Belichik. If we could only keep these hacks in Revere, Quincy, Everett, and Southie, Citybar has the potential to reach 5 stars.
Leighann F. said it best. Â City Bar is a "Pre-Game Place for Adults." Â It's my go-to before dinners. Â The lighting is moody and perfect, it's pretty close to my place, and it's just so... what's the word...yes. Â It's just so CITY. Â
I've been here many times - almost always securing a seat on the comfortable couches (i'm just a lucky one)- and the drinks flow before dinner. Â You feel like you want to talk about your five year plan and then quickly switch to your what we'll be doing later in between the sheets plan and then remember you still have to go outside to some sunlight and eat a big meal at insert-trendy-restaurant.
It's a good scene. Â My go-to. Â Just don't make it your go-to or I won't be so lucky to get my couch next time.
City Bar has a huge selection of cocktails... probably at least 60 on the menu. Some are interesting, some are as uninteresting as green apple martinis and lemon drops. Most of the cocktails sound better in print than taste. They're usually too sweet and too weak, but if you don't like something, the bartenders are happy to make you something else.
City Bar is quite small and cramped. The cougars who frequent City Bar are also questionable. I've heard many a rumors about this being a favorite for escorts in the city, and honestly, I wouldn't doubt it. Atmosphere is loungy with plush couches, dim lighting, and no TV's!
If City Bar is too crowded, head right across the hall to City Table. It's much roomier, younger, and the cocktail menu is very similar (may even be the same).
Come here before you go out, or on a weeknight for a casual drink, but don't make City Bar your nighttime destination.
It's a small bar. Â the walls are padded. Â it's dark. Â feels like home.
couches that jut into the floor. Â groups that huddle towards the edges. Â seems like the bartenders don' t want you to pay. Â rather you stay and watch as people wander by in the hotel lobby. Â there is an awning on the outside of the lennox but there are no proper windows that look out. Â my drink was cheaper that I was expecting for this type of place but still good. Â bring those people because you aren't going to meet many.
Try the Cuban Sandwich ($11). Â Spicy pork, salami, ham, some pickles, and a little cheese will put you right where you need to be. Â The fries are also pretty rocking. Â Food aside, this is a classy upscale bar for whatever your classy upscale bar needs are. Â First date quality? Yes. Â Meet some random older woman and hook-up? Â Yes. Â This place is definitely a cougar den so let some stubble grow, spike your hair, and put on your douchebag shirt.
There is a pretty extensive cocktail list, so if you are looking for something out of the ordinary then you should check out the menu. Â If you are a classy man like myself then I would recommend you a Tom Collins--one of the best ones I have had in the city came from this place. Â Be prepared to spend $10+ on any liquors, hands down. Â Usually this would be a problem for me, but this place is so chill I'm okay with it.
Bottom Line: Looking for a sugar momma/daddy? This is ground zero.
UPDATE: Â I almost forgot, the urinals have TVs above them and the urinals don't use water (they are "state of the art" according to the sign next to them).
I LOVE IT HERE! Â Nice assortment of music, to get the party started. Â A great bar and even better bartenders. Â Thanks for making me my juice cocktail for free! Â I felt like a star! Â I don't know what was in my cocktail, except for various juices, but I loved it. Â He even did the little shake shake shake thing to make it seem like I was getting a boozy concoction. Â I love how cozy and cool it is in here.
I will be back many times!!
If I had a ton of money to blow, I might stay here all night with a friend or two.. but I dont. Its a great place to kick off a night on the town with the ladies though. They have some yummy martinis on their drink list and yummp champagne options too. Try the tuna tartare... its delicious.
The decor in there is super posh and hip looking. I always stare at the luminated picture behind the bar thinking it will change like a TV. It doesnt so dont bother haha. The bartenders are super attentive and always up for giving suggestions. I would say definitely stop in here before heading out or on a special occasion. Its worth a look.
City Bar is alright in my book. And by my book I mean the one titled, "Places to Go Before You Head to Your Real Destination" or, in short, "Pre-Game Places for Adults."
For those of you who like to get in a few drinks before you arrive place to be for the evening, City Bar is the perfect spot. As you get older and pregaming is defined less by chugging beers and beirut and more by a few well-made cocktails, City Bar is the answer.
I don't think I could handle an entire evening in City Bar. It's crazy small, conspicuously dark and it's location, in a hotel, brings a sort of surly crowd. The music is barely audible, there is no room to dance and if you can't find a seat, there is no place to stand where you're not in the way.
Stop in for some of the better cocktails made on Boylston and then be on your way.
Tucked away in a tiny space inside the beautiful Lenox Hotel, City Bar is an ideal spot for a stiff dirty (martini that is) in a sophisticated setting. I think that the atmosphere is fitting for virtually any type of encounter, whether business, romantic, or just to catch up with the girls. Drinks are on the pricey side but the feel in here is so Manhattan that you just expect it.
As others mention, City Bar is crammed with tourists, 3 piece suit-types and Europeans on holiday. And with that comes opportunity-rich people watching.
I have to admit, I was slightly scared when I first came to City Bar with a friend of mine. The velvet rope, marble hotel lobby, and dimly lit interior promised expensive drinks and well dressed people - not really my kind of crowd. However, we were both pleasantly surprised.
The drinks may be a little pricey (~$10 for a mixed drink) but they're stiff and the bartenders are wonderful. We may have been the youngest ones there at 21, but no one was at all pretentious and we had a great time. And, as others have said, the bathrooms are worth the visit.
To make a long story short, City Bar is my favourite bar in Boston and I try my best to hit this place whenever I go out!
Upon walking in you may be surprised at the size of this place. It's pretty small, but wonderfully cavernous. During the week, the place isn't too crowded and you can easily find a leather chair. The tables are also leather which is sexy and will have you mindlessly rubbing them all night.
The drinks ($8-$14) are expertly and quickly  made -- strong yet tasty:
- Ginger Peach Martini: Don't leave City Bar without having had one of these. Not too sweet, not too spicy. It's a perfect mix.
- Confetti: Champagne with guava puree. It was pretty AND delicious.
- Sidecar: My man got this and made his "damn that's good" face with just about every sip.
- Azure Martini: Least favorite of the bunch. Has a bitter-like-tart lemonade sting right as you swallow, but not a bad drink.
The service sealed this place in as a favorite of mine. They had the AC blasting and the waitress explained that the manager can't turn it down too much, but offered to move our drinks for us over to another area. Â As we sat in the new section a guy was trying to tell us that he was reserving seats for his friends. And the waitress was right there saying the place is first come, first serve. Which....hell yes! She was just great!
The crowd was more on the professional side (ties, but no jackets) and was pretty diverse. Â This place makes a great first date spot because it's not loud at all. (And to the guy that was on a blind date next to us, I know you're nervous, but don't talk so much! Your lady was just nodding the whole night.)
I like City Bar. The setting is intimate, warm and cozy. The seating is comfortable enough that you can sit and linger over drinks with your friends and there is no loud music pumping through the air to drown out conversation. The drinks are reasonably priced (for Boston standards) and the wait at the bar was about three minutes.
It's also nice to have impeccably clean bathrooms (located outside the bar) and the ability to scoot back in without a hassle. I would recommend City Bar as a Thursday night destination as a way to avoid the longer lines/waits/crowds brought on by Friday or Saturday nights.
I really like City Bar and it's great to have a bar without a TV. There aren't too many in Boston and Citybar along with the Burren are two of my favorites for that same reason. It's nice during the week and it's not too packed and could be ideal place to bring a date if you just wanna get cosy in a dimly lit bar with some good drinks. The music is groovy but easy listening and is low enough to be able to easily chat across a table. The drinks are good, prices are what you would expect for a bar like this. Weekend nights I generally avoid this place as it is packed with wanna bes and posers. But Sunday afternoon/ evening or during the week, it's great. The Pours are very generous and there is an amazing selection of cocktails and drinks.
I will definitely go back here time and time again.
City Bar has come to a point of popularity that it now has a line to get in. But at least you are in a lobby verses being outdoors which of course sucks in the winter time.
We went in after waiting in the line and it was crowded but still we still had elbow room. I hate it that when you finally get into a place, it is so packed that you have to keep tapping people to get through to the bar, restroom etc. The waitress greeted us promptly and she was sweet. The drink pours are generous.
This is a good bar to catch up with friends or to go with a date; not so much a singles scene. City Bar has an older more mature crowd which is good for those in their late 20's and their 30's. The music is at a good level so you can talk without screaming.
City Bar is a few notches darker than dim (good if you haven't reapplied makeup since 7:45 AM and bad if you want to check out your date or actually see the people you're talking to) with "special" colored lighting at the bar that changes every so often (fading from green to red to blue- ooooo) to make you feel like you are somewhere really important .
On this occasion, I was catching up with friends and we split a couple bottles of Riesling and savored two appetizers- Whipped Feta & Roasted Red Peppers with Grilled Pita and Creamy Fig Gnocchi (which was exceptional). Â
City Bar is a nice way to treat yourselves so you don't have to yell to your friend sitting two feet away over blaring music or amongst unsavory characters who can distract from your really important conversations (like which reality television show you're obsessed with this week... or, of course, politics and literature). Â
And even if you aren't wearing a  cocktail dress or proper business attire, the staff will serve you with the utmost respect.  Our waitress even looked past our heap of coats and sweaters that we tried (and failed) to arrange neatly in a pile on the side of the couch.
I love this place! Â The drinks are strong and the mood is perfect if you are looking for an intimate setting. Â
The crowd is mixed...but If you would rather sit in a comfortable chair and hear the person you are conversing with than stand with your feet stuck to the floor in an over-crowded bar holding a diluted drink (that just spilled on your shirt after someone bumped into you) - definitely come here!
However, it seems like the place where everyone goes on a Friday or Saturday night after all the other bars get too crowded - so it does fill up later in the evening. Â Nevertheless, it's still my favorite place to be.
I occasionally love to shwank it up (ok, maybe not so occasionally) and I was at first rather pissed as they made us stand outside to help create the illusion of a line. Bastards. But that's what you get when you go to shwank it up in a city where you no longer know the requisite bouncers. Pity.
However, it was a lovely time. Some, um, interesting characters wander through this little bar, but the drinks are strong, and for my NYC mind, very affordable for the level of shwank they try to convey. The ginger peach and the pear mastritini are delicious, and should be heavily indulged in by all!
Shwank!
I like City Bar. Good drinks, no TV's, great prices for cocktails.Super staff who knows what they're doing.
It's a lot less casual than the usual Boston place, and thusly, the audience is a bit older, but it doesn't stop me from going there (because I am oh so very young and hip, oh yes). This is the kind of place where bartenders go to drink.
The location kinda sucks for street people watching, but there's quite a few other options for that.
Definitely a place you could take a date to and enjoy.
I first ended up going to this place because my friend has an affinity for staying in the Lenox whenever he visits, and it's convenient when we're feeling to lazy to trawl Boston for a chilled-out drink.
I like the fact that it's really relaxed in here - lounge-like, good music, good drinks, nice lighting (hey, good lighting really does make a difference!) The crowd seems to vary - sometimes from more chatty, younger, social types to the older schmoozy crowd, and many things in between. For me at least, it's the kind of place I'd like to go in for a quiet drink with a friend.
The space isn't very big though, and it's the sort of place that I like to lounge in if I can sit down and relax somewhere, sip on my drinks and catch up with friends without too much disturbance. Seating options are limited though, so I've always been hesitant to ever go on a weekend - I don't think I'd like it as much with the crowds, and there are alternative venues I'd choose instead in such a circumstance. It's not a place that I'd frequent, but a place I quite like nevertheless!
City Bar is a tiny little place in the Lenox Hotel. Â A lot of tourists and happy hour crowd during the week, it is still a very nice place to meet up with friends for a drink. Â
The bar specializes in their signature "Infusions Diabolique," creative elixers that are delicious and will make your head spin (in a good way). Â I definitely recommend this place for a date or an intimate gathering with friends. Â Also a good place to start out the night for more "wild" evenings.
Lurk city man. Â That's what I did at this place.
On first blush, you'll note a lot of "SweetDudes" with popped collars and the lucky ladies who accompany them, wearing asymmetrical white tops from 1999, too much blue eyeshadow, and laughing way too much to be actually having fun.
But then like a parallel universe, you'll notice subtle chinks in the reality of The City Bar.
While I was sitting on the couch in the corner, I observed:
--The bouncer asking a SweetDude to remove his Sox cap while in The CityBar. Â Yes!
--Two lipstick lesbians groping each other. Â Cool! Â (I wouldn't have minded if they were not lipstick lesbians either, just for the record).
--A middle-aged man in jeans and tennis shoes madly feeling feeling the ass of a middle aged woman wearing a revealing cocktail dress with no undergarments. Â Love!
--Excellently mixed drink (I ordered the Lime Gimlet).
--Excellent waitstaff service.
So while you may think this is another boring Boston bar, it's not. Â There's subtle, weird stuff going on that almost reminds me of NYC in its bizarreness and capacity to entertain.
Just as a sidenote, I hit on some members of a bachelorette party and failed miserably.
But then the colors of the bar changed and the excellent waitstaff brought me another gimlet, the scurvy was chased away, and I entered an entirely new frame of reference.
Sweet, Dude!
My first experience here was a very positive one. Â It was a warm night, so everyone was out on Newbury St. Â This left City Bar quiet, so I had a chance to savor my drink, the atmosphere and the conversation.
The room is a dimly lit, cool and comforting refuge from Boylston. Â The walls are padded and all muted colors and the bar is lit by soft lights that cycle through various colors. Â There was no TV on, which was a nice change.
The bartender I had was excellent, very attentive, friendly and professional. Â I had a drink composed of vodka, jolly rancher watermelon and some fizzy soda...it was delicious.
On other occasions, I have walked by and noticed that the bar was absolutely packed, so I'm sure it's a totally different experience on those days.
Definitely give City Bar a try if you are in the neighborhood and looking for something in between Solas and Saint in terms of trendiness.
Interesting bar - really swanky and high class - but a little loud! Â (I always wonder why people go to places like this to talk, when you can't even hear anyone). Â Definitely a see and be seen type of crowd, but worth the scrutiny. Â
Best part about it - it's inside a hotel, so cabs are easy to get, the entrance is heated, always busy with new faces!
As far as the interior - mirrored walls and comfy couches, and kindof dark.
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