-- Boston's Hidden Restaurants --

Cronin's Publick House

23 Des Moines Road, Quincy, MA 02169
(617) 786-9804 Find location!
Cronin's Publick House Web Site

Photo of Cronins Publick House, Quincy, MA At first glance, Cronin's Publick House looks like any other townie joint that one finds throughout the Boston area. Don't be fooled, though; the food at this homey little restaurant around the corner from the old Fore River Shipyard area can be summed up using any number of superlatives. Quite simply, Cronin's serves food of such high quality that it is hard to believe that more people have not found out about it.

The atmosphere at Cronin's can be summed up as comfortable and familiar. A well-worn bar dominates the front room, while further back, a handful of booths and tables can be found along the walls, with a long table with barstools in the middle. The beautiful paintings that hang from the walls are inspiring to anyone who has been to Ireland; I have been to the Emerald Isle a few times, and the pictures show scenes of perhaps Mayo or Connemara on the west coast of that scenic island nation.

Cronin's mainly has pub food on its menu, much of which is top notch. The steak tips, for instance, rival the best amongst Boston restaurants, including those served at the fantastic New Bridge Cafe in Chelsea and the underrated Joe Sent Me in Cambridge and Waltham. The turkey tips are equally delicious, and the soups are all terrific, including the fiery Cajun chicken soup. Do you like bar pizza? Cronin's may not quite be up to the level of the Lynwood Cafe in Randolph for this kind of pizza (truthfully, though, what place is?), but it is very tasty. Finally, if you are in the mood for a burger, Cronin's makes some darn good ones. They are juicy and fresh, and big enough to fill you up pretty quickly.

I was once called onto the carpet by someone for calling Cronin's a dive (albeit a great one) on a local restaurant forum. I must admit that I was indeed wrong, as this spot is not anything close to being your typical watering hole. For those who don't know Cronin's, perhaps it is too easy to shrug it off while driving by its unassuming storefront. Don't make this mistake; quite simply, Cronin's is one Boston-area restaurant that is just too good to pass up.