-- Boston's Hidden Restaurants --

The Squires

1202 Washington Street, Hanover, MA 02339
(781) 826-3360 Find location!

Photo of The Squires, in Hanover, MAThere are many reasons why a good number good restaurants in the Boston area are little-known; many are in relatively low-traffic areas or don't stand out much from the road, while others are not covered much by the media, and still others are, well, a little too rough around the edges for some people's tastes. And naturally, there are a handful of places that fit all three of these categories to a degree. A good example of this would be The Squires on Route 53 in Hanover, a great little spot that is ignored by nearly everyone in the Boston area.

If you don't know anything about The Squires (stop laughing, by the way, as it has no connection with the Revere strip joint of the same name), it would be easy to drive by the place, as it looks a bit intimidating, tucked into a wooded location the way it is with an ancient sign along the side of it that says, simply, "The Squires." But once again, looks can be deceiving, as The Squires is a friendly place that caters to everyone from bikers to retirees to white-collar professionals to construction workers. The L-shaped dining room is comfortable and fairly roomy, and the bar, which sits in the middle of the restaurant, is walled off from the dining room.

The food at The Squires is consistently good, with standouts being the burgers, which are griddled slabs of sheer heaven (one of this writer's favorite burgers south of Boston); the sirloin steak, which is tender, lean, and ridiculously cheap; the bar-style pizza, which has a decent crust and a terrifically hearty sauce; and the scallops, which are fresh and tasty, and a great value.

We don't see The Squires ever being anything but a local hangout that continues to be ignored by nearly everyone outside of the Hanover area. And while locals are probably satisfied with that, this really is a restaurant that should be considered by anyone who is traveling through the area, including those heading to or from Cape Cod, since The Squires is only a minute or two off of Route 3. Don't expect much in the way of atmosphere at The Squires, but for a good, cheap meal in a friendly environment, the place is tough to beat.