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The Union Oyster House sits proudly on the Freedom Trail at 41 Union Street. Below is the original menu from when it was called the Atwood and Bacon Oyster House.
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When my cousin Paul from Iowa was in town last year, he had also requested seafood, and so, I took him here. Kenny is a born and raised southern gent from Atlanta, Georgia. These boys know what's up. You're in a coastal city, eating seafood is where it's at! From my weekend post, you may or may not have gathered, I have lots of cousins! I am pretty close with all of them, as close as one can be with us scattered all across the U.S. I hadn't seen Kenny since the great binge week (cross out and insert our family reunion) of 2007, so we were thrilled to catch up!
I really appreciated the accommodating staff as we showed up and were seated right away with our party of two, which was maybe going to be three, and then turned into a definite four. I think this was part luck as we arrived at about 6pm just before the crowds begin to pour in. While awaiting Adam and Leah's presence, we ordered some beers. Sam Summer for me, Blue Moon for him, both garnished appropriately with the respective lemon and orange. We decided to split the Hot Oyster House Sampler for 2 ($22.95) 
Union Grilled Oysters • Baked Stuffed Cherrystones • Clams Casino• Oysters Rockefeller • Shrimp Scampi. These came plated around a bed of rice, which I thought was a nice touch. My only critique about this dish was the shrimp cocktail. I thought they could have been a little more generous in size. They are charging me $23 after all. But besides that, I do think we got our monies worth. The clams and oysters were impeccably fresh. The flavorful toppings melted into each shellfish creating a delicate bite that left me wanting more each time. The crisp buttery baked topping on the Cherrystones was delightful. The Clams Casino were true to form with a salty morsel of bacon under a crust of zesty breadcrumbs. The Oysters Rockefeller had a simple melted cheese sauce coating the layer spinach and oozing over the edges of the shell. The Union Grilled Oysters were warm and comforting in a light salty broth. The plate was dusted with a liberal amount of fresh parsley.
Adam arrived next and ordered an appetizer of Steamers (Market Price). 
Slimy and salty bathed in a warm bath of melted butter.
You can't go wrong with steamers at Union Oyster House. I think we get them every time we come here!
When Leah arrived she ordered a cup of Clam Chowder ($5.95).
I had one bite which was velvety smooth, super thick and creamy. The potato chunks and clams, while present in the dish looked a tad on the small side from my one swoop around the cup. Some say it's the best clam chowder they've ever had, while others knock it. I think its pretty darn good but I've had so many chowders in my life, I find it hard to pin the best. After the courses of appetizers were cleared, we were all served a large slice of sweet cornbread. I was having a hard time narrowing down my entree but eventually chose the Sauteed Seafood Medley ($25.95). 
Shrimp, cherrystones, mussels, fish and calamari sauteed in a spicy marinara sauce, served over linguine. Leah snapped a picture (yes, these are all compliments of the iPhone, me forgetting my camera, what else is new) of her dish which was the delightful looking Baked Scallop Special ($27.95). 
Green beans and tomato over linguine in a scampi sauce. Adam and Kenny both got Lobsters of some sort. Adam's was your standard Lobster Pot (Market Price). 
New England Hardshell Lobsters from our own pools, served with your choice of rice or potato.
I made a pretty heavy dent in my huge portion and ended up taking the leftovers home. Love leftovers!
My entree was piled with generous amounts of white flaky fish (I assume it was cod) and shrimp underneath a blanket of thick red sauce. The sauce was bold and spicy with large chunks of tomatoes providing a hearty base for the dish. I devoured all the mussels and cherrystones, mixing the excess broth from the shells into my linguine. I had to search through the plate to find the sauteed calamari. There were plenty of them there, but tiny in size they seemed to get lost under the overpowering pieces of fish. The fresh shredded Parmesan cheese on the side is a welcome touch.
While this dish wasn't anything new to me, it was still a quality meal that was incredibly satisfying. Our waitress was pleasant and attentive. She was on top of the second round of beers, and third round of drinks which happened to be waters.
I understand the Union Oyster House gets the label of a "tourist trap" by some Bostonians.
I admit, I do think they get away with slightly higher prices for location and claim to fame. And they do have a souvenir shop selling stuffed lobsters etc. But their service is friendly, their seafood is excellent, the entree portions are plentiful, and I find the classic 17th century atmosphere to be alluring. The upstairs floors creek when you walk across them. Each rustic wooden booth or table is nestled into a unique spot in one of the large dining rooms.
Union Oyster House is undoubtedly busy every night of the week. You'll be guaranteed a wait if you show up without a reservation any later than about 7pm even on a Tuesday evening. If you aren't a seafood lover, I still recommend stopping in for a drink at the polished Union Bar, if just to soak in a bit of history and take in a different scene.
It's also a nice relief from the row of Irish Pub after Irish pub with mediocre food lining Union Street. If you are a seafood lover, this spot is not to be missed! Consider adorning a goofy bib 
or taking a seat at the raw bar where Daniel Webster was once a regular drinking his tumbler of brandy and feasting on oysters.
I think it's fun to be a tourist in your own city, especially if you have family visiting from the likes of the dirty south or the Midwest plains, to share in the experience. 
Where are your favorite places to go for seafood?
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