Serving Since

Boston Area

Serving since

1965

61 years in Boston

Silhouette Lounge

Allston · Tavern / Pub

Go here for
Popcorn with your drink
Why go
An Allston dive bar known since 1965 for cheap beer, darts and popcorn with your drink.
Local character
Neighborhood regulars. The Boston Globe says it has been "frequented by locals and students alike" since 1965.
Good to know
Outside the center: about 4 miles from downtown Boston.
Directions Official website

Opened in 1965. Sold in 2021 when longtime owner Joseph Eliseo retired, and reopened under new management in March 2022 with the same name and staff.

Why it matters

The Silhouette Lounge opened on Brighton Avenue in 1965. Joseph Eliseo started tending bar there the year it opened and bought it in 1979.

Eliseo retired in 2021 around his 80th birthday. The Licensing Board approved the sale to Fred Starikov of City Realty, who promised to change nothing. The bar reopened under new management on March 18, 2022, with its original staff, its vintage neon signs and its popcorn.

The story

  1. 1965The Silhouette Lounge opens3
  2. 1979Longtime bartender Joseph Eliseo buys the bar3
  3. 2021Sale to Fred Starikov of City Realty approved as Eliseo retires4
  4. 2022Reopens under new management3
  5. TodayStill serving Boston

Going to Boston? Get all places offline, with walking routes: the Boston kit, $9.

Details

Address
200 Brighton Avenue, Boston, MA 02134
Neighborhood
Allston
Ownership
Not verified
Status
Open · verified Sep 2026

OldScore

A secondary, editorial measure. The founding year above is the fact that matters most. How it works.

Age17/ 35
Continuity5/ 20
Local significance10/ 20
Local food culture5/ 15
Independence3/ 10
OldScore40/ 100

Local character: Neighborhood regulars. The Boston Globe says it has been "frequented by locals and students alike" since 1965. This is separate from OldScore: a place can be popular with visitors and still belong here.

More like this

Sources

  1. The Silhouette (official site) Address, What to order, Current status
  2. City of Boston, Food Establishment Inspections and Active Food Establishment Licenses (data.boston.gov) Current status
  3. Boston Globe, "Allston's iconic Silhouette Lounge to reopen" (Mar 17, 2022) Founding year, Ownership, History, What to order
  4. Universal Hub, "With his 80th birthday approaching, owner of Allston's Silhouette Lounge to retire" (Oct 6, 2021) Ownership, History
  5. Universal Hub, "New owners of venerable Allston bar seek to add performances by local musicians and trivia events" (Jun 27, 2022) Ownership