Union Oyster House
Best Historic Restaurant in Boston · MA
America's oldest continuously operating restaurant
The Union Oyster House has served since 1826, making it the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the United States. Housed in a pre-Revolutionary building on the Freedom Trail, its semicircular oyster bar — where Daniel Webster downed brandy and oysters by the plate — sits in its original position, shucking the same way nearly two centuries on.
Beyond the history, the kitchen turns out Yankee seafood: clam chowder, lobster, and shore dinners served in low-ceilinged, booth-lined rooms that have hosted senators, presidents, and Kennedys.
Every award, on the record.
Each Centurion Award is its own dated annual record, and staying current means clearing the bar again each new year. Open a year for the full citation and verification details.
2025 Centurion Award
Best Historic Restaurant in Boston Boston, MA · Awarded under the 2025 evaluation View the 2025 award →Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. Selection is by published criteria, never for sale.
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This page is the standing record for Union Oyster House (2025). It was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. For hours, bookings, and live reviews, go straight to the business itself.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. Own this business? Claim the listing to manage it, or ask us to remove it.
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