A lot of drinking spots have a generic “placeless” vibe to them, but there are some that feel like places that could only exist in that particular region. Take some of the old watering holes found in New York’s Greenwich Village or a few of the classic beachside surf bars located in San Diego, or in the case of the Boston area, various dives and Irish pubs that have a distinctly Boston feel. One such place in Quincy fits the bill so well that a popular local band (Dropkick Murphys) reportedly wrote a song about the spot, and whether this is actually true or not (and the Dropkicks do hail from Quincy), Darcy’s Village Pub is indeed a bar that seems like it would be out of place nearly everywhere else in the country but feels right at home in the Boston area.
Darcy’s is part of a rather odd food complex in West Quincy called the Common Market Restaurants, which lines both sides of Willard Street just south of East Milton Square (and a stone’s throw from the Southeast Expressway), running the gamut from a cozy French bistro and a family-friendly New England seafood restaurant to a yogurt bar, an Italian takeout spot, a fish and chicken joint, a place featuring healthy dishes, and Darcy’s. There are basically three sections to Darcy’s, including a relatively family-friendly dining room; a long, very dark, and very narrow bar area; and in the warmer months, a patio with a TV and some relative privacy thanks to a rock wall and some bushes. The bar area can be a bit intimidating to some, but the bartenders run a tight ship here—and between the storytelling and the old-school style of dress, they could pretty much play bartenders in almost any movie that takes place in the Boston area.
Darcy’s is also perhaps more of a drinking spot than a restaurant, but being that Quincy is the gateway to the South Shore, the place has some excellent bar pizza—though oddly enough, it also features Italian-style thin crust. (The small pizzas are bar pies while the larger pizzas are Italian thin-crust.) And while both styles of pizza are worth getting, the place also offers a tasty treat that you rarely see in a local restaurant or bar—pasties, which are a bit like British or Irish versions of calzones that can be ordered with steak and cheese or buffalo chicken. Chicken pot pies are also available at Darcy’s, as are the usual pub grub faves such as chicken wings and tenders, burgers, wraps, and panini, and a few meals such as fish and chips, meatloaf, grilled salmon, and a particularly good plate of steak tips.
While it may not be for everyone, Darcy’s is a great option for many, including those who are looking to dine outdoors without having to wait for a table, lovers of classic South Shore bar pizza, and folks who want the flavor of an old-fashioned townie-feeling bar in an era where such establishments seem to be getting more and more difficult to find.
DARCY’S VILLAGE PUB. 97 WILLARD ST., QUINCY. COMMONMARKETRESTAURANTS.COM/darcys_pub/darcys_pub.html
Marc is the founder of @hiddenboston, a textbook editor, a hike leader for @AppMtnClub, and a food and travel writer and commenter for DigBoston, NBC/NECN, WBZ, WMFO and indie617.
