You Can Still Dine At One Of JFK's Favorite Restaurants In Boston

John F. Kennedy needs very little introduction. As the 35th president of the United States and a cultural icon in the early 1960s, many Americans attach nostalgic significance to the many places he visited and loved before his assassination in 1963. As a native son of The Bay State, his memory remains enshrined in several Massachusetts landmarks, from his presidential library to his Hyannis Port summer home on Cape Cod. The Kennedy family hails from Brookline, Massachusetts, a town considered an integral part of the Boston metropolitan area. 

A historical city known for its old pubs and variety of seafood, JFK frequently visited a number of local favorite restaurants throughout the Boston area during his life, but one of his top picks was a restaurant called the Union Oyster House. As it just so happens, you can still dine there at his designated table, the Kennedy Booth, a spot dedicated to him after his death.

Union Oyster House is the oldest continually operating oyster bar in the United States, receiving a national historical landmark plaque in 2003. The building itself was erected prior to the American Revolution, but it started serving oysters and seafood in 1826. Nearly 200 years later, there is still a long wait time at dinner hour, and reservations fill up. But for JFK, who enjoyed it for its lobster stew and privacy, there was always an open table. 

Union Oyster House has two floors, with the upstairs noticeably cozier than the more rambunctious first floor. Of course, there was no reason to travel upstairs if you were eating on the first floor; this meant that John F Kennedy was often out of sight to anyone downstairs. These days, you can call and request to reserve the Kennedy Booth or take your chances and request it upon arrival.

Today, Union Oyster House has kept its centuries-old feel, and it still serves up the same high-quality seafood dishes the Kennedy family once enjoyed. Everything on the appetizer menu is seafood-based, with soups like their fish chowder and New England clam chowder being particular standouts. The entrée section also largely consists of seafood options, including traditional Boston scrod (a breadcrumb-topped delicious cod fillet), plus scallop, shrimp, and oyster choices. Those who don't love seafood can still dine like a Kennedy, though, with one option each of meat, chicken, and pork. If you need more presidential bona fides, you can dine comfortably knowing that both Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Bill Clinton patronized the restaurant in their day as well.