A Glimpse into the Timeless Charm of Union Oyster House
Step inside Union Oyster House and you’re instantly transported into a seafood-steeped time capsule, overflowing with Boston history worthy of a museum. The ambiance is rich with tradition, where every corner tells a story of resilience, evolution, and enduring charm.
The smell of freshly caught oysters being shucked at the restaurant’s famous semi-circle bar greets guests upon entry. Meanwhile, portraits of historical figures watch as diners suck on shellfish and down mollusks brought out by staff who shuffle across aged hardwood floors. These fixtures are just some of the many examples of how Union Oyster House has preserved its original character since first opening in the 1800s. Since then, the landmark establishment has remained one of the oldest restaurants in the United States. In fact, it celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2026.
Last year, Union Oyster House was dubbed North America’s Best Landmark Restaurant by the World Culinary Awards for the third time. This recognition highlights the restaurant’s continued dedication to excellence and its status as a beloved institution in Boston.
A Legacy of Flavor and Tradition
“I am deeply honored to receive this award on behalf of the Union Oyster House staff and our faithful patrons,” current proprietor Joseph “Joe” Milano said in a statement at the time. “We are pleased to have received this award in 2020, 2024 and now in 2025, and are grateful to be considered a legend.”
While the restaurant has expanded its space, switched ownership several times and employed a rotating roster of champion oyster shuckers, Union Oyster House still stands tall as a Boston institution. Among the many factors that have helped the restaurant remain relevant over the past two centuries is something that has essentially stayed the same from the beginning: its award-winning clam chowder.
“I would call it very famous and a favorite of many,” Milano said about his restaurant’s signature dish. “It’s something that others do not have. It’s a New England preparation, and it’s really very acceptable.” Union Oyster House’s clam chowder is known for its creamier consistency and strong clam flavor. The recipe draws inspiration from Nova Scotia because the family that preceded Milano’s was from that region.
A Hub for Diners of All Kinds
Union Oyster House’s quintessential meal — combined with its historic interior — has attracted all kinds of diners from tourists and celebrities to politicians and foreign dignitaries. That can be seen in the countless plaques that adorn Union Oyster House’s walls.
Milano has been fortunate enough to meet his fair share of celebrities as they sat in one of Union Oyster House’s signature wooden booths. He witnessed Italian opera legend Luciano Pavarotti serenade a young girl on her birthday, “cultivated a very good relationship” with Leonardo DiCaprio after the Oscar winner “fell in love” with Milano’s mother due to their shared Italian heritage and “struck up a friendship” with Tiger Woods as the two bonded over their connection to Thailand — Woods’ ancestry and Milano’s diplomatic involvement.
The owner also watched the late Robin Williams banter with his friend Billy Crystal to a point where reality essentially became art. “They were very fascinating,” said Milano, who is a huge fan of both actors. “They were friendly, but they jabbed back and forth to a point that I thought I was watching a movie.” “Their character. Their persona. The way they act, that I would visualize on some sort of TV or movie, was exactly the same,” he added.
A Journey Through History
“It’s been an interesting journey,” Milano said. Milano first became involved with Union Oyster House in August 1970. He was a minority owner alongside his father, who knew the owners at the time. “They were looking for some change, new blood,” Milano recalled. “We’re always going through some evolutionary changes, certainly in this part of the city, but it was kind of something of interest. And then beyond that, it’s been an interesting journey.”
While no municipal records document the exact date the building was constructed, Union Street itself was laid out in 1636, according to the restaurant’s website. The building housed importer Hopestill Capen’s Dry Goods, a clothing business, in 1742. Over the next century, the building was home to multiple big operations and notable residents.
Starting in 1771, Union Oyster House was the printing center for The Massachusetts Spy, which is regarded as one of the most important newspapers of the American Revolution. By 1775, it became the headquarters for Ebenezer Hancock, the first paymaster of the Continental Army. This was where federal troops would receive their war wages.
The building later housed Louis Philippe, a French monarch who lived in exile on the second floor, starting in 1796. Phillippe made a living by teaching French, mostly to high-class women, before he eventually returned to France to serve as King from 1830 to 1848. Capen’s Dry Goods store occupied the space until 1826, when two men in the oyster harvesting business turned the space into a restaurant called Atwood and Bacon. The concept was unusual at the time, as standalone restaurants were not common.
“Prior to that, you had B&Bs (bed and breakfasts), you had taverns, you had places to go, but not really necessarily … a restaurant that people can come to and then have to lodge and so forth,” Milano explained. “That change kind of just was the metamorphosis of life.”
With a focus on shellfish and other seafood, the owners of Atwood and Bacon installed a semi-circular oyster bar. The bar eventually became the namesake of the current establishment. Atwood and Bacon was then sold to the Fitzgerald family in 1913, who changed the name of the business to Union Oyster House. In 1940, the Greaves brothers took over. Thirty years later, they sold it to the Milano family, who have owned Union Oyster House ever since.
By the time Milano came on board, the area around the restaurant was just starting to become a tourist destination. The business owner mainly credits “the renaissance of the city” to the popularity of Quincy Market. “It occurred in about 1975, ‘76, and it really became the necessary recipe to really have Boston begin to really get known as a destination,” Milano said.
This influx of tourism helped to renew the public’s interest in Union Oyster House. It also helps that visitors pass the landmark while on the Freedom Trail — Boston’s historic walking tour that includes stops detailing the American Revolution.
Tourists pass Union Oyster House while going from Faneuil Hall to the Paul Revere House. In fact, Union Oyster House has its own Freedom Trail room with dioramas that are replicas of the 16 sites on the tour. It is this historic exemplification that often attracts history buffs to pop into Union Oyster House for a meal and expand their knowledge of Boston.
“As you walk through the living history of this restaurant, everything tells a story,” Milano said. “This representation absolutely gets a lot of attention.”
A Historic Meeting Place for Leaders
Visits by US presidents
Aside from the bustling oyster bar and memorabilia-covered walls, Union Oyster House’s famous John F. Kennedy Booth is another standout feature that “many people ask for,” Milano said.
The restaurateur recalled meeting JFK himself when he was serving as a U.S. Senator, saying Union Oyster House was Kennedy’s “favorite spot where he enjoyed solitude and would read newspapers on a Sunday.” Kennedy was one of five U.S. presidents whom Milano has met at the restaurant during his time there. The others are Jimmy Carter, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Barack Obama.
Milano recalled that Carter’s visit came on “short notice” as he was receiving an honor at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. He also developed a relationship with Bush, as both men had served in the military. Milano served during the Vietnam War, then was appointed Civilian Aide to the Secretary of the Army for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1997 to 2004. He has also served as the Honorary Consul General of Thailand in Boston since 2002 and was awarded the Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant in 1994 and the Most Notable Order of the Crown of Thailand in 2004.
Clinton, however, “was a character,” according to Milano. “I enjoyed him,” he said, adding that Clinton came in for a luncheon for Democrats and “was very focused.” Obama, much like most diners at Union Oyster House, “fell in love with the clam chowder,” Milano said. “He came back again … he would come back, and he would go up to the Vineyard, which he loved, and he would take chowder personally,” Milano added.
At 81, the restaurateur and veteran is still active at his restaurant today. Milano can be seen engaging with customers and staff — many of whom he’s gotten to know over the past 50 years. It is that bond — also fostered by the many generations of family members who have graced Unin Oyster House’s halls — that has breathed life into the establishment for 200 years.
“It creates an incredible synergy amongst everybody in doing what they do,” Milano said. “I’m a very passionate person in the sense of working and working with them, because primarily they’re the ones who represent the sales force or (are) in the kitchen. But I enjoy it. It’s a lot of theater in that sense, but it’s fun, and it’s great to be part of such an institution.”
Looking toward the future, Milano said maintaining the restaurant’s authenticity and ensuring top service and safety for the public are his biggest priorities. He has explored growth opportunities by supplying Union Oyster House products to local supermarkets and has considered opening a satellite location in an airport or mall.
“Not for a while,” Milano said after letting out a chuckle, adding that those ideas can be carried out over the “next 200 years.”
Union Oyster House is located at 41 Union St., Boston. The eatery is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
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