A Smorgasbord of Boston Restaurant Ads

Before I got married, like most 20- and 30-somethings, I did my fair share of wining and dining and painting the town red. It was fun while it lasted.

Today, with a home in the suburbs and four children under the roof, my wife and I are certifiably too encumbered to get into Boston for dinner, drinks and dancing. It’s just not our time to party. Sure, we still enjoy the night life and we’re certainly not housebound, but it’s a lot easier for us – and frankly, more affordable – to eat out nearby instead of venturing into town.

Every once in a while, though, I’ll open up one of those roadside newspaper boxes and pick up a free copy of The Improper Bostonian, where we’ll read all about how – sigh – the other half lives. For us, it’s the next best thing to being there, a vicarious pleasure. It’s our little window on everything we’re missing out on at this time in our lives, but nothing we haven’t done before ourselves.

Needless to say, my wife and I are not exactly prototypical readers of The Improper Bostonian. In fact, according to the magazine’s Web site, the average age of their readership is 34, 77% of whom are single. And ranking highest among these reader’s leisure activities is – no, not shuttling the little ones to birthday parties, soccer games, piano lessons and school dances – attendance at bars, clubs and restaurants. Which explains why I was able to count so many – approximately three dozen – ads for such establishments in a recent issue of the magazine.

While feasting my eyes on this smorgasbord of advertisements, however, I couldn’t help but ponder which ones whet the appetites of other readers like me, which ones might actually bring new customers to the tables.

And so, like a discriminating food critic would evaluate the quality of his or her meal, I have taken it upon myself to speculate which of these restaurant ads are most effective, ranking the ten best – in my opinion – among all those served up in the March 23-April 5 edition of The Improper Bostonian.

Bob’s Top Ten Restaurant Ads (from The Improper Bostonian, March 23-April 5, 2005)

#10 – Anna’s Taqueria

Boston’s Best Burrito
1999, 2000, 2001,
2002, 2003, 2004
— The Improper Bostonian

Anna’s Taqueria
Burritos & Tacos To Go!

Bob’s comment: “A relatively bland ad for one of the hottest restaurants in town with a record of success that, yes, speaks for itself.”

# 9 – GYUHAMA of Japan

“fish is good for you unless you’re a fish”

Gyuhama of Japan
Sushi House

Bob’s comment: “With the construction of its own quirky aphorism, Gyuhama gets the attention of – and a laugh from – its audience at fish’s expense.”

#8 – Legal Sea Foods

Taste the Legal Difference
We could tell you our seafood is the freshest. But we’d rather prove it.

Legal Sea Foods

Bob’s comment: “One of the best seafood restaurants in the whole country, never mind Boston, makes a big splash with this ad.”

#7 – Parish Café and Bar

This ain’t no joke…
SPRING is finally here!
Patio opens April 1st

Parish Café and Bar

Bob’s comment: “If you open it, they will come.”

#6 – Big City

Pool Hall – Pizza Kitchen – Beer Bar

Thirsty Thursday
Buy a Table Tap, get your choice of nachos, pizza or fries FREE

Tuesday is Ladies Night

25 Cent Wings
During Pats, Sox, Celts & Bruins games!

80 Beers on Tap
20 Pool Tables
Foosball
Full Menu ‘til 1AM
Weekend Brunch 10 – 3 PM

Big City

Bob’s comment: “One of the busier ads in the magazine for what I’m guessing is one of the busiest places to eat in the city.”

#5 – Vox Populi

THIS IS THE TYPE OF BAR WHERE EVERYONE SEEMS ATTRACTIVE, EVEN AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NIGHT.

Vox Populi

Bob’s comment: “This is the type of ad that everyone seems to pay attention to, even if it is one of dozens in the magazine.”

#4 – Cactus Club

“I’d do ANYTHING for a MARGARITA”

Cactus Club

Bob’s comment: “And I’d walk a mile for a Camel – not!”

#3 – Rebecca’s Café Special Events

The Recipe…

1 cup of great menu planning
1 cup of personalization
1 cup of professional partnership

Leads into a Great Special Event

Rebecca’s Café Special Events

Bob’s comment: “One of the most original restaurant ads of all, using a concept – the recipe – made from scratch.”

#2 – Fire + Ice

Why pay round-trip prices if you only travel one way?
INTRODUCING OUR ONE-TRIP DINNER OPTION
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights for only $12.95*
(Includes one trip to our fresh markets, one trip to our salad bar, rice and fresh tortillas)
*FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY!

Fire + Ice

Bob’s comment: “Their food gets rave reviews. Their advertising is just as good.”

#1 – Pho Republique

Fee, Fi, Pho, Fun

Sophisticated Asian Food, Exotic Cocktails, Casual Dress

Pho Republique

Bob’s comment: “A tongue-twisting headline for a mouth-watering meal!”

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