Market is the bar located at 21 Broad Street - not to be confused with Market the restaurant at the W Hotel located at 100 Stuart Street. While I've heard great things regarding the latter, the former, commonly abbreviated as MKT was where I spent this past Wednesday evening.
I have been to MKT before, that being said, I only saw one floor out of three and did not experience the roof deck or try the food. The décor here was not at all what I expected, it was surprisingly fresh and unique. The exposed wooden beams and wood floors give it a rustic feel while studded red velour chairs emit a regal vibe. The main circular bar is clean and composed with black lacquer counters and modern beige bar stools. Glowing red chandeliers add a funky touch.
On the sweltering 88 degree evening that was Wednesday here in Boston a Moscow Mule ($10) was ordered upon arrival to the MKT roof deck. It wasn't at all impressive. In fact, it paled in comparison to the real thing.
Described as served in a copper mug - this was not the case. Why even write that on the menu?! 
Huffing and puffing up four flights of stairs lead us to Sausage Fest 2010. I was looking like the 5th girl to grace the roof decks presence this evening.
The female bartender was prompt, however disgruntled. She couldn't manage a smile and poured our drinks with an annoyed sense of urgency. Apparently she was the only one serving the roof deck of about 50 patrons, which included taking food orders. That has to make for a rough night. :(
We met our friends Ashley and Ethan and meandered to a spot in the corner. We were surrounded by the tall buildings of the Financial District. 
Market's roof deck doesn't have the most breathtaking views, but, at least its got a small window of cityscape and a night sky backdrop in one direction. I definitely enjoyed the aspect of being in the midst of the skyscrapers, as opposed to viewing them from afar! This is not one of the most polished roof decks you'll ever sip a drink on, but it's comfortable enough.
For my second round I decided to switch to beer. At $10 a pop, I felt I wasn't getting my monies worth for a mixed drink. Initially the bartender overcharged me (ten dollars for a beer - really?) but I quickly pointed out to her there was no way my Kona Longboard on tap cost as much as my previous mixed drink. She concurred realizing it was only $5 and provided me the correct change. The four of us grabbed a table on the other side of the deck and munched on Nachos ($9) and BBQ Chicken Pizza ($10) as the sun went down.
The BBQ Chicken Pizza was mediocre bar grub. It wasn't great. The nachos were tasty, unfortunately (or fortunately for Adam) there was no guacamole to be found on them as advertised. The fresh scallions and grated Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top were a nice touch.
As the wind picked up we headed downstairs to the first floor where we learned it was Reggae Wednesday!
The band played classic cover songs with reggae inspired beats. While I wasn't super impressed by the roof deck vibe as a whole, the indoor ambiance at Market
is pretty cool. For beating the Wednesday night heat with good company and good tunes, I'll take it. I wouldn't necessarily recommend it for the food, though.
I've walked by North 26 located in the Millennium Bostonian Hotel countless times. In fact, Adam and I were walking by Sunday morning with a different brunch destination in mind when we spotted an open table on the patio and decided, why not? The host greeted us warmly and offered the table he noticed us eyeing. 
I started with the Perfect Bloody Mary ($8) made with Crop Organic Tomato Vodka. The name does it justice, this bloody mary not only looked perfect, with all the appropriate garnishes and a neatly seasoned celery salt rim, it tasted perfect too!
Adam ordered the Fresh Squeezed Grapefruit Juice ($4). It came in a wine glass, points for being fancy!
It was HOT out but I am loving the heat. You've got to fully embrace the New England weather am i right? Upon placing our orders the brunch dishes were delivered in no time along with ice waters, mini ketchup bottles and jars of jam.
Adam ordered the Red Flannel Hash ($14) consisting of House-cured corned beef hash with two poached eggs and hollandaise. After digging in he exclaimed this was one of the best breakfasts he's ever tasted. He's not the type to use that statement lightly.
North 26's traditional version named the Bostonian Benedict ($13) was flawless. I've had many versions of Eggs Benedict over the years. I'm not overly picky - I like my poached eggs anywhere from slightly runny to very runny. 
It is tough to put into words how amazing their signature English Muffins are. Reminiscent of cornbread and grilled until golden brown and crispy on the top with a moist buttery inside, they are the perfect vessel for soaking up every last drop of the runny egg yolk and creamy hollandaise. Slices of thick Berkshire ham were supreme, lightly griddled and smokey. The home fried potatoes were crunchy and seasoned just right. 
I was so impressed with our excellent breakfast drinks and dishes as well the attentiveness of the waitstaff. North 26 might fly under the radar but after today it lands a permanent spot on our brunch rotation!
