MKT - Financial District

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, it remains on my "to-eat" list for now. The former, commonly abbreviated as MKT was where I spent this past Wednesday evening.

I have actually been to MKT once before, that being said, I only saw one floor out of three and didn't get a chance to experience the roof deck or try the food. The decor 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. Seriously, 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 mmm 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 against the wraparound counter bordered by a criss cross fence, 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'd wouldn't necessarily recommend it for the food, though.