Given the waterfront location, the great restaurants and bars and the tight-knit community vibe, it was bound to be only a matter of time before South Boston started gentrifying. It’s best to erase any images of Southie you have from watching one of the many Irish mob/rough kid from Boston/bank robber movies that are set here because aside from bar fights and groups of restless youth, Southie just isn’t like that anymore.

The strong, local community vibes are still there though. There are new grocery stores like American Provisions and restaurants like Local 149 that are true neighborhood joints with a focus on fresh, local food. There are still the famous Southie dive bars like Murphy’s Law and Whitey’s with plenty of character and then there are the annual South Boston institutions like the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, one of Boston’s booziest celebrations.

The apartments in Southie are spacious and often beautiful inside, although you can’t always tell from the rundown triple deckers. The rent is still affordable, although higher than it once was, and getting here’s not so bad, especially if you have a car.