Boston Restaurant Talk

Thursday, July 23, 2026

Ja Learn to Open in Somerville's Union Square

It looks like a brand new Southeast Asian dining spot is on its way to Somerville.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Ja Learn is planning to open in Union Square, with photos of the storefront indicating that it will be moving into a space on Somerville Avenue on the western edge of the square. The photos hint that this will be a Thai street food place, while an Instagram page for the business indicates that the people behind it have been hosting popups in the Boston area and that they offer Northeast Thai fare including Thai BBQ.

The address for the upcoming Ja Learn in Union Square is 302 Somerville Avenue, Somerville, MA, 02143. Its Instagram page can be found at https://www.instagram.com/jalearn.boston/

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

Please help keep Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants going by making a one-time contribution or via a monthly subscription. Thanks! (Donations are non-deductible.)

Mochiko Hawaiian in Newtonville Expands to New Location at Boston Landing in Brighton

A restaurant in the western suburbs that is known in part for its fried chicken and bubble tea has expanded to a new location, and this one is within the Boston city limits.

Based on a check on the place, Mochiko Hawaiian is now open at Boston Landing in Brighton, joining one on Walnut Street in Newtonville. The new Guest Street eatery offers such options as chicken sandwiches, pork sandwiches, fried chicken plates, burgers, spam handrolls, tater tots, hash browns, smoothies, iced tea, milk tea, and more.

The address for the new location of Mochiko Hawaiian at Boston Landing is 133 Guest Street, Brighton, MA, 02135. The website for the business is at https://www.mochikohawaiian.com/

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

Please help keep Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants going by making a one-time contribution or via a monthly subscription. Thanks! (Donations are non-deductible.)

Wednesday, July 22, 2026

Yoki Express in Boston's Seaport District Has Closed; Happy Rice Sushi to Open in Its Space

A Japanese dining spot in Boston's waterfront area has shut down, and it looks like it will be replaced by another Japanese eatery.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, Yoki Express in the Seaport District is no longer in business, with Happy Rice Sushi planning to open in its space. Yoki Express was known for its sushi burritos and poke bowls and had an ownership connection to Yoki Japanese Restaurant & Bar, which remains open in Medford; the menu for Happy Rice Sushi doesn't yet have a menu, simply saying "modern sushi."

Yoki Express first opened back in 2017.

The address for the now-closed Yoki Express (and upcoming Happy Rice Sushi) is 53 Boston Wharf Road, Boston, MA, 02210. The website for Happy Rice Sushi will be at https://happyricesushi.com/

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

Please help keep Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants going by making a one-time contribution or via a monthly subscription. Thanks! (Donations are non-deductible.)

The Biltmore Bar & Grille in Newton Upper Falls to Reopen as The Biltmore Tavern on July 27

A longtime dining and drinking spot in the western suburbs of Boston that was a former speakeasy (and an industry haunt) is getting ready to open back up with new owners, a new look, and a slightly different name after shutting down earlier this year.

According to a Bluesky post from @jeremyk.bsky.social, The Biltmore Bar & Grille in Newton Upper Falls is planning to reopen on July 27 as The Biltmore Tavern, with an earlier Newton Beacon article mentioning that the reborn restaurant and bar has been taken over by the people behind Blue on Highland in Needham. The article states that the changes are "predominantly aesthetic" and that the offerings will be upscale tavern food including pizza, burgers, salads, and a number of local beer on tap.

The Biltmore Bar & Grille shuttered back in early February.

The address for The Biltmore Tavern is 1205 Chestnut Street, Newton, MA, 02464. Its website can be found at https://biltmoretavern.com/

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

Please help keep Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants going by making a one-time contribution or via a monthly subscription. Thanks! (Donations are non-deductible.)

Tuesday, July 21, 2026

The C Note in Hull Is Closing

A South Shore music venue that shut down during the early part of the pandemic only to be reborn thanks to fundraisers, benefit concerts, and the sale of merchandise is closing permanently.

According to a Facebook post from the business, The C Note in Hull is going to be shutting down for good, with the note saying the following:

It is with heavy hearts and a deep sense of gratitude that we announce The C Note will soon be closing its doors on Saturday, September 26. After decades of serving as your local music club, the time has come for us to move on. Stepping away from a place that has been our home for so long is incredibly difficult, but we are immensely proud of the incredible run we have shared with all of you.

Back in the summer of 2020, it was announced that the music club would be shuttering, but a grassroots campaign helped them return the following year. (The C Note had formerly been called the Sea Note, with an ownership change taking place a bit more than 15 years ago.)

The address for the C Note is 159 Nantasket Avenue, Hull, MA, 02045.

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

Please help keep Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants going by making a one-time contribution or via a monthly subscription. Thanks! (Donations are non-deductible.)

Nana's Green Tea Opens in the Back Bay of Boston

A bit more than a year ago, it was reported that a chain of cafes with roots in Japan would be expanding to a space in Boston, and now we have learned that it is up and running.

According to an article from boston.com, Nana's Green Tea is now open in the Back Bay, moving into a subterranean space on Newbury Street between Dartmouth Street and Exeter Street. The new spot focuses in part on Matcha green tea options while also offering such items as Japanese curry, rice bowls, parfaits, and more.

Nana's Green Tea started out in Tokyo in 2001, with its first location arriving in the United States in 2018.

The address for Nana's Green Tea in the Back Bay is 175 Newbury Street, Boston, MA, 02116. The website for the chain is at https://global.nanasgreentea.com/

[Earlier Article]
Nana's Green Tea Plans to Open in Boston's Back Bay

(Follow Marc on Bluesky at @marchurboston.bsky.social)

[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

Please help keep Boston Restaurant Talk and Boston's Hidden Restaurants going by making a one-time contribution or via a monthly subscription. Thanks! (Donations are non-deductible.)