Thursday, May 24, 2018

The Porthole Restaurant in Lynn Is Closing

by Marc Hurwitz

An iconic waterside restaurant that has been around for more than 50 years is closing its doors, and it looks like it will be replaced by condos.

According to an article in itemlive.com, The Porthole Restaurant in Lynn is planning to shut down sometime in the next few months, with Robert Gaudet of the Lynnway eatery saying that "the time has come....I'm tired, I just want to relax." The post says that the property has been sold to a developer who plans to tear down the building and put up 55 luxury condominiums with views of both the city and the ocean, with construction possibly starting in late 2019.

The Porthole first opened in 1967, replacing a spot called the Blue Dolphin; the restaurant has been known over the years as a family-friendly restaurant to go to for seafood and classic American fare.

The address for The Porthole Restaurant is 98 Lynnway, Lynn, MA, 01902. Its website can be found at http://www.portholerestaurant.com/

[June 14 update: A new post on Facebook indicates that The Porthole Restaurant remains open, but just for lunch, and that it may be shutting down for good at the end of the month.]

[June 30 update: According to a few posts on social media, including a Facebook post from last week, it appears that today is the last day for The Porthole Restaurant.]

[August 6 update: A note from E.F Smith and Son indicates that an auction will take place at the Porthole Pub site on Wednesday, August 8, with the page also saying that the building is coming down.]

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