A few months ago, it was reported that three of Boston's best-known dining and drinking spots that were all under one roof would not be reopening. Now we have learned that a New York-based restaurant group will be taking over the three spaces.
According to an article in The Boston Globe, Blue Ribbon Restaurant Group plans to open a brasserie, seafood restaurant, and sushi spot in the former Eastern Standard, Island Creek Oyster Bar, and Hawthorne spaces, respectively. The three spaces, which are located within the Hotel Commonwealth in Kenmore Square, had been the site of a protracted lease dispute, as restaurateur Garrett Harker and his business partners had been at an impasse on negotiations with real estate group UrbanMeritage in 2020, and the pandemic further complicated the situation; in February of this year, it was announced that Eastern Standard, Island Creek Oyster Bar, and The Hawthorne would be saying farewell to their respective spaces.
Blue Ribbon Restaurant group, which is run by Eric and Bruce Bromberg, got its start in Manhattan's SoHo neighborhood in 1992 with the opening of Blue Ribbon Brasserie. Currently, the restaurant group runs 20 restaurants in New York, Miami, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles.
If all goes as planned, the sushi spot will open first (in the fall) while the seafood restaurant will open late next winter or early in the spring and the brasserie should open soon after the debut of the seafood place.
[May 23, 2022 update: Patrick Maguire of Maguire Promotions & Hospitality Consulting tells us that Blue Ribbon Sushi plans to open in a week or so, while the other two restaurants hope to open later this summer.]
[June 22, 2022 update: Patrick Maguire tells us (via a Boston Globe article) that Blue Ribbon Sushi opens tomorrow (Thursday, June 23).]
[Earlier Articles]
Eastern Standard and Island Creek Oyster Bar in Boston's Kenmore Square Will Not Reopen
The Hawthorne in Boston's Kenmore Square Has Closed Permanently
by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)
[A related post from our sister site (Boston's Hidden Restaurants): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]
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