The Dot Tavern in Dorchester Closes Its Doors

A neighborhood bar near the Southeast Expressway that had been around for a long time is shutting down.

According to an article from Caught in Dot, The Dot Tavern in Dorchester is closing its doors, with the post saying that the Dorchester Avenue watering hole shutters after business hours today. The Dot Tavern had actually shut down once before in 2018 but reopened under new management in 2023 after its building underwent major renovations. The bar apparently had been open "for most of the 20th century, by some accounts" according to an earlier Dorchester Reporter article.

The address for The Dot Tavern is 840 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125.

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The Blarney Stone in Dorchester Is Closing

A longtime dining and drinking spot that has transformed from an Irish pub to a neighborhood restaurant and bar over the years may be making way for a new place.

According to a licensing board hearing page within the city's website, The Blarney Stone in Dorchester's Field Corner area has petitioned to transfer its license to Jodayaanfre, Inc., which would be running a new spot called Acapella's within the Dorchester Avenue space. The notice mentions that the proposed spot would have Yancarlo Fernandez as the manager and that the space would include a seasonal outdoor patio, though no other information has been given as of yet.

According to a message sent from Adam Gaffin of Universal Hub, The Blarney Stone dates back to the 1960s, with the website for the place saying that it was "originally, the first bar in America to sell draught Guinness."

The address for The Blarney Stone (and the proposed Acapella's) is 1505 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02122. The website for The Blarney Stone is at http://www.blarneystoneboston.com/

[July 29 update: According to a Twitter/X post from @DorchesterEsq, The Blarney Stone's last day in operation is today, with an Instagram post from the place confirming this.]

[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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Tom English's in Dorchester Is Closing

by Marc Hurwitz

A couple of years ago, we reported that yet another dive bar in Boston was going to eventually be closing and replaced by a mixed-use development, and now we have learned that the place is now getting ready to shut down.

According to a post from NBC 10 Boston, Tom English's in Dorchester will be closing for good on April 1, as the site of the Dorchester Avenue watering hole (along with Dorchester Market, which closes April 7) will become home to a five-story residential building that could end up housing a restaurant and a market on the ground floor. Earlier, we had mentioned that Dorchester Market could be the store that opens in the new development, but it is not known if this is still the case.

Dorchester and nearby South Boston have seen a number of other dive bars shutter over the past several years, including the Lower Mills Pub, the Centre Bar, Aces High, the Cornerstone Pub, the Quencher Tavern, and the Dot Tavern, though this last bar could be reopening at some point.

The address for Tom English's is 957 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125.

[Earlier Article]
Tom English's in Dorchester to Be Sold

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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]

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Dot Tavern in Dorchester Has Closed; Exact Status Up in the Air

by Marc Hurwitz

Yet another dive bar has closed down, though there is a chance that this one could reopen, at least for a little while longer.

According to an article in the Dorchester Reporter, Dot Tavern shut its doors last month, though local real estate developer Doug George--who purchased the Dorchester Avenue building in which the bar resides--is looking for someone to open the place back up as soon as possible. The post says that George ultimately plans to have major renovations done to the space and have a spot that focuses more on food, but that might not be completed for at least a year, so in the meantime, he would like to reopen the Dot Tavern for the time being.

The address for the Dot Tavern is 840 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125.

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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]

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Peggy O'Neil's in Dorchester Plans to Become Blend

by Marc Hurwitz

It appears that a dive bar in Boston is getting a new name.

According to a licensing board hearing page within the city's website, Peggy O'Neil's in Dorchester is petitioning to change its name to Blend, though the listing seems to indicate that the ownership will remain the same. No other information has been given on what changes might be coming to the Dorchester Avenue space, so stay tuned for updates.

Peggy O'Neil's has been in business for more than 50 years, according to its social media pages.

The address for Peggy O'Neil's is 1310 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02122.

[July 25 update: Eater Boston confirms that the people behind Peggy O'Neil's will indeed be changing its name to Blend, and that it is temporarily closed as minor renovations are being made. According to Eater, the bar will reopen this Friday (July 27) but it may close again for a week in August in order to complete upgrades to the interior.]

[August 26 update: According to a Facebook post, Peggy O'Neil's is still in the middle of morphing into Blend (its Facebook page shows logos for Blend while also saying "formerly Peggy O'Neil's") and that it hopes for a "soft reboot" in late September.]

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Tom English's in Dorchester to Be Sold

It looks like yet another Boston dive bar is going to be disappearing--and it may be replaced by a mixed-use development.

According to an article in the Dorchester Reporter, Tom English's on Dorchester Avenue is being sold, with the buyer possibly looking at new construction at the site; condos or apartments are being considered along with a restaurant or gastropub being an option within the development as well, though no specific plans have been submitted as of yet. The sale is expected to be finalized this summer, and a licensing board hearing is slated for June 28.

A number of dive bars have shut down in Boston over the past several years, including the Lower Mills Pub and the Centre Bar in Dorchester; Aces High, the Cornerstone Pub, and the Quencher Tavern in South Boston; and the Castlebar in Brighton. (Another Tom English's remains open in South Boston.)

The address for Tom English's is 957 Dorchester Avenue, Dorchester, MA, 02125.

Thanks to one of our sources for bringing this to our attention.

[January 18, 2018 update: Caught in Dot mentions that the site where Tom English's resides is indeed looking to be redeveloped, with the proposal being to build a five-story residential building with a restaurant and a market on the ground level.]

[February 16, 2018 update: Universal Hub states that the structure that would be built at the site of Tom English's and the adjacent Dorchester Market would have 38 apartments and a "contemporary aesthetic" exterior, and as mentioned before, a restaurant and a market would open on the ground floor.]

[April 25, 2018 update: Curbed Boston confirms that Tom English's will not be returning to the space, though it appears that Dorchester Market may reopen at the upcoming development (which the Zoning Board of Appeals has officially approved), along with a new restaurant.]

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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]

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