Bit Bar in Salem Is Moving to the Former Salem Beer Works Space

A restaurant, bar, and arcade spot on the North Shore is heading to a new home, taking over the space where a location of a local group of brewpubs had been.

According to a source, Bit Bar is going to be moving from St. Peter Street in Salem--where it has resided in an historic jail complex since 2016--to Derby Street in the downtown area of the city, with an earlier Patch article indicating that it is taking over the Salem Beer Works space. A Facebook post from the business says that July 18 is expected to be the last day in its current space.

The current address for Bit Bar is 50 St. Peter Street, while its new address will be 278 Derby Street. Its website can be found at https://bit.bar/

[September 23 update: According to a source, Bit Bar is now open in its new home, with a Facebook post from the place mentioning that its hours over the next few days are today from 4:00 PM to midnight, Friday from 4:00 PM to 1:00 AM, and Saturday from 5:00 PM to 1:00 AM (the place will be closed this Sunday).]

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]

---

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.)

Payment Options

Option 1 : $1.00 USD - monthly Option 2 : $5.00 USD - monthly Option 3 : $10.00 USD - monthly

Bit Bar in Salem Is Expanding to Malden

A North Shore restaurant and arcade that is located in an historic jail is expanding to a new location closer to Boston.

According to an article from Eater Boston, Bit Bar in Salem will be joined by a new location in Malden, with the second outlet of the place opening at J Malden Center, an upcoming mixed-use development on Pleasant Street that will also be home to other dining and retail options. Based on the original location, which is housed in the old Salem Jail complex on St. Peter Street in Salem, the new outlet could have a number of arcade games and pinball tables along with a menu full of eclectic items (the Salem location offers elk burgers on doughnut buns and potatoes shaped like Tetris blocks).

The original location of Bit Bar opened in Salem in 2016, taking over the space where A&B Burgers had been; A&B moved to Beverly and now has another location near North Station in Boston.

The address for the upcoming Bit Bar in Malden will be 190 Pleasant Street, Malden, MA, 02148. The website for the original location can be found at https://bit.bar/

[August 6 update: A tweet from @MayorOfMalden indicates that Bit Bar plans to open its new location sometime this fall. (Thanks to a source for bringing this to our attention.)]

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]

---

Versus Is Opening in Former Gem Space in Downtown Boston

by Marc Hurwitz

A new restaurant and arcade bar is coming to the heart of Boston.

According to an article from Eater Boston, Versus is opening on Province Street in the city's Downtown Crossing area, and it will be taking over the space where Gem Restaurant and Lounge had been. The post says that Big Night Entertainment Group (BNEG), which was behind Gem, is also behind the new place, which will serve pub food along with beer, wine, and cocktails, while also having "retro-modern" arcade games inside the space. If all goes as planned, Versus will be opening sometime this fall.

Gem first opened on Province Street in the spring of 2012, taking over the old Kennedy's Midtown space; other restaurants and bars run by BNEG include CBS Sporting Club, Empire, Explorateur, The Grand, Red Lantern, and Scorpion Bar.

The address for Versus is 42 Province Street, Boston, MA, 02108. Its website is at http://www.versusboston.com/

[October 10 update: A press release states that Versus opens its doors tomorrow (Thursday, October 11).]

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]

---

Tweet

Bushwood Cocktail Club Opens in Former Broad Street Riot Space in Downtown Boston

A new bar has opened in downtown Boston, and its name is a play on a country club shown in a classic comedy film that is nearly 40 years old.

According to a press release, Bushwood Cocktail Club is now open in the former Broad Street Riot space near where Broad Street meets the Rose Kennedy Greenway, with the drinking spot taking its name from the Bushwood Country Club in the 1980 movie Caddyshack. the 50-seat place is both a retro bar and an arcade bar, with games such as Beer Pong, Big Buck Hunter, and Pop-A-Shot on the premises, while its menu includes bar pizza and sandwiches and its cocktail list has drinks named after characters in the movie.

The people behind the bar--which was originally supposed to be an Italian restaurant called Bistro 131--also own Finn McCool's Public House, a new spot around the corner on High Street that replaced Julep Bar.

The address for this new bar in downtown Boston is: Bushwood Cocktail Club, 131 Broad Street, Boston, MA, 02110.

[Earlier Article]
Bistro 131, Finn McCool's to Take Over Broad Street Riot, Julep Bar in Downtown Boston

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]

---

Tweet

Bit Bar Is Opening in Historic Salem Jail

A hybrid restaurant/arcade is opening within an historic jail on the North Shore that has been home to a couple of restaurants over the past several years.

The Salem News is reporting that Everett-based Boston Bit Labs is planning to open Bit Bar in the old Salem Jail complex on St. Peter Street, with the place including a restaurant featuring New American fare along with an arcade area that will have restored coin-operated arcade machines. An article from Eater Boston mentions (via a Facebook page from the upcoming place) that Bit Bar will also have a full-service bar featuring beer and spirits from local businesses and that the arcade will have a rotating selection of 30 (or more) arcade games and pinball tables that come from the period between the late 1970s and the early 2000s.

If all goes as planned, Bit Bar--which will be open for lunch and dinner and will have 21+ hours later at night--could be opening in June if all goes well.

The Salem jail, which dates back to the early 1800s, had been home to A&B Burgers until it left last summer (and has since moved to Beverly) as well as a dining spot called Great Escape.

The address for this new restaurant, bar, and arcade in Salem is: Bit Bar, 50 St. Peter Street, Salem, MA, 01970.

[June 13 update: Eater Boston states that Bit Bar is still aiming to open this month--possibly debuting around the end of June--and that it will feature an outdoor patio in addition to a main room and a smaller "cave-like" room.]

[June 20 update: According to a Facebook post from the place, Bit Bar has soft-opened (note--it will be closed on Tuesday, June 21).]

[June 24 update: A press release says that Bit Bar--which is being called Greater Boston's first bar arcade--officially opens today.]

[Related Article]
A&B Salem to Move to Beverly

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]

---

Tweet

Rocky's Big City Games and Sports Bar May Be Coming to Boston

A brand new restaurant, bar, and entertainment complex that is coming to the Buffalo region may be looking to go national with its concept, and its plans could include a location in somewhere in the Boston area.

The Buffalo Business Journal is reporting that Rocky's Big City Games & Sports Bar, which will soon open within the Eastern Hills Mall in Williamsville (just northeast of Buffalo) may be expanding to Boston and Indianapolis if its first location is a success, while an earlier article mentions that it could develop into a national chain. The upcoming Buffalo location of Rocky's, which hopes to open next week, will include a restaurant and sports bar, a section with arcade games, a bowling alley, a bumper car area, private meeting rooms, and more, with pub grub and classic American fare offered to diners.

The website for Rocky's Big City Games & Sports Bar can be found at http://rockysbigcity.com/

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]

---

Tweet

Bostonville Grille in Lynnfield Has Apparently Closed

It looks like a restaurant and sports bar in Lynnfield that was known in part for its arcade games has shut its doors.

According to posters on a several sites (including Chowhound), the Bostonville Grille on Route 1 is now closed after being in business for about six years. The restaurant and bar featured mostly pub grub and classic American fare (including chili, steak tips, sausages, hot dogs, burgers, baby back ribs, and pizza), and also had a huge arcade area with more than 200 games. A popular spot to watch sporting events, the Bostonville Grille had more than 200 TVs scattered throughout the place.

The address for this now-closed restaurant and bar in Lynnfield was: The Bostonville Grille, 325 Broadway (Route 1), Lynnfield, MA, 01940.

Tweet