Earnest Drinks in Cambridge's Kendall Square Has Closed

A combination cafe/bar/ice cream shop in Cambridge has shut down, though a Somerville ice cream shop that is under the same ownership remains in operation.

According to multiple sources, Earnest Drinks in Kendall Square is no longer in business, with its social media indicating that the Binney Street spot had a farewell party this past Saturday evening. A note from the business says the following about the closure (including mentioning that they appear to be making new plans for the space):

We had a tough go of it signing a lease in one world and opening in a completely different one. We opened the doors in the teeth of the pandemic in Sept 2020, scrambling on a new idea every few weeks to keep the lights on. Since we opened, it always felt like we were a few months out from getting our legs underneath us which is an exhausting way to run an enterprise if you can imagine. Additionally, we never quite cracked how to communicate about Earnest Drinks in a way that broke through. Are we a bar? An ice cream shop? A cafe? Yes. We are! Is that scary? No! We're still meeting people who know all about Gracie's, but have never heard of Earnest Drinks. Anyway, for whatever reason, it didn't work and it's time to move on. And we're very excited about what's coming next in the space and will be sharing info on that SOON, but for now, THANK YOU.

The original Gracie's Ice Cream, which first opened in Somerville's Union Square in 2014, remains open for business.

The address for the now-closed Earnest Drinks was 399 Binney Street, Cambridge, MA, 02142.

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

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The Book Pub Looks to Open in Jamaica Plain

It looks like a new bookstore/cafe/bar could be coming to a Boston neighborhood.

According to a post within the Jamaica Plain Facebook group page, Shannon Spellman is planning to open The Book Pub in JP, saying that she is "in the process of opening a new indie bookstore. The Book Pub is an LGBTQ + Women owned Bookshop with a small café and craft beer bar. The focus of the store is to be inclusive and welcoming to the local community while offering a unique setting to have a pint and enjoy your next favorite read!" A Kickstarter page for the business gives a bit more information, stating that it would be "offering a curated selection of books, artisanal coffee, and rotating local craft beers - while showcasing a bit of literary flare. The store will host author events, themed evenings, children’s book readings, writing classes, etc."

If all goes as planned, The Book Pub could be opening in the late fall of this year.

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

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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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The Layover Opens Above Cunard Tavern in East Boston

A new tropical-themed bar with views of Boston Harbor has debuted.

According to a press release, The Layover is now open on the rooftop of Cunard Tavern in East Boston, with the Orleans Street bar offering mostly lighter fare and snacks such as duck spring rolls, hoisin ribs, crab rangoon, bulgogi, tempura veggies, and house fried rice along with cocktails that include a variety of rum-based drinks. The bar is open Thursday through Sunday from now through the summer.

The address for The Layover (and Cunard Tavern) is 24 Orleans Street, East Boston, MA, 02128. Its web page is at https://www.cunardtavern.com/roofdeck

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Eagle Brook Saloon in Norfolk Is for Sale

A Western-themed restaurant and bar that has been around for more than 40 years is on the market.

According to a source, the Eagle Brook Saloon in Norfolk is for sale, with a listing within the bizbuysell.com site showing the asking price as being $2,575,000 for "the real estate, the licenses and permits and the goodwill of the business," though the business itself can be purchased for $500,000 with an option to buy the property.

The Eagle Brook, which first opened in 1981, appeared to have an uncertain future in August of 2020 during the early days of the pandemic, as it temporarily closed and they said that "It just didn't work out as planned and we're sorry. We'd like to thank all the customers, friends, and family who supported us during this re-opening, and especially our staff and family who really tried so hard to keep us open. Hope we see you again." The Eagle Brook reopened in September, however, saying that "These past six months have been tough for us all. We genuinely feel thankful for all of the love, support, donations, and kind words that have been sent our way. They mean more than you will ever know."

The address for the Eagle Brook Saloon is 258 Dedham Street (Route 1A), Norfolk, MA, 02056. Its website is at https://www.eaglebrooksaloon.com/

[Earlier Articles]
Eagle Brook Saloon in Norfolk Has Closed; Exact Future of Place Unknown
Eagle Brook Saloon in Norfolk Is Opening Back Up

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[More restaurant openings/closings from the Boston's Hidden Restaurants site): List of Restaurant Closings and Openings in the Boston Area]

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Birds of Paradise Opens at the Charles River Speedway in Brighton

A new cocktail lounge has debuted in Brighton, opening within a marketplace across from the Charles River.

According to a post from Eater Boston and an earlier article from The Boston Globe, Birds of Paradise is now open at the Charles River Speedway, and as mentioned in an earlier article here, Ran Duan (Baldwin Bar, Blossom Bar, Ivory Pearl) and his team are behind the spot. As also mentioned earlier, the new place has a "Pan Am vacation vibe" in which its drinks menu includes options that are based on global pairings (for instance, from Jamaica to Italy), and its food menu is a bit more limited that Duan's other spots because of kitchen restrictions, but offers such items as seared scallops and sushi.

The address for Birds of Paradise is 525 Western Ave, Brighton MA, 02135. Its website is at https://www.birdsofparadisebar.com/

[Earlier Article]
Birds of Paradise Plans to Open in Brighton

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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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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NOTE: Leslie Hurwitz, who is the father of Marc (the founder of this site) is currently dealing with health issues and needs your help. Please donate if you can at https://gofund.me/76d8ba28, thanks!

Yellow Door Taqueria Adds Container Bar to Its Ink Block Location in Boston's South End

One of a pair of Mexican restaurants in Boston has added a new feature to its outdoor area.

According to a press release, Yellow Door Taqueria in the South End's Ink Block neighborhood now has a container bar at its outdoor patio, with the bar offering beer, wine, margaritas, specialty cocktails, tequila and mezcal shots, and more--and that the drinks are also available to go. Hours for the container bar are 4:00 PM to close Thursday through Sunday.

The Ink Block location of Yellow Door Taqueria first opened in February of 2020, joining the original in Dorchester's Lower Mills.

The address for Yellow Door Taqueria is 300 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA, 02118. The website for both locations is at https://www.yellowdoortaqueria.com/

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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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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NOTE: Leslie Hurwitz, who is the father of Marc (the founder of this site) is currently dealing with health issues and needs your help. Please donate if you can at https://gofund.me/76d8ba28, thanks!

The Pine Bar Opens at Boston Public Market

An indoor marketplace in downtown Boston is now home to a bar.

According to a press release, The Pine Bar is now open at Boston Public Market, with The Filmark Hospitality Group (Ristorante Lucia, Filippo Ristorante, Ducali Pizzeria, Caffé Ducali, Cunard Tavern) and managing partner Phil Frattaroli being behind it. The new full-service drinking spot offers beer, wine, spirits, and cocktails, and customers can either sit at the bar and dine on food offerings from Boston Public Market's vendors or walk around the marketplace with their drinks.

The website for The Pine Bar can be found at https://www.pinebarboston.com/ while the website for Boston Public Market is at https://bostonpublicmarket.org/

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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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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NOTE: Leslie Hurwitz, who is the father of Marc (the founder of this site) is currently dealing with health issues and needs your help. Please donate if you can at https://gofund.me/76d8ba28, thanks!

Birds of Paradise Is Opening in Brighton

One of the region's best-known mixologists will be opening a cocktail lounge at a new open-air marketplace in Brighton.

The Boston Globe is reporting that Ran Duan (Baldwin Bar, Blossom Bar, Ivory Pearl) and his team are planning to open Birds of Paradise at the Charles River Speedway, with the upcoming spot having a "Pan Am vacation vibe" in which its drinks menu will be based on plane tickets between two locations (for instance, from Brazil to Japan). The place will have seating for 45 inside and another 12-15 on an outdoor patio (pending final construction), and it will be located in the old MDC police jail in the basement while the patio will be on the lower level.

If all goes as planned, Birds of Paradise could open sometime this summer.

The address for Birds of Paradise is 525 Western Ave, Brighton MA, 02135. Its Instagram page can be found at https://www.instagram.com/birds.of.paradise.bar/

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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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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Farmacia Is Opening within Ciao Roma in Boston's North End

A brand new cocktail bar is on its way to the North End, opening within an existing restaurant.

According to Patrick Maguire of Maguire Promotions & Hospitality Consulting, Farmacia is planning to open in a part of the Ciao Roma space at 5 North Square, with a bostonchefs.com article saying that it will be an "apothecary-inspired cocktail bar" with nine seats. The post goes on to say that creator Phillip Rolfe (Parla, Wink & Nod) will offer drink flights on the menu while patrons can also go"off-book" with drinks, while food offerings will include options such as house-made pickles, dips, roasted nuts, and gelato. If all goes as planned, Farmacia will open on April 22.

Ciao Roma is part of the All Day Hospitality Group, which also operates Bodega Canal, Tony & Elaine's and Ward 8.

The website for Farmacia can be found at https://www.farmacianorthend.com/

[April 26 update: Boston Magazine states that Farmacia is now open.]

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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Broken Records Beer Hall Is Opening within The TRACK at New Balance at Boston Landing in Brighton

A brand new beer hall is on its way to Boston, opening within a multi-use complex that will include a space for live music.

According to a licensing board hearing page within the city's website, Broken Records Beer Hall is seeking a license to operate on Guest Street at Boston Landing in Brighton, with a post from bldup.com indicating that it will be located within The TRACK at New Balance which will also be home to the Roadrunner music venue. The hearing notice mentions that the proposed beer hall would include seating for 140 within its ground-floor space with dining, bar, and game areas included, and the manager listed is Thomas Shea, who heads up the Boston-based Briar Group which is behind such restaurants and bars as The Harp, Solas, Ned Devine's, and others.

Once the Roadrunner opens in March, it will be the largest general admission indoor music venue in New England, with 50,000 square feet of space and a capacity of 3,500.

The address for Broken Records Beer Hall is 81-85 Guest Street, Brighton, MA, 02135. Its website is at http://www.brokenrecordsbeerhall.com/ while the website for The TRACK at New Balance is at https://thetrackatnewbalance.com/

[April 13 update: The website for Broken Records Beer Hall indicates that it is now open.]

[Earlier Article]
Roadrunner to Open at Boston Landing in Brighton

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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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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The Heights Pub Opens in Arlington Heights

A neighborhood restaurant and bar in the northwest suburbs of Boston debuts today, and the owner of a nearby dining and drinking spot is behind it.

According to a Twitter thread from @briankenney7, The Heights Pub opens at 4:00 PM in the old Balich 5 & 10 space in Arlington Heights, with a Facebook post from the Mass. Ave. place confirming this, saying "No reservations, first come first served. Come down and put in your name and phone number and we will call you once your table is ready. We are expecting a big crowd tonight, so please be patient. We look forward to seeing everyone." Plans have been in the works for The Heights Pub since the spring of 2019, with Jim O'Rourke of the First House Pub in Winchester running the place, and like the First House Pub, expect to see comfort food, pub grub, and classic American fare at the new spot along with beer, wine, and cocktails.

The address for The Heights Pub is 1314 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, MA, 02476.

[Earlier Article]
The Heights Pub Plans to Open in Arlington Heights; Jim O'Rourke of First House Pub Behind It

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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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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Colette Lounge Opens within Shaking Crab in Downtown Boston

A brand new lounge has come to the heart of Boston, and it is located within a Cajun seafood restaurant.

Eater Boston is reporting (via boston.com) that Colette Lounge is now open on the ground floor of the Boylston Street location of Shaking Crab by Boston Common, with the drinking spot offering small plates such as shrimp ceviche and catfish bites along with cocktails that have New Orleans influences. The lounge is open Thursday through Sunday evenings, according to Eater.

The downtown Boston location of Shaking Crab first opened in early 2018 in the former Troquet space (Troquet moved to South Street in the Leather District). Other locations of Shaking Crab can be found in Brookline, Cambridge, Newton, and Quincy.

The address for Colette Lounge (and Shaking Crab) in downtown Boston is 140 Boylston Street, Boston, MA, 02116. The Instagram page for the lounge can be found at https://www.instagram.com/colettelounge/

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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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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The Koji Club Is Opening a Brick-and-Mortar Sake Bar in Allston-Brighton

A virtual pop-up business that focuses on an increasingly-popular alcoholic beverage is opening its very own brick-and-mortar spot.

According to a press release, The Koji Club is planning to open a sake bar at the new Charles River Speedway marketplace in Allston-Brighton, with Alyssa DiPasquale (o ya, Hojoko, Covina, Bianca) being behind the Western Avenue spot. The upcoming bar, which hopes to open in the fall, will be a "modern, cozy space" that will focus on Japanese sake, and its pop-ups will continue over the coming months as the space gets ready to debut, including at Tiger Mama in Boston's Fenway and Rebel Rebel at Somerville's Bow Market.

The Charles River Speedway will eventually become home to multiple businesses, including a second location of Salem's Notch Brewing. [Ed note: Now open.]

The address for the brick-and-mortar location of The Koji Club is 525 Western Avenue, Brighton, MA, 02135. Its website can be found at https://thekojiclub.com/ while its Instagram page is at https://www.instagram.com/the.koji.club/

[February 10, 2022 update: According to a press release, The Koji Club opens today, and in addition to sake, it will also offer food items such as cheese and charcuterie boards, salt and seaweed potato chips with caviar from Island Creek Oysters, and eventually, Japanese curry empanadas from Super Bien.]

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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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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George's Cafe in Dracut Is Closing

A rustic watering hole in an out-of-the-way location north of Boston is shutting down after more than 70 years in business.

According to an article in the Lowell Sun, George's Cafe in Dracut is closing its doors, as owners Penny Dowd and her mother Blanche Mahaleris are selling the bar, which sits at the corner of Honora Avenue and Textile Avenue. The post mentions that George Papafagos, who was the great grandfather of Mahaleris's late husband Charlie, opened the place up around 1946, with the place including a pool table and a piano, according to another Lowell Sun article.

It is not yet known who might be buying George's Cafe, nor is it known what might become of the place, so keep checking back for updates.

The address for George's Cafe is 570 Textile Avenue, Dracut, MA, 01826.

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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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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Eagle Brook Saloon in Norfolk Is Opening Back Up

Last month, it was reported that a popular Western-themed restaurant and bar had closed down and that its future was in question. Now we have learned that the place is going to be returning.

According to a poster within the Friends of Boston's Hidden Restaurants Facebook group page, the Eagle Brook Saloon in Norfolk is opening its doors once again, with a Facebook post from the Dedham Street spot saying the following:

We have decided to reopen for takeout beginning on Thursday, September 24th....We are excited and thankful to be celebrating our 39th year and couldn’t be doing that without you, our community....We will begin with takeout: pizza, wings, Eagle Brook ales by the growler (including fall favorite Pumpkin Porter), and more. We'll then slowly phase in indoor dining again with our safety precautions in place....These past six months have been tough for us all. We genuinely feel thankful for all of the love, support, donations, and kind words that have been sent our way. They mean more than you will ever know.

The Eagle Brook Saloon, which first opened in 1981, shut down in mid-August, saying at the time that "It just didn't work out as planned and we're sorry. We'd like to thank all the customers, friends, and family who supported us during this re-opening, and especially our staff and family who really tried so hard to keep us open. Hope we see you again!"

The address for the Eagle Brook Saloon is 258 Dedham Street (Route 1A), Norfolk, MA, 02056. Its website is at https://www.eaglebrooksaloon.com/

[Earlier Article]
Eagle Brook Saloon in Norfolk Has Closed; Exact Future of Place Unknown

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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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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Sligo Pub, Dragon Pizza in Somerville's Davis Square Team Up with an Outdoor Patio

An old-school Somerville bar has found a way to stay open rather than having to wait for Phase 4 of the reopening of the Massachusetts economy, and a nearby pizzeria is involved.

According to Rich O'Rourke, Sligo Pub in Davis Square is collaborating with Dragon Pizza with the two businesses (which are a few storefronts apart from each other on Elm Street) having an outdoor patio set up out back. The Facebook page for the bar shows the setup of the collaboration while saying that the patio is open Tuesday through Saturday starting at 6:00 PM for now, though it is probably best to check with Sligo Pub and/or Dragon Pizza before going to see if the days/hours have changed.

Sligo Pub is a bar that does not have a kitchen, which presumably would have kept it from opening until Phase 4 if not for this collaboration; some other bars with no food in the region seem to be doing similar setups, while others that are not doing such collaborations or finding other ways to serve food remain closed for at least the time being--possibly until a therapeutic or vaccine for the coronavirus is found.

Sligo Pub is at 237 Elm Street and Dragon Pizza is at 233 Elm Street in Davis Square, while the patio is in the Grove Street lot (around the corner up Grove Street and behind the two businesses).

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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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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Eagle Brook Saloon in Norfolk Has Closed; Exact Future of Place Unknown

A Western-themed restaurant and bar that has been around for nearly 40 years has closed down, and it is not known if or when it might reopen again.

According to a source, the Eagle Brook Saloon in Norfolk has shut its doors, with a Facebook post from the Dedham Street spot confirming this, saying that "Eagle Brook is closing for now. It just didn't work out as planned and we're sorry. We'd like to thank all the customers, friends, and family who supported us during this re-opening, and especially our staff and family who really tried so hard to keep us open. Hope we see you again!" The dining and drinking spot offered takeout as the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in March and the restaurant restrictions commenced, with the place reopening for outdoor dining and eventually indoor dining in June.

The Eagle Brook Saloon first opened in 1981, with the two-story space having the atmosphere of an Old West watering hole; the menu has mostly featured classic American fare and pub grub over the years along with beer, wine, and cocktails.

The address for the Eagle Brook Saloon is 258 Dedham Street (Route 1A), Norfolk, MA, 02056. Its website can be found at https://www.eaglebrooksaloon.com/

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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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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Updated Rules Have Been Set for Massachusetts Bars, Including What Constitutes "Food"

Ever since Phase 2 of the reopening of the Massachusetts economy commenced in June, there has been confusion as to the exact definition of a bar as it pertains to whether drinking spots could actually open or whether they would have to wait until Phase 4. Now the state has clarified things a bit--and the updated rules could affect at least some bars that are currently open.

According to the updated safety standards and checklist page for restaurants within the mass.gov site, a "restaurant" is defined as a place that has seated food service where the food is prepared on-site and in which the spot has a "retail food permit issued by a municipal authority pursuant to 105 CMR 590.000." The note goes on to say that "potato chips, pretzels, and other pre-packaged or manufactured foods" are not considered food that is prepared on-site, meaning that any bars that are only offering such items with people's drinks will not be able to be open until Phase 4. CBS Boston mentions that Governor Charlie Baker said the following in today's press conference in reference to the issue:

Bars are closed in Massachusetts. Bars masquerading as restaurants also need to be closed. Previously, health and inspection officials have been tasked with enforcing many of these COVID orders, today I'm authorizing all state and local police officers to enforce these orders, and event hosts who violate these orders will be subject to fine.

CBS says that a new COVID Enforcement and Intervention Team will be set up to carry out the orders, including the issuing of fines. (The safety standards and checklist page says that the updated standards will take effect on Tuesday, August 11.)

As of now, it appears that Phase 4 will not commence until a therapeutic and/or vaccine is in place to fight the coronavirus.

[Earlier Articles]
The Uncertainty of Phase 4 and How It Creates a Nightmarish Situation for Certain Bars and Clubs in Massachusetts
Reopening of Bars in Massachusetts Has Been Pushed Back to Phase 4 -- But What Constitutes a Bar?

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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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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The Uncertainty of Phase 4 and How It Creates a Nightmarish Situation for Certain Bars and Clubs in Massachusetts

Earlier this week, Phase 2 of the reopening of the Massachusetts economy began, allowing restaurants to open their outdoor areas with those without outdoor sections needing to wait until Step 2 of Phase 2, which begins at an as-of-yet undecided date. As mentioned earlier, bars with kitchens and breweries, wineries, and beer gardens with seated food service are also able to open in Phase 2 as well (outdoor areas can open now and indoor areas in Step 2), but bars without kitchens and nightclubs/dance clubs will have to wait until Phase 4. Since each phase is seen as lasting at least three weeks, that would make it seem that, assuming Phase 3 begins on June 29, Phase 4 could begin on July 20, but it now appears less and less likely that this will be the case--and the start of Phase 4 might actually not happen for a very long time, potentially putting some bars and many clubs in jeopardy.

Based on a discussion with Craig Sandler of the State House News Service and an email sent from a source in the restaurant/bar industry, bars with no food service and clubs could technically not be able to open for months, possibly pushing their openings all the way back into 2021 because, according to a download within the state's website, Phase 4 is expected to happen when "Development of vaccines and / or treatments enable resumption of 'new normal'." Bars had actually been in Phase 3--and are still shown in Phase 3 in this download--but they have since been moved to Phase 4, joining nightclubs and dance clubs.

So what does this mean for those businesses that aren't allowed to reopen until Phase 4? For those bars with no kitchens, the solution could be a simple one in which they apply for a common victualler license which would hopefully be fast-tracked by the cities/towns, and even serving items as simple and basic as sandwiches, pretzels, or mozzarella sticks might be enough to bring them into Phase 2. For at least some nightclubs and dance clubs, however, the situation could be more complicated, as they might not have the setup for food service, which may force them to reconcept their spaces--or simply wait until Phase 4 and hope for a vaccine and/or therapeutic to come soon.

Breweries, wineries, and beer gardens without seated food service seem like they could pivot more easily into food service since most reside in facilities with a lot of space, and because food trucks are enough to bring the businesses into Phase 2 as long as the breweries, wineries, and beer gardens have seated food service, this might not be a difficult problem to solve, depending on how amenable the communities are when it comes to food permits.

It appears that Phase 4 could be modified at some point depending on public health guidance moving forward, but because this is by no means written in stone, bars, clubs, breweries, wineries, and beer gardens probably should assume the worst here and act as needed to try to find a way to move into Phase 2.

[Earlier Articles]
A Bit More Information on the Reopening of Bars, Breweries, and Wineries in Massachusetts
Reopening of Bars in Massachusetts Has Been Pushed Back to Phase 4 -- But What Constitutes a Bar?

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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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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Reopening of Bars in Massachusetts Has Been Pushed Back to Phase 4 -- But What Constitutes a Bar?

A couple of weeks ago, the Baker administration introduced a four-phased approach to reopen the Massachusetts economy based on public health guidance, including the reopening of restaurants and bars. Now it appears that the reopening of bars has been pushed back, though questions do remain.

According to an updated page that gives detailed information on when businesses can reopen, restaurants will still be able to open back up in Phase 2 but bars will apparently no longer be able to reopen in Phase 3, instead being pushed back to Phase 4 and joining dance clubs and nightclubs in that phase. This means that while restaurants may be able to open outdoor areas as soon as June 8 depending on when Phase 2 begins (and indoor areas being able to reopen later in Phase 2), bars might not be able to open until at least July 20, and it could be even later if the best-case three-week intervals for each phase get extended.

Earlier, there had been some confusion as to how the Commonwealth was defining what a bar is for the four-phased approach of reopening businesses, as the page simply defined them as "establishments that only serve alcohol and do not have kitchen areas that prepare food on-site." That definition has now been removed from the page, though based on the fact that beer gardens, breweries, wineries, and distilleries that do not provide seated food service under retail food permits cannot reopen until Phase 4, perhaps this definition of bars has not changed, which would mean that the vast majority of bars may actually be classified as restaurants. (Beer gardens, breweries, wineries, and distilleries that do provide seated food service will be allowed to reopen in Phase 2, presumably opening outdoor areas at first and then indoor areas.)

As always, stay tuned for more information as it comes in.

[Earlier Articles]
Guidelines Set in Place for Reopening of Restaurants and Bars in Massachusetts
Guidelines Set in Place for Reopening of Beer Gardens, Breweries, Wineries, and Distilleries in Massachusetts

by Marc Hurwitz (Also follow us on Twitter at @hiddenboston)

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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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