Absolutely. The Pour House is as tough a loss as any. Whether a hung over breakfast, burger for lunch, or late night antics. I always loved that the bar was packed with people slamming bottles of beer as soon as they opened even on a week day. The Back Bay has really been gutted of reasonable neighborhood joints (I know I’m a broken record). Pour House, Cafe Jaffa, Steve’s Greek, Newbury Pizza, Division 16, Cactus Club, Crossroads, etc, etc.
It’s still a lovely neighborhood, but not as livable as it once was. Bukowski is perhaps the last hold out and they are a relatively newcomer compared to those other places.
To your point, it is shocking how, over the past 12 or so years, many college-centric/blue collar cheap spots have started to close. First it was Sunset, then it was Our House, and later on it was Whiskeys and The Pour House. White Horse Tavern too. Oh and Hi-Fi Pizza in Cambridge. Teriyaki House by Fenway. The Penalty Box by the Garden. So many affordable spots just vanishing out of thin air… dying a slow death due to rising real estate costs and shitty landlords. Same thing in Harvard Square too, with just Pinocchio’s, Felipe’s and Charlie’s Kitchen hanging on for dear life. I’m honestly surprised Boston is known for its college students considering how few cheap eats there are still lingering around. We’re starting to see an environment where only chain restaurants and higher end restaurants can survive, leaving little else for smaller spots and it makes me sad inside. I’m sick of $22 burger spots taking over with their $14 beers.
Was Our House the place with all the games? Sunset was definitely a staple. I remember the last time I was in there randomly during the week, Billy Joel and his crew were in there. Apparently they were at a sound studio in Allston.
Funny what you should say about Boston’s reputation as a college town. I was recently speaking with a friend who has two children in college, one in Boston, and one in NYC. The perception is always been that New York is so much more expensive, and certain aspects are. However, they said that as far as cheap eats and going out, Manhattan and it’s environs are much friendlier to the college student’s budget than Boston is nowadays. Makes sense when you think about it. This has been my experience when traveling to New York for work too. While I could blow the budget on an expensive high-end restaurant, there are many options that are reasonably priced and just fantastic food.
Yessir. Across from the CVS right on Commonwealth Ave
100% this. We’re running out of cheap, hole-in-the-wall kind of spots at a rapid rate and it’s translating into a rather thin food scene with little depth; everything is either a chain or something that has $$$ pricing range on Google Maps. I miss my $ and $$ spots. Most of those spots are more or less the same; Caesar salads, a couple of soups, one fish and steak option. Almost no creativity.
I’m always blown away by NYC’s numerous options. Every diaspora is seemingly represented and you can most definitely have TONS of cheap eat options
The ingredient prices coupled with rents have gone up so much over the last 10 years that even formerly “cheap” places have to increase their prices so much that they get into the $$$ class and with their reputation of being $-$$ class previously people don’t visit them any longer as the perceived value is too low now. One way to not increase prices is to lower ingredient costs, e.g. lower quality products which often makes the dishes too crappy that people are willing to enjoy. It is pretty much a lose-lose situation for those old, cheap place and you have to more or less rebrand yourself to survive
I think that was part of Lydia Shires reason for closing the downtown/Boston area restaurants too, and I believe it. Rent in all aspects are ridiculous. With the shift towards less people coming into the city on a daily basis, and more empty office buildings, it feels like owners are trying to pass those losses off to any remaining tenant.
Eating out has also increased due to this. There’s a Thai spot near met that I absolutely love; been there probably more than 50 times and our takeout order used to be around $55-60 and it was $80 last night. Same order as always.
Rent is certainly a big part of it, as is the availability and cost of labor. The labor pool restaurants rely on can’t afford to live in the city and we no longer have reliable public transportation.
It would be really interesting to have a comprehensive understanding of what is driving local restaurant dynamics. It’s not this bad everywhere. We’re still seeing the social and economic damage from shifts and policies around Covid. A lot of negative trends had jet fuel poured on the in the past several years.
Cost of goods plays a role as we all know from grocery shopping. However, as previously mentioned you can still get good cheap eats in NYC and other places. Their economies of scale present a unique dynamic. However, I was recently in Miami and Houston for instance and had some fantastic and unbelievably reasonable meals (not in Miami Beach which is like being here). I’ve become cynical but I feel as if many restaurants in our area got addicted to shrinkflation during COVID, and have quietly increased their margins.
I’m always happy for specific mom & pop operations to sell their building for millions and retire. You can’t begrudge them the financial security for their families. However, something is fundamentally broken when people are economically forced to sell to developers rather than continue long standing businesses (e.g. Russos). It’s not good for our communities.
You paint a very bleak, but very realistic picture. I was flabbergasted to learn Barbara Lynch was paying more than $80,000 per month in rent for Menton, Sportello, and Drink. It’s amazing they survived as long as they did.
I’m also saddened that the Covid pandemic didn’t usher in changes in the way restaurant staff are compensated. Restaurant workers, both front and back of the house, should be able to take paid sick leave. Isn’t that a public health imperative?
While reading of the pending retirement of the Cleveland Orchestra conductor a thought occurred to me. Food is every bit a part of culture as the visual and performing arts. We don’t expect the conductor and musicians of the BSO to cover the rent on Symphony Hall. What if we, as citizens of villages, towns, and cities, directed some of our tax and philanthropic dollars toward food venues, of varying size and scope, and invite restaurateurs and food entrepreneurs to take up residence? Small idiosyncratic places, run with passion, enliven our neighborhoods as much as a local library. Charge rent, but keep it proportional to revenues, not property values. Just a crazy thought.
I would wholly support this for supermarkets. I think it’s a little more iffy when you are talking restaurants. I do see your perspective though, and it’s an interesting point- why subsidize an expensive orchestra when the classical radio station can provide quality music cheaply? Why subsidize a restaurant when Market Basket can provide the ingredients cheaply?
There is a small-scale culinary incubator in Somerville at Bow Market: Nibble
WHY DOES OUR MENU ROTATE?
Our menu rotates to enable several different culinary entrepreneurs to gain vital experience in business operations and try out business concepts and menu ideas. Visit us often to try out all the different cuisines and menu creations our Nibble Chefs have to offer!
