The Word on Boston-Themed Commonwealth in Vegas

Thanks to all the tipsters and commenters who weighed in on last week's open thread about just how "Boston" the new Boston-themed Vegas bar called Commonwealth is. Comments were critical and largely dubious of the possibility of replicating genuine Bostonness elsewhere. They ranged from "you can't fake a Boston vibe" to "the darkness and chandelier makes me think of LA spot looking for an east coast vibe." But the most informed response came from Las Vegas blogger Erik Chudy of Vegas Burger Blog, brother to Richard Chudy of Boston Burger Blog. Erik is a Boston native who has lived in Vegas for eight years, and he took it upon himself to stop by Commonwealth to assess the situation. In an email, he writes:

"So it was a little more packed than I would have liked because I went during First Friday, meaning the place is crawling with hipsters and folks that definitely don't look old enough to drink. Plus I witnessed a fight which ended with a guy getting picked up by four men, carried through the door and thrown on the sidewalk.

While the interior is nice, as is the upstairs patio, I can't say there were any elements that made me think of anything back home. The tin ceiling above the bar upstairs made me think of my parent's Victorian house in Newton, but none of the architecture, finishes or furniture brought me back to my experiences around Boston. And I'm an architect so these are things I definitely pay attention to."

In conclusion, it sounds like the most Boston-esque thing about Commonwealth is the name, the hipsters, and the fact that a dude got thrown out onto the sidewalk.

· Your take on non-Boston, Boston-themed restaurants? [~EBOS~]
[Photo: Chelsea McManus/Eater Vegas]