A New Bar May Fill Void Left by East Boston Kitchen [UPDATED]

A bar called the Quiet Few could open in East Boston’s Jeffries Point neighborhood, as reported by Boston Restaurant Talk and mentioned on the Facebook page of the East Boston Oysters pop-up.

A public notice posted on the Boston Licensing Board’s website confirms the bar will occupy the space at 331 Sumner St. that’s been vacant since East Boston Kitchen shuttered in late 2014 after a six-month run. That restaurant had been in the works for about five years before opening. The Sumner Street space is on the small side, measuring about 1,360 square feet, and per the public notice, the Quiet Few would feature one main dining area and a bar. If approved, the Quiet Few could have a 1 a.m. closing time.

East Boston Oysters is not directly involved with the Quiet Few, but the space is significant to the group as it was the site of the first East Boston Oysters pop-up back in 2014. Its Facebook post regarding the Quiet Few included a call for East Boston resident email addresses and signatures in support of the new business, described as a spot for “casual dining/bar.”

The Quiet Few owner Joshua Weinstein told Eater that the Licensing Board hearing, which will determine whether the bar is awarded a common victualler license, has been deferred. A representative at the Licensing Board confirmed the deferral but did not provide a date for the rescheduled hearing. In the meantime, the Quiet Few is also in the process of acquiring an official statement of resident support.

Stay tuned for updates as plans for the Quiet Few continue to develop.

Update, 10/27: This post has been updated to reflect that the Quiet Few is still in the process of acquiring an official statement of support from East Boston residents. An earlier version of this post stated the Quiet Few had already obtained that statement.

Update, 11/21: According to a post on the East Boston Times-Free Press website, the Jeffries Point Neighborhood Association voted down Weinstein’s proposal. The vote was close — 14 against, 9 in favor — and so Weinstein plans to recalibrate and bring his proposal back in front of the JPNA at some future date. One of the JPNA’s main concerns was Weinstein’s proposed 1 a.m. closing time. Weinstein told Eater via email that revised operating hours will be part of his new plan.

Update, 02/16/18: According to a post on the East Boston Times-Free Press website, the Jeffries Point Neighborhood Association has now approved Weinstein’s revised proposal by a vote of 27 to 9. Weinstein’s new proposal included revised hours of operation — the Quiet Few will close at midnight Sunday through Wednesday and 1 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. The hours of operation laid out in Weinstein’s initial proposal — he wanted the bar to remain open till 1 a.m. every night — were a sticking point for the JPNA.

Still, the Quiet Few isn’t a done deal yet: According to the Times-Free Press post, Weinstein’s purchasing of the East Boston Kitchen building is contingent on him first securing a liquor license. There is no indication in the post whether Weinstein has applied for a liquor license yet, but it does state that he “is hoping to get one of the new neighborhood restricted licenses to be able to open up shop.”

Eater has reached out to Weinstein for comment and will update this post as new information becomes available.

•The Quiet Few Plans to Open in East Boston [BRT]
•JPNA Votes Down Bar Proposal [EBTFP]