A Harvard Square Jazz Venue Becomes a Beer Hall

Harvard Square’s resident jazz bar closed down over the weekend, albeit temporarily, to undergo a reinvention of sorts. Beat Brasserie — formerly known as Beat Hotel — will transform into Beat Brew Hall, aiming to create an environment similar to European beer halls while still showcasing live music.

Beat Brasserie closed following brunch service on September 2 and will now undergo a transition expected to last a few weeks, with Beat Brew Hall opening mid-September. Per a newsletter sent to customers on Friday, August 31, the new restaurant will have more than 20 beers on tap, plus a selection of cocktails making ample use of house-made syrups and shrubs (a vinegar-based syrup).

For food, it will lean into its new name, with a mixture of beer hall and barbecue dishes tailored to both meat and non-meat eaters. There will be communal tables, billiards, and shuffleboard as well.

Beat Brasserie and its forthcoming reinvention are run by the same team that operates the Beehive in Boston’s South End. In early 2017, a sibling venue was announced for Downtown Crossing, but that project is no longer moving forward.

Stay tuned for specifics on an opening date for Beat Brew Hall, possibly within the next couple of weeks.

Meg Jones Wall/Eater

• Beat Brasserie Coverage on Eater [EBOS]
• Beat Brew Hall to Replace Beat Brasserie in Cambridge’s Harvard Square [BRT]