Two Boston Dive Bars Made a Festive Return on New Year’s Eve

Two longstanding Boston dive bars that temporarily closed early last month made a comeback on New Year’s Eve. The Tam (222 Tremont St.) in Boston’s Theater District and Sullivan’s Tap (168 Canal St.) near TD Garden in the West End both reopened on December 31, under new management, but with some of the regular faces returning.

Both bars (along with Beacon Hill Pub and Mary Ann’s in Cleveland Circle) were acquired by a group of real estate investors, under the name the Greater Boston Bar Co., last year. The company insisted little would change in each bar’s operations, and the reopening of the Tam and Sully’s at 5 p.m. on Monday was a start. In late December, company spokesman Sean Martin told the Boston Globe the bars would “retain the same exact character that people have grown to love and respect.”

Longtime Tam employee Lyn Grande also told the Globe that nearly all former employees would be coming back with the reopening. Both the Tam and Sullivan’s Tap reopened with just a few cosmetic changes, ringing in the new year by retaking their respective places in Boston’s dive bar scene, which has, of late, seen quite a few changes. Other local spots that closed down over the past few years include Bus Stop Pub in Allston, Old Sully’s in Charlestown, and the Drinking Fountain in JP.

In the meantime, Beacon Hill Pub has not yet reopened, and Mary Ann’s has an uncertain future, with proposals to transform it into a marijuana dispensary. Stay tuned for updates on these remaining bars under the direction of Greater Boston Bar Co.

• Pair of Popular Boston Bars to Reopen on New Year’s Eve [BG]
• Two More Longtime Boston Dive Bars Close for Now [EBOS]