After years facing an uncertain future, Boston’s historic Jacob Wirth bar and restaurant will return to the Theater District in its former glory.
As first reported by the Boston Business Journal, real estate company City Realty Group acquired the Stuart Street property earlier this year and has spent months and millions of dollars on renovations for a tentative February 2024 opening.
The city landmark, first opened as a German American restaurant in 1868, closed its doors due to fire and water damage in 2018. It was one of the oldest continuously running restaurants in Boston before shutting down, second only to the Union Oyster House.
“It fell into great disrepair, and we were very sorry to see it go,” said George Coorssen, a decades long resident of downtown Boston.
The building has since been eyed as a location for a sports bar and a marijuana dispensary, but neither plan came to pass.
Now Jacob Wirth is coming back under the same ownership that recently purchased Boston bars including the Tam on Tremont Street and Fours, rebranded to Scores, near TD Garden.
City Realty Group must have all renovations for this project approved by the Boston Landmarks Commission, since Jacob Wirth was named a historic landmark in the 1970s as downtown’s only surviving example of a bow-fronted Greek Revival row house.
The new owners purchased the three-story property for $5.3 million and plan to open four apartments on the floors above the restaurant. Although some changes are coming, such as new women’s restrooms, brighter lighting fixtures and improved bar accessibility, the interior will remain true to the original design.
“I’m looking forward to going back to it the way it used to be,” said Coorssen. “It has always been a great restaurant. It was unique to Boston and it appealed to everybody.”
Once opened, the location’s operations will be managed by Royale Entertainment Group, one of the project’s investors.
“The food was unique but delightful,” Coorssen added, anticipating the return of German classics like bratwursts and schnitzels. Coorssen said he anticipates Jacob Wirth being a popular destination once it reopens. “It’s just a treasure in Boston,” he said.
