Local 149 Revisited

What a difference a couple of years makes. Back in early 2011, we were pretty crushed to find out that the Farragut House, a South Boston institution, was closing. We loved the Farragut House. They poured a perfect pint of Guinness, made some delectable seafood, and offered a cozy, down home atmosphere that was as close to feeling like Ireland as I have seen in the US (we also really like Mr. Dooley’s in the Financial District for a real Ireland feel, FYI).

To top off our disappointment at the closing of Farragut House, we had a fairly awful first experience at its replacement, Local 149. We actually vowed to never go back, which is pretty rare, especially considering how often we pass it on walks to and around Castle Island.

This past Friday, after trying unsuccessfully to get into Lincoln Tavern in Southie, we decided to give Local 149 another try. We could not believe how different, in a very positive way, our experience was this time around. It looks like they have settled in and worked out all the kinks.

The last time we visited Local 149, the atmosphere was awful. It felt chaotic, messy, and unpleasant. This time, even though we were seated in the middle of the room, it felt cozy and relaxed, warm and friendly.

Our server was welcoming and attentive and gave us plenty of time and space to go over the extensive beer menu. I decided on a cocktail whose name I now forget, but I do remember I absolutely loved it.

Local 149’s beer menu is pretty impressive, and my husband took full advantage of the variety.

Our food was fantastic. To start, we split the Fried Brussels Sprouts, obviously. They came with a chipotle lime sauce and a house-made blue cheese. We ate every last crumb and probably would have ordered more if we were just there for beers and appetizers.

Since I like a little balance in my life, I decided on the roasted acorn squash for dinner. It came with cranberries, “good” blue cheese, and greens, and it was the perfect, hearty veggie plate dinner.

We really couldn’t get over how much we loved everything about our visit to Local 149, and the fact that it’s close to home makes it even better. It just goes to show you that you definitely can’t always judge a restaurant when it’s still fairly new and to not completely rule places out after one visit.

Do you like to visit restaurants immediately after they open, or do you wait a couple of months for them to settle in?