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Allston bar with deep drink menu shutting forever

The owners of Deep Ellum on Cambridge Street announced today they are shutting it forever on June 7 and will expand their neighboring Lone Star Taco Bar into its space once the state gives the OK to re-open restaurant dining areas.

In their post, Aaron Sanders and Max Toste said the coronavirus crisis forced them to a decision they'd been more slowly coming to: That after 13 years they'd said and done all they could with Deep Ellum, which was also known for its brunch.

Though endlessly challenging, this situation has also inspired up. While our hand has been forced by circumstances beyond our control, we see an opportunity to make our business more efficient, safer and more focused.

For the past thirteen years our desire to improve and grow has been a driving force for our team at Deep Ellum and subsequently Lone Star. We felt like we had a lot to say creatively at Deep Ellum over those years and we're proud of what we accomplished in our beloved neighborhood of Allston. Our passion hasn't dwindled, but much of our focus has shifted to agave spirits, lager beers, and Mexican street food, with a continuing emphasis on hospitality. ...

With all this in mind, and after a very productive thirteen years, we feel that Deep Ellum has run its course and is ready to retire.

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Comments

Not only did they stock and pour remarkable ales, their tap pullers always displayed the most remarkable body ink. I had been looking forward to patio time there.

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That's a shame. They had a great beer selection, and I always had a great time visiting that place.

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Ellum and bienvenue.

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Given the circumstance in the world, this really isn't a big deal, but I am personally very upset to see them close. I absolutely love Deep Ellum. Since moving out of Allston I haven't been able to go as often, but that has always been one of my favorite places.

One of the first conversations I had with my now wife was in that bar. Whenever a friend came to visit, that was the destination. I love the decorations, beer, and every person I ever encountered working there.

I'm not sure if it was Aaron or Max, but one of them stopped by with a minor issue on the way to work when I was working in a local bike shop. He was so friendly (and had a pretty cool bike), which I guess isn't surprising, but still nice to know that a cool bar is run by cool people.

I look forward to some day having grandchildren and dragging them to the Harvard high-rise that will inevitably be standing there so that I can tell them everything I typed here while they roll their eyes.

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when it was O' Malley's

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Red was a great guy and bartender. May he rest in peace!

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was a dive!

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is that 2 stops before it was Reelz?

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If I hadn't read that Deep Ellum opened in 2006, I would have forgotten that there was ever anything else there. Good work. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to get some ice cream at Herrell's, and then play Simpsons Trivia Night at Common Ground.

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Before the show at Great Scott.

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when they reopen I hope they turn down the radio a few notches.

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Oof. That's some pretty lousy news right there. I have been going there since they opened. Nothing, and I mean nothing, could beat a Sunday late afternoon seat at the table by the front window, enjoying something from the tap menu and slowly destroying a cheese plate. Or they would do a killer breakfast burrito during brunch hours and would substitute tofu for you. In olden times (or if you asked nicely) they would fry it chimichanga style for extra deliciousness points. I was chatting with one of the bartenders once and when I mentioned that it was my birthday I suddenly found myself in possession of a series of scotch pours from some of his favorite lesser-known bottles. They garnished their perfectly-spiced bloodys with dilly beans. You could get truffled gorgonzola fries as an add-on, for Christ's sake. What's not to love about this place? I'm glad that Lone Star will still be there, but Deep Ellum will always be the destination I'm craving. So sad.

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I am bummed about Deep Ellum and a number of other restaurants that are closing, the list is sure to grow for the foreseeable future.

My hope is that the city and state will be pushed into action to finally fix the issues with licensing, liquor and others. There is no reason that it should cost up to $400k to get a liquor license, there is no reason that a restaurant should have to get an entertainment license to mount some TVs above the bar. It should be easy for a few people to be able to open their own restaurant without venture capital backing. If we want this city to have a vibrant restaurant scene and turn back the tide of corporate chains the entire playing field needs to be fixed. Hopefully the pandemic will force the issues to be addressed.

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Hopefully the pandemic will force the issues to be addressed.

"If I get pregnant, then maybe he'll marry me." America sucks because everyone wants to do things the hard way.

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I always heard great things about Deep Elum and several times had the chance to stop in before a show at Brighton Music Hall or O'Briens or Great Scott. I'm pissed that I never made it in. RIP.

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Lone Star is fine and all, but Deep Ellum was just better all around. It's true that if you didn't go early on during their open hours you were probably yelling your face off due to the noise, but an early cocktail and an order of gorgonzola truffle fries was certainly worth the trip.

I admit to some fatigue whenever I hear about a hugely popular establishment closing because the owner(s) basically just don't feel like it anymore. Someone can always manage an existing place running under its own momentum if the owner(s) want to focus elsewhere. Popular neighborhood spots aren't a dime a dozen and if we can't find a way to preserve them, it gets that much harder for neighborhoods to build communities.

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