One of Boston’s most historic restaurants may soon pour steins again.
After sitting vacant for nearly eight years, iconic German beer hall Jacob Wirth could reopen at 31-37 Stuart Street as soon as next year. The building’s owners say they are finally moving forward following two destructive fires and millions of dollars in damage. Construction on the $5.5 million restoration project is expected to begin later this year and will preserve the historic property, which has been home to Jacob Wirth since 1878, while adding five residential apartments on the upper floors.
Jacob Wirth originally closed in 2018 after a fire broke out in an upstairs apartment. Six years later, just weeks before co-owner Jamison LaGuardia was set to take possession of the property and relaunch the Theater District restaurant, another fire tore through the building.
By then, menus had been finalized, a general manager and chef had been hired, and kitchen equipment was en route. But everything stalled in the aftermath of the June 2024 blaze, for which the owners say there is still no definitive explanation.
“It was a gut punch,” LaGuardia, vice president of sales and operations at Royale Entertainment Group, told The Boston Globe. “But here we are two years later, and prepping to do it all over again.”
If construction proceeds as planned, work will take about a year. That puts a potential reopening in late 2027 or possibly early 2028, company representatives told What Now Boston. The redevelopment also hinges on state and federal historic tax credits, which could cover roughly 30 percent of eligible costs.
Jacob Wirth represents a Boston dining era that has largely disappeared in recent years, one defined by long-running pubs and affordable, unpretentious restaurants that were part of everyday life in the city. As many of those establishments have closed or transformed over the years, newer and more polished concepts have taken their place.
The owners say they hope to recapture that lost sense of tradition, preserving the beer hall’s historic character while making modest updates, including lighter menu options alongside longtime, affordable staples. The final menu is still in development as a chef has not yet been hired. Piano nights are also being considered as a possible return feature.
LaGuardia, whose portfolio includes several Boston nightlife venues—including Royale, Legacy, and LGBTQ+ club Crown (formerly Candibar)—called the Jacob Wirth redevelopment the largest and most complex project of his career.
