Old Bay Restaurant closing after 30 years in New Brunswick; Irish pub on tap

NEW BRUNSWICK - Old Bay Restaurant in downtown New Brunswick is closing its doors after 30 years, bringing an end to yet another establishment that hosted original live music.

But music fans in the Hub City shouldn't fret. The space will soon be occupied by Blackthorn Irish Pub & Restaurant, which will have live music on Friday nights, said manager Kory Adams. An opening date has not been set, but managers hope it will open sometime in late February or early March.

"With the grand re-opening of Old Bay to Blackthorn Restaurant and Irish Pub II we look forward to welcoming the neighborhood of New Brunswick and surrounding towns with open arms," said Carolyn Rhoades, the marketing manager for the restaurant's parent company, I.P.E. Holdings.

The owner of Old Bay, Anthony Tola, announced the closing of his restaurant on its Facebook page on Nov. 7. The same letter is posted next to the front doors of the restaurant, which recently got a new baby blue paint job and a modern logo. The doors to the restaurant were locked on Thursday afternoon and no one was inside.

In the letter, Tola thanked the "countless patrons" who visited the restaurant since it opened on May 28, 1987. He also thanked his employees who have made the restaurant a "great success" over the years.

He explained how the idea of Old Bay Restaurant, which features New Orleans-style dishes, originated when he asked his best friend, Anthony Ventre, in the summer of 1985 if he wanted to go to New Brunswick for seafood.

"He immediately knew that there was no such restaurant there serving seafood as the redevelopment effort in downtown was in its infancy," Tola wrote in his farewell note. "We did extensive research into making such a restaurant happen. The concept evolved into a New Orleans seafood restaurant as we fell in love with the cuisine and musical culture of that city."

This is a photo of what became the Old Bay Restaurant in New Brunswick. This photo was taken circa May 1984. The Old Bay Restaurant sits on the corner of Church and Neilson streets. (Courtesy of the New Brunswick Public Library) 

Anchored on the corner of Church and Neilson streets, the Old Bay Restaurant became a staple of the downtown dining scene in New Brunswick, hosting an array of guests from Rutgers University students, patrons of the nearby State Theatre and guests at the Hyatt hotel located across the street.

But it was also home to many New Brunswick bands over the years. And it became even more important to the scene after the closings of the Roxy Grill and the Melody Bar, among others. Another well-known establishment, The Court Tavern on Church Street, closed in 2012 but has since reopened.

The Old Bay will host its last show on Saturday with The Band Called Fuse, featuring the well-known local MC Silent Knight.

"In closing, I want to thank again everyone that has passed through our doors," Tola wrote. "I have been blessed to get to know many of you."

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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