Dini's not only had a memorable, non-generic short and snappy name, but a real reputation for serving well above average seafood without a need to rip off the public with phony, inflated prices. Yes, Dini's might have only gotten one star from the Mobil Travel Guide, but the locals knew better. After all, so many of us Bostonians knew, and still know our seafood.
Opening in 1926 and closing in 1990, Dini's built a strong reputation on serving excellent schrod and variations of lobster dishes like Lobster Newburg. Although it didn't come from the sea, Dini's tartar sauce (yes, the rare tartar fish species...) always seemed to received high accolades. A lot of really old people seemed to love Dini's. Maybe they wouldn't look so old now, though. If Dini's were around today, I'd be going there all the time. It's really hard to find a straightforward fish restaurant nowadays, eh?
Match cover credit: https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth:9593v614w
The place was packed until the day it closed. As I remember they were going to tear the building down and put up a tower. It never happened, such a loss.
ReplyDeleteI know it, what a shame they closed. Dini's was really one of the true landmark Boston restaurants.
DeleteIn the early ‘80’s I would have dinner at Dini’s before my Suffolk University evening class. I loved the atmosphere and their extensive menu that featured about a half dozen variations on Finnan Haddie.
ReplyDeleteI worked there for a while in 1988. I didn’t make a lot of money because I was a bad waiter and I got fired, but the crew meal was so generous. Fish chowder was free, and baker schrod was only $1.85! It was good to be an employee.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know what became of their storefront? Is it Suffolk univ? I didn’t think it was too far from the corner near the hotel? I was there yesterday trying to remember my days from the 1970’s!
ReplyDeleteIt was two doors in from the alley off Tremont that led to the Employee entrance of the Parker House. I worked at the Parker House in the 70s so I remember. There was a similar
DeleteSeafood Restaurant on the corner of the alley with a bar in the back named "Chez Freddie"...it was a hangout for restaurant and hotel employees from downtown after their shift...top shelf was a $1.50!! Good Old Days!! Yes, SUFFOLK and its hideous building is on the block where DINI's was...and the alley is actually Bosworth Street which leads to the wonderful old Cafe MARLIAVE...the other seafood resto is now the BEANTOWN PUB...Uggghhhhh..."Beantown"???
https://maps.app.goo.gl/6QA5v4KtvsxfqLnBA
When I was a child, Dini's was the place that my family went to for celebratory occasions. I still miss it.
ReplyDeleteIt's 2021 and I still miss it, nothing really comes close
ReplyDeleteIn the 1940s, 50s and 60's my Grandmother was a Boston City Hospital nurse. She lived in North Quincy. She was Mayor Curly's private duty nurse during his later years and for his death. Her name shows up in Boston City council meetings authorizing payments for nursing services to Curly.
ReplyDeleteIn the 1965 I was five years old and my mother multiple times allowed me to stay at Grandma's house and to go into Boston for the day.
A trip to Boston for a 5 year old include taking a bus from North Quincy over to Milton Mattapan trolley line on to Ashmont T station where you waited for a 'Bluebird' train into town.
We would alight at Washington Street and enter Filene's via the T platform level doors. Grandma would rummage around for god-knows-what, possibly walk across to Jordan Marsh and then walk up to Boston Common through to the Public Gardens for a ride, with a bag of peanuts, on the Swan boats. Of course as six year old I wanted to sit on the far edge of the wooden seat so you could toss peanuts at the swan whilst Grandma kept a tight grip my coat lest I take a fall into the water.
Depending on the time of day food was either a stop at Dini's for broiled schrod fish or into Bailey's for an ice cream. Dini's we would sit at the small two-person red covered booths. It was a rapid affair with food on the table quite quick and potentially a doggy bag if you didn't finish what was on the plate.
Bailey's, I recall entering I think from Tremont Street (where the Suffolk building now stands) through a rather long narrow hallway selling greeting cards to get to the back where the ice cream shop was. I recall marble top tables, the french wire chairs and ice cream in silver (stainless probably) flower-like dishes with a silver tray underneath. Grandma would have a coffee and poundcake.
On other occassions we would take the troller from Park Street over to Boylston and ascend the Prudential Tower for a snack at the Top Of The Hub, or a place that had blue water goblets and white linen table clothes - that as I grew older realized to be the old Ritz Carlton lunch room facing Newbury Street.
It was fun to have had an elder with a few coins in her pockets and had the time, patience and knowledge of where to go to introduce Boston to her grandkids.