Bennigan’s
April 18th, 2007
I don’t know what’s going on with Bennigans but I kind of don’t care since I’ve only been here 3 times, the last time was 1996 for a co-worker’s birthday.  I can confidently say life hasn’t missed a beat without Bennigan’s in my life. I only recently noticed it’s empty parking lot somehow and drove up to see if this establishment finally closed.
On the front door was this note:
Ah, the old “remodeling” note. A tell tale sign of health code violations. Now I won’t say I know this for sure and who knows, maybe they are just remodeling the kitchen but they don’t have any recent work permits for remodeling or anything else.
Also, out of curiosity, I called them to see when they might be reopening or anything and I got a recording saying the number has been disconnected and that no further information is available.
I hate to say it but, I hope it really is closed and something else (although it will probably be another chain restaurant) moves in. Maybe Border’s who didn’t get their lease renewed with Ken’s could move there? We miss Border’s in the area.
Anyway, good bye (I think)Bennigan’s.
Bennigan’s is closed for good, I ran into someone that used to work there and he told me they shut down. I used to hit Bennigan’s back when they had free NTN trivia and $2 drafts, maybe 3 years ago. Any suggestions where in the Ham (besides Fridays and John Harvard’s) to go for beers/drinks?
Comment by mike — April 18, 2007 @ 5:51 pm
Good riddance….
The last time I went there was with my wife, six long weeks after our first child was born, and not having stepped foot out of the house into proper society.
We decided to go to some, any, social spot and by drinks and appetizers. So we made our way to Bennigans having had fond memories of this chain from our brief stint in the Midwest. What a mistake.
We ordered; got our drinks immediately, but wasted 45 mins. of our short two hour furlough waiting for our food which never arrived.
I couldn’t even tack down a wait-erson to let tham know that we were outta there, so I barged into the kitchen and just announced to anyone who’d listen that we were pissed and leaving. Someone had the decency not to bill us, but we vowed never to return. And never did.
I think I read not too long ago (maybe Jenuary?) that there were some serious plumbing probs. in the kitchen which shut them down “temporarily”. I figured it was as a good excuse for them to shutter the operation altogether. I think I also read that there was some discussion about their corporation selling the place. Glad to hear that that’s likely in the works.
Other places to do beers/drinks: I liked the Chicken Bone for beers and wings, and its unpretentious atmosphere; Samba’a bar looks intriguing, but I haven’t tried it; and I’m curious about the Rat Pack and Metro 9 (?).
Comment by Matt — April 18, 2007 @ 6:13 pm
No!! I love Bennigan’s… sure, the service was slow, but the people were so nice and the food was good and affordable. (at least when i went…)
I hope it comes back….
Comment by Rachel — April 18, 2007 @ 9:10 pm
I can honestly say that I lived in the ‘Ham for 20 years and visited Bennigans maybe twice.
Comment by Michael — April 19, 2007 @ 2:51 am
Bennigans was awesome in the 80’s. I loved it when my parents would offer up a trip to Bennigans for lunch or dinner. The ribs were yummy…the potato skins….the parmesean garlic breadsticks….mmmm.
I think the last time I went there was in 1990.
I then went there about seven years later and was SOOOO disappointed. The food quality and the service was just nowhere near what it used to be not to mention the disgusting condition of the restaurant itself. Dirty and falling apart.
Good riddance.
Comment by Jennifer — April 19, 2007 @ 12:52 pm
I’ve been following your blog, and some others that cover the Framingham area, and so many observations are about the folding of another business. I was thinking about this today, and I don’t think there’s one answer to the ruminations on these closures. Yes, there is nostalgia and memories of our past experiences at these businesses and locales, but also an entire culture or era and the way society functioned: the family going out on a weekend night to a restaurant as a special treat, young parents seeking a break from the constant vigilance of monitoring new life, the cop on the beat who knew everyone. I recently lost a mailman who would talk to all of the older people and shut-in’s and give them constant updates on who had moved, what had changed, and kept them part of the loop…that is missed too…the social engagement with each other on a more daily basis.
Kurt Vonnegut, who died recently, said one thing he longed for was “his America,” the America of his childhood: Indianapolis when he was nine and had a mother and a father and a sister and a brother and a cat and a dog, and an Uncle Alex who would constantly remind everyone to remember the happy times. Bennigan’s is closed. Many may say good, but for some, it may be a time when they dated that girl in high school and stopped for a shared coke and fries, pooling their change between them, or seeing Cabot’s is just a reminder of when you would get dressed up to go out with your husband on a night when Hollywood and Las Vegas came to you and now people wear their pajamas to the movies…and you aren’t a child, and it isn’t the drive-in. Drive-in’s. More that is lost.
Comment by Boston Cube — April 19, 2007 @ 5:39 pm
The thing that was great about Bennigan’s is that anytime there was a wait everywhere else you could just go to Bennigan’s and get a table right away. The service was terrible though. One time they gave my friend a cheeseburger with no top bun!!!
Comment by Hummingbird Goetzl — April 19, 2007 @ 7:46 pm
Any theories as to the deceiptful sign? Although I haven’t stepped foot in a Bennigan’s since traumatized by a potato skin incident back in the 80’s, I was looking foward to the prospect of a remodeled kitchen. I often thought driving by “If only their kitchen weren’t so yesterday, maybe it would be worth stopping….” and the idea of updating to granite countertops and stainless appliances seemed like just the perfect solution to the Bennigan Blues. But know I don’t think I can ever trust them again. If they are closing for good, why not just say so on the sign? They should change their name to Shennanigan’s. And how could they forget a top bun on a burger???
Comment by David — April 20, 2007 @ 12:24 am
maybe it was a low carb meal?
Comment by Jennifer — April 20, 2007 @ 2:15 pm
Bravo - I am puzzled by the mentality that says chain = good by virtue of their numbers. No wonder America is so fat since their tastebuds have been numbed by cr*p - they eat and eat trying to get satisfaction. Too often we’ve left a local place that gives you great food, service and personality and had it be nearly empty only to drive by a chain and there isn’t an empty space in the parking lot. I digress.
My point is that I love this site for recognizing local businesses. Our family just returned from a weeklong out-of-state trip and made it a point to research ahead of time to find out where the locals eat. What a great adventure, we weren’t disappointed once, even though some of the places looked a little shady on the outside! (we used tripadvisor.com for most of this research - I recommend that if you love a local place, make an entry)
Comment by Leslie — April 21, 2007 @ 11:02 pm
Here’s a tell-tale sign thy’re closed for good - go to the Bennigan’s website and do a search for locations by entering 01701 and the closest Bennigan’s is losted as Park Plaza in Boston.
Over the past 2 years we went to Bennigan’s for the Kid’s Eat Free promotion on Tuesday nights. Most of the time the food was tolerable but the last two visits the service was absolutely terrible.
Let’s hope the Metromedia Restaurant Group doesn’t decide to put one of their other mediocre restaurants (Bonanza, Ponderosa) in that space.
Comment by Keith — April 29, 2007 @ 3:52 pm
what are you talking about???I love ponderosa and bonanza..have not seen one ever in new england only out west.. i hope they do put one in there…a long john silvers around here would be nice too…
Comment by bill — June 4, 2007 @ 7:40 pm