Considering the Regal Beagle’s sitcom pedigree, we were expecting something more ironic. Bartenders decked out in bell-bottoms and butterfly collars perhaps? Waiters with bushy sideburns on the make? While there are a few nods toward ’70s retro-kitsch here - crushed red velvet wallpaper and a Fleischmann Gin poster in which a mustachioed, leisure suit-wearing gentleman oversees the scene with an approving grin - this is essentially your modern, dimly lit neighborhood bistro.
“The name the Regal Beagle we of course chose from ‘Three’s Company,’ ’’ says manager Rich Murphy. “On the show, that was the spot that they went to all the time and met up with everyone from the neighborhood. We wanted our place to be that spot for Coolidge Corner. A place you could go to a few times a week and either meet friends, make new ones, or just run into people from the ’hood. With regards to the design, we went for a more subtle interpretation with the dark reds and wood, as opposed to a literal, kitschy 1970s re-creation. . . . I would describe the feel as warm and inviting with a few unique, whimsical touches. We want people to feel comfortable here.’’
