Old-School Cocktail Bar Brings A Classic Vibe To Woburn

WOBURN, MA — Pssst, have you heard? A speakeasy of sorts has quietly opened its doors in Woburn Square.

The Down Low is a retro cocktail bar at 371 Main St., in the basement of a pizzeria and burger joint, The BrickYard.

The underground offshoot, which launched in January, says online that its vibe “hits somewhere between a backroom supper club and a midnight jam session.”

The 2,200-square-foot space seats 80 people, with a total occupancy of 100. The Down Low is open Wednesday through Sunday evenings – until late – and promises live music each night.

There's a modest menu of Detroit-style pizza, sandwiches and apps, but the drink list is top-shelf. Think classic cocktails (like an espresso martini with edible gold dust) and dozens of liquor varieties. Leading the bar service is Curtis McMillan, who has presided as a cocktail judge for the U.S. Bartenders’ Guild and is the author of a bartending handbook, "The Mischievous Mixologist."

Secret's out

The Down Low isn't the only place where nightlife is going old-school.

"Boston is bursting with speakeasy-style cocktail bars," reporter Celina Colby wrote Jan. 28 in the Bay State Banner. She cited that week's opening of Retro Room, a vintage-themed listening lounge underneath the bistro Back Bay Social.

Other eateries have made similar expansions. Many times, a basement offers just the right environment for a cozy, clubby lounge, which doesn't need windows and can turn under-used space into a revenue generator.

"The concept may not be novel, but there’s an appetite for these subterranean hangouts," wrote Colby.

One of the owners of The Down Low and The BrickYard, Nicholas Leo, explained why he finds his new venture appealing.

"I’ve always been drawn to the charm of classic cocktail bars and iconic hotel lounges – spaces that feel intimate, polished and effortlessly cool," he told Patch. "With this concept, we wanted to take that foundation and infuse it with a retro, Motown-inspired soul."

Read more about the underground scene in the Bay State Banner article.