Jan 8, 2026 - News

The Draft in Allston shut down after underage drinking

Mike Deehan

Official white sign on a glass door with blue text stating "CLOSED! By order of Licensing Board for the City of Boston" with a city seal and names of board members at bottom. — Coming soon to The Draft's front door. Photo: Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images.

The city is shutting down Allston's The Draft Bar and Grille indefinitely, citing repeated underage drinking violations and the owner's poor management decisions.

Why it matters: The Boston Licensing Board takes fake IDs seriously and voted unanimously Thursday to shutter the bar at 32-34 Harvard Ave.

Board members questioned owner Derek Brady's fitness to hold any liquor license after he rehired a manager involved in a violent 2024 incident at another one of his bars.

The big picture: BPD detectives found three underage drinkers during an October inspection.

An estimated 75-100 patrons "immediately and rapidly walked out," once the cops showed up, according to police at the hearing.

Between the lines: Brady said the bar's ID scanner broke in March, but replacing it was too expensive.

BPD detectives use phone-based scanner apps to check IDs.

Brady admitted the rehired manager "didn't do a good job in this situation" after being brought back despite Brady's 2024 promise to the same board he wouldn't employ that manager again.

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The Draft in Allston shut down after underage drinking

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