New Pirate Restaurant Opens With Free Lemonade In The Back Bay

BACK BAY, MA — If you didn't know there was such a thing as a land pirate, Mooncussers is here to instruct. And to feed you. Today the third part of the three story restaurant at the corner of Stuart Street, Arlington Street and Columbus Ave., opens with Cusser's Roast Beef & Seafood. And they're giving away free lemonade.

Owners Ian Calhoun, Carolyn Johnson, and Vincent Vela formally expand their award-winning Mooncusser Fish House (recently named "Best Seafood" restaurant in Boston 2018 by Yankee Magazine) to include Cusser's Roast Beef & Seafood. Cusser’s is a casual, on-the-go lunch spot featuring an take-out window like you see on the beach but on Stuart Street in Park Square.

Beginning today, May 7, you can pretend you're at the beach and walk right up to a window to order and pick up roast beef sandwiches, lobster rolls, chowder, fish tacos, and hot dogs from a menu inspired by classic North Shore roast beef and seafood joints.

Calhoun said he's dreamed to turning the triangular shaped building at the corners of into a dining Mecca.

“Now, in addition to the upscale, timeless Mooncusser on the third floor, and the laid-back vibe of Moon Bar, downstairs, we will have a fast-casual, take-out option, Cusser's, for a quick, grab-and-go lunch to bring back to the office or enjoy on the Common," he said in a release.

Yep. If you were wondering if this is the same team that brought us 80 Thoreau in Concord it is.

What's on the menu?

Cusser’s will offer the classic North Shore 3-way (BBQ sauce, mayo, cheese) and a version based off the popular Thoreau burger at the Concord restaurant, with spicy mayo, pickled red onions and cheddar. Wagyu Eye Round is roasted to rare daily and all buns are made in house.

Additional menu items will include Lobster Rolls, served hot or cold, Swordfish Souvlaki, Fish Tacos, and a Hot Dog specially created by Moody’s Delicatessen & Provisions (Thank you, Waltham).

The Yankee Happy Meal includes a Lobster Roll, Chowder, a Whoopie Pie, and Sumac Lemonade all for $39. Cusser’s will offer French Fries, Cole Slaw and Onion Rings, and desserts like Whoopie Pies, Push Pops and Cabinets (coffee frappes from Rhode Island, the state that invented coffee syrup). Check out their Full menu.

You can order ahead online through ChowNow and sandwiches will be available as a packaged "twelve-pack" for those making a lunch run for the whole office.

For those who aren't interested in the grab-and-go, folks can lunch inside at Moon Bar, where beer and wine are available. The first level space lends itself perfectly by day to a casual lunch-counter (complete with stools) vibe.

What's in a name?

This is where the pirates come in: Mooncussers were land-based pirates, up and down the New England coast, who would destroy lighthouses and then build their own signal fires to lure unsuspecting cargo ships into shore, where they would be plundered. The nefarious schemers couldn’t work in moonlight, hence the moniker “mooncussers.”

Cusser’s is a play on words meant to reflect the casual nature of the restaurant, according to the owners.

All the other details:

Mooncusser is located at 304 Stuart St, Boston's Back Bay (directly alongside the famous Castle on Columbus Avenue and Arlington).

Hours:

Mooncusser is open 5 to 10 p.m. Monday - Saturday and is closed on Sundays.
Moon Bar on the first floor is open 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. Monday - Saturday and is closed on Sundays.
Cusser's will be open Monday through Friday from 11:30 a.m - 2 p.m.

Reservations for Mooncusser? (617) 917-5193 or go to www.opentable.com

Photos courtesy of Mooncusser credit: Brian Samuels