Inside Tiburzi's Sports Bar
It sounds odd -- an Italian Grill and Cafe morphing into a sports bar.
But for Tiburzi's, the transformation wasn't that much of a stretch.
Way back in 2003, when Sun food Empress Elizabeth Large reviewed the Canton corner eatery, she made this observation:
"Tiburzi's feels more like a neighborhood bar with decent food than cafe at the moment."
And this observation:
"Both the downstairs and upstairs dining rooms are really bars with tables. They have potential, but I could do without the game machines and TV in at least one of them."
Well, at least they didn't have to change much about the interior when they flipped it from a restaurant to a sports bar.
But the question is, does Canton really need another sports bar? ...
Tiburzi's is only a few blocks from Canton Square, which already has plenty of sports bars. And from what I saw, Tiburzi's Sports Bar doesn't really distance itself from those bars. I can't see Tiburzi's becoming a destination joint.
Sure, the service was friendly and the prices reasonable, but nothing really stood out about the place. The place was clean but decidedly generic.
That means it's up to neighborhood regulars to keep the place afloat. I hope, for Tiburzi's sake, they can.
(Sun archive photo)
Erik Maza is a features reporter at the Baltimore Sun. He writes for several sections of the Sun paper and contributes weekly columns on music and nightlife. He also writes and edits the Midnight Sun blog. He often covers entertainment, business, and the business of entertainment. Occasionally, he writes about Four Loko, The Block, the liquor board, and those who practice "
Comments
Sam, do you know if the same family is still running the place as 2003?
Posted by: KAZ | October 13, 2008 4:22 PM
KAZ, I'm not sure. The old Tiburzi's phone number has been disconnected, and I left a message at what I thought was the new line, but no one called me back.
Posted by: Sam Sessa | October 13, 2008 4:24 PM
Sam, walked by there last week. On a Friday, only saw a few people in there. I can't imagine it saying open for long just as a Sports Bar.
Posted by: Drew from Greektown | October 14, 2008 7:08 AM
A good family-owned Italian restaurant seems like a natural fit for Canton, but maybe with Little Italy so close by, it just doesn't work? Georgies went out of business earlier this year on Boston St. too.
I definitely can't see Tiburzi's lasting too long in this incarnation. Too bad. The place had decent food and a certain neighborhood charm about it when I ate there a few months ago.
Posted by: Andrew | October 14, 2008 3:05 PM