With the Celtics returning home to TD Garden Saturday night for Game 3 against the Heat, bars and restaurants are anticipating big crowds.
"This neighborhood is electric and alive when the playoffs come, so to be able to have them keep going, series after series, it just brings a ton of people down here," said Tom Holland, who owns A&B Kitchen. "A ton of excitement, and business is fantastic when they are here."
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That is good news any time, but coming out of the pandemic, when this area was deserted as no fans were allowed to attend the games, it means even more.
"Especially after COVID, just to have fans back and excited and how good they look. Like last night's game was great, we enjoyed it," said Derek Mains, manager of Sullivan's Tap. "Tomorrow night's game is going to be crazy."
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The playoffs have a different atmosphere, both inside the TD Garden and in the bars nearby.
"Just more excitement," said Dave Fernando of Causeway Bar & Restaurant. "Everyone gets more excited for the playoffs. Fair-weather fans jumping in, which is great."
And he says people stick around longer, staying to watch the game.
"During the regular season, everyone comes in before the game. Then they go to the game, and we're sort of empty," Fernando said. "But during the playoffs, you get the people that came to the game, they go, and other people come in to watch."
The bars become an extension of the Garden, and the right outcome means more business.
