Greg’s Bistro faces another setback: Broken pipe shuts down popular Hampton hangout

HAMPTON — A broken pipe has forced Greg’s Bistro, a Hampton bar and pizzeria, to close its doors for the second time in a few months.

The owner, Hakim Said, said work is underway to fix the broken pipe, but it has taken longer than expected. The bistro had just reopened in June after a drunken driver crashed into the building in November 2022.

“It is a huge pain in the butt,” Said said.

Greg’s is expected to reopen in the next two to three weeks, according to Said.

The toll on Greg’s regulars, known as Gregulars, has been felt this time.

Terri O’Brien-Finn, a longtime Gregular, said the close-knit group of Greg’s patrons have been concerned for their favorite restaurant’s staff.

“It’s hard, we don’t know what to do for them,” O’Brien-Finn said. “It’s been devastating.”

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Greg’s closed again, but this time due to broken pipe

The first time Greg’s closed was due to an intoxicated driver who drove a pickup truck into the front door of the restaurant on Nov. 19, 2022. The vehicle crashed into the bar, injuring four people, including a bartender and an older couple.

Those injured have recovered, and the driver, Stephen Davis of Newburyport, Massachusetts, pleaded guilty in July to felony aggravated DWI. The restaurant remained closed due to delays such as weeks of insurance assessment and slow delivery of materials for new windows.

When the restaurant reopened in June, it was filled with regulars who treated the gathering like a long-awaited family reunion. The staff had found other temporary work in town, including at Britt’s Pizzeria, and the Gregulars followed their favorites until their own home bar was open again.

“It just feels good to be back with our family,” bartender Jennifer Morin said in June.

The most recent issue at Greg’s was discovered just before Christmas 2023, according to Said. He said the work has involved tearing out the entire floor to reach the pipe so it can be fixed.

Said said he has heard rumors as to why Greg’s has closed again. He wants people to know they will be open again.

The restaurant gained the community's attention after the car crash, which forced them to close for months. Residents raised money to help out employees via GoFundMe, and the pizzeria was celebrated with a float in the 2022 Hampton Holiday Parade.

“Should be back in two, three weeks,” Said said.

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Greg’s closure is a hardship for customers

The recent closure is not the only hardship the Gregulars have faced this holiday season.

Last week, O’Brien-Finn said their regular trivia host was seriously injured in a car crash and was being treated at Portsmouth Regional Hospital. She said the host had already been battling cancer when the crash occurred.

“It’s like, how much can you take?” O’Brien-Finn said.

O’Brien-Finn said she does not know exactly why Greg’s has become such a meaningful place to herself and other patrons. She said it has in part to do with Said being a giving owner, as well as the previous owner who ran Greg’s.

“I’ve been to a million different places,” O’Brien-Finn said. “There’s just something that you never feel pressured … it’s just a very welcoming, caring place.”

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Hampton's Greg’s Bistro faces another setback after pipe breaks