Seamark Seafood & Cocktails, the splashy seafood spot inside Encore Boston Harbor, will serve its last plates at the end of March, a move that will leave roughly 56 workers out of a job. The closure cuts short a high-profile dining experiment that launched in 2024 with the backing of a James Beard Award winning chef.
As reported by the Boston Business Journal, company leaders informed staff that Seamark will shut down at the end of March and that about 56 employees will be laid off. Several workers told the outlet they had pushed for higher pay, seeking wages closer to what unionized Encore employees make, and said those compensation tensions figured into the decision to close.
Opened With a Noted Chef
Seamark debuted in April 2024 under Carver Road Hospitality with Michael Schlow on board as chef-partner. Schlow, a James Beard Award winning restaurateur with longstanding ties to Boston’s dining scene, helped position the restaurant as a marquee seafood destination at the resort, according to Boston Magazine.
Staff Say Pay Was A Sticking Point
Workers told the Boston Business Journal they had pushed for wages that more closely matched what unionized employees earn at other Encore outlets. They described the dispute as a push for parity with longer-standing, unionized roles at the resort and said pay concerns loomed large in their conversations with management.
Part Of A Tough Stretch For Boston Dining
Seamark’s shutdown lands in the middle of a rough patch for the city’s restaurant scene. The Boston Globe reported that Time Out Market in Fenway closed in January, citing inconsistent foot traffic and rising costs. The latest exit underscores how tight the margins have become for full-service, higher-end restaurants coping with labor, real estate, and supply pressures.
Seamark occupies a high-visibility corner near Encore’s grand lobby, so its departure will leave an eye-catching gap on the resort’s dining floor. We will update this story if the company or its operators share additional details about what comes next for the space.
