Old dive, new tricks

The spiffed-up Conley's in Watertown serves seafood now, but the bar still has its old blue-collar charm. (JOSH REYNOLDS FOR THE BOSTON GLOBE)

You could have driven past Conley's twice a day for the past two years and not realized the Watertown neighborhood spot had undergone a remarkable transformation. In fact, if it's been a while since your last trip, you might be shocked by what you see.

The revamped bar and restaurant has a familiar concept, with red paint, dark wood and copper fixtures, flat-screen televisions at every possible vantage point, and retractable wall-length windows. There's practically no resemblance to the depressing dive bar, bottle-of-beer-and-a-burger joint you might have been avoiding even though you live right down the street. Don't tell that to the grizzled townie types propping up the bar in the center of the room, though. There's still plenty of blue collar charm here, it just comes served with a side of steak, pasta, and seafood, with framed newspaper clippings on the wall.

It's all part of an extensive renovation and revamping of Conley's entire philosophy. "We were moving toward more of a food place," says owner Steve Conley. For a while, "we were able to walk the line between restaurant and bar." But he wanted to capitalize on this best of both worlds situation, holding onto what he calls "the old-school bar guys" while attracting hungry families stopping in after the kids' soccer game. So he expanded into the two storefronts adjacent to the original bar and hired a chef to overhaul the menu, with a focus on higher quality ingredients. Not upscale, he says, simply better made and presented, with plenty of cheap specials to draw in the mix of sports fans and families. On Thursdays, for example, Conley's does a half-price pizza special with a pitcher of beer. (Pitchers $13-15, pizzas $8.95-$13.95).

"There's something appealing about going to a dive," says Conley, "but I don't want to own one." Looks like he doesn't anymore.

Conley's, 164 Belmont St., Watertown. 617-393-0237.

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