Plates and pitchers cover a table on a busy Friday night at the Seapoint Bar and Grille.  Since 1979, this beloved neighborhood spot has been serving up its legendary steak tips with a side of community.  Originally known as the Bayside Club (before that, the German Club), the restaurant was rebranded as Seapoint, and Southie native Mona Connolly Casper became manager after her mother, also Mona, passed away. Connolly Casper is married to another lifelong resident, Tommy Casper, who helps run the neighborhood staple. Their sons, Thomas and Macdara (aka Mac), also work at Seapoint.  It’s a true family affair. Connolly Casper will receive the Thomas J. “Tommy” Butler South Boston Small Business Leadership Award at the Street Festival on Saturday. Owning a small business takes dedication and passion; Connolly Casper has both qualities she inherited from her mom.  She’s also learned from her mother the importance of hospitality and welcoming everyone to your restaurant.

“She taught me to treat everyone as if they were in my own home. My mother always wanted people to feel comfortable at Seapoint as if they were in our living room. She was completely ahead of her time as a businesswoman. I wish I could’ve learned so much more from her before she passed,” Connolly Casper says.

Small businesses are the heart and soul of a neighborhood, and that’s why events like the South Boston Street Festival, which highlights all the good things in the neighborhood, are important. It’s the perfect event to explore, support, discover something new, and show some love for legacy businesses like Seapoint.

“I think the small businesses are the fabric of the community. There has been an explosion of newer younger residents to South Boston, but there are still many, many lifelong members of the South Boston community that still call it home. I feel like Seapoint is a consistent place to go to get a good meal, have a few laughs, and celebrate all kinds of occasions,” says Connolly Casper.

When asked about the influx of new residents in the neighborhood and if there is a shift in the Seapoint’s customers, Connolly Casper replied, “Yes, and no for us, really. All our friends have been going there for years, and we would bring our kids there after hockey, lacrosse, or baseball games. On more than one occasion, the kids would shut down the parking lot and have a huge street hockey game unbeknownst to us inside, having lunch. It was not until Bobo (Casper Connolly’s father) came in and said he could not park in his own parking lot that we found out what they did. But to his credit, Bobo did not make them move the cones. They had a great game.  We had family Seapoint Sundays.”

“Now those kids are on our staff or hang out there with my boys. So, the younger influx for us is still from the original South Boston families combined with new people from the neighborhood that have discovered Seapoint. So many young families from Southie love to come here after a game or for a celebration. It’s great.” 

As for the most popular items on the menu, Casper Connolly responds confidently with a crowd favorite steak tips. Even UFC’s Dana White stops at Seapoint when he’s in town for the steak tips.

“We have evolved a bit over the years, and there is now a steak tip Greek salad on the menu for all the healthier patrons. Some people only come there for our fish/scallops on Fridays. Not to be outdone, our pizza is really, really good as well,” she adds.

This fall, Seapoint has many fun events in store, including a karaoke Mamma Mia Day, Thanksgiving Eve with singer Dennis Taylor and Postcards from Heaven will Medium Maureen Hancock on December 3rd.  Seapoint is also the perfect spot to watch the Bruins or the Pats with plenty of flat screen TVs and lots of choices for shareable snacks.  “Thursday night trivia is also wildly popular and fun too,” adds Connolly Casper.

If you’ve never been to the Seapoint, consider this your sign to put it on your bucket list.  “Honestly, it is just so laid-back and an easy place to come into; anyone and everyone is welcome. Just walk through the door, and you will get the full Seapoint experience. There is usually some family member or someone who grew up in the community which is good for a few stories and laughs. And you never know, Dana White may also walk through the door,” says Connolly Casper.

Connolly Casper will receive the Thomas Butler Award which honors South Boston business supporter Tommy Butler on Saturday at 11:15am on the Library Stage at the Street Festival.

“I would like to shout out to all the small business owners in South Boston. It is really not an easy task to run a business especially after Covid, but I think it is a wonderful community to invest in,” adds Connolly Casper.

Special thank you to Ginger DeShaney for the photo of Mona