Here's a look at the best new and renovated venues in Boston such as corporate event venues, party rooms, conference centers, restaurants with private rooms, unique venues, and more. These event and meeting spaces can accommodate groups large or small for summer entertaining, including business dinners, cocktail parties, conferences, and private and corporate events.
Event Designer Marc Hall recently opened his own showroom connected to his design studio, and it’s already become a popular venue for small meetings and events. Marc Hall Objekt, a 1,200-square-foot space, can also be used for floral workshops and art exhibits. It has space for 100 people.
The new Showcase SuperLux movie theater is available for private group rental. With six screens that each seat as many as 100 people, the venue offers "at your seat" food and beverage service that guests can order from iPad menus. Executive Chef Sean McDonald has designed a menu of small plates, while the new 250-seat Davio’s Cucina is right next door. The theater also has a lobby bar and lounge.
Named after a hatchet-wielding temperance fanatic of the pre-Prohibition era, Carrie Nation Cocktail Club is a new Beacon Hill hangout that draws from the decadence of the early 1900s. Think dishes like rabbit fritters and an entire menu page dedicated to whiskey. A second-floor space called “the Speakeasy” comes with pool tables and plush seating. The space holds as many as 400 guests.
The 12,000-square-foot Boston Rock Gym in Woburn is now hosting private and corporate functions for 10 to 200 guests. The facility can help with entertainment and full catering options.
After a massive renovation, the former Bulfinch Hotel rebranded as the Boxer Boston, an 80-room classic piece of old-time New England complete with an 1860s-era map of Boston on the lobby’s ceiling. The new hotel restaurant, Finch, is a 70-seat hot spot located within walking distance to the financial district, Beacon Hill, and the North End, as well as the TD Garden. Available for private events, meetings, and functions, the 1,500-square-foot restaurant, which opened in late May, serves American fare with a New England twist.
Find tech stars and creative types at WorkBar, the new Cambridge outpost of the cooperative workspace. Located in the heart of Central Square, the 12,000-square-foot facility, which opened in late May, offers traditional office amenities without a stuffy, corporate environment. Events and meetings can be held in one of its many open spaces, which range from conference rooms to a new 75-seat café. The space is equipped with Wi-Fi and audiovisual hookups, and a private fifth floor can accommodate groups of 100 to 200 and offers city views that stretch to Somerville. And when guests get a little stressed, they can head on to WorkBar’s Zen Room, complete with yoga mats and exercise balls.
Nestled on the waterfront of the Hingham Shipyard, Union Fish Seafood and Raw Bar is a 70-seat bistro straight out of a Lands’ End catalog. Union’s classic New England cuisine includes pan-roasted striped bass with bacon, Brussels sprouts, and crispy shallots, as well as more traditional fare like lobster rolls. The 2,400-square-foot space, which opened mid-May, is available for rental for events or parties, and guests can enjoy the weather on the 65-seat outdoor patio or eat oysters inside at the bar.
The recently revamped Sheraton Framingham Hotel & Conference Center offers 22,000 square feet of event space, including the grand ballroom that seats 720 people for banquets or 1,200 theater-style, plus a 14,000-square-foot I.A.C.C.-approved conference center for groups of as many as 75. The conference center is equipped with an LCD projector, a Bose sound system, and sound-proofing features for privacy. There are 20 additional meeting and conference rooms, complete with in-house catering and ergonomic chairs. A dedicated conference planning manager assists with meetings and events.
Sisters Christine and Carla Pallotta of Nebo have moved their locations from the North End to Atlantic Wharf, renaming their restaurant Nebo Waterfront. The 180-seat Italian concept still features the sisters' traditional pasta dishes, along with 10 pizzas and new summer entrées. Also new at the Waterfront setting: a 65-seat patio overlooking the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway.
Think globally, eat locally is the mantra at quintessential Nantucket eatery the Proprietors Bar & Table. Opened in mid-June, the new spot comes from chef and owner Tom Berry and power couple Orla and Michael LaScola of the island’s popular American Seasons Restaurant. Designed to resemble a classic Nantucket home, the 150-seat restaurant’s name is meant to tie into the island’s history as a whaling capital popular with sailors returning from abroad. Food and decor items are sourced from local farms, growers, and artisans as much as possible.
