Here's a look at new Boston eateries, drinking spots, hotels, conference areas, private rooms, and other spaces for all types of summer entertaining and events. The new and renovated Boston venues are available for corporate parties, fund-raisers, outdoor events, business dinners, teambuilding activities, conferences, meetings, weddings, and more.
Located inside the former Old Colony Trust Bank in Downtown Crossing, the steak house Boston Chops opened in June. Boasting floor-to-ceiling marble walls, vaulted ceilings, and detailed millwork throughout, the 11,000-square-foot space seats 360 guests overall. The 2,500-square-foot main dining room seats 170 guests or holds 250 for cocktails. There are also several private event spaces, including the 267-square-foot wine vault, which seats 16 guests or holds 30 for cocktails; the 1,025-square-foot barrel vault, which seats 60 or holds 75 for cocktails; and the 20-seat Old Colony Trust Room. All of the spaces have full audiovisual capabilities.
In June, Mohegan Sun opened its $80 million Earth Expo & Convention Center, boasting 250,000 square feet of meeting and event space. The 125,000-square-foot Earth Expo Center is a column-free convention space filled with natural light that accommodates more than 700 10- by 10-foot booths. There are two ballrooms, including the Earth Ballroom, a 20,000-square-foot divisible space that opens to 3,000 square feet of pre-function space for as many as 1,750 guests. There are 15 meeting rooms, ranging from 360 square feet to 675 square feet, as well as a 40-seat Executive Boardroom with pre-function space and a private 3,500-square-foot terrace. Other features include eight loading docs, full audiovisual capability, and a 5,360-square-foot kitchen. Overall, the casino resort, located between Boston and New York, has 1,600 hotel rooms and a number of other amenities.
Tucked inside the Revere Hotel Boston Common, Rebel's Guild is a 4,500-square-foot bar and restaurant that embraces Boston's rebellious history, as shown through a variety of murals depicting historic moments and a large steampunk revolutionary cannon. A 1,000-square-foot private dining room that can be separated from the rest of the venue with sliding doors accommodates as many as 60 guests, while the whole venue is available for buyout for as many as 180. The venue opened in April.
In May, the downtown hotel Kimpton Nine Zero revealed a stylish transformation. Now boasting 2,400 square feet of private event and workspace on the third floor, the boutique hotel is suited for small- to medium-size events. The three meeting rooms are the 440-square-foot Oliver, with space for 20 seated guests or 30 reception-style; the 650-square-foot Brooks room accommodates 20 guests conference style or 50 reception-style; and the 775-square-foot Samuel, which accommodates 30 guests conference-style or 80 for a reception. The Samuel and the Brooks rooms connect to create a 1,425-square-foot space that seats 100 guests for banquets or holds 130 for receptions.
Located behind Symphony Hall, Dos Diablos Taco Bar and Two Saints Tavern are part of one 5,000-square-foot multi-concept space that opened in May. Dos Diablos serves up modern Mexican food in a 1,600-square-foot dining room, which seats 38 guests. There' also room for 20 standing guests at the bar. Two Saints is a 3,400-square-foot rustic tavern that boasts a 65-seat dining room and an additional 15 seats at the bar. The entire venue holds nearly 290 guests.
Artbar, the longtime restaurant inside the Royal Sonesta Boston, unveiled a new look and new menu in June. The 975-square-foot main dining room and bar accommodates 65 seated guests, while the 572-square-foot private dining room seats 35. Several spaces offer views of the Charles River: the 1,450-square-foot patio, which seats about 70; the 800-square-foot pool terrace; and or the 20-seat Riverside Terrace with fire pit tables.
Get a dose of nostalgia at Backyard Betty's, a 5,300-square-foot cookout-inspired restaurant that opened in May. Betty's features a main bar and 2,000-square-foot dining room that seats 58, as well as a “Backyard” dining space and open kitchen with an additional 48 seats. Complete with a motorcycle hanging on the wall, Pop's Garage is a 1,000-square-foot private event space for about 20 guests.
For a sweet event, there’s Amorino, which opened its Harvard Square location in June. Furnished with warm, walnut wood and weathered brick, the 1,200-square-foot venue serves 25 rotating flavors of fresh gelato along with macarons, waffles, crepes, and fine Italian coffee. Available for full or partial buyouts, the space accommodates 14 seated guests or as many as 40 standing.
The Old North Church, where Paul Revere's Midnight Ride kicked off, is launching private after-hours tours in June. The iconic North End attraction's new "Patriots Corner" is a 256-square-foot historic room located in the Clough House, where guests can mingle with a costumed Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, whose famed "One if by land, two if by sea" became a rallying cry for the revolution. The Patriots Corner accommodates as many as 25 guests at a time, while groups of as many as 100 guests can take a tour including the crypt and bell-ringing tower. The church's courtyard also is available for rental for cocktail events for as many as 100 guests.
A 5,200-square-foot neighborhood eatery in the picturesque suburb of Belmont, the Wellington comes from the popular chef Dante de Magistris. The restaurant seats 133 guests, which includes its 25-seat bar and its 500-square-foot private dining room, which seats 25 or holds 35 for cocktails. The private room has full audiovisual capabilities.
