It's that time again—time for the company holiday party. Here are new restaurants, bars, and other event spaces that can work for corporate holiday events, employee gatherings, and other end-of-year festivities.
1. The new 121,307-square-foot Art of the Americas Wing at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, is slated to open on November 20. A marquee feature of the much anticipated $345 million expansion is the Ruth and Carl J. Shapiro Family Courtyard, a soaring, 12,184-square-foot, glass-covered space that seats 400 or holds 600 for a reception. The courtyard becomes available for private events starting December 1.
2. Another brand-new venue, Island Creek Oyster Bar, debuted inside Kenmore Square's Hotel Commonwealth in October, serving a sustainable seafood menu anchored by an ever-changing list of 12 to 18 oysters from both coasts. The 100-seat space features granite countertops, reclaimed Vermont farmhouse wood, and a massive 3-D wall installation crafted from thousands of oyster shells. The restaurant is only open for dinner, and is available for private breakfast or lunch events. Evening buyouts are available on a limited basis, or the menu can also be served in the hotel's new 1,700-square-foot gallery event space.
3. Upscale sports bar Battery Park Bar & Lounge just opened in the financial district spot formerly occupied by 360 Ultra Lounge. With hardwood floors, a red mahogany bar, and 15 flat-screen TVs, this after-work spot can hold 160 for a party. Sixteen draft beers are offered alongside burgers, sandwiches, and creative bar snacks like Philly cheesesteak egg rolls and blue cheese-buffalo chicken wontons.
4. Another new space expected to be ready for holiday party season, Lolita Cocina & Tequila Bar is set to open December 2 in the Back Bay. With 300 tequilas on offer alongside upscale Mexican snacks like ahi tuna tostadas, the venue has a total capacity of 202 and is available for buyout. Areas available for smaller parties include a raised 18-seat dining area that can be set off with floor-to-ceiling red velvet drapes and the rear tequila bar/lounge, which holds 50 around plush banquettes, couches, and coffee tables.
5. Royale Nightclub and Entertainment Complex opened in March inside the circa-1918 theater district opera house formerly occupied by Roxy. New black wood flooring surrounds the main stage and dance floor, while ornate chandeliers hanging from the gold-lined ceiling lend a touch of grandeur. Buyouts are available, with a total capacity of 775.
6. Classic French fare like steak frites and salade nicoise is on hand at the 10,000-square-foot Petit Robert Central, which opened in Downtown Crossing in September. Party options include the 60-seat Provencal Room, which has large windows and a black-and-white palette, and the 100-seat Paris Café, which includes full audiovisual capabilities. The entire venue, including a 300-person lobby, is available for buyout and holds 1,000.
7. Around the corner from Fenway Park, Japanese restaurant Basho opened in April and is a 7,500-square-foot space that seats 250 across four separate rooms. A semiprivate dining room, curtained off from the main space, seats 100, while two additional private dining rooms seat 20 and 30, respectively. Also available for events is a 48-seat seasonal patio. Larger groups can buy out the restaurant for 250.
8. There are several event options at Towne Stove and Spirits, the first restaurant to open inside the Hynes Convention Center. Open since July, the 397-seat eatery, a collaboration between local chef-restaurateurs Lydia Shire and Jasper White and the Lyons Group, is divided into three dining rooms and three bars, including a 4,000-square-foot room that can be divided into three sections for private or semiprivate parties of varying size.
9. Inside a renovated mill in the Fort Point Channel neighborhood, Barlow’s Restaurant preserves many historic details—redbrick walls, wooden beams, and exposed piping—while adding hardwood floors, booths, banquettes, and large tables. Open since February, Barlow’s serves a menu of rich comfort food like bacon-wrapped meat loaf and fig-prosciutto pizza, and the main dining room seats 60 for events.
10. Boylston Street sweets store Sugar Heaven opened in March and is a fun option for receptions of as many as 200 guests mingling among more than 5,000 varieties of candy, from basic M&Ms to imported British chocolates. Willy Wonka-esque touches include a chocolate conveyor belt and a wall covered in candy buttons, while a mod take on the old-fashioned ice cream bar serves a rotating roster of 30 flavors with 100 candy toppings.
