Met Back Bay's October 26 opening marks the fourth and latest venture from restaurateur Kathy Sidell Trustman. The bilevel, two-bar venue is in the former home of Joe's American Bar and Grill, and before that Joseph's, at the corner of Newbury and Dartmouth streets.
The townhouse-turned-eatery is now home to two levels of dining and entertaining space, with restored ceiling features and wooden moldings. Menu items include shrimp curry and updated takes on Joseph's clams casino.
The space features rooms named after those found in a typical Back Bay brownstone, with several options for private events. The "living room" is the venue's main dining room and can seat 90; the study is a semiprivate, 24-seat dining room with a fireplace and two flat-panel TVs; and the library is an intimate version of the main dining room with a full bar that seats 22.
For fully private dining, the conservatory has large windows, a flat-panel TV, audiovisual capabilities, and burnt orange leather seating for 18; the ballroom is also fully private and can hold 42 seated.
The MET Game Room, the main bar area downstairs from the dining room, includes a ham-and-cheese bar with hand-sliced snacks. For seasonal outdoor dining, the 60-seat terrace is available for buyout and will be equipped with gas-heated lamps.
Met Back Bay's Townhouse—a private club adjacent to the restaurant—is set to open in December. Though membership is by invitation only, the space may be available for buyout and private events.
