Here’s a closer look at Boston's newest eateries, drinking spots, hotels, conference areas, private rooms, and other spaces available for events this spring. The new and renovated Boston-area venues are available for corporate parties, weddings, fundraisers, outdoor functions, business dinners, team-building activities, conferences, meetings, and more.
One Kenmore Rooftop

Get up close and personal with Kenmore Square’s iconic Citgo sign at One Kenmore Rooftop. A day-to-night event space measuring 4,440 square feet, the flexible layout functions as everything from a conference space to a cocktail bar. The 2,300-square-foot roof and patio offer skyline views of one of Boston’s most beloved neighborhoods. Seventy guests can enjoy the sunny outdoor space at one time, including 28 seats on the terrace. A 980-square-foot bar, lounge, and cafe space accommodates as many as 25 guests, while the flex conference space, which measures 1,160 square feet, accommodates 42 seated guests. A total of 80 guests can be indoors. There is also an option for on-site valet parking and direct access to the MBTA. The One Kenmore Rooftop, which opened in October, is equipped with full AV capabilities.
Photo: Courtesy of Related Beal
74M

A Class A life science and lab development located in Somerville’s Assembly Square, 74M features an event space boasting views of Boston and Cambridge skylines. The 4,500-square-foot amenity space, which accommodates as many as 196 guests, is equipped with speakers with the ability to connect via Bluetooth. There’s also a 1,450-square-foot conference room, a flexible space that accommodates 98 guests and has projectors, screens, speakers, and microphones. Both of these areas are available for one- to two-day buyouts. You’ll find everything from integrated coffee and beer taps to Skee-Ball machines at 74M, which opened in September.
Photo: Chris Sammartano, Hydrow
Desnuda Cocina & Bar

You’ll find two distinct concepts at Desnuda, a 2,200-square-foot restaurant and bar that opened in November. The street-level space, which accommodates 44 seated guests, provides diners with Latin and Asian flavors served under a gilded ceiling with suspended topiary-draped candelabras. Downstairs, the 42-seat sound bar is inspired by a concept created in Japan in the 1950s. It features a spacious bar where the customized vinyl sound system plays throughout the space. Desnuda is equipped with full AV capabilities.
Photo: Michael Diskin
Prima

Charlestown Italian steakhouse Prima has expanded into the unused space next door, creating the new Park Room: a 550-square-foot space that’s ideal for private events and features stunning views of City Square Park and the Zakim Bridge. Filled with lush velvet seating and vibrant florals, the Park Room accommodates 30 seated guests or 40 for a cocktail-style event. While the Park Room at Prima does not have AV capabilities, it features a seasonal rotating chef's menu that's exclusive to the space.
Photo: Assembly Designs
Museum of Illusions Boston

Edutainment goes wild at the Museum of Illusions, a 9,000-square-foot interactive museum across from Boston’s Faneuil Hall Marketplace and Quincy Market. The entire venue accommodates as many as 200 guests and is available for full buyouts. (The venue welcomes outside catering.) For AV capabilities, there are TV screens in the entrance that can be used as welcome monitors and additional equipment can be rented and used at the location. The Museum of Illusions opened in November.
Photo: Courtesy of Museum of Illusions Boston
Kaia

Go Greek at Kaia, the South End hot spot that opened in November. The 3,000-square-foot restaurant, which features full AV capabilities and 120 seats, is anchored by a grand stone bar and filled with elements of marble, wood, brick, and weathered metals. Diners can choose from meals featuring ingredients that are always fresh, local, and seasonal. Coastal Greece never felt so close by.
Photo: Birch
Museum of Ice Cream Boston

Get your sugar fix at the Museum of Ice Cream Boston, a 13,000-square-foot venue that hit Boston’s Seaport District in December. The immersive experience, which combines educational and playful elements, is filled with unique installations like Fun Way Park, a baseball-themed carnival area inspired by Fenway Park, and the Iconic Sprinkle Pool, where a double-helix slide lands guests in a sprinkle pool. Cap off your visit with a New England delicacy: ice cream from Friendly’s. The entire museum has a 400-person capacity and is set up for full and semiprivate events. For smaller gatherings, the semiprivate galley space can accommodate as many as 30 guests. The galley and semiprivate space have AV capabilities.
Photo: Courtesy of Museum of Ice Cream Boston
Willow & Ivy

The highly anticipated revamp of the Lenox Hotel’s restaurant comes with Willow & Ivy, a 2,200-square-foot space whose menu will take local ingredients and spin them with classical and modern French and American techniques. (Think a Maine lobster “pie” made with cognac, sweet corn, Parmesan potatoes, and butter crumbs.) The 85-seat venue, which will feature a live tree in the middle of the dining room, also has a 19-seat bar and a private dining room that accommodates as many as 32 guests for a seated dinner. However, full restaurant buyouts are available for as many as 100 seated guests or 150 for a standing cocktail reception. Willow & Ivy, which opens this spring, will have full AV capabilities.
Photo: Courtesy of Willow & Ivy
Loyall Counting Room

A tribute to the speakeasies of the past, Loyall Counting Room opened inside InterContinental Boston in late October. The intimate 626-square-foot space accommodates 25 and welcomes guests for small bites and cocktails inspired by Colonial-era spirits. Sip an Under the Liberty Tree - United Rebellion, a blend of fino sherry, coconut-washed cognac liqueur, and spiced pear liqueur. Loyall has AV hookup capabilities.
Photo: Binita Patel Photography
D16 Lounge & Bar

Once home to the Boston Police Department’s Division 16, D16 is now an upscale lounge in the heart of the Back Bay neighborhood.The 2,700-square-foot space includes a 16-seat bar and 53-seat dining area, and can accommodate 120 guests for a buyout. AV capabilities include a DJ plug-in, wireless mic, and TV. Don’t miss the historic mugshots on the wall of the unique space, which opened in November.
Photo: Assembly Design Studio
The Harp

Just steps from the TD Garden, famed sports bar The Harp is back with a variety of upgrades to its 11,000-square-foot space that debuted in January. The Harp can accommodate semiprivate events for groups ranging from 20 to 250 guests, or a full-venue buyout for as many as 675 guests. The AV system has been completely overhauled, and there are 32 brand-new TVs and two impressive state-of-the-art video installations: an 18-foot video wall and a striking 22-foot L-shaped screen. Downstairs, you’ll find new high-top seating, brightly colored furniture, and classic arcade games like pinball and Golden Tee. There’s no better place to hang pre- or post-game.
Photo: Chris McIntosh