Your next gathering deserves oysters.

Private events

Private events, public praise

Oysters, cocktails, and a space that's all yours. Birthdays, department dinners, rehearsal dinners, buyouts, or just because. We'll handle the details while you take the credit.

Send event detailsSee the event menu
No room or rental fees. Food and drink count toward your event minimum.
25% deposit holds your date and comes off the final bill.

Choose your level of privacy

Full buyout

Up to 145 guests

The whole restaurant is yours. Both sides of our dining room seat up to 145 guests for dinner, plus our 14-seat bar.

Buffet · ordered by the pan

Partial buyout

Up to 60 guests

One side of the restaurant, booked out entirely for your group. Your own lively corner of Amherst Oyster Bar at half the price of a full buyout. Perfect for rehearsal dinners, company gatherings and celebrations.

Buffet · ordered by the pan

Shared space

14–25 guests

A large party table in the rear of our main dining room. Not fully private, but an intimate setting well suited to gatherings and special occasions.

Regular menu · or prix fixe built to order

Event menu & drink packages

Built for a crowd

Order by the pan, by the piece or per person, and mix it however you like. Tell us your headcount and we'll help you order the right amount.

A half pan serves roughly 10 guests

Hors d'oeuvres

Fresh shucked oysters
MKT

today's selection, mignonette, cocktail sauce, lemon

Shrimp cocktail
$2per shrimp

chilled shrimp, cocktail sauce, lemon

Seafood tower
$90per tower

12 oysters, 6 shrimp, lobster salad, tuna tartare, crab meat, seaweed

Custom towers available, built to your group's size and needs

Fried crab cake
$8per cake

remoulade, slaw

Fried calamari
$90 / $180half / full pan

hot honey, pepperoncini aioli

Fries
$40 / $80half / full pan

house aioli

Garlic parm dinner rolls
$40 / $80half / full tray

house bread, garlic butter, oregano, parsley

Charcuterie board
$12per person

assorted cheese & meats, seasonal jams and compotes, olives, pickled vegetables, mustards, fruits, crackers

Mediterranean platter VEGAN
$8per person

seasonal hummus, crackers, crudités, pita, olives, grape leaves

Pasta

HalfFull
Alfredo
$200$400

poblano-parmesan cream, roasted peppers, spinach, bucatini

Bucatini alla vodka
$200$400

roasted garlic tomato sauce, cream, parmesan, basil

Braised short rib rigatoni
$260$520

red wine braised beef, tomato ragu, mozzarella, parm

Casarecce vongole
$230$460

manila clams, white wine, garlic, bottarga, herbs

Oyster mushroom marsala VEG
$230$460

casarecce pasta, parmesan, herbs

Salads

Caesar salad
$10per person

romaine, parm, focaccia croutons

Fattoush salad
$11per person

little leaf, cuke, tomato, crispy za'atar pita, feta, sumac lemon vin, mint

Orchard salad
$12per person

arugula, radicchio, shaved apple, candied pecans, pickled onion, stilton blue, maple-apple vin

Entrées

HalfFull
Fish & chips
$240$480

fried haddock, slaw, tartar sauce, fries

Foolyabaisse VEGAN
$260$520

king oyster mushroom, fingerling potato, braised fennel, fried chickpeas, castelvetrano olive, tomato kombu broth, focaccia

Steak frites
$330$660

grilled skirt steak, grilled onion chimi, warm carrot salad, fries

Salmon
$290$580

Loch Duart salmon, pomme purée, haricot vert, crab amandine, crispy shallots

Handhelds

Smash burger
$15per sandwich

american cheese, lettuce, onion, burger sauce

Grilled chicken sandwich
$15per sandwich

marinated chicken breast, bibb lettuce, heirloom tomato, feta, pepperoncini aioli

Blackened haddock
$16per sandwich

blackened haddock, tartar, bibb lettuce

Shrimp roll
$16per sandwich

cornmeal fried shrimp, lettuce, remoulade, pickled peppers

Gluten-free buns available · $3 per bun

Shared space, 14–25 guests Order from our regular menu like any table, or ask us to build a prix fixe menu for your group. See a sample on the Prix fixe tab.
Sample prix fixe · shared space, 14–25 guestsThree courses, priced per person. We'll tailor it to your group.

First course

Starter

Served to the table
Caesar salad

romaine, parm, focaccia croutons

Second course

Entrée

Choose one
Steak frites GF

grilled skirt steak, grilled onion chimi, warm carrot salad, fries

Salmon GF

Loch Duart salmon, mashed potatoes, haricot vert, lemon caper beurre blanc, pea tendril

Foolyabaisse VEGAN

king oyster mushroom, fingerling potato, braised fennel, fried chickpeas, castelvetrano olive, tomato kombu broth, focaccia

Third course

Dessert

Choose one
Tiramisu

mascarpone, dark rum, lady fingers, espresso

Crème brûlée GF

macerated strawberries

Make it yoursSwap in any dish from our regular or event menu, add a seafood tower for the table, or pair it with a drink package.
Four ways to host the bar.Hosted bars are billed by consumption.

1Hosted bar

Consumption bar

An open bar for your guests, billed by what's actually poured. Every drink is rung in as it's ordered and added to your final bill, so you never pay for drinks no one had.

Beer, wine & cocktailsas ordered
Option to limit to beer & wineas ordered

Best for: receptions, buyouts, and hosts who want guests to order freely.

2Drink tickets

Hosted, with a cap

Each guest receives a set number of tickets, each good for one drink up to a set value. You're only charged for tickets used. Once tickets run out, guests can continue at the bar on their own.

$12 ticket · most beer & wine$12 each
$15 ticket · includes many cocktails$15 each
Example: 30 guests × 2 tickets at $12up to $720

Best for: office parties, university groups, and hosts working to a set budget.

3Beer & wine only

Hosted, simplified

A hosted bar limited to our beer and wine list. A simple way to keep spending predictable while still taking care of your guests. Can be paired with drink tickets.

Beer & wine by the glassas ordered
Wine by the bottle for the tableas ordered

Best for: dinners, rehearsal dinners, and budget-conscious celebrations.

4Cash bar

Guests pay their own

Guests order and pay for their own drinks at the bar. All cash-bar sales still count toward your event's minimum spend.

Full bar menumenu price

Best for: casual gatherings, or as the follow-up once drink tickets are used.

Minimum spend

All food and drink, including the bar tab you cover, counts toward your event minimum.

Tax & gratuity

Tax and a 20% gratuity are added to food and drink. No room or rental fees.

Deposit

A 25% deposit holds your date and comes off the final bill the night of the event.

Mix & match

Combine options, like two tickets per guest then a cash bar. N/A drinks are always available.

Menus and pricing are seasonal and subject to change. Download the full event menu (PDF)

Send event details

Ready when you are

Send event details

It takes about two minutes. We'll follow up with pricing, availability and a menu built for your group.

Smaller group? Book a table online. Questions first? Email hello@amherstoysterbar.com.

Graduation weekend 2027

Celebrating a graduate?

UMass (May 21–23) and Amherst College (May 28–30) weekends are booked online only. Reservations open January 11.

Graduation reservations → Guests raising glasses around a table at Amherst Oyster Bar