Cambridge Business Dinner Suggestions

[redbird]

My husband has asked my help in thinking of places in Cambridge that would work well for four business dinners next week for up to forty people each. The participants will be comng from around the country so the focus is to give them a Boston experience. Also the goal is to not to break the bank. They will be in the Fresh Pond vicinity and would like to stay in the general Cambridge area.

Summer Shack comes to mind immediately due to the proximity of the restaurant and the New England menu. (Don't worry - we're familiar with all of the pros and cons of this place from this board as well as personal experience.) Trying to think of something in the Harvard Sqaure area so people could explore it before/after dinner. Maybe John Harvard Brew House? Food is medicre but the location, price, and beer works. Can any of you Cambridge hounds help us? Thanks in advance.

[DavisSquare]

Good suggestions all. I would just add that if you're planning multiple 40-person dinners next week, you have no time to lose in making reservations. There just aren't that many good places on this side of the river with that much space as evidenced by a search:

http://www.chowhound.com/search/std?q...

Do not eat at John Harvard's at all if you can help it, and certainly not unless you can get a private room. The food is mediocre *at best* and the noise can be deafening making it very hard to have a business dinner. The beer's not bad, though.

[beforesunrise]

You don't mention your budget but here are a few other places (in addition to those already mentioned) in Cambridge with private dining rooms, a wide variety of choices and suitable for business:
+ Blue Room (private room that seats ~40 and a very cambridge-tech atmosphere)
+ Elephant Walk (the french/cambodian menu means you get traditional and adventurous choices)
+ Upstairs on the Square (I think they have a private room)

[MaggieMuffin]

A few ideas:

I just ate for the first time at Z-square in Harvard Square. The location is fantastic if it is the square you want to be near, and the food is pretty good (fresh, creative, perhaps not perfectly executed, but a crowd pleaser), and the prices very reasonable. I also got the sense that there were easy to section off parts that could be used to accomodate forty people or so.

Daedalus upstairs would probably just fit 40, and they also would be a good location. You can also use part of the area for a mixer/cocktails.

Also great right in the square is Cambridge One, which does really fun pizza and beers, and has a great ambience (ignore the cemetary!), but you might have to book the whole place, which I don't know if they do.

I think East Cost Grill is too far to explore the area by foot. Henrietta's would be pricier than all of the options above, but I agree is a great place. Also in that vein would be the red house.

[BBHound]

Henrietta's Table should fill the bill perfectly.

[a l i c e]

I think the second floor of Daedalus on Mt. Auburn can be reserved for private parties. Not sure if it could accomodate 40, though. I find the surroundings to be comfortable; the menu consists of dressed-up versions of pub dishes and prices are reasonable (although I have no idea about private dining prices).

[Blumie]

East Coast Grill can accommodate 29 people in the Lava Lounge. Maybe they'd let you take the room immediately adjacent to the Lava Lounge, which would bring the total capacity up to around 40.