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The Hourly Oyster House, Cambridge, MA

The Hourly Oyster House

4.7
4.7
1463 Reviews
$30 and under
Seafood

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 51 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Neighbourhood gem
  • Charming
  • Lively
The Hourly Oyster House is a vibrant and welcoming neighborhood outpost in the heart of Harvard Square, where guests can enjoy thoughtfully sourced and playfully prepared seafood and oysters from New England and beyond, as well as a carefully crafted selection of signature cocktails, beer and wine. With a focus on seafood, The Hourly serves up New England classics in a dynamic and airy space.

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, Oyster Bar, American
  • Hours of Operation
    Bar Daily 11:00–23:00 Lunch Daily 11:00–16:00 Dinner Daily 16:00–22:00
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Parking is available at the Smith Center Garage, directly across the street from the restaurant at 11 Holyoke Street. There is also on street metered parking directly in front of the restaurant on Dunster Street.
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Julmeus St. Luc
  • Delivery & takeout

Experiences

  • Dinner & A Show

    Multiple dates available
    Make your theater night in Harvard Square unforgettable with dinner at The Hourly Oyster House, the neighborhood’s premier destination for fresh, thoughtfully sourced seafood. Located just a short walk from both the American Repertory Theater and Sanders Theatre, The Hourly is the perfect spot for a pre-show dinner or a post-performance celebration. Our menu features a rotating selection of the finest oysters from New England and beyond, alongside expertly prepared seafood dishes that highlight the region’s rich flavors. Complement your meal with a glass from our carefully curated wine selection, featuring crisp whites and elegant sparklers that pair perfectly with our oysters and seafood. With a lively yet inviting atmosphere that blends historic charm with modern touches, The Hourly offers an unparalleled dining experience in the heart of Harvard Square. Whether you’re savoring oysters before the curtain rises or toasting to a spectacular performance afterward, let The Hourly be your go-to destination for an unforgettable evening.
    Dinner & A Show photo

What 1,463 people are saying

The Hourly Oyster House reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.3Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
The Hourly Oyster House shines with its "fantastic service," delightful atmosphere, and "delicious food." Guests rave about the "fresh oysters," creative cocktails, and diverse seafood offerings, including the "lobster roll" and "scallop risotto." The ambiance is lively yet accommodating, making it "a neighborhood gem" in bustling Harvard Square.

1,463 Reviews
  1. jeanne VIP

    San Francisco41 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Such a great place! Bartender was so friendly and the oysters and food and drinks were phenomenal!! Cozy atmosphere steeped in history!! We will be back!!

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  2. kim VIP

    Greater Boston22 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    I really enjoy going to the Hourly because of the service level, atmosphere and food. Lately we have been trying different Oyster restaurants and we always come back to this one because of the management. They really care about their customers and the quality of the food. We are always happy after we leave.

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  3. Daniel

    Chicago1 review

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    amazing place!! very ambient, dishes were both gorgeous and delicious and not too expensive. definitely recommend getting the oysters (duh) -- i don't love raw seafood, but their oysters were incredible. the lobster bisque was super rich and creamy, and the calamari was very well-fried and paired with a fantastic sauce. the highlight for me was the lobster roll with the most amazing french fries ever!! (and my brother's mac and cheese was delicious)

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  4. Kelly VIP

    Seattle2 reviews

    1.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 2
    Awful service and mediocre food that is overpriced. We had multiple servers assigned to us that did not provide good service. I ordered a wine pairing that came w 3 wines, 1 of which I was unable to even get, and 2 that came after the course had already been served and eaten. Shellfish was undercooked and they bring half eaten food into the kitchen and served it back to me after they tampered with it. There are obviously Food Safety Concerns - Once food has been exposed to saliva and potentially contaminated, it's no longer considered safe to be handled and served again. This restaurant should have had policies in place to prevent the re-serving of food that has been on a plate. Bringing potentially contaminated food back into the kitchen area could lead to cross-contamination and pose a risk to other food items.

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  5. OpenTable Diner

    Greater Boston1 review

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I have visited Hourly a number of times, never fails to impress!

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  6. Oscar VIP

    Richmond56 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Back again and same deal: great food and terrific service!

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  7. Carlos Enrique

    Mexico City4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I come to the Hourly every time I come back to campus. It is for me the best restauranr around, in terms of food, atmosphere, and prices.

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  8. Jenny Boom Boom

    Greater Boston4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 6 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A very lovely and fun place. Great oysters and other choices. All wait staff are very cordial and helpful. This sounds like a generic review..... we have been 3 xs Love this place!!!

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  9. Joe

    New York City7 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 1 March 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Our server wasn't too attentive, maybe it was Saturday night that restaurant was bit too busy. Besides, everything else was excellent. We started with tale of two oysters, great presentation and assortment of the day. This is the reason why we visited restaurant, but few of oysters had cracked shells inside, and wasn't really tasty, all were quite fresh. Moving on to entree, we ordered lobster roll and icelandic cod. Cod cooked to perfection, it was one of the best fish I've had in a long time. Lobster roll was really good as well. For $34, it had lots of "really good lobster meats." I can't not end this review without commenting french fries. yum yum. If I return, I would definitely order the same. I would hope for little better oyster for my taste bud, but that's a crapshoot. Besides, awesome cooked food, you can tell the chef was someone who knows a thing or two. I am sure every cooked menu is top notch.

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  10. Michael VIP

    Richmond46 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on 28 February 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Second visit. Parking garage across street, validated,, but plenty of on street spots. Amazing in Harvard Square. Excellent, friendly servers. Delicious food. Our party of three split 18 oysters, enjoyed entrees and dessert. Warm vibe. Casual. Don't miss!

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FAQs

The Hourly Oyster House offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (617) 765-2342.

The Hourly Oyster House is rated 4.7 stars by 1463 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 51 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for The Hourly Oyster House

15 Dunster Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Phone number
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Seafood, Oyster Bar, American
  • Hours of Operation
    Bar Daily 11:00–23:00 Lunch Daily 11:00–16:00 Dinner Daily 16:00–22:00
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Parking is available at the Smith Center Garage, directly across the street from the restaurant at 11 Holyoke Street. There is also on street metered parking directly in front of the restaurant on Dunster Street.
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    Julmeus St. Luc
  • Delivery & takeout
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Impressum
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
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