The Hourly Oyster House

4.7

1435 Reviews

$30 and under

Seafood

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 20, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 34 times today

Charming
Neighborhood gem
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.

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Seafood, Oyster Bar, American
Hours of operation
Bar Daily 11:00 am–11:00 pm Lunch Daily 11:00 am–4:00 pm Dinner Daily 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(617) 765-2342
Website
http://thehourlycambridge.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Julmeus St. Luc
Private party facilities
From intimate dinner parties to festive cocktail receptions, the events team at The Hourly Oyster House awaits your next private function. Our contemporary yet casual atmosphere in the heart of Harvard Square is the perfect backdrop for any special occasion. Please email us at events@thehourlycambridge.com or visit our website for more information thehourlycambridge.com.

Location
15 Dunster Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Neighborhood
Cambridge
Cross street
Massachusetts Avenue
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.
Public transit
Just steps away from the Harvard Square T-stop on the Redline.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

A Tale of Two Oysters*$45.00
two of each of today's oysters
The Hourly Seafood Tower*$120.00
tale of two oysters, 6 littleneck clams, 6 jumbo shrimp, shrimp ceviche, tuna crudo, lobster salad
Tuna Tartare*$16.00
sushi rice, spicy poke sauce, scallions, house chips
Tuna Crudo*$14.00
harissa, chives
Hamachi Crudo*$16.00
white sturgeon caviar, chimichurri, fried garlic
Shrimp Ceviche*$16.00
pico de gallo, cucumber, wonton chips
Littleneck Clams*
rosé mignonette, house cocktail sauce
- ea$2.00
Shrimp Cocktail
house cocktail sauce
- ea$4.00

Oysters

$3ea / $33dz

Boomamoto*
Barnstable, MA - nutty, briny, sweet finish
Cotuit*
Cotuit, MA - plump, sweet brine, clean
Rip Tide*
Buzzards Bay, MA - soft brine, earthy finish
Chatham*
Chatham, MA - plump, briny, rich meat
Malabar Select*
Barnstable, MA - clean, mineral, oceanic
Wellfleet*
Wellfleet, MA - savory, vegetal, refreshing
Edgewater*
Buzzard's Bay-dense, salty kick, root vegetables
Cadillac Mountain*
Goose Cove, ME - brothy, umami brine, stony

Starters

Clam Chowder$10.00
bacon, seasoned oyster crackers
Crispy Calamari$14.00
arugula, cherry peppers, harissa aioli
Blackened Swordfish Tacos$12.00
mango curtido, avocado crema, pickled onion
Oysters Rockefeller$16.00
kale, smoked bacon, pernod, panko
Hushpuppies$13.00
chili honey butter
Caesar Salad$14.00
anchovy croutons, parmesan
Lobster Bisque$11.00
tarragon, brandy
Grilled Octopus$16.00
potatoes, chimichurri, chorizo, paprika aioli
Mussels Provencal$16.00
white wine, tomato, fennel, garlic, grilled crostini
Blistered Shishitos$10.00
sea salt, olive oil
Roasted Brussels Sprouts$10.00
andouille sausage, parmesan
Cobb Salad$14.00
avocado, pancetta, feta, 6-min egg, red onion, red wine vinaigrette

Entrées

Lobster Roll$34.00
touch of mayo, griddled roll
Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich$17.00
lettuce, tomato, pickles, special sauce, brioche bun
Double Smash Burger*$16.00
american cheese, caramelized onion, special sauce, seeded roll
Day Boat Haddock Sandwich$18.00
coleslaw, bread & butter pickles, spicy tartar sauce
Beer-Battered Fish & Chips$22.00
hand-cut fries, slaw, tartare sauce
Lobster Macaroni & Cheese$25.00
smoked gouda, mozzarella, pepper jack, ritz crumbs
Grilled Salmon Nicoise*$25.00
heirloom tomatoes, roasted potatoes, kalamata olives, haricots verts, six-minute egg, garden herb vinaigrette
Roasted Farro$21.00
kale, butternut squash, peach, yellow beet, pecans, feta

What 1,435 people are saying

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

4.7Food
4.7Service
4.7Ambience
4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Boston
Seafood

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

The Hourly Oyster House delights with "excellent service," a "festive atmosphere," and "fresh seafood" that's "beyond compare." Diners love the "variety of oysters" and "delicious" lobster bisque. Ideal for both casual and special occasions, this charming spot near Harvard Square offers a "wonderful dining experience" that many highly recommend.

1,435 Reviews

D
Darek
VIP
Seattle
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Was craving oysters so popped in and sat on the other side of the bar where they had the game on, also tried the roasted beets and one of the cocktails on tap (the blood orange Negroni), quite delicious. Also a good selection of alcohol-free cocktails tried a few
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W
William J
Greater Boston
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent dinner overall. Good raw bar and good solid menu overall if you like seafood. One guest suffered from celiac and they stressed other than the fryer, all could be prepared gluten free.
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H
Hilary
VIP
Montreal
12 reviews
2.0
12 reviews
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 2
2. Food 2
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
It was most disappointing. I have dined at The Hourly more than a dozen times - mainly for lunch. The tuna tartare which has always been excellent, was this time barely edible, very spicy with different spices - and a different color - much more brown. My grandson had the Fisherman’s Stew, which was thick and jammed with shell fish, but had a slightly ‘off’ odor, which reminded him of the smelly fishing docks..near us in summer. But- the oysters were wonderful, the tuna crisp was very good. And the attentive waitress was terrific and I appreciated the fact that the manager wanted to know about our experience. By now - I hope it has all been corrected. It is a terrific restaurant - nearly always!
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B
Brian
New York City
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on January 11, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Cozy and welcoming spot in Harvard Square. Showed up early for our reservation and were seated immediately. Attentive service, nice menu, great seafood.
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A
Ashton
Greater Boston
8 reviews
5.0
8 reviews
Dined on January 10, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Enjoyable restaurant. Food was quite good, though my salmon Nicoise was slightly over cooked. I’m being picky here.
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C
Catherine
VIP
Greater Boston
30 reviews
5.0
30 reviews
Dined on December 30, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
My son loved all the seafood he had/ all the types of oysters, octopus and caviar. I really appreciated the vegetarian option/ cauliflower “steak.” Nice atmosphere, good service.
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S
Sue
VIP
Greater Boston
34 reviews
5.0
34 reviews
Dined on December 29, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Great little place and the wines are delicious! I'm having meetings there often now.
Is this helpful?
C
Connor
Sacramento
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 28, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Everything was so freaking wonderful. The oysters were amazeballs and the ambiance was just wowzers! Highly Recommend!
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M
Michelle
Greater Boston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on December 28, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Excellent meal and ambiance! Thank you for a special night with my parents! Highly recommend!
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K
Kishara
Los Angeles
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on December 27, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Had limited time since we had a tour we had to attend to. The food did take a little while. However, it was worth the wait and rushed manner that we had to eat at...
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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 1435 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 20, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 34 times today

Order delivery or takeout

15 Dunster Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
Massachusetts Avenue
Neighborhood
Cambridge
Hours of operation
Bar Daily 11:00 am–11:00 pm Lunch Daily 11:00 am–4:00 pm Dinner Daily 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Price
$30 and under
Cuisines
Seafood, Oyster Bar, American
Dining style
Casual Dining
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.
Public transit
Just steps away from the Harvard Square T-stop on the Redline.
Payment options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Julmeus St. Luc
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Delivery, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Vegan, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://thehourlycambridge.com/
Phone number
(617) 765-2342
Private party facilities
From intimate dinner parties to festive cocktail receptions, the events team at The Hourly Oyster House awaits your next private function. Our contemporary yet casual atmosphere in the heart of Harvard Square is the perfect backdrop for any special occasion. Please email us at events@thehourlycambridge.com or visit our website for more information thehourlycambridge.com.

The Hourly Oyster House

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Lobster Bisque

Grilled Salmon

Tuna Crudo

Raw Bar

A Tale of Two Oysters*$45.00

The Hourly Seafood Tower*$120.00

Tuna Tartare*$16.00

Tuna Crudo*$14.00

Hamachi Crudo*$16.00

Shrimp Ceviche*$16.00

Littleneck Clams*

Shrimp Cocktail

Oysters

Boomamoto*

Cotuit*

Rip Tide*

Chatham*

Malabar Select*

Wellfleet*

Edgewater*

Cadillac Mountain*

Starters

Clam Chowder$10.00

Crispy Calamari$14.00

Blackened Swordfish Tacos$12.00

Oysters Rockefeller$16.00

Hushpuppies$13.00

Caesar Salad$14.00

Lobster Bisque$11.00

Grilled Octopus$16.00

Mussels Provencal$16.00

Blistered Shishitos$10.00

Roasted Brussels Sprouts$10.00

Cobb Salad$14.00

Entrées

Lobster Roll$34.00

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich$17.00

Double Smash Burger*$16.00

Day Boat Haddock Sandwich$18.00

Beer-Battered Fish & Chips$22.00

Lobster Macaroni & Cheese$25.00

Grilled Salmon Nicoise*$25.00

Roasted Farro$21.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

Does The Hourly Oyster House offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is The Hourly Oyster House restaurant rated?

Is The Hourly Oyster House currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information