The Hourly Oyster House

Name: The Hourly Oyster House
Address: 15 Dunster Street, Cambridge, MA, United States, 02138
Telephone: (617) 765-2342
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.7

4.7

1452 Reviews

$30 and under

Seafood

Make a reservation

2 people

Feb 25, 2025

7:00 p.m.

Booked 38 times today

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.

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
Neighbourhood
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*US$45.00
two of each of today's oysters
The Hourly Seafood Tower*US$120.00
tale of two oysters, 6 littleneck clams, 6 jumbo shrimp, shrimp ceviche, tuna crudo, lobster salad
Tuna Tartare*US$16.00
sushi rice, spicy poke sauce, scallions, house chips
Tuna Crudo*US$14.00
harissa, chives
Hamachi Crudo*US$16.00
white sturgeon caviar, chimichurri, fried garlic
Shrimp Ceviche*US$16.00
pico de gallo, cucumber, wonton chips
Littleneck Clams*
rosé mignonette, house cocktail sauce
- eaUS$2.00
Shrimp Cocktail
house cocktail sauce
- eaUS$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 ChowderUS$10.00
bacon, seasoned oyster crackers
Crispy CalamariUS$14.00
arugula, cherry peppers, harissa aioli
Blackened Swordfish TacosUS$12.00
mango curtido, avocado crema, pickled onion
Oysters RockefellerUS$16.00
kale, smoked bacon, pernod, panko
HushpuppiesUS$13.00
chili honey butter
Caesar SaladUS$14.00
anchovy croutons, parmesan
Lobster BisqueUS$11.00
tarragon, brandy
Grilled OctopusUS$16.00
potatoes, chimichurri, chorizo, paprika aioli
Mussels ProvencalUS$16.00
white wine, tomato, fennel, garlic, grilled crostini
Blistered ShishitosUS$10.00
sea salt, olive oil
Roasted Brussels SproutsUS$10.00
andouille sausage, parmesan
Cobb SaladUS$14.00
avocado, pancetta, feta, 6-min egg, red onion, red wine vinaigrette

Entrées

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

What 1,452 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

4.6Food
4.6Service
4.7Ambience
4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

The Hourly Oyster House delights with "excellent seafood" and a "cozy and welcoming" atmosphere in Harvard Square. Guests rave about the "impressive oyster selection" and "delicious cocktails." Attentive service, inviting ambiance, and standout dishes like clam chowder and lobster mac and cheese make it a "highly recommend" spot for seafood lovers.

1,452 Reviews

A
Al
Tampa
3 reviews
3.0
3 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 4
The prices would be ok if the food had the taste to match, however this is overpriced, and lacking in flavor. The shellfish are fine but overpriced. The shuckers need to work on not letting so many shell fragments stay behind in the oyster cups. The shuckers also need to learn that the bottom half of the clam shell on which the raw clam is presented, should be separated from the clam so it is easier to remove in one forkful. Speaking of forks, it was odd to have to request a cocktail fork for the $125 seafood tower. On this tower, the small halves of lobster tail were overcooked, and the tuna and hamachi lacked a needed addition of salt/seasoning. The overall service was friendly, but sometimes inattentive. Servers should also know more details about the dishes and types of shellfish in a restaurant of this caliber. The clam chowder was too small for $10, and had almost no actual clams in it - it was mostly a tasty cream based soup with some potatoes. Even the mignonette for the oysters had barely a noticeable piece of minced shallot. The biggest disappointment was a halibut entree in which the fish was mushy and the flavor was so neutral that it was bland. Overall, this is a big letdown in a metro area known for some stellar oyster bars.
Is this helpful?
L
Laura
VIP
New York City
10 reviews
4.0
10 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Loved the roast chicken! Ceasar Salad was dry and fried calamari mostly jalapeño. Drinks were sooo good
Is this helpful?
A
Anna
Dallas
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 6 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had a wide variety of oysters, the halibut, French fries, cheesecake, and adult milkshake. Each were unbelievably delicious!
Is this helpful?
J
Jeremy
Greater Boston
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Amazing service and ambiance. Some of the freshest oysters and mussels around. Delicious cocktails to boot. Top notch.
Is this helpful?
A
Al
VIP
Greater Boston
26 reviews
4.0
26 reviews
Dined on February 17, 2025
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
I love this place, but the reason I went down this time on my evaluation is that the lobster bisque was much too salty. This is a no-no. Chefs should taste the food before they send it to the table. Otherwise, everything was great.
Is this helpful?
R
Rebecca
VIP
New York City
16 reviews
5.0
16 reviews
Dined on February 15, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
The best Oysters!! I also tried a new fish dish that was spot on. They did a great job with a large Valentine crowd.
Is this helpful?
A
Adam
New York City
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on February 15, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Went for a great Valentine’s Dinner and was very pleasantly surprised. Every part of the meal was great. The drinks, oysters, appetizers, and entrees. The service was also great and our waitress was friendly and knowledgeable.
Is this helpful?
E
Eniko
VIP
New York City
15 reviews
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on February 9, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great please, friendly staff, wonderful food. highly recommend it!
Is this helpful?
L
Linda
VIP
Greater Boston
7 reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Dined on February 7, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Yummy food, good wine and friends enjoyed the espresso martini affogato. Service was great and relaxing!
Is this helpful?
C
Crystal
VIP
Greater Boston
27 reviews
5.0
27 reviews
Dined on February 5, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Good food, great cocktails and super service. Oysters are outstanding with great choices.
Is this helpful?

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 1452 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people

Feb 25, 2025

7:00 p.m.

Booked 38 times today

Order delivery or takeout

15 Dunster Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross Street
Massachusetts Avenue
Neighbourhood
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*US$45.00

The Hourly Seafood Tower*US$120.00

Tuna Tartare*US$16.00

Tuna Crudo*US$14.00

Hamachi Crudo*US$16.00

Shrimp Ceviche*US$16.00

Littleneck Clams*

Shrimp Cocktail

Oysters

Boomamoto*

Cotuit*

Rip Tide*

Chatham*

Malabar Select*

Wellfleet*

Edgewater*

Cadillac Mountain*

Starters

Clam ChowderUS$10.00

Crispy CalamariUS$14.00

Blackened Swordfish TacosUS$12.00

Oysters RockefellerUS$16.00

HushpuppiesUS$13.00

Caesar SaladUS$14.00

Lobster BisqueUS$11.00

Grilled OctopusUS$16.00

Mussels ProvencalUS$16.00

Blistered ShishitosUS$10.00

Roasted Brussels SproutsUS$10.00

Cobb SaladUS$14.00

Entrées

Lobster RollUS$34.00

Buttermilk Fried Chicken SandwichUS$17.00

Double Smash Burger*US$16.00

Day Boat Haddock SandwichUS$18.00

Beer-Battered Fish & ChipsUS$22.00

Lobster Macaroni & CheeseUS$25.00

Grilled Salmon Nicoise*US$25.00

Roasted FarroUS$21.00

Overall ratings and reviews

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