The Thirsty Ear Pub is available for use by MIT student groups, departments, or individuals who would like to host a venue where alcohol is responsibly served. The Thirsty Ear is a newly-constructed, fully-equipped event space featuring an expansive area, a large projection display, three LCD HD TVs, a state-of-the-art in-house sound system, and a center stage with appropriate stage lighting. The bar itself features a wide-assortment of beers and wines at very reasonable prices and professionally served by certified staff.

As the Thirsty Ear is licensed for the sale of wine and malt beverages as an educational institution, it may only accept reservations for the sale of alcohol between the hours of 12pm-1am on Sunday, 8am-1am Monday through Wednesday, and 8am-2am Thursday through Saturday. During these times, the pub may be freely reserved except during our regularly scheduled hours (see our Calendar).

Reserving the Pub

In the spirit of promoting a strong community at MIT, priority in booking reservations is given to MIT student groups and departments by allowing these groups to book their events well in advance of other groups. The reservation period for various groups is as follows:

• ASA-recognized student groups: up to 4 months in advance.
• Officially recognized departmental groups: up to 2 months in advance.
• Individual students, employees, alumni, or unofficial MIT groups: up to 1 month in advance.

The preferred method for submitted your reservation request is to use the Thirsty Ear’s online Event Form.

If you have trouble with the form, you can also send an email to ear-info@mit.edu with the following information:

• the organization you represent (if any),
• the desired date and time of the reservation (as well as any setup time your group may require),
• the number of people you expect,
• whether you would like a host or cash bar,
• whether you would like your event to be private or open to the MIT community,
• and any other special requests (such as musical equipment).

A minimum of two weeks notice is preferred for any reservation. If less than two weeks is given, staff availability must be confirmed before the Thirsty Ear can guarantee the reservation.

Event Registration

All events at the Thirsty Ear must be registered with MIT, and the Thirsty Ear Pub requires a copy of the alcohol license prior to servicing any event. Departments may register with the Conference Services, Events, and Information Center (7-121, 253-4796), and residence halls and student organizations may register with Residential Life and Student Life Programs (W20-549, 253-6777). You can find out more about event registration and the MIT guidelines at http://web.mit.edu/alcohol/www/events.html.

The Thirsty Ear Pub provides information and assistance in event registration.

Fees & Rates

Fixed fees: There is a rental fee for use of the pub.

Per hour: Bartenders are billed per hour. For parties of 40 or more people, two bartenders are automatically staffed.

If you choose to host beverages at your event, a gratuity charge may be added to the invoice.

Cancellation Policy

If you plan to cancel a reservation, please let us know at the earliest possible date. If an event is canceled within two weeks of its scheduled reservation, the rental fee must still be paid. If it is canceled prior to this two week period, there is no cancellation fee.

FAQs

I would like to open my event to the greater MIT community, but I would also like to apply a host bar to only those people who belong to my party. How can I do this?
The Thirsty Ear provides wristbands that can be used to identify the members of the sponsoring group. The Thirsty Ear bartenders will charge those wearing the wristbands to the hosted tab and charge all others individually.

Do we have to hire a bartender or can we bartend ourselves?
Only Thirsty Ear employees are allowed to serve alcohol in the Pub.

What is your beer/wine selection and what are the prices?
Please see our menu to see our current beer and wine selection. All drinks range from $2.00 to $4.00 per glass/bottle.

Is there a compromise between a cash and a host bar?
Yes. For example, you host one keg, and we will charge patrons individually for everything beyond the keg.

How many people can the pub admit?
We have a maximum capacity of 80 people.

What about non-alcoholic drinks?
We stock juice, soda and water.