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 pub features an expansive space, large television display, in-house sound system, and a stage with appropriate stage lighting. The bar itself features a wide-assortment of beers and wines at very reasonable prices.

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 schedule).

In the spirit of creating a strong social community within MIT, priority in booking reservations is given to MIT student groups and departments by allowing these groups to book their events further in advance. The reservation period for these groups is as follows:

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

A minimum of two weeks is required to book any event in the pub.  If less than two weeks is given, staff availability must be confirmed before the event can be guaranteed.

Reserving the Pub

To reserve the pub, email ear-info@mit.edu with the following information:

• The organization you represent (if any)
• The desired date and time of the reservation. including your group’s setup time
• 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
• Any other special requests (such as musical equipment)

All events at the Thirsty Ear Pub must be registered with MIT. For questions about Event Registration, please see the guidelines at http://web.mit.edu/alcohol/www/events.html

Rental Fees

Rental Fee: $50
This fee may be waived if the event is scheduled before one of the Pub’s regularly scheduled hours.

Hourly Rate: $10/hr per bartender staffing the event.
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 cancelled within two weeks of its scheduled reservation, the $50 rental fee must still be paid. If it is cancelled 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 place those wearing the wristbands on 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 visit our menu to see our beer and wine selection. Beer prices range from $2.00 to $4.00, and wine is priced at $3.50/glass or $14/bottle.

Is there a compromise between a cash and a host bar?
Absolutely! For example, you can buy one hosted keg, and we will charge patrons individually for the rest, or anything similar along those lines.

How many people can the pub admit?
We have a maximum capacity of 78 people.

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