Extremely Disappointing Experience at Oceanview of Nahant I am writing this review regarding the unacceptable level of service provided by Oceanview of Nahant during my brother's wedding on July 27, 2025. After paying approximately $45,000 for what was marketed as a luxury, full-service venue, the experience was riddled with serious issues that negatively impacted the entire event. 1. Major Security and Privacy Concerns The bridal suite was left unlocked during the event, allowing anyone to enter freely. This was extremely distressing, as it contained personal belongings and valuables. For a venue of this caliber and price point, basic security should never be overlooked. 2. Underage Drinking There were instances of underage drinking taking place during the reception. This reflects a serious failure in bar oversight and alcohol service compliance. A professional venue should be strictly monitoring IDs and ensuring responsible service at all times. 3. Failure to Provide Promised Service During Photos While the wedding party was taking photos, no food was served to them as promised. The only beverage available was sangria served in plastic cups, and the bride herself did not even receive any. A designated sangria station was supposed to be set up and properly staffed, but it was poorly managed and lacked the presentation expected at a high-end venue. 4. Guest Book & Welcome Table Mismanagement My sister-in-law provided a beautiful guest book along with cameras for guests to use, yet there was no clear signage or staff guidance directing guests where to sign in or participate. Many guests were confused or missed the opportunity entirely, which is incredibly disappointing given the sentimental value of these items. 5. Dining & Food Service Failures Dinner service was disorganized. Seating guidance was minimal, causing confusion among guests. Even more concerning, food was cleared away prematurely -- some guests had not even finished or, in some cases, had not yet received their meals before plates were taken. This level of service is unacceptable, especially at a wedding where guests should feel accommodated and unrushed. For the price paid, we expected professionalism, coordination, and attention to detail. Instead, the event was marked by disorganization, poor communication, and preventable oversights. A wedding is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and it is deeply disappointing when a venue fails to deliver the level of service that was promised and paid for. I strongly encourage future couples to ask detailed questions about security, staffing, alcohol monitoring, and event-day coordination before booking. I advise anyone to look elsewhere where for your big day.! read more

The Oceanview - Nahant - My brother's wedding cake that they "carefully packed up" in TINFOIL!!! - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Nahant, Massachusetts

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Great atmosphere, very well planned and the staff was great! The view was great, the food was tasty for a wedding, I know that sounds like low bar but it was pretty tasty! Plenty of picture options with the beach as a backdrop. A little tough to get to, parking was easy and well organized. A great option for a wedding location if you're looking. read more

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At a wedding reception yesterday, for a very close family friend. The ceremony was very special, with the ocean noise, and views. Once inside, maybe could have used a second bar to split the crowd, and alleviate the long wait for a drink. I seemed like once the meal began, it was hurry, hurry, with the staff rushing around picking up plates, and drinks that weren't even finished, when anyone got up for any reason. The dinner was probably a 5 out of ten, ( that may be too generous too!) meals were dry, like they sat around, soggy broccoli, tasteless potatoes, and not that hot! The bride, and groom deserved a better experience from The Oceanview, than what they got. I am sure they paid enough for it!! The DJ did a good job, the dance floor was always full. read more

The Oceanview of Nahant will give you the most amazing wedding experience! What a beautiful place to get married. As a guest, I obviously had a great time. The ceremony and entire venue was directly on the water and so gorgeous! We headed inside for cocktail hour which included charcuterie and a raw bar. The bartenders were amazing and they had so many drink options. I loved that they had the bride and groom's specialty cocktails as well as their own! This room also included arcade games and a beautiful deck along will many spots for pictures! The reception was ran smoothly and the dinner was phenomenal! Our options were chicken or beef and no matter what anyone got at our table, they all devoured it. At the end of the reception, I loved that were able to go outside to watch a last dance and make s'mores or play some corn hole. If you want your dream, picture-perfect wedding, just book it at Oceanview of Nahant! read more

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Went here for a wedding for my friends Marc and Katie yesterday. The venue was amazing and there was a spectacular view of the ocean for the ceremony. The reception and cocktail hour was held conveniently upstairs and the service was great. The bartender was quick and efficient considering there was an open bar and the staff was very courteous and attentive when handing out appetizers. The couple had two signature drinks named after their dogs(Ajax and Dexter) and there was a very photogenic drink called the "shark bite" that had a gummy shark in it. The space was able to accommodate charcuterie and a raw bar during the cocktail hour as well as a dessert room later in the night. The space has a built-in arcade and numerous photo-worthy neon signs and picturesque spots on the balcony and by the beach. There was a photo-booth next to the arcade (although it is a bit snug and can comfortably fit at most three people in it at the time). Dinner was served promptly and the waiters and waitresses were good about clearing cups/plates and refilling water. Later in the evening there were fire-pits set up on the beach for s'mores and a small platform for the couple's last dance. This was a scenic spot and lovely venue to accommodate the ~140 guests at this wedding. I would definitely attend a wedding here again. read more

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Beautiful setting for a wedding! Food and service was amazing. The outdoor area for the ceremony is so pretty with the view of the ocean. read more

UNIMPRESSED! ONLY 2 Ladies rooms stalls in a bathroom that was DOWNSTAIRS on first level. Cocktail Hours was HORRIBLE...servers only served the middle of the room! Food was MEDIOCRE at best! Best part was the view! read more

This venue doesn't need a lot of decorating. Everything is very modern. I attended 2 weddings here, one in August 2016 and October 2017. Everything is great about the venue besides the FOOD! Two very different weddings but I see the BIG improvement in food! The wedding in August 2016, the food was disgusting. I was embarrassed for the wedding couple. I've never been to a wedding where I couldn't even finish my food. And I'm not even sure if it's just the venues food or if it's what the couple choose that was so bad. It was a seated dinner and I had chicken while my husband had beef. Usually, one or the other is bad but both were bad. Very disappointing. BUT, I came again for a wedding this October and the food was good, a big improvement! The cocktail hour was great. They had chicken gyoza, fish and chips, tomato soup and grilled cheese, etc. everything was delicious. This couple choose a buffet style. They had a beef carving station with green beans, a risotto station (a bit overdone for my taste), a Asian station (vegetable fried rice - a bit mushy again but OK, beef and chicken teriyaki, gyoza and a number of different sauces) and a salad station. The way the buffet was executed was very nicely done. No one was on top of each other and there wasn't a crazy long line. A great night! Gorgeous view of the water for dinner time. read more

Although this venue calls itself handicap accessible which technically it is, the area that is for the cocktail hour and the reception room up a staircase on the second floor. They have a lift, but then a folding ramp has to be setup on two areas where there are 2 steps and then another 2 steps to and from the cocktail and reception rooms. There are no restrooms on the second floor so again set up folding ramp, go back to the lift with a staff member to the first floor restrooms, then back up same way. Also there is no ramp leading to the main entrance, you have to go to the back area of the building. I had a wonderful time despite the difficulty being in a wheelchair. read more

I was a guest at a wedding this past weekend. The venue is nice and sits on the beach. My main complaint and reason for the two stars is based on food and the coordinator that was there that night! I am vegan and requested a vegan meal. The bride and groom confirmed two days before, fast forward to dinner time and they bring out a salad( see attached photo) they ask for me by name and hand me the salad. When I ask the gentleman who is in charge of the day where the vegan meal is he said he wasn't aware of any vegan meal and said that's what I get for a meal, a salad! Which the bride and groom paid hefty for a meal! I look down and there's a black hair in it. He takes the salad away and doesn't return for over 20 minutes with a new salad after everyone was done eating! I also overhead multiple times in the back room where you get drinks the servers complaining about guests and the bartender wasn't wearing a mask. I get that they are just getting back into weddings but they made a really bad impression on myself and table! read more

The Oceanview - Nahant - This is my vegan meal - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Nahant, Massachusetts

During the reception they took away all our water glasses while we were dancing (and half full glasses of wine) so my guests were wandering around looking for water, not something I wanted to have to worry about. And rude bartender. Great view though read more

My wife and I had our wedding reception here 9/6/13. It was incredible. The room and the views are beautiful. The food was delicious and there were lots of great options. My wife and I both work at upscale hotels in Boston (many of our guests do as well) and we strive to be as hospitable as The Oceanview was to us. All of our guests have ranted and raved about this place since. We also originally booked with the original owners (Al was great!) and before our date the new owners (Michael and Brenda) came in. Naturally, we were a little bit worried about the transition. However, it was seamless. The new owners are awesome. They honored everything and then some. They also tastefully renovated the room. They updated many things there but still managed to keep that charm of the place that we originally booked. We ended up making out great on the transition. We highly recommend The Oceanview! read more

I don't even know where to start with reviewing how incredible Oceanview of Nahant was as a wedding venue! From the very first meeting with Allison to tour the venue to the very last moment of our wedding, Oceanview was unbelievable. The venue is gorgeous, the food is fantastic, but the true best part is the coordinators who make the whole process easy, fun, and exciting. Everything was perfectly planned for us. Oceanview had thought of everything to make our day perfect. Lish was a fantastic coordinator leading up to our wedding day and during the event. Lish and Claire thought of everything the day of and made the whole day flawless. We also had a ton of fun at the grand tasting event we went to for planning our menu. We did a Saturday day-time wedding and the pricing was great. You truly cannot get a more breathtaking view for your ceremony and reception. We felt so lucky to have our wedding at Oceanview of Nahant! read more

Lets face it, COVID made life difficult but COVID also brought out the true character of people. Oceanview took down payments for weddings they could not deliver on due to COVID. Instead of offering refunds they asked people to reschedule summer weddings for winter weddings are years delays. They wanted their money. When winter weddings could not be executed due to restrictions they offered so considerations. OV was not paying staff, not buying food, and most likely took a COVID relief check from our govt. but what they would not do is refund your money. In talking to others who had weddings cancelled, Oceanview was an outlier. They would not refund for services they never performed. BUYER BEWARE. The people of Oceanview are ethically challenged people in need of a recognition that reputation is everything and at a time of crisis these people will not be with you. Weddings are supposed to be special times and what Oceanview did was make it more stressful. read more

I recently attended a wedding that had its reception at the Oceanview in Nahant, MA. I agree the place could use some updating but the views, decks, and staff more than make up for it. The bartenders were phenomenal (to the point that I don't remember their names..) and even as the reception was ending you never felt any pressure from the staff to leave. Check it out if you want a seaside reception. read more

Attended a wedding/reception here on Saturday and discovered a hidden gem of a venue. The wedding was performed on the lawn overlooking the ocean - the walk up the gravel drive to get there was a challenge in high heels, but the bride and the elderly/handicapped were driven up. Lovely interior design and lighting, nothing cheezy about Oceanview. Friendly and professional bartenders and waitstaff, great food and drinks, and spotless. The building has gorgeous views and decks on the ocean side. Even the DJ, who came with the package, was great. Someone needs to get married so I can go again. :-) read more

Great venue, beautiful grounds and delicious food. The reception I attended was a great time, but there was one very noticeable problem: the bartenders, Paul in particular. After working up a sweat on the dance floor, I was parched and needed some water before I had another beer. I asked Paul for a glass of water and he told me in a rude tone that there was a tank of water out on the deck on the other side of the venue. He then preceded to ignore me, not accommodate my very simple request and serve other guests. Now, I understand that the staff went to the trouble of putting the water in a convenient (yet hard-to-spot from the dance floor) location... But I find it highly inappropriate to refuse to pour a simple glass of water for a guest. Paul was rude, impersonal and the low point of an otherwise enjoyable evening. He's clearly not cut out to be a bartender. I heard several other guests complaining about his terrible demeanor and service. Oceanview... Get rid of this bum, please. read more

My husband and I got married here in 1991. We had both the ceremony and reception. I still get people commenting on what a wonderful wedding location. read more

To those brides in the North Shore and Boston area, I cannot recommend Michelle enough. She is very professional, easy to work with, and an extremely talented hair and makeup artist. She was patient with me as I continued to change my mind about what hair style wanted (because choosing between up and done seemed like the biggest decision in the world at the time!) Once I gave her a picture of what I had in mind, she executed it beautifully. She and her assistant were on time at my parent's home. She paid equal attention to the bridesmaids, and we all felt like our best version of ourselves by the time she was done. I only wish I could have her do my hair and makeup every day! She went above and beyond, even jumping in to help us with the bouquets. Her prices were also reasonable, based on my research of other beauticians in the area. You won't regret selecting Michelle for your big day! read more

I had my wedding here back in March 2012 and was more than pleased with my experience both during the preparation and day of our wedding. Al is THEE best! Not only is he sweet, but also extremely helpful when it came to all of the planning. He provided several great vendor referrals and had the entire day mapped out by the half hour for both us and our vendors so everyone was on the same page and organized. Paula is another fabulous Oceanview worker. She handles things such as flowers, centerpieces, linen colors etc. She was helpful in deciding in these categories and when I saw the room all put together the night of my wedding, it was so beautiful and I credit her to the linens and flower pieces in both the dining hall and bar area for cocktail hour. Ralph (room captain) was helpful during the day/night of our wedding also. He was great at keeping things in a timely manner. Susan (our cocktail waitress) as well as the rest of the staff gave impeccable service. She took care of our needs as well as other important people in our wedding party and family. She was attentive and great. Overall, the Oceanview was the perfect place for our wedding. It is the best view of the ocean, awesome service and well priced. Taking into consideration for all the crazy fees wedding venues charge these days, the Oceanview strictly charges sales tax. Gratuity is included the prices listed and no extra fees are charged at all. It was great! So pleased! Wish i could relive that day again and partly because my venue was so amazing!! read more

The Oceanview of Nahant is the place to have your wedding and/or reception! (We had both our ceremony and reception here on April 30, 2011). Al, Paula and Ralph were all so wonderful to deal with! They are definitely detail-oriented and they do such a great job of taking care of you, that you do not need to worry about a thing! Their preferred vendor list was also incredibly helpful, we ended up using their preferred DJ, hotel and limo, and their recommendations were simply top notch! (please note that the Oceanview does not require you to use their preferred vendors, it is optional). The food that they serve is simply incredible, everyone commented on how delicious the hors d'oeuvres were as well as the dinner! Their wedding packages include so many things, and there are so many little details that the Oceanview attends to, they made everything look so beautiful! The venue itself is very nice looking, and the view of the ocean is simply gorgeous. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a terrific wedding venue. This family-owned establishment is simply perfect. Thank you to Al, Paula and Ralph, you made our wedding perfect! read more