Every friend group has one: the reunion that lives in the group chat.
Someone says "we should all get together," everyone agrees, and then nothing happens — for years. The stories are ready. The people are willing. What's missing is a date and a table. Here's how to actually make it happen in Monmouth County, whether it's a milestone class reunion or just a long-overdue night out with the old crew.
Skip the Banquet Hall (For Now)
The number one reason reunions die in the planning stage: someone turns a dinner into a production. Venue rentals, caterers, deposits, decorations committees, a DJ nobody asked for. Before long the person organizing it is running a second job, and the whole thing quietly gets shelved.
For groups up to about 35 people, there's a much easier play: book a restaurant's private room. One reservation replaces the venue, the caterer, the setup, and the cleanup. Everyone shows up, eats well, and the organizer actually gets to enjoy the night too.
The Whole Playbook
- 1. Pick the date first. Not the venue, not the menu — the date. Throw two or three options in the group chat and let the majority win.
- 2. Book the room. A private dining room for 12–35 takes one phone call. Aim for 3–4 weeks ahead — more during the holidays, when everyone's home and every group has the same idea.
- 3. Set the menu once. A prix fixe or limited-choice menu means nobody's doing math on 30 separate checks at midnight.
- 4. Collect a headcount, not a committee. One organizer, one RSVP deadline. Done.
- 5. Show up. The stories handle the rest.
Monmouth Alumni: Your Date Is Already Picked
If your group is Monmouth University alumni, the hardest part is solved for you. Homecoming and Reunion Weekend is October 2–4, 2026, with the alumni tailgate Saturday morning before the Hawks host Towson. Half your old crew will be in West Long Branch that weekend anyway — the only question is where everyone lands when the game ends.
The Squire is less than a mile from campus — about three minutes from the tailgate lot to the table. Book dinner for Friday night to kick the weekend off, or Saturday night after the game when everyone's ready to sit down somewhere warm and keep talking. If 2026 is a milestone year for your class, the university's reunion events run that same weekend — a private room dinner is the natural after-party your class actually gets to hear each other at.
More on everything we do for Hawks families year-round — graduations, parents weekends, alumni events — on our Monmouth University page.
High School Reunions, Close to Home
Class reunions work best near the place where the stories happened. People fly in from all over — what they want when they land is the Jersey Shore they remember, not a hotel ballroom off the Parkway.
The Squire sits in West Long Branch — the same town as Shore Regional High School — and minutes from Long Branch, Ocean Township, Monmouth Regional, and Rumson-Fair Haven. If your class scattered across the country years ago, this is the kind of central, familiar spot that makes "yes" easy: close to the old neighborhoods, easy parking, and a real dinner instead of passed appetizers.
You Don't Need a Milestone
Here's the thing nobody tells you about reunions: the years ending in five and zero are not magic. You don't have to wait for the 20th. Some of the best alumni nights are six people on a random Thursday — old roommates, former teammates, the group chat that finally picked a date.
For a casual alumni night, skip the private room entirely — reserve a table, order some shareable plates and a round of cocktails, and let the night run. Time it right and there's a live set rolling while you catch up.
Live Music This Week
Music runs Thursday through Saturday from 5:30 — a built-in soundtrack for a night of old stories. Here's who's on stage at The Squire in the coming nights; tap any show for a little about the artist.
Who's Playing This Week
Monmouth County's own Scott Elk grew up in a family of musicians and has become a staple of the Jersey Shore scene, performing solo, as a duo, and fronting the party band Guilty Pleasure. Known around the Shore for sing-along covers of Pearl Jam, U2, Bon Jovi, Train, and Dave Matthews Band, he's even been invited onstage by the Goo Goo Dolls' frontman to sing 'Black Balloon.'
Join us for a night of live music with Aligah Jade — dinner, drinks, and a great time in West Long Branch. Music kicks off at 5:30 PM.
Join us for a night of live music with JSoul — dinner, drinks, and a great time in West Long Branch. Music kicks off at 5:30 PM.
John "The Crooner" Buccheri brings over three decades of showmanship to the dining room, singing the timeless songs of Frank Sinatra, Johnny Mathis, Engelbert Humperdinck, and Tom Jones alongside his own originals. Voted "Best Crooner" in the Staten Island Advance readers' poll, he's a guest favorite whose charm and classic style truly make the evening.
Join us for a night of live music with Alan — dinner, drinks, and a great time in West Long Branch. Music kicks off at 5:30 PM.
Jeffier Lamar is a beloved Long Branch musician whose uplifting performances earned him an official proclamation from the Mayor of Long Branch for music that "brings people together, fosters a sense of community, and creates connections in ways words alone cannot accomplish." Expect a warm, feel-good set from a true local favorite.
Schedule updates daily · tap a night for more · see the full schedule & artist bios · or call 732-542-5050
When the Group Hits 12+: The Private Room
Once the RSVP list clears a dozen, a private room stops being a luxury and starts being the difference between one conversation and five separate tables shouting at each other. The Squire's private dining room holds 12 to 35 guests in a fully enclosed space — room to move around, make a toast, prop up the old team photo, and actually talk to everyone.
- Custom prix fixe or limited-choice menus built around your group and budget
- Family-style service if you want the table to feel like somebody's house
- Audio capability for toasts, a slideshow soundtrack, or background music
- Wine pairings from the cellar and dietary accommodations with notice
And if the class list outgrows 35 — it happens, word travels — Branches Events is in the same building, with event spaces built for the full-size reunion. Same kitchen philosophy, bigger room. Start at one, scale to the other.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can The Squire host a class reunion?
Yes. The Squire's private dining room in West Long Branch accommodates 12 to 35 guests and regularly hosts class reunions, alumni dinners, and milestone gatherings, with menus customized to your group.
What if our reunion is larger than 35 people?
Branches Events, located in the same building as The Squire, offers dedicated event spaces for larger reunions and celebrations.
Is The Squire close to Monmouth University?
Yes. The Squire is less than a mile from Monmouth University's campus — about a 3-minute drive — making it a natural home base for alumni gatherings and homecoming weekend dinners.
When is Monmouth University's Homecoming in 2026?
Monmouth University's Homecoming and Reunion Weekend is October 2-4, 2026, with the alumni tailgate and home football game against Towson on Saturday, October 3.
Do we need a private room for a casual alumni night?
Not at all. Smaller groups can simply reserve a table in the main dining room — there's live music Thursday through Saturday evenings. The private room makes sense once your group reaches about 12 or more.
Send the Message
You already have the people. You already have the stories. All that's left is the date and the table — and the table part takes one call. Contact us about the private room, or just reserve a table and get the group chat moving.
Planning a Reunion or Alumni Night?
One call books the room. We'll handle everything but the old stories.
