Atasca Hampshire

(617) 621-6991

50 Hampshire St
Cambridge, MA 02139 42.3669 -71.0928

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Neighborhood: Area IV

ATASCA.COM

Price:

$$

Last updated 1.24.11

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

American Express, Cash, Visa, Discover, MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Group Dining, Dine At The Bar, Outdoor Dining, Notable Wine List

Cuisine:

Portuguese

Smoking Permitted:

No

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About Atasca Hampshire

Featured Review

Contributor

Contributor

The Scene – With its cool décor of saturated but subdued colors and mix of small tables and booths, Atasca wouldn't look at all out of place in Lisbon's Chiado district. Tables are often shoved together for en masse dining like visiting Portuguese trade delegations or East Cambridge family gatherings. – – The Food – Hands down, Atasca is the best place in Greater Boston to sample a wide range of Portuguese regional cuisines. Appetizers tend to be simple and bold: linguiça with grilled slices of pineapple, or grilled fresh sardines in vinaigrette. The delicate…

Editor's Tips

Where to Sit:
Five stools at the bar are great spots for solo diners, letting you swivel around to survey the scene.
Know Before You Go:
Reservations are recommended and only taken for parties of six or more.
ambiance
73.33000183105469% positive
  1. “would recommend this restaurant if you have been to Portugal and want to recreate that food and atmosphere in Cambridge.”
  2. “Great atmosphere, food and service”
  3. “While the decor was nice, the appetizers and deserts were totally overpriced, and the entrees were either mediocre or horrible.”
dessert
20.0% positive
  1. “While the decor was nice, the appetizers and deserts were totally overpriced, and the entrees were either mediocre or horrible.”
drinks
100.0% positive
  1. “We ordered drinks (great Sangrilla) and asked for bread but were told bread comes after ordering dinner.”
  2. “It was a great experience in Portugese food and drink, from the salt cod fritters and the linguisa to the vinho verde and Super Bock beer.”
food quality
85.0% positive
  1. “The fish and the chicken dishes are very good and very flavorful.”
  2. “Though the food is always impeccable, the service can sometimes be prickly.”
  3. “Good food but "rules" too stringent.”
  4. “The pork was obviously from a cheap cut, the sauce was bad, the potatoes were bad--the whole entree was so unappetizing I seriously considered sending it back.”
  5. “The bacalhau (salted cod fish) is fantastic!”
  6. “And the food, which features authentic regional specialties, is out of this world.”
  7. “The pork was thinly sliced and the shrimps were huge.”
  8. “had terrible fish poisoning here and horrible service.”
  9. “would recommend this restaurant if you have been to Portugal and want to recreate that food and atmosphere in Cambridge.”
  10. “Start with the delicious small plates like the linguica pork sausage with grilled pineapple, the grilled fresh sardines in vinaigrette, or shrimp with a hot spicy piri-piri sauce.”
  11. “But the food was tasty but then so are hundreds of other restaurants who like one to return.”
  12. “It was a great experience in Portugese food and drink, from the salt cod fritters and the linguisa to the vinho verde and Super Bock beer.”
  13. “We ordered drinks (great Sangrilla) and asked for bread but were told bread comes after ordering dinner.”
  14. “Great atmosphere, food and service”
  15. “serves authentic traditional Portuguese food in an elegant upscale setting.”
  16. “But that aside, Atasca is the best place in Boston for authentic upscale Portuguese cuisine.”
  17. “Worst Portuguese food I've ever eaten”
  18. “Bonesless chicken in a light sauce w/ veggies and rice was very tasty.”
  19. “Apps were good, tomatoes with portugese cheese was reminiscent of mozarella and the fava beans and grilled calamari were tasty too.”
  20. “The sumptous flavors, colorful dishes, charming staff and reasonable prices make a wonderful evening out of just stopping by for dinner.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “But that aside, Atasca is the best place in Boston for authentic upscale Portuguese cuisine.”
return potential
100.0% positive
  1. “But the food was tasty but then so are hundreds of other restaurants who like one to return.”
service
55.56000232696533% positive
  1. “The so-so dining experience was made up by a very friendly wait staff.”
  2. “had terrible fish poisoning here and horrible service.”
  3. “Food is ok but certainly not worth the rude service.”
  4. “And I have never seen such a bad and rude service.”
  5. “am in full agreement with other reviewers regarding the owner/manager and the service.”
  6. “went on a Friday night with a reservation, was sat immediately and the service was good throughout the night.”
  7. “Great atmosphere, food and service”
  8. “The sumptous flavors, colorful dishes, charming staff and reasonable prices make a wonderful evening out of just stopping by for dinner.”
  9. “Though the food is always impeccable, the service can sometimes be prickly.”
value
36.6700005531311% positive
  1. “plus expensive.”
  2. “The pork was thinly sliced and the shrimps were huge.”
  3. “Food is ok but certainly not worth the rude service.”
  4. “The pork was obviously from a cheap cut, the sauce was bad, the potatoes were bad--the whole entree was so unappetizing I seriously considered sending it back.”
  5. “While the decor was nice, the appetizers and deserts were totally overpriced, and the entrees were either mediocre or horrible.”
  6. “The sumptous flavors, colorful dishes, charming staff and reasonable prices make a wonderful evening out of just stopping by for dinner.”
1 Star Rating: Poor

10/25/09

Dirty poisonous place

by ladygaga at Citysearch

I had terrible fish poisoning here and horrible service. The owner is little dirty disrespectful man who has know clue about customer service! I met a cook in a bathroom and he did not wash his hands after he peed. I wanted to leave right away and call hygiene control or smth. Yaaaak! My friends insisted we stay since they were very hungry but after I left I vomited and was sick the whole weekend. I called the manager afterwards and he started yelling at me as if it was my fault. Never ever again!

  • Cons: staff don't wash hands, not a fresh fish
3 Star Rating: Average

01/21/09

Upscale Portuguese the service can sometimes be prickly.

by hardinghouseinncambrdge at Citysearch

Atasca, which means ?neighborhood place,? serves authentic traditional Portuguese food in an elegant upscale setting. With its ultra-modern wall-to-wall glass facade, Atasca fits right into Kendall?s Tech Square. But inside, its like a regal Portuguese palace with colorful native ceramics, traditional folk paintings, and a brick hearth. And the food, which features authentic regional specialties, is out of this world. Start with the delicious small plates like the linguica pork sausage with grilled pineapple, the grilled fresh sardines in vinaigrette, or shrimp with a hot spicy piri-piri sauce. Main course favorites include grilled dry salt cod drizzled with hot olive oil and garlic; and south Portugal?s signature dish of succulent pork loin with clams, paprika, and cilantro. Though the food is always impeccable, the service can sometimes be prickly. Even if you are starving, waiters refuse to bring you bread until after you order; and they are very inflexible about splitting bills on different credit cards. But that aside, Atasca is the best place in Boston for authentic upscale Portuguese cuisine.

1 Star Rating: Poor

01/04/09

not worh the time and money

by sarahww at Citysearch

it was very disappointing... the food was rather bland and not really authentic portuguese.. plus expensive. And I have never seen such a bad and rude service...

  • Pros: none
  • Cons: service, parking, price
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

08/28/08

Great Portuguese Food!

by AMEAR at Citysearch

Many times I miss the feeling of being in Portugal and going to A Tasca brings back the feeling of dinners with friends and family in Lisbon. The food is some of the closest that I have found to true Portuguese food in Boston. I have been to this restaurant several times with my American friends and family and they have all enjoyed. The bacalhau (salted cod fish) is fantastic!

4 Star Rating: Recommended

09/22/07

Great atmosphere, food and service

by eshaw21 at Citysearch

I went to Atasca on the recommendation of two Portugese friends. I trusted their judgement but also read a couple of bad reviews regarding the service and quality of food. I went on a Friday night with a reservation, was sat immediately and the service was good throughout the night. It was a great experience in Portugese food and drink, from the salt cod fritters and the linguisa to the vinho verde and Super Bock beer. I would recommend this restaurant if you have been to Portugal and want to recreate that food and atmosphere in Cambridge. When we got up to leave the restaurant, the proprieter thanked us for coming to the restaurant and wished us a good night. I definitely recommend giving this place a try-- and I will certainly go back. In additon, the prices were very fair.

The Details on Atasca Hampshire

Place Categories:

  • rude service
  • authentic traditional portuguese food
  • fantastic salted cod fish
  • recommend restaurant
  • great dining experience
  • dirty poisonous place
  • very good chicken dishes
  • very friendly wait staff
  • mediocre entrees
  • dry salt cod
  • authentic upscale portuguese cuisine
  • celebrate town guests
  • delicious small plates
  • bad potatoes
  • great pricesall
  • full agreement
  • great sangrilla
  • elegant upscale setting
  • fantastic bacalhau
  • bad sauce
  • tasty grilled calamari
  • big veal chop
  • nice decor
  • totally overpriced deserts
  • expensive plus
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