UpStairs on the Square

(617) 864-1933

91 Winthrop St (At John F. Kennedy St, Harvard Square & Vicinity)
Cambridge, MA 02138 42.3721 -71.1208

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Neighborhood: West Cambridge

UPSTAIRSONTHESQUARE.COM

Years in business

Established in 1982

Hours:

Daily 11am-1am

Price:

$$$$

Last updated 7.26.11

Category:

Restaurants , Certified Green Restaurant(R)

Payment Methods:

American Express , Travelers Check , Gift Certificate , Visa , Discover , Diners Club , MasterCard

Restaurant Special Features:

Private Rooms , Romantic Dining , Fine Dining , Outdoor Dining , People Watching , Business Dining , Online Reservations , Group Dining , Fireplace , Dine At The Bar , Bar Scene , Notable Wine List

Cuisine:

New American , Traditional American , Seafood

Smoking Permitted:

No

Editor's Tips

What People Are Saying About UpStairs on the Square

Featured Review

Eric Grossman

Contributor

Like an elegantly demented take on "Alice in Wonderland," the restaurant's Monday Club Bar is all odd angles and colorful touches, while the upstairs Soiree Room is a vision in pink, outfitted with a mirrored ceiling. Fireplaces are everywhere, as are colorful, knowledgeable waiters. Options abound: The Soiree Room serves pricier, contemporary dishes (farm vegetables and tiny ricotta gnocchi dressed with cardamom wine broth, shitake mushrooms and mint), while the Monday Club Bar features a more affordable menu of smaller, offbeat items (beet chitarra with crisp short rib and candied ginger).…

Editor's Tips

Parking:
There's a serious lack of parking in the immediate area. Expect to valet your car ($14) on busy nights and weekends.
What to Drink:
You'll never see a wine list (binder, really) compiled in such a fresh, wine-lover-focused way. Wine director Matthew Reiser will earnestly convince you to trust your palate.
Parking:
There's a serious lack of parking in the immediate area. Expect to valet your car ($14) on busy nights and weekends, or get validated at three nearby garages.
Know Before You Go:
Even if it's not on the menu, a five-course vegan tasting is available five nights a week. Ask and ye shall receive.
ambiance
100.0% positive
  1. “The room is enchanting and the decor is fun.”
  2. “My first experiences were pleasurable-great staff, excellent food, fun atmosphere.”
  3. “The decorations are great - the food is great - the service is great.”
  4. “The food is excellent and the atmosphere is really relaxed.”
  5. “Service - good, sometimes snooty - overall room ambience is not consistent with fine dining experience.”
  6. “The formal atmosphere and beautiful china is tempered by a Zebra-print rug and hot pink walls in the first floor dining room.”
  7. “The menu has a number of unique offerings and the atmosphere is a high end fun.”
  8. “The decor is so cool, unlike any other restaurant in Boston.”
  9. “The food was amazing, the decor was almost worth the trip itself.”
  10. “We dined in the elegant and romantic soiree room and ordered from the special event menu.”
  11. “The food, service, and ambiance was amazing!”
dessert
100.0% positive
  1. “The soup was mouth-watering and anchored with a touch of cream, while the frise salad came with a poached egg, lardons, home-made croutons, and fresh field greens.”
  2. “Leave room for the yummy dessert!”
  3. “We had the apple strudel and they wrote a Happy Birthday message and gave a candle to my mom.”
  4. “do have to say, the desserts were outstanding, even though we waited a good 30 min.”
drinks
90.90999603271484% positive
  1. “Speaking of which, it is a great wine list - and it is a beautiful space - I would highly recommend sitting at the bar and having a glass of wine, but don't eat the food.”
  2. “To start the wine director came over to help us choose the perfect wine for our meals and it was very reasonably priced and the best!”
  3. “He made a huge deal of telling us that the wine we ordered was sold out and they were giving us a deal by bringing a much nicer wine for the same price, as if it was a huge favor.”
  4. “We felt the service was very attentive and took the time to discuss food and wine with us.”
  5. “wonderful spot for tea”
  6. “3) The waiter is great with spilling water and coffee but not with listening to a customer's order.”
  7. “Good wine list.”
  8. “enjoyed decadent French toast and I love the MEM tea selections they carry.”
  9. “Impressive wine list that is shared with the upstairs restaurant.”
  10. “Service was ok, wine list very good, prices not justified, my lamb $39.00, asked for m/r came m/w, lamb ragu quite pleasant, but when did a rack mean 3 small chops, which looked like they were "in shake and bake" my partners steak was perfect, room was al”
  11. “compare it to No. 9 because many menu items are similar - salads with farm fresh eggs, lardons everywhere, gnocci, weird cocktails, etc.”
food quality
85.27000427246094% positive
  1. “Good food.”
  2. “enjoyed decadent French toast and I love the MEM tea selections they carry.”
  3. “The veggies were cold ~ the steak was alright.”
  4. “We got much more than we bargained for; everything was very rich, and very delicious.”
  5. “The food was good and the portions were reasonable.”
  6. “We got sat late, the waiter left us for 10 minutes, water took for ever, refills had to be asked for, food took long, salad was disgusting, everything is crazy expensive.”
  7. “And the UpStairs Blondie, a white dough brownie with butter rum sauce and toasted pecans, is unique vanilla treat that you will be talking about long after you leave.”
  8. “Speaking of which, it is a great wine list - and it is a beautiful space - I would highly recommend sitting at the bar and having a glass of wine, but don't eat the food.”
  9. “also enjoyed the skirt steak that, while slightly oily, was well seasoned and medium rare.”
  10. “Overall, $200+ for two after tax and tip was out of line - great food does not make up for an environment that detracts from the ability to enjoy the food.”
  11. “The food at Upstairs is sooo delicious!”
  12. “The pasta was tender with a nice bite and the beef was fork tender.”
  13. “Lunch is elegant and a good deal, with delicious tomato soup and grilled cheese.”
  14. “Every meal that we ordered was delicious and unique.”
  15. “So we left and had a nice meal for about one fifth of the cost nearby.”
  16. “We all devoured our beautiful dishes that tasted equally grand.”
  17. “It had a buttery texture, and the grilled cheese was tasty as well - the ultimate comfort food.”
  18. “Eat downstairs, where the food is more reasonable, I've been downstairs many times and it has always been perfect.”
  19. “all the way home to Boylston Street to compensate for the rich food, but it was completely worth the effort.”
  20. “Food - good, sometimes great, but many places offer great food with better experiences and lower $$.”
  21. “Here he thoroughly enjoyed his meal and didn't try to analyze the complex flavors in his meal-- he simply enjoyed.”
  22. “The wait service is impeccable and the American cuisine is some of the best you will have anywhere.”
  23. “With the price I am paying, I know that I will get at least good food at comparable restaurants.”
  24. “Brunch is also yummy with the most amazing bread basket.”
  25. “First let me say, the food itself was amazing.”
  26. “She proceeded to charge one friend the full price of the meal, me 3/4 the price of our meal, and so forth.”
  27. “My new favorite comfort dish is the roasted red pepper soup and my girlfriend loved the frise salad.”
  28. “I'd have to agree that the food is mediocre and overpriced.”
  29. “Bravo to the chefs for creating a wonderfully juicy Beef Tenderloin and very tasty scallops.”
  30. “The menu was impossible to order from and the food we did order was decent, but certainly not worth the money.”
  31. “It was just right -- fresh greens with a tangy vinaigrette.”
  32. “The soup was mouth-watering and anchored with a touch of cream, while the frise salad came with a poached egg, lardons, home-made croutons, and fresh field greens.”
  33. “Service was ok, wine list very good, prices not justified, my lamb $39.00, asked for m/r came m/w, lamb ragu quite pleasant, but when did a rack mean 3 small chops, which looked like they were "in shake and bake" my partners steak was perfect, room was al”
  34. “The decorations are great - the food is great - the service is great.”
  35. “We had reservations on a Saturday night (highly recommended) and were told it was going to be a slight wait (but that should be expected every place that is this popular on Saturdays) My husband had the Steak and I had the rabbit, which is now my all time”
  36. “Upstairs on the Square is a master of combining unique flavors in such a way that you can taste each component individually, while losing yourself in the harmony they create as a dish.”
  37. “Bad food - bad attitude.”
  38. “My first experiences were pleasurable-great staff, excellent food, fun atmosphere.”
  39. “was made to feel like I was an idiot not to like these foods, but I stood my ground and got my salad.”
  40. “Super delicious.”
  41. “Two dinners were good but very small - the 2 steak dinners were so tough as to be inedible.”
  42. “They were horribly embarassed, the food was terrible.”
  43. “The food was amazing, the decor was almost worth the trip itself.”
  44. “But I can comment on the fact that if you plan to make a reservation at a nice restaurant and spend $150/person on the meal, then Upstairs on the Square is not the place to go because their ability to courteously host and seat their customers is hardly wo”
  45. “We felt the service was very attentive and took the time to discuss food and wine with us.”
  46. “It was pricey but worth it because I had a great time and the food was pretty darn good.”
  47. “highly recommend the kobe beef skewers.”
  48. “Service was impecable and the food was delicious.”
  49. “compare it to No. 9 because many menu items are similar - salads with farm fresh eggs, lardons everywhere, gnocci, weird cocktails, etc.”
  50. “The combination of a classic bolognese, fresh fennel fronds and hand rolled pasta is reason alone to visit this restaurant.”
  51. “The food, service, and ambiance was amazing!”
  52. “The food is excellent and the atmosphere is really relaxed.”
  53. “The sauces and sides for the tuna dish--almonds, peas, and olive tapenade-- highlighted the fresh flavor of the seared tuna steak.”
  54. “The french onion soup was good, not great, but the tomato soup was delicious.”
  55. “VERY loud table very close to us, ruined the 2nd half of our meal - not the restaurants' fault, but with the room not full, why the proximity?”
  56. “Leave room for the yummy dessert!”
menu variety
80.0% positive
  1. “enjoyed decadent French toast and I love the MEM tea selections they carry.”
  2. “The menu has a number of unique offerings and the atmosphere is a high end fun.”
  3. “The menu was impossible to order from and the food we did order was decent, but certainly not worth the money.”
  4. “compare it to No. 9 because many menu items are similar - salads with farm fresh eggs, lardons everywhere, gnocci, weird cocktails, etc.”
  5. “We dined in the elegant and romantic soiree room and ordered from the special event menu.”
overall
100.0% positive
  1. “It is a great place to come for a unique, admittedly overpriced, cocktail.”
  2. “great place for lunch or dinner in Cambridge.”
  3. “Upstairs On The Square is a great place for lunch or dinner”
  4. “This is my new favorite restaurant.”
  5. “This is a great place for dinner in Cambridge.”
  6. “But I can comment on the fact that if you plan to make a reservation at a nice restaurant and spend $150/person on the meal, then Upstairs on the Square is not the place to go because their ability to courteously host and seat their customers is hardly wo”
service
76.66999816894531% positive
  1. “Brunch was in the Monday Club Bar, downstairs and the service was great, we saw lots of different faces, helping us, but we were never for want.”
  2. “was absolutely delighted to be greeted in the Monday room by a friendly maitre'd and was seated promptly near the roaring fireplace.”
  3. “We felt the service was very attentive and took the time to discuss food and wine with us.”
  4. “3) The waiter is great with spilling water and coffee but not with listening to a customer's order.”
  5. “The service was extremly slow, but good when actually aorund.”
  6. “The bartender was friendly and attentive.”
  7. “The food, service, and ambiance was amazing!”
  8. “The service was so bad we thought our table was not on the floor plan.”
  9. “The wait service is impeccable and the American cuisine is some of the best you will have anywhere.”
  10. “Waitstaff was fast and friendly.”
  11. “The decorations are great - the food is great - the service is great.”
  12. “My first experiences were pleasurable-great staff, excellent food, fun atmosphere.”
  13. “At first I thought the service was slow - then I realized I am getting used to not being rushed.”
  14. “All the staff were excellent apart from the waiter who seemed like it was all to much of a bother.”
  15. “We got sat late, the waiter left us for 10 minutes, water took for ever, refills had to be asked for, food took long, salad was disgusting, everything is crazy expensive.”
value
65.38000106811523% positive
  1. “all the way home to Boylston Street to compensate for the rich food, but it was completely worth the effort.”
  2. “The food was amazing, the decor was almost worth the trip itself.”
  3. “It is a great place to come for a unique, admittedly overpriced, cocktail.”
  4. “With the price I am paying, I know that I will get at least good food at comparable restaurants.”
  5. “We got sat late, the waiter left us for 10 minutes, water took for ever, refills had to be asked for, food took long, salad was disgusting, everything is crazy expensive.”
  6. “would go more often it fhe prices were lower but this is an amazing restaurant, definitely going to be my special occasion place from now on.”
  7. “He made a huge deal of telling us that the wine we ordered was sold out and they were giving us a deal by bringing a much nicer wine for the same price, as if it was a huge favor.”
  8. “Service was ok, wine list very good, prices not justified, my lamb $39.00, asked for m/r came m/w, lamb ragu quite pleasant, but when did a rack mean 3 small chops, which looked like they were "in shake and bake" my partners steak was perfect, room was al”
  9. “The menu was impossible to order from and the food we did order was decent, but certainly not worth the money.”
  10. “She proceeded to charge one friend the full price of the meal, me 3/4 the price of our meal, and so forth.”
  11. “I'd have to agree that the food is mediocre and overpriced.”
  12. “It was pricey but worth it because I had a great time and the food was pretty darn good.”
  13. “The food was good and the portions were reasonable.”
wait time
30.0% positive
  1. “At first I thought the service was slow - then I realized I am getting used to not being rushed.”
  2. “We got sat late, the waiter left us for 10 minutes, water took for ever, refills had to be asked for, food took long, salad was disgusting, everything is crazy expensive.”
  3. “And the UpStairs Blondie, a white dough brownie with butter rum sauce and toasted pecans, is unique vanilla treat that you will be talking about long after you leave.”
  4. “The service was extremly slow, but good when actually aorund.”
  5. “Service was slow and not terribly knowledgeable.”
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

02/14/11

Yummy, Green, and Super Friendly

by Ailish at Citysearch

Definitely one of the best restaurants in Harvard Sq. My friend and I went there to try their special SuperBowl menu. We just got appetizers and drinks, but they were extremely good. The maple-glazed wings especially (though according to the chef, whom we met, there was a lot of bourbon in the glaze, too). And the cocktails were quite creative - I especially liked the smoky-sweet mezcal cocktail. They also had a lot of info on the origins of the alcohols (and whether they were organic or sustainably produced) in the wine menu, which was awesome. And they gave us complimentary dessert, possibly because we got so many drinks. Overall it was a fabulous experience, and the fact that it's a green certified restaurant made me feel that much better about going there.

1 Star Rating: Poor

03/28/09

A really bad experience

by customer2 at Citysearch

My party of four arrived at 8.30 pm for an 8.30 reservation. The hostess - an ugly disinterested troll - made us wait for 20 minutes in a dark crowded hallway where people were pushing past us to go to the washroom. A second hostess - a younger bimbo with no qualifications - told us that our table would be another 10 - 15 minutes. No apologies or explanation. We were treated like dirt.

(For those readers who think the previous paragraph is sexist, all I can say is that my wife concurs with this assessment of the appearance and behavior of the hostesses.)

We noticed that other people were invited to sit at the bar so we pushed our way into the restaurant and stood at the bar where we waited ten minutes to be served.

45 minutes after arriving I asked the bimbo when our table would be ready and said if it wasn't soon we would leave (which we should have done at that point). Nothing happened so after a few minutes I told her to go upstairs and find out if the table she had said would be ready in 15 minutes half an hour ago was ready. She came back and said it was. This was 45 minutes after the time of our reservation.

We went upstairs to find the staff throwing a tablecloth over a table that really was too big for four people.

We had planned to have the vegetarian and vegan tasting menus promoted on the website but first we didn't get menus for the tasting menu and then the waiter made it pretty clear that, because it was now 9.30, the tasting menu was not a good idea because it took a long time. As if the fact that it was so late was our fault? The vegan tasting menu was not on the menus we finally forced the waiter to give us.

So we left and had a nice meal for about one fifth of the cost nearby.

I can't comment on the food at Upstairs on the Square because we never got any.

But I can comment on the fact that if you plan to make a reservation at a nice restaurant and spend $150/person on the meal, then Upstairs on the Square is not the place to go because their ability to courteously host and seat their customers is hardly world class. In fact, it's unconsciounably bad.

  • Pros: None
  • Cons: Too many to list
2 Star Rating: Below Average

02/09/09

OVERPRICED HYPE: DON'T GO

by marylouisa at Citysearch

HAVING SEEN THE VERY FAVORABLE REVIEW OF "UPSTAIRS" ON CHRONICLE RECENTLY, MY FRIEND AND I WENT FOR BRUNCH YESTERDAY (02/09/09) AND LEFT FEELING VERY DISAPPOINTED FOR THESE REASONS: THE FOOD WAS ONLY MEDIOCRE--OUR APPETIZER OF PROSCIUTTO AND MELONS (AT $10) WAS SKIMPY WITH ONLY TWO THIN NOT-QUITE-RIPE SLICES OF HONEYDEW AND CANTALOUPE; MY ENTREE, FRENCH TOAST ($14) WAS SO DENSE AND SYRUPY RICH THAT I WAS UNABLE TO FINISH IT (IN FACT, I GAGGED AT THE MERE THOUGHT OF SUGAR FOR THE REST OF THE DAY); AND THE COFFEE WAS LUKEWARM, DESPITE REPEATED CUPS, EACH OF WHICH HAD GROUNDS SWIMMING IN THE BOTTOM. MY FRIEND'S FRESH-EGG TART ($13) WAS LITTLE MORE THAN MUSH, THOUGH SHE LIKED THE SALAD DRESSING ON THE GREENS THAT CAME WITH THE EGG DISH. THE BRUNCH MENU WAS VERY LIMITED.

ON THE BRIGHTER SIDE, OUR MALE WAITER, THOUGH VERY BUSY, WAS PLEASANT AND ATTENTIVE, AND THE REST OF THE STAFF SEEMED CHEERFUL. THIS, HOWEVER, WAS SCANT COMPENSATION FOR THE EXORBITANT PRICE OF OUR UNSATISFACTORY GOURMET EXPERIENCE. WE WILL ADVISE OUR FRIENDS NOT TO MAKE OUR MISTAKE, NOR DO WE PLAN TO RETURN.

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

01/21/09

Perfect Date

by FPlover at Citysearch

I took my boyfriend here for his birthday, which also happened to be the night of Obama's inauguration. I can't imagine a better place to have spent this important day! We dined in the elegant and romantic soiree room and ordered from the special event menu. Between the two of us we tasted everything on the Obama menu. It's always a challenge finding a place that won't disappoint my boyfriend, a five-star chef by profession. Here he thoroughly enjoyed his meal and didn't try to analyze the complex flavors in his meal-- he simply enjoyed. They also surprised him by presenting him with a beautifully scripted birthday message on his dessert. (I had mentioned his birthday when I made reservations). Strongly recommended!

5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

01/21/09

A heavenly experience

by hardinghouseinncambrdge at Citysearch

Dining at UpStairs on the Square can best be described as a heavenly experience. Located in the center of Harvard Square overlooking a park, the two-story restaurant features all the trappings of a fine dining establishment - but with a funky twist. The formal atmosphere and beautiful china is tempered by a Zebra-print rug and hot pink walls in the first floor dining room. The more formal second floor Soiree Room is adorned with lipstick-pink and gold walls with a mirrored ceiling. The wait service is impeccable and the American cuisine is some of the best you will have anywhere. The flavorful Seared Nantucket Sea Scallops melt in your mouth. The Crispy Golden Halibut with Smoky Bacon and Marinated Shrimp make you want to sing with delight. Amazingly, the deserts are even better. Their famous Milk Chocolate Pecan Turtles are a slice of nirvana without being too sweet. And the UpStairs Blondie, a white dough brownie with butter rum sauce and toasted pecans, is unique vanilla treat that you will be talking about long after you leave.

Green Restaurant All Certified Green Restaurants® meet the minimum certification criteria of the science-based standards of the Green Restaurant Association (GRA), a national non profit dedicated to Greening Restaurants since 1990. Certified Green Restaurants® implement transparent and verified environmental steps in seven environmental categories: Energy, Water, Chemicals, Food, Packaging, Waste, and Building. Learn more about the GRA's standards and how to Dine Green.

The Details on UpStairs on the Square

Place Categories:

  • good food
  • great place
  • great wait service
  • favorite restaurant
  • romantic soiree room
  • slow service
  • fast waitstaff
  • great male waiter
  • impressive wine
  • beautiful space
  • attentive bartender
  • fun atmosphere
  • very rich everything
  • full whole dining room
  • cold price
  • delicious grilled cheese
  • really bad gourmet experience
  • great experience
  • loved frise salad
  • very tasty seared nantucket sea scallops
  • outstanding dessert
  • fun decor
  • fresh field greens
  • nice meal
  • delicious tomato soup
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