Tavern in the Square
Cambridge, MA 02139
Phone: (617) 868-8800
- Price:
- $$
- Cross Street:
- Pleasant Street
- Hours:
- Mon-Wed 11:30am-1am, Thu-Sat 11:30am-2am, Sun 10:30am-1am
Editorial Review for Tavern in the Square – by Eric Grossman
The Scene
With seven plasma TVs and a hulking projection screen, the Tavern stakes its claim as Cambridge's top spot for watching sports. Conveniently located steps from the Central Square T stop, the restaurant aims to provide area residents with an upscale neighborhood hangout. The well-stocked bar sports an impressive beer list that includes hard-to-find microbrews. Entertainment is offered nightly (live bands or DJs) and there's never a cover. Because service can be lax at the tables, those in a hurry should sit at the lengthy bar.
The Food
The far-reaching menu offers everything from sizzling fajita platters and wood-grilled pizzas to seemingly every starter and sandwich under the sun. It comes as a surprise, then, that quality is respectable across the board--a savory shepherd's pie is chock-full of aged ground sirloin, while bacon-cheddar skins arrive with cilantro sour cream. Straightforward desserts include passable tiramisu and a rich brownie sundae.
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Insider Tips
When to GoMonday nights bring in area brainiacs (and there are plenty) to play trivia at the bar from 9pm to 11pm.
User Reviews for Tavern in the Square
07/26/2008 Posted by jobu2600
I was looking forward to dining here. It looked like a nice place from the outside. It went downhill in a big way! Fast forward to dinner being served. We saw a cokroach (you can't use the real word here for some reason) on the wall. We didn't want to make a huge deal out of it in front of the rest of the restaurant. We called over the manager and she tried to smooth us over with drinks or moving the table. We told her we just wanted to leave at that point. Her compromise was to not charge us for the food. My friend and I just wanted to get out of there at this point and so did our wives. I wish that was where it ended. Later that night one of us got violently ill from food poising (they had the tuna salad). STAY CLEAR!
Pros: Nice location
Cons: Cleanliness
07/03/2008 Posted by gcerino
My boyfriend and I went to the Tavern tonight and it was so bad that we felt the need to write this immediately upon returning home. We went at about 8:30 on Friday night, the place was packed and we thought we were in for some good food. The server came over and was very nice and attentive. The problem came with the food. We ordered philly cheese rolls, which by their description sounded amazing. The order came and it was half burned. We stayed positive and continued watching the sox game until the dinners came. My boyfriend ordered the fish and chips and it was really dry,overcooked and had no flavor. I ordered their "famous stuffed burger" which I was expecting to be worthy of the term "famous". It was smaller than a hockey puck and also burned. We realize this is not a four star restaurant but we ordered the basics, which shouldn't be hard to do. We will never go back to this place again, and you shouldn't waste your time even trying it.
Pros: lots of Tvs
Cons: terrible food
