The OtherSide Cafe (Reported Closed)

Doesn't Recommend

ragtimedav

Joined 6 years ago

Painful Sunday Brunch. If you love headbanging Janis Joplin while you have your Sunday Brunch, this is your place. Screaming rock and roll so loud you can hardly hear yourself. When we asked if the music had to be this raucous, the man behind the counter curtly replied "yes" and walked off with attitude. When he found out he was our waiter, he somehow became this fairly friendly fellow.

We came to The Other Side because they advertize healthy options like raw and vegan food, and organic wine. We ordered one of their omelettes. It had to be the worst omelette I've ever had. The eggs tasted like they were cooked in bad oil. The home-fried potatoes were soaking in butter. They had a lot of flavor, I just wasn't sure what it was. The biscuit was good, but very plain.

We also ordered the swan french toast bagette with cream cheese filling. This was much better. We enjoyed that very much.

The kitchen had a hard time keeping up. Took quite a while to get the food. It was all nicely warm when it arrived, though.

It's a very hip, funky college cafe scene. If that's what you want this is your place. Me? I'lI never go back. I like good food too much. And I like to be able to have a conversation without leaning over the table and shouting. Especially on a Sunday morning.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Tattooed, pierced bike messengers and art students head to this Back Bay meeting spot for cheap, healthy food and drink.. The Scene
As one of the city's few counterculture/bohemian cafes, the Other Side serves as a key meeting spot for its loyal, eccentric clientele. Students are drawn to the bargain-basement menu of healthy, Californian cuisine, while hip 20-somethings squeeze into comfy sofas and nod along to the cafe's painfully current soundtrack of alternative tunes. When the weather's agreeable, patrons crowd onto the large front patio, which can hold about 44 customers. Tattooed waiters match the colorful surroundings.

The Food
The OtherSide, equally renowned for its budget-friendly prices and its super-healthy food menu, is a popular place to stop in for drinks--expect an even split of tables covered in selections from the fresh juice and smoothie bar (try the pear lemon ginger wheatgrass juice) and large, affordable pitchers of imported beer. Don't miss the imposing fresh fruit, cheese and bread plate that comes with a delicious yogurt honey dipping sauce and is perfect for groups.

Photo by Christine Liu

Doesn't Recommend

88shadesofblue

Joined 6 years ago

HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE vegetarian chili!. I may need to give their menu another shot...but their vegetarian chili was disgusting.

Their cheesecake was overpriced...and I was not satisfied at all with the rest of my meal.

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citylover77

Joined 7 years ago

awesome place to eat and hang out. i've been going to the otherside cafe' for nearly three years and simply love it. The food is always extremely fresh and leaves you really satisfied without weighing you down. The beer selection is also a force to be reckoned with and the atmosphere and decor make the place really relaxed and at the same time welcoming. if there is one thing to comment on it's the service which is often slow and not attentive.... but to be honest it also becomes one of the nice things about the otherside because you don't get harassed when eating/drinking! great for lunch and on weekends for brunch

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sfguitarist

Joined 7 years ago

West Coast Fix. Being from San Francisco, I am spoiled on having a lot of funky, interesting restaurants/bars to go to. In comparison, Boston seems a bit more homogenous and conservative, possibly because of the college/frat scene. This is why The Other Side Cafe is one of my favorite places to go when in Boston. It's original, has that funky West Coast vibe and have WEST COAST MICROBREWS, which I love! The food is innovative, great and healthy but, of course, lacks in freshness compared to what we get in California due to the lack of proximity to agriculture as we have.

It was also refreshing to see the workers tattooed, pierced, and just being themselves. Nice to have a break from Red Sox jerseys and frat-boy attire. Way to go Other Side Cafe!

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onesmartnut

Joined 8 years ago

Always an Interesting Scene. The Other Side Cosmic Cafe is probably my favorite place in Boston. Not only does it have an amazing beer, espresso, and juice bar selection, but the food is fresh and tasty and the ambience is always lively. Be fore-warned that the music is usually pretty loud (read: I wouldn't go here to work on a term paper or read a newspaper--although I have seen other people do it) and the service is often inefficient (irreverence is part of the whole appeal) but you can always count on a colorful, eclectic crowd, and plenty of people to engage in musical/political/philosophical debates with your people. The Other Side is more than a local hangout staple--it's that place where everybody knows your name.

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ad333

Joined 11 years ago

funky fresh. I love this place! It's a great relaxed atmosphere for a twentysomething crowd who likes healthier food, good beer, better coffee, and music