Chez Henri

Such a great date night

by bffoodie , Citysearch Contributor at Citysearch

This was such a great night out! We planned to go early and drop the kids at a friend's house for a little dinner and playdate. We got to the bar when they opened at 5:30. We were not exhausted and were ready to enjoy a nice drink and some great food. I had a Caiparinha (so good !) he had a Guiness. We enjoyed a pressed Cuban sandwich (I think the best in town), fritters with a guava bbq sauce and a spicy aoli, and a stacked crab salad/cake type thing with mashed potatoes (cold but good) avocado, and fresh tasty crab. Their salsa is amazing (had to ask for more) and the chips were plantains crisped to a chip! Yum! We're already scheduling another night out here...saw so many takeout orders too! Who would think? Take out a Cuban if you can't drop the kids at a friends.

• Pros: delicious, fun, great food and drinks, unique
• Cons: parking (for some) it gets really busy come early

Overpriced menu, mediocre food, poor service

by sunrosegirl at Citysearch

They sat us promptly, but then we had to witness a nice couple being told that another reservation was coming so they would have to continue their meal at the bar. The table then remained empty for the next 45 minutes and there were several empty tables throughout the night. The dining room is very crowded making it difficult for staff to serve customers. Staff were inexperienced, waitress rather rude (we were brought the check before we were even asked if we wanted anything else).

Food was overpriced and rather mediocre. My trout was tasteless...the sides very heavy. There are so many other restaurants with better staff, food, ambiance, which cost much less. Instead, try Green Street, Temple Bar, Union, Gaslight...to name a few!

• Pros: Cocktails and desserts are good
• Cons: Great idea, poor execution...

Wonderful!

by niiicola at Citysearch

Loved this restaurant. My husband and I went for our anniversary, and we were both really happy with it. The decor is pleasant and classy without being obnoxious, and the service was great. And the food was amazing. The Cuban twist on French cuisine was really innovative, and they had some very cool flavor combinations that I never would have thought of before. It's a little pricey, but perfect for a special occasion. I can't wait to go back!

rude customer service

by mhsurvey at Citysearch

My husband and I went to eat at Chez Henri restaurant. We were really looking forward to dining at this "Cuban/French fusion restaurant. We made reservations a week in advance.

When we arrived we were promptly seated. The waitress came and took our prefix order and drink order. She asked us for our IDs, we obliged. Everything seemed fine. 5 minutes later, the waitress came back to our table and told my husband she did not think that his i.d was his real id. She declined to serve alcohol to my husband. We were surprised, since he is in his latter thirties. We asked to speak to the manager. The manager could not even give us a legitimate explanation for this crazy situation. The id had the appropriate seals, etc.

We felt very uncomfortable and insulted by the incident. The incident did draw the attention of other patrons in the restaurant.

A waitress should not make comments like "there is no way your older than me, so I cant serve you a drink".

Long story short, the manager told us the waitress has the right to make a decision on serving alcohol based on appearance, even if an ID is legitimate.

I know MA has a lot of college kids, but this is bit too much. Being scared of serving alcohol to underage kids, can result in the loss of adult customers.

Eventually, we did not feel like eating, we did not like the treatment by the staff, so we left the restaurant.

They ruined a nice dinner opportunity and also wasted our time. We plan on never going back to this restaurant. Nor will we recommend this place.

Horrible customer service.

• Cons: rude waitress, manager, bad customer service

Mojitos + Mojitos + Good Food = Great Experience

by urbantemp at Citysearch

Like mojitos? Try one at Chez Henri, they are great! Having gone to the bar for the last few years, I was treated to a dinner there recently with some friends and we had a great time. The appetizers were delicious and definitely better than their version of steak frites, but overall it was a fun time! I like the little faux-newspaper "doggie" bags they use. It's a great local cambridge spot that hasn't gotten an ego from its constant stream of fans and loyal customers. Has that nice, comfortable, cozy local feel. I would definitely go back to the dining room another time, but may opt to continue getting a cuban sandwich at the bar, it is such a great deal and so delicious!

• Pros: Drinks, Bar, Local vibe