(617) 661-5050

1 Bennett St (Charles Hotel)
Cambridge, MA 02138 42.3725 -71.1219

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Neighborhood: West Cambridge

RIALTO-RESTAURANT.COM

@Rialto02138

Price:

$$$$

Last updated 11.20.09

Category:

Restaurants

Rialto

Rialto

What People Are Saying About Rialto

The Editor

Contributor

Contributor

Glowing bars, undulating banquettes and eager forks await at this gorgeous restaurant directed by James Beard award-winning chef/owner Jody Adams. Adjunct professors and foreign dignitaries (in town visiting their kids at Harvard) jockey for tables with hotel guests to sample Adams' modernized menu of sophisticated regional Italian fare, always fiercely changing by the season. Perhaps a lobster bucatini with green and red tomatoes, chilis and saffron one day; pistachio-crusted tuna with farro, olives and beets the next. The bar and lounge are an extremely delicoius and relaxing refuge (and a…

Editor's Tips

Parking:
Avoid the struggle to find parking in Harvard Square: Leave your car in the Charles Hotel garage ($8 with the restaurant's validation stamp).
Where to Sit:
Partake in the bar menu in the lounge area, with resoundingly affordable antipasti, delicious Italian plates and a beautifully tended bar.
Parking:
Avoid the struggle to find parking in Harvard Square: Leave your car in the Charles Hotel garage ($10 with the restaurant's validation stamp).
Save Money:
Every Monday at the bar, Island Creek oysters go for $1 each. Every Tuesday at the bar, $5 nets you 15 fresh local Maine shrimp dusted with cayenne.
Payment Methods:
Gift Certificate, American Express, Visa, Discover, Diners Club, MasterCard, Travelers Check
Restaurant Special Features:
Local Favorite, Hotel Restaurants, Romantic Dining, Special Occasion Dining, Celeb Hangout, Private Rooms, People Watching, Business Dining, Group Dining, Bar Scene, Notable Wine List
Cuisine:
New American, Mediterranean, Seafood, Italian
Smoking Permitted:
No
Funfearlessbean: New Blog Post: Restaurant Review - Bar Bites at @rialto02138 http://funandfearlessinbeantown.blogspot.com/2010/02/bar-bites-at-rialto.html 14 hours ago
Rialto02138: Come join us for $1 oysters... special sauces include tomato horseradish, grapefruit jalapeno & champagne mignonette. http://ow.ly/15f1Z 18 hours ago
Rialto02138: Don't forget, $1 oysters in our bar and lounge tonight. http://ow.ly/155Nm yesterday
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

07/13/09

REVIEW FROM CITYSEARCH's 3BUCKBITES DICTATOR

by LingboLi at Citysearch

I adore oysters, the aftertaste of sea, the freshness and briny goodness cut through a zingy squirt of lemon and a splash of hot sauce. Delish. Add some good company, and it's a party. Go on Mondays, when it's just a dollar apiece at the bar.

1 Star Rating: Poor

03/22/09

In 2 words: DON'T GO

by SudburySteve at Citysearch

If you are looking for passable food at grotesquely inflated prices with a surly, pretentious maitre 'd, then this just may be the place for you. As a bonus you will get a noisy environment, food you may have to send back multiple times until they get it "right", and you may be lucky enough to get a table sized for your kindergardener. How do you have more fun than that? You can do better just about anywhere (in fact, I have). Never again. I gave it one star only because that's the lowest rating this review service would accept.

  • Pros: Hard to find one
  • Cons: Over priced, surly Matre d', passable food, noisy
1 Star Rating: Poor

08/20/08

rialto

by WillLinch at Citysearch

My wife and I were in a party of four at 7:00 p.m. 16 Aug for "restaurant week" None in the party wanted to cause a commotion so we didn't complain. None would would return. As I wanted to try something new, I opted for the Fisherman's Soup and the Spinach & Cheese Ravioli. The soup was too salty to to try more than a few spoonfuls. The 5 or 6 thin revilli were tasted only of salt .

The bread and wine were excellent.

My friend and I volunteer at a prison and often have lunch prepared by the residents.

Prision food is far superior to Rialto, How do they get away with it ???

WPL

  • Pros: Good wine
  • Cons: food and pretty wait staff

The Details on Rialto

Parking:

Avoid the struggle to find parking in Harvard Square: Leave your car in the Charles Hotel garage ($8 with the restaurant's validation stamp).

Where to Sit:

Partake in the bar menu in the lounge area, with resoundingly affordable antipasti, delicious Italian plates and a beautifully tended bar.

Parking:

Avoid the struggle to find parking in Harvard Square: Leave your car in the Charles Hotel garage ($10 with the restaurant's validation stamp).

Save Money:

Every Monday at the bar, Island Creek oysters go for $1 each. Every Tuesday at the bar, $5 nets you 15 fresh local Maine shrimp dusted with cayenne.

Category:

Restaurants

Payment Methods:

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

Restaurant Special Features:

Local Favorite, Hotel Restaurants, Romantic Dining, Special Occasion Dining, Celeb Hangout, Private Rooms, People Watching, Business Dining, Group Dining, Bar Scene, Notable Wine List

Cuisine:

New American, Mediterranean, Seafood, Italian

Smoking Permitted:

No

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