Christopher's

Good beer list, OK food and Terrible service. Christopher's is one of those places that due to it's location does not put a whole lot into service. I have been there maybe ten times and have slmost always had poor service. The bartenders are particularly bad, with such a small bar area you would think that three bartenders could keep up - not at Christopher's. The wait staff is nothing short of atrocious, you are lookling at a fifteen minute wait time for drinks here. The hostess is also not helping the scene here - not a place to go out of your way for but they do have good beer and the food is pub fare - decent enough to fill your appetite.…

don't waste your time. I have to stop with the expectations. Whenever I have high hopes for a place (see: O'Sullivans or UBurger to start) I'm severely disappointed. I read "best of" lists or read a great review on Yelp or plain old word of mouth that gets me excited for a burger, but 9 times out of ten it's just not very good. Christopher's has all the accolades, in fact, Food Network recently claimed it to be the best burger in Massachusetts. But it's painstakingly average, it's a pub burger and no more. I love the location, it's Cambridge, and the Porter Square area, and it brings back fond memories of culinary school for me as we used to frequent here for a drink or four after a hard day in the kitchen. Walking over to Christopher's last night we walked by my alma mater and saw some hopeful culinary students in class, ah the memories. I was excited to be back in my old neighborhood and I was excited because I was so sure we were in for great burger. They list a few different options, but to be fair and consistent, I have to keep ordering the same thing, a bacon burger for me and the English burger for Nick (marinated in Ale, topped with cheddar, bacon and served on an English muffin). I immediately know I'm in trouble when presented open-faced, there is a good inch between the meat and the space to the bun, too much bread will be a problem. The burger has grill marks on it, and of course my preference is griddled, but I'm open-minded, unfortunately the meat, while relatively tasty, is totally dry despite being cooked properly. (no easy feat) The fries are good, pub fries basically, but seasoned good, if not a little skimpy on the portions. The burger is supposed to be six ounces, but it doesn't feel six ounces, and the biggest problem really is the bread. It takes a couple of warm-up bites to get through the first layer of bread to even reach the meat, even then it's a struggle, it's way too big a bite while still being cheap with the meat. (again, no easy feat) It's totally average, and a huge letdown. Nick claims to barely pick up any hint of the Ale, his cheese is not fully melted (surprise surprise) and he also faces the same bread problem. Despite having a cool neighborhood feel, it's quiet enough that you can actually have a conversation, and the menu at least boasts several options for everyone, it just isn't very good, and certainly not very memorable. Next time I have high hopes for a restaurant based on some list, I'll run the other way in horror, because I already know it's not going to be any good.…

great food, service is a tad shaky. We go here all the time. It is one of our favorites. We like the food and there is something to please everyone. Beer selection excellent. The only challenge of the place is that there are a few rather incompetent servers and when they do make a mistake or, for instance, like when our food took 45 minutes to come out, they are not understanding or apologetic. We eat here a lot and once had HORRIBLE service and food that took FOREVER and assumed because we are regular, good customers that if we spoke to the manger he would, at least, be apologetic. He wasn't. He wasn't even nice, no offer of a $5 gift certificate, free drink... nothing. It was like we were bothering him and it was our problem. That said, the food is good enough and service is generally good enough to make it worth being regulars. Good for vegetarians, but plenty for meat eaters too.…

With its fireplace and varied menu, Porter Square's top spot for affordable pub grub attracts plenty of young professionals.. The Scene
While Christopher's exposed brick walls and crackling fireplace provide a most welcoming environment, it's the restaurant's lengthy menu of inexpensive comfort food that makes regulars out of area students and young professionals. When not glued to the bar's numerous TVs, libation lovers select from one of Cambridge's most impressive drink menus (try the sinful chocolate cake martini). Friendly servers are well-versed when it comes to describing each of the 20-plus beers on tap.

The Food
The kitchen shows great dexterity in churning out any number of cuisine types--cheesy enchiladas share table space with plates of piquant Thai curry stir-fry and homemade butternut squash ravioli. Health-conscious diners are especially well taken care of, considering that burgers are made with 100% naturally raised beef and ever-popular buffalo wings come from free-range chickens. Adventurous types looking for more than a sandwich wisely gravitate towards the grilled salmon filet with sweet-and-sour mango-chile salsa.…