Middle East Nightclub Review

The poo poo platter is definitely my favorite little bit of all the great Foods

Live music from national acts to locals. Local art in the walls and even some pretty good food. It's a good place to catch a show if your at the corner restaurant or downstairs. I don't like the backroom upstairs, though. The pillars/columns block the stage for maybe a third of the crowd. Besides that, no complaints.

Cool underground venue. lots of cool names stop here. not the flashiest venue, but hosts some of the best up and coming music and performers

This place is a zoo on Saturday nights. Plastic cups = high class. Bartender sticks his fingers in the cups to pull them off the stack. Dj played jams.

Yummy! I have usually gotten the same thing time & time again when I've come here (pumpkin kibby) so I decided to branch out. I ended up getting something my friend recommended which was the whipped garlic to start & wow was that tasty. I also ended up getting the Msaah which was also super delicious. Sometimes it's good to try new things. Check it.

authentic cultural aesthetic Hotspot the goto in Boston nightlife
my father says his bachelor party was on the same dance floor over 40 years ago

Great Bands and competent staff. We all know why The Middle East is great

The downstairs section is the last place on the planet you want to see a rap concert. Incredibly rude staff and power-hungry security personnel do their best to ruin your night. Can't say anything about the middle or upstairs, but I would advise to stay away from this place if you don't want to risk getting harassed or physically harmed while trying to enjoy music.

Easy parking in the area which is huge! Decent food and even better event area. Small stage and perfect for more private shows. If you wanna see an artist there you're very close and personal there .

Some good local, indie or international bands. Fun place downstairs for concerts. No air-conditioning though so it could get hot.

Tip: if you see a show where you need to see the stage like a burlesque you'll end up standing in the couches with only a partial view

This is barely an arabic middle eastern restaurant, but a pub for rock heads. Very disappointed. Thought it was at least slightly more traditional.

The food here is Okay for me but there is a lot fun thing to do in the restaurant's basement

Trivia night and friendly bar side bartender! Always a great meal too.

The Middle East is my second home. Always great food, good service, and warm welcomes from the family. <3

Upstairs , bad sound quality. Stayed 10 minutes and left

I've been coming here for over two decades now and it's still one of my favorites in Cambridge!

Nice spot I'm Cambridge. Not great setup for lice performances, but good bar and quick food

Really great food and friendly service. Would highly recommend

Great venue for music. Be on the lookout for up and coming bands, and stick to PBR and Gansett to save a few bucks.

A major national landmark for people who care about music. Decent bar and restaurant too. Outdoor seating in nice weather!

I've only been for the food, twice, and haven't been very impressed with it. The portion sizes are pretty decent though, and I liked that they were serving beer from Taybeh beer.

A classic Cambridge nightclub. Pro-tip--the affordable food becomes a steal with the discount you get if you are seeing a show.

I'm only speaking in terms of their show venue.
Live space is ....too run down
And their ticket regulations are absolutely crazy and unreasonable.
I will never go to this place even my favorite band is coming, I"ll go to another city instead. Their ticket regulations NEED TO CHANGE.
How is this place still getting a 3.8 when so many people are actually coming for shows?

Great little club. This was my second time visiting for a concert. It's got a very intimate feel to it. It's easy to find, plenty of parking nearby. It's clean, overall a great stop.

Good venue for concerts, beer selection is ok, prices are average for the area

I ended up eating here with a friend for a late dinner...and it was definitely an experience I won't be forgetting soon.

The place is a little run down, but I think that adds to its charm. Downstairs there's seating for diners as well as a bar. Upstairs there's a stage and a great space to listen to bands--featuring both relatively unknown groups and popular musicians.

Because it was a Friday night, the downstairs seating area was a little too noisy for our conversation. We still really enjoyed the chill and moody ambience. Our waiter was super friendly and patient with our questions. I ended up ordering the cous cous, and while the cuisine didn't blow me away, it was definitely flavorful and enjoyable.

The best part of the night was going upstairs and listening to the amazing music! The bands playing that night were all full of energy and mingled among the audience. The space upstairs is very dark and attic-like, which made for a totally immersive musical experience. I loved the variety in the musical styles being featured: from rock to indie to experimental sets. I did wish that there was a bit more dancing because everyone was pretty much just standing there and watching--but maybe this was just the nature of the music/crowd that night.

Overall, this was definitely a new and interesting way to kick off a weekend night, and I'd recommend Middle East to anyone looking for an alternative music scene.

Hands down, one of the best places to see live music on this scale. Way better sound and line of sight to the stage than most of em.

Very accomodating staff. I didn't want to be a bother about my issues with standing for long periods of time and they were very friendly about making sure I had a chair and was comfortable enough to enjoy the performance.

Great place for a concert along with a few cold beers !

I've been going to shows here ever since I moved here. A Cambridge landmark!

The bartenders paid the bill. Watch out. They are crooked

Can be an amazing night or a horrible night depending upon who's here the crowd is constantly evolving never a wasted evening..

This restaurant/venue reminded me of San Francisco for some reason. It had a chill environment that was inviting and you could come as you are, no dress code, unlike some of the more mainstream spots in town.

Saw The Lillingtons, great show in a small venue. Beer is reasonably priced too.

I came from Pittsburgh to see Blackmilk. It was everything I wanted out of an intimate concert and more. He was so personal and vocal with the crowd it was amazing it felt like I was just with a group of friends than seeing a band. The venue was a little hot , stuffy, and it was quite small. But honestly I couldn't have imagined the concert working in any other setting.

Not to mention I was so impressed with the band being dedicated enough to stay to meet and greet with almost every person in the crowd. I'm sure they were the last to leave the club. Looking forward to seeing them again ASAP! The band was the icing on the cake I can't wait to see them play live again!

Venue has a great atmosphere! Good place to see some awesome bands for a good price!

Amazing restaurant, good food and great staff. The salmon was exceptional and worth it. Would go back. I have been here a few times for lunch. The service was typically quick and the price was good. Having tried all the lunch plates, I like all the kebabs and the lamb shank, and am not so much into the kibby.

My favorite venue in all of Boston. Some of my favorite acts come to this venue and I am always wicked excited cause it is a great sized place. Big enough to fit a ton of people but small enough that you get to meet or interact with the artists.

Cool underground music venue in Cambridge. I've seen a few DJs perform here, and it always attracts a good crowd. Not your typical Nightclub, the Middle East has different floor levels which each have different atmospheres. In my experience, the bars do not get too crowded and management knows what they're doing without being overbearing. I look forward to each show here.

Nice people, good music, bartenders downstairs at the time (December 2016) seemed to be inexperienced and seemed unwilling to admit that- had to have a drink remade 3 times and it was still wrong but at that time I decided to go upstairs and he made it correctly.

Big Leano had bars. Sound guys are really bad but the venue is always lit.

Lots of good vegetarian dishes, especially the eggplant.

Bartenders are knowledgeable, professional, and personable. They make your experience exceptional. Specifically, Pat, Mike, and Steve who work weekends. They are now my official bartenders.

Great venue for music and comedy. Open Mic for comedy is on Tuesday nights. Hosted by the very funny John Paul Rivera and the very funny Rob Crean, show is at 9 PM and goes until whenever there are no more comics. The staff at ME is exceptional. The food is always good. Great location on Mass Avenue. Check it out.

Overall great venue upstairs and down. Awesome variety of National acts. Have yet to try the food but the draft selection, while weak, has always proved to be beyond affordable.

Went to a show (upstairs) for the first time. The guy working the box office was super helpful and friendly and guided me to the right place. I had my name on the list because a friend knew a band member and even that was seamless to get my ticket. Very small upstairs venue, but set up nicely. Pit in the middle with the bar on one side and merch on the other. Drink prices were as you'd expect at a concert. I love how close you are to the stage even if you stand at the very back. Definitely want to return for another show soon.

As a customer, I did not enjoy that place. It was sketchy and the people were weird.

I haven't been inside it yet, so it's hard to give a more definitive review.

Pretty decent space to see a live show. Small and intimate.

Tried to order tickets from the no-fee box office, but they were closing as I got there 15 minutes before 7 (the time they have posted as closing time). Worker just said sorry and walked away. Bummed I spent the time to go across town. Call before, if you're going there.

Living trashheap. A few likeable staff, but mostly not so much.

saw passafire downstairs, sounded amazing. good space for shows. reasonable drink prices.

My son from the Young Pandas band and highly recommend going.

X mortis is phenomanal
Eh!
Staff upstairs are amazing too.
Eh!
Oh...
Say hi at follow the white rabbit if Im there.
Eh?

The band was good but there was only one bathroom for men and women. I had to go to the bathroom really badly. A woman was before me in line. She grabbed her boyfriend and they went in together. They were in for a while clearly having sex in the bathroom. I was so grossed out and disgusted that i didnt want to go in there. How rude. I had to go so badly and this floozie obviously had 0 respect. That turned me off a lot.

The best family restaurant/club in world history! The Sater's the warnest and most welcoming people I have ever known

Saw Chris renzema in the upstairs, awesome concert and great venue

Attended a great show downstairs. Free water for the crowd at the bar. Enforced no vaping or smoking. This rule was enforced, multiple people were pulled out of the crowd . Good to see them enforcing what they say. Was never too hot or too cold as they had the AC blasting the crowd in intervals. Great experience.

My experience was at the basement of the establishment, I saw Albert Hammond Jr play there. It was a small venue that will quickly become crowded. There is a bar of course and free water. I only wished it was a little bigger since some people got a bit too drunk and shoved the whole front row in a domino effect.

Came here for a concert / event (+21) and I definitely enjoyed myself. You'll immediately notice that the layout of the whole place is quite unique with all the different levels. There's a bar to the right side of the concert area which was convenient to grab another drink mid set. The concert size is definitely in between 'medium' and 'intimate' with a low hanging ceiling (kind of squishes the band since they're on a tall stage) but that doesn't mean they don't know how to fill a room with some great beats (and towers of speakers). Give it a shot.

We bought the msaah. It was pretty tasty and their music was good too. Was loud at first but was optimized later.

Staff is incredibly friendly and hospitable to performers and patrons alike. Do not pass up a chance to see an artist you love here