The Russell House Tavern Review

Food was pretty good, needs a better beer selection.

We wanted to like this place. It would be so easy to go back. But the lumpy undercooked pasta and disorganized service that resulted in dried out and forgotten dishes made sure we're never returning. Lots of other places to go to.. don't try your luck here.

We went at a pretty quiet time with a lot of staff around and everything was rather disorganized. Our server forgot one of our two orders so I got a plate but my SO didn't. They took my plate back and 15 minutes later came returned with both plates. Sadly, they didn't recook my dish, it just sat there in a kitchen under a heat lamp for a while. I had poorly cooked dried out pasta with some mediocre cheese and decent sauce. The pasta also had a lot of clumps in it that didn't quite cook through.

Always a great place to go for food and drinks. Never disappoints. Love the vibe and the decor and lighting.

Okay. I was missing some Grains in my body . The service was good but at least it is better than the A &B

I really enjoyed myself at this tavern. The food is delicious the drinks and cocktails are just right on made very well. My cousin n I enjoying ourselves

Food was very good, but service was slow and expensive

Nice cozy bar, good food and fun waiters Great B&W historical photos adorn the walls.

Cool place. Nice atmosphere, really sociable, and great cocktails. Make sure you try their sea food!

Went on a Thursday night and the place was filled with energy. Despite the activity, wait staff was attentive and service was quick. We had some of the pizzas and they were excellent (particularly the clam pizza) They also have a great selection of local beers to try

Delicious cocktails and darn good food. Great for a quick drink and bite to eat, a lighter lunch, or a drawn-out dinner. Not a bad bite on the menu - and the vibe hits just the right tone. Definite favorite in Harvard Square!

Right in Harvard Square. Reasonably good food and service.

The pizza was delicious but the lobster sliders were not

Both the food and beer selection here is great. It will cost slightly more than some other nearby places, but the cost difference is easy to see in the quality. I particularly like the rotating beer selection, which normally includes at least one cask. The only negative would be that they were out of several appetizer selections the last time I went.

Food is decent, good cocktails, but their menu hasn't changed since it opened. Kind of boring..

Terrible. I ordered a burger medium well and it was very well done. The fries were overdone and tasteless, and the bread was half the size of the burger and just awful. The pizza had way too much garlic and the dough was sharp and crusty, disgraceful to even call it a margarita. Service was good, but the food was awful.

Service was terrible. Took a while for server to take order. Three of us took a while to get food. Fourth person got food around the time the rest of us were almost done eating, and there order was wrong. Also would have liked a refill of my drink, but the server disappeared. Was a disappointing experience.

Always ask for the secret burger! It's normally very good!

Brunch Review:

Came here for brunch on a Sunday. Sat downstairs in the nice dining room, though the upstairs seemed nice with the open windows. For such a nice dining room, the prices were reasonable which I appreciated. I had the breakfast pizza which was a sausage pizza with an egg in the middle. I'm not a big pizza guy but the crust was the perfect combo of crunchy and chewy. Would like to come back for lunch or dinner at some point.

One of my favorite spots in Harvard Square, I love their outdoor seating
Great service, nice bartenders, excellent food
Parking is an issue but they re right next to Harvard T station

Slow service, understaffed even when the venue wasn't full. Have had an unpleasant experience twice in a row.

Great $1 oysters. Pretty bad service. Make sure you order everything the 1 time they visit your table or you will forever be flagging a waiter. Also pay online to save time.

Overly expensive, small portions and unimpressive cooking. Service was decent, but it's like they were told "subtle flavors = upscale" and went overboard with it.

Went there for brunch.
Food was great. Service was great. Cocktails were very creative, but a bit too alcoholic for a morning drink.
Convenient for families, friends, and dates.

Good dinner spot - really enjoyed their fish mains.

Great food! Huge place inside! Thought it was small and full but there was a large basement and was sat immediately.

Go to pub for good food, good service and nice atmosphere.

pizza combos were interesting. Brussel sprouts, honey, pancetta, and crushed pepper. Also the bone marrow was excellent. I think the small plates are the best here. Beer selection is also pretty great.

It's just not my kind of restaurant, so my rating might only be useful to me. I went there with co-workers. I'm lactose intolerant and trying to be vegetarian, there were very few items that work for me. I decided to take lactaid so I could have the Fettuccine. I was then disappointed with how small and expensive it was, especially after the waitress asked what meat protein to top it with. It hadn't listed that as an addition on the menu, so I paid for protein I opted out of. Also, I'm generally not fond of places that aren't family friendly. I was with co-workers, but could tell from the menu they don't want kids in their restaurant. The staff was very friendly and attentive.

Calamari was soggy and bland; poutine was meh; price on bill was a tad higher than what was on the menu

Potatoes were soggy and not crisp. Omelette was 90% liquid egg mix, and the overall food was 5/10. Wasn't that great, though the menu reads well :) I say they step it up a notch and make it more fresh! Doesn't feel that way right now. Service was great though. Super nice people, great atmosphere. Gotta fix the food.

Awesome oysters, pizza, beer and wine! What more can you ask for! We will be back!

My girlfriend and I always love a trip to this friendly neighborhood bar. the cocktail and wine lists are clearly well thought out by the bartenders and always well made. The downstairs bar is always busy enough for meeting new people but rarely so packed that it disturbs the experience. Great appetizers and a cool little patio area for nice days.

A oasis within the hustle and bustle of Harvard Sq. Always an interesting beer selection.

Came here for brunch and had a great time! The coffee and mimosas were delicious, as was the food. We got the EBLT and Benedict and both were more than filling and really tasty. The service was prompt and the price was good for the portion size!

I wish I could come here every night because it's that good! My favorite is sitting at the downstairs bar at night or upstairs bar for brunch. Drinks are awesome. Food is awesome. You pretty much can't go wrong with anything on the menu. My favorite is the steak tartar, my husband and I will get 2 orders every time. The charcuterie plate is awesome and the burgers during brunch really hit the spot!

We came in after a holiday party and were refused service because we were portraying signs of being intoxicated. Which is all fine and good if that would ve been true. We asked to speak to the manager and he didn t come to speak to us until AFTER we were leaving. Just because someone looks intoxicated with their walking boot doesn t mean you should automatically refuse service to someone. At least get them some water and evaluate the situation. Maybe spark up a conversation to really see what s going on rather than solely relying on your bartender s decision.

We enjoyed it. We had 3-4 different servers throughout the meal, so in that respect they need to step it up. My guess is our original server's shift ended midway through the meal. But even when he was still around he didn't bother to ask if we wanted another round. Also, I got my daughter's friends medium burger, while she got my medium rare. I only noticed much later that she didn't quite finish, and wish she had said something, I felt bad about it. My burger was slightly pink in the middle so I just figured that was mine.
Very cool atmosphere, food was good overall. The smores dessert should be axed. It's basically a couple of marshmallows with a little hershey syrup on it and a mediocre cookie. Oysters, lobster roll slider, fries, other desserts, squash ravioli, I tasted and thought were good. I would probably give it another chance next time we are up that way.

Very busy, but great food in the heart of Harvard. Try the baked beans.

Great atmosphere and outdoor courtyard seating... So close to Harvard Sq!

Very fast service, good food, great seafood selection, nice ambiance

Waitress was very nice. Good beer menu. Husband had the fish of the day which was quite good. Pizza our teenages ordered was good. The stuffed spaghetti squash was pretty but just ok (and I left a little hungry). I would go back.

Stopped in for a light lunch. Great entrees. Disappointed that they stopped offering the house made pastrami. It was outstanding and is so much flavorful than typical dried out deli pastrami. Really made a great sandwich. Roast beef was an okay substitute but lacked the punch of the pastrami. Recommend they go back to offering it. Restaurant has a great vibe. Downstairs is a really cool place to eat and hang out. I d recommend The Russell Tavern for anyone looking for a great meal without falling into the typical Cambridge hipster joint.

I love this place and, while sometimes I think it's too expensive and only for special occasions, it's actually a great spot for drinks and apps. There are some options that are moderately-priced, such as their pizzas. I just had the Ali's Ideal pizza this weekend (Honey & Chili Roasted Brussels Sprouts, House-Cured Pancetta and Mascarpone - seriously, can't go wrong with that). It was huge and $13.

The people eating there can be a little stuffy and entitled, but the servers are down-to-earth, super helpful and easy-going.

Drinks are always phenomenal, atmosphere is fun and/or romantic depending on what you're looking for, and I've never had a bad experience.

Great place for drinks! Good atmosphere and good food, too.

Interesting food selection. Much better beer selection. Can't go wrong here especially with the great Harvard Square location.

Menu looked amazing. Presentation was well done and the service was excellent. The flavors were disappointing. The deviled eggs were dry, the ribs had no crispness, the lobster slider was flavorless and had more greens than lobster. The beet and burrata salad was excellent. The tuna tartare was decent but not special. Would try again but .....

Special place in my heart for RHT. Grab a burger and a table by the open window in summer and just watch the Square come to life. If Cambridge was a village, this would be the tavern where everyone would meet.

Great oyster deals, and good cocktails and barlist. Great food too

Love this spot for an upscale meal in an intimate setting!

Great food and beer selection in the Heart of Harvard Square. Friendly service and moderate prices.

The few times I've been have been in passing (previously dates when I was single) on my way home from work in Davis to Broadway because of the convenience of the Red Line. I do like the size of the restaurant and bar. The oudoor patio is kept away from the hustle of Harvard Square but nice enough to enjoy those few summer months. There is an upstairs bar with casual bench seating for those who want to grab a bite to eat, but the more formal setting is downstairs with a big center square bar with cozier seating. I admit I haven't had the food so I'm not fully able to review but with a bunch of brews and a hefty cocktail menu, the site is good to grab a date drink!

Amazing place where you can hang with friends around Harvard.
A little bit pricey but fine

It is one of the best places in Harvard Square. The food is perfect!

Excellent food, we ordered a cheese board and a tuna tartare that was delicious.

You can go quietly to have a couple of beers at their central high tables or go to dinner at their traditional tables.

This place was nice and chilled. Great place to get out of the sunshine for a relaxing lunch. Seated promptly and given good beer recommendations. I had a low craft and the steak tips. Coffee left a little to be desired but otherwise a perfect lunch stop

Overall this place has a great atmosphere even though you are in a basement. If you are eating for two people be aware that you are crammed into a chair on one side and booth on the other side. It's near impossible to get out with out tables on either side of you helping. Crab cakes and lobster sliders were ok, but seemed to be more filling than actual seafood. We got the s'mores and weren't that impressed, Graham crackers were so hard you couldn't even cut them and they didn't use real chocolate... Just a tiny bit of sauce on top.

Absolutely a spot worth visiting, the food is fantastic and fresh, the pricing is reasonable and it is consistently clean here. Kudos.

Good amount of options for drinks/cocktails. The mushroom pizza is delicious! Fresh oysters.

I've had dinner here before and it was wonderful. This visit was for brunch and the food and service were both under whelming. I ordered the Nutella filled french toast with carmelized bananas. The bananas we're very under ripe and hard even after being carmelized. The French toast was very dry and hard on the edges and extremely soggy in the center . Never got a chance to tell the server as she never checked on us after the food arrived. There were other small things which in and of themselves would have been trivial but we're more glaring compounded with the other issues .

Food, detail, atmosphere, seating options, and servers--all top notch. I learned the hard way that the downstairs can get a bit active starting afternoons, but the place was great about my meal getting truncated by a big group of guys who came to the bar before I could continue my courses. I really appreciate that Grafton and Russell House Tavern cared about my customer experience. If you are looking for a menu that has quality fare with something for everyone--but not boring stuff--this is the place. I am a foodie, but I also write on etiquette topics in the business world (and am a table manners expert with mastery of several global eating styles under my belt!). This is the kind of place where the food quality makes you feel the price is nice. I was surprised. Truly. The atmosphere is classic and warm, with almost a luxurious "Junior Oak Room" feel downstairs. Yet, it's comfortable and realistic. I have had ten years of great experiences at Grafton and Russell. I had two groups of patroons ruin my meal at the bar on two recent occasions--and this company cared. This includes warm outreach. With the closing of a few regular haunts, this is my new spot. If you want something open to the street and the Square--they have a place called Grafton Street a block and a half away. Because Russell stood by their patron, I am making sure I let people know that someone with food credibility and hospitality credibility has found this place to exceed expectations wildly. If you want a quality establishment that treats you both fairly and well--this is your place in the Square. Enjoy!

P.S. Notice another reviewer wrote: For such a nice dining room, the prices were reasonable which I appreciated.

Good food and drinks. Only small issue with the AC dripping water on my friend so we moved tables but otherwise it was great!

Love the bartenders here, they are passionate about their cocktails without being pretentious. Love the cozy, romantic atmosphere.

Have you ever been to a tavern with food that left you speechless? Neither had I - until I went to Russell House. My friend and I visit restaurants all over Boston, and typically don't hit restaurants more than once unless they are truly stellar. Suffice it to say, we have been to Russell House four times now.

This is a busy place, but they have two stories to make up for that. Definitely expect a wait if you go on a weekend, and call ahead for a reservation if you have a party larger than 2. If you're around the Harvard square area, this place will not disappoint.

Food is not that great... Cool cause it's old, but that is about it.

Pretty sophisticated menu for a place mostly focused on drinks and appetizers. Dollar oysters at late nights with a few drinks are a good way to spend time with friends in Harvard Square.

Had brunch here yesterday and not impressed. The first problem was that we were given mimosas instead of regular orange juice. We of course drank some and realized the taste was off so we told the waitress and asked for replacements. She brushed it off like nothing and denied that it was a mistake telling us that it was fresh from the bottle We were given a carafe of water that had dirty spots all over it, had to ask for napkins and utensils and then wait even longer for someone to find them. The place was basically empty and the service was extremely slow. The food was ok, the Nutella French toast was the best part. Definitely will not be back.