The Russell House Tavern Review

Friendly staff with a nice menu and good variety of local beers. The restaurant is cavernous, which is a nice.

The food was absolutely delicious. Drinks were top notch.

Very expensive. Super crowded. Service takes forever. Food was okay. Good wine and beer selection.

Great food and drinks. The lobster sliders were awesome.

Wonderful place. Great staff. Delicious food and drinks. Unique ambiance. Take it all in and enjoy.

Always a great place to get some drink at Harvard square!

Went on a Saturday night recently with my wife and daughter. Have been there several times before and really liked it. Everything has gone downhill unfortunately. From the front staff who didn t even leave menus with us , but did to the people who were sat next to us 5 minutes later, to the mixed drinks which were pretty bad. Ordered a martini extra dry , straight up, with olives and rocks on the side. No rocks, no olives, no extra dry. At least a 20 minute wait to order as well. Food was unmemorable. I know they are probably going through some growing pains as I heard the bought the restaurant next door. But it was bad enough that I probably won t re visit to see if they ve improved. Too many other options in the area.

Good place to hang around with friends for dinner and drinks

The only authentic feeling pub in Harvard Square also sports a great vibe. Between the creative shabby chic menu and the credible bet and wine list, you can't help but find something to like about it. I have had multiple great experiences and plan on having more.

Lovely atmosphere and service with a wide menu selection. The food tastes good too

We loved the place. It has old charm and character of old New England, like we read in books. Lobster was outstanding.i suggest Union house lobster over Lobster scampi. Make a reservation to avoid disappointment.

Upscale tavern just off Harvard Square. Wide selection. My friend claims it has "memorable" restrooms fwiw haha.

Can t believe cruel fois gras is on the menu! Also very limited vegan options. The cauliflower dish I had was good. I wish there was more creativity along these lines.

We came to Russell Tavern for Brunch. We had a reservation for 2 outside and we were served in the basement. We ordered 2 meals, requesting both meals avoid certain foods because of very serious food allergies. The waitress took note, and when our food was served we were shocked to see they had ignored us completely. When we told the waitress she responded well I told the chef. We weren t offered any compensation and they even up-charged us $3 for substitutions. Happy we got out of there without an allergic reaction and a decent mimosa, but that is a pretty low standard.

This is a very reliable place to eat and drink when it comes to American food. The last time I came here, I ordered their brussels sprouts and sweet/sour cauliflower. Both were delicious, especially their brussels sprouts, which were extra crispy (the way they should be but it's hard to find). Their flatbreads and burgers are decent. Oysters too! Desserts are great, especially their creme brulee! The only thing I have weird issues with is their cocktail menu. I have yet to find a cocktail here that I truly enjoy... it's almost as if their drinks are TOO fancy for me.

Went for Brunch, got upsold on drinks we didn t want, food was aggressively mediocre (dry toast, undercooked scrambled eggs) and service was non-existent. Will not return, go elsewhere if you want something other than bland food and a two hour brunch.

Excellent beer and wine selections, great food, and great service.

Fabulous food... great wine... wonderful menu with many interesting options... great waitstaff... bartenders are the tops!

Nice enough place, friendly staff, but the menu is rather short.

Kind staff/good service.Got the grilled chicken sandwich. Great presentation. My only issue was volume of chicken (two thin chicken tender strips). Sandwich tasted of the fried onions strings, bread, and coleslaw. Fried calamari tasty, drinks were decent/creative.

Great food and high energy atmosphere when I was there. Waiters were awesome with delicious recommendations

Great food. Great service. Phone broke so no pictures. Highly recommend coming here though.

Friendly and competent bartenders. Food is fantastic. I've been a fan since I moved to Boston 5 years ago.

Always ask about the secret burger and check to see if they have anything by Trillium on tap. When they ask if you want fries or fries and greens, get the fries and greens. It's still a healthy amount of fries, otherwise it can be too much.

Expensive food, limited vegetarian or customizable options.

Tapas are really good. Crab cakes was one of my favorites.

We had the mussels, the fish of the day (trout) and the hamburger. All of it was fantastic. We will be back.

The wait was about an hour, which I am usually a brat about. That being said, it was worth it.

The atmosphere some how parred a lively bar scene with a quiet modern and sharp restaurant. Somehow the product was a busy, full, and quiet restaurant that kept a very upbeat vibe without becoming overwhelming at any point.

Our waitress was incredibly patient with our many questions, and was always available for orders and refills.

Overall, the food was meh to me. Not really worth the price, but far from disappointing. My 3 other friends loved their dishes and were very pleased.

Went here for lunch, great place! Got a black bean burger with the side of fries. Burger was flavorful and great for a veggie burg. Atmosphere was also awesome for lunch, not too crowded and easy to get seated for 2 at 12 on a Thursday. Price was reasonable ~14 and a decent selection of beers at typical $6-$9 per glass

Had great burgers and drinks! go for the happy meal

The Cambridge bar restaurant has great food . Plus the atmosphere is friendly with great conversation . Different levels have a distinctly different feel . The downstairs bar is perfect to eat and drink and talk with patrons.

Great gastro pub. Don't let cramp upstairs dissuade you. Large lower level has great bar ambience.

Yum! Awesome place and great food and drinks. The only reason for the 4 is because it was horribly hot in there. We finally asked and they agreed it was hot. So they turned it down. But wow! We were roasting. How did they not know it was too hot and to turn it down themselves to keep it comfortable. it's so large, so I'm sure it took it a while for it to get comfortable in there. It felt nicer outside lol. We would definitely go back and I hope it's comfortable there next time, so we can enjoy the delicious food even more and stay a while.. maybe order another cocktail. The cocktails were awesome and very creative. The short ribs and steak tartare was delicious and done just right. We tried the poutine for the first time and it was okay. I can do without it. It was basically mashed potatoes and gravy lol. I wouldn't order it again. The funnel cakes were delicious and light and just the right portion to share for up to 4 ppl. Everyone gets a nice little portion and it's a nice way to end the meal.

This place has been a favorite for quite a while. I love the variety of foods and drinks. There's something there for everyone.

One of my favorites in Cambridge. Amazing for dinner or just grabbing a quick drink at the bar before a show. Great atmosphere. Would absolutely recommend.

Amazing service! Definitely recommend the 1896 Cocktail for bourbon lovers! Sorbet exceptional for lactose free treat!

Love this place. If you ve worked up an appetite being a tourist in Harvard square this is a lovely restaurant to stop in. The burger is . Good beer selection as well.

Good, comforting brunch. Bloody Mary was spicy, garlicky, and hit the spot!

The food is excellent. We had 4 dishes. Every dish was beyond expectation. Unfortunately, I have issue with the hostess. We have been waiting/standing there for 30+minutes and she put another group before us was beyond frustrating.

It was one of my favorite restaurants in Harvard Square

Quaint courtyard seating. Nice for an afternoon brew

Tried this place once with my friend and I am addicted since then. I like the good ambience and yummy food and drinks. 5 stars.

Great oysters. Deviled eggs were a bit bitter due to blue cheese

Oyster's at $1 each, mon to thu from 9 to 10pm!!!. This place is grace to have oysters and sparkling wine in their special price hour. Modern on the inside, classic boston architecture on the outside, this place has become one on my favorites to como with 3 to 5 more friends and have a great dinner.

Delicious meals cooked fresh by an inspired chef, no-doubt. Reasonable prices on drinks and entrees. Center of Harvard Square providing a charming, quaint ambiance, great service, and Covid protectors in between tables to keep guests safe.

Tastes good when the hamburger is with Beer. Crowded, crowded

The dollar Oyster special at 11pm is probably the best in the area. They come on nice larger sized half shells, and not the typically impoverished, tiny oysters I usually see as specials in other places.

Delicious creative entrees here, I ordered the spaghetti squash with red quinoa and really liked it. Good beer selection. Upscale ambiance. I would go back.

Good food, we were here at a very busy time around graduation so the service was a bit slow but understandable. Cocktails were unique and the food we had was delicious, tartare, eggs and pastrami sandwich.

Easter brunch...service was slow (20 minutes to be greeted, but thankfully we were in no rush). Once we got going, food was excellent, as were the drinks. Great atmosphere. Highly recommend.

Disappointing---great atmosphere but the service was so slow and our waitress was unapologetic and inexperienced. Quite snippy. Our food and drinks took too long, very presumptuous that we had 6 people and had to leave 18% automatic gratuity. She made that clear when delivering the ticket...We have two small children who ordered cheese pizza and butter noodles that took over an hour to deliver. The kids were starving and so were the parents (and thirsty! We Had to ask 3 times where the bottle of wine was) "oh it's just over there" ....then go get it!!!

The oysters were great but we were informed 40 min after ordering them that there was a kitchen rush and the party right before us had ordered 50 oysters so our order of 6 oysters was in que behind them... no attempt to offer bread service or an adjustment to ticket were Made and the wine still wasn't there...Frustrating. When our entrees finally came they were not edible. Crab cakes inedible and steak too chewy. I had the pork 5 ways and it was gross. I would consider myself a foodie and greatly disappointed in the rating and quality of food and service. We really are Not ones to complain, but we were so hungry had to ask for French fries (two orders) to calm the kids and charged for them , but didn't mind because the fries were the best part of the meal. 'My husband made a complaint to the manager about the 18% gratuity and the waitress was gloating that she was getting tipped automatically...
The Double Breasted Suit cocktails were good---maybe a better cocktail place than dinner experience ...

Great food. It's a bit pricey but it's right in Harvard Square so that's to be expected. The brunch menu was delicious and their cocktails were fun. Docking a star because our waiter didn't come to our table for 15 minutes after we were seated and kept this pace during our whole visit

A Harvard Square icon with creative and substantial food and drink!

Their ginger lemonade was so tasty I could drink a whole pitcher of it! It wasn t too sweet and it had just the right kick to it! The food were fresh! The waitress was 10/10! She was so accommodating to us and my dog!

Came here on the fly with my husband and his parents when they were in town visiting. We were trying to go to Mr. Bartley's but it was closed for the holiday weekend and couldn't be happier with where we ended up. They had good beers and the Ali's Ideal pizza was excellent. Would definitely go back if I were in the area.

The Russell House Tavern is one of our favorite restaurants in Cambridge. Their grass-fed burger is eight ounces of juicy ground beef topped with sharp cheddar cheese, tender slices of bacon and caramelized onions served on a Stone and More

Cold food.slow service.several colleagues sent food back. Bathrooms disgusting

Came here for dinner on a Friday night and was very disappointed by the service. I told the server that I was intolerant to garlic, onion, and dairy, and he came back with some options for me after consulting the kitchen. I opted for the chicken, and he said they'd omit any offending ingredients. After a long wait for our food, it finally came, and there was goat cheese in the salad. They took it away and came back with it redone, but when I got home, I got very sick. I'm pretty certain that there was milk or cream in the mashed potatoes.

On top of that, the salad was severely salty and overdressed. My friends were not impressed by their shortribs or salmon entrees either.

Lastly, we waited about 20 minutes to get the waiter to take our credit card. We kept trying to get his attention, but he just never came. It was incredibly frustrating.

Totally unacceptable service from a restaurant of this price range.

Hosts are mean person, even to girls. And if you didn t dress well, they will try so hard to push you to worst seating area or lie to you, while the restaurant is not fully seated.

What happened is, me and my colleague went to this place, right after work, we didn t dressed up. On the first floor, the girl was trying to sell us the outside seats, but my colleague is a girl, she felt cold outside, so we told her we wanna wait for indoor. Then the host suggested us to go downstairs to put our name down on the list, and also mentioned it should be 5-10 minutes waiting. Then we went downstairs, the guy downstairs checked us from head to toe, then we were like we have been told to put our name down, then he was like if you wanna try upstairs you may have a chance for a indoor sitting. Then we said the girl host upstairs told us it should be 5-10 minutes wait, the he was like, it will be 15 to 20 minutes, he tried so hard to avoid putting our name down, simply just don t get it, we were willing to wait, and then we were like we wanted to wait, can you just put our name down, then the funniest moment happened, he was trying again by changing the time of waiting, said it is actually 30 to 45 minutes waiting, and then he was like randomly pretending to click some keys on his iPad while looking us and saying you are all set, he actually didn t even try to put our name down, swear to god ! That was so funny, he was faking typing so obviously. I was like cracked, but then we ended up sitting at the bar, it was great, food was great, bartender was great, we enjoyed. We just didn t understand why they was trying so hard to sell us on the bad sittings, and being so mean to girls.

5 minutes later, they came to us, said there was a seating next to window is open, while the whole restaurant had tons of tables around until we finished our meal at the bar.

They were mean to a girl and to normal office people, who got out of work just wanna enjoy Friday. They were being inconsiderate in an unnecessary way. Everyone was polite all the time, no conflicts at all, just don t get it why that guy host has to be mean to other people. And my colleague is white and I am Asian just to list the facts and gave you a little reference. So please avoid talking to the guy host downstairs, he is not a good person, who would just assume how much money you will spend based on your dressing. The worst!

I had a fine experience, The modern decor was nice. There was a fantastic Beer, wine and scotch menu. All the food was delicious. Without drinks the meal was easily affordable. I'll be back

I was lucky enough to get to stop in and talk to the staff here, while at a business meeting. I heard great things, wasn t able to get a table!

The food was better than expected at every turn. The half-chicken entree was so good I got emotional. Highly recommend.

Great food! Can sometimes be a wait if you don't make a reservation in advance.

Stoped by this place randomly. Turned out to be really nice. Good stuff members. Great beer and wine selection. Ordered crab cake, burger, and shrimp tacos everything was delicious.

The dinner menu is humble, the drinks are mature and intimidating and the cordials are to die for.

Great food and great service!!! The crab cakes and swordfish were amazing!!!

Classic location for good eats and drinks. Also one of the few late night places in Harvard Square.

Slow service. poor menu selection. Should have gone to shake shack.

Nice spot for a bite and drinks. Went on a Friday night and it was a bit slow. There is a large bar downstairs, craft cocktails were good, I especially liked the moscow mule- their ginger beer game is on point

Decent American place. But wish they hadn't burnt my steak...

Delicious food, tried the Buffalo from legs, not sure if I could eat a plate of it on gameday but was a unique experience... Like chicken but chewy and a bit like cod. The steak pizza is awesome!

When visiting Russell House, expect an old-time tavern vibe, a menu combining refined New England fare with more casual pub classics, a full bar, modest wines, and craft beers. Aaron Butler, the bartender, is a veritable all-star. Pro-tip: $1 Oysters, every night after 11pm. Highlights: Off-Menu "Secret Burger" (regular w/deep-ried, poached egg on top). Charcuterie Plate, Fernet Branca ($4 Shot), The Quickening (Hangover Aid: A Collins Glass w/Meletti Amaro, Chartreuse Green, Rogue Dead Guy Ale, a Shot of Fernet, and a Plate of Bacon -- Wow!).

A nice cozy place just steps from the infamous Haaavad Square It is a spacious place with many seating options, include a nice patio, ensconced by euroesque walls, taking you back to the motherland (if your heritage is from those parts).

The service was excellent, with two levels of wait staff minding your table and waiting to beckon at your every call. Their menu is mostly Bostonian Brahmin fare with a good selection of microbrewskies I had the chicken sandwich with fries (they charge $6 for veggies!! WTF??).

The dessert selection was amusing, with standard fare, except for the croissant bread pudding!!!

Good place to chill, hang, and high!!

Great spot!! The cocktails are fantastic. The wine list covers all of the bases, and the food is delicious