GREAT food. Awesome pork chops with cranberries. They're priced in the teens - which is what you'd expect from a place like the Tavern. OKAY service - maybe we just had a wacky guy... CRAPPY acoustics....could hardly hear across the table. We ended up sitting next to each other. And since others are yelling across their dinners so loud you can also enjoy their conversations if there is a lull in yours. I'd go back for the food, because it was a pretty cool place.
(4)
Bruce B.
From all the blasts that it got i'll say it was alright. I just went for drinks cause we were intersted in checking out the trivia. Tap selection was pretty average, they did seem to have a pretty solid bottle selection though. Bar staff was great, we got our first 2 on the house cause the keg tapped out on our pours. So all in all I've got no complaints. It's not close enough to be a place that i'll become a regular, but it was good enough to meet friends at.
(3)
Vanessa M.
This place is very loud to say the least, but what should I expect from a place called "The Tavern?" The Sunday brunch was uber expensive though it looks good, it taste bland and stale. They can't seem to keep the same staff around and the only reason I have eaten here more than once is because there was nothing else close by that was open.
(3)
Liz H.
i like this place, but its nothing special. went for a couple of sox games this fall and it was stupidly crowded, but they have enough TVs (including a big projector screen) that everyone could at least watch the action. food is decent but not great, service about the same. they do have a good relatively expansive beer list from what i remember. standard sports bar with a cambridge crowd.
(3)
Liz D.
Fried Pickles, Avacado and Feta Salad, and White Truffle Mac & Cheese are my favorites there. Plus they have Sea Dog Blueberry Ale on tap. I've only been to the brunch once and it wasn't great but I've heard they have a new brunch menu now, so it may be better.
(4)
Sun Y.
NO. tavern, you are not special.
(2)
A V.
Food is decent. Beer selection is good. Ton's of TVs for NFL sundays. Great place to watch every single game that's on.
(4)
David L.
Last night I dined at their Central Sq location and it was pretty bad from the moment I sat down at the bar . First, the bar area was dirty w/ beer puddles and food droppings from the previous diner, and that's understandable, yet it stayed that way for far too long. It was only upon my request after sitting there for a while that I was able to motivate my Asian American woman bartender/server to wipe it down . I actually waited for a good while to see if she would take it upon herself to wipe it but noooo, even though she was just standing there "shooting the shit" w/ a coworker. So, when I asked her for a cloth so I could wipe it she kind of gave me a snotty look like I was bothering her. This should have told me right away, upfront that I was in the wrong place to enjoy a good comfortable dinner tonight. I started w/ a martini and I also ordered the $10 crab cakes as an appetizer. The martini was ok but the crab cakes were served room temperature cold and tasted like flavorless sawdust filled with something or other, I haven't a clue. It certainly didn't taste like crab, that's for sure! Even the dippin mustard was flavorless. It was definitely a wrong pick on my part and I should've sent them back, but I was really, really hungry as I had only had breakfast that morning so I regrettably tolerated it. Not once did she ask me how my appetizer was nor did she offer me water or even a roll w/ budda. Doesn't she know that good service = good tips, I thought? I guess not! I also felt quite rushed because she pressured me to hurry up and place my order while I was eating my cold "so called" crab cakes. Plus, to make things even worse, the TV's were loud, playing blaring commercials over and over. Man, great ambiance huh? I hate listening to loud commercials especially when I'm eating in a public place. Furthermore, I also hate it when the bartender asks for my credit card upon sitting down when I intend to pay cash for my order at the end of my meal. We, as customers and patrons, have got to rebel against this totally rude and insulting request which more and more restaurants are starting to do these days. They have a lot of balls in my opinion! This IS INDEED an insult because, and correct me if I'm wrong, but what it implies to me is that they fear that I, the customer, will possibly,or intentionally walk out w/out paying. Am I interpreting this wrong or an I not alone in this matter? That's how (I) read it anyway. And, if this is how we are welcomed as customers than obviously Tavern On The Square is a "NO CLASS OUTFIT". Well.. all the consumer has to do at this point when this happens, here or anywhere else for that matter, who also makes this rude request, is to bluntly say NO I will NOT give you my credit card, which is what I did say on this night, and they very hesitantly agreed ...... so it's that simple my readers! And... if they don't agree than tell them to fuck off and just walk out. Fortunately, I didn't have to take it this far on this particular night but if everyone did this than undoubtedly they would stop asking us this incredibly insulting request, right? By the way, the tip percentage goes WAY down should this credit card issue come up PRIOR TO ORDERING THE MEAL. There must be consequences for them practicing this impolite, unsociable, inappropriate and BAD BUSINESS behavior ! To continue on with this nightmare, for my meal I ordered " the combo", the most expensive meal on the menu at $21. This was a mix of steak tips, grilled shrimp and barbecued chicken. Again my meal came out room temperature light warm. The tips had a lot of gristle on them and in fact, two of the steak tips I was unable to consume because that's all they were was fat gristle. The shrimps were tasteless, very dry and rubbery like they sat previously cooked on the side of the grill for far too long. The chicken was just ok but again cold, dry and flavorless. I felt like I was eating in a cheap second hand mall restaurant. The BEST thing about this meal though was the cole slaw on the side, it was good but.... isn't this a shame? Seems more like a scam to me at $21 when the best item on the plate is the cole slaw. The bill was $40 and I certainly WASN'T going to tip the standard 20% due to the shitty service and the crappy meal so I left a "fin" ($5) for a tip...and even that was too much. I should've left a dime in order to make my point even more clear. I ASSURE YOU I WILL NEVER GO TO THIS PLACE AGAIN if I can help it Incidentally, this was my second dining experience there and the first time also sucked. I chose to not write a review after my first visit to generously give them a second chance to redeem themselves...but now I know. There are some great bars & restaurants in the cities of Boston, Cambridge and Somerville however, in my view, the Tavern On The Square located in Central Sq. Cambridge is certainly NOT one of them! My recommendation therefore is to DEFINATELY GO SOMEWHERE ELS
(1)
Josh O.
I always thought this place was a really expensive bar and so never went there. But tonight we ended up here after discovering that The Field was just way too crowded. There isn't really anything about this place that makes it great, but they had a beer special of $4.50 for 23 oz. of Miller High Life or Miller Lite. Can't really complain about that. I didn't try the food, but I had a good time here.
(3)
Lindsay D.
I don't care how busy a bar is, it should never take more than 20 minutes to get a beer at a table after work. The waitstaff was incredibly slow and didn't seem as if they could be bothered to put a little pep in their steps. The food, when we finally recieved it, was extremely good - risotto fritters with a tomato cream sauce were unexpectedly mild in flavor and the goat cheese, arugula, and leek pizza was phenomenal. Defintely a great place to go with co-workers to unwind after a busy week... just make sure that you order another beer halfway through your first to ensure you're never without a drink. EDIT: This place has become my work group's Thursday night bar of choice. Service has gotten way better, quite possibly because we're regulars and they know we'll leave if our glasses stay empty for too long. Burger-type food is meh - if you're going to eat here steer clear of the sandwich section and check out the appetizers. Spinach dip and risotto fritters are decent and for all you squid eaters out there, the calamari looked pretty decent too.
(4)
Jane D.
great food, great staff, lots of TVs and they are willing to put on any game you request. kinda pricey but the portions are HUGE
(4)
Colin N.
I lump Tavern In The Square (TITS) in with a few other restaurants in Central Sq. Au Bon Pain, Wendy's, McDonalds. I want to tell you how much I love TITS because it would make my review funnier. I would be lying. TITS reminds me of eating chalk. Tasteless, boring and unfulfilling. Shame on you TITS.
(2)
Jennifer B.
This is one of those places where I feel like I die a little inside walking in but can't seem to stop doing it. Tavern in the Square is just a little too reliable and convenient, despite having no real character and being very crowded, for those near Central not to patronize it. The food I've had was actually good and not Bar Food (TM). Beers are fine, as is service. The giant screens also make it good for game watching. I think we all realize that large crowded sportsbars are probably a necessary evil, and you could certainly do worse than this place. A great option in central if you want to go to "just a bar."
(3)
molly f.
Minus the great outside seating this place has to offer, I was underwhelmed. Stopped by for a quick lunch & ordered what I was hoping would be a tasty salad. Don't get me wrong, the salad wasn't BAD itself...but the moldy goat cheese it was topped with was pretty raunchy. One bite of that & I'd had enough...The manager was very gracious, as was my waitress, but I decided to finish my iced tea & not gamble another iffy dish. Next time I go there I think I'll stick to beverages and bar food.
(2)
Doctor F.
had a few beers and watched the game. everything was ok. standard boston bro bar vibe. it seems to be part bro-sports bar / part "good" restaurant which i have never seen before. kind of strange to me. this has nothing to do with the tv or beer quality which were fine...but i find it depressing that everywhere i look i see one of these places popping up. boston/cambridge is being overrun with chain stores. now chain bar/restaurants? believe it or not, this city has not ever had that - chains like houlijans and fridays may have had one store...but not many all over town. soon, this city will be nothing but chipoltles, taverns, dunkin donuts and starbucks pretty soon. any one else find this sad? i try to support mom-and-pop spots (if they are quality) for the obvious reasons. it would be cool if the owners of this place would at least use different names at their different locations...i guess people like to go cookie cutter spots??? or maybe there just aren't any better options in this town? i was away from boston for 15 years and was honestly surprised to see this place all over town. i can't help being a bit depressed when i see these giant bar/restaurant chains all this city. boring.
(2)
Anna F.
This review is only for their brunch, which I have been to on several occasions and enjoyed thoroughly. $15 isn't bad for all you can eat with a carving station and omelets made to order. You can conceivably eat pretty healthy if you stick to the fruit, yogurt, granola and some of their lunch fare- fish and grilled veggies. Overall, it's pretty decadent with eggs Benedict, grilled ham, and an assortment of chocolate cakes and mini parties. There is even an ice cream bar! Something for everyone. While their service is often lacking, the best thing about a buffet brunch is that you can serve yourself. I wish they'd turn off the sports just for brunch... that's my main complaint.
(4)
amy g.
I think it's mostly over-priced for the average American cuisine it offers... BUT By far, BEST nachos with chili I have ever had.
(3)
Amanda G.
Good place to grab some drinks or food when you want to watch the game on the many options of TVs. I ordered a really good salad, but loved the Mac N Cheese my "friend" got. Go for the comfort food! It's a pretty big place with a long bar and lots of tables. I tend to enjoy a smaller, more cozy type of place, but definitely a good sports bar/restaurant.
(3)
Micaela L.
I've only ever come here at night (i.e. not to eat), so I can't comment on that aspect, but otherwise Tavern is a pretty typical sports bar. It was pleasant enough when I was there, but not exactly memorable and fairly crowded to boot.
(3)
Chinwe N.
I came here with a friend from out of town for brunch on a Sunday. The price was very good for the buffet selection. The ambiance was rowdy and young which worked well. This a solid place to come when you're looking for good value for the money.
(3)
Kenneth R.
I've been here several times for lunch. It's fine! The place was not very crowded during my visits. (I didn't show up during a World Cup match, however.) The sandwiches and salads were to my taste. Perfectly OK iced tea. I recommend the french fried sweet potatoes. There is a small supplement for this choice (when regular fries come with your meal); this supplement is in the high two-figures if you count in pennies. Friendly service.
(3)
Brian D.
Kudos for an absolutely outstanding job of being mediocre! HOORAH!! In all fairness, the jerk chicken tenders are A-OK with that sweet chutney sauce so you guys have that going on. Also, there are a few decent beers to chose from, so theres that too. But, what you don't have is any sort of real memorable character. No flare, no petting zoo, nothing to leave you saying 'holy crap, what a hole!' or 'holy crap what the bestest bar ever!'. No, it's more like 'yes, I went there - that is all'.
(3)
Tony P.
90's hip-hop is like crack to white suburban kids in their 20's. If that defines you, then this place is for you. Good beer, decent music., able to get a table without too much of a hassle. Right next to the T as well.
(4)
John T.
Good ambience, friendly people but poor food. Very bland and under seasoned. Food doesn't match the price. Too bad... promising area.
(2)
Matt K.
Dear Robby. Yes, your job probably sucks, being the night manager at Tavern on the Square. Working every weekend night, having to deal with obnoxious drunk people who need to be kicked out before they throw up all over your nice clean floors. Sometimes that's going to cause some stress and even though you try to control it, your anger may be taken out on some people that don't deserve it. But how you acted last night was beyond rude, it was stupid and cost you and the Tavern some customers. But let's back track so you know exactly what happened from my point of view. Me and my girlfriend showed up an hour before game 3 of the World Series, we specifically asked for table that would have a view of the game, we even waited a few minutes to get that table. What we got was a table in the corner, but whatever, we could each see a separate TV, plus we could both see the big screen on the back wall. So, lets review, there was a TV directly behind my g/f that I was going to watch and the TV behind me. Now here's problem number one, the TV behind me wasn't showing the pre-game show yet, but when our waitress was asked, she informed us it would be turned to World Series when the game started and college football was only going to be on for a few more minutes. What ever, there was still the small TV I could see, and my g/f had a great view of the big screen. Our first order shows, up, your big plate of nachos. A huge plate I'll give you credit for that, and I honestly don't even mind the chips around the edges got a little burnt, it happens. Our food shows up a little earlier then we'd like as we're only halfway through the nachos, but let's be honest, you're going to be busy and trying to time everyone's orders gets screwy. I'm a cook I've seen it happen. My burger honestly was exactly what I was looking for, a perfect medium rare with two pieces of bacon on top, and the waffle fries...well yours are about the only waffle fries I like. My g/f liked her food just as much, even though one her steak tips was more burn then medium rare, but the rest were done correctly, so all is forgiven on the food front. We even went back to the nachos when we finished our meals, good stuff. About this time, it gets really busy, and because of the awkward seating arrangements where we were, when a large party was sat down next to us, they blocked our view of the big screen. So now out of the three TV's we could see when we sat down we can only see two, and one of them is not showing the world series. We ask the waitress when that TV will be turned to our beloved Sox, only to be informed that the game will no longer be shown on that TV. Effectively leaving my girlfriend with no way to watch the game. We debate changing seats every inning so that we can both take turns watching the game on the TV on the wall right above her seat, as silly as that sounds, but we both really wanted to be able to enjoy the game with some of our fellow locals while having a few drinks. It makes it more exciting that way, I'm sure you understand, your business thrives off of that type of thinking. But the idea of each of us only getting to watch half the game and switching seats every inning didn't sound as appealing to us as I'm sure it does to you. So we ask to speak to you dear Robby, manager of Tavern on the Square hoping to appeal to your reason, you are after all, wearing a baseball jersey, surely you'll be willing to accommodate us. This is where you screwed up; you came to our table with a body posture that can only be described as defensive ready to battle. Big mistake, never argue with my girlfriend, I've tried, it doesn't work. But she starts off polite enough mentioning how we came to watch the game and would really appreciate it if you would turn the one TV she can see to the baseball game. You quickly explain that every other TV in the bar is showing the Sox and we should be happy with that. She counters quickly that she can't see any of other TV's, the only TV she can see is the one she doesn't care about. She goes out of her way explaining this and offers to buy more food and drinks if that'll change your mindset. It doesn't, you quickly tap our table and leave telling us to enjoy the game. The game that we would have to take turns watching. So yes, we ended up leaving, debating to leave a tip at all for the waitress (we did by the way she did a great job even though you put her in one tough spot making her deal with us and the table next to us that made the exact same complaints) Good bye Robby. You may not remember me, but I'll sure remember you and the service you gave me when I visited Tavern on the Square.
(1)
Alison T.
Tavern is fast becoming a regular Sunday Brunch spot for me. The brunch is huge with make-your-own-omeletes and a large range of brunch and lunch options. The food is good, nothing to throw a party about but entirely edible. At times it isn't quite hot enough. I really love all the different food, which makes me feel like i'm getting my money's worth. The inside looks good and is still laidback. The waitstaff is attentive and friendly. I understand they have a good bar, although I have yet to sample anything. Once I was there when a game was one and the tvs were far too loud, but then again it is set up as a sports bar - every seat has a view of a screen.
(3)
J A.
THE "PINT" BEERS HERE ARE 12 OUNCES!!! Just a note. They come in regular, 23oz, an pitcher, and regular looks like a pint glass, but it's 12 oz, but the price is the same as for a pint anywhere else ($5 for a bass). And the veggie lettuce wraps are way lame, not nearly as good as pf changs. I gave 3 stars because I do like the atmosphere, the bartender is friendly, and such.
(3)
Kate I.
It's bipolar. The sports barish half is so loud it's like being inside a speaker at a Beyonce concert. At, like, happy hour time. Why the noise? Why? And the fancy bar half plays the TV so loud that the homeless guys across the street can catch the game. And the food is bland and basic. One bartender was pretty mean, and the other was pretty nice. No no, no no no, no.
(2)
Alyssa N.
After dinner at Match, a friend and I ventured over to Tavern in the Square in Cambridge, where yummy drinks and friendly bartenders awaited us. Even though there was a basketball game going on (which seemed to be a somewhat important one), we did not feel like we were in a sports bar. These sports fans were quite civilized, much to our enjoyment. I'm not opposed to getting excited over a big game, but some people take it to a scary level. I do not totally understand what the owners are trying to do with the Wish/Tavern setup. Wish seemed more like just another room in the place than a separate entity. However, I liked the drinks and can't wait to go back and try the food at Tavern in the Square. UPDATE: I've been back a few times and have decided that this reminds me of a fave bar that friends and I hung out at while in college in upstate NY, but a tad bit more upscale. And with a food menu that extends beyond chips and pretzels. The food is pretty good. I recommend the burgers, calamari, chicken sandwich with Brie (minus the onions, they overpower). Don't leave without trying the nacho app. Decent guac for a non-mexican place. Drinks here are consistently very good. I'd be here all the time, if it were closer to my house.
(4)
carol s.
Don't eat here. It might be OK for nachos, but avoid eating here for a meal. I had the worst pasta primavera I've ever encountered; I think the vegetables were canned then overcooked. They tasted bad and smelled worse. The "sauce" seemed like some cheap vinaigrette. Another member of our party got her entree cooked wrong--twice--before she gave up. The manager didn't really seem to care; he gave us a couple coupons but I don't think we'll be using them. On the positive side, our server was very nice and conscientious.
(1)
Ashley S.
I miss the Good Life being here. Please let no more bars like this enter Central Sq. Ever.
(1)
Aimee G.
This venue was packed with revelers watching the football playoffs. The crowd dispersed immediately after the game's conclusion. Interestingly, the ratio of remaining customers to flat screen televisions was almost 10 to 1. If you want to watch the game and order standard American bar fare, this is your Central Square destination. You will be neither awed or disappointed.
(2)
Marcus D.
This is another of those bars that I've been to way too many times. There are so many better bars in immediate walking distance, but for some reason when I go for a beer here I end up getting stuck here. The food isn't THAT bad - I judge food on a scale of whether or not I'm running for the toilet within seconds of my last bite, and this place has never done that to me. The atmosphere and the crowd is BLAND - very manufactured. My advice is to come here for a beer or two, and get the hell out!
(2)
Hannah F.
This bar just feels soulless. The food is ok, I guess, but it's blatantly microwaved in the kitchen. Not to mention it's the exact same menu as Union Street and The Joshua Tree. Chain in disguise!! [Edit: They now totally admit to being a chain.] Plus, the bar tenders will ignore you for minutes on end, not because it's busy but because they're flirting with a customer. Also, the bouncers are really rude, even for bouncers. Additional Reason I can't Stand This Place [Recently Added] I can now add their managers the list of "people at the Tavern who make me effing batshit." I went there last night for a quick drink and appetizer trip. I thought, "How can they mess this up?" Well, they did. We ordered the ultimate nachos (so called because they come with chili or chicken). They were delicious, I am not so bitter that I won't give them that. However, when the bill came, not only were we charged for the nachos ($3 more than the regular ones), but we were also charged for the chili. Not such a big deal, except that the waitress told us it was correct, then went back to check, came back and confirmed that indeed our nachos cost $15. I was having none of that jazz, so she went to find a manager. That manager then had to go find another manager and before we knew it, 15 minutes had past. By that time, every other table in the section needed something from the waitress, because her manager had kept her occupied for 15 minutes instead of just removing the *$3* charge. It's not just that this situation was so annoying, because it most certainly was. It's that this is par for the course for the Tavern. Hopefully, I'll remember that before I get the urge for some risotto fritters.
(1)
Veronica P.
This is a classy looking sports bar with really good burgers. I ordered a medium burger stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese, topped with mozzarella cheese with a side of sweet potato fries. It was a busy, loud Sunday night, and it took an hour to get our food because the waitress screwed up our order. The manager came out, apologized, and told us our meal was on the house. That's customer service! We would absolutely go back.
(4)
Amanda B.
The Tavern is in a great location to our house - we frequent it during nights out drinking and always get great service. We've tried the restaurant a couple of times for the food and we've been pleased, but not overly impressed. It's a good American menu, a bit more exciting than just regular bar food, but nothing to write home about. The steak tip dinner is really good, but nothing else has ever been special. We were actually disappointed at their Sunday brunch - nothing seemed fresh on the buffet, etc. I basically have to agree with Frank G.: nothing amazing, but it 's great to have an American-style place nearby for when you really need it.
(3)
John D.
I'm surprised about the unimpressive reviews, but after reading MzLizz's, I can see why. I agree with her in that Tavern is yet another place with an identity crisis. I liked it a lot, and love the big screens, but at the same time, it's pretty ordinary and it does seem to be mixed up in terms of what kind of place it is. Is it upscale or ready to greet the college crowd? Still, I liked and I'd go back and thought it was slightly better than average. Deserves more 3.5 stars rather than 4.
(4)
Abbey B.
I want to like Tavern, but I just can't get excited about it. For the most part, the waitresses seem to be huge bitches. Attitude about serving, hard to get their attention to order more booze. Food is a toss up. Kind of reminds me of the Cheesecake Factory--huge menu, but nothing's really memorable. For what you pay, it's not really worth it. But. The brunch buffet on Sundays is pretty sweet. All you can eat forsomething like $15? From eggs to French toast to salads to pasta to desserts, can't go wrong. Wouldn't order off the menu, though. Nothing is that impressive. Trivia night is always fun, even with the other dude bro teams that seem to frequent this place. Pitchers of beer, categories that aren't too hard, and a bunch of friends on a Tuesday is just fine by me. And sure, the outdoor patio is nice, I guess. Come on the weekend and expect a huge crowd of mostly Financial District-type people--definitely more of a Boston bar scene. Expect half-buttoned shirts and overly gelled hair on the guys.
(2)
Ari A.
I think these types of places are invented for people who really don't care what they are eating or maybe just want to get smashed and watch Television on A LOT of different screens. I hate places like this. Why do they even bother with food, it's like an afterthought it's SO bad. Do not go here unless you are one of the above mentioned people. (and now they have another location in Porter, unfortunately)
(1)
Henry P.
I wish I could give negative stars.... Went there (mistakenly) for the brunch, was the first and only time there. I haven't been there at nite, where I suppose the night life could be different, but I'm just gonna review their brunch. Everything looks sexy, but the key word here is "looks"...as the tastes were the opposite of secksie, just downright blah and omg I think this bill will be waaaaay more than it should be. You walk in thinking it'll be good food, but it really really sucks. It's all laid out nicely in silver platters, an omelette station, lots of fruit and desserts all over the place. It's all you can eat, but you will not want to eat at all.... You look around at the other guests, eager as they arrive, excited as they come back with their plates of colorful foods. Then you notice as they eat that their expressions turn from excited to slightly confused. Once they get into the 2 hour old pancakes, there's a sudden realization that they've made a mistake entering the door not knowing what this tragic brunch will cost them. Pretty much everything was not good...meh, I suppose the cut pineapples were good, but who the f- could possibly mess that up? The staff kinda sucked too. Alas, it ended up being about $20 per person. Worse brunch, ever....
(1)
Jessica R.
Some of our "friends" went here and it seemed pretty yuppyish, early 90's music playing and some trivia game.
(2)
Arik C.
This place used to be great when it was the "Good Life". Now its some wannabe upscale yuppie bar that has really crap for food and nothing that would make me want to hang out. Great decor if you like not seeing much, way too dark.
(2)
Teju P.
I went here for Sunday brunch recently - it is fabulous for the price. So many options with breakfast, lunch, and dessert items. The omlet station can take a while if the place is busy, but my friend said his omlet was worth the wait.
(4)
Sara C.
I enjoyed the apps that I ordered (risotto balls are really good), although I didn't order dinner. This seemed like a good after-work bar, and I'll likely be there again, but if you're looking for great food and a more quiet atmosphere, look elsewhere.
(3)
Tanya A.
This is a pretty standard place for me to go with friends for a late dinner or drinks, maybe after a workout or when we can't think of anyplace else to go. It gets a little noisy, but that's nothing to be surprised about when there are multiple TVs showing sports games throughout the bar. If you think of it as a "restaurant" you may end up annoyed by the noise and casual atmosphere. If you think of it as a sports bar, you'll be pleasantly surprised. The menu got revamped about a year or two ago, and since then I've really enjoyed the new foods. Ditto everyone else on the risotto fritters, they're excellent, though the truffle mac and cheese was a bit bland for my tastes. The Big Dig fries (waffle fries loaded with just about everything) are great to share with the table, but make sure there are at least four people or you'll overdose! Sometimes I'll just go for the chicken lettuce wrap appetizer as an entree-- it's definitely big enough for one, and feels healthier than the fried stuff. Beer selection's not bad, though I'm not really a connoisseur. Prices are reasonable for the quality, though they start getting higher if you order food that's less "bar-style" and more "restaurant-ish." I was underwhelmed with brunch, though I guess if you're hungry and don't want to spend too much, it's okay. The food was bland, eggs were overcooked, the glazed salmon was sickeningly sweet, and the high point of the meal was the fruit salad. Oh, and the mini-eclairs, which were clearly pre-frozen but nonetheless pretty decent. Don't even try the full-sized desserts, stick with the mini-pastries. Overall, I like the place, it's convenient, and I'll be eating there relatively often.
(3)
Cooper M.
I would do 3.5 stars if I could. It is a basic sportsish bar but a good looking one with better than average food. It is my friends' main hangout in Cambridge...so I go there too much but it is a good place for sports and food. While I am tired of this joint, I do enjoy their Sesame Chicken Salad. Need veggies sometimes.
(3)
Mary R.
I unfortunately left the Tavern wishing I had never walked in. On the first really hot evening of the year the AC was not on, making for a stuffy and uncomfortable environment inside. The wait for a table outside, although not too long, was longer than my starving stomach could handle, so we settled on seats at the bar. The meal was just not good. My salad, the seared tuna, was just mediocre. Although the tuna itself was cooked perfectly, the pistachio crust was bland and the greens that lay beneath were even worse. My husband's choice, the shrimp and basil pizza was no better. There was far too much oil, and you could barely taste the basil flakes. The spinach and artichoke dip was decent, but can't hold a candle to the dip at Cambridge Commons.
(2)
R.G. W.
I hate this place... the music playing over the PA is always too loud; the specialty beers are WAYYY over priced ($5 for a bottle of Harpoon Winter Warmer?? $8 for a bottle of Franziskaner Hefeweizen ?!); and ... well, that's all I have to say 'bout that.
(2)
Maryn H.
Nothing spectacular. They do have nice outdoor seating though, and the waitress who helped us was really funny and cute.
(3)
Kathleen D.
This is one of the many bars I find myself going to because my friends want to go there. They have high tables and stools. I like stools. They also serve beer in tall glasses, which is neat. The DJ on the weekends plays generic 94.5 hits. Sometimes locals wander in and want to talk to you about their relationship problems, sometimes random guys show up and assume you're a student at Harvard. It's OK. I'm only giving it two stars because in general I prefer the Phoenix Landing for dancing, and the Peoples Republic for chatting. Keep walking.
(2)
Katia M.
I liked the Good Life. I don't like the "Tavern." There's nothing special about it at all. Sure, the decor is pleasant and the food isn't bad, but it's just a bland place.
(3)
Ja H.
I've been to brunch a couple of time and think is ok. I think it's best for drinks at night.
(2)
Andrea D.
Very unimpressed with the service here. I went randomly during the week and sat at the bar with two friends and the place wasn't very crowded at all. I was amazed at how long it took the bartender to get us drinks. It seemed like he didn't even care that we were even there. Seriously is it that hard to pour a beer? I would have served myself if I could have. I haven't had the food, but they do have a nice little patio area outside which looks like a nice place to lunch at. I have no desire to go back because of the rudeness of the bartender that night. First impressions mean a lot to me and I didn't get a good vibe here.
(2)
Kelly L.
I've given this place a few tries: brunch, drinks, dinner. It didn't win me over though. Dinner was blah, brunch unimpressive, and generally the place just lacks character. They did however play a whole lot of old 80s and 90s music (Pharcyde anyone?) the last time I went there, if that appeals...
(2)
fred n.
This is a great place for brunch lunch or dinner. Service is really friendly, honest and helpful when making recommendations. I had the Tuna with mango sauce. Pretty darn awesome. Risotto fritters were also tasty but not greasy or too heavy. Waitress was really frosting on the cake. Atmosphere is darker than I'd like it to be and the TVs make the restaurant seem more like Game On. Definitely a must try. Perfect for groups
(4)
Beth M.
One of my favorite date places in Cambridge. The menu is huge, the portions are huge, and the food is pretty darn tasty. My boyfriend could pretty much live on the white truffle mac n cheese. I tend to jump around the menu, but everything I have tried has been really good. The pitchers of spiked lemonade are amazing!
(4)
Wendy L.
The food is pretty good with something for everybody - salads, fajitas, burgers, lots of different stuff. It's a great place to snack and drink while watching the game. Everything is decent but nothing is spectacular. It feels as though there are about 500 TVs in there, so one of them should be showing the game you are looking for...on the other hand, if you are there with a boyfriend, you may have difficulty keeping him engaged in conversation. Most evenings, it seems to pick up espeically with the bar next door. I went once for the brunch buffett which is pretty reasonably priced (around $13-15), but I thought the brunch was pretty mediocre. The brunch, as you would guess, was light on the meats and pretty heavy on the continental breakfast/sweets type of items. Boo. Would've much rather have just gone to a normal brunch and had a nice, yummy, meaty entree.
(3)
Mike G.
didn't think Tavern's as good or as bad as some reviews. menu's big enuff to satisfy most so you can actually eat well-ish. can be fun if this is your scene or out with buds. others may need to check high expectations at the door.
(3)
Lindsey G.
Pretty decent pub. Lots of seating open on a Saturday night for people to sit around and chat. Pretty standard late night menu which took a little longer than it should have but the bartender made up for it with nice stiff drinks. Great location to catch up with friends.
(3)
Flora R.
For some reason I prefer this location to the one in Porter. They have good food, a stocked bar and beer list, super helpful staff, and a great private room on the side that you can book for parties or big dinners.
(4)
Chris M.
I have to say, I went for Sunday brunch buffet and I loved this place! Physically very nice, wood decor, modern but warm, very open feeling. They had a good number of flat screen TVs, and nice music in the background that wasn't too loud and allowed for conservation. There were many food choices on buffets, all looked fresh and tasty. The pancakes, fruit and yogurt and the omelets were especially good. The applewood bacon was truly excellent, better than anything I have ever had at a buffet. The service was great, we were seated right away, and our waiter was friendly and very attentive without being annoying. At $15.95 I thought it was a great deal. I went with two friends and we all agreed it was excellent and we will definitely go back., I can't really think of anything negative to say.
(4)
Brenda H.
Food is ok...Fries were the best! Would go out of my way to go there for anything more than drinks.
(3)
pete g.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. Boring menu, boring beer list, ok service. Food isn't all that great. Outdoor seating is conveniently located so career drunks in front of 7-11 can beg you for change while you're eating. I just can't see a reason why I'd return. *** Edit: So... I returned (don't ask), for drinks. Specifically, one drink: the Old Fashioned. Ingredients: bourbon, one cherry, one orange slice, one sugar cube, bitters, soda. The Old Fashioned is my cocktail of choice, it's been around for about 150 years and it's in every bartender's guide ever. The first one came to me fruitier than Hawaiian Punch. My rocks glass had three orange slices and about five cherries -- there was barely room left for ice, let alone bourbon. I took a couple sips, and over the next several minutes I dejectedly decided to send it back, the third time in my life I've ever done so. (Strangely, the first time was at the same location, though the space was The Good Life at that point.) I explained that people who order an Old Fashioned do so because they *don't* want a fruity drink, and asked for some restraint on the fruit in the next one. The second drink came, it was palatable, and it was not fruity. However, it became apparent that I had forgotten to check my calendar -- it was Opposite Day, and as a result the bartender had decided that Dewar's SCOTCH WHISKY counted as bourbon. Not as bad as The Good Life's substitution of Southern Comfort, but still not quite on the mark. I didn't want to look like a prick because the waitress was nice, so I just drank it and shut up. Potential patrons: be aware that at least one of the Sunday night bartenders doesn't know the difference between Scotch and bourbon. My companions, after trying to order nachos and being told the kitchen was out of them, had much better luck with accuracy; the Seriously Bland Crab Cakes and Pathetic Chicken Quesadillas For Pathetic White People came out exactly as advertised.
(2)
Joanna S.
Very generic bar food. I usually get the ahi tuna sandwich. They usually make it just right. I'm consistently reminded of their sweet potato fries, frizzed with a maple syrup glaze. It's the best thing on their menu, I think. The servers are blah. Sometimes you get really nice ones and sometimes you get rude ones. It just depends on the day.
(3)
Connie Y.
I've eaten here a couple times with my boyfriend. The first time we went, the place ran out of hamburger buns but was very nice in taking off our drinks for the trouble. The food is great sports-game watching food. The bbq steak tips and sangria are delish! We almost always over-order when we go here. The staff is generally very nice and accommodating.
(3)
Meaghan S.
I'll just say it's a good thing that my office mates are not in today because there was something FUNKY about the chicken salad I ate at Tavern on the Square last night. Good god. I really wanted to like this place. Outdoor seating = awesome and they did have strong drinks. HOWEVER the food was bland, boring, mediocre and in my case BAD. It's also is a haven for homeless people leering over the fence around the patio. No I really don't want to spare some change, thanks. I will not be going back. No imagination, no atmosphere and a menu that is priced steeply enough that there should be a little of both.
(2)
Josh M.
I visited this place for drinks a few days ago, and I was pretty disappointed. I can't speak to the food (as I didn't get any), but the beer tasted distinctly off - like they didn't properly clean their tap lines. The bar was chock-full of the popped collar crowd, and a DJ (quite the gentleman - he later engaged me in some unsolicited conversation, describing his girlfriend with the endearing term formerly used by John McCain to describe his wife Cindy) was blaring crappy music off of his MacBook. Not a pleasant place, by any stretch. I'm giving this place two stars, because it's quite possible that I just went there on a bad night, and because they have a nice setup of TVs. I could imagine that it'd be a good place to watch sports during the day (particularly given the dearth of good sports bars in the area), but I'll probably steer clear of the late-night crowd here. Too many other good bars to waste time at places like this...
(2)
S D.
Always have a good time when we go here - they have trivia on Tuesday nights and if's a great time for large groups. They also have daily deals so be sure to keep an eye out on your calendar to keep up!
(4)
Gordon B.
Loud and crowded - that's the way I find Tavern most nights. As a result I'm not inclined to dine-in very often however I will do take-out on a weekly basis. Most of the food on the menu is actually quite good and they have a number of tasty options for vegetarians. We usually take out-of-town guests here because Tavern has a good selection of beers and it's full of Sox fans on game nights. Again, the food is good and you can always find something on the menu that's appealing. The patio is rarely a good choice as people tend to hang out and smoke in that vicinity.
(3)
J W.
Was looking for a brunch yesterday (sunday) and came across this spot. Drove by here in the past but never went in so I though id give it a try. Got their are the right time because a large group of people left. Apparently the secret was out because it was at capacity 10 minuets after i was seated. Anyways headed over to the buffet and was very happy with the selections. Had the apple wood beacon which I love, chocolate chip pancakes, french toast, fruit, eggs, few types of salad, honey glazed ham etc. But the best past was the omelet station which had a chief who makes it right in front of you. Price was very affordable($16) and it was a huge plus that every football game was on. Will definably be returning here for a 1:00 Pats game.
(5)
Neha Y.
unless you're trying to go there on a night of a playoff game for either the Red Sox or the Patriots - when everyone is vying for a spot right in front of the flat screen tvs - you'll be in luck with seating. Prompt seating and service can be counted on. Its a perfect setting for meeting a friend for a bite after work - super convenient since its only a block or two away from the T-stop. Its a fun, casual but not sloppy place so I'll give it an A for atmosphere. But with American food I really don't know how they can keep going wrong time and time again. I ordered the lemon chicken with capers. As straightforward as it gets. I actually think that might have been the first dish I ever cooked on my own - because its so easy. Apparently the cooks at the Tavern don't feel the same way. The chicken was undercooked, the flavor was lacking and they dumped about a pound of capers. They even messed up mashed potatoes!
(3)
Erica Y.
I didn't realize this place would get so many not so great reviews upon entering last night. Everything went pretty smoothly, though service was a bit slow. The martini I ordered wasn't very strong, but that was fine by me since it was still yummy. It has large TVs everywhere and is a great place to watch games. The mac & cheese (with bacon added) and maple sweet potato fries were really good, though salads could have had a better ratio of goodies on top. I ordered the Chicken & Fruit salad (what I was imagining to be similar to the Panera's Summer Fruit chicken salad - or whatever they call it), but it seemed as though a whole can of mandarin oranges was dumped on top of arugula before adding a bit of diced up chicken. My annoyance was more with the diced up chicken since it was so hard to spear any on a fork since it was diced up so tiny. It must have been pre-grilled to suit multiple purposes. Oh, and they have fried snickers on the dessert menu. Didn't stick around to try it, but in case anyone out there is looking... Decent food at okay prices. The crowd felt more like a sports bar than a restaurant.
(3)
Tanvi D.
Been here a few times now.. Food is OK.. The service is very slow though.. But, you can pass time watching games on TVs that are all over the restaurant. If you are not into sports, there is no real reason to go here..
(3)
Brandon H.
I came here for a meetup. Despite the chaos of thirty different checks, the waitress did a fantastic job of keeping track of all the orders and who they belonged to- in fact, not a single mistake was made! The prices were a bit steeper than I was expecting for a pub type restaurant, but the food was very good and the beer selection more than adequate.
(4)
Keith L.
Decent sports bar. The best part about it was the Sunday breakfast buffett. Really nice job. After that though, this place becomes pretty average. Its too big to be a neighborhood kind of place. Its just not that warm and friendly. Its more in line with trying to be a sports bar and they miss on that too. They have enough TV's but for the big games, volume would be nice. Watched an NFL playoff game at the bar with no sound. All in all, decent but not great.
(3)
Alark J.
A fantastic place for a great weekend brunch. This place has a great variety of brunch options including customizable omelets, scrambled eggs, bayou styled eggs (which were amaaaazing), french toast, waffles, home fries, grilled dill potatoes, pancakes, salad. This is just on one side. The other side had a ton of fruit options - strawberries, cantaloupe, pineapple etc. They also had ice creams and one could make their own sundae. Soooooo goood!! I wish I wasnt on the plumper side. I'd have devoured sundaes like jughead :-p The seating is excellent and the service too is great. For some reason they charge extra for drinks like orange juice etc, which I thought was a bit weird since its a buffet place. They could surely include a drink or two in their price.
(5)
Susie A.
Hmm I'm surprised this place got so many bad reviews. I went for my first time the other night and didn't think it was so horrible. The place was a lot bigger than I thought it would be. The hostess was a bit rude, but nothing too crazy. And the server forgot to bring me my drink. I like how there is that back, more private room with tables. I also LOVED that they had the Olympic Opening Ceremonies playing on the huge TVs. And people were actually paying attention. The crowd seemed decent. Didn't try the food, but the drink menu had tons of cool drinks on it. Giving Tavern in the Square 3 stars for now because I thought it was A-OK. But hopefully I'll be back and can update my review with further opinions!
(3)
Nie K.
I've only been here once during lunch and I also got the prix fixe. It was delicious and a little on the small side but I enjoyed a nice sunny day and eating outside with friends. If they always have that prix fixe menu I think it's worth it, maybe a brunch or lunch with your girlfriends but I don't know if I'd go for dinner based on the other reviews here.
(3)
Andrea M.
We were looking for a place to catch a casual bite to eat early in the evening for my sister's bachelorette party. Despite the negative reviews I had read here, I decided the menu was broad enough to accommodate everyone's tastes and SUPER close to Improv Boston, where we were heading afterward. Our waiter was phenomenal. He had a great personality, was very attentive and seemed like he was right on top of everything. He even helped take some pictures of our group for us. As for the food, I have no complaints. I got a burger, which was what I expected it to be. It was quite filling but tasty. My sister got the white truffle mac and cheese which was soooooo good. I kept abandoning my dish to dig into hers. Everyone else liked their food as well. The drinks we got were very good. They have some nice cocktails on the menu, like the Mint Ginger Drop. So yummy! Overall, it's nice, casual environment. It was great for the group of 9 we had. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good group place or if you're looking for a place with some good TVs to watch the game on. The one in Porter Square is pretty decent as well though I've only been there for drinks and trivia I imagine the food would taste exactly the same. I guess you could compare this place to a Chili's or 99 in a way. Don't expect anything gourmet or over the top, but it is what it is and it was exactly the type of place we were looking for.
(4)
Liz K.
Was only there for a short while on Sat night but it was fun. The lighting was really cool and they had a great crowd.
(4)
Rohit S.
Let me first qualify my review. I go hear to eat, not to drink, play trivia or hang out. with that said, the food I have eaten is pretty good with a couple of unique items I highly recommend. Do you like your potatoes sweet? Their basket of sweet potatoes are awesome, you can't get this stuff at Mickey Ds!! My regular meal is actually a bowl of chili (pretty good and spicy) along with sweet potatoes on the side. The wraps are also good. OK so why three stars - the place is loud so you can't realty talk in here, but if you like sweet potatoes, this is one of teh few good options.
(3)
Nicole P.
This is the closest bar to my house and I have to say it's pretty good as local bars go. It's not cool and hip like the River Gods but it is big, clean and modern with really nice screens to watch the games. The food is actually tasty as far as pub fare goes as well. There is a large variety to choose from- burgers/fries, wings, ahi tuna, salads, meatloaf etc. In the warm weather there are tables outside which rocks because there are not many restaurants in Central with outdoor seating. The service is good too. Myself and about 10 friends watched the NFL play offs at the Tavern and literally took up a huge table for 6 hours without one complaint from the bar! We did order lots of food and drinks but 6 hours is a long time! The best thing about the Tavern is Sunday brunch! As y'all know breakfast in boston/camberville usually means long lines but because the Tavern is so big, there are never brunch lines. The food is also really good- made to order omlettes, bacon, french toast, pancakes, chicken, pasta, salads, bagels, desserts, coffee etc all for $15 - pretty good deal.
(4)
Carleton S.
Went here for the EuroCup Italy vs England game. Fans showed up in droves - the bar on the otherhand was completely unprepared. Hundreds of waitresses and two bartenders trying to accommodate hundreds of football fans. They shuffled all the fans to the backbar where there was no bartender on staff. Everyone had to parade over to the open bar to take their drinks back to the back bar while managers with suit and ties sat around doing nothing. What sports bar is completely unprepared for one of the biggest sporting events in the world? That would be Tavern on the Square! Avoid it at all costs if you can and never go there for a big sporting event!
(1)
Jessica G.
A friend of mine was in town and our original plan to meet up with more friends (10-20) was thwarted when the Otherside decided to paint their walls. Good thing we called ahead. In a MAD scramble to find a place that (one) could accommodate the large size (Toad was out) and (two) close to the t (Cambridge Commons was out) -- we came up with the Tavern. My first time despite the fact that I live in Cambridge. Good stuff: Menu definitely impressed me (a vegetarian) with variety. Lots of drinks to choose from -- what fun stuff! A little pricey sure but nice decor. Not so good: Service!!! We were a large group and everyone was having a great time when things started disappearing from the table. Drinks, beer, food. I'm all about helping waiters close out so they can go home but prefer if this is made clear rather than losing my drink. By the end of the night I was haggling with my neighbor for sips of water!! The night was a great night--but it was the people not the locale that really shone. I wouldn't recommend it but it was certainly handy in a pinch.
(2)
Dee P.
lately service and quality has been more consistent (still issues getting burgers cooked to correct doneness, though... grill issues?) and new menu items are definitely tasty. upping the stars for that and also i found out they feed the homeless for free on thanksgiving. yay tavern! half price burgers on tuesdays are still on, and you can get a 'VIP' card for a free lunch once it's punched fully. not bad!
(3)
_ _.
Scale of 1-10 (multiple visits): 5 Food 7 Service 9 Atmosphere 4 Value
(2)
Julie R.
This place has a really cool atmosphere. Very modern for the Central Sq. area. I went there for the first time and had a decent experiance. The spinach and artichoke dip was good. Very creamy and cheesy. The chips that acccompany it are served warm. They were fried and were a little greasy. I wish they were not fried cause it made for a heavy start but the carrot and celery sticks they give with it also balance things out. The mediterranean wrap was ok. It had chicken, sun dried tomato, lettuce and goat cheese. It could of used some mayo or dressing. It was very dry and I didn't finish it. The risotto balls were very large. They came on top of a tomato puree. The outside was crispy but a little greasy from being fried. The service was slow. The bartenders were friendly when you had their attention but they mostly hung out on one side of the bar chatting up the waitstaff. Prices were good. It also has a small outside patio for the season. The restaurant is spacious enough to take a large group and there is something for everyone on the large menu.
(3)
Dottie D.
THIS REVIEW IS BASED *ONLY* ON THE SUNDAY BRUNCH!!! i don't know about happy hour or the dinner menu or anything like that but the brunch is fantastic. there are tables outside, which is a huge bonus in boston as not many places outside of newbury street have jumped on the al fresca dining tradition that i have been spoiled by living in los angeles. they have a brunch buffet for $15.95 that has an enormous selection. there are about 10-12 different hot entrees to choose from (french toast, waffles, veggies, sausage, potatos, etc). there is an egg station where you can pick all the cheese, meat, and veggies you want in your eggs and they'll make it and bring it out for you. there is a huge selection of toast, muffins, bagels, etc. There is a table full of desserts -- cakes, mini cupcakes, mini eclairs, etc. there is a make your own sundae station, and a table with fresh fruit, granola, dried cranberries, two types of yogurt and chocolate chips. basically, the selection is huge. i happen to be a bit of a picky eater and don't eat a lot of the above mentioned things and yet i think this brunch is totally worth it! my only complaint is that they don't open until 10:30 and that they get super crowded sometimes but overall, this is a great option for sunday brunch and not too pricey!
(5)
John L.
This place has a decent Sunday brunch (eggs, omeletes, etc.). So Sunday morning does have a good atmosphere. And on top of that, the bartenders I've had were nothing but nice. However, the bar food is a little too expensive for my own taste, and it's not the greatest in the world. But on Sunday morning, it's good.
(3)
Tara G.
Big Dig Fries. Anyway, why does everyone hate this place so? I think it's kind of nice, and they have that weird cool rock art in front of the bathrooms. They had pitchers of blueberry beer. BLUEBERRY BEER! -1 star for claiming to be a sports bar when their "main screen" is constantly dim/obscured by skylight/insufficiently lumens'd. They have an all-you-can-eat brunch that I'm dying to try.
(4)
Tristan B.
This is a one star locale with the redeemable factor of one thing: the outdoor seating. Order some apps and maybe you can get away with just drinking out there because I'm sure as hell not going to eat their poor excuse of food. Eh-ish beer list, nothing to complain about but nothing special. Whatever. The atmosphere in there, however, couldn't be worse. They play the cold standard mix of shitty hip hop WAY TOO LOUD. It's so incredibly annoying when you're almost yelling (and being a complete loudmouth that I am, this is pretty loud) to the person across from you. This has happened more than once for me. Service is tolerable, never had any problems with them although one time I went in with a few friends and they asked if we were in a band. It made me laugh at least. So two stars you sit Tavern. It's so unfortunate that you're so close.
(2)
Melinda C.
Though the rest of the food is unmemorable, their tater tot appetizer with white truffle oil and parmesan cheese is amazing. AMAZING. I teetered on paying the $$ for it, but it was completely worth it. Make sure you bring a few friends though, you can't do this one on your own or even with just 1 other friend.
(3)
Tom E.
Crud. I hate this place, which is a shame as it's very close to me. I've been giving it second and third chances for a while now but last week it ran out of review rainchecks when I attended the trivia night. Not content with having.... A) no discernible atmosphere other than businessmen having a drink rather than going home B) overpriced lousy food including a 10 dollar burger that was crap galore C) a strange bi-partisan layout D) shit shit music ....the Tavern then also managed to achieve one-star-or-less-ness by having the rubbishest Stump trivia night ever. The trivia jockey was useless, gave away the answers to anyone who flirted with her and was hell bent on asking everyone questions about her favourite TV shows - of which 'America's Top Model' was one of them.
(1)
christina c.
We had a couple beers here as well last night and the Buffalo Calamari. HELLO!?! Why doesn't every bar have this? I mean talk about bad for you but sooo good. Its Calamari covered in hot sauce and blue cheese AND fried jalapenos. I love spicy and this was great. When its warmer its nice to sit on the patio and people watch too.
(4)
Chris W.
I had a nice dinner at this place. Yes it may lack character and not really belong in Central or whatever, but it's a nice bar/restaurant with good bar food. I liked the vibe at the place. It was a typical slightly trendy bar atmosphere. There were lots of flat panel TVs that were perfect to look at as I was zoning out of my conversation. The menu has a lot of different things, from burgers to pasta, to entree dishes. We ordered the Big Dig Fries as our appetizer. Waffle fries covered with cheese, bacon and sour cream. Definitely very delicious bar food. I got the Monterrey Chicken Sandwich on foccacia bread. It was also a good sandwich. The foccacia was delicious and the sandwich was perfect juicyness with sauce and lettuce and tomato. Service was pretty good, too. Our waiter came over a lot of times and refilled our water and asked us how we were doing a good amount. Good selection of drinks. Decent prices (~$8-15 for a dish). Good vibe. A good place to meet up with a few friends, have some delicious fried bar food and drinks.
(4)
Hilary J.
It was my first time going there. I needed a big salad with chicken on top and I needed it NOW. So my sidekick thought of this place as being somewhere that would have that, and I didn't care where I was going to be getting this salad from, I just needed it. So we went. It was about 9PM on a Wednesday and it was crowded and loud. No big deal, I can deal. I won't go back, because the "vibe" just isn't there though. It's one of those places that guys who use a lot of hair gel go, you can tell. I think this place belongs more in Brighton or something....not really Central Square material. The salad was not very satisfying and I couldn't understand why they put bacon in an Asian style salad?? But I was desperate so I guess it did the trick at the time. The service was friendly enough but extraordinarily slow, and we had to ask another server if we could order drinks from him because we hadn't seen our own in a while. Maybe I'm in a bad mood today, but the one thing that kept me from giving it only 1-star was the delicious Mint Ginger Drop martini, which was one of the best drinks I've had served to me in a while. I suppose I should keep in mind when saying all this that it is classified as a "sports bar". Ok... I'll bump it to 3 stars I guess.
(3)
Kew M.
I went to the Tavern for the open game of the Celtics found it really nice. I felt like I was at the game :) well at the discounted price. I had a batch of fries and some Buffalo wings and the win was the cherry on top great start to the session.
(4)
Amy C.
Holy huge nachos here. We ordered the nachos solely because we saw an order come out and sham-wow they looked like a delicious pile of heaven. We were not disappointed. There are so few places that do nachos right and Tavern is one of them. Do you like cheese on the bottom layer of your nachos? Who doesn't? Tavern spreads the love all over the nachos, not just on the top layer. Guaranteed cheese on every bite. Our waiter went MIA on two occasions for 20 minutes each time. When we called him out on it, he made sure our next round of cocktails was super strong. He was promptly forgiven.
(4)
Jocelyn C.
I've been kind of avoiding a review of the Tavern for some time now because I have a long history with them and a lot of the people that used to work there know me and all that jazz, BUT... I have to say, the Tavern is just your very average, very typical (i.e. boring) bar and restaurant. I'd go there when I was invited by others, but I never actually initiated any visits there myself. The staff used to be pretty cool and some of the food items are okay (I would recommend the turkey wrap with onion strings if asked), but if I'm hanging in Central, I make my way to all the other bars around the 'hood instead. This place used to my "Cheers," but a lot of the better (and cooler) staff have gone onto bigger and better things, and it's just not as much fun as it used to be. And plus, who has time to learn so many new names and faces when you've already invested so much time and energy and drinking into a place already?! Especially if those new faces behind the bar are extremely rude and take forever to get you a bottle of beer?! Sorry, Tavern... no hard feelings, but get your act together! If I had been writing this review when you had first opened, this would totally be a different story, but as it is now... wow, everything went downhill pretty fast.
(2)
A L.
I come here pretty often, probably once every six weeks or so. My hubs and I went here this past Friday, and it began as a nightmarish experience. Our waitress was a very nice person, but had no idea what she was doing. She was clearly not competent, for whatever reason, to perform the duties of waiting tables. As far as I could see, she only had three total tables - although it was busy, this should've been entirely manageable. She took our drink orders 4 times, messed them up twice, took our app order 3 times, and our entree order 3 times. By this time, we began to commiserate with the other tables she was "serving," as they were having similar experiences. One table walked out, leaving full drinks on their table. She had messed up their drinks several times too. I asked the hostess, who was nearby taking care of the full drinks and wiping the table, if I could speak with the manager. I told him what was going on, hoping to get a new waitress for the rest of the night. Instead, he waited on us, got our food out almost immediately, offered a round of drinks, then comped the ENTIRE meal. We were very impressed by the amount of care that was given to our table when the manager realized we were so dissatisfied. The food is good, they have a good scotch list, could offer more wines...but hits the spot when you need a solid, dependable meal - as long as you get trained waitstaff. Thanks again to Tavern for the comped meal - we'll definitely be back.
(3)
Stephen R.
I was looking forward to dining here. It looked like a nice place from the outside. It went downhill in a big way! Fast forward to dinner being served. We saw a cockroach on the wall. We didn't want to make a huge deal out of it in front of the rest of the restaurant. We called over the manager and she tried to smooth us over with drinks or moving the table. We told her we just wanted to leave at that point. Her compromise was to not charge us for the food. My friend and I just wanted to get out of there at this point and so did our wives. I wish that was where it ended. Later that night one of us got violently ill from food poising (they had the tuna salad). STAY CLEAR!
(1)
Caroline O.
Ah, the Tavern. One of my favorite hangouts when I was taking bi-weekly classes at the Kaplan center across the street last year. Good brews, a nice mix of above average pub food, and some interesting menu items with a twist. I've been here several times, sometimes just for quick pub grub- wings, nachos, and some brews on tap, and a few times with my boyfriend for dinner. I've never been disappointed with either the service or the food. Lots of big screen TVs too for watching various sports events. Good stuff all around! The biggest downside is that the specialty beers listed on the menu always come in a bottle. I've been fooled twice now, thinking I was getting some exotic/special beer on tap, but instead got handed a bottle I could've picked up at the store. Bummer. All in all, a good place to hang out , have a few beers and watch the game, or sit down and have a good dinner. Definitely a place I'll keep going back to!
(4)
Jenny i.
LOVE! Love the menu. Love the bar. The food is wonderful, the staff is attentive, (and attractive). Always have dinner here first before heading to see a show at TT's or the Middle East
(5)
Patrick N.
Any time I have to choose the size of beer I would like to have it always makes me feel warm and fuzzy. Tavern is no exception. They have a decent beer selection and the glasses are always clean. The food, while it is slightly over priced, is pretty good. They have a large selection of comfort foods available, mac and cheese, shepherds pie, ect. If you are trying to enjoy a sporting event they have plenty of high def tvs to watch. With two bars waiting for a drink never takes too long. All in all it's a good place to catch a game with a friend or two.
(3)
Michael L.
I walked into this place and was slapped across my face with a putrid wall of irritation. It's like everyone got off of work at the Pru, took off their ties or let their hair down, turned up the obnoxious-loud-dumb knob, and came here. To be honest, I think I disliked this place so much mostly because the crowd was irritating. The music was just bad. They had a DJ but it was positively pitiful. Dance/R&B can be fun and good. It wasn't. The drinks were overpriced ($7-10) but I have to say they had a mighty nice selection of bottled beer, including some imported rarities. Hence them receiving two stars. However, I wasn't in the mood to be back-patted and have dudes spit on my teeth about the latest developments at spring training. Actually I'm NEVER in the mood for that. There were attractive girls here, as far as looks go. If you're a dude who unbuttons the top button and loosens his tie to go out, check out the Tavern for manic action! Crash and burn.
(2)
Phil W.
A pretty unremarkably restaurant/bar, but I like it for the following reasons : - It's in Central Square and it's there when I don't want to eat pizza or Middle Eastern or Indian food. - The quality of their buffet brunch is surprising. I've gone a couple times now and have never been disappointed. Salmon? Sweet cheese blintzes? Right on. - After one particular brunch, we stayed at the bar to watch the Patriots game, and proceeded to get really shitty on Guinness and the bartender Sal's Panty Droppers, which was his own special concoction. I think there was strawberry syrup in it. Anyway, we watched the game and then went to Harvard all liquored up to see "Borat." Man, that was a good day.
(3)
Nam T.
I'm not sure if I'm the best person to judge the tavern. My experience here is limited to the 25 cent wings Tuesday. I think the wings can be a hit or miss. Some nights they are nice big and hot wings. Other night it can be smaller and cold. Some nights it will come with a small salad. Other nights it won't. Consistency is definitely and issue, but at 25 cents a piece why would you complain. A plate of ten is usually enough for me so a dinner that cost $2.50 is very nice. I still come here regularly for the wing Tuesday so I recommend you to come and give it a shot.
(3)
Andrew C.
I've only been there for lunch but the food has always been tasty. A bit on the expensive side for lunch and pub food but the sandwiches are always good and the fries and onion rings have always been hot and fresh. I would recommend the bacon cheeseburger which has cheese and bacon stuffed inside.
(3)
Vidhya S.
This is THE BAR that my co-workers and I head to on Thursday nights. It's perfect for after work drinks b/c it's a big place w/ lots of sitting areas to accommodate large groups. We prefer to sit in the bar tables near the windows. In the summer there is also outside seating and they open up the front windows to let in the fresh air. The food is eh, honestly we've been there so much that I can't stand even looking at the menu b/c I've read it a million times and am sick of the food. So take that into consideration when your reading this. But there is still no way I'd purposely go here to dinner especially with the million great restaurants in Cambridge. But for a drink after work? Yes please.
(3)
Ilya Jacob R.
I used to go here for trivia (when it used to be on Monday nights) and always ordered up a pizza and dessert. I hadn't come here in a while and then all of the sudden - I was back and not loving it. And it wasn't because it wasn't trivia night. It was because the food was lame. The pizza was shockingly bad and not really even close to average by my standards. I think I had the shrimp and basil pizza - don't even think about it. My wife's dish wasn't good either - under seasoned (salt and pepper) - encrusted tuna salad. After this splendid meal I didn't feel like dessert, so I skipped it, but I will say that I remember enjoying their desserts last time I was there when playing trivia.
(2)
Bevin C.
This place is clean and convenient, but over the past six months, it seems to have gotten more expensive and less cool (not that it was particularly cool to begin with). Plus, the food is really hit or miss. If it hadn't been for my last visit, I might have given this place three stars... the hostess was really rude, the bartender wasn't much better, and they were playing crappy music LOUDly. Oh, and my ten dollar martini tasted nasty. Not good.
(2)
Felecia C.
A couple tips for Tavern in the Square: 1. If you are going to make people pay to hear the music they want on the lame jukebox thingy, turn the volume up in the bar so that we can actually HEAR the music. My party and I contemplated relocating to the bathroom just to listen to "Don't Stop Believing," but luckily one of us had an Ipod handy. 2. Hire enough waitstaff to handle a crowded bar, or at least tell them to check on patrons and their drink status more than once an hour. We should not have to go to the bar to try to order a round, only to be told to wait for the practically nonexistent waitress. Other than those gripes, the Tavern is a pretty generic after-work bar. The drinks are standard, and though I didn't eat anything, the people I was with seemed to love the food. I had fun here, but there's still room for improvement.
(3)
Arturo P.
OK Beer/Drinks, Unimpressive Food, Big Screens Been here a few times, mostly because it's the easiest place to catch NFL Network football or West coast basketball in Central square. I'm generally unimpressed but not disappointed with the food, but nothing stands out as being particularly bad. Probably not worth going here for a Boston sports game as it gets exceedingly crowded and you can catch those games basically anywhere. Overall, a solid place to watch sports, but a basically unimpressive otherwise. I'm sure I'll be back for the sports selection, but that would be the biggest draw.
(2)
Leslie K.
This place is a more expensive Applebee's or Chili's. BUT there are a few things I love: 1. Decent selection of beers. 2. Lots of tvs, often tuned to the Sox. 3. Easy place to meet people. 4. FRIED PICKLES!! (I have saved the best for last.) If you are going to eat a meal here, I would recommend sticking to food it's hard to mess up -- burgers, fries, nachos, etc. Other stuff doesn't turn out so well. Also, this place gets pretty loud -- not great for a first date, people!
(2)
Caleb H.
To begin, I can only review this place as a bar. It looks like a bunch of people don't like it as a restaurant. I've been to this bar a couple times, and usually with a small group (~5 people). The place has never felt overpacked, and the atmosphere has always been good. Points go up for cool bartenders who have been quick to serve you and give a little personality to their service. They don't fill your beer and take your money without looking at you. They can recommend drinks, and they seem to know random mixed drinks too. Points also go up for the DJ from Friday night. He was open to tossing music on his playlist, and had a wide variety of songs. I was glad he could drop in some Spoon and Stevie Wonder per request, and then pop in the Humpty Dance afterwards--I suffer Music ADD. Finally, points also go up for the clean bathrooms. Maybe it was the type of crowd, or maybe they're on top of it, but the bathrooms weren't too shabby at the end of the night. I recommend the fries and a pitcher of Blue Moon with some wedges of oranges.
(4)
Naomi M.
I was here January 7, 2012 for the New Orleans Saints vs Detroit Lions playoff game as a Saints fan and though I enjoyed the atmosphere and cheap beer all night, one bartender treated us horribly and made it so that I will NEVER RETURN TO THIS INSTITUTION. Being a sports bar, we all assumed that cheering would be tolerated.... we were told to stop cheering by this bartender. He also came over to us and taunted us, saying things like "How long have you even been Saints fans for, anyway? These guys from Detroit have been suffering there for their whole lives!" Though to me this point is absurdly irrelevant, it was all I could resist to point out that New Orleans hasn't had it so easy, either. On several occasions throughout the night we could also hear him talking badly about us to other patrons, especially the Detroit fans. At the end of the night when I closed my tab, a comment card came with the bill, and I wrote about how I was very unhappy with how I was treated by the bartender - and when he came back to pick it up, he read the card, crumpled it up, and threw it at me. I have never in my life been treated so horribly at any institution. This is a sports bar, which should invite sportsman-like behavior, and this bartender was an offensively bad example of this. Tavern in the Square has lost my business for life.
(1)
Natural A.
Tavern in the Square is great for lunch or happy hour. The appetizers are okay. They don't have the best wings or calamari, but it's decent. They have great drinks. I simply love their sweet potato fries!!!
(3)
Mihir P.
Went back a couple of times and was disappointed for the most part. Got the brunch buffet. So not worth it for $16 - no juice included. The omelets were good but that's about it. Sausages were too mild an mushy. Hello! Bacon is supposed to be resting on a screen in the chafing dish so it's not lying in it own filth. The result of the bacon was super greasy and soggy. Got some pancakes but of course there was no syrup. I told the staff and it took fifteen minutes for them to get some. Go there for the game, drinks and an app but leave it at that. ___________________ Original review 4 stars ___________________ Wow, what a name. No thought put into it. When I heard about this place, I thought "Another run down, depreciated bar with townie customers, and a staff as charming as eels; oh and artery clogging food ." Boy, was I wrong. I walked into a clean and modern tavern with a friendly young staff. My friend and I sat tt the bar to eat and watch the Patriots game. The bartenders were efficient and hardworking and very friendly (and easy on the eyes). They did what they could to please the customer. I asked one of them to make me a non-alcoholic drink. At first she was stumped and then I gave her some encouragement. She fixed me a virgin margartia which was decent. The food was good. The menu has a great selection of traditional and creative items. I played conservatively and had a salad and chili. Both were very good. THe chili was a tad oily and salty though. My friend went for the brunch buffet. The dishes were fresh and presented well. I would now be willing to try to some of the more creative items like the pistachio crusted tuna and others - I admit that I stereotype that a tavern can't have good creative food. While at the bar, I observed that it was kept clean and organized - no clutter, trash or spills waiting to be attended to. Even all the labels of the liquor bottles were facing forward. There is no pizzaz, glamour, crazy lights, or celebrity chef here. Just a solid, spacious, clean tavern with sound food and a hard-working staff. I think a new term needs to be developed for the places like this. The Neo-Tavern?
(3)
Melody A.
I went here right after my friend picked me up from the airport and it was perfect! We sat on the patio which was awesome in the late afternoon to people watch in Cambridge. Granted, we only had drinks and appetizers but they were really good! I had sweet potato fries with MAPLE SYRUP - YUM!!! I wouldn't have thought of this combo, but my friend said it was good and I'm glad I ordered them! The drinks were really good and the service was excellent.
(4)
Lalin A.
It is a regular bar. Shiny. I don't eat here, but only grab drinks. But for the real fun, comfortable setting, and atmosphere, I'd say walk a few blocks and go to People's Republik or Plough&Stars. They are DEFINITELY better. edit: this place feels a little better when there is a game. it was packed last night and the service was quick.
(3)
Billie M.
I've only been here a few times and it was always just for drinks. No complaints, but no real raves either, it was a pretty standard, cookie cutter bar. Beer was ok, service was nice, atmosphere was forgetable. That being said, the last time I went there made me seriously consider giving it 5 stars. The DJ was playing some great old school hip hop, and the bartender and I had a great time pretending we were giving a live performance on Yo! MTV Raps. Why did it go back down to three? Because he and I were the only two people in the WHOLE CROWDED BAR that knew Renee. Seriously? Sorry Tavern, my loyalty lies with the Lost Boys.
(3)
Milee S.
What can I say about this place? Fantastic food! I had one of the best turkey burgers ever at The Tavern. Great crowd, but service is really lacking. (We had to place our dessert order at the bar as our waitress was too busy socializing). I'd go back since the food is unbelieveable!
(3)
sato h.
My friends and I went out for a lunch today... It was horrible. We enter to grab seats and had to wait for couple of min because nobody was there. Our waitestaff took our order for drinks and we waited for 10 min while she was asking the table next to us if everything was okay and cleaning up tables. Finally our coke arrives, and there is a hair stuck next to my lemon... I asked the waitstaff if I could change it, kindly. She doesnt say a single word and snatches my coke away. 5 min later my coke arrives. I asked her if I could put my fries on the side because I wanted to share it with my vegiteriam friend (so that the fries wont touch my burger.) The waiteress gives me a look as if that is such a hassle for her! Of course the food took forever like other reviewer were saying and all that. I will never go back there again.
(1)
J M.
OK place: decent atmopshere, food is merely okay for the price.
(3)
Emily O.
2.5 stars, really and only for its convenience and standard as a sports bar (which I don't think they're aiming to be, but who can tell?). I've been here twice - once just for drinks and to watch the Sox and more recently for dinner, an escape from the heat and to watch the Sox. Pros: nice ambiance when it's light out, two bars, many flat screens (Hi Def, I think) and they pipe the sound of the game throughout the bar; my drink was priced right and delightful the first time I went. Cons: The food! I echo Roshni R. It looks nice as it approaches, but has absolutely no flavor - none! The sweet potato fries were greasy, not crispy and had no seasoning. My soda was flat. My sandwich was essentially lettuce and tomatoes on a phony foccacia. That's all I need to say - phony foccacia.
(2)
Frank G.
Tavern is one of the few places that serves a pretty standard sit-down American-style menu among Central's collection diverse ethnic restaurants. It fits in neatly between all the fast-food joints and the upscale places in price. The standard Sunday brunch buffet is a pretty good deal. Nothing about Tavern is amazing, but I'm very glad it's here for the times when I want to bring friends or visitors to something reliably familiar and not too expensive.
(3)
John D.
The Tavern is a really fun place to hang out especially on saturday nights. The food is great and the staff are super friendly. What I like best os the lack of "goons" that you normally find in these types of bars and instead it holds a certain sophistication and is not at all messy. The tavern has quickly become my regular Saturday night spot.
(5)
Tez C.
Overpriced and our waitress was horrid. We had a huge group of us and so we wanted to buy our drinks separately at the bar, but she told us we could only order from her. She was a real wench about it. They had a Miller Light special which was cheap but otherwise it's a normal bar. Pretty big but a much older crowd I would say. Nothing to get too worked up about.
(2)
Gigi B.
I have been to Tavern in the Square in Central Square at least a dozen times since moving to Boston nearly three years ago. Overall my experiences have been positive and I enjoy eating and drinking there, but there is often spotty service and the quality of mixed drinks seems to have gone downhill. Recently our server did not come back for over 15 minutes after we had left cash for the bill and wanted changed; we ended up leaving and giving her a much larger tip than we wanted because we were so frustrated. On another occurrence, the night of the State of the Union address by the president, the bar proceeded to turn off the music and turn every television channel to the speech and have the audio over the speakers. Call me ignorant for only wanting to watch the highlights at home later that evening, but if I had wanted to watch the State of the Union address, I would have stayed at home. Overall Tavern in the Square is a good choice to meet friends for a burger, watch the game and catch up.
(3)
shary m.
This place only means one thing to me. Risotto fritters! They are the only thing that can get me through that door, past the hulking flat screens, past the clamor of the "upscale generic sports bar" vibe they've got going on. One bite of the fritties and everything goes away. Nuff said.
(3)
Sean E.
I guess I'll just add to the plethora of 3 star reviews here (and ones that probably decided to round up from 2.5). [Updated: Sorry, you're a 2 star affair.] As far as food goes the Tavern in the Square manages to succeed at middle of the road, chain-restaurant style appeasement. It's not good, but it's not bad. From what we had I can tell you that the salad was better than the (veggie) burger. I don't know if I can properly stress how much a good bun adds to a burger. At the Tavern you're getting a cold, yellow, tasteless, seemingly a couple-days-old as it fell apart in my hands, bun. No matter how good the actual burger is -- I mean, I wouldn't even call this thing bread -- I'd rather it were served on a couple slices of wheat or even white bread. The onion strings stood up ok but they'd be much better if they had some crunch and weren't as limp. And the salad was the winner with some greens that had a good snap to them and fresh tasting ingredients -- even though they skimped a bit on the avacado and feta that were supposed to be the starring items. The place itself has more than a couple identity issues. They keep the lights on low, but the volume up high (we were yelling at each other from across a tiny table), and the design of the place is saying we have a touch of class but the use of multiple flat screens and bad music is saying I want to be a sports bar. Maybe this is the destination to check out a Red Sox/Patriots game in Central Square? If you can find a spot, I'd recommend sticking to the bar area on the left and coming on a full stomach. They have a decent obligatory section on their beer list of stuff besides your big 3. But if you're just looking for hitting a bar for some drinks there's many a better option in the area.
I had stopped through here a number of times for libations. Based on that alone I would have given this place 3 stars. That was until I ate brunch here and was convinced never to return. The eggs were terrible, overdone, rubbery and the food at the brunch buffet kept running out (after I tried nearly everything and could not find the saving grace of the spread I don't understand why.) The only good thing about brunch was the mimosa. I think I paid nearly 17 dollars just to eat. NEVER AGAIN!
(1)
Holly M.
I enjoyed the scene and the brews. A great time was had on the friday night that I visited. Someone next to us order the food and it looked like decent pub type food. He seemed to enjoy it. The atmosphere was fun and hearty, exactly what I would expect from this Cambridge joint.
(3)
Roshni R.
yuck! totally overpriced for extremely mediocre food. service was ridiculously slow. even though you are technically supposed to be seated by the waitstaff, we had to wander around for 10minutes, find ourselves a table, and tell the bartender where we were seated before a waitress actually showed up. frankly i want only to give it 2 stars, but i came here with the ex for lunch on our first one-on-one outing in 2yrs, and the unbearable wait made us tired and cranky enough to get our squabbling over with before the meal actually began, so by the time we had food and a couple beers in our systems, we remembered why we're friends to begin with and went our (separate) merry ways. so i suppose the tavern served its purpose, and that deserves a third star ;).
(3)
Lakay C.
I've enjoyed just about everything I've eaten here. I've also always had good service. I give it a three stars though because it lacks originality and spunk. I've never had a bad time here but I've also never had a really great time. It's just generic.
(3)
Jillian M.
This place is simple with good solid food with plenty of options, good drinks, good atmosphere, really good service and plenty of tvs to watch the games on. No gimmicks or any of that... just really really good, anytime.
(5)
Mags L.
i don't mind this place. we go on occasion after tae kwon do and it serves a decent calamari. it was also nice during the summertime to have the option of sitting out in the "patio" area. never eaten dinner here, but have had decent peach martinis and mango margaritas (i'm a girly-drink drunk). i think it's hilarious that there's a "dj" booth. i think the person up there is playing cd's, but i've never taken a close look. she/he/whoever (again a close look was not taken) always seems to be playing a hit or miss selection of hip hop. thank goodness for the martinis. it's a good spot to hit up if you're interested in meeting men who feel no shame enjoying a nice cold smirnoff ice (ain't nothing wrong w/that). update: shots of ketel one were lukewarm. lukewarm! how can you do a shot of vodka that's not freezing cold. had to bump down the stars. :( i'd like to get drunk in as pleasant manner as possible.
(2)
Trish F.
Boston doesn't really have that many buffets...so I get kind of excited when I find one. For some reason, I thought that the food was a little better when I first started going here over a year ago. The service improved slightly. The omelet cook was nice and they actually remembered to bring me my omelet this time (seriously forgot all about me two times before and then acted like it was my fault for placing the order correctly and not hmphing louder when I didn't get my food in a timely manner). The spread just seemed old. The eggs benedict had burnt edges and the pasta had a weird taste to it. I did like their seasoned home fries and the chicken that was in the chicken parm. The cakes they had were pretty delicious too. It generally is a good mix of breakfast and lunch: pastas, salad, eggs, sausage, bacon, salmon, potatoes - mashed and home fries, wings, croissants, bagels, muffins, fruit.. OH! Something incredibly bothersome. The chocolate sprinkles tasted funny (sad sad ice cream). C'mon man.. what are you trying to do to a girl? Didn't they read my Yelp thread about my love of ice cream? They do have outdoor seating which is a huge plus in the spring/summer. And they don't seem to have a time limit.. so if you have a couple hours and want to get your $15.95's worth you can hang out for a bit.
(3)
Amie R.
Seems ilke a pretty cool place -- albeit a tad pricey. I really liked the atmosphere here, and the had a ton of drink specialties. Definitely a "nicer" place for the area. Haven't eaten here yet, but would like to try their food!
(3)
erin e.
Reminds me a LOT of Temple Bar in between Harvard and Porter Squares. Upscale American/Pub food. Casual. Good to go get drinks and hang out in Central. Don't think I'd want to "make a night of it" here, nor would I ever really plan on going here, but it's a nice place if you're in the area and need a place to stop in for food. Don't go to Wish.
(3)
Jess P.
Tavern started out with 5 stars because they spent months rehabbing the old Good Life and I figured we had to be waiting for something good. Minus one star for the limp, soul-less "fancy-Irish-pub-in-Boston" atmosphere. One more star lost for the puddles of puke you'll have to avoid on the sidewalk just outside the door as you try to leave on a weekend night. Last star lost for having really overpriced weekend brunch, middling food and for getting my hopes up. Two stars remain because it's convenient, close to T, and the biggest bar in Central - if you get sick of mushing up against lots of people in Enormous room, the Field, Middlesex, River Gods etc.
(2)
Rebecca Y.
Central's Square new answer to Good Life (literally, it is in the same spot). Good nachos, fun drinks and quite a night spot. We were there just as it opened and were very happy with the service and the food. We even talked to the manager for awhile and gave him some feedback on the menu. Just don't go next store to Wish - these guys should stick with the bar food at Tavern.
(3)
Karen D.
The biggest pluses for this place is that you can sit outside and they have Franzikaner beer. I went with 3 friends on a Saturday late afternoon for some appetizers and drinks. The server said that the fried clam appetizers were big enough to share and they definitely weren't. I got the Angry Shrimp which were very good and had a nice presentation. The best value was the buffalo calalmari. It didn't have a lot of batter and was actually big enough to share. The service was kind of lousy. The waitress asked if we wanted more drinks and one person said "no" and I said "yes" and she walked away. I asked for the beer menu and by the time I got it and got her attention to order, everyone at my table was done, so I didn't bother. My friends with the clams were going to order some more food, but the service was so slow, the didn't want to. It took us a really long time to get the check. I would go there again mostly to sit outside and have a beer, but not when I have to be anywhere after.
(3)
rishi h.
Eh. Maybe I'd come here more often if I was really dedicated to being a young professional. Not really my kinda place but I've stopped by for a drink often and recent enough to get a feel for it. Nothing extraordinary happening here. It's pretty busy on the weekends. Expect a young crowd dressed like they're out to get laid but might be seen earlier taking their parents out to dinner in the same attire.
(3)
Kabir H.
Holy shit, they've got a patio! You can drink outside in Central Sq. now!
(3)
Macall Z.
What changed??? I used to live near the tavern and would go there quite often. It wasn't anything particularly spectacular, but it had some good comfort food. I went back and noticed that the menu looked different. The food was plain horrible. I thought maybe it was just a bad day, so I went back. Again, almost inedible. However, there has always been a great beer selection.
(2)
Greg L.
This restaurant doesn't really belong in central square. I feel bad about the fact that I patronize it. I give it three stars instead of one because they show a ton of NFL games on Sunday and their buffalo chicken pizza is ridiculously good. Other than that, it needs become the tavern in some other square.
(3)
Ellie L.
I scorned its yuppy looking exterior at first, thinking it belonged in Harvard, not Central, square. It's definitely a collar-popped bar, but the food is surprisingly good. I got some variation of an asian chicken salad, which has become a standard bar menu item as of late, but it surprised me with just how huge and fresh it was. a bunch of screens playing different sporting events kept everyones eyes everywhere but each other, and the music is far from subtle, but isn't that what taverns are supposed to be like? nice beer selection to boot.
(3)
Kevin C.
Great Place to watch sporting events as there are plenty of televisions spread out throughout to allow one to watch multiple events. Food is good, with the steak tips as a favorite. Only downfall is the service could be better as you may find yourself waiting a long time for menus, food and maybe even getting drinks at the bar yourself as the staff can not accommodate the hectic atmosphere.
(3)
Tom v.
Lousy food, a smug manager, and....... a rat. Went there for the first and last time with an out of town guest. Music was insipid and loud, so we asked for a quiet table, were shown to one at the back of the restaurant, and still had to yell at each other. The waitress was nice and attentive, but the spinach/artichoke dip consisted of a stringy garlicky glop that reminded me of half-dried elmer's glue with lumps in it. The sangrias were mediocre at best. Our main course had just arrived, when my friend spotted a rat at our feet. The rat zig-zagged around underneath our table, and then made its way through the shadows towards the table where other diners were. We put down our forks, and glumly looked at our plates. Our waitress soon came, and asked what was wrong. She politely apologized when we told her the reason for our sudden loss of appetite, but she did not seem surprised, and indeed indicated that previous incidents like this had taken place. She told us she would get the manager to handle the situation. The manager was completely different from the waitress... smug, annoying and totally unapologetic. He explained to us that this was, after all, Central Square, and that rats were a part of daily life in Cambrige. Really? I didn't know that, after nearly 2 decades of living in Cambridge. I mean, I'd never enountered a rat at my feet before in any restaurant during all those years! The manager then grandly proclaimed that our drinks would be on the house, and assured us that "we run a clean establishment here." How very reassuring. The waitress, when she collected our money for our uneaten meal, was once more apologetic, and asked if the manager's settlement were satisfactory. I politely shook my head, we paid for the food and left. The Cambridge health department will be notified tomorrow morning.
(1)
Rina R.
This new place, alongside Wish, is a new favorite. You shouldn't miss their FANTASTIC brunch on the weekends. Inexpensive, but with many, many great options. Lots of fresh fruit, fancy little tarts and desserts, even a little ice cream bar, in addition to the usual breakfast options. Go there this weekend! Or, actually, don't so that when I go I'll be able to get a table!
(5)
sean m.
This place has awful food for a lot of money. The only good thing it has going is the TVs for watching baseball. Don't waste your time or money if you are looking for a good place to eat. There are plenty of great choices in Central Square.
(2)
Jenna H.
My good friend had her going away party here last night. The place was packed but I think that was a combination of the Red Sox game and the fact that this is immediately outside the Central Square T stop, so easy access from pretty much anywhere in the area. We were lucky enough to get a nice git bar table (although it had a post right in the middle of it) and have some fries and drinks. The red sangria that I had was sub-par, but some of the other drinks (the dark and stormy and the cosmo) were delicious. The service was decent and the atmosphere was definitely fun. I didn't eat the food, but it looked good and they had a cute patio out front for summer seating.
(3)
I D.
The food here is edible. You wont die from it, but you wont be getting a good meal either. I've eaten here a few times and the food is just bland! My sesame chicken was tasteless. The lunch time waitress wasn't so pleasant and was pretty slow!
(2)
Abigail B.
i had an appointment in central square... since my pop lives down there we decided to meet for brunch... it was a toss up between sticking with an old standard (brookline lunch) that we both know and love... and trying something new (tavern in the square)... and in the back of my mind i'm thinking... 'breakfast is easy... like you'd really have to make a concerted effort to make breakfast NOT TASTE GOOD' thesis... disproved. the potatoes were really mealy and starchy (okay i know potatoes are a starch but there's ways of cooking them so they don't have the texture of an apple from the produce section of a market basket)... and they were seasoned with i think paprika only... which is weird... the omelet looked like it was made with one of those 'shazam and it's done!' things you see on infomercials... (it had an unnatural shape and texture) and had absolutely NO TASTE... which is weird because eggs should have a flavor even if you don't season them... so somehow they managed to extract any natural flavor and then not add any... it's a bum out because i've heard this place is decent for dinner... but now i think i'm too scared to try it... even my dad was like 'wow that place was less than mediocre' and he'll eat anything...
(1)
Peter P.
Good, if you like commercial bars with no character. The service is always good, but being a bar manager I can see it is because it is way overstaffed. Over staffing means no one makes any money, typical corporate attitude. Not a bad place to watch sports, but honestly, I would rather get take out, some beer, and sit on my couch with friends. Nothing special here. Good selection of random beer.
(2)
Greg S.
Ok, this is just me taking pleasure in the simple things. My favorite thing here was not that it was a Sunday and we were the only people in the bar, or the fact that the bartender had a coaster fight with the bus boy and the waitresses or the mac and cheese which was really good, it was that it was my first encounter with the Xlerator hand dryer, I mean this thing actually blows, er I mean dries. So it actually moves the skin on your hand, it's like a wind tunnel, if every hand dryer was like this one we wouldn't need hand towels. I want to buy one of these for my home someday, sorry for being enamored by a hand dryer!
(3)
Jessica E.
I can definitely see what other reviewers mean by saying the Tavern is trying to bee all things to all people. I want to like the place- they're trying, which says a lot compared to other places in Central Square. But they need to find a few things to specialize in. Until then, I won't be back.
(3)
Joe R.
I may be biased as TOTSq is just a few blocks from my place, but I was quite impressed with it. The bartenders at both bars (Wish and Tavern on the Square) were startlingly kind, the atmosphere cool & relaxed, and the crowd unpretentious (which says a lot for Cambridge). It'll be a new hangout for me...
(4)
K L.
Went here for lunch...really bad service and so-so food
(2)
Jenny P.
I went to this restaurant/bar to watch Game 3 of the World Series (Boston vs Colorado). Before being seated by the hostess, I asked if I would be able to see the game from the table and she said yes. I sat with my back to the wall and could see the big screen, which I could see as long as there were not people standing at the high top table to my right and the game was on; however, the television that was straight in front of me had on college footbal, Penn State vs Ohio State. Now I am a diehard Penn State football fan, but this is game 3 of the world series and Boston is in it. I asked the waitress if they are going to change the channel once the game started and she said yes. Once the game started, the television still had on the football game. I asked the waitress again if the channel could be changed and she said no. Both myself and the table next to me asked to speak with the manager. The manager came over in a Boston Red Sox uniform, for Halloween, and his name was Robbie. The first question we asked was if he is a Red Sox fan and he said yes. We asked why one of the televisions in the main dining room and bar had on college footbal and the best answer we could get was, "because I am the manager and I say so." Not only did we get an answer that did not explain his reasoning, but he was the definition of arrogant, biligerent and displaying "short man syndrome." I understand there are people that would like to watch both games, but there is a small bar with televisions on the other side that could have displayed the game. The manager continued to say there were two televisions within view that had the game on and he was not going to do anything.
(1)
amanda n.
I've been here now two times to eat and once for drinks on a Saturday night. Not a lot I remember about the food except that the first dinner experience was extremely slow. We waited forever for our entrees. The thing I really don't understand about Tavern in the Square is why in the world the music has to be so LOUD. I hate having to yell to the person next to me. Lots of flat screens all over. I guess that's a good thing if you don't want to miss the game.
(2)
Lisa I.
I went to Tavern in the Square for a friend's birthday dinner, and I had a good time! It seems that everyone in our party enjoyed their food and drinks. I had a salad with nuts, dried cherries, and fancy cheese, and it was delicious! They have a big TV in the back of the bar area for watching sports. This place has a great combination of casual atmosphere and classy surroundings (think dim lights and dark wood).
(4)
R P.
I have to say that when I am in Cambridge (which if often) i find myself at two places, the Asgard and Tavern in the Square. If you like good food at good prices, awesome selection of beers, friendly diverse crowd and fun friendly servers then the Tavern is the place is for you. They always have a way of making me feel special and at home when I go there. There's also no better place to be during a Red Sox or Patriots game. I have always had a good meal at the Tavern and especially like the imagination they use when creating new dishes. I would recommend Tavern in the Square to anybody.
(5)
Amy B.
Was here yet again for drinks after work with co-workers. This place wouldn't be my choice if I was doing the organizing. On the way in the door last night a co-worker commented that she has never really enjoyed any of the drinks she has ordered here. I decided to try their red sangria last night and all I can say is YUCK-O. It tasted like cheap red wine with some fruit floating in it. There was no sweetness what-so-ever. I have to admit, I find the scene here to be decent, the place is set up well and our large group of post work drinkers is usually accommodated well. I do agree with other reviewers that the food isn't very great. I have had a number of the appetizers and I would have to admit that most of them are pretty lacking in the flavor department. My recommendation is to stick with beer when at the Tavern and when you get hungry head across the street to Picantes for something good to eat.
(3)
Ashley M.
friendly staff, great bar to hang out... but i have to disagree with the rest of you about the food... its really just not impressive.
(4)
Masmin P.
I'm surprised at all the bad reviews that this place is getting. Are we talking about the same place? I'm not a beer drinker so I can't comment on the price/ menu selection there, but I often go there for my regular sports bar lunch and dinner fare. The steak tips are my favorite (have the sweet potato fries as a side); fish and chips are a close second. I had the turkey version of the meat loaf recently and it was surprisingly tasty, esp. with the apple-tomato relish. The burgers are great, I absolutely love the chicken lettuce wraps; but the buffalo wings and calamari are about average. My husband likes it there because he can still keep an eye on the Red Sox games as we're eating. The Tavern offers a Lunch Box menu of selected dishes which are a little cheaper than on the regular menu, so it makes for a good lunch spot. It's usually busy in the evenings, so I can understand if the service staff can't always come around to your table, but they're generally attentive and friendly. I keep going back and the friends I've brought there have enjoyed it too, so I guess I don't have too many complaints!
(4)
Selena J.
I am actually somewhat ashamed to even admit that I've been here... multiple times. But at least it's only been to watch Celtics games with a group of people when because we couldn't think of anywhere else with TVs, beer, and sufficient seating. Are you familiar with that website 'This is why you're fat' ( thisiswhyyourefat.tumblr… )? Cause that is all I can think about whenever ordering food here. The portions are about three times too large for one person, but they seem to be consumed as individual dishes at tables throughout the restaurant. And yes I am guilty of occasionally eating so much food that I think I might die or be unable to fit into any of my clothes in the morning. But only when the food is good. Like, really good. Not mediocre bar food. And they don't even have good drinks. So really, unless I'm already fed and intoxicated and just need a place to be loud and obnoxious with friends during a game, I really don't see the point.
(2)
Eugena O.
This place is better suited for appetizer + beers instead of dinner. The dinner portions are enormous. Any one entree can feed two people comfortably. The food isn't terrible, but it isn't wonderful either. There's nothing special about it, it's there and it's tasty and it's edible. The artichoke dip, however, was pretty damn good. I would stay away from the cocktail menu. Maybe it was an off night, but the cocktails either tasted like sugar or like they had decided to give you straight tequila on the rocks instead of a margarita. That said, maybe it's better outside in their patio than inside?
(2)
Amanda J.
I was off the bat impressed with this place for being able to seat a party of 8 with virtually no notice. There was lots of bar space for us to hang out for a bit while they bussed a few tables and then we were seated. The waitress was really quick with the drinks and a tall beer here is a great deal. I ordered the rueben burger and definitely give it a two thumbs up. They cooked it perfectly and it had the right amount of cheese and sauerkraut on it. It was messy though and one of my other friends who also got a burger said the same thing. What I really loved were the sweet potato fries! So good and my favorite part of the meal. The atmosphere was pretty good, lively and busy for a Thursday, lots of TVs to watch the game with. Despite having 4 cards plus cash to figure out, the waitress was quick and efficient and nice about the whole thing.
(4)
Jonathan V.
Tavern in the Square is generally a solid option. They have a good beer selection and the bar menu consists of mostly solid choices. I like this place for game watches as there are a plethora of TVs on every wall. My favorite items on the menu are the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and the Fried Pickles. The burgers are solid as well. Order the sweet potato fries if you have the option. It can get pretty crowded and there generally is a wait during peak dining times but all-in-all its a fun atmosphere with solid food options.
(3)
Neil Z.
The Tavern has it all: food, beer, an enormous space -- this problem is that for the most part none of it is any good. The food is expensive for what it is, and what it is is pretty much what you'd find at the Ninety-Nine out on the 'pike (true story: I have a bad-salty-food thesaurus on my desk). Once I gave into temptation and ordered a stuffed burger, which proves two things: that I can't be trusted to order my own food, and that there exists such a thing as a stuffed burger. It won't kill you, but there are so many better food options at Central Square that I could never recommend the place. The beer can be divided into three categories: Harpoon IPA on tap, decent stuff in bottles that they want kind of too much money for, and swill. If you're looking to get your drink on, the tap beers can be gotten in a 23-oz "large" that's a bit more cost-effective. They've got lots of screens tuned to whatever sports are on. Back in the election season I caught a debate here, but I don't imagine there will be anything else like that any time soon. It's no louder than you'd expect, though sometimes the music gets a little out of control in the side room. Why do I find myself coming back here? Mostly because they do a pretty good job of handling large groups, I guess. And during the week it's not too crowded. So whatever, it's not *bad*. The beer's quite a bit worse than the Asgard down the street, the food's identical but slightly cheaper, and the atmosphere is equally lacking but with more distracting TVs. This is what 2-star reviews are made of.
(2)
Ver D.
Stomach ache guaranteed. super greasy food. update / clarification... someone who works for this place has been spamming me because of this review -- so here it is loud and clear: I was there with 5 people and we all were sick after eating here. regardless of what you order, food you pay for should not make you sick. end of story. no argument, the food is bad... it's cool if you like it - I didn't.
(1)
Donna D.
Convenient location for lunch, and happy hour. The menu here is huge, and has a nice selection of salads, sandwiches, burgers, pasta, and entrees. A definite crowd pleaser. Lunch service can be a little unattentive, but otherwise is decent.
(3)
aland f.
This place is part of a Boston based chain that has the "sports bar atmosphere" down to a science. Tons of TV's for sports aficionados.... Decent beer selection... Wide range of food, including an AWESOME white truffle mac-n-cheese. Great place for sports or trivia nights.. Favorite part of trivia night is watching the "my brain is bigger than yours" contest between MIT and Harvard kids.
(4)
Sox G.
I went here on a Tuesday for lunch. It was a pleasant surprise to find out that burgers are half off on Tuesday's (from 11:30-3 or so)! I am a burger snob and I have to say that their burgers are pretty darn good. The service is always great and I like the atmosphere. It's also perfect for large groups.
(4)
Stacy M.
I give Tavern on the Square an A-OK +. We've gone several Tuesdays in a row (news flash: 10 cent wing night!!) and I've noticed we've had consistently above-par or excellent service. The servers have been knowledgeable about beer selection, great about checking in without being too intrusive, and seem to deftly manage several tables without seeming harried. This was appreciated not just by us but by the tables around us- I overhead a couple of girls next to us cooing over how nice the server was. Oh right, you probably want to know about the food. ;) Will it win foodie awards? No. But it's consistently good as well. The menu's all standard american fare, with a nice dose of comfort food. The prices are a bit high in my opinion, but the portions are large enough to share or take home. Lots of TV's all around, so it seems like a good place to go have a burger after work and catch any of the multitude of games on the big screens.
(3)
Anthony R.
Tavern in the Square is an okay bar with okay decor with plenty of okay food and okay drinks at okay prices. It's a popular place for group events, I think, because they don't charge a room fee and can provide your group with tons of okay appetizers. The middle-of-the-roadness that so pervades everything at Tavern in the Square does have some upsides - last summer I was there with friends eying the nachos another table had, which had gone mostly untouched due to their incredible mediocrity. We eventually sent someone over to inquire about the nachos and ended up with their platter for free. They were.. well, they were pretty mediocre. Even better, an hour or so later, we saw another group doing the same thing and I offered them $2 for the rest of their mediocre nachos - they politely declined my offer to pay and gave us the rest of the nachos for free. My friends and I now refer to Tavern as "free nacho bar," or FNB. Remember: mediocre food counts as good food when it's free! Extreme luck and harassment of strangers aside, though, If you're looking for an okay evening, it's at least an okay bet.
(3)
Jess C.
I completely agree with most of these reviews. Here's the basics. Big menu, lots of bar space, beer, cocktails, etc. I walked here one day with my friend Alisha from Boston over the Mass Ave bridge and we just walked in for a quick bite. So for that type of thing, this is a good place. The butternut squash arancini was really yummy, I will say that.
(3)
Tajar E.
Good appetizers, good beer selection and Great environment. However, do NOT get any of the fancy sounding entrees. Sound is the only one of the 5 senses they got right. This evening's sesame salmon slab tasted dry, smelt burnt, and looked like a dried up flip flop. I guess I still have one sense to cover. It felt like umm a fish.
(3)
Evan G.
Ya know, your at a place called T.I.T.S. The menus is 74 pages long and it serves an All-American Pizza that is descried as having "seasoned ground beef, french fries topped with Monterrey Jack and cheddar cheeses tomatoes, onions, and zesty bistro sauce." It has that classier than a suburban chain vibe. At some point you will wind up here because at some point a group of you will decide that 74 options of food with 95 TVs and 20 beers on tap will satisfy everyone and please no one.
(3)
Melissa M.
Even if you have all the time in the world, Tavern in the Square is not worth your time. It's also not worth your money, sanity, and body. Your body? Yes. Unless you like to wait for a table for an hour when you were quoted a wait of 20 minutes. Only to be moved from a cramped corner of the bar to an even more cramped "dining area" a mere 2 feet away. The dining area was a high top table with bar stools and an "obstructed view" large pole/beam type thing that was blocking Matt -- one of our friends. We also were seated a mere foot from the door so that was really nice having a freezing cold fall wind at your back. The waitress cheerfully (or maybe hopped up on pills) came to our table and attempted to ask us if we'd like a drink. We already were at the bar for an hour and had our drinks, but then left when the hostess from hell came over to us to see what the problem was. Well, for one we did not fit at the table. When my fiance said other tables of 5 people were getting sat quite frequently before us, she had the bitchy reply that we could get a better table, but we'd have to put our name back on the list. That's when I said. No, and left. I apologize to my dining companions, but I won't be treated like that. I am a thirty year old woman, I don't need to feel like I'm doing something wrong by patronizing your restaurant. Nevertheless, I won't regale you with what I had because my party of 7 went quickly and not quietly to a party of 5. I had to leave. I went down the street to a much better place. Rendezvous in Central Square, and of course I will yelp that experience. If you find yourself in Central Square make sure you are not in Tavern in the Square. This has been a public service announcement from Melissa M. You can thank me later.
(1)
Jackie P.
I had a great time my first time at the Tavern! I came here with my boyfriend and a mutual friend from out of town to watch some college football and this was a great place to do it! There are many TVs scattered throughout the two bar areas with all different games on! We arrived at 5pm expecting t o at least be there for the Penn State game at 7pm. The bar wasn't as crowded as I expected to be during those hours which was really nice. The drinks according to my boyfriend and friend (I was DD) seemed to be made well and not overpriced. The portions for the appetizers we got were HUGE! We got the Big Dig Fries and the pile was larger than my head! They were delicious too! We also ordered the spring rolls, bqq wings and a side of tater tots which also had very generous portions and all tasted great! The atmosphere was also a lot nicer than I expected from a "sports bar." The only downside was the service. It wasn't horrible, and I've seen a lot worse, but our waitress was no where to be seen unless she came directly to the table which was few and far between sometimes. We were actually there long enough that the first waitress finished her shift and we got a new one and she was around a lot more. All in all I would definitely go back again! I was able to spend about 5 hours there and enjoyed almost all of it! I wished I lived closer so I could go more often!
(4)
Corry B.
This may be a place I'm embarrassed to say I've actually gone to twice, and both were for mildly desperate reasons. The first time was after a marathon walking tour of Boston-over the bridge- to Cambridge with a visiting friend and we just wanted to sit our bums down and drink a beer outside. We were in Central, it was easy. We waited an eternity for our beers, we ate really mediocre food. The second time was recently when it was a lovely below 0 ice storm and we wanted beer and food (after already warming up with several beers at the wonderfully appointed selection at People's Republik, but no food sat. night). So we made a mad dash to the Plough and Stars next door and couldn't pay $9 for a bowl of black bean soup no matter how pretty the wood grain on the bar, so we walk-jogged (like you do when you are wearing snow-suits, but for us it was just that our thighs had frozen) and we dashed into the Taven cuz it was the next place we saw that fit the bill. Despite it being full of a very random crowd, it wasn't hard to get a seat. We sat near a 30'th bday party (high point: the bday girl and her sister-?- did a choreographed dance to Bel Biv Devoe's Poison) and some underage looking boys watching the football game on the fifty screens surrounding us, while the dj played- a little more random sensory overload. We drank regular beer (boring selection for such a big place) at one of the two bars, and managed to grease ourselves up silly with buffalo fried calamari (can you say GAS?) and frech fries smothered in cheese sauce and bacon (can you say COLITIS?). These treats, were of course, a nice accompaniament to a beer-soaked liver. Might as well do it all at once, no? I hate to know that at some point I'm going to end up here again. Sigh.
(2)
Roni E.
They've got TV's! Lots of TVs! Great place to see a game. Funky table layout. Decent wine selection. That's all I've got... for now...
(3)
Meghan A.
The location I actually went to was the one in Porter Square, but that's fine. I don't think it makes a huge difference. The food is forgettable. The wait staff is kind of creepy, and the people it attracts are... interesting, but I can't hate on this place too much. I went there this past weekend with my brother for dinner in between a couple of parties to refuel. This was going to be a non-drinking dinner, that is, until I randomly started crying for no reason worth mentioning. Our waiter was pretty cool about it and immediately came over to ask if I wanted something to drink, and I didn't hesitate when I asked for a beer. His response: "I think I know the answer, but do you want a small one or the 20 ounce?" Obviously it was the 20 ounce. He brought it over right away, and I sipped on it casually through dinner, until I realized I have over half a glass left by the end of the meal and needed to down it before leaving. Nice and attentive, but still pretty creepy. In general I think this is a good place for some quick bar food so long as you aren't looking to be wow-ed by the quality of the food. A ton of options, great ambiance, and (you know me) nice bathrooms. Extra star for that.
(3)
Patrick F.
Tavern in the Square is a pretty solid restaurant. The food is, in general, quite good and reasonably priced. The service has always been top notch when I've been there and I've heard no different from my friends. To get down into some specifics on the food, the Mac & Cheese with white truffle is pretty frikkin keen as are their salads and burgers. I can however advise against their turkey burgers. They must be for people with dietary restrictions because they are totally flavorless. Expect to season it yourself if you order one, otherwise it's gonna taste like all the awesome toppings on a paper mache patty. Trufax. I can always do without a loud room and sports on like, 70 TV's when I want to have dinner with my friends. Fortunately, The Tavern has a quiet side room for just such an occasion. Their brunch is pretty decent too and I've heard they'll DELIVER IT!
(4)
Shaina S.
I used to work practically across the street from this place, so my co-workers and I came here a number of times both to unwind and to celebrate. We've had some really great servers who bantered with us and catered to our every alcoholic need and we even scored free drinks and apps one night with a special invite. Unfortunately, the food I've tried is unremarkable, especially for the price. I am a big fan of the tater tots, but I could probably find something pretty similar in the freezer section of my grocery store. The stir fry is also pretty good, but the sesame salmon is just okay. The vegetarian lettuce wraps actually looked awesome and got rave reviews, but I didn't get a chance to try those... Because appetizers are served in large portions, they tend to cost the same as an entree which means you can't get off cheap here. Especially after a couple of $9 martinis. Speaking of martinis, the Sparkling Pear is really lovely, garnished with a huge slice of pear which will certainly not stay balanced on the rim of your glass. Best eat that quick. The blackberry lemonade is also nice. If you want to drink your dessert, however, opt for the banana split martini. It was invented by one of their bartenders and should be on the menu soon. It is damn good! Most of their drinks are very very sweet though, which is okay by me, but may not fly with more serious alcohol connoisseurs. When the Jameson girls came around, we got free drinks and my friend won a light-up shot glass! Suh-weet! All in all, the Tavern is good fun and a nice place to hang out if you like drinking your sweet tooth. Even though the tvs show football and baseball games, I wouldn't call it a serious sports bar, but it is one of the more upstanding establishments in Central Square. I wasn't blown away by Tavern except in comparison to it's surroundings, but it did remind me of all the reasons I like bars and it's becoming something of a tradition with the co-workers, so I like it all the same.
(3)
Bryan R.
Too big for the night time crowds that go in there and a little overpriced for the food that comes but an important link in any Central pub crawl.
(3)
Erica E.
Tavern is the kind of place you go if you want pretty tasty pub fare. I love their appetizers and drink menu the best. Their fried pickles and risotto fritters are awesome! The avocado and feta salad is my most favorite entree, though at times they forget the pistachios or don't put enough dressing on (always ask for it on the side, that seems to be plenty!) If you are looking for a quieter dining experience, hope that the side dining room will be open or go earlier in the evening. It gets pretty loud in there when it's packed.
(3)
Kristine M.
The brunch buffet is a good deal. Lots and lots and LOTS of food for a decent price. Most of the stuff in the buffet is pretty good, too. It's no Blue Room, but then again the price is much better. The thing that was sort of a bummer was that we went at noon, and what began as a nice, low-key brunch restaurant, turned into a sports bar. This was not what I was expecting and nor was it what I wanted. Before I knew it, rabid football fans were screaming and frothing at the mouth in between bites of their omelets. (My husband included!) I'd go there again for their brunch buffet, but I'd either go earlier in the morning or I'd avoid going during football season.
(4)
Mario L.
It was okay. The nachos were great, but it is hard to make bad nachos. The meatloaf sandwich was extremely disappointing. Good atmosphere.
(2)
Min L.
This place is more like a 3.5 in my book but I'll round up since it looks like it could use a little boost in ratings. Just like Union Street, its sister bar in Newton, this place has always served well the sole purpose I've created for it , and that's to provide a place for my friends to meet up and watch a game together when we don't want to bother each others' roommates and don't care how awesome the food is. It's true that there's nothing special about the food, but I've also never complained about anything I've ordered (nor the service) so I have nothing to hold against them. The TV screens are large and clear, everyone has their pick of which screen to watch (watch out for the one with the 2-second delay), we eat whatever, there's lots of cheering energy to feed off of in the room, and when the game's over, we leave and are glad we had a good time watching the game together. Not a bad place at all.
(4)
Claire S.
Consistently pretty decent evening food and drink options. My husband is a fan of the fried pickles and I dig their spinach and artichoke dip. The waiters are all pretty friendly although there are one or two who can ruin your night. They do a fantastic dark and stormy. The brunch is total crap though. Not worth it.
(3)
Betsy E.
I thought I would hate this place. It is one of the few places in Central Square that just screams "corporate." It seems like there was not one detail of this restaurant that was not tested in focus groups--it is not spontaneous or quirky at all. That being said, the food is decent, and I cannot remember ever having a bad time here. I live close by, and it is nice having one place that can accomodate even the pickiest eaters. I just wish it had a little more soul.
(3)
Thanh L.
Only come here for the Chili because everything else is not worth the money. My friends and myself came here for lunch because it was near the mall. We were seated outside in the worst spot possible, but there were alot of open tables with alot space to move around. We were seated near a wall and the door to the inside which was not good place to move around. There was a bee surrounding our table and nothing was done about it. We ordered calamari, 2 chili, 2 burgers, fish & chips and also an Asian salad. The Calamari and chilies came out first. The calamari was heavily covered in dough and the chili was really good. The Asian Salad looked and tasted horrible. The service was pretty bad because they came out with the other food before we could even finish what was on the table. There was no room on the table to move any plates. There was a mistake on one of the burgers and instead of taking it away, the help was blaming each other for the error. When they did bring back the burger it looked the same but with un-melted cheese on the hash browns. Overall, I wouldn't waste my time and money here again because the service and food is not worth the amount that they charge.
(2)
Jocee Z.
The Sesame Salmon is really nice!!! And the price is acceptable.
(4)
Sarah R.
I haven't yet written a review for the Porter Square location, as I've been there a few times, but the experience is pretty much the same at the Central Square branch. It's not my favorite bar, but it's surprisingly not bad. Seriously, I thought I'd hate this place immensely before I actually tried it. If you know me, then you know how I feel about bars featuring lots of TVs showing "the game", or games, as it were. Went here the other night for a late night drink or two after an unsuccessful attempt to score a table at The Cellar. Sean ended up getting the Smokehouse Stuffed Burger with waffle fries, and we both got Abita Purple Hazes. The menu is exactly the same at both locations and features quite a selection of food. There's even a section for "comfort food". I haven't had their brunch, but I hear that it's decent enough. Their boneless wings (which I had on another occasion) were good, but I had to be all dainty and use cutlery to eat them because they were so big. (insert old Yelp joke about small mouth, big sushi) I tried a bite of the stuffed burger (this variation filled with cheddar and bacon) and yeah, it's a carnivore's wet dream and a cardiologist's nightmare. Waffle fries were also good, no complaint there. The beer selection is pretty good, too, considering that at first glance, I'd expect this to be the type of place that's strictly on a lawnmower-beer-only policy. Our server was...ehh, OK. We agreed that he seemed like the type of guy who would be unsatisfied with your selection, no matter what you picked off the menu. Not overly friendly, and there was a moment of semi-awkwardness when I explained that I wasn't ordering any food. Apparently that disappointed him, too. However, it was a semi-busy night (pub trivia) and maybe he was a little frazzled from having to attend to large tables of people demanding booze and fatty salted fried things, so who knows. The decor is identical to that of the Porter Sq. location: dark wood, lots of flat screen TVs, dim lighting, larger dining area in the back. The usj. No surprises. Given my choice of places to dine in Central, I could think of a handful I'd rather go to, but one could do worse than Tavern in the Square for decent pub food and drinks. Next time I'm there, I'm ordering the blue-cheese-stuffed burger. It's on like Voltron, as the kids say.
(3)
Ken M.
We went here to keep a coworker of Andy's company while his husband was at the game. The food was alright and the atmosphere was fun. Service was okay. Not a standout by any means, but the food was fine and the company was good.
(4)
Hisham K.
Tater Tots. 'Nuff said. Oh, and stay away from the cheeseburger quesadilla.
(5)
Julia F.
I really want to like this place. I really do! I even know one of the waitresses here, which makes me want to like it even more. I have stopped in to grab a bite to eat when I want something easy, but possibly more than what the rest of the pubs on the block can offer - but the food isn't all that great, it just varies. It's overpriced for the quality as well! There are alot of TVs there, but I can't really say that that is one of the things I look for in a bar. I really have yet to be impressed with the bartenders, although the white dude with red hair was very nice when my friends and I gave it a last try a few weeks ago. We ended up getting some horrible lemon drop shots from another bartender, and promptly leaving to go to The Field, where we knew what was on tap, knew we were going to get good shots, and felt better tipping the bartenders because they are more efficient and friendly than at the tavern. I still would really like to like this place, I just don't think it's in the cards...
(2)
andy b.
This place place let me and my GF in, let us buy two drinks, then kicked us out. My GF had a MASS ID instead of a LIQUEUR ID. They checked both of our ID's at the door, let us buy 2 drinks and tip the bar, then asked us to leave; refusing to give us any money back. I was in there about 5 min, and that was enough anyways. I suppose its a good place to meet up with people and then immediately leave to go to your real destination
(1)
Dessa R.
How do I describe Tavern in the Square? It's like someone took your ugly cousin TGIFriday's- and then slapped some lipstick and a hat on her. A mild improvement, but you still know what you're getting.
(3)
Purvi R.
ah, big place to meet up, convenient location, lots of TVs, lots of beer on tap, huge menu....blabla. This place is what it is. My bf and I instantly thought of Cheesecake Factory (which I HATE) - when the menu is THAT big, that means they can't really do anything well. Which turned out to be true (except for the drinks - the bloody mary's had rave reviews at our table). Got some weird and delicous tater tots for the table - white truffle oil. There are like 3487 tots in there, FYI, so more than enough for 4 people or more to share. Other than that, meet up here for drinks and try out one of the tons of other delicious eateries in Central Sq...
(2)
J. L.
Awesome. Went here on the 4th of July with a few friends just to grab some appetizers before the fireworks. It was a nice night out so we asked to sit outside. No problem. Sat down right away. Had an awesome waiter. Very funny and food came out promptly. Portions were a good size (almost too good since we couldn't even finish them). Definitely going back in the future.
(5)
Andrea M.
i don't know what's wrong with me, but I have a nacho thing and we keep going back every now and again. Tonight, the Tavern redeemed themselves. First off, our server, Tim, was awesome. I've been there how many times, telling them of my gluten allergy and tonight I actually got a gluten-free menu (ok, they label it their "gluten menu" which is kinda funny but whatever, it tells me what I can eat). Tim was super cool about the gluten allergy and my boyfriend and I just ended up sharing the single greatest plate of nachos I have had in a really long time (i.e. the best plate of nachos I haven't made). They were incredible - and it turns out we weren't the only people to note that (once again, Tim, the super waiter, was on top of letting the kitchen know they were making killer nachos, which is a good thing...) I am not against giving places another chance, sometimes I might even be a glutton for punishment, but this time the Tavern redeemed itself. Walking out, my boyfriend and I agreed that when we do go back, we'll ask if Tim is working and ask to be seated in his section, he was that pleasant.
(4)
Janina T.
I'm pretty much in the middle about this place. I came here yesterday afternoon for the brunch buffet. They seemed to have a variety of food, including an omelette bar, but I didn't necessarily fall head over heels in love with anything they had. I was also feeling a little under the weather, which could obviously have played a role. The dessert/fruit display looked pretty good and didn't taste half bad either. I was a little bit confused/put off by the service. Our waiter was really very friendly but what confused me was it felt like he put on a really good front when he'd come to our table but as soon as he disappeared, so did our service. An example was that I ordered hot tea. He brought over a box of different teas so I could choose then noticed there were only 2 flavors so he said he'd be right back to bring a box with a more plentiful selection. Five minutes later, he is no where to be found and I'm a little worried my hot tea will lose all sense of self (aka...hot = no more). I see him a little later, delivering a platter of food to another table. I completely understand that waiters are waiting on more than one table but it just seemed a little of out of sequence to me that he came back 7-10 minutes later to bring me a tea bag. I don't know. I can't say I was ticked off at the service, but more so just confused. I've been here before on a weekend night for drinks with friends. We got a pitcher of one of their margaritas which was pretty good and had a lot in it so I suggest ordering one of those if you're out with a group!
(3)
buckminster f.
This place is as generic as can be when it comes to food and ambiance. The nachos are the driest, most condiment neglected nachos I've ever seen in three decades of living. The salads are a tad better, although everything pretty much tastes like it was injected with some artificial flavor that was invented in some chemical factory out in lord knows where. i do appreciate their big screen tvs during the world cups but that's pretty much where my appreciation ends.
(2)
Meena V.
Want a yuppie hangout/ sports bar without leaving Central? This is it! Compared to the rest of the places in this area, this place really has no personality to speak of, has a menu that you'd see at 20 other places, and just as mediocre food. The fancy special drinks tend toward sickly sweet and weak, but because I still can't bring myself to write an all negative review, let's say the simpler classic mixed drinks make up for this and a little bit more in strength.
(2)
Mike M.
March is a special time of year - the departure of gross dirty snow mounds, parkas, and mittens and the accompanying return of sunshine, cool breezes, flip flops, and shorts. Almost as important in March is the one thing that accounts for more lost workplace productivity than water coolers and casual fridays combine - March Madness, the NCAA Tournament! It was this occasion that brought me back to Tavern most recently, although it definitely wasn't my first trip. I think people that are railing on Tavern for its qualities as a late night hot spot, the fact that the salmon is dry, or that they feel like the specialty cocktails are too expensive are TOTALLY missing the point. This is a sports bar - the BEST sportsbar in Cambridge. I have watched many NFL sundays and the first round of the NCAA tourney here just yesterday and the game watching experience at Tavern cannot be beat in Cambridge. A few examples: - Yesterday, I had 6 (yes, SIX!) HD flat screens surrounding me with buzzer beater action. Our waiter was awesome at getting different games changed up on the big screen per our requests. - During NFL season, the manager sets which games on which TVs with signs showing what game is where - very key to picking your fave spot- go Eagles! - While the food isn't great per se, they do have a huuuuuge menu. Size doesn't always matter, but when it comes to meeting needs of a big group, being able to choose between salads, fried pickles, stuffed burgers, mac & cheese, sweet potato fries, and actual entrees is a plus. My only deduction for Tavern is that the sound system there is really inconsistent when watching games. It is always too soft (trying to accomodate random people looking to have a deep conversation at a sportsbar at 2:30pm on Sunday), or too loud (blasting your ears with the commercials), or non-existent (as was the case with NCAA games the other day - really? we have to listen to house random Creed/Hoobastank rock tracks instead of the glory of Gus Johnson??? - you are better than that Tavern!)
(4)
Sherrie G.
So I've came here maybe twice. First time for drinks on like a friday night a while ago and it was super loud. Bad music too. Wasn't fond of the crowd. Service was also a little slow that night. Second time was today with some work friends and it was surprisingly great. They have a really good spinach and artichoke dip that's served with wonton crackers, celery and carrots. We devoured it in minutes. I also got a pretty delicious chicken sandwich which I could not finish because i filled up on the dip and the blackberry lemonade. The server was a little young and clueless. (he wasn't even of drinking age apparently) Anyway, averaging what I would have given the place based on the two visits puts it pretty in the middle. Worth it to check out for that dip at least. lol
(3)
Krystal T.
Its a chain so don't expect much. The portions are large and the food is ok. I do love the fact that you can sit outside at the Central Sq. location. On a nice day/night . I enjoy sitting outside and sipping on Ithaca Apricot Wheat beer. I haven't tried the pizza but I will soon. The rumor is that it is above average, we will see.
(2)
aaron s.
If you're looking for a place with good food with generous portions and/or good drinks, the Tavern in the Square will be a good fit. It's kind of a sports bar, so don't go during a game (especially if it's a Boston team), as the place can get really crowded. Service is typically pretty quick, and their menu is huge. The prices are fair, but the portions are gigantic!
(4)
Casey F.
I'm not a fan of the food - it isn't terrible but it is pretty boring. This is definitely the sort of place where I stick to burgers and regualr bar food. I stop in once and a while because it convenient for me and they've got lots of good beers in bottles and friendly staff. Oh - and they've got tables set up outside which is great now that the weather is nice. A little warning for non-sports fans (or a tip for sports fans) - the place gets packed and noisy when big games are on.
(3)
Jeff C.
One star, and I still feel like I'm being generous. Every time I go to this place for lunch, we end up there for more than an hour. Not because we like hanging out talking to each other, just because the waitstaff is SO SLOW. Sit... 10 minutes later, they ask us for a drink. 10 minutes later we get our three cokes. Ten minutes later she takes our order. The food comes out (without the question of whether or not we want a refill), 30 minutes later she rolls around to drop the check off. Ugh. Never. Again. Don't waste your time here.
(1)
Molly S.
I agree with Colleen Y. There's nothing intimidating or gimmicky about Tavern, it's home sweet home for the casual night-out-er like myself. Best beers, best drinks, best food in the neighborhood, for a really good price.
(5)
Debbie C.
Quite a long wait to get food at 10PM. The hostess said 15 minutes but it was more like 30. It was okay though because I got to watch some March Madness and grab a drink at the bar. Not a bad place to chill and grab some appetizers. I recommend the Spinach & Artichoke dip.
(3)
Claudia H.
Tavern in the Square offers a very wide menu and is a good location to choose if you are looking for a crowd pleaser with ample bar area to hang out before or after your dinner and in addition the options to follow your favorite sports game while having food and some beers. Though the option of food items is pretty large (including desserts), most of the options are pretty average in quality. But there are some standout items (more on the bar food side). I really love, love, love their fried pickles (and no, I am not pregnant) - they are just really good and the dip is yummy. Besides them their Bacon and Blue Fries are pretty good and their White Truffle Mac and Cheese are right out delicious. On the drink items their pitchers of sangria at great value and especially their holiday flavored sangrias (with apples, cranberry and cinnamon) taste really good. Tavern in the Square is an overall good experience, a lot of big tables allow you to accommodate a pretty big crowed and pitchers of beer and around 13 TV screens make it a good place to enjoy some sports watching with friends.
(4)
Kim C.
I went to the one in Central Square tonight for dinner. It was OK but I won't doubt that I'll go there again. The beer menu is pitiful. My quesadilla was soggy because they don't put the salsa on the side so it got runny and pooled (literally) at the bottom of the plate. My daughter got the kids chicken nuggets and there were about 5 nuggets (which were very small) and a TON of fries. Which is annoying as a parent because I'd rather she have the protein of the chicken than the starch of the potatoes. The service was pretty good. The food came out amazingly fast, so fast it was a little suspect. The only reason that I would go back is because it is one of the few places that has a decent amount of outdoor seating.
(2)
arete j.
If you're a person who believes that food should be fresh and tasty this is not the place for you. If you just want to eat bad food and watch sports this is the place for you. I haven't been to this place in years... and i shall never return. I find it to be a disgrace for all humankind (i.e. all their taste buds), and the fact that it's in Central Sq is a no, no. The Tavern's personality is generic and fake-- not at all compatible with the area. I suppose places like the Tavern are needed for those who have the same personality as it--sadly, those people are out there. But if you HAVE to see the game--whatever game it may be--its safe to order the lettuce wraps but stop yourself in ordering anything else. But if you want to get FAT order anything else... p.s i was forced to give it one star. I would have given the Tavern 0 stars...
(1)
Dara C.
I had one atrocious non-meal there and one good one. Guess that means 3 stars? The first time, my roommate and I went on a crowded-but-not-unbearable night. We were ignored for 20 minutes by our server as she served every ... single ... table ... around us. We sat patiently, and signaled several times for her to come over. She continued to pretend we didn't exist, just like I pretend Ann Coulter doesn't exist. Except all I wanted was a damn turkey burger. I have never, ever walked out of a restaurant in my life, but we finally did, after almost 20 minutes of being kindly ignored. I went again with my father when he came to help me move out of my Cambridge apartment. It was late and nothing else in the area seemed appetizing. Our meal was A-OK. My father liked his blue cheese burger, but there was never a meat product in American history that my father didn't like. My salad was simple and tasty as well, although it contained distracting and pasty white beans that I kept pushing to the side. The citrus vinaigrette was very good, as was the white truffle mac-and-cheese I sampled from my friend's plate. This time, our service was fine and what you would expect at a pub. It's just not my favorite type of food (hyper-American-accented-with-everything-else) but I appreciate a good tavern and their selection of brews seemed pretty good. At least, my father enjoyed an oatmeal stout. I don't know if would ever have an incredible craving for their food, but it does its job.
(3)
Mallory C.
We came here for lunch, and apps and drinks in the same day after discovering how close it was to the office we work at. Lunch was great. It was very quiet, the staff helped me park my scooter out of the way without complaint, and the manager gave us a "frequent lunch" card, to get stamped each time we came in. I had the Moscow Shandy and the cobb salad which was actually really delicious. When we went in later that night it wasn't quite so wonderful. Our waiter seemed pretty clueless about the menu and at one point he started to take away one of our apps that still had quite a bit of food left. I told him he wanted to keep it, and I think after that he was so mortified, he just sort of stayed away. The food was decent, and I highly recommend the tots trio. The drinks were pretty meh, and I had the "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and definitely expected something more like a martini but everything was pretty watered down. Basically I would go there for drinks or for an accessible place to meet people, but I think the verdict was we like the TITS in Allston better ;)
(3)
Ben B.
This place is almost laughably bad. From the tough-guy doormen to the confused club/sports bar atmosphere to the incredible helpings of cheese that are slathered all over everything they serve, there's really something for everyone to not like. First time we went there they served us nachos that had must have spent at least 30 minutes marinating in the kitchen. The cheese (and there was no shortage of cheese) had re-solidified so it was like excavating chips from the ruins of some tex-mex empire. The waitress actually seemed surprised when we complained. The second time, we're outside and it starts lightly drizzling. We ask if we can move under the umbrella and she says, complete with indignation, "Oh, I'm not gonna come out here if it's raining." Totally cool if you don't wanna serve us in the rain. Less cool if you wanna talk to us like someone's snotty girlfriend. Just kind of a confusing bar. They don't seem to know what they want to be. Well, except unlikeable.
(2)
Tashombe H.
This wasn't the best visit. I used to prefer this location over the much closer to me Porter square location. Today's food for my party of 3 was just ok but the service was subpar. It was not a crowded afternoon. The place seemed to be adequately staffed. Failing to fill empty drinks when the meal is delivered and failing to bring a requested drink change shouldn't happen and isn't something that can be blamed on the kitchen staff. The bar drinks were OK but I've had better here.
(2)
tina k.
Painfully slow service on an empty Sunday night. Food is mediocre but maybe that was partially my fault for ordering something stupid... I mean why would I think a pizza that had grapes on it would be tasty? Bottom line, with all of your options in Central, you can do better in almost any other place within grape pizza throwing distance.
(2)
Robyn B.
Ughhhhh they kicked me and my friends out of the bar because we were Seahawks fans. We hadn't even gotten our drinks yet! And were not drunk yet or screaming or anything! And it wasn't even the SuperBowl! We were playing the Packers!!!
(1)
Tim G.
I wrote to Tavern in the Square via their contact us submission form. They did not respond. I filed a compliant with the Better Business Bureau. They wouldn't respond to that either. Looking at the other reviews on here customer service clearly isn't a priority. After my two failed attempts to contact them I'll know post my experiences on here, open table, and any other applicable restaurant review site. I wrote the following: Good evening, I'm contacting Tavern in the square about a terrible experience I had in your central square location. Apologies as this incident happened on 6/6/2015 and I'm just getting to this now as I've been traveling. But I wanted to make sure I did make contact because this experience was so awful and I certainly have not forgotten it. There was 7 of us and we were seated in kind of a tight spot however it was manageable and the table next to us which was bigger we were told we could move there once those guests left. Which we did. Our server a young lady with brunette hair seemed very upset that we did so even though we were told by the host it would be ok. That was just the beginning of what came across to me as a very rude attitude for the rest of our time there. One guy in my party asked for a glass for the drink he ordered didn't traditionally come in and I asked for the same however he got the glass he wanted and I had a martini glass which I was very upset with. However I'm easy going enough and cracked a joke about it and our server didn't have any personality and acted like she was doing me a HUGE favor by getting me the drink in the first place. We were ready to order our food and someone in my party flagged the server as she walked by our table and she very rudely told us to wait while she took the order for table that we were originally seated in even though they were there well after us. Every time we tried to interact with her we were met with rudeness and it was really uncomfortable. I can understand in this type of business that you may encounter disrespectful customers however none of us were being disrespectful. She made it seem like we were being disrespectful which offends me after all I'm spending money in your restaurant. One inconvenience in the service was she forgot to bring me a drink BUT STILL PUT IT ON THE BILL!! When I informed her about the error she argued with me and that really upset me. It's a pet peeve of mine anytime I'm out a restaurant and I have to ask for something twice in this case I ignored it and just went without the drink but somehow it was still on the bill. I did eventually get it corrected that night. After we put all our money in 7 ways she told the people paying with credit cards what the whole bill was. Basically soliciting us for a tip after the horrible service she gave us and the way she treated us like 2nd class citizens. I've been out to restaurants many times and never has any server I've ever had solicit me for a tip they just give me the bill and walk away. I gave her 20% because I'm a nice guy but I definitely feel guilty about it basically felt like I rewarded someone for giving myself and my group terrible service. All 7 of us agreed how awful she was and we're planning my birthday in July when I visit Boston again and we all mention we hope we never get a waitress like her again.
(1)
Yan C.
One of my friends loves coming here to watch games and simply because the name in short is TITS. Me? Not so much. I have been to another location. In comparison, the one in Central Square is definitely subpar. My friends and I were hanging out in the area on a Saturday night. We were looking for a bar to have a couple of drinks and talk, so we came to TITS. That didn't seem to be the smartest choice. Being a sports bar, the place is very spacious but also extremely loud with various games on multiple screens and music playing in the other room. It was impossibly to carry on a conversation with someone sitting just across from me. I had to constantly ask my friends to repeat what they said, which became really tiring. I ordered a cocktail and it was overly sweet and clearly watered-down. I'm sorry, did I order a glass of ice?! There was barely any drink in the glass. It was so weak that we left immediately after finishing our drinks and went to another bar a few blocks away for the rest of the night. The chance of me revisiting is very small, unless I'm with a group of friends who want to go somewhere for game-watching. There are far better bars in the area.
(2)
Alison T.
Decent bar food, and a nice atmosphere on the Wednesday evenings I've been there.
(4)
Elissa F.
In Boston for a work trip and yelped this gem. My cab driver backed up the choice citing that it was "cleaner and classier" than the rest. He wasn't wrong! We loved our service, the outdoor patio and the risotto fritters. Try it!
(4)
Nandanie S.
Had an awesome experience here tonight. The restaurant was empty but it was also pretty charming on a Monday night. For dinner I ordered the turkey burger and my husband got the quinoa veggie burger. We were both really really satisfied with our choices. Our waiter, Sergio, was extremely attentive and gave us ample time to ponder our choices on the menu. He also gave a really good recommendation for dessert of which we ordered the profiterole ice cream sundae. My burger was ginormous and so I saved half for lunch tomorrow. Burger was nicely seasoned and was very tasty. I also ordered it with sweet potato fries which were damn delicious. The one recommendation I'd make is to keep the second door shut at the entrance. It's cold out and the building is pretty drafty. That's all.
(4)
Andrea L.
It's...OK? I've been here twice now, and it's just not somewhere I can get overly enthusiastic or unenthusiastic about. It's nice and spacious, so it's not a problem to get a seat. The TV screens are large and they're good about putting the volume to levels where you can actually hear a game. The beer selection is decent. ...however, the food is very underwhelming. While it's not the worst bar food I've ever had, it's bad enough that I didn't finish my chicken tenders or tater tots last time around. Those who know me would understand that it is highly unusual for me to leave any fried food unfinished. Service was fine. Not great, but fine. In conclusion: Eh. I might be back if I want to watch a game with a big group of people (not exactly a usual occurrence for me..) or I wanted a beer in the area, but I wouldn't come by otherwise.
(3)
Denise A.
This is a sports bar. The food is subpar. I could stomach the tater tots but anything that didn't seem to have an idiot proof stick in fryer and wait 3 minutes instructions on the frozen goods box it came on was pretty bad. NONETHELESS...they have many huge TVs which are great for watching sports. Yes. Like I said. This is a sports bar. And I'm totally cool with that. I wish their food was better because when you spend 3-4 hours there watching a (college) football game, you just want something to nom on. As far as prices go...I'm not sure this is the cheapest place to get a beer in Central either (that's probably Cantab, if I had to guess) so I really only see this as a place to go to watch a game. Alas, I do that maybe once a year.
(2)
M M.
Is there a way to specify zero stars? This place is to be avoided. Service? I have tried this place three times as its in my neighborhood and I really wanted to like it. The service was horrible to non-existent. The food? Meh, at best. Once it was cold, and complaining about it clearly put my table on the ' just leave them alone, they might go away' list. That was the third time. The first two? Slow to very slow. The drinks were ok, but only just. I miss The Good Life, the restaurant before this joke of a pub.
(1)
Linley S.
Went for the brunch buffet over the weekend and was impressed. Normally I feel disappointment when going through buffets but there were so many options to choose from- including lobster macaroni and cheese, mushroom polenta, eggs Benedict, pulled pork hash, home fries, sausage, bacon, raspberry pancakes, buttermilk pancakes, scrambled eggs, scrambled eggs with goat cheese, salads, a create your own omelet station, fresh fruit, pastries galore, desserts... you get it. Tons of choices. In addition to the brunch buffet my group of three opted for quite a few mimosas and "executive" mimosas, which have vodka in them also. Our bill was somewhat pricey, at $170 for three of us... what can I say? We had a boisterous start to the day. Our server was efficient and very friendly. I'd definitely go back when in the area again.
(4)
Stephanie T.
I used to greatly enjoy going to tavern, but it has gone downhill over the last year or so. I get that a lot of drunk college students frequent here, but the bartenders treat you like they are doing you a favor getting your drinks. If you order a bowl they try and send you to another bartender or say they can't make them. THEY ARE ON THE MENU. If you don't want people ordering them, take them off or don't complain about doing your job. Decent place for drinks if its not crowded, but the rude bartenders make me never want to come here.
(1)
Cristobal C.
Great service. Food portions are too big. Bar tender made a really good drink. Great place for a beer on a Friday night after work.
(4)
Maria D.
Okay, so I don't really love this place, but it's conveniently located, and their menu is well labeled for the gluten-free crowd (me!). I went to meet a few friends after work at an odd hour recently (3:30, 4:00) and though we only had snacks, the service was unbeatable. I ordered the nachos, and they had several different things: one had a Ceasar salad, the other had three different side dishes. My nachos are always good, thus I always get them. My friend asked if she should complain about her "old-tasting quinoa," and though we tried to tell her that there were polite ways and rude ways to complain about something, she chose the rude way. "Has it been sitting in the back all day?," she asked. "This tastes really old." It was an awkward experience, because the server was clearly uncomfortable. My friend tried to make it less uncomfortable by saying she just wanted to let them know because she had been a server before. Minutes later, the manager came out and asked if we wanted dessert-- and my friend said she wasn't interested. He then said it was on the house and asked if anyone had allergies. He brought dessert out, which my other friend really enjoyed. They didn't charge my bratty friend for her meal, and I left so damn embarrassed for all of us. It sucks.
(4)
Dipak S.
This place is bubbling with energy and surprisngly for a sports bar, you can still find a quiet place next to the open windows. The service is really good and the folks are extremely nice. Tavern offerd a good choice of burgers. I surely want to come back to try the all you can eat brunch.
(4)
Yuseff M.
There is only two other tables besides mine and yet it has been 15 minutes and I still haven't even met my waitress....
(1)
Noshii R.
Ugh!!! Its bar food so you can't expect much...BUT it keeps getting worse and worse. Great spot for drinks...sports bar etc... The food is atrocious. The service is always great. So, go for sports and drinks and try to avoid eating there.
(1)
Leah K.
Went to Tavern last night for dinner. The restaurant was pretty empty for most of dinner, which meant there were a lot of waiters...waiting...around. Anyway, we ordered avocado chips, which were amazing. Coated in cornmeal, they are deep fried and nice and hot. Loved them! I had a burger with bacon, blue cheese and I exchanged the caramelized onions for crispy onion straws. It was a little tough, the bacon (which was supposedly candied) was a bit chewy, but I enjoyed the flavors. Plus the french fries are really good there. My friend ordered the mac and cheese, which was very good but filling, and my other friend had a quesadilla, which was veryyy good.
(4)
Magaly S.
Went there with my husband, and we're latinos, and service was horribly racist. Couldn't find us a seat, we ended up leaving. Worse place ever.
(1)
Daniella C.
Fabulous place to watch a game and gets pretty busy when there is a big one but the place is big so tables of people not there for the game turn fast. At the same time if you want to stay for the game they won't rush you out, assuming you're still ordering drinks, which you should be if you don't wanna look like an A hole. It's not a problem tho because drinks are really good. Food is mediocre at best and it's definitely overpriced for bar food but it's Cambridge so it's not all that surprising.
(3)
Chris R.
Plenty of outdoor seating and a ton of gluten-free options. I wouldn't say the food is particularly outstanding, but this place would be a good choice if you were getting a large group together because it's huge plus they have multiple bars plus the menu is about as long as the phone book so everyone is sure to find something that they like. Pretty standard semi-nice sports bar type atmosphere, comfortable and casual. I wouldn't call it a must try but it's a good option. The service is fine though sometimes kinda slow, and the place is clean enough. Bathrooms are fine. Gluten-free beverage wise, they had cider and the red Glutenberg last time I was there.
(3)
Maggie P.
Maybe it's because I went during a World Cup Game.. in the middle of the day.. on a Thursday... when the place was only a quarter full. Actually, maybe not. The food was fine, but nothing out of the ordinary. But that's not why we go to sports bars. We go for the atmosphere! They had the windows open which was nice, on a beautiful day, but our server was not on top of his game. He didn't check on us after someone else brought our food. It seemed like he completely forgot about us once he got our order. Then he took forever to bring our check and swipe our cards. (again, it was not a busy time of day) Obviously I will continue going to TITS, but my expectation of service there has been lowered.
(3)
Nick G.
Used to come here for half priced burgers at lunch every Tuesday when I worked in Central. Our group would include everywhere from 4 to 25 people and they were always accommodating, knew who we were, and we're quite nice. The burgers are very good and I love their waffle fries. I've also taken my wife here a couple times and she says they make the best veggie burger anywhere. The Tavern is one of the things I miss most about working up in Central.
(5)
Sheldon F.
My children took me here for lunch for my birthday today and i was totally disgusted.. Everything was gross and not even appetizing. Ugh! "Puke" gag! Worst birthday lunch EVER!!!!!!!
(1)
Kay S.
My friends, the Europeans, love this place. They are under the mistaken impression that this is what "real American bar" food is like. Guess the Tavern does deserve a place among American powerhouses like TGIFridays/Chilly's/Unos, etc. Because my friends live in Central Square, this has become their own Euro version of neighborhood bar like "Cheers". They come for trivia nights, catch the latest soccer match on screen, and happy with the variety of beers. As I prepare to head down there this evening, I'm trying to sort out which menu option stands out among the ocean of meh. While also giving myself credit for this is what true friendship is about
(2)
Pam K.
I came here with my friends during my spring break. We were looking for a place to eat and drink, and my friend suggested Tavern in the Square, or TITS for short. My first thought was, "What kind of place is named TITS?" but then I found out it was an acronym. And then I thought, "Any place nicknamed TITS has to be something interesting." And so off we went. I don't really have much to say about this place. I think that this place is a good place to grab dinner and a few drinks. The portions are large and reasonably priced. The drinks are pretty decent, but according to my friend, their pitcher of sangria is very weak. However, we did go to the Tavern on St. Patrick's day, so the amount of alcohol they actually had left could have had something to do with this "weak taste." I think this is an example of a classic Friday night hang out spot, where you can get drinks and large appetizers with your buddies and unwind. Would probably go again, if my friends suggest it. It really wasn't anything extremely special, though.
(3)
Kurt N.
Impossibly loud, and for absolutely no good reason. They were blasting horrible strange music mixed in with pop hits, at club levels, in a sports bar that was maybe half full and mainly in their 30s. At only 10pm. The draft beer selection was poor, and my friend's burger was passable. The waiter had to be physically tracked down to get the bill, as after he took our order he became invisible.
(2)
Maddy C.
This rating is for the service, not necessarily the food/drink! (Food and drink is totally acceptable, nothing special but always pretty good and worth it) I am continuously blown away by the bartenders and managers AT THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION. All TITS are different but the manger and the day time bartenders at this location are phenomenal. Pay close attention to customer service and really make you feel like your business is important to you. I like to go for lunch, obviously dinner is a little different but if you go at lunch and sit at the bar you will not be disappointed!!
(5)
Ahmed H.
We went for dinner on a Thursday night. We have been customers here. Service was exceptionally disappointing. Waited 15 min before anyone talked to us then waited another 20 min without water showing up. We decided to leave and eat somewhere else. there was no apology from their end, no one seemed to care. It's sad to see this place become like that.
(1)
Mike I.
I think this might be the worst venue in Boston, and I've been to republik this very evening. Why would you: (A) not serve falafel (B) have pillars in the middle of tables (C) Admit the sort of riff raff that talk about heroin during dinner
(1)
Eric C.
This is your average big bar restaurant type of place. If you're hungry and you're going with a big host of people, this is the kind of place to be. There are many options on the menu to choose from, many of which are great for sharing. There's an extensive list of beer and cocktails to satisfy any booze-filled dream. Things to be conscious of are the prices of the beers. I don't think the menus list the prices because I ordered an 'imported' beer from NY, a can of Six Point, and it ended up being $9. That is absolutely ridiculous. That's a huge markup. I'm not sure what was going on, maybe SIx Point is indeed very hard to find in MA, but that's more than a 30% markup. Also, they had some issues with charging credit cards. Something to do with their machine not being able charge more than some amount per transactions. We tried many cards from several people and had to do multiple charges. I'm not going to hold it against them but this is just something to consider because it was just annoying to sort it out.
(3)
Corey D.
This place used to be a favorite restaurant of mine, and I've frequented all location. The one in Allston was a staple for me and my friends. But oh my how things have changed. The menu was recently changed for the worst and the staff just don't seem to care anymore. The quality of the food has gone FAR downhill and the portion sizes are about 1/2 what they used to be. The hostess' are usually not very inviting, assuming they are at the station to begin with. Don't get me wrong, I know that guests need to be seated and that leaves the booth unmanned, but the last 5 times I've been there, it's take about 2 minutes for someone to even come to us. The wait staff seem to be just as slow. Something else to note is that Tavern is a sports bar - so the TVs are cranked to full volume and the staff will seat you next to noisy, screaming sports fans - this isn't the place to go if you want to have a nice conversation during dinner. I don't know what has happened, but I miss the Tavern that I use to frequent and could rely on for those times when you and your friends are like, "I don't know what I want to eat. Let's just go to Tavern." So sad. Recommend: Risotto Fritters (used to be so good) Mac and Cheese
(2)
Chloe W.
Tavern serves many needs - I've been there for late night drinks and greasy food, as well as a chill midday snack. This review is about their awesome Sunday brunch, and the great venue and service I got when I hosted my post-wedding brunch at Tavern for ~60 guests. FOOD The huge brunch buffet selection (from made-to-order omelets and yummy pancakes, to fresh fruit and ice cream) was perfect after a long night of open bar and dancing. We happily ate for hours, and all for $16 each. VENUE We also got to use Tavern's beautiful private function for FREE. Yes, I had to book ahead, but Tavern's staff made it super-easy, and didn't make us deal with any food minimums or space rentals like some of the other Cambridge-area locations I scoped out. The room perfectly located - with its own door, big windows that bathed our party in sunshine, and lots of space for people to move around and hang out. SERVICE We got a dedicated server on top of the 'help yourself' brunch set-up. She was awesome and patient, bringing us our drink and omelet orders even as we shuffled around the function room. Also, we had only booked the room until 2pm, but people were having a great time and they let us stay until 4pm, when they finally had to get ready for their dinner service. Overall, the perfect Sunday brunch in a great spot with awesome service!
(5)
Derek D.
Hmmm, maybe it was a bad day, that is why I'm not giving one star... 6 of us were here for brunch yesterday, having booked a table ahead of time, when arriving we were told that there were no tables and we would have to wait 10 mins, and we said as long as we were inside. 20 mins later we had to remind the hostess, and then were seated outside, with no shade, on the warmest day or the year so far. We did ask for an umbrella which did arrive after 5-10 mins, but really shouldn't have been outside in the first place given earlier reservation and stipulations... There were no waters on the table, and no one came to get our drinks order. About 10 mins after we were seated someone finally took our drinks order, we also noted there were no condiments, despite empty tables nearby having spares (which we ended up getting ourselves). Everyone at the table had finished their brunch by the time the drinks and condiments arrived, was really not a great experience The food itself was ok, the omelette was nice, despite waiting 40 mins (everyone had forgotten about ordering these it had been so long) but the eggs Benedict was freezing cold. Really disappointed actually, as everything looked really nice, was just let down terribly by the service...
(2)
Jon B.
My wife and I booked Tavern in the Square in Central Square Cambridge to host a brunch the day after our wedding. We've eaten brunches at a couple Tavern locations before and it is always a stellar buffet with a great variety. There wasn't a cost for booking the room; we were just charged a set amount per person who showed up to eat. The room itself is pretty big, and allowed plenty of space for the 20 people we had to eat, store their coats, and put aside luggage or gifts that they brought with them. It's not the easiest place to get to if you're driving because you're dealing with street parking, but Sunday morning traffic isn't too bad even in Cambridge. We worked with Nicole and she was great making sure we had everything we needed.
(5)
Jay L.
Came by with a large group on a Saturday night to grab some food. The food was okay, but if I were to want a place watch college football this would be it. The truffle tater tots were pretty good, fried until they were crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The combination of herbs, Parmesan and truffle oil is excellent. I would get these again if I were to go back. Got the Diablo burger, but the burger did not live up to its name. I could not taste the Cajun seasoning or the chipotle aioli. The jalenpenos peppers were in a couple bites but did not have much kick. It overall tasted like a plain pepper jack cheeseburger. The only good part of the dish was the plain tater tots on the side. Everyone else got a mix of burgers, salads and soups. No only complained but no one raved about their food. The most memorable part of evening were the other patrons. During the football games they cheered and chanted as if they were sitting in the crowd at the stadium. Okay place for a bite, but a better place to watch some sports.
(3)
Tammy L.
I can't comment on the drinks since I didn't have any when I came here. This is just for the service alone. The waitress came by just once to check on us and then disappeared or decided that our table in the corner didn't exist for the rest of our meal. We were looking around for her when we needed our check and we were craning our necks to the point that other patrons had to stare at us like we were crazy. Then we tried waving. In the end, it took about 10-15 minutes for her to finally realize that we were still here. It would have been excusable if she were serving in a different section of the place. But no, she was in the bar area where we were so I can't think of why she didn't see us. It wasn't even busy. No apologies offered when she came by. We left the place telling each other we won't be back.
(1)
laura e.
This place was HORRIBLE. We went for a quick dinner two nights ago and wish we had never gone. The place was practically empty at 5 p.m. and yet our waitress was all but absent. I ordered the "freshly fried, handmade tortilla chips" and "house made guacamole and pico". My dining companion ordered a cobb salad. It took forever for us to get our food and when it arrived, we were both disappointed. The lettuce in the cobb salad was brown on the edges and the tomatoes were cut into huge chunks but looked mangled and bruised. They also piled the salad on a tiny plate, making it difficult to eat. It was mediocre at best. My "fresh" chips were tough and had the texture of cold, packaged tortilla shells that need to be heated before being edible. They weren't the thin, crispy chips I was expecting. The housemade guacamole had the color, taste and consistency of a packaged guacamole that has gone by. It was not the pale green of a fresh avocado, rather a dark olive color that has zero freshness about it. And the salsa was a slurry of mealy, underripe tomatoes and onion chunks that looked about a month old and tasted unappetizing. Our server literally disappeared after dropping off our plates and never came to check on us for 20 minutes, when we asked for the check. She asked me if I wanted to wrap my chips and dips (it was clear I didn't eat anything after the first bite). I told her they were stale and the didps didn't seem fresh and she said in an offended tone "We make everything in-house". That may be true, but what was made was old and gnarly. She then disappeared again for 10 minutes and we had to ask the manager for our bill. They did take off the chips, and for that we are appreciative. The server was horrible and so was the food. We won't be back.
(1)
Joy J.
I've been sitting here waiting for a side of French fries (to go) for 15 minutes now and there is only 1 other diner in here. These better be the best darn fries I've had in years. Seriously. 16 minutes now.
(2)
Amanda H.
Burger and fries were good, decent prices on beer, but menu prices were different than actual bill. When we questioned the waiter, manager said they recently increased the prices and hadn't changed the menu. Annoying but again, good beer.
(3)
A Y.
It's OK. We enjoyed the meal! Service? So so.
(4)
Ned K.
One of my favorite spots. The Sunday morning brunch buffet is insane and one of the best in the area. It's a great place to watch sports and have some beers as they also have a great selection. I love coming here and it's usually pretty consistent and the food is also pretty solid. Wings are great as are most of their sandwiches and sides. However, I hope they are reading this because there is one concern I have. The last two times I have been there the service for outside seating has been horrendous. My girlfriend and I had to remind the waitress 3 times to get water and everything generally took forever. The outside area was also pretty empty and inside didn't look that crowded either. We put in our order and our drinks were pretty much forgotten about. The same thing also happened last week when I was getting brunch outside, it took about 20 minutes then to get waters and coffees. Just wanted to bring this to someone's attention. Either way though, a great place overall and I would recommend as the food and atmosphere is fantastic.
(4)
Fanny L.
Slow service, but they were busy. It doesn't seem to matter that this is a c class place. Its here with lots of seating and decent food. My friend calls it "a chain with a twist", another says "hot waitresses"...i say "eh?"
(3)
Alex C.
Only spot to watch football in central. Unfortunately it isnt a great one. Theh would not do a single thing to help accommodate us to see the NFL game we came to watch. Open seats at the bar can't be used for not much of a reason more than the staff doesn't want to be inconvenienced.
(2)
Didi S.
The brunch buffet is a decent solution for groups, but at $21ish with tax and tip I'd rather go to an a la carte place without the bar atmosphere. Other than the omelette station, everything else seemed pretty straight-forward, though was really disappointed by the mediocre/bad baked goods and sweets. Should have stuck to the corned beef hash...
(3)
Rob K.
Went Sunday for a football game. The TV situation is on point, they label each TV with the game it will have on. I didn't have the buffet (10:30-2) but it looked amazing. The drinks are a little pricy, but they were amply staffed and really attentive. I would definitely suggest it for any sporting event you want to watch.
(4)
Julissa P.
They're ok, place is a bit pricey and it feels like a chain. Sort of like the management is a little too stiff which makes the employees feel forced to smile at you and look "professional". This is a cool place if you're watching sports but if you're looking for a place that has good food and better atmosphere go to Christopher's or the Cambridge common.
(3)
Tanya S.
Tavern got a gluten-free menu now!! It is really nice when chains jump on-board. They have gluten-free nachos and other bar-snacks. Things tasted really great and the servers were really accommodating and double-checked additions. The outdoor seating (and open window-walls on warm days) is really nice. Service is always great, and often it is large enough to accomodate groups.
(4)
Sarah B.
Tavern is near my apartment and the bars I like in Central Square so I end up here about once a month or so. It is the epitome of consistency, even if the bar is set a little low. On the whole, I don't care much for the food except for the calorie explosions that my friends and I order when we come to watch a game (it's a pretty good place to watch - lots of TVs, lots of seating, good sound system). The aforementioned heart stoppers I would not hesitate to recommend are: +buffalo chicken mac n' cheese - they nail the flavor, texture and elusive pasta-to-cheese ratio that makes a truly decadent mnc dish. +big dig fries - enormous and delicious. They don't skimp on the sour cream which highlights the crispiness of the waffle fries. +nachos - the chili ones are the best, but you can't go wrong. Again, it is a huge plate. - I am not a fan of the burgers. I've tried. On the less life-ending side of the menu, the feta and avocado salad is pretty good. Other than that, they have a fine beer selection, but the cocktails usually aren't worth the price.
(3)
Corey L.
I've been to the Tavern on the Square a number of times - I LOVE their patio in the summer. The food is always fairly solid - I tend to go there for unhealthy salads for some reason and they're usually decent. Also, they have cute servers. So I will continue coming back - not to be blown away, but to have a decent meal sitting outside. Or for a game maybe.
(3)
Alyssa J.
Oy Vey. I just had the worst lunch experience ever. TITS has 1/2 priced burgers on Tuesdays. I thought I would mosey over and grab a bite. I sat myself at the bar, ordered my burger. And then I waited. And I waited some more. Then I passed out and died from starvation. Not really, but seriously. 45 mins for a mid-rare burger? Finally the bartender shows up with my burger. Except it wasn't a burger. It was a hockey puck. A hard lump of undigestable roadkill. So why three stars? The manager dealt with the problem super quickly, got me a salad and a $10 gift card. Plus, there's something about TITS.
(3)
Alon R.
Just bad - like just not even worth it. Almost like a tacky bad version of Applebee's. Food is below average and was difficult to eat. The drinks we ordered were run down with ice and insanely sweet. Thanks but no thanks. Never going back.
(1)
Evan F.
I used to love this place, but recently things have gone downhill. The sound during football games is too loud and the new menu is significantly worse than the old menu. What happened to the nachos?! They used to be a huge plate of nacho goodness and now they're pretty meh. Also, bring back the tots! Still 3 stars because it's a good place to watch a game with a group, but the food used to be a lot better.
(3)
Ana R.
Enough time had gone by since my last visit to Tavern in the Square for me to forget how forgettable it was. Last Friday, I met some friends for dinner, and ordered the California burger, medium rare. My fella had the cowboy burger, medium. Mine sounded great on paper - bacon, avocado and a heap of meat. I was hungry and hadn't treated myself to a burger in a while, so I was looking forward to it. What I got was super bland, which is mind-boggling because bacon!! Surprisingly, my burger was true medium rare, but so was my fella's. In the rush to get our food out at the same time, they undercooked his. My sweet potato fries were good, so I filled up on those. My burger was such a disappointment, I declined taking it home with me. Later that night I felt really gross and went home early, vowing to remember this time, that going to Tavern in the Square very rarely ends well.
(2)
Andrew K.
Oh boy. What to say. So, I'll write about my experience in two separate descriptions. One is the bar experience and the other is the food experience. I often go to Tavern in Allston, usually for a quick bite or a beer whenever I have some free time, so I was happy to see one in Cambridge. I stepped in and stepped up to the bar to grab a bite to eat and a beer. Decor: Very spacious, well decorated. Great ambience, great lighting. Service: AMAZING. The servers here couldn't be anymore helpful, responsive, and they check on you constantly making sure you're doing alright. Love it. Drinks: Good drinks, slightly watered down, but for the price, can't complain. Small selection of beers. Food: Holy. Cow. The food could not be worse. I could microwave a package of chicken nuggets at home and it would be better. Nachos are dry (read: was it sitting in the back that long?) The chicken tenders are...what's up with the taste? It tasted...weird, almost as if the chicken was too old? Was the ranch dressing...watered down? It didn't even taste like ranch. Overall, as far as decor and service and drinks, I'm 5/5, it would be my next go-to bar when I'm in the area. But the food is so terrible, I can't fully give it 3 stars. Yes, I know what you're saying. C'mon, Andrew, it's a bar. What do you expect? It's a bar! You don't go there and expect a 5-star meal. No, I don't. I expect bar food. I expect fries, wings, burgers, and the like. But I'm telling you, the food here, I don't know if it's been sitting in the freezer too long or what, it's awful.
(2)
C D.
Its a solid spot to meet for a bite and a few drinks. The Fried calamari is great. The bartenders are friendly and know what they are doing. They have good beer knowledge and know how to pour a stout correctly =). I have been here about 4 times and it is always enjoyable.
(3)
Kyle G.
1/2 price burgers on Tuesday. Tough to go wrong with this. 1/2 pound, cooked medium rare, good fries, eaten and gone within twenty minutes of arrival. Who has more time than that at lunch? Won't need dinner tonight.
(4)
Dexter H.
Okay this place is just too fun for words!!! I went with a large group and they took care of us like none other! The service was like clockwork. There was even a point where a manager came out personally to ask us a question about how one of us wanted something cooked because he had an allergy. Seriously, classy. They did all the right things and then some. Its definitely a place where you can just relax, take your time, be a little rowdy, drink and eat in huge portions. And everyone is having a great time there. It brings your energy and spirits up. For food II recommend the Sesame Encrusted Tuna Salad!! Seared Tuna in a salad. Yum! And they have a great beer selection. I would recommend this place highly to anyone!
(4)
sarah l.
I have had only bad experiences with this place in the past. Food is average, service is extremely slow and our waitress was inefficient.
(1)
Amruta H.
I absolutely love watching football games here - lots of big huge TVs, so no matter where you sit, you can get a good view of the game. Great selection of beer as well. Recommend getting the Nachos - cheesy and spicy to perfection
(5)
Mk M.
Their burgers (tried) are good and sandwiches(not tried) look just as good. Some of the other items such as the pasta that i tried wasn't visually well presented and tasted very amateurish and for the amount paid, I don't think the quantity was large enough. But I guess, this is Boston we're talking about - a 'cradle' too old and overpriced that they charge simply because they can. They do have some good beers and local brews so I'd go here for casual drinks and maybe grease it up with a burger. Nothing fancy but expect to pay dearly, atleast in my eyes it is pricey !
(2)
Kamille W.
I like Tavern In the Square. The food is mostly average, but it's a good place to go with a group since the menu is so diverse. I was super bummed to see that my go-to BLT (which was always freaking delicious, btw) seems to have disappeared from the menu since my last visit. The sesame encrusted tuna salad I got instead was pretty good -- all of the veggies were fresh and the wasabi peas were a nice touch. The sesame-ginger dressing that came with it was awesome; I'm definitely going to have to try recreating it at home. Overall though, I wasn't blown away by it. I think next time I'll stick with the burger/sandwich/fries side of life. Salads really aren't the thing to get here. The service, on the other hand, was excellent. When we mentioned to our server that we had an event to head to after dinner, she made sure that everything came to us quickly. She happily answered all of our questions about the food, even going so far as to ask the kitchen what cheese was on the fire roasted vegetable flatbread (it was mozzarella and very tasty). Anyways, I'm sure I'll be back to Tavern In the Square, if only because it's such a convenient spot. I'm also sure I'll forget the veggies and go for something deep fried or dipped in chocolate. ...Or both. Both would be ideal.
(3)
Diliny C.
Fantastic brunch buffet on Sunday mornings that keeps you coming back for more.
(4)
Zoe K.
I haven't been here in a while but I just want to give them a shout out for significantly expanding their gluten free menu. You can now get sandwiches/burgers and pizza's and they have GF beside many more of their menu items! This just expanded my options in there beyond the standard "nachos" as a safe option. Yes it's bar food but for those of us that have a hard time eating out, this makes a world of difference!!
(4)
Y. N.
I've been a regular customer here for a while. The food and drinks are above average, the music selection is good, and it's a pretty good place to go to with big groups since there's a lot of open space. It's also a good place to watch big sports events, since they have plenty of TV's. A recent event left quite a bad impression on me. Some friends and I came here at about 11 PM on a Thursday night a few weeks back. One of my friends was lending me some clothes for a weekend trip, and we kept the bag of clothes directly between us at the bar. Unfortunately, at the end of the night, we both walked out of the bar without remembering the bag. I realized this first thing in the morning, and I wasn't too concerned. My friends and I were literally the last people out of the bar (they locked it right after we left), and we thought, surely, one of the staff must have picked it up and turned it in. But when I called in the morning, they said it wasn't there. I went there myself and looked around before they opened for the day, and it wasn't anywhere in the vicinity of where we left it. Given that we were the last people out of the bar the night before, this left only one of 2 possibilities--1) one of the staff took it, or 2) one of the staff threw it away. The second possibility would be very, very surprising, since the bag was a nice shopping bag, and there were about $200 worth of nice clothes in it (a big monetary loss as a grad student). I followed up with the staff 5-6 times over the next 2 weeks. Every time I called, they asked for my name and phone number, as if they were hearing about the issue for the very first time, suggesting to me that none of the staff ever communicated about it. Only once did I ever receive a call back, and that was after I complained multiple times about not receiving any sort of response. Two people I talked to even suggested that another patron took it, which didn't make any sense at all given the details of the story. Long story short, it's clear that the staff here lack concern for their patrons' belongings, and someone seems to have gone so far as to take the belongings for themselves or throw the belongings away. Worst part is, this is actually the second time this has happened! I left a North Face fleece jacket there a year and a half ago and had an almost identical aftermath. Bottom line: Watch your stuff, and don't count on the honesty or concern of the staff if something goes wrong.
(1)
Bryan N.
I find Tavern on the Square to be a very average bar and restaurant. Beer selection is standard, nothing special, and the food good enough to eat, but nothing to rave about. I've been here a few times to watch football games, for which it gets the job done.
(3)
Sarah R.
This is a belated rating for 2 visits between my negative review of 11/6/2014 and last Friday. Cobb salad really delicious, fresh and copious; drinks very good.
(4)
john e.
OK to watch game. World Cup on. Very crowded. We waited in line to get in thinking this is a good sign. The drinks are way overpriced for a hole in the wall pub. I had an overpriced crispy chicken that was cold, greasy and overcooked. The wait staff seemed to hesitant to come to our table, even though the crowd had mostly cleared out. The whole experience was meh. Underwhelming. Its saving grace was quite a few TV screens, but they are most too small for a successful sports bar that it is trying to emulate.
(1)
Celena C.
Buffet Breakfast was ok, the toaster oven needed to be a little higher so the toast actually cooked. The hostess was extremely slow despite the amount of tables that were available. It took so long to get served drinks at the table it was quicker for us to go to the bar. The manager gave us a $10 voucher for our wait to use next time but I can't say there will be a next time. Additionally on a better note we didn't have to pay for the drinks that we received once we had almost finished our food. Great to go sit at the bar and watch some sports, poor table service.
(2)
Alisa K.
Considering their brunch buffet is all-you-can-eat for SIXTEEN DOLLARS, this place is seriously underrated. I have paid more for less at everywhere from IHOP (the gold standard for affordable breakfast goodness) to your garden variety 4 star hotel brunch buffet. While the execution isn't amazing, the selection is wide, varied, creative and SIXTEEN DOLLARS. Yes, they have the usual breakfast fare- home fries, scrambled eggs, and pancakes. But they also have awesome creative stuff like jalapeño cheddar hash browns; basil cheesy vegetarian scramble; orange coconut French toast (though a bit overdone for my taste); and Eggs Benedict. Not to mention a ton of warm entrees (pasta, stir fry, cod) and desserts (ice cream, petit fours, whoopie pies, cakes). My favorite items were the scramble, the jalapeño hash browns, and the whoopie pie! Bottom line, for the price (SIXTEEN DOLLARS), this place is a steal and pretty decent, especially for vegetarians. They handled a large group of 20 adults + a baby well and were gracious and polite. I would definitely go back.
(4)
Michael M.
This is one of the best places in Cambridge for great food and service. I have been here many times and I highly recommend it. Look for Kelly at the bar top notch mixologist and very friendly! The burgers are out standing!
(5)
Dorothy W.
Where to go when you a need loud, chaotic atmosphere, beer, and a place to celebrate the life of an old friend due to his untimely passing? The Tavern in the Square. He would have loved it. Right in the heart of Central Square, with a small amount of outdoor seating, The Tavern in the Square is filled with revelers of all types making lots of noise. As my old friend adored high energy, drama and meeting new people, especially minimally clad young women, he would have been the last to leave. And I doubt he would have left alone, either. There are many large TVs, so when the game is on, you can watch and listen, joining in the with the cheering and booing that takes place whenever anything interesting happens. My old friend preferred blues and jazz music, but he would be able to get a dose of that here, too. Every kind of auditory stimulation seems to be taking place at The Tavern in the Square. The place is huge and the noise carries. Not a place for romance, this is more of a place to party. My old friend was a life long drinker, starting in junior high, so we started the evening by raising a glass of Rogue Dead Guy Ale (which he would have loved knowing) and then the Cisco Whale's Tale Pale Ale. As he spent summers on Nantucket, he would have approved of this choice as well. There are some nice beers. Food is starchy, caloric and standard pub food. Heavy on chicken and cheese dishes, you'll find nachos, wings, quesadillas, pizza, burgers, soups, sandwiches, pasta, mac and cheese, chicken pot pie, steak tips, turkey and more. Load it on. There are also plenty of sides, salads and a few entrees that are veggie friendly. I can't say as I'd gravitate here for food, but I did eat all of my pickles, Thai lettuce wraps and rather expensive, rather dry veggie burger. Service was very pleasant. As my old friend was such a fun loving guy, maybe the servers could tell that by osmosis. They kept us happy and well fed as we told old stories together and began to add to the noise level. Easy to find and brimming with energy, The Tavern in the Square really was the perfect, vibrant place to gather with a bunch of people who had not seen one another in a while and raise a glass to an old party loving friend. He would have been right at home.
(3)
Ryan B.
Tavern Central is still the Best (only) Minnesota Vikings Bar in Boston. Their function room large enough to accommodate our Proud, Purple-wearing Viking fans every week. With no room fees, this is the best bar around to host any kind of event or game watch party. Other highlights include the breakfast buffet - which just happens to coincide with Sunday football. Its FILLING to say the least - nobody leaves hungry. Another personal favorite are the tator-tots! I also appreciate their beer selection, they have all your local favorites, including some Western-Mass craft beers. I wish they had some of my Minnesota favorites, but those are hard to find this far east. I'm looking forward to another fun football season watching the Vikings at the Tavern!
(5)
Betsy A.
Ugh... I hate to do this to the Tavern... it has served me well over the years, but it is time I accept what's been staring me in the face for so long... This place is mediocre. It's like that needy friend we all have. They are there when you need them, but then they start hitting you with all their problems and you just want to run away or rip your ears off... Such is the Tavern... They're convenient. A quick walk away. Big menu. All you can eat buffet on Sundays... Good you say? Eh... at first glance. You think it won't be bad this time. "I bet it was that waitress we had that time". "Maybe they had an off day"... And then boom! They hit you with "so so" food, poor inattentive service and "ugh" drinks. The place is relatively big for Central. Which makes it even more convenient in an otherwise packed restaurant area, but if you can wait 20-30mins more to get a table somewhere else, I would recommend it. It's not all bad within the Tavern. It's decent for watching a game with a good group of friends. Keep the beer and Nachos (if you can eat them) coming. Sit back and have a good time. But if it is quality food/service you want, keep walking. Trust me, you'd be better off not having to face your "needy" friend's problems...
(2)
Kacie M.
I've been to Tavern in the Square two (Three? Three.) times now for lunch and dinner and I can't clearly recall what I had to eat on any of those occasions. Steak tips? Steak tips sounds right. For me, not being able to remember what I had to eat at a restaurant is not a good sign. It does mean that the food wasn't so bad that it was memorable, but it also means that the food wasn't anything special. The one menu item I do remember trying is the deep-fried pickles, but unfortunately what I remember was being unhappy with them. They use pickle spears instead of chips, the proportions are all off. I love pickles, but with spears there just isn't enough breading. The breading kept falling off, leaving me with just warm pickles, and I can get warm pickles at Stop and Shop. I was happy enough with my meals there, but would never press to go back.
(3)
Amanda M.
I went to this restaurant for the first time recently and experienced excellent service, good food, and not so good wine. I think the wine is what one would expect from the typical "american grill" so it did not really take away from my experience. I will certainly continue to stop in from time to time, especially because they have all the gluten free items marked on the menu - and when I do, I will get one of their yummy martinis instead of wine!
(4)
Ryan K.
Last week myself and 8 friends came here after our Softball game looking to grab a couple beers as our season had ended. We sat outside and ordered 6 pitchers of Coors Light and then started talking about our game and general banter. About 10 minutes later the waiter came back and we ordered some food. After talking some more for about 10 more minutes, we noticed that our beer still had not come out. When our waiter finally returned we asked him where our beer was and he said the keg was kicked the they were changing it. I told him we would take another type of beer instead but he responded "don't worry about it" and walked back inside. After being there for about 35 minutes with no beer (or water) our food came out. The first half of my burger was very good, but once i ran out of pickles i used to chase my food, being that i had no liquid to wash it down, I could not eat anymore; this was not being i was full, but because my mouth/throat was so dry. The other half of my meal sat there and eventually got too cold to eat. After the waiter brought our food out, we asked about the beer, starting to get disgruntled. He said there was an issue with the line and it was only pouring foam. We told him we'd take another type of pitcher, or bottles, or any form of beer that was not foam. He shrugged us off again, apologized, and walked in side. At this point we decided to get the manager. We had been waiting for about 40 minutes and had not gotten a drop of liquid. After a few guys went in to talk to the manager, the waiter comes out with hot, not warm, hot, glasses (must have come right out of the washer). He had in tow two pitchers of the flattest, most disgusting beer i've ever had (and we used to drink keg beer that'd been sitting in our college basement for weeks on end). After 45-50 minutes we decided we no longer wanted to stay there, get the run around, and give this restaurant our hard earned money. The manager eventually came out and was nothing short of hostile towards our entire group. He informed me his name was Rich (after me asking) and pretty much started yelling at us. Instead of caring about his customers he immediately had a scowl on his face and tried to prove that we were in fact wrong about the whole situation. I asked for the check, informing him we were fed up, and he still stood there arguing. He informed us there was no way we had been waiting for 45 minutes for beer, since the time on the food order was only 35 minutes ago. I told him we ordered the beer 10 minutes before we ordered food, and he still continued to press on. At that point i cut him off. "Stop, stop. Stop talking. This is not the time to talk. The time for you to talk was 30 minutes ago. You are not right. This isn't even a situation where the customer is always right. You are wrong. We know how long we have been here. Now please get our check, so we can leave." Were my exact words. He stormed off and came back with the check. We got about 15 dollars off of food. He said he would have given us 120 dollars of free pitchers. But that time had come and gone. we had now been there for an hour and fifteen minutes. We are all working young adults, and do not want to be up until all hours of the night on a work day. On our way out another group sitting outside asked us what had happened. Giving a quick summary they informed us they had been waiting for a long time as well, got up, and followed out us. This was the single worst restaurant experience of my life. The lack of service mixed with the non-actions of one of the worst managers I've ever encountered made me feel like Tavern in the Square could care less about their customers. I left feeling swindled. Not only did we practically sit for an hour with no service, but when the one person who is suppose to ease the customers pain and frustration only comes in to make it much worse...it leaves me at a loss of words. Even typing this infuriates me. What should have been a fun night with my friends reflecting on our season turned into a nightmare that left every one of us angered and shocked that service and management could be that bad. That customers could be cared for that less. There were so many opportunities for the situations to be very easily fixed. But when a manager doesn't care about his customers and has to be right no matter what, well i hope he felt like he won the night, because he left swarms of angry customers.
(1)
Judy W.
This place is okay. Not good, no bad, just okay. Which is good, in Central Square, which has plenty of good and bad, sometimes in the same place, with zero relationship to price. If you can't come to a consensus on where to go you can go here and no one will suffer too badly. Two decent pours of decent pino grigio; three decent sized tacos; a pleasant and filling hot artichoke dip for around $40. Not a destination, but a solid fall-back. (the check boxes reminded me: way too many tvs all over the place, but that's pretty common in a lot of places)
(3)
Andy C.
Short version: + 10 guys ordered 6 pitchers and waited over 40 minutes, were served warm flat beer, decided to leave after an hour of not being served any drinkable beer. + The manager made a number of poorly calculated decisions including - Not offering us a different type of beer that we could have quickly - thinking we cared about getting 6 pitchers all at once rather than giving us something to drink at all - thinking it appropriate to argue with us about how long he thinks we have actually been waiting and why we shouldn't be upset. Last night my softball team went to the Tavern in Central Square. We arrived at 9 and were seated outside. The first chance we got we ordered 6 Coors Light pitchers; this was before 9:10. Then we ordered food. after 20 minutes we have no beer. Then our food comes (not all together, mind you, relatively spread out), we still have no beer. "We are changing the keg, it's all foam right now," are standard excuses. Fine. I asked "can we just get something different? I'm not married to Coors Light." My question was brushed off. We begin to eat, but we still don't have anything to drink. Its now about 40 minutes since we ordered. We go inside to complain and ask for a manager. I walk back outside and the waiter has delivered 2 of our 6 ordered pitchers. These are full of what is obviously reconstituted keg foam - it's completely flat and not at all cold. They obviously spent 10 minutes filling the pitcher with foam and waiting for it to go down rather than just giving us something different. I take my beer inside and talk to the manager again. I explain that the beer is flat and gross, and that we need to get this situation resolved in the next 5 minutes. I go outside, 5 minutes pass (to be honest, I didn't have a stop watch, but we are all constantly looking at our watches because we cant believe it). I got back inside to tell the manager we are finished here. He has a couple pitchers sitting on the bar he says hes ready to bring out. Unless he's got 6 hands I can't see and was going to bring them all at one time, I think he should have brought them as they became available. I tell him I intend to pay for very little of this meal. It is now 10 pm. I don't care how many free pitchers you want to give me now. It's 10 on a Tuesday. I don't want 10 pitchers at 10, I want 6 pitchers at 9:15. Upon delivering the check, the manager though it would be appropriate to say "Now i just want to make it a point that it wasn't 45 minutes..." I stopped him right there. This is no longer an argument that I am willing to have. I am well aware of what time we got there and what time it is. We pay for our half eaten nachos and burgers that we never even got water to wash down. All in all, nightmare scenario. The manager failed in every aspect of his job - recognizing problems and correcting them quickly, soothing customer dissent, knowing what was a reasonable loss to accept. Really, what hurts you worse, 10 guy who go home and go postal on your yelp and facebook pages, or giving us pitchers of Sam for the price of Coors and calling it a day. Assuming you pay what I pay for a Sam Adams keg (and I'm sure you pay less) each 16 oz beer costs $1.48. So that Sam pitcher cost you 5.93. So if we are paying 10 for a pitcher of Coors and get Sam, you are still at least covering your cost, and at least breaking even considering labor. The manager failed to understand this, ran around in circles doing nothing, probably ended up pouring out the 6 pitchers that were sitting on the bar when we said we are done waiting, decided it was appropriate to argue with us about our complaint, and now you've got a bunch of 25 year old guys that hate your bar and will tell everyone they know.
(1)
Sidney L.
I've been here several times to root on my college football team with other fellow alumni (GO CARD!). In terms of food and drink, Tavern In the Square is pretty unremarkable. Their beer selection is pretty standard, and their food selection is pretty much what you'd see from any full service pub, though with slightly higher prices. That being said, they are very accommodating to groups of patrons who want to catch a game together. The waitresses were very polite, professional, and bring out drinks efficiently, even when my large group was bumbling through the menu in incoherent fashion. In terms of food, I highly recommend the nachos, which are enormous and could probably feed two people on its own.
(4)
Garrett H.
went for some food and drinks around 6pm because it was the first thing I saw. Beer selection was ok, atmosphere was fine, sat by the window. burger was fine, but the chips we ordered were stale. Would opt for somewhere else the next time I'm in central square.
(2)
Dave K.
I got bad food poisoning from the Chicken Pot Pie. Which had a peculiar salty taste to begin with. I won't be going here again.
(1)
Danege P.
celebrated my 46th birthday at the function room at this place on 12/30/12 with a group of 50! I and my guests felt that it was the best of the best! from service, food, attention to details on how i wanted things to be set and all! thanks to Nicole the extraordinaire event planer from there, the manager Mode who was on duty that night, the two beautiful young ladies Erin and Kate who were my waitresses! I will continue to celebrate there yearly till my big 50!
(5)
Lauren R.
Eek! Methinks not is right. We sat and waited for over ten minutes at the BAR and no one acknowledged us. The girls were obviously to busy on their phones, looking at Facebook.
(1)
Toni T.
Average food during an average brunch. A decent variety of food options from the buffet, including hash browns, salmon, bacon, and the featured omelet station. Unfortunately, nothing really stood out to me in terms of taste. For me, brunch is incomplete without mimosas; a weak mimosa is no better...I was disappointed in the quality of the champagne cocktails here. The service provided was decent at best; I like the townie feel of the neighborhood where this is located. Besides that, nothing was offered that would draw me to return during another visit to Boston.
(2)
Steven D.
Three stars is fair, my giving it two stars reflects that I am too old for the place at thirty-five (you will be old one day too, reader!). The food is edible, the prices are alright, they were very nice and the beer selection is OK. I would be a regular here were I living somewhere with a poor selection of bars - but instead I am Cambridge. Large bar, suitable for groups and aimed at the early-20's. Gently loud, bar food standard bar food and passable beer selection. Very good if you wish to be drunk, which is a very good reason to be at a bar. Lots of young girls coo-ing at a British accent, I liked that.
(2)
Lisa S.
I debated between 3 and 4 stars for awhile and 3 stars won. I want to give it 3.5 stars... I can understand why people would not like this place, but I actually like it. Usually. I've gone there a good number of evenings during the week with friends after working out, when I want food and some beer but don't really want to shower or care too much. On most weekday evenings, it's not too packed. The menu is HUGE (so you can always find what you're craving) and all the food is... good. Nothing I've found so far is too amazing, nothing is horrible. It's a bit pricey (aka not cheap) but the portions are huge so I'm mostly forgiving. They have an extensive beer/wine/cocktail list as well, and you can get pitchers of things like beer or sangria. And it's all tasty. Right after work and on weekends, it gets a bit more crowded, but not too bad. They have about a million TVs, which is great when you just want to chill at the bar, or watch a random sports game (one time my friend wanted to watch the WVU game, so the bartender changed one of the TVs for him, which was awesome). However, when big sporting events are on, it gets super crowded and rowdy and the crowd quickly escalates into drunken douchedom. Last Sunday, we went for the all-you-can eat buffet for $16.99 for the first time. It was actually a pretty good deal. Drinks weren't included, and the service was spotty (our waiter gave us multiple death glares when we asked for things like iced tea or water). But they have a selection of standard breakfast items (pancakes, eggs benedict, scrambled eggs, french toast, hash browns, toast/bagels, etc.), some lunch items (which I didn't try, so can't comment on), a "make your own omelet" station, fruit and desserts. Some things were a bit dried out- I was excited for eggs benedict and pancakes and both disappointed me. But I ate about 20 pounds of bacon so that redeemed my meal for me. Overall, a fairly good deal.
(3)
Robert M.
I've been to Tavern in Central a lot. I think that I've had mixed experiences over time, i think 3 stars is both appropriate and what it's worth. I have to say that it is a chain bar/sports bar, what do you really expect? First, I really appreciate the seasonal beer selection, it is good. However, charging $7 for a 22 oz draft and $21 for a 60 oz pitcher just doesn't make sense. Second, I agree with most reviews that the brunch is not worth the price nor the visit, we came using a Groupon and thought the cost was ridiculous. Third, we actually planned to have a birthday party at Tavern in Central. We were told that we could use the overflow room and that it would be reserved for us and our 40 some odd guests. However, on the night of we were informed that not only would we have to tally a single bill in excess of $700 but that they would be seating other guests of tavern in the room. It would have been great to know this in advance, so we could have chosen a different location. Finally, after many years of stopping by to grab random drink or two, I was in this bar on a Saturday night with fewer than 75 people and found it amazingly hard to order a drink. Like over 20 minutes hard to order a drink, I gave up and almost left, we stuck around only because we were meeting other people. I want to finish by saying that not only have I been here many times, it also holds a lot of sentimental value since it is the place that I was introduced to the love of my life, That said I wish we had met somewhere else. I only added that portion to echo my desire to give a better review.
(3)
Tamarleigh G.
I was not impressed with the brunch. The service was great, though. The weirdest thing was, they have ONLY ICE COLD WATER in the bathrooms. You have to wash your hands, in the dead of winter, in ice cold water. I thought the faucet was broken! Nope. Turns out that warm water is just one of those little "extras" that this restaurant doesn't provide for its guests. ???????? That is just lame. I would put up with it if the food were better--but it isn't.
(2)
EricaLynn J.
It is with a tremendous amount of trepidation that I update this review and while doing so, remove two stars. I know, I know. It is pretty awful to think about even removing one; two is just obscene. But there have been some big changes occurring at this location, and unfortunately, change isn't always doin' you good. I understand that restaurants such as the Tavern - ones that not only know that people aren't usually going for the food but rather the drinks and scene, and ones that partnered up with other similar restaurants in the area - sometimes need a menu revamp. I understand that these new menus are based on many factors, a major one being popularity of items. The Tavern has a Porter Square neighbor, as well as sister restaurants such as Boston and Atlantic Beer Gardens, and The Joshua Tree, all of which are not really known for their food. So it is always disappointing when you go to one of your favorite spots, you are greeted with a new menu, and then notice that your favorite entree is gone, baby, gone. But c'est la vie. However, upon looking through the new menu, I came to the startling discovery that, based upon the dishes that were gone and the replacements, the Tavern is taking a turn away from quality and almost dumbing itself down as far as selection. Some delicious pasta dishes, for instance, were taken away, but in their place were more trendy dishes, such as truffle oil tater tots. Problem is, those items' prices were even more jacked up than the comparable items in the previous menu. And unfortunately, there are plenty of places in town that serve the same items - only much, much cheaper. And frankly, much better tasting too. I was told by my server that many of the dishes were omitted from the new menu due to popularity, but I was also told during a subsequent visit that a lot of items were taken out due to price. But you don't see the difference in the menu as far as price goes. And the one issue I always had with Tavern - but let it slide due to the quality of the entrees - was how expensive things were. So it seemed a little preposterous to me that now the food was boring and plain and uninspired, and yet my bill was definitely higher. I have been going to Tavern for Sunday brunch every week without fail, because the food and selection was always fantastic and I'm a girl who loves brunch. The whole idea of brunch always resonated with me in a big way, and to have a brunch spot right across from my house made it a no-brainer for me. But there were always two things that raised my eyebrow a bit as far as the Tavern brunch was concerned: No mimosa or drink included in the brunch price, and that the brunch was $16 per person (not including tax). A little steep compared to some of the other brunch spots in town that include a lot more. But the food was always over the top awesome so it was easy to plunk down the bucks for brunch. Since the new menu was implemented, it's become clear that Tavern was doing some trimming. There's still fresh fruit at brunch, but if you previously enjoyed having raspberries and blueberries, then your best bet is to go to Whole Foods and get some on your own next Sunday, because they aren't putting them out at brunch anymore. And there's still ice cream and toppings, but some of the toppings are also gone (like the mini M&Ms). Yes, it's little things and in the grand scheme of things, pretty nitpicky, but if I'm paying $16, it's hard to see things go. I inquired about the changes and I was told that certain things are just too expensive - like the raspberries - and that more items will surely go as well sooner or later. The menu is smaller, the items on the menu are lower quality and more expensive, and I'm just not understanding where they're trying to go with these changes, but I do realize that with changes come trials and tribulations and sometimes things do turn around. I am not completely over the Tavern - I will still do brunch and go in there to get some cocktails with friends once in awhile - but I'm hoping that the next big change is for the better, so I can be back in love with it again like I once was.
(3)
Sherri H.
The Duchess Ericalynn G. took me here for brunch. She promised it would be epic and indeed it was. Everything was so delicious and there was SO much of it! Lots of innovative brunchy things like a cured salmon and cream cheese pasta salad, something that sounds weird but was amazing. Apple crepes were warm and gooey. Hash browns were a cheesy casserole of awesomeness. Lunchy dishes were impressive too, particularly a chicken pasta thing I wish I could remember the name of so I could try making it at home. Food gets a definite A. They lose a star because they wouldn't seat us right away, even though there were plenty of tables outside. We begged, and they said they didn't have anyone to serve us, even though all four in our group wanted the DIY brunch. We stood outside with a beeper until we saw the host seat another group of girls outside who had just arrived. We spoke up and he apologized and gave us a table. We lived happily ever after but it was an annoying chapter one.
(4)
Enay V.
Service was kind of slow - We had to wait a really long time just to get the check. Outside seating is meant for wicked skinny people - not pregnant people - honestly, space those tables out! Food is ok - decent chicken & waffles though. Prices ok too. Not bad if you're looking for your run of the mill tavern/etc. fare.
(3)
Stephen T.
I come here every Tuesday for trivia and have not yet been disappointed. The service is great, the food is great, and the atmosphere is awesome. Food 7/26/11 Cape Codder - beer battered fish in a sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes, and onion. The fish was flakey and delicious, especially with a bit of the tartar sauce. The bread they put it on (I don't know what kind it is.) was a great complement to the fish. I got the dish with tater tots. Because tater tots are stupendous!!! I have also had the Ultimate Nachos, the wings, and the white truffle tater tots. All great. Beer Decent selection on tap and bottled. Pitchers are cheap ~$11 a pitcher. I would recommend this place as a hangout or a casual dinner.
(4)
Jolene S.
Tavern has pretty good desserts and sweet potato fries. That keeps me coming back. One of their stand-out (specialty) entrees is the angry shrimp. The skewered shrimp come with cherry tomatoes. The dish is well-seasoned but the sauce takes the shrimp to a whole new level. Don't forget to order the sweet fries as one of your two sides (the Mexican rice was only okay). I know they participate in Scvngr challenges here--haven't signed up for that (yet) but I am curious. Lots of screens for watching sports games. Good spot for meeting up--one of the best in Central Square.
(3)
Carolyn C.
I've been to three TITS locations (Allston, Porter, & Central) and they're ok for a sports bar, but nothing special. The TVs are pretty small and the speakers are often so loud that you literally have to yell to be heard across the table. The biggest complaint I have though is that a lot of their menu is prepared in advance so if you're the type of person who asks for modifications with your meal you may not enjoy the menu here. I ordered a sandwich and asked to have it with no mayo and they told me they could not do it because all of the sandwiches were pre-made and they had none of the sandwich ingredients leftover to make one special just for me. Just kind of a bummer. On a positive note, the waitstaff has always been really nice and attentive and I do have fun here when I go with friends to watch a game.
(2)
Dara S.
The service here is terrible. The food is greasy. What once wowed me when I moved to Boston years ago, no longer impresses. There are so many better places in Central, and now thankfully a sports bar in my own neighborhood in Inman. I will not be going back.
(1)
Susanna W.
Pricey for what it is, but at least you get to watch any game you'd like on their many flat screen tvs. We ordered: - Fried pickles: NOT pickle chips as we imagined, but long spears. It was basically a warm pickle covered in breading. - Butternut squash risotto arancini: Ok... not great. - Boneless buffalo wings: These would have been good if they were hot. Unfortunately they were cold/lukewarm... definitely NOT the way you want buffalo wings to be. - Truffle oil tater tots: Tasty... but... they're tater tots... how can you go wrong? Decent selection of beers (although not as extensive as I imagined). I tried the Purple Haze, which I thought was quite good, even though it was on the fruity/sweet side. Total for 3 came out to over $65 (only 1 beer/person). Make of that what you will.
(3)
Kelle S.
I love this place for lunch. I'm allergic to gluten, so the first thing I ask is if they can accommodate me. Not only can they do so with aplomb (they have a gluten-free version of their menu and are VERY informed on the subject), but they are one of the few places in the city that regularly carry gluten-free beer. (Not that I often drink beer at lunch, but it's nice to know it's there if I want it.) I love the burgers (no bun, obviously) and their fries are top-notch, no matter which ones you try (yes, the oil is comingled, so if you're celiac, don't get excited). And if you are there for lunch, be sure to sit at the bar and ask for David. He's awesome. He'll keep you company and entertained as well as feeling personally cared for (he asks for your name when you sit down and then calls you by name as he serves you - nice touch!) The only downside to this place is when it gets busy. It is EXTREMELY noisy when it's busy. During the downtimes however, it's quite charming and inviting.
(4)
Shane W.
Good beer selection, decent service, and happening atmosphere. Great place to come with friends to catch up and prepare to party.
(3)
Glenn N.
I have been to Tavern in the Square only a few times. Why does it deserver four stars? Two reasons: VERY friendly staff and fried pickles. The food is pretty average (although the mac and cheese wasn't disappointing and if you're in a comfort food mood, it's a good place to start here) but the staff is so friendly and attentive that it completely enhances the experience. Unlike alot of bar/restaurants around, they know when to back off and when to ask how everything is. Maybe it was just my four experiences there, but there seems to be a quality group of people at the front of the house. Plus, like I said, fried pickles. They aren't on a lot of menus in Boston, so if you are seeking them out and are looking for a place that doesn't destroy them, try Tavern in the Square.
(4)
Hunter T.
Great place to watch a game with friends. Okay food and good beer selection. This particular Tavern, located in Central Square, is a great place to meet up with friends for a bite and watch whatever game happens to be on TV. Their beer selection is better than average, with a modest selection of craft beers on tap and in bottles plus most of the common macrobrews. Their mixed drinks are somewhat variable in quality, but the food is at least consistently average. The emphasis on the food is on quantity more than quality these days. Some of the menu items that used to be outstanding such as their seared tuna salad have faded in quality over the past few months. All that being said, the food quality and quality is unlikely to be bad, but it may underwhelm you if looking for something tasty and memorable. This location of the Tavern seeks not to impress you but is merely content to be "ok". It's brethren, especially the location in Allston and to a somewhat lesser degree the Porter Square location, have similar menus but somehow manage to deliver much higher quality results with the same ingredients. The beer selection at the Allston location also tends to have a better craft beer selection, perhaps due to having to compete with the likes of Deep Ellum and what now passes as the Common Ground. They could stand to add a few Belgian beers on tap, as well as some higher caliber IPAs such as the likes of Stone IPA, Ithaca Flower Power, and Green Flash, or at least add some session beers such as Notch. The salads are a good option, but their poorly conceived flatbread options are best avoided. One surprisingly good menu item are their tater tots, and their taquitos can be great depending on who is cooking (they are often undercooked and soggy). Their burgers are reliably good as well as most sandwiches, but their mahi mahi tacos tend to look better than they taste. All in all, not a bad place to get together and create your own memories with friends, because you certainly won't remember the food. This place would get 4 stars if they started paying a bit more attention to their food preparation quality. Regarding their Sunday brunch buffet, they do manage to offer a good selection of quality items.
(3)
Quianna S.
Why one star? Because every single time I come here I leave thinking to myself "Why did I come here again?". Honestly I have been to other taverns and to be honest this one kinda sucks. and the food makes me feel sick.... Its not even good drunken food....
(1)
Rani P.
Although my experience included a lot of "WHAT?"s and "HUH?"s- it was a nice place to take Chrystina S. after a long hard day at work. They told us it would be 25 minutes before we would be seated. We scanned the bar areas and only could find lonely seats- so we stood passing the beeper thing back and forth, making bets on who would make it go off. I lost. We ended up only waiting 10 minutes and were sat surrounded by a mass of people (very loud people) and March Madness. We were informed we would be having not one server taking care of us- but TWO.. we must have looked pretty important. Instead of ordering an appetizer, we split the Chicken and Fruit salad- and they actually brought it out to us on two separate plates. It was the best salad I've had in a long time- who can complain with strawberries, grapefruit, mandarin oranges, candied walnuts and grilled chicken over arugula? Life was good at that point.. and I probably should have stopped there. But when there are sweet potato fries on the menu, there are sweet potato fries on my bill. Their crispy-ness was perfection- and my burger on the side wasn't too special- but good. So even though I lost my voice yelling over the obnoxiously loud tables surrounding us- I will definitely return for a fun night of good food and good beer. Did I mention the beer was good?
(4)
David E.
Not bad at all. Went here for dinner. The truffle parm tots are off the charts. Spinach artichoke dip was pretty good too. The flat bread pizzas are humungous and definately give you the most bang for your buck on the menu. The have a seperate section for mac and cheese on the menu. The philly mac and cheese was awesome, although a little pricey for the size. All in all a good casual spot for dinner,
(4)
Cody C.
Came in on a saturday evening to a college football crowd with my two friends. We were seated and waited 25 minutes with no service before we got up and went down the street to the field. It was so loud in there it was even hard to coordinate our decision to leave. Also the prices are a bit high. I've been there other times and the service was better and the food standard. Great TVs.
(2)
Carissa S.
I've been here three times. The first two visits were fantastic. We ate indoors on a weekend night, and while the place has a casual, loud, sports bar vibe, it was a good place to grab a bite with a friend. Our servers were super enthusiastic and really helpful with food/beverage ideas. They have a gigantic menu, so there are a lot of options. My last visit wasn't as awesome. We ate outdoors on a Saturday afternoon. The outdoor seating area was nice, clean, right on the street. The waitresses (we had two.. not sure why...) were not very friendly. Pros: The Tavern has an extensive gluten-free menu. I was delighted to see all of the delicious choices. I got a burger that came on a gluten-free bun and it was really good. Cons: While the food was good, it was a little on the room temp side. Kinda got the feeling our waitress(es) had forgotten about it. I'm hoping last Saturday was just a fluke and that my next visit to the Tav is as great as my first.
(4)
Mahina K.
My roommates and I live down the street from Tavern so we're here all the time. The staff is always friendly. I don't drink but ended up at Tavern on St. Patrick's day and it was PACKED. So while I'm sure this girl at the bar ordering shirley temples instead of green beer, was *great* for business, they didn't show me any rudeness over it. In fact, the waitress saw my empty glass and refilled it without me asking. It was very sweet of her. We ordered the Big Dig fries, basically nachos with waffle fries instead of chips. It is delicious. If you go to watch the game, they usually have a few showings at once but you can usually see one or more of the televisions at once. It's a pretty great atmosphere, I see a lot of the same people, so while it's not exactly Cheers, but it's pretty damn close.
(4)
Shannon M.
Tavern is always solid for a meal, and think "classy sports bar" for vibe. Wide variety of food to choose from, all of which is good-- I've never had something that I didn't like. Brunch is solid, and there's a spot in the back with a skylight that's a great place to get together with a big group of friends. Here's the thing. Every neighborhood needs a place like Tavern-- a loud bar that's actually more of a restaurant that serves huge portions of classic American food. That doesn't mean that it's great. If you're in the mood for American food with a group of friends, though, this is your place to go in Central Square for a good meal and catching the game. ... And get the waffle fries while you're there.
(3)
Jeffrey B.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I confess that I am mad at Tavern In the Square. Why? For getting rid of WING NIGHT! No more 25-cent wings? That's a travesty. There are too many other good bars in the area that nothing really sets Tavern apart from them anymore. Fine, it's generally cleaner than the other bars, and it usually has all the games playing. The food here consists of your average bar menu. Lots of items, but nothing really spectacular. Quantity, but not too much quality. In sum? It's a decent place to watch the game or to meet up with friends, but that's about it.
(3)
Paul S.
I am here all the time. But what's worth the money is just the usual: the nachos platter, the hamburgers, and the beers on tap. They are not really good at making mixed drinks, but if you're friends with the good bartenders then they'll be good to you. They have many television for watching sports events, which it is a very popular place to be in the crowd when the Celtics, the Patriots, the Red Sox and/or the Bruins play their games!
(3)
A F.
Fun place with only fair food. I was in with a friend on a Tuesday night, the bar was pretty full and they had the big windows open which was nice. Beer samplers were fun and only $8. We shared lettuce wraps as an appitizer and those were pretty good but my flatbread pizza was mushy and lacked flavor. Trivia started later that night and it was LOUD. It took our waitress three tries to get our bill correct but she was friendly throughout the night. I'm sure there are way better places to eat in Salem for others who may just be here for one night...
(2)
Missy P.
Had the most ridiculous experience here over the weekend. We used to live in Central, and would occasionally go to the Tavern. Its a decent place, with decent food, and we usually had a decent time. So, we decided to drop in for the Sunday brunch. After being sat and waiting 10 minutes for our server, who never showed up, we decided we were absolutely starving and got up to help ourselves to the buffet. Mind you, throughout this time we made eye contact with several servers, including a young Latino boy who was helping the table behind us, and a black-haired Katniss Everdeen lookalike who was busing tables nearby. If you've ever been to the Tavern, you know they have that omelette bar thing which is pretty good. We ordered omelettes, had them delivered to our table and ate our entire meal. Still no service. We should have just left without paying, but instead we went up to the hostess, explained no one had come over to us the entire time we were there, paid what little we thought it was worth, and left. The Tavern needs to have its servers get their shit together. People less honest than us will just walk in, eat, and leave with an entire staff that refuses to pay attention or you know, do their job.
(1)
Mike G.
Extremely fun atmosphere! Very dark and hard to see your food, but a great place to watch a game or hang out with friends and have a few cocktails. The food was very decent for a bar (although, spread those nachos out, so you can find all the meat under the pico and guac:). We had a great time!
(4)
Melanie H.
To echo the sentiments of some of the other reviewers, the word 'meh' comes to mind everytime I think of the Central Square Tavern in the Square. The beer menu is acceptable, the food choices are acceptable, and the wait staff is pretty terrible. All in all, this location garners the rating of 'Meh. I have experienced better.' This place could be any bar in any city in any country because there is absolutely nothing unique about it. I wish in the category of ambiance they had 'boring' because I would for sure select that box. The place is big, so it's good for groups. But do not, I repeat, DO NOT, come here with a large group if they are not expecting you. Even if it is a Wednesday night and they aren't very busy- the wait staff will get overwhelmed and irritated. (I am speaking from personal experience) I might go back, I might not because heck, the world is my oyster.
(2)
Kelly C.
Had dinner here last night with the book club gals, and despite my reading the reviews, I tried to go for something semi-healthy. Side salad, Salmon, broccoli and a baked potato. The Thai Peanut dressing on the salad was really yummy. The broccoli was ok. The Baked potato was over cooked(but I dug the zig zag way they cut it open), and the salmon was too dry and I wasn't into it. I didn't eat it, but I didn't make an issue of it...the waiter ( who did a great job with us) asked if there was something wrong when he took my plate, and I just explained that it was a bit overcooked. A few minutes later the manager came over and gave me a $10 voucher to come back again, that they would like to make sure my next visit was perfect. I thought that was a very nice gesture, and showed that they are concerned about their image and that their patrons are satisfied. I think though, that when I do go back, I'll stick with the pub food. Those that got the nachos(which are HUGE) seemed very happy!
(3)
Josie G.
*the drinks were strong *the bartenders were quick and efficient *loved that there were two bars on either side *lots of seating, space to move around *my friend, DJ Obie spins there on occasion Tavern on the Square's similar to Beer Gardens, Joshua Trees, and all the other Taverns. After leaving the Middle East and the Field, I was grateful for the change of set-up. A bit of an odd crowd, but we got there close to closing on a Friday night. We ordered lots of shots created by the bartender, and they were delicious and strong. Decently priced. The doorman was friendly when we entered, and let us stay while we waited for our friend to finish up so we could catch a ride. I'd definitely return if we decide to do another night in Central.
(4)
Sarah D.
They have a lot of TVs and a lot of options on the menu. That's about the gist of it. From the outside it seems kind of fancy, but it's really not fancy at all. Food is okay. Nothing is great though. Wings are sub-standard, which is a terrible thing to say about a sports bar but it's the truth. Standard beers. Service can be anywhere from okay to completely horrid. Insanely loud music on the weekends. But it's not a bad place to catch a non-event game. There is a dearth of bars with a good TV situation in central so I am glad they're here i guess? This is a boring review but in this case I think it is warranted; this is a pretty boring place. The only interesting thing about it is that its initials are TiTS.
(3)
Rachel M.
Potentially one of my favorite Boston-area pub-style restaurants. Tavern has a HUGE menu of food and drinks, and the service is great. I have never had anything I didn't love before. It is great for dinner with family & friends, and has a "chill" feel for casual drinks later at night. The outdoor patio is really nice, and their new breakfast menu is great. I can't imagine any reason to give this place lower than 5 stars! I love the tomato mozzarella melt, veggie burger, and french dip :) I suggest to try them all with fries and a cold Magner's :)
(5)
Mr. B.
Disgusting burger. So overseasoned it tasted like bad meatloaf. 13.99, might as well buy a mcdonalds burger and pay the rest to one of the hobo's outside to punch you in the stomach. We could be starting a cottage industry here people. I think the worst part was when I told the manager about it I got the eye roll and the "nobody ever complained about that before" instead of sorry sir we will work on it. Usually if folks have a bad experience they just leave, never go back and tell their friends not to go. Mr manager: you should hang up your name tag and try another profession if you cannot handle it.
(1)
Joe P.
This isn't the first time I've had lunch at the Tavern, but for the price they charge could they spare the food. I ordered the Soup & A Half. Well where was the half, two bites and it was gone. The sandwich was 2x2. You call they a half. Don't waste your time going. There are so many other good restaurants in cambridge where you can actually see the sandwich.
(1)
D A.
I frequent the Tavern in the Square in Porter, so when a couple of us needed a place to grab a bite in Central before meeting friends I went to Tavern. The food was pretty much what I expected and the beer was cold. Unfortunately, the service in the Central Square location is horrible! We walked in and immediately had the hostess pushing through us to get out to the patio area. Not exactly a friendly greeting from the face of the staff. Once seated, the waitress came over and we all ordered beers and waters. The beers came alone. We finally received the waters after 3 requests. This is the last we would see of our waitress until our meal was done. Our food was brought over by a guy wearing a tie (manager?). We didn't receive a side that we had ordered, but there was never an opportunity to ask for it because nobody checked in with us. Our waitress finally came back after we were done eating to clear our table and offer more beers. We asked for the check because we were up against our other engagement... And then we waited... And waited... And waited... We waited for over 20 minutes for our bill. The entire time I watched as our waitress buzzed around chatting with every member of the staff, including a 5 minute conversation with the hostess who is apparently hilarious because our waitress was laughing hysterically. Finally after 20 minutes, one of my friends found her, interrupted another of her conversations and asked for our check because we were now late for our other commitments. She acted surprised, like she had no idea we wanted it. This behavior is completely unacceptable. Bringing the bill should be the exciting part for you, that's the part where you get paid. Don't make me beg to give you my money!
(2)
Jules C.
I just had their brunch which is sundays only $17. This place to me I'll give 4 stars and it's not easy running a place like that. The brunch should be great, it's ok, it's like a 3/5 stars. Huge selection, ok quality, the problem is that brunch should be like $13, both for quality and the poor cooking. Example, the eggs benedict are cooked by someone who's never cooked them properly before. The salmon they put out, it's rock hard overcooked. These things sad and true, see for yourself. So the brunch could be worth $15 if they properly cooked it and didn't run it like casino buffet. Just properly cook and present the food and this brunch would be a lot nicer. The rest of the menu is great, tvs are good, they got iffy wireless, and some great staff. The other key thing I'd say is, it's going to stay a 3 star place because the ppl, bartenders, and food is really hit or miss. You'll have some ok/poor experiences in an individual basis there and some of the best. Divide that by it being overpriced by 25-30% and that's Tavern. I do like it and I want to love it, but it's stuck in needing to be nicer or be cheaper. The staff is hit or miss. Great cheesecake factory type menu and some great dishes/service when they're on their game.
(4)
Clancy R.
This is a pretty decent place, but the company that owns this restaurant owns many others in the area and seemingly cannot be bothered to make the menus differ between locations. Because their places have other names than just the "Tavern" branding, you can walk into a newer-looking bar anywhere within ten miles of here only to find out that it's just another of the same. It's not a bad chain, so really it could be worse, but it would be nice if the owners made an effort to unify their branding so patrons would know that they are going to a place they know and enjoy as opposed to attempting to try something new only to open the menu, see the same fried pickles and risotto fritters (which admittedly are quite good) and realize "Oh crap, it's just another Tavern in the Anywhere."
(3)
Johnna M.
This place has a Cheesecake Factory like menu-so big its overwhelming. I debating between 3 or 4 options but ended up ordering the sesame salmon (a risky choice) It was pretty tasty and came with really tasty sweet potato fries. I like anywhere that serves good sweet potato fries, I think its the western mass in me. I spent a good deal of time complaining that the salmon was too large but I eventually ate it all and half of my dining companion's sweet potato fries. His sweet potato fries came with an unidentified substance that he raved about but I would not try because my maydar was going off WAY too clearly. Sure enough, when asked, the waitress explained it was a mostly mayonnaise based dipping sauce. I do not think it is good practice to sneak mayonnaise onto anyone's sweet potato fries. For drinks, I had two glasses of the prickly pear sangria. It was so tasty that I realized I could quickly down five of them, which I did not want to do so I switched to sea dog blueberry. It had big, fresh, blueberries in it-yay! I really liked the set up of this place. It was pretty big and had a huge bar. I could definitely see myself enjoying a game here on a weeknight. Our waitress was new but doing a great job. Other staff did not hesitate to help us take about 15 pictures of ourselves. I think it will definitely be a great beer and burger spot in my new neighborhood.
(3)
Alana H.
While my experience here wasn't mind blowing, it was fine. I came here with a party of 7 for dinner on a Friday night. Some of the group came earlier than the rest and they didn't hassle us for when the remaining part of the group was arriving. We were started with the Spinach and Artichoke Dip which I didn't have too much of but the chips were very tasty. I ordered the Creole Crab Cake Sandwich with a house salad. The cake was good and although I don't love focaccia the sandwich was good. Nothing memorable but good. Our waiter was a bit interesting as I think he was a bit hungover from his crazy night out the night before and his family was visiting and sitting a couple tables away from us. He messed up a couple things with some orders but nothing too crazy. This place is walking distance from where I work so it's not a bad option for a work dinner.
(3)
Vy T.
It's your normal sports bar. The food was ok. I got the wings which were room temperature so it didn't taste the great. The husband got the burger which was surprisingly good. Fair pricing for the food. Good service. Our waitress split our bill for us and we know that can be a pain
(3)
Kavita B.
This place was about what I expected - standard bar food with the usual drinks menu. Wine was far too pricey for my taste - come on, I can get a $6 glass in CA but have to pay $9 in Boston?! - but everything else was reasonable. I got the pesto risotto balls, which were (per bar food standards) overloaded with oil to make it taste good. I also snuck a taste of the margherita pizza. This exactly met my expectations, but I wouldn't go here if you were looking to experience something uniquely Boston.
(3)
Julieanne B.
I think this place is great. I have eaten here a few times and was very happy with my meals, as was the person I was with. Today I went for lunch with a co-worker and the manager came over at the end of the meal to thank us for coming in and asking us how everything was. We said everything was great, and he then told us he was comping our meals. So we got a free lunch. It was very nice, we hadn't complained or anything. The service was food was great. So I thought it would be good of me to let people know about this place, that it's a great place to go for a quick lunch. They also serve dinner and brunch on Sunday's (I am hoping to get there for brunch one of these days).
(4)
Hannah M.
Every time I go to Tavern on the Square, I'm hoping it will be better than previous experiences. It never is. I should stop going. Last night was no different. Packed, loud, cramped quarters. Waitress, who looked like a 15-year-old with french braided pigtails (right, no comment there) came over and seemed annoyed. Apps: Truffle tater tots - sound awesome. Taste like tater tots. Drinks: I asked for a cranberry juice. She looked baffled but said OK. My co-diners requested water for the table. 10 minutes later, Waitress came back with waters. No cranberry juice. Co-diners ordered drinks. Waitress was annoyed that someone ordered a specific chardonnay rather than generic white wine.... Um, right. Another 10+ minutes. Waitress came back with 2 of the 4 drinks and didn't know which wine was which. Classy cat. Another 10ish minutes and she arrived with the 3rd drink (mind you, wine and beer were all ordered well after cranberry juice) - a beer. And finally arrived with cranberry juice. Watery cranberry juice. Food: Orders were taken when Waitress brought water (aka, early in the experience, relatively). Food took a while. I had ordered sesame salmon salad. Food arrived. Well, some food arrived. And the wrong salad. Waitress was annoyed that I wouldn't eat the sesame chicken salad she brought when I ordered salmon. 20 minutes later, salad comes out (everyone else is pretty much done). It wasn't even that good. No one else was wow'd by their meals either - seared tuna sandwich was OK, taco salad was OK, house salad was OK. Check please: Waitress brings check, tosses it on table. Salad is on it. What?! I ask for it to be comped given the mix up and delay. She again seems baffled. Sends manager over who seems appalled, but also not to believe me. Comps salad. Waitress throws a little tantrum and gives the table attitude. Still gets a tip (not from me - my meal, thank God, was comped). Gross. At least no one got food poisoning. That would have been special.
(2)
Jessica M.
This has become a go-to place for my best friend and me whenever she visits from NYC. Everything we've had here has been fantastic. The pot roast is especially delicious. Fun atmosphere, too, with TV screens -- great place to watch sports games. We watched the Bruins demolish Philly (I'm from Boston, she's from Philly - HA). AND - The bartender knew how to make a Grasshopper! Only the second bartender I've found in the Boston area who knows how to do this. (Yum, it tastes like one of those Keebler cookies.)
(5)
Emily G.
Ok, I can understand why people might take issue with this place, but I don't think that they are seeing it in the right light. Tavern fills a void that would otherwise be in Central Square - a big restaurant with a comprehensive American style menu that has a much better feel to it than any mega-chain restaurant that could be occupying the space. The atmosphere might be a little confused - part sports bar, part wannabe modern, but I think that goes along with the spirt of the place, wanting to please everyone. Both the drink and food menus are extensive, so you can please all types at once. I've had the Apple Goat Cheese Salad a few different times, and it has always been excellent and not wilted with too much dressing. It's generally always packed, but they do take reservations so I think it's a great place to take a big group of people and have everyone feel satisfied. I also think you get better service with a large group because the server knows the big bucks are riding on it. So you can't expect the French Laundry when you come to Tavern, but it's a fun time with pretty good food, and decent prices.
(3)
Amber P.
Absolutely awful service. Average food, average drink-no surprise-but when it came time for the check, we asked our waitress who was serving the outdoor patio on Saturday, it took 20+ minutes at which point I had to stand up and walk into the restaurant and ask her for the check. When I walked back, check in hand, the peoe next to us commented that last night a server had gone home with one of their credit cards, and no one was helping them get it back. The waitress said that happens a lot. Do NOT come here! ... Oh and we mused our bus thanks to our slow waitress. Ugh.
(1)
Dondi D.
I've been a regular the past year now. Nothing exceptionally great about the place, but drinks and food consistently good. The tacos appetizers are HUGE. The wings are great. The service always welcoming and attentive. It get crowded sometimes, but even during March Madness, there is a place for everyone. I normally stay at the bar.
(4)
Kat V.
TITS! One star just for the acronym. One star for brunch - awesome! One star for the fact that they happen to serve booze and food AT THE SAME TIME (I know, crazy right!). That is about it. They can't seem to get the TV situation right for Bruin's games. They can't seem to get my order right. They can't seem to figure out the bill. The bartenders are nice. The managers are nice and seem to have their act together. The hostess and servers are severely lacking...and I mean severely. The server's at the Porter location are awesome and way more personable...too bad the Porter location is at, well, Porter. :(
(3)
Brian D.
A great pub - great atmosphere and above average food - pretty much as good as bar food gets in Cambridge! The huge menu goes on and on, and ALMOST everything I've had has been quite good (skip the nachos). Salads, sandwiches, and burgers are all great... and don't forget to have some sweet potato fries. And the white truffle tator tots are AMAZING. Service can be uneven, but hey it's a bar... and they've got plenty of TV's. One small thing is that they often don't put on the sound for the big games... which can be annoying at times.
(4)
Eric F.
TitS is pretty much an East coast equivalent of BJ's back in CA, but the bar food's above average to offset the much more limited beer selection. The spinach dip had great texture and spot-on flavor, chili had nice kick and the chicken & walnut salad sandwich was surprisingly light (bread was mediocre though). Def wouldn't mind coming here again and perhaps trying one of the ginormous salads I saw being served to some of the other tables haha.
(4)
Nitya D.
I haven't been to the other TITS locations, but I like the one in Central. I come here every now and then for a couple of post-work beers and maybe something to munch on. Food: As a vegetarian I'm frankly surprised by the number of edible-sounding veggie options on their menu. I've had: truffle tater tots (sort of truffle-y, mostly just potato-y), white truffle mac n' cheese (UGH they used so much oil that it was actually inedible and made me sick to my stomach), fried pickles (actually pretty decent), and marinated feta + avocados salad (awesome). Drinks: They have a limited selection on draught (Sam, Sam Seasonal, Stella, and a few others I can't quite remember). But the bottled beer selection is better with beers like Rogue, Arrogant Bastard, and Purple Haze, to name a few. It might have been on a specials menu or something, but I've had a pitcher of their spiked raspberry lemonade and it was delicious! I like it for post-work drinks but it's not the kind of place I would go to for dinner really. But given that they have many TVs, I might be inclined to watch a game there sometime.
(3)
Kelsey P.
A bunch of my friends are fans of this place, but I've gotta say that I find it pretty mediocre. My personal opinion is that Tavern tries a bit too hard. For instance, take the tater tots. Tater tots aren't really that hard to do well; I can fry up a bag from the grocery store and they'll taste pretty good. Tavern in the Square, however, adds a bit too much truffle oil and just enough parmesan to stick the tater tots together -- leaving you with fairly intense-tasting clumps of 3-4 tater tots. Again, not a disastrous move, but why bother? Similarly, you can get a dozen different types of burgers, but the burgers are just okay and don't justify either the prices or the excessively creative ways you can get them served to you. Anyway, Tavern in the Square isn't a bad place to watch a game with friends on a weekend afternoon, but I don't think it's all it's cracked up to be.
(2)
Amanda F.
Good amount of beer on tap, but their house beer is more expensive than any other beer. The food was pretty average and overpriced for what it was. I got a summer salad. It had great ingredients including watermelon, blue berries, and yogurt, but everything was oddly chopped. Our waitress was not in a good mood and definitely showed it. The music was way to loud that I had to be screamed to be heard. For a place this crowded, they need more than 2 barmen behind there. Drinks are cheap, but the food not so much.
(3)
Kelly O.
2 TITS reviews in the span of 1 week? That's madness. This review is for their Sunday Brunch, which is all you can eat for $16.99. Totally worth it IMO, they had an excellent selection of items with a great variety that were all pretty tasty... they had brunch classics of course (scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, home fries, omlettes made to order), some fancier versions of things (creole eggs benedict, chile cheese home fries, peanut butter and jelly pancakes, raspberry chocolate waffles), some hearty lunch items (baked beans, cajun catfish and dirty rice, roast pork loin, various pastas and salads), and all kinds of various breakfast pastries, fruits, desserts, and an ice cream bar. Things seemed generally fresh, nothing seemed to be in the warming boxes for too long, and the flavors were good. I stuffed myself silly and was pretty pleased with the whole meal. Also my mimosa was only $6, cheaper than a lot of places. An excellent Sunday brunch experience.
(4)
Yosub K.
Beer? Good. Nachos? Big. Good. Pizza? Cheesy. Good. Manager telling us he closed the chicken* when the waitress said otherwise? Not so good. *"Girl, Interrupted" reference
(3)
Romney D.
Came here Saturday night for a friends birthday. The atmosphere is perfect if you want to grab a bite and watch the game. I ordered the calamari & maple sweet potato fries. The calamari was bland, not much flavor. The fries were decent, I wish there was more maple on them. Overall I did have a great time!
(3)
Shelly C.
I've came here multiple times to have lunch. The service is slow. The drinks are mediocre. It took about 5 mins for someone to sit us down. The food came out about half an hour later. Our waitress wouldn't come by & ask how we're doing or how the food is. I was late going back to work because the waitress didn't come back and check up on us. I wasn't able to get my check and pay. There was also another incident where I would sit at the bar and have a couple of drinks. The bartender charged me the wrong amount for the beer. I had a regular size beer, when she charged me for the 20 ounce. I don't know if I would consider coming back here.
(1)
Brian H.
I came for lunch with a large group and didn't have extremely high expectations but was pleasantly surprised. I ordered the blackened catfish which was a risk having spent a few years in New Orleans. The dish was extremely flavorful with just the right amount of spice, topped with a just-sweet-enough relish. The service was slow enough to notice, but overall the experience exceeded my expectations for this type of restaurant.
(4)
May N.
My partner and I were looking around for a place to eat in our neighborhood. River Gods was packed early on a Friday evening so we traipsed further into the square for food. Passed by the ethnic restaurants and stumbled into this place. Totally corporate-looking and loud with lots of tv screens broadcasting March madness with plenty of casually-dressed patrons in large groups. It felt more like a place you'd go to watch a Sox game with a bunch of strangers or a large group of friends. Somehow, I guess we gave off an air of not being their typical customers because they sat us in the private room which only had 1 tv with the sound off where you could actually hear the overhead music and still have a conversation. Only one couple and a family of three were dining there. It looked like it had probably been a small bar that had moved out and was absorbed by Tavern in the Square. The tables were up against a wall with a row of booth-seating with large pillows. The 4th star is for seating in this room. I chose a California chardonnay with the fish and chips and my partner had a Guinness with his margherita pizza. The food was ok, nothing to write home about. Portion sizes were pretty big. Prices were moderate, service ok. I liked being in the quiet part of the restaurant, where our server was attentive initially, but seemed more distracted as time passed and various waiters began removing furniture to open up the space more. Turns out a group had reserved the room for a party and it was time to give up our table after a couple of hours. Not sure about happy hour, but this seems like a place that would have some kind of deal. I saw a sign advertising Stump trivia on Tuesday nights at 9 pm so I'll have to come back for bar trivia so close to home!
(4)
Dan S.
It's OK. Nothing really special here. Typical burgers, Typical apps except no mozzarella sticks. Brunch is very busy and its pretty good, again pretty similar to other brunch buffets. This is a place to go, but not a place to go out of your way for.
(3)
Kenny J.
Umm, better when it was the Good Life back in the day. Never had the food here, but from what I hear, don't bother. Drink more instead. Problem is, the service is pretty poor. On a busy Saturday night, there was one bartender at the bar. I tried to order drinks from another guy, but apparently he was just a bus boy. 10 minutes later, another bartender arrived and didn't even ask me for my order. I looked at him, but didn't order right away in case he was another bus boy. lol!! At least they have Hoegaarden on draft, but it seems like more and more places are carrying it these days. There are better bars in Central. If your friends make you meet them here, they owe you a drink.
(3)
Christian W.
I only had very good experiences at the TITS. They are not picky about my foreign ID and the girls and guys behind the bar are quick and very friendly. Last time they even gave me a beer for free! The atmosphere was always very nice and you get to know other people at the bar. And finally it's only a 2 minutes walk from where I live. Generally I don't like the sports bar-Atmosphere that much - so only 4 stars.
(4)
John S.
I'm rounding up. Tavern is big enough to be a lot of things to a lot of people. It's a nice place for brunch to some. It's a particularly spacious sports bar to others. It's a pub grub dinner spot to others still. It's a place where you'll run into someone you know for everyone else. I like Tavern for the food first, the televisions second and the overall vibe third. They do well in comfort food - heaping nachos, truffled mac'n'cheese, french fries covered in bacon. It's a special kind of place like that, with good, honest fare served without a fuss. There are enough televisions at enough angles that you'll see whatever sporting event is on, and while piping in music instead of game audio means it's not a true "sports bar," it's close enough for me. The service is good, though overworked at times, and I definitely don't envy them on Fridays and Saturdays. Between the Asgard, Tavern, Enormous Room, Green Street Grill and Field, Central Square has some very solid bars in the rotation.
(4)
Mike D.
I have been here a few times for the brunch buffet. Overall, the service was mediocre and the food was average. The best part about it was the omelet station which they would cook to order for you. All the TV's around are pretty cool for a Patriot's game or another bug sporting event. It's a good all you can eat brunch if you have some friends in town and they are hungry. It is an average restaurant at best.
(3)
Bill M.
All I can say about it is...the side salad is flipping huge. Okay, I can say more about it then that. I've gone to this one once before, mostly when I go to this company it's the one in Porter Square, but this is something that made me say "Hmmm..." We went there to eat before going to another place for a trivia night. First, Ice Tea. I like brewed ice tea. This is what I call Bag in Box, a bag of syrup in a box that comes out like a soda. It's disgusting. I wound up drinking water for the rest of the time. This was my fault though because I didn't realize they had coke products and had this idea they had pepsi products (Pepsi products, as I have mentioned before, don't sit well in my stomach). We had buffalo skewers, which were very nomable. If you get any appetizer there I would suggest this over everything else. We decided to have side salads with our meals instead of french fries or onion rings. I had a blackjack burger (I was disappointed cause I thought it would be spicier) and my girlfriend had the italian wrap. The side salads though, are freaking huge. You are not left for wanting with there side salads. It was like "Here is a salad with a side of hamburger." That being said, I'm not complaining. It was large enough to help fill me without feeling sick that fries or onion rings might (if they gave me that size of an order). Also, my girlfriend liked the fact that they had pineapple juice, so that's a bonus. So I give it 3 stars, I'd probably go back if I was in the area, but then again, there are places in the area that we would want to try first.
(3)
Jason B.
Decent food, decent drinks, friendly staff. A group of us came here for a hangover brunch and to toast Dr. King and equality. The bloody marys are a large, salad-encrusted affair, but suitably large and spicy. The salads are brobdignagian, and all the food is plentiful and great. The burger was a little dry, and someday, someone will figure out that serving a reuben on a low rack on a plate will make the bottom piece of bread not go soggy. The veggie burrito was huge and full of tasty goodness. Our server was friendly and cool. There's nothing bad, really to say about that place. Nothing super kickass, but it's a solid choice for a bite and a beer in Central Square.
(3)
Cassie H.
A few of us met up here to watch the 2011 World Cup Womens Final. Totally crowded, but we still managed to get a table just in time for kick off. Considering how busy it was, our server was amazing. Just attentive enough to refill our drinks and let us order (we staggered appetizer, meal, and dessert throughout the match), but not so attentive that we couldn't enjoy the game. The appetizers (and portions in general) are big for the Northeast. The chili fries were amazing, although I'm still feeling guilty. :P The molten chocolate cake left a little to be desired (the chocolatey cake was too gooey for my tastes), but there was enough vanilla ice cream goodness to cover that. My husband actually enjoyed the consistency of the cake, so it was a fair trade. We probably wouldn't make a special trip to Tavern in the Square for the food, but for the ambience and a great atmosphere to catch a sports event, it's got four stars from me.
(4)
Laura M.
This review is for the Central Square location. I was skeptical about trying this place because of my gluten-free situation, and I read a review that said someone else had a bad experience trying to eat gluten-free here. However, I risked it and tried Tavern in the Square for dinner with a few friends last night. I did ask for the gluten-free menu, which has a good number of choices for dinner. 3-4 choices in each section: appetizers, salads, burgers, and entrees. We decided to share the classic nachos and then I ordered the apple salad with grilled chicken. The waiter was very concerned about making sure those things were gluten free, even though they were on the GF menu, so he said he checked with the manager before he put the order in. He said he doesn't like to take chances with food allergies - which I appreciated a lot. I wish I remembered the waiter's name so I could compliment him here - he was very attentive, and always kept water glasses full. My friend tried a new beer and hated it, and this waiter even took it back (and didn't charge my friend for it) and brought him a different beer. The reason for four stars? The noise level was REALLY loud, even though we sat by the open window. Also, the servings of food here are ENORMOUS, and none of us could get through even half of our dinners (especially with the nachos - we probably could have just shared those for a meal they were so huge) Otherwise, it was a good GF experience! I would go back.
(4)
Derek B.
Tavern in the Square is the place you go when you want some comfort food and you don't know where else to go AND you're too lazy to go too far. In that narrow band of choices, it's fine. Anything more than that, like, if you want actually good food, good service, attentive and friendly waitstaff....well, I mean, you can still choose Tavern, but you should prepare yourself for disappointment. I've been here a number of times, mainly b/c it's close and I'm lazy, and almost everytime there's been something wrong with either my order or the food and, most disturbingly, the management doesn't really seem to care. They look at you w/ those dead shark eyes and explain how it wasn't really their fault which is usually minor consolation. I don't go to places like Tavern b/c they have amazing food or b/c their unique - I go for smooth process and b/c I know exactly what I'm getting. If you're thinking of going, bear in mind that it's a decent location to have a beer and watch a game. Maybe some Big Dig fries in addition. If you're looking for more than that, keep walking.
(2)
Dawn E.
"Where are you guys going?" The TITS! that's right, you heard me. My party was an unruly mess, but our waiter handled us pretty well. He scoffed a bit when I asked for a separate check (Hey, I couldn't have brought cash even if I wanted to, there's no cash to withdraw 'til this bitch gets paaaaid), and said something like he'd try, which then resulted in a 20 minute debate about separate checks with me and another person at my table, in which I explained which great success, how ridiculously easy it is to do, unless you work at a little mom and pop place without a computer system. In the end, though, my separate check arrived, and I tipped well. For my meal, I ordered the crab cake sandwich, and it was really good... but the kicker... WAFFLE FRIES! Why, hello, waffle fries, I love you. I love you so much I chose you over the sweet potato fries that I also love. Despite the place being crazy crowded, it didn't seem like we waited to long for much (well, except to order in the first place, that took FOOOOREVER), and I never wanted for a drink. The ambiance of the place is nice, but nothing special, and I hated the volume of the TVs in the background. You couldn't actually hear what announcers were saying, it was just this awful mumbled speaker noise. Overall, I'd say the TITS is a fine establishment. Not my favorite, for sure, but "A-Ok."
(3)
Hilary D.
So I see that Tavern in the Square has several different locations...this review is solely for the Central Square location. The fact that it's a chain kind of explains why I felt like Tavern-Central Sq. is T.G.I. Friday's with a Masters degree. OK food, OK drinks, but nothing standout. I like the fact that they have fried pickles. Very clean, and the bartenders were friendly. I'd go back if I was invited, but it wouldn't be my first choice.
(3)
Bill C.
You've been to Tavern before, even if you've never stepped foot in the place. Tavern is the Applebee's of Boston. The menu is extensive but familiar, but I don't think familiarity is necessarily a bad thing. There are times when I really, really want 6,000 calories worth of french fries and cheese, or a decent burger, or a pitcher of middle-of-the-road beer. That's fine and dandy. But don't come here if you want to try someplace new, because you've hit this formula already: big portions, lots of fat and grease, and pictures of random crap on the wall. They do have an extensive menu, but none of it is really done well. I'm okay with Tavern every now and then. I come here for Trivia or if I need a place that can accommodate a large number of people without much notice. Their drinks aren't too expensive and they've got some good deals if you use the SCVNGR app and don't mind looking like an idiot for a bit. But please, there are many much better restaurants in the area if you want food (Garden at the Cellar, Craigie, Rendezvous, Central Kitchen), and there are many much better bars if you want good cocktails (Green Street is a block or two away).
(3)
E. A.
Nothing special. The menu looks good, but the execution is poor. I went with two other people and we ordered a variety of items - two appetizers, an entree-size salad, and another entree. Many of the ingredients seemed to be straight off the Sysco truck. I'm looking at you, crab cakes! And you, pre-sliced/bagged/canned salad veggies! Service was spotty as well. We were first seated outdoors, but decided to move inside after our frazzled waiter told us he had too many tables. I don't mind going here for drinks/beers to watch a game in the evenings. Would not recommend it for much more than that, though.
(2)
Michael P.
Cool place, good vibe! I like! Tavern in the Square has got the right atmosphere for young professionals who want to wind down after a long days work or who are out to mingle, grab some brewskis and listen to top40's/hip-hop music on weekend nights. There are ample number of tables for groups to sit and order food, since this place seems to emphasize the restaurant aspect of their business more. However, if you just want drinks, don't worry! There's not only one, but TWO bars waiting for you. Full bar and good selection of beers on tap for reasonable prices. I haven't had their food yet but I will soon because apparently there's 1/2 off burgers on Tuesdays during lunch time. I shall be back!
(4)
Theodore D.
T.I.T.S. (Tavern in the square) is the only real sports bar in Cambridge. Great Place to watch a game and have a few beers. I'm here more than anywhere else in cambridge. I'm not really sure why bc its nothing special but just a normal sports bar in the not so normal town of Cambridge. 2 things - Get the Nacho's. They kick ass. Go with the "Tall" beer.
(3)
ZZZZ T.
Its above average pub food in a lively atmosphere. You're certainly not coming here for fine dining, but if you're craving some good ol' American comfort food, the menu is huge, portions are generous, prices are reasonable, and the beer is cold. Its got a little something for everyone. Also, with the plethora of TVs and colorful personalities bellowing at the screen, its a fun place to watch a game.
(4)
Michael L.
If you are thinking of having a corporate function here please read this first. The place first of all is physically beautiful... It catches your eye, you look twice and then you hope for a great experience that will lead to a longer relationship... You hope more, you judge fairly, and you scratch the surface just a little and you begin to see the cracks... You won't ever go there again. The company I work for is close to this establishment. Our company was saying goodbye to a wonderful colleague, so we wanted somewhere nice to say goodbye. We made a reservation about a week in advance at the Tavern In The Square, and told them we were expecting 20 to 40 people for drinks, appetizers, and other menu items. We were told that they had a space to accommodate our party, but they requested that we please do not order drinks from the bar, as we would have a dedicated server. Okay...we can honor that request. There is a side room in the establishment that can accommodate a party just about the size of the one we were, yet when we got to Tavern In The Square we were told that use of that room required a payment of $1000.00. Instead of letting us use a room that was not in use the Tavern In The Square started putting together tiny tables, in my opinion sort of like the tables the kids sit at when at a large Thanksgiving celebration. They cobbled these tables together like broken legos, and built a shaky accommodation for about 15 people. The rest of us... The ones who had to stand were sort of shifting foot to foot, while 1 overworked waitress tried to keep up with our food and drink orders. She did what she could and was cheerful but the size of the party and the rate which we were eating and drinking, while trying to celebrate was greater than what she could handle. I felt bad for her and here is why. 1) We asked the management if we could move to the side room that had proper tables that would keep us together. (We were then reminded of the $1000.00 policy) 2) We would have ordered more food if we were all able to SIT. 3) We would have ordered more drinks if we were all able to SIT. 4) We would have stayed longer and ordered even more if we were able to SIT. 5) The bill presented by the establishment would have been bigger, and the tip to our food service staff would have been bigger. This felt like a shakedown and it lacked common business sense. Tavern In The Square presented us with nothing but inflexible attitude when we requested an area that would accommodate the size of the party that they knew was coming. We kept hearing $1000.00 while most of us stood with our coats on, no chairs, and no place to set a plate of food. In this economy isn't a restaurant like Tavern In The Square concerned with the amount of food and drink each person could potentially order? The place was hardly busy, and to be honest we have more functions coming up soon...we will choose to go where we are able to sit, put our coats down and order food and drink.
(2)
Janee L.
Food was great. We were there for company not the sports so the TVs were a little overwhelming but it was okay. Good service.
(3)
Jonathan H.
Average food with below average service. Also, pay with cash. My group had issues with credit cards being overcharged.
(1)
Kristine A.
I went to brunch for the 1st time there & wasn't totally impressed. They have a ton of different options which is great, but it just sits there in the chafing dishes so not really fresh though. I also did not realize how expensive it was which didn'e make it any better either.
(3)
Yasmine K.
I have been there several times, during the day and night. Never had any problems with their foods or service. the quality of the food was good, the atmosphere is live and nice, overall its a casual sport/restaurant bar place to go and enjoy
(4)
Sanura W.
Mediocre food. Weak drinks. Horrible wait staff who is very unprofessional. Bad experience. The highlight of the evening was going off on the waitress and complaining to the manager. I have no intentions of ever returning here.
(1)
Michael B.
A Tavern that doesn't let you have drinks at the tables in the bar area unless you order food. At 8:00 on a Tuesday night where there were 20+ tables empty. And... After they already seated us at the table w/o describing this policy and taken our drink order. Absolutely ridiculous. I have eaten here and the food is okay. Standard bar food which I enjoy. But... Not any more. Good luck with your crazy policy Tavern.
(1)
Andy M.
Service was good, but my burger was kind of slimy, and the onion rings were down right horrible (flavorless and extraordinarily stale - like they were cooked weeks ago). The Tavern is a clean, attractive location (especially for Central Square), fine for meeting up with friends, but be realistic and don't expect great food.
(2)
Jason S.
My wife and I were regular customers at Tavern in the square until today. The place is very convenient and food is good but you should really reconsider whether keeping bad servers employed. We don't see the fit and she is harming the business. Today around 4:15pm, my glass of diet coke was empty, I'm looking for her and see she is chatting at the end of the bar. Another male server passes by our table and I asked for a refill. In about 30 seconds she shows up at our table, grabs the glass and pulls it away so upset that ice comes flying out of it, spilling ice all over the table behind us. The male server went and cleaned the table. After she brought the soda we paid (of course BAD SERVICE = NO TIP) and left with the promise to never return again to your business. We will also be sharing this experience with every social media and friends possible.
(1)
Lily S.
3 words: yum yum yum my friend took me here on my birthday for post drink dinner/more drinks. Since i had already had a few drinks, my review of the food may be off a little...but i thought it was perfect American bar food. We split the cheese covered fried tater-tots: perfect, crispy, crunchy..what more could you want? I then had the blue cheese bacon burger: AMAZING. it was melt in your mouth-perfectly cooked/seasoned. soo goood!! I was drinking grey goose redbulls--yum. The only reason i'm leaving the last star off, is our waitress was pretty inattentive...we had to wait like 10 mins after we were done eating to flag her down for the bill. and then about the same amount of time until she brought my friends credit card back. but overall, great experience.
(4)
Kim K.
Went here with a big group at 6:30PM on a Friday. We were seated almost immediately, right before the crowds and long lines, thank god! Our waitress took a while to come over but was attentive once she did. She was also accomodating when two extra people showed up and wanted to sit with us. Appetizers were good - nachos were SUPER cheesy and the spinach artichoke dip was more chunky full of veggies than creamy or cheesy. I got the fish and chips, which was decent. The tartar sauce was to die for. This place was nice but pretty generic. Big TV screens everywhere, bustling bar, young adult crowd. Nice but I don't need a repeat anytime soon.
(3)
Shaina P.
Oh come on.. If it weren't for the TVs and the big screen for US soccer viewing (since it's bigger than Phoenix), I would be giving this bar a 1. Although, I was quite taken aback when they wouldn't let a long-ass line of soccer fans enter for the US vs. Slovenia game until the game started. We show all of the world cup games, my arse.
(2)
Vanessa F.
Brunch here was solidly mediocre. I was disappointed there was no smoked salmon, so I contented myself with baked cod. I think the main draw is the sheer quantity of food rather than the quality. The pork tenderloin was rather dry. I have cooked the heck out of pork tenderloin and still had it come out moist, so I'm not sure what they did to it. The omelet was good, except that it left a shameful oil slick in it's wake that not even my napkin could sop up. I tried the cheesecake but it was room temperature, which was a little upsetting. For $17 plus tip I think we may have fared better elsewhere. I should be fair, the service was decent and the waitress came by frequently to check if we needed refills. Also, the place got crowded quickly once the Pats game started, and we hadn't intended on staying, but they didn't try to rush us out despite the prime location of our table. The bloody marys looked awesome, and if I come back I'd just order that.
(3)
Rob C.
Stopped in for a pint of Guinness last night, which was the second time I'd been there. The first time was with the folks from work a couple years ago, and i was spectacularly overserved on the company tab (i'm told that i put on a really good performance of sobriety every time i needed another beer). This time i actually remembered more. The Guinness is expensive and carelessly poured. The bartender was surly. The bar itself is very nice, modern but still with a warm feel. A very comfortable place to sit, really, despite the crowd. The TVs, particularly in the seating areas seemed a bit excessive though (eating a nice dinner, i'm not sure i'd really want to be seeing ESPN's strongman competition over on the wall). One of these days i'll have to try the food. It's also very big. As far as drinking locations go, i'd say it's a good bet for groups of respectable folks. And sometimes even i fall into that category.
(3)
Lynn F.
For some reason I've been to this place twice in two weeks. Actually 4 times in two weeks if you count the Porter Square location, but thats not the one I'm reviewing... So, its got a really great menu for what it is (bar food). I've never been disappointed with my selections, especially the pistachio encrusted ahi salad - mmmm. However, my recent visits have been with big parties - 20+ people, for which reservations were made and confirmed day-of. Only to arrive and have the hostess scratch her head and say "what reservation??". They worked us after a looong wait but in my view this is not the way to run a business (especially in Boston where everyone and their Grandma is a Yelper and you *know* that kind of treatment ain't gonna fly with us). My advice...shape up Tavern on the Square... you have so much potential!!!
(2)
Christine A.
Tavern in the Square has recently become one of my favorite low-key hangouts. My favorite item on the menu is the house salad with grilled chicken and citrus vinaigrette. Fresh greens, a healthy portion of grilled chicken, and a delicious dressing. By far the best value here are the pitchers of sangria. A $25 pitcher will deliver at least 8 glasses of sangria (usually $7/glass). You do the math- this is a great deal! I highly recommend the holiday sangria, with apples, cranberry and a dusting of cinnamon. Good location for a casual meal with reasonably priced entrees and great drink values.
(4)
Jeroen V.
The place is ok, you can get a nice selection of beers and food, the prices are too high. Charging 17 $ for 1,5 pt of beer and a portion of ill-fried fries is just too much. Service is nice, attentive.
(3)
Hubert H.
Their brunch was decent - a variety of pastas, soups, and lots of different dessert choices. I'm wondering how the ratings are so middling when I look in and see it packed all the time; perhaps people like it more as a place to grab a beer with coworkers rather than as a sit-down dinner place. It's so so loud you can't really hear people talk when you get there past 9p. And certainly yes, overpriced, like many restaurants in Cambridge are.
(4)
Sho B.
In this case, i feel like yelp ratings are really expensive European shoes- half sizes don't exist. In other words if I could only do HALF stars, this place would get a 3.5 star rating. For one, it's a chain restaurant/bar, and I think that's important to know even though it's called "Tavern in the Sq". (Tavern connotes a smaller venue to me, but maybe it's just me). So, it feels like your typical chain, which is ok for some occasions, especially if it's a bit more formal, unknown group you're planning for because there's a large menu and a lot more space than just a small town bar/restaurant. The beer selection is OK, and the draft list is really limited. Beer pitchers aren't really too cheap, but at least you have the option of getting a pitcher of good beers. The food is also pretty decent- they have sweet potato fries that are the bomb.com , and they even have a wine and desert menu. So the options for eat and drink are large. It's an overall ok experience, nothing to rave about, but a good fallback to have when the line at Pheonix Landing or the Middle East is long in the winter.
(3)
Rebecca K.
I always want to like Tavern on the Square much more than I do. Their bar is well stocked and affordable. Their big specialty cocktail menu is a bit overpriced, but they do have some good stuff Their food menu is what I consistently find lacking. Not that what they make isn't good. I've never found anything wrong with the food I've gotten. It's solid pub food; I just always wish that there was more to choose from. And perhaps more in a more reasonable price range. That being said, make sure to come on Monday nights for 25 cent wing night!
(3)
Jason J.
After coming to trivia a few times here (Tuesdays), I've decided Tavern is fairly underwhelming. The tap list is tiny however the food menu is quite extensive. While the place is larger than most in Central Square, there is nothing unique or definitive about it. Sure, they serve liquor and food and have wait staff, but they do not excel in any of those departments. Tavern would get 2.5 stars from me if they did not do trivia.
(3)
Vanessa D.
This place is usually really great. They have awesome service with a great setting... I love coming in here with my boyfriend for dinner and to watch whatever game is on. However this last time I was in there I was not too pleased. For starters the hostess glared at me when I walked in the door... I know firsthand that most of a hosts job is just being and looking friendly and welcoming. Someone needs to find a new occupation stat. After that my margarita tasted watered down... No not like it was weak... It tasted like someone drank the margarita, let the ice melt, and then handed it to me to drink. I sent it back and waited 15 minutes for my other one to arrive at which point I was already done with my food. Maybe it was just a bad night for them.
(2)
Eliza W.
Fast wifi, chill vibe, super friendly staff - love the library decor in the back of the restaurant...I will definitely return here.
(5)
Jeremy K.
My girlfriend and I first heard of the Tavern in the Square by driving by it and later on saw it again on Phantom Gourmet; it was drizzly today and I didn't feel like cooking so we went there for lunch.... We walked in the place for the first time, right at the peak of the lunch rush at about 1pm; there were quite a few tables to be filled although quite a few were filled. I really liked the decor, it was my kind of place; from the moment i stepped in, I felt this vibe about that, I just really liked it. Plus I was a in a very good mood walking in despite feeling a bit under the weather. I found parking easily, I felt like a million bucks because of that... There's something about finding parking easily that sometimes makes you feel so good and smart. It's like winning the lottery; it's luck but still: I was just like "Woah dude." Anyways, we were promptly welcomed by the hostess and she walked us to a nice table by a window: awesome. we can people watch. I really like the menu they have. A great balance between comfort food and regular pub food. I noticed that they have a few televisions and look forward to watching a baseball game in the future there while drinking a few beers and wings with a buddy. A few of their dishes have modern twists to them like the classic mac'n'cheese which they serve with white truffle oil. What a clever thought. A nice little twist. They also have a fried snickers bar which I look forward to trying at some point... something tells me that desert tastes amazingly good. I could not find chicken noodle soup (I am sickish, remember?) so I had chicken pot pie which I have never had before. My girlfriend had a steak with fries & string beans. The service was a bit slow but the hostess was very nice. The food arrived and then I was startled. Did I just order an entire pie?!?! That thing was HUGE. Like 3 meal huge! All of that for $13?! DAMN. It was pretty good too! I had never had chicken pot pie and it tasted good. My girlfriend's steak was overcooked and the waitress noticed and promptly spoke to her manager who gave us half off. What a nice move on their part. She still enjoyed it, but yeah the whole thing was a bit expensive, so the least they could have done was get it right in the first place. Overall the place is great, I really like it and look forward to going again the future. I can tell this is my kind of place... my future hangout.
(4)
Susanne H.
Tavern in Central Square delivers the most delicious Macaroni and cheese to be discovered anywhere in Boston! I'd in no way ever order Macaroni & Cheese in a restaurant, but their Macaroni & Cheese comes with truffle oil and is simply divine. Service can be slow when the place is packed, but the food makes it well worth the wait.
(5)
Bassem S.
Standard sports bar, definitely nothing special. Main draw is general lack of sports bars in Cambridge, especially in the Square, but I'm not sure it's worth the trek over to Central. Last time I was here, we got a great high table by the bar and ordered a bunch of drinks. We had a small mix-up with the tip when the tab came (too many cooks in the kitchen) and the bartender totally ripped us a new one. One of our friends is too big-hearted and over-tipped him to compensate, and still just a stone-cold stare. Definitely turned us off to the place - come to think of it, I don't think I've been back since.
(2)
Kat C.
I really like this place and it is so close to my apt. Anyway... we went at 6pm on a Monday night and it was pretty empty when we got there, but slowly started to fill up as the night went on. It's a large place with many TV screens showing the best of Boston sports teams. It's a great place to go for a drink and to watch a game. I got the shrimp po'boy sandwich and waffle fries. The sandwich was pretty incredible. Just the right spiciness and the shrimp was fried just right. The waffle fries were also pretty good, but some of them could have been cooked a little longer. They were kinda crunchy and not in a good way. The reason this place got a 4 star rating is due to the surprisingly lack of drought beers on the menu. Actually I'll reprise that, lack of creative drought beers on the menu. Just a little tip: If you call yourself a tavern have good beer on tap!!! It's very very important!!!
(4)
Sara S.
For outdoor dining in Central, this place is pretty unbeatable. They have pitchers of margaritas and sangria, don't rush you to finish your meal, and don't bother you about ordering food when ordering drinks outside. Our server was the man and accommodated all our requests, very friendly, and basically awesome. Brett M. and I split the BBQ Chicken Potato Skins. Yum! Five medium sized potato skins filled with white meat chicken and cheese, covered with BBQ sauce. These were a meal of themselves. For my entree, I got the Buffalo Burger, but as a veggie burger (crumbled blue cheese, jalepenos, buffalo sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion). It was really spicy but really good. The burger had a ton of beans and grains in it, which I prefer over other which are often too bland. My side of sweet potato fries was generous, and while they were slightly too fried and crispy for my liking, they were still tasty. If you're looking for bar food, good drinks, and tons of TVs? Perfect. You want healthy, original, ethnic? This isn't your kind of place.
(4)
Lisa I.
I was so excited when I first saw their menu. It was love at first sight. Big dig fries?? Truffle tater tots? Truffle mac & cheese? You've got me. But I've been here several times now, and the food is always below par. It seems like everything's frozen and sloppily thrown together. It can also be REALLY loud. I understand that it's a bar too, but if you're going to serve dinner, you should at least be able to hear each other, and that's tough here. Even the truffle tater tots can't save this place.
(2)
Julia M.
I'm surprised that my fellow Yelpers are critical of this place. It's a pretty versatile hang-out spot in a great location in Central Square. The bar crowd is usually strong and the food isn't bad. Tuesday night trivia is where it's at. There is always a full slate of teams and the beers flow freely and cheaply. Also, there are televisions at multiple angles for your sports watching pleasure. Not a legit sports bar, but if you're local and don't feel like making the trip downtown, this is the place.
(4)
Hugh R.
This place is perfect for loner stoolies who like to saddle up to the bar with their 23oz. draft and be left alone. Why do I say that? Because the other sort of bar patron - the drinker with comes to the bar with a lot of drinking pals - won't be able to carry on a meaningful conversation with anyone past 8 or 9 o'clock anyway. It doesn't matter if it's music on a Saturday or the BCS championship game on a Thursday night, if the sound is on, it's probably too loud. That and if you aren't sitting at the bar, you need to practically trip a server on her way by to get her attention so you can place an order for that first round of drinks. After that, you won't be able to get RID of her as she'll no doubt be back every five minutes to see if you're ready to place a food order because every single flat surface that isn't at the bar is apparently reserved solely for patrons who plan to dine. Which is too bad, because the food here is hit-or-miss. The crab cakes are "okay," as are the risotto fritters. The maple fries are okay as are the tater tots, but while the portions are ample, the flavor is not. And the nachos, in my opinion, are disgusting. Nothing to keep me from coming back (although I may stick with drinks, thanks), but please, turn down the sound and do something, anything to make sure patrons don't sit at a table for 15 minutes waiting for service. You have hostesses; make sure they tell the servers that someone has been seated in their section. Or, I don't know, offer them benefits so they can get their eyes checked, because the only logical explanation for 4 different employees passing a table multiple times without SOMEONE asking if an order has been taken is that they couldn't see them sitting there.
(3)
Lisa C.
I stopped in here for some apps and a few drinks with friends after work and I have to say, I really prefer the Salem location better. The food is really good, but the service and the ambience (thanks to the Central Square patrons) was lackluster. Also, the chicken and pear sandwich still had the sticker on the pear. The manager was really cool about it though and gave us a round of drinks for free as well as a coupon for $10 off our next visit (which we'll be using at the Salem location thanks very much!)
(2)
Tony K.
Seems like once a year or so a particularly brazen (gay) waiter feels the need to hit on me. Hopefully the guy that waited on me last night at Tavern has satisfied that quota for a while. Seriously - just because 2 guys are eating a meal together you assume they are gay? And what if we were? If we were on a date why would you feel that you can ask us where they are going after dinner because your shift is ending. We didn't even have any small talk beyond ordering the food and this waiter is trying to weasel his way into our man-date. Weirdo. Beyond that mess the place was ok. It kind of reminded me of cheesecake factory. I had a turkey club and the turkey was a little dry. The fries were good. Beer selection was boring, but the prices were ok. $7 for a 22 isn't bad. We sat outside which was very nice since there aren't a whole lot of places with outdoor seating. I will likely go back to give it another shot and try something different.
(3)
Michael A.
Ambiance: The first things you will notice as you step into the tavern on a Friday night is the noise, and the two large bars on either side of you. The place is a lot bigger than expected, however when it's packed (as was the case when I went) you do have to yell to carry a conversation. The small bar tables next to the street side windows are probably the best place to enjoy a drink, meal and carry conversation. I was seated with friends in the dining room in the back which was louder than the bar unfortunately, and didn't enjoy the experience at all. Service: Service was prompt, and I really appreciated the bar tender who was attentive to waiting customers. Food: Ok, here is where I have a problem. For about $17 I got stir fry with shrimp. I surely got what I ordered but, what I would consider as a $5 version instead. The rice-a-roni pilaf was clumped on my plate, not a big deal (white rice would better compliment a stir fry). Vegatables were fresh and crunchy, but for the additional $4.99 for shrip, it only came with 4 pieces. The "crisp" wonton shell tasted stale (the dish could do with out it).
(2)
Smar T.
I'm leaving the rating the same, bc I haven't been back to the Central Sq location so my opinion remains the same. But..... I have been to the one in Porter a few times and it's actually much better than Central. Ok drinks, good beer list, bar-fare but tasty. Don't get me wrong. It's not GOOD or anything. But its fine. Hopefully its Central Square sibling has upped its game to match the Porter location's offerings.
(2)
Sean M.
3.333...stars TTITS (yeah couldn't resist that abrv.) fills a niche in Central Sq. There is some stiff competition for your food and beverage dollar in Central and this mini-chain, while not a standout is decent place when it's not too crowded. I like the chili, a lot. Yeah it has beans but it is spicy without augmentation. I'm also a fan of the stuffed burgers. They have a an acceptable mac & cheese offering so they have comfort food covered. The beer selection is better than average and the bar is long and spacious. TTITS is probably too kewl for a geezer like me at night with hipsters and wannabes running amok. I'd rather sit just inside with windows open than right on Mass Ave, but style points for having outdoor seating. Central can be just a little too "entertaining" while I'm trying to eat. * decent not extraordinary but good enough * like the beer, the boigers, the mac and cheese and the chili. * a tad expensive but that is priced in to connivence
(3)
Ariel G.
i have only been here once but don't feel like i need to hesitate to give them 4 stars. the service was quick and the food was good; served in large quantities. I had to hold myself back from asking if they were sure they added the vodka to my first mixed drink but the second was ok. I will be happy to go back. yummm! the tator tot platter is very good and the buffalo wings are the perfect spicy!
(4)
Ryan H.
I went to tavern to watch some of the basketball tourney. I was really excited to try it because the menu looked great. The whole experience was pretty good. I love the atmosphere of the bar area and the beer prices are decent and its nice they do pitchers and 23oz glasses. We actually ended up ordering a pitcher of sangria and that wasn't the best idea. It was a very bizarre tasting sangria. It was a white sangria (which wasn't advertised on the menu so i assumed it was red) and it almost had a cinnamon taste to it. For food we ordered loaded fries, white truffle mac and cheese and spinach and artichoke dip. All three were painfully average. My mouth was watering when everything came out but unfortunately it didn't taste as good as it looked. The chili had a nice kick to to it but the fries were very starchy. The chips on the spinach artichoke dip were great but the dip itself was bland. The white truffle mac and cheese just sounds do delicious but the flavor just isn't there. The server was definitely busy and a little rushed but he was satisfactory. I'd go back to drink at the bar but definitely not for apps. I might have to give the brunch a shot to see if thats any better.
(3)
Michelle A.
Tavern is a great spot for anyone! It's large with two bars and plenty of bar tables or seating for meals. The decor doesn't have a ton of personality but it's warm and very Boston-y. The food is standard pub fare with some real winners - the burgers are good and the big dig fries are a meal for two to share! I also love their sweet potato fries. Pricing is a tad high (Esp for brunch buffet), and service can be hit or miss. But the place is always busy any night of the week so that has to count for something good :)
(4)
Penelope T.
NEGATIVE 5 stars. Awful ambience. There are like so many TVs here playing so many different sports it created a strobe light experiece. The food was awful. We got buffalo wings and they were so bad we couldn't eat them. Our mixed drinks were disgusting and overly sweet. In addition, my friend got whiskey on the rocks and THEY CHARGED HIM $1 EXTRA DOLLAR FOR THE ICE!!!!!!!! WHAT???? Not OKAY. Will never ever return. Like even if there was a post-apocalyptic -- the walking dead kind of scenario, I would eat my own limb before going back here.
(1)
Rita C.
Went here for a friend's bithday and now I'm a fan. We were a fairly large group and the waitresses were friendly and nice enough to quickly accomodate us to two adjacent tables. The beer selection is good and pretty reasonable. I had the puple haze $5 and the Harpoon IPA 23oz. for $7.50. For food I got the crabcake sandwich and a side of sweet potatoe fries, which was a huge portion and pretty yummy. Later in the evening we went into what seemed like a private room for some Wednesday night karaoke. It was somewhat empty and not many people sang, but still fun, it would be cool if the Dj also sang to liven up the crowd a bit, but the playlist between the songs people sang was good. Overall, I would come back for food or beer, but probably not for karaoke.
(4)
Brendan M.
I have to agree with other reviewers that this place is pretty high on the Corporate "polish" However, the food is very good, the appetizers are good, and the desserts are good. Recommendations: appetizer: nachos with everything under the sun on them entree: stuffed burgers, bacon&bleu or smokehouse, both tasty, the bleu is dry though, so watch out if you are expecting creamy dressing ( I usually get a little creamy dressing on the side to augment) dessert:molten chocolate cake, mmm. NOTE:This particular molten cake is consistently moist all of the way through - often you get really dry cakey edges and then delicious goo in the middle. Here the cake has less goo in the middle, but the consistency is perfect. They also bring a sinfully good chocolate sauce to drizzle over the cake and the ice cream. Goooooooood dessert!
(4)
Sam N.
The only reasons we sat down at this place were the sunny day and the outdoor seating. A 23Oz Hoegarden for $7 wasn't a bad deal. My turkey club was pretty standard, but the bacon and turkey were high quality. Fries were pretty good. The vegetarian quesadilla was quite good and stocked with fresh vegetables--salsa was probably from a big jar. Lots and lots of options and friendly service.
(3)
Omar F.
I love their brunch! I've been there two Sundays with friends for the brunch and it has been both times delicious. $20 all you can eat brunch with a great selection seems fair to me. Their 'apple smoked bacon,' oh bacon, is really good. Other things I ate include hash browns, regular fries, pork sausage, some sort of rice dish, yogurt, mm... oh there was that thing... I forgot the name. Their orange juice was pretty good too, although I might be biased cause I love orange juice in general. Anyways, I can't talk about any other thing, but their brunch is pretty good and it's a nice way to meet with friends and have a nice chat. I've been there both times at around 11am and it hasn't been that crowded, so it's been good. Oh, and their desserts selection is fantastically yummy.
(4)
Shireen T.
My five star review is strictly for the gluten-free beer they serve -- Daura. Tavern also has a gluten-free menu (you have to ask for it). It's awesome. Take all your gluten-free friends out to The Tavern.
(5)
Barney B.
OK, an update is warranted because just by chance I have been here twice in the past week, and things have definitely improved. the waitresses were both efficient, friendly, and knowledgeable. the place felt cleaner. and the food was more than satisfying. but the place, for all its space, still feels damn tight. The tables towards the rear of the seating area are seriously a fire hazard, the chairs are that close
(3)
Lauren D.
I went here with a few friends for Tuesday night Trivia (9:00pm) and it was a lot of fun. As always the food is pretty good at all of their restaurants. The only down-side was the wait staff was not very friendly and it was a mistake by the hostess to have us sit in their section. I love these places because they're pretty consistent and the menu is extensive. The service was a little awkward when they tried to guilt us into buying more food because they sat us in the incorrect location.
(3)
Emily M.
I walked in to the Tavern with a friend. We walked up to the host table and the host was on the phone. After her phone call she looked up at us, and just walked away! We stood there for a min or so but no one came over. It was a Saturday night and it wasn't busy at all, its not like she didn't see us. After waiting for another min we just walked up and ate at the bar. Apparently they didn't want us to sit down at a table. The food has always been okay, over priced but the flavor is always okay. I do love their chili cheese nachoes. We had a work party here and the service was also not so good. I think if the service was better I would go more often... even though its expensive. Bartenders were great though.
(2)
Daniel M.
There's nothing terribly special about this place. When you walk in the bar area reeks of rancid beer. Not nice...BUT the seating area is clean and doesn't stink. Unfortunately you can barely hear yourself think none-the-less what the person you're sitting with is saying. I get it, it's more of a sports "pub". The food was surprisingly good. I had the mozzarella melt sandwich. It was on a large piece of focaccia with eggplant and pesto. While at first it seemed the flavors might be a bit much they actually worked quite well together. I was also glad that they didn't grease the whole thing up. Well played. I opted for the waffle fries (.99 more) and they really don't fuck around with those. It was a mound that dwarfed my melt and very nearly buried half of it on the plate. The fries were hot, crisp, and well seasoned. Luckily I had assistance in finishing the fries. Even though it was a challenge I felt up to, no one should eat that many fries NO ONE. Our server was a nice girl. She took our order, made sure everything was ok, and kept us hydrated. All without getting on my nerves. You really can't ask for more. Everything was fine until a gaggle of yah-doodz (a yaggle?) walked in and took over five tables next to us. The grunting and prevalent stench of Aqua Di Gio meant it was time to go. On the way out I noticed the place was turning in to a veritable popped-collar fest so we were leaving just in time. I think I'd go back at some point. But only if there are no Boston teams playing that night.
(3)
Andrew R.
I have no problem saying that this is probably my favorite bar in Cambridge, and yes, I am well aware that it is a chain. TIS has several nice things going for it. First of all, it's set up very well for mingling, and I've always met interesting new people while being here. People who come here tend to be pretty friendly and open, and you don't get many pretentious vibes from the partons. this bar seems to be a place that almost anyone could go and be comfortable, whether you're with a large group, or on a quiet date. It does get crowded on weekend nights, but never to the point where you can't move around and easily access the bar. The staff is very friendly and attentive. Finally, I haven't tried too many items on the menu, but the Blackjack Burger is really good, and I would recommend it to any burger lover. If you're somebody who immediately rules a place out because it's a chain, I urge you to give this TIS a chance first, you may be pleasantly suprised.
(5)
Jen J.
Good food, decently priced. Nice atmosphere although it can be a little loud at times. Outdoor seating.
(3)
Francisco A.
I have sentimental feelings for this place. Its usually the meeting place with Hisham K. and we have celebrated and couple of things at the place, like breakups and fancy things like that. All that been said (not that there was a point to it) its an OK place. OK food, OK beer selction, and OK atmosphere... Big Screens and all the basics of a restaurant/bar.
(3)
Lauren K.
I have been here three times in the last couple of weeks and now I think I am ready to write a review based on: Outdoor seating dinner, outdoor seating apps/pitchers and Bar seating drinks. I just moved to Central and the first time I was in the area exploring I had dinner here. I got the Seseme Chicken Salad which was good and fairly priced. My boyfriend ordered the chicken stir-fry which was much better than expected. We are usually very critical of places that try to master all types of food, such as stir-fry, but it was much better than one would get at a place like the 99, Fridays or Applebees. We also had a pitcher of Bluemoon for $19, which wasn't a bad price. The second time I was here we sat outside again for apps and drinks. In two hours we had two pitchers or Miller Lite, lettuce wraps and wings all for $43. The Miller Lite was the best part. The Lettuce wraps were pretty tasteless with a gross/oily sauce. There were also two side sauces, one was like duck sauce and the other tasted like an orange bathroom cleaner. On the up side: The Iceberg was crispy! His wings were a litle cold by the time they came out and he BBQ sauce wasn't great. We are definitely picky on wings too. Last night was the third time at the Tavern and we sat at the bar and had a couple beers. Trivia night was in the background and the bar was pretty full, which is nice to see on a Tuesday night in a new neighborhood! We got 3 pints and 3 tall drought beers for $30. Not bad!
(4)
MJ R.
been to a few other 'tavern in the squares' and they're all basically the same - though the staff at this location was a little less than stellar. we were being sat at a table than decided to sit in the bar area to be closer to trivia - as we were moving the server muttered under her breath 'so feel free to sit wherever the fu## you want'. there were 3 of us and when we moved to a bar table the hostess came over and told us that we needed 5 or more people - her words 'that's why i sat you at a table'. she was very short with us and it felt like she was scolding us. we asked if we could sit at a high top by the window and she said 'only if you're ordering food' - when we said yes she rolled her eyes and walked away. not the best start. trivia guy bill was great - bar server katie was wonderful. i would go back for them on tuesdays but that's about it.
(3)
Jamie S.
I've been here on quite a few occasions for professional events, so I've spent 90% of my time in their functions room to the left of the main bar and seating area. But the service has always been great back there, and the nibbles I've had of other people's food were consistently decent. Not a place I'd go out of my way to have drinks or dinner at, but you can certainly do much worse.
(3)
Maya S.
Tavern in the Square is pretty unassuming. It looks generic and feels generic. But the food is a pleasant surprise because you can't always find good bar fare with a twist. Not only were the buffalo wings a tasty treat, but the white truffle mac and cheese put to shame some that I have tried at much nicer restaurants. The nachos also have a decent flavor and if you are feeling up to it, I recommend the fried pickles (they are similar to the ones at Boston Beer Works). All in all a worthy experience and I would not mind going back again! On a side note: for New Years they do the cab voucher for Cambridge starting at dinner and onwards, this past year it was spend $30 and get a $35 cab credit
(3)
Colleen Y.
Tavern is one of those very 'normal' bars. I used to mean this as a hard core insult. Normal is for losers, I liked edgy, hip, fresh. But, I have grown to love normal. To me, a normal bar is one that you don't feel intimidated by upon entry in any way, shape or form. The lack of vulnerable tension breeds more friendliness than most places too. I almost always end up talking to the guy next to me at the bar or the cute couple who didn't know that the Celtics just won the championship and had never felt sketched out while there. You could go there with your grandma and feel totally normal and go in there with a group of 40 drunk people and feel normal. It is a very 'American' establishment with a beer list that feels corporate and a menu that feels like an updated Applebee's. I like going there to watch sports especially. People get along and pretty much everyone watches. The bar is long and I rarely wait more than a couple minutes for a drink. I will definitely keep going there when I don't really want a 'night out' I just want to be out of my house for a couple hours and still feel just as comfortable as I do on my couch.
(4)
Brita F.
It's a sports bar. With lots of TVs. Decent food. Decent selection of beer. Will I ever go out of my way to come here again? Nope. But it's got a great location, right off the T in Porter, so it's not a bad starting point.
(3)
Ryan K.
big dig fries. bros. football. yeah it might not be a typical Central Square establishment but for a lazy weekend afternoon, it's quite the fun place. Also, limited sample size, but super friendly service today!
(5)
Andrea P.
Overall a great experience! Service: Our waitress, who sadly I don't know the name of, was fantastic. Not only did she have great recommendations for everything we were questioning, but she also didn't rush us at all. Attentive without being pushy is always a bonus in a server. Food: I had the tomato mozzarella melt sandwich with onion strings and my friend had the monterey chicken sandwich. Both were tasty, he loved the onion rings but I only thought they were okay. More so onion rings...not at all onion strings. But I loved the menu selection and am looking forward to trying the Porter Square location!
(4)
Brandon T.
I like this place because it is cheap and the service is good. There is 25 cent wings on Monday nights and 3 dollar Miller Lights everyday. The bartenders can be hit or miss on promptness, but they are all friendly.
(4)
fred n.
This is a great place for brunch lunch or dinner. Service is really friendly, honest and helpful when making recommendations. I had the Tuna with mango sauce. Pretty darn awesome. Risotto fritters were also tasty but not greasy or too heavy. Waitress was really frosting on the cake. Atmosphere is darker than I'd like it to be and the TVs make the restaurant seem more like Game On. Definitely a must try. Perfect for groups
(4)
Beth M.
One of my favorite date places in Cambridge. The menu is huge, the portions are huge, and the food is pretty darn tasty. My boyfriend could pretty much live on the white truffle mac n cheese. I tend to jump around the menu, but everything I have tried has been really good. The pitchers of spiked lemonade are amazing!
(4)
Wendy L.
The food is pretty good with something for everybody - salads, fajitas, burgers, lots of different stuff. It's a great place to snack and drink while watching the game. Everything is decent but nothing is spectacular. It feels as though there are about 500 TVs in there, so one of them should be showing the game you are looking for...on the other hand, if you are there with a boyfriend, you may have difficulty keeping him engaged in conversation. Most evenings, it seems to pick up espeically with the bar next door. I went once for the brunch buffett which is pretty reasonably priced (around $13-15), but I thought the brunch was pretty mediocre. The brunch, as you would guess, was light on the meats and pretty heavy on the continental breakfast/sweets type of items. Boo. Would've much rather have just gone to a normal brunch and had a nice, yummy, meaty entree.
(3)
Mike G.
didn't think Tavern's as good or as bad as some reviews. menu's big enuff to satisfy most so you can actually eat well-ish. can be fun if this is your scene or out with buds. others may need to check high expectations at the door.
(3)
Lindsey G.
Pretty decent pub. Lots of seating open on a Saturday night for people to sit around and chat. Pretty standard late night menu which took a little longer than it should have but the bartender made up for it with nice stiff drinks. Great location to catch up with friends.
(3)
Nam T.
I'm not sure if I'm the best person to judge the tavern. My experience here is limited to the 25 cent wings Tuesday. I think the wings can be a hit or miss. Some nights they are nice big and hot wings. Other night it can be smaller and cold. Some nights it will come with a small salad. Other nights it won't. Consistency is definitely and issue, but at 25 cents a piece why would you complain. A plate of ten is usually enough for me so a dinner that cost $2.50 is very nice. I still come here regularly for the wing Tuesday so I recommend you to come and give it a shot.
(3)
Andrew C.
I've only been there for lunch but the food has always been tasty. A bit on the expensive side for lunch and pub food but the sandwiches are always good and the fries and onion rings have always been hot and fresh. I would recommend the bacon cheeseburger which has cheese and bacon stuffed inside.
(3)
pete g.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. Boring menu, boring beer list, ok service. Food isn't all that great. Outdoor seating is conveniently located so career drunks in front of 7-11 can beg you for change while you're eating. I just can't see a reason why I'd return. *** Edit: So... I returned (don't ask), for drinks. Specifically, one drink: the Old Fashioned. Ingredients: bourbon, one cherry, one orange slice, one sugar cube, bitters, soda. The Old Fashioned is my cocktail of choice, it's been around for about 150 years and it's in every bartender's guide ever. The first one came to me fruitier than Hawaiian Punch. My rocks glass had three orange slices and about five cherries -- there was barely room left for ice, let alone bourbon. I took a couple sips, and over the next several minutes I dejectedly decided to send it back, the third time in my life I've ever done so. (Strangely, the first time was at the same location, though the space was The Good Life at that point.) I explained that people who order an Old Fashioned do so because they *don't* want a fruity drink, and asked for some restraint on the fruit in the next one. The second drink came, it was palatable, and it was not fruity. However, it became apparent that I had forgotten to check my calendar -- it was Opposite Day, and as a result the bartender had decided that Dewar's SCOTCH WHISKY counted as bourbon. Not as bad as The Good Life's substitution of Southern Comfort, but still not quite on the mark. I didn't want to look like a prick because the waitress was nice, so I just drank it and shut up. Potential patrons: be aware that at least one of the Sunday night bartenders doesn't know the difference between Scotch and bourbon. My companions, after trying to order nachos and being told the kitchen was out of them, had much better luck with accuracy; the Seriously Bland Crab Cakes and Pathetic Chicken Quesadillas For Pathetic White People came out exactly as advertised.
(2)
Joanna S.
Very generic bar food. I usually get the ahi tuna sandwich. They usually make it just right. I'm consistently reminded of their sweet potato fries, frizzed with a maple syrup glaze. It's the best thing on their menu, I think. The servers are blah. Sometimes you get really nice ones and sometimes you get rude ones. It just depends on the day.
(3)
Connie Y.
I've eaten here a couple times with my boyfriend. The first time we went, the place ran out of hamburger buns but was very nice in taking off our drinks for the trouble. The food is great sports-game watching food. The bbq steak tips and sangria are delish! We almost always over-order when we go here. The staff is generally very nice and accommodating.
(3)
Dee P.
lately service and quality has been more consistent (still issues getting burgers cooked to correct doneness, though... grill issues?) and new menu items are definitely tasty. upping the stars for that and also i found out they feed the homeless for free on thanksgiving. yay tavern! half price burgers on tuesdays are still on, and you can get a 'VIP' card for a free lunch once it's punched fully. not bad!
(3)
_ _.
Scale of 1-10 (multiple visits): 5 Food 7 Service 9 Atmosphere 4 Value
(2)
Liz K.
Was only there for a short while on Sat night but it was fun. The lighting was really cool and they had a great crowd.
(4)
Josh M.
I visited this place for drinks a few days ago, and I was pretty disappointed. I can't speak to the food (as I didn't get any), but the beer tasted distinctly off - like they didn't properly clean their tap lines. The bar was chock-full of the popped collar crowd, and a DJ (quite the gentleman - he later engaged me in some unsolicited conversation, describing his girlfriend with the endearing term formerly used by John McCain to describe his wife Cindy) was blaring crappy music off of his MacBook. Not a pleasant place, by any stretch. I'm giving this place two stars, because it's quite possible that I just went there on a bad night, and because they have a nice setup of TVs. I could imagine that it'd be a good place to watch sports during the day (particularly given the dearth of good sports bars in the area), but I'll probably steer clear of the late-night crowd here. Too many other good bars to waste time at places like this...
(2)
S D.
Always have a good time when we go here - they have trivia on Tuesday nights and if's a great time for large groups. They also have daily deals so be sure to keep an eye out on your calendar to keep up!
(4)
Gordon B.
Loud and crowded - that's the way I find Tavern most nights. As a result I'm not inclined to dine-in very often however I will do take-out on a weekly basis. Most of the food on the menu is actually quite good and they have a number of tasty options for vegetarians. We usually take out-of-town guests here because Tavern has a good selection of beers and it's full of Sox fans on game nights. Again, the food is good and you can always find something on the menu that's appealing. The patio is rarely a good choice as people tend to hang out and smoke in that vicinity.
(3)
J W.
Was looking for a brunch yesterday (sunday) and came across this spot. Drove by here in the past but never went in so I though id give it a try. Got their are the right time because a large group of people left. Apparently the secret was out because it was at capacity 10 minuets after i was seated. Anyways headed over to the buffet and was very happy with the selections. Had the apple wood beacon which I love, chocolate chip pancakes, french toast, fruit, eggs, few types of salad, honey glazed ham etc. But the best past was the omelet station which had a chief who makes it right in front of you. Price was very affordable($16) and it was a huge plus that every football game was on. Will definably be returning here for a 1:00 Pats game.
(5)
Neha Y.
unless you're trying to go there on a night of a playoff game for either the Red Sox or the Patriots - when everyone is vying for a spot right in front of the flat screen tvs - you'll be in luck with seating. Prompt seating and service can be counted on. Its a perfect setting for meeting a friend for a bite after work - super convenient since its only a block or two away from the T-stop. Its a fun, casual but not sloppy place so I'll give it an A for atmosphere. But with American food I really don't know how they can keep going wrong time and time again. I ordered the lemon chicken with capers. As straightforward as it gets. I actually think that might have been the first dish I ever cooked on my own - because its so easy. Apparently the cooks at the Tavern don't feel the same way. The chicken was undercooked, the flavor was lacking and they dumped about a pound of capers. They even messed up mashed potatoes!
(3)
Erica Y.
I didn't realize this place would get so many not so great reviews upon entering last night. Everything went pretty smoothly, though service was a bit slow. The martini I ordered wasn't very strong, but that was fine by me since it was still yummy. It has large TVs everywhere and is a great place to watch games. The mac & cheese (with bacon added) and maple sweet potato fries were really good, though salads could have had a better ratio of goodies on top. I ordered the Chicken & Fruit salad (what I was imagining to be similar to the Panera's Summer Fruit chicken salad - or whatever they call it), but it seemed as though a whole can of mandarin oranges was dumped on top of arugula before adding a bit of diced up chicken. My annoyance was more with the diced up chicken since it was so hard to spear any on a fork since it was diced up so tiny. It must have been pre-grilled to suit multiple purposes. Oh, and they have fried snickers on the dessert menu. Didn't stick around to try it, but in case anyone out there is looking... Decent food at okay prices. The crowd felt more like a sports bar than a restaurant.
(3)
Tanvi D.
Been here a few times now.. Food is OK.. The service is very slow though.. But, you can pass time watching games on TVs that are all over the restaurant. If you are not into sports, there is no real reason to go here..
(3)
Brandon H.
I came here for a meetup. Despite the chaos of thirty different checks, the waitress did a fantastic job of keeping track of all the orders and who they belonged to- in fact, not a single mistake was made! The prices were a bit steeper than I was expecting for a pub type restaurant, but the food was very good and the beer selection more than adequate.
(4)
Keith L.
Decent sports bar. The best part about it was the Sunday breakfast buffett. Really nice job. After that though, this place becomes pretty average. Its too big to be a neighborhood kind of place. Its just not that warm and friendly. Its more in line with trying to be a sports bar and they miss on that too. They have enough TV's but for the big games, volume would be nice. Watched an NFL playoff game at the bar with no sound. All in all, decent but not great.
(3)
Alark J.
A fantastic place for a great weekend brunch. This place has a great variety of brunch options including customizable omelets, scrambled eggs, bayou styled eggs (which were amaaaazing), french toast, waffles, home fries, grilled dill potatoes, pancakes, salad. This is just on one side. The other side had a ton of fruit options - strawberries, cantaloupe, pineapple etc. They also had ice creams and one could make their own sundae. Soooooo goood!! I wish I wasnt on the plumper side. I'd have devoured sundaes like jughead :-p The seating is excellent and the service too is great. For some reason they charge extra for drinks like orange juice etc, which I thought was a bit weird since its a buffet place. They could surely include a drink or two in their price.
(5)
Susie A.
Hmm I'm surprised this place got so many bad reviews. I went for my first time the other night and didn't think it was so horrible. The place was a lot bigger than I thought it would be. The hostess was a bit rude, but nothing too crazy. And the server forgot to bring me my drink. I like how there is that back, more private room with tables. I also LOVED that they had the Olympic Opening Ceremonies playing on the huge TVs. And people were actually paying attention. The crowd seemed decent. Didn't try the food, but the drink menu had tons of cool drinks on it. Giving Tavern in the Square 3 stars for now because I thought it was A-OK. But hopefully I'll be back and can update my review with further opinions!
(3)
Nie K.
I've only been here once during lunch and I also got the prix fixe. It was delicious and a little on the small side but I enjoyed a nice sunny day and eating outside with friends. If they always have that prix fixe menu I think it's worth it, maybe a brunch or lunch with your girlfriends but I don't know if I'd go for dinner based on the other reviews here.
(3)
Andrea M.
We were looking for a place to catch a casual bite to eat early in the evening for my sister's bachelorette party. Despite the negative reviews I had read here, I decided the menu was broad enough to accommodate everyone's tastes and SUPER close to Improv Boston, where we were heading afterward. Our waiter was phenomenal. He had a great personality, was very attentive and seemed like he was right on top of everything. He even helped take some pictures of our group for us. As for the food, I have no complaints. I got a burger, which was what I expected it to be. It was quite filling but tasty. My sister got the white truffle mac and cheese which was soooooo good. I kept abandoning my dish to dig into hers. Everyone else liked their food as well. The drinks we got were very good. They have some nice cocktails on the menu, like the Mint Ginger Drop. So yummy! Overall, it's nice, casual environment. It was great for the group of 9 we had. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good group place or if you're looking for a place with some good TVs to watch the game on. The one in Porter Square is pretty decent as well though I've only been there for drinks and trivia I imagine the food would taste exactly the same. I guess you could compare this place to a Chili's or 99 in a way. Don't expect anything gourmet or over the top, but it is what it is and it was exactly the type of place we were looking for.
(4)
Rohit S.
Let me first qualify my review. I go hear to eat, not to drink, play trivia or hang out. with that said, the food I have eaten is pretty good with a couple of unique items I highly recommend. Do you like your potatoes sweet? Their basket of sweet potatoes are awesome, you can't get this stuff at Mickey Ds!! My regular meal is actually a bowl of chili (pretty good and spicy) along with sweet potatoes on the side. The wraps are also good. OK so why three stars - the place is loud so you can't realty talk in here, but if you like sweet potatoes, this is one of teh few good options.
(3)
Flora R.
For some reason I prefer this location to the one in Porter. They have good food, a stocked bar and beer list, super helpful staff, and a great private room on the side that you can book for parties or big dinners.
(4)
Nicole P.
This is the closest bar to my house and I have to say it's pretty good as local bars go. It's not cool and hip like the River Gods but it is big, clean and modern with really nice screens to watch the games. The food is actually tasty as far as pub fare goes as well. There is a large variety to choose from- burgers/fries, wings, ahi tuna, salads, meatloaf etc. In the warm weather there are tables outside which rocks because there are not many restaurants in Central with outdoor seating. The service is good too. Myself and about 10 friends watched the NFL play offs at the Tavern and literally took up a huge table for 6 hours without one complaint from the bar! We did order lots of food and drinks but 6 hours is a long time! The best thing about the Tavern is Sunday brunch! As y'all know breakfast in boston/camberville usually means long lines but because the Tavern is so big, there are never brunch lines. The food is also really good- made to order omlettes, bacon, french toast, pancakes, chicken, pasta, salads, bagels, desserts, coffee etc all for $15 - pretty good deal.
(4)
Carleton S.
Went here for the EuroCup Italy vs England game. Fans showed up in droves - the bar on the otherhand was completely unprepared. Hundreds of waitresses and two bartenders trying to accommodate hundreds of football fans. They shuffled all the fans to the backbar where there was no bartender on staff. Everyone had to parade over to the open bar to take their drinks back to the back bar while managers with suit and ties sat around doing nothing. What sports bar is completely unprepared for one of the biggest sporting events in the world? That would be Tavern on the Square! Avoid it at all costs if you can and never go there for a big sporting event!
(1)
Jessica G.
A friend of mine was in town and our original plan to meet up with more friends (10-20) was thwarted when the Otherside decided to paint their walls. Good thing we called ahead. In a MAD scramble to find a place that (one) could accommodate the large size (Toad was out) and (two) close to the t (Cambridge Commons was out) -- we came up with the Tavern. My first time despite the fact that I live in Cambridge. Good stuff: Menu definitely impressed me (a vegetarian) with variety. Lots of drinks to choose from -- what fun stuff! A little pricey sure but nice decor. Not so good: Service!!! We were a large group and everyone was having a great time when things started disappearing from the table. Drinks, beer, food. I'm all about helping waiters close out so they can go home but prefer if this is made clear rather than losing my drink. By the end of the night I was haggling with my neighbor for sips of water!! The night was a great night--but it was the people not the locale that really shone. I wouldn't recommend it but it was certainly handy in a pinch.
(2)
Leslie K.
This place is a more expensive Applebee's or Chili's. BUT there are a few things I love: 1. Decent selection of beers. 2. Lots of tvs, often tuned to the Sox. 3. Easy place to meet people. 4. FRIED PICKLES!! (I have saved the best for last.) If you are going to eat a meal here, I would recommend sticking to food it's hard to mess up -- burgers, fries, nachos, etc. Other stuff doesn't turn out so well. Also, this place gets pretty loud -- not great for a first date, people!
(2)
Julie R.
This place has a really cool atmosphere. Very modern for the Central Sq. area. I went there for the first time and had a decent experiance. The spinach and artichoke dip was good. Very creamy and cheesy. The chips that acccompany it are served warm. They were fried and were a little greasy. I wish they were not fried cause it made for a heavy start but the carrot and celery sticks they give with it also balance things out. The mediterranean wrap was ok. It had chicken, sun dried tomato, lettuce and goat cheese. It could of used some mayo or dressing. It was very dry and I didn't finish it. The risotto balls were very large. They came on top of a tomato puree. The outside was crispy but a little greasy from being fried. The service was slow. The bartenders were friendly when you had their attention but they mostly hung out on one side of the bar chatting up the waitstaff. Prices were good. It also has a small outside patio for the season. The restaurant is spacious enough to take a large group and there is something for everyone on the large menu.
(3)
Dottie D.
THIS REVIEW IS BASED *ONLY* ON THE SUNDAY BRUNCH!!! i don't know about happy hour or the dinner menu or anything like that but the brunch is fantastic. there are tables outside, which is a huge bonus in boston as not many places outside of newbury street have jumped on the al fresca dining tradition that i have been spoiled by living in los angeles. they have a brunch buffet for $15.95 that has an enormous selection. there are about 10-12 different hot entrees to choose from (french toast, waffles, veggies, sausage, potatos, etc). there is an egg station where you can pick all the cheese, meat, and veggies you want in your eggs and they'll make it and bring it out for you. there is a huge selection of toast, muffins, bagels, etc. There is a table full of desserts -- cakes, mini cupcakes, mini eclairs, etc. there is a make your own sundae station, and a table with fresh fruit, granola, dried cranberries, two types of yogurt and chocolate chips. basically, the selection is huge. i happen to be a bit of a picky eater and don't eat a lot of the above mentioned things and yet i think this brunch is totally worth it! my only complaint is that they don't open until 10:30 and that they get super crowded sometimes but overall, this is a great option for sunday brunch and not too pricey!
(5)
John L.
This place has a decent Sunday brunch (eggs, omeletes, etc.). So Sunday morning does have a good atmosphere. And on top of that, the bartenders I've had were nothing but nice. However, the bar food is a little too expensive for my own taste, and it's not the greatest in the world. But on Sunday morning, it's good.
(3)
Tara G.
Big Dig Fries. Anyway, why does everyone hate this place so? I think it's kind of nice, and they have that weird cool rock art in front of the bathrooms. They had pitchers of blueberry beer. BLUEBERRY BEER! -1 star for claiming to be a sports bar when their "main screen" is constantly dim/obscured by skylight/insufficiently lumens'd. They have an all-you-can-eat brunch that I'm dying to try.
(4)
Tristan B.
This is a one star locale with the redeemable factor of one thing: the outdoor seating. Order some apps and maybe you can get away with just drinking out there because I'm sure as hell not going to eat their poor excuse of food. Eh-ish beer list, nothing to complain about but nothing special. Whatever. The atmosphere in there, however, couldn't be worse. They play the cold standard mix of shitty hip hop WAY TOO LOUD. It's so incredibly annoying when you're almost yelling (and being a complete loudmouth that I am, this is pretty loud) to the person across from you. This has happened more than once for me. Service is tolerable, never had any problems with them although one time I went in with a few friends and they asked if we were in a band. It made me laugh at least. So two stars you sit Tavern. It's so unfortunate that you're so close.
(2)
Melinda C.
Though the rest of the food is unmemorable, their tater tot appetizer with white truffle oil and parmesan cheese is amazing. AMAZING. I teetered on paying the $$ for it, but it was completely worth it. Make sure you bring a few friends though, you can't do this one on your own or even with just 1 other friend.
(3)
Tom E.
Crud. I hate this place, which is a shame as it's very close to me. I've been giving it second and third chances for a while now but last week it ran out of review rainchecks when I attended the trivia night. Not content with having.... A) no discernible atmosphere other than businessmen having a drink rather than going home B) overpriced lousy food including a 10 dollar burger that was crap galore C) a strange bi-partisan layout D) shit shit music ....the Tavern then also managed to achieve one-star-or-less-ness by having the rubbishest Stump trivia night ever. The trivia jockey was useless, gave away the answers to anyone who flirted with her and was hell bent on asking everyone questions about her favourite TV shows - of which 'America's Top Model' was one of them.
(1)
christina c.
We had a couple beers here as well last night and the Buffalo Calamari. HELLO!?! Why doesn't every bar have this? I mean talk about bad for you but sooo good. Its Calamari covered in hot sauce and blue cheese AND fried jalapenos. I love spicy and this was great. When its warmer its nice to sit on the patio and people watch too.
(4)
Chris W.
I had a nice dinner at this place. Yes it may lack character and not really belong in Central or whatever, but it's a nice bar/restaurant with good bar food. I liked the vibe at the place. It was a typical slightly trendy bar atmosphere. There were lots of flat panel TVs that were perfect to look at as I was zoning out of my conversation. The menu has a lot of different things, from burgers to pasta, to entree dishes. We ordered the Big Dig Fries as our appetizer. Waffle fries covered with cheese, bacon and sour cream. Definitely very delicious bar food. I got the Monterrey Chicken Sandwich on foccacia bread. It was also a good sandwich. The foccacia was delicious and the sandwich was perfect juicyness with sauce and lettuce and tomato. Service was pretty good, too. Our waiter came over a lot of times and refilled our water and asked us how we were doing a good amount. Good selection of drinks. Decent prices (~$8-15 for a dish). Good vibe. A good place to meet up with a few friends, have some delicious fried bar food and drinks.
(4)
Chris M.
I have to say, I went for Sunday brunch buffet and I loved this place! Physically very nice, wood decor, modern but warm, very open feeling. They had a good number of flat screen TVs, and nice music in the background that wasn't too loud and allowed for conservation. There were many food choices on buffets, all looked fresh and tasty. The pancakes, fruit and yogurt and the omelets were especially good. The applewood bacon was truly excellent, better than anything I have ever had at a buffet. The service was great, we were seated right away, and our waiter was friendly and very attentive without being annoying. At $15.95 I thought it was a great deal. I went with two friends and we all agreed it was excellent and we will definitely go back., I can't really think of anything negative to say.
(4)
Brenda H.
Food is ok...Fries were the best! Would go out of my way to go there for anything more than drinks.
(3)
Hilary J.
It was my first time going there. I needed a big salad with chicken on top and I needed it NOW. So my sidekick thought of this place as being somewhere that would have that, and I didn't care where I was going to be getting this salad from, I just needed it. So we went. It was about 9PM on a Wednesday and it was crowded and loud. No big deal, I can deal. I won't go back, because the "vibe" just isn't there though. It's one of those places that guys who use a lot of hair gel go, you can tell. I think this place belongs more in Brighton or something....not really Central Square material. The salad was not very satisfying and I couldn't understand why they put bacon in an Asian style salad?? But I was desperate so I guess it did the trick at the time. The service was friendly enough but extraordinarily slow, and we had to ask another server if we could order drinks from him because we hadn't seen our own in a while. Maybe I'm in a bad mood today, but the one thing that kept me from giving it only 1-star was the delicious Mint Ginger Drop martini, which was one of the best drinks I've had served to me in a while. I suppose I should keep in mind when saying all this that it is classified as a "sports bar". Ok... I'll bump it to 3 stars I guess.
(3)
Kew M.
I went to the Tavern for the open game of the Celtics found it really nice. I felt like I was at the game :) well at the discounted price. I had a batch of fries and some Buffalo wings and the win was the cherry on top great start to the session.
(4)
Amy C.
Holy huge nachos here. We ordered the nachos solely because we saw an order come out and sham-wow they looked like a delicious pile of heaven. We were not disappointed. There are so few places that do nachos right and Tavern is one of them. Do you like cheese on the bottom layer of your nachos? Who doesn't? Tavern spreads the love all over the nachos, not just on the top layer. Guaranteed cheese on every bite. Our waiter went MIA on two occasions for 20 minutes each time. When we called him out on it, he made sure our next round of cocktails was super strong. He was promptly forgiven.
(4)
Jocelyn C.
I've been kind of avoiding a review of the Tavern for some time now because I have a long history with them and a lot of the people that used to work there know me and all that jazz, BUT... I have to say, the Tavern is just your very average, very typical (i.e. boring) bar and restaurant. I'd go there when I was invited by others, but I never actually initiated any visits there myself. The staff used to be pretty cool and some of the food items are okay (I would recommend the turkey wrap with onion strings if asked), but if I'm hanging in Central, I make my way to all the other bars around the 'hood instead. This place used to my "Cheers," but a lot of the better (and cooler) staff have gone onto bigger and better things, and it's just not as much fun as it used to be. And plus, who has time to learn so many new names and faces when you've already invested so much time and energy and drinking into a place already?! Especially if those new faces behind the bar are extremely rude and take forever to get you a bottle of beer?! Sorry, Tavern... no hard feelings, but get your act together! If I had been writing this review when you had first opened, this would totally be a different story, but as it is now... wow, everything went downhill pretty fast.
(2)
A L.
I come here pretty often, probably once every six weeks or so. My hubs and I went here this past Friday, and it began as a nightmarish experience. Our waitress was a very nice person, but had no idea what she was doing. She was clearly not competent, for whatever reason, to perform the duties of waiting tables. As far as I could see, she only had three total tables - although it was busy, this should've been entirely manageable. She took our drink orders 4 times, messed them up twice, took our app order 3 times, and our entree order 3 times. By this time, we began to commiserate with the other tables she was "serving," as they were having similar experiences. One table walked out, leaving full drinks on their table. She had messed up their drinks several times too. I asked the hostess, who was nearby taking care of the full drinks and wiping the table, if I could speak with the manager. I told him what was going on, hoping to get a new waitress for the rest of the night. Instead, he waited on us, got our food out almost immediately, offered a round of drinks, then comped the ENTIRE meal. We were very impressed by the amount of care that was given to our table when the manager realized we were so dissatisfied. The food is good, they have a good scotch list, could offer more wines...but hits the spot when you need a solid, dependable meal - as long as you get trained waitstaff. Thanks again to Tavern for the comped meal - we'll definitely be back.
(3)
Stephen R.
I was looking forward to dining here. It looked like a nice place from the outside. It went downhill in a big way! Fast forward to dinner being served. We saw a cockroach on the wall. We didn't want to make a huge deal out of it in front of the rest of the restaurant. We called over the manager and she tried to smooth us over with drinks or moving the table. We told her we just wanted to leave at that point. Her compromise was to not charge us for the food. My friend and I just wanted to get out of there at this point and so did our wives. I wish that was where it ended. Later that night one of us got violently ill from food poising (they had the tuna salad). STAY CLEAR!
(1)
Caroline O.
Ah, the Tavern. One of my favorite hangouts when I was taking bi-weekly classes at the Kaplan center across the street last year. Good brews, a nice mix of above average pub food, and some interesting menu items with a twist. I've been here several times, sometimes just for quick pub grub- wings, nachos, and some brews on tap, and a few times with my boyfriend for dinner. I've never been disappointed with either the service or the food. Lots of big screen TVs too for watching various sports events. Good stuff all around! The biggest downside is that the specialty beers listed on the menu always come in a bottle. I've been fooled twice now, thinking I was getting some exotic/special beer on tap, but instead got handed a bottle I could've picked up at the store. Bummer. All in all, a good place to hang out , have a few beers and watch the game, or sit down and have a good dinner. Definitely a place I'll keep going back to!
(4)
Jenny i.
LOVE! Love the menu. Love the bar. The food is wonderful, the staff is attentive, (and attractive). Always have dinner here first before heading to see a show at TT's or the Middle East
(5)
Patrick N.
Any time I have to choose the size of beer I would like to have it always makes me feel warm and fuzzy. Tavern is no exception. They have a decent beer selection and the glasses are always clean. The food, while it is slightly over priced, is pretty good. They have a large selection of comfort foods available, mac and cheese, shepherds pie, ect. If you are trying to enjoy a sporting event they have plenty of high def tvs to watch. With two bars waiting for a drink never takes too long. All in all it's a good place to catch a game with a friend or two.
(3)
Michael L.
I walked into this place and was slapped across my face with a putrid wall of irritation. It's like everyone got off of work at the Pru, took off their ties or let their hair down, turned up the obnoxious-loud-dumb knob, and came here. To be honest, I think I disliked this place so much mostly because the crowd was irritating. The music was just bad. They had a DJ but it was positively pitiful. Dance/R&B can be fun and good. It wasn't. The drinks were overpriced ($7-10) but I have to say they had a mighty nice selection of bottled beer, including some imported rarities. Hence them receiving two stars. However, I wasn't in the mood to be back-patted and have dudes spit on my teeth about the latest developments at spring training. Actually I'm NEVER in the mood for that. There were attractive girls here, as far as looks go. If you're a dude who unbuttons the top button and loosens his tie to go out, check out the Tavern for manic action! Crash and burn.
(2)
Phil W.
A pretty unremarkably restaurant/bar, but I like it for the following reasons : - It's in Central Square and it's there when I don't want to eat pizza or Middle Eastern or Indian food. - The quality of their buffet brunch is surprising. I've gone a couple times now and have never been disappointed. Salmon? Sweet cheese blintzes? Right on. - After one particular brunch, we stayed at the bar to watch the Patriots game, and proceeded to get really shitty on Guinness and the bartender Sal's Panty Droppers, which was his own special concoction. I think there was strawberry syrup in it. Anyway, we watched the game and then went to Harvard all liquored up to see "Borat." Man, that was a good day.
(3)
Vidhya S.
This is THE BAR that my co-workers and I head to on Thursday nights. It's perfect for after work drinks b/c it's a big place w/ lots of sitting areas to accommodate large groups. We prefer to sit in the bar tables near the windows. In the summer there is also outside seating and they open up the front windows to let in the fresh air. The food is eh, honestly we've been there so much that I can't stand even looking at the menu b/c I've read it a million times and am sick of the food. So take that into consideration when your reading this. But there is still no way I'd purposely go here to dinner especially with the million great restaurants in Cambridge. But for a drink after work? Yes please.
(3)
Ilya Jacob R.
I used to go here for trivia (when it used to be on Monday nights) and always ordered up a pizza and dessert. I hadn't come here in a while and then all of the sudden - I was back and not loving it. And it wasn't because it wasn't trivia night. It was because the food was lame. The pizza was shockingly bad and not really even close to average by my standards. I think I had the shrimp and basil pizza - don't even think about it. My wife's dish wasn't good either - under seasoned (salt and pepper) - encrusted tuna salad. After this splendid meal I didn't feel like dessert, so I skipped it, but I will say that I remember enjoying their desserts last time I was there when playing trivia.
(2)
Bevin C.
This place is clean and convenient, but over the past six months, it seems to have gotten more expensive and less cool (not that it was particularly cool to begin with). Plus, the food is really hit or miss. If it hadn't been for my last visit, I might have given this place three stars... the hostess was really rude, the bartender wasn't much better, and they were playing crappy music LOUDly. Oh, and my ten dollar martini tasted nasty. Not good.
(2)
Felecia C.
A couple tips for Tavern in the Square: 1. If you are going to make people pay to hear the music they want on the lame jukebox thingy, turn the volume up in the bar so that we can actually HEAR the music. My party and I contemplated relocating to the bathroom just to listen to "Don't Stop Believing," but luckily one of us had an Ipod handy. 2. Hire enough waitstaff to handle a crowded bar, or at least tell them to check on patrons and their drink status more than once an hour. We should not have to go to the bar to try to order a round, only to be told to wait for the practically nonexistent waitress. Other than those gripes, the Tavern is a pretty generic after-work bar. The drinks are standard, and though I didn't eat anything, the people I was with seemed to love the food. I had fun here, but there's still room for improvement.
(3)
Arturo P.
OK Beer/Drinks, Unimpressive Food, Big Screens Been here a few times, mostly because it's the easiest place to catch NFL Network football or West coast basketball in Central square. I'm generally unimpressed but not disappointed with the food, but nothing stands out as being particularly bad. Probably not worth going here for a Boston sports game as it gets exceedingly crowded and you can catch those games basically anywhere. Overall, a solid place to watch sports, but a basically unimpressive otherwise. I'm sure I'll be back for the sports selection, but that would be the biggest draw.
(2)
Caleb H.
To begin, I can only review this place as a bar. It looks like a bunch of people don't like it as a restaurant. I've been to this bar a couple times, and usually with a small group (~5 people). The place has never felt overpacked, and the atmosphere has always been good. Points go up for cool bartenders who have been quick to serve you and give a little personality to their service. They don't fill your beer and take your money without looking at you. They can recommend drinks, and they seem to know random mixed drinks too. Points also go up for the DJ from Friday night. He was open to tossing music on his playlist, and had a wide variety of songs. I was glad he could drop in some Spoon and Stevie Wonder per request, and then pop in the Humpty Dance afterwards--I suffer Music ADD. Finally, points also go up for the clean bathrooms. Maybe it was the type of crowd, or maybe they're on top of it, but the bathrooms weren't too shabby at the end of the night. I recommend the fries and a pitcher of Blue Moon with some wedges of oranges.
(4)
Naomi M.
I was here January 7, 2012 for the New Orleans Saints vs Detroit Lions playoff game as a Saints fan and though I enjoyed the atmosphere and cheap beer all night, one bartender treated us horribly and made it so that I will NEVER RETURN TO THIS INSTITUTION. Being a sports bar, we all assumed that cheering would be tolerated.... we were told to stop cheering by this bartender. He also came over to us and taunted us, saying things like "How long have you even been Saints fans for, anyway? These guys from Detroit have been suffering there for their whole lives!" Though to me this point is absurdly irrelevant, it was all I could resist to point out that New Orleans hasn't had it so easy, either. On several occasions throughout the night we could also hear him talking badly about us to other patrons, especially the Detroit fans. At the end of the night when I closed my tab, a comment card came with the bill, and I wrote about how I was very unhappy with how I was treated by the bartender - and when he came back to pick it up, he read the card, crumpled it up, and threw it at me. I have never in my life been treated so horribly at any institution. This is a sports bar, which should invite sportsman-like behavior, and this bartender was an offensively bad example of this. Tavern in the Square has lost my business for life.
(1)
Natural A.
Tavern in the Square is great for lunch or happy hour. The appetizers are okay. They don't have the best wings or calamari, but it's decent. They have great drinks. I simply love their sweet potato fries!!!
(3)
Billie M.
I've only been here a few times and it was always just for drinks. No complaints, but no real raves either, it was a pretty standard, cookie cutter bar. Beer was ok, service was nice, atmosphere was forgetable. That being said, the last time I went there made me seriously consider giving it 5 stars. The DJ was playing some great old school hip hop, and the bartender and I had a great time pretending we were giving a live performance on Yo! MTV Raps. Why did it go back down to three? Because he and I were the only two people in the WHOLE CROWDED BAR that knew Renee. Seriously? Sorry Tavern, my loyalty lies with the Lost Boys.
(3)
Mihir P.
Went back a couple of times and was disappointed for the most part. Got the brunch buffet. So not worth it for $16 - no juice included. The omelets were good but that's about it. Sausages were too mild an mushy. Hello! Bacon is supposed to be resting on a screen in the chafing dish so it's not lying in it own filth. The result of the bacon was super greasy and soggy. Got some pancakes but of course there was no syrup. I told the staff and it took fifteen minutes for them to get some. Go there for the game, drinks and an app but leave it at that. ___________________ Original review 4 stars ___________________ Wow, what a name. No thought put into it. When I heard about this place, I thought "Another run down, depreciated bar with townie customers, and a staff as charming as eels; oh and artery clogging food ." Boy, was I wrong. I walked into a clean and modern tavern with a friendly young staff. My friend and I sat tt the bar to eat and watch the Patriots game. The bartenders were efficient and hardworking and very friendly (and easy on the eyes). They did what they could to please the customer. I asked one of them to make me a non-alcoholic drink. At first she was stumped and then I gave her some encouragement. She fixed me a virgin margartia which was decent. The food was good. The menu has a great selection of traditional and creative items. I played conservatively and had a salad and chili. Both were very good. THe chili was a tad oily and salty though. My friend went for the brunch buffet. The dishes were fresh and presented well. I would now be willing to try to some of the more creative items like the pistachio crusted tuna and others - I admit that I stereotype that a tavern can't have good creative food. While at the bar, I observed that it was kept clean and organized - no clutter, trash or spills waiting to be attended to. Even all the labels of the liquor bottles were facing forward. There is no pizzaz, glamour, crazy lights, or celebrity chef here. Just a solid, spacious, clean tavern with sound food and a hard-working staff. I think a new term needs to be developed for the places like this. The Neo-Tavern?
(3)
Melody A.
I went here right after my friend picked me up from the airport and it was perfect! We sat on the patio which was awesome in the late afternoon to people watch in Cambridge. Granted, we only had drinks and appetizers but they were really good! I had sweet potato fries with MAPLE SYRUP - YUM!!! I wouldn't have thought of this combo, but my friend said it was good and I'm glad I ordered them! The drinks were really good and the service was excellent.
(4)
Lalin A.
It is a regular bar. Shiny. I don't eat here, but only grab drinks. But for the real fun, comfortable setting, and atmosphere, I'd say walk a few blocks and go to People's Republik or Plough&Stars. They are DEFINITELY better. edit: this place feels a little better when there is a game. it was packed last night and the service was quick.
(3)
Milee S.
What can I say about this place? Fantastic food! I had one of the best turkey burgers ever at The Tavern. Great crowd, but service is really lacking. (We had to place our dessert order at the bar as our waitress was too busy socializing). I'd go back since the food is unbelieveable!
(3)
sato h.
My friends and I went out for a lunch today... It was horrible. We enter to grab seats and had to wait for couple of min because nobody was there. Our waitestaff took our order for drinks and we waited for 10 min while she was asking the table next to us if everything was okay and cleaning up tables. Finally our coke arrives, and there is a hair stuck next to my lemon... I asked the waitstaff if I could change it, kindly. She doesnt say a single word and snatches my coke away. 5 min later my coke arrives. I asked her if I could put my fries on the side because I wanted to share it with my vegiteriam friend (so that the fries wont touch my burger.) The waiteress gives me a look as if that is such a hassle for her! Of course the food took forever like other reviewer were saying and all that. I will never go back there again.
(1)
J M.
OK place: decent atmopshere, food is merely okay for the price.
(3)
Emily O.
2.5 stars, really and only for its convenience and standard as a sports bar (which I don't think they're aiming to be, but who can tell?). I've been here twice - once just for drinks and to watch the Sox and more recently for dinner, an escape from the heat and to watch the Sox. Pros: nice ambiance when it's light out, two bars, many flat screens (Hi Def, I think) and they pipe the sound of the game throughout the bar; my drink was priced right and delightful the first time I went. Cons: The food! I echo Roshni R. It looks nice as it approaches, but has absolutely no flavor - none! The sweet potato fries were greasy, not crispy and had no seasoning. My soda was flat. My sandwich was essentially lettuce and tomatoes on a phony foccacia. That's all I need to say - phony foccacia.
(2)
Frank G.
Tavern is one of the few places that serves a pretty standard sit-down American-style menu among Central's collection diverse ethnic restaurants. It fits in neatly between all the fast-food joints and the upscale places in price. The standard Sunday brunch buffet is a pretty good deal. Nothing about Tavern is amazing, but I'm very glad it's here for the times when I want to bring friends or visitors to something reliably familiar and not too expensive.
(3)
Bryanne R.
GREAT food. Awesome pork chops with cranberries. They're priced in the teens - which is what you'd expect from a place like the Tavern. OKAY service - maybe we just had a wacky guy... CRAPPY acoustics....could hardly hear across the table. We ended up sitting next to each other. And since others are yelling across their dinners so loud you can also enjoy their conversations if there is a lull in yours. I'd go back for the food, because it was a pretty cool place.
(4)
Bruce B.
From all the blasts that it got i'll say it was alright. I just went for drinks cause we were intersted in checking out the trivia. Tap selection was pretty average, they did seem to have a pretty solid bottle selection though. Bar staff was great, we got our first 2 on the house cause the keg tapped out on our pours. So all in all I've got no complaints. It's not close enough to be a place that i'll become a regular, but it was good enough to meet friends at.
(3)
Vanessa M.
This place is very loud to say the least, but what should I expect from a place called "The Tavern?" The Sunday brunch was uber expensive though it looks good, it taste bland and stale. They can't seem to keep the same staff around and the only reason I have eaten here more than once is because there was nothing else close by that was open.
(3)
Liz H.
i like this place, but its nothing special. went for a couple of sox games this fall and it was stupidly crowded, but they have enough TVs (including a big projector screen) that everyone could at least watch the action. food is decent but not great, service about the same. they do have a good relatively expansive beer list from what i remember. standard sports bar with a cambridge crowd.
(3)
Liz D.
Fried Pickles, Avacado and Feta Salad, and White Truffle Mac & Cheese are my favorites there. Plus they have Sea Dog Blueberry Ale on tap. I've only been to the brunch once and it wasn't great but I've heard they have a new brunch menu now, so it may be better.
(4)
Sun Y.
NO. tavern, you are not special.
(2)
A V.
Food is decent. Beer selection is good. Ton's of TVs for NFL sundays. Great place to watch every single game that's on.
(4)
David L.
Last night I dined at their Central Sq location and it was pretty bad from the moment I sat down at the bar . First, the bar area was dirty w/ beer puddles and food droppings from the previous diner, and that's understandable, yet it stayed that way for far too long. It was only upon my request after sitting there for a while that I was able to motivate my Asian American woman bartender/server to wipe it down . I actually waited for a good while to see if she would take it upon herself to wipe it but noooo, even though she was just standing there "shooting the shit" w/ a coworker. So, when I asked her for a cloth so I could wipe it she kind of gave me a snotty look like I was bothering her. This should have told me right away, upfront that I was in the wrong place to enjoy a good comfortable dinner tonight. I started w/ a martini and I also ordered the $10 crab cakes as an appetizer. The martini was ok but the crab cakes were served room temperature cold and tasted like flavorless sawdust filled with something or other, I haven't a clue. It certainly didn't taste like crab, that's for sure! Even the dippin mustard was flavorless. It was definitely a wrong pick on my part and I should've sent them back, but I was really, really hungry as I had only had breakfast that morning so I regrettably tolerated it. Not once did she ask me how my appetizer was nor did she offer me water or even a roll w/ budda. Doesn't she know that good service = good tips, I thought? I guess not! I also felt quite rushed because she pressured me to hurry up and place my order while I was eating my cold "so called" crab cakes. Plus, to make things even worse, the TV's were loud, playing blaring commercials over and over. Man, great ambiance huh? I hate listening to loud commercials especially when I'm eating in a public place. Furthermore, I also hate it when the bartender asks for my credit card upon sitting down when I intend to pay cash for my order at the end of my meal. We, as customers and patrons, have got to rebel against this totally rude and insulting request which more and more restaurants are starting to do these days. They have a lot of balls in my opinion! This IS INDEED an insult because, and correct me if I'm wrong, but what it implies to me is that they fear that I, the customer, will possibly,or intentionally walk out w/out paying. Am I interpreting this wrong or an I not alone in this matter? That's how (I) read it anyway. And, if this is how we are welcomed as customers than obviously Tavern On The Square is a "NO CLASS OUTFIT". Well.. all the consumer has to do at this point when this happens, here or anywhere else for that matter, who also makes this rude request, is to bluntly say NO I will NOT give you my credit card, which is what I did say on this night, and they very hesitantly agreed ...... so it's that simple my readers! And... if they don't agree than tell them to fuck off and just walk out. Fortunately, I didn't have to take it this far on this particular night but if everyone did this than undoubtedly they would stop asking us this incredibly insulting request, right? By the way, the tip percentage goes WAY down should this credit card issue come up PRIOR TO ORDERING THE MEAL. There must be consequences for them practicing this impolite, unsociable, inappropriate and BAD BUSINESS behavior ! To continue on with this nightmare, for my meal I ordered " the combo", the most expensive meal on the menu at $21. This was a mix of steak tips, grilled shrimp and barbecued chicken. Again my meal came out room temperature light warm. The tips had a lot of gristle on them and in fact, two of the steak tips I was unable to consume because that's all they were was fat gristle. The shrimps were tasteless, very dry and rubbery like they sat previously cooked on the side of the grill for far too long. The chicken was just ok but again cold, dry and flavorless. I felt like I was eating in a cheap second hand mall restaurant. The BEST thing about this meal though was the cole slaw on the side, it was good but.... isn't this a shame? Seems more like a scam to me at $21 when the best item on the plate is the cole slaw. The bill was $40 and I certainly WASN'T going to tip the standard 20% due to the shitty service and the crappy meal so I left a "fin" ($5) for a tip...and even that was too much. I should've left a dime in order to make my point even more clear. I ASSURE YOU I WILL NEVER GO TO THIS PLACE AGAIN if I can help it Incidentally, this was my second dining experience there and the first time also sucked. I chose to not write a review after my first visit to generously give them a second chance to redeem themselves...but now I know. There are some great bars & restaurants in the cities of Boston, Cambridge and Somerville however, in my view, the Tavern On The Square located in Central Sq. Cambridge is certainly NOT one of them! My recommendation therefore is to DEFINATELY GO SOMEWHERE ELS
(1)
Josh O.
I always thought this place was a really expensive bar and so never went there. But tonight we ended up here after discovering that The Field was just way too crowded. There isn't really anything about this place that makes it great, but they had a beer special of $4.50 for 23 oz. of Miller High Life or Miller Lite. Can't really complain about that. I didn't try the food, but I had a good time here.
(3)
Aimee G.
This venue was packed with revelers watching the football playoffs. The crowd dispersed immediately after the game's conclusion. Interestingly, the ratio of remaining customers to flat screen televisions was almost 10 to 1. If you want to watch the game and order standard American bar fare, this is your Central Square destination. You will be neither awed or disappointed.
(2)
Lindsay D.
I don't care how busy a bar is, it should never take more than 20 minutes to get a beer at a table after work. The waitstaff was incredibly slow and didn't seem as if they could be bothered to put a little pep in their steps. The food, when we finally recieved it, was extremely good - risotto fritters with a tomato cream sauce were unexpectedly mild in flavor and the goat cheese, arugula, and leek pizza was phenomenal. Defintely a great place to go with co-workers to unwind after a busy week... just make sure that you order another beer halfway through your first to ensure you're never without a drink. EDIT: This place has become my work group's Thursday night bar of choice. Service has gotten way better, quite possibly because we're regulars and they know we'll leave if our glasses stay empty for too long. Burger-type food is meh - if you're going to eat here steer clear of the sandwich section and check out the appetizers. Spinach dip and risotto fritters are decent and for all you squid eaters out there, the calamari looked pretty decent too.
(4)
Jane D.
great food, great staff, lots of TVs and they are willing to put on any game you request. kinda pricey but the portions are HUGE
(4)
Colin N.
I lump Tavern In The Square (TITS) in with a few other restaurants in Central Sq. Au Bon Pain, Wendy's, McDonalds. I want to tell you how much I love TITS because it would make my review funnier. I would be lying. TITS reminds me of eating chalk. Tasteless, boring and unfulfilling. Shame on you TITS.
(2)
Jennifer B.
This is one of those places where I feel like I die a little inside walking in but can't seem to stop doing it. Tavern in the Square is just a little too reliable and convenient, despite having no real character and being very crowded, for those near Central not to patronize it. The food I've had was actually good and not Bar Food (TM). Beers are fine, as is service. The giant screens also make it good for game watching. I think we all realize that large crowded sportsbars are probably a necessary evil, and you could certainly do worse than this place. A great option in central if you want to go to "just a bar."
(3)
molly f.
Minus the great outside seating this place has to offer, I was underwhelmed. Stopped by for a quick lunch & ordered what I was hoping would be a tasty salad. Don't get me wrong, the salad wasn't BAD itself...but the moldy goat cheese it was topped with was pretty raunchy. One bite of that & I'd had enough...The manager was very gracious, as was my waitress, but I decided to finish my iced tea & not gamble another iffy dish. Next time I go there I think I'll stick to beverages and bar food.
(2)
Doctor F.
had a few beers and watched the game. everything was ok. standard boston bro bar vibe. it seems to be part bro-sports bar / part "good" restaurant which i have never seen before. kind of strange to me. this has nothing to do with the tv or beer quality which were fine...but i find it depressing that everywhere i look i see one of these places popping up. boston/cambridge is being overrun with chain stores. now chain bar/restaurants? believe it or not, this city has not ever had that - chains like houlijans and fridays may have had one store...but not many all over town. soon, this city will be nothing but chipoltles, taverns, dunkin donuts and starbucks pretty soon. any one else find this sad? i try to support mom-and-pop spots (if they are quality) for the obvious reasons. it would be cool if the owners of this place would at least use different names at their different locations...i guess people like to go cookie cutter spots??? or maybe there just aren't any better options in this town? i was away from boston for 15 years and was honestly surprised to see this place all over town. i can't help being a bit depressed when i see these giant bar/restaurant chains all this city. boring.
(2)
Anna F.
This review is only for their brunch, which I have been to on several occasions and enjoyed thoroughly. $15 isn't bad for all you can eat with a carving station and omelets made to order. You can conceivably eat pretty healthy if you stick to the fruit, yogurt, granola and some of their lunch fare- fish and grilled veggies. Overall, it's pretty decadent with eggs Benedict, grilled ham, and an assortment of chocolate cakes and mini parties. There is even an ice cream bar! Something for everyone. While their service is often lacking, the best thing about a buffet brunch is that you can serve yourself. I wish they'd turn off the sports just for brunch... that's my main complaint.
(4)
amy g.
I think it's mostly over-priced for the average American cuisine it offers... BUT By far, BEST nachos with chili I have ever had.
(3)
Amanda G.
Good place to grab some drinks or food when you want to watch the game on the many options of TVs. I ordered a really good salad, but loved the Mac N Cheese my "friend" got. Go for the comfort food! It's a pretty big place with a long bar and lots of tables. I tend to enjoy a smaller, more cozy type of place, but definitely a good sports bar/restaurant.
(3)
Micaela L.
I've only ever come here at night (i.e. not to eat), so I can't comment on that aspect, but otherwise Tavern is a pretty typical sports bar. It was pleasant enough when I was there, but not exactly memorable and fairly crowded to boot.
(3)
Meaghan S.
I'll just say it's a good thing that my office mates are not in today because there was something FUNKY about the chicken salad I ate at Tavern on the Square last night. Good god. I really wanted to like this place. Outdoor seating = awesome and they did have strong drinks. HOWEVER the food was bland, boring, mediocre and in my case BAD. It's also is a haven for homeless people leering over the fence around the patio. No I really don't want to spare some change, thanks. I will not be going back. No imagination, no atmosphere and a menu that is priced steeply enough that there should be a little of both.
(2)
Marcus D.
This is another of those bars that I've been to way too many times. There are so many better bars in immediate walking distance, but for some reason when I go for a beer here I end up getting stuck here. The food isn't THAT bad - I judge food on a scale of whether or not I'm running for the toilet within seconds of my last bite, and this place has never done that to me. The atmosphere and the crowd is BLAND - very manufactured. My advice is to come here for a beer or two, and get the hell out!
(2)
Hannah F.
This bar just feels soulless. The food is ok, I guess, but it's blatantly microwaved in the kitchen. Not to mention it's the exact same menu as Union Street and The Joshua Tree. Chain in disguise!! [Edit: They now totally admit to being a chain.] Plus, the bar tenders will ignore you for minutes on end, not because it's busy but because they're flirting with a customer. Also, the bouncers are really rude, even for bouncers. Additional Reason I can't Stand This Place [Recently Added] I can now add their managers the list of "people at the Tavern who make me effing batshit." I went there last night for a quick drink and appetizer trip. I thought, "How can they mess this up?" Well, they did. We ordered the ultimate nachos (so called because they come with chili or chicken). They were delicious, I am not so bitter that I won't give them that. However, when the bill came, not only were we charged for the nachos ($3 more than the regular ones), but we were also charged for the chili. Not such a big deal, except that the waitress told us it was correct, then went back to check, came back and confirmed that indeed our nachos cost $15. I was having none of that jazz, so she went to find a manager. That manager then had to go find another manager and before we knew it, 15 minutes had past. By that time, every other table in the section needed something from the waitress, because her manager had kept her occupied for 15 minutes instead of just removing the *$3* charge. It's not just that this situation was so annoying, because it most certainly was. It's that this is par for the course for the Tavern. Hopefully, I'll remember that before I get the urge for some risotto fritters.
(1)
Veronica P.
This is a classy looking sports bar with really good burgers. I ordered a medium burger stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese, topped with mozzarella cheese with a side of sweet potato fries. It was a busy, loud Sunday night, and it took an hour to get our food because the waitress screwed up our order. The manager came out, apologized, and told us our meal was on the house. That's customer service! We would absolutely go back.
(4)
Amanda B.
The Tavern is in a great location to our house - we frequent it during nights out drinking and always get great service. We've tried the restaurant a couple of times for the food and we've been pleased, but not overly impressed. It's a good American menu, a bit more exciting than just regular bar food, but nothing to write home about. The steak tip dinner is really good, but nothing else has ever been special. We were actually disappointed at their Sunday brunch - nothing seemed fresh on the buffet, etc. I basically have to agree with Frank G.: nothing amazing, but it 's great to have an American-style place nearby for when you really need it.
(3)
Abbey B.
I want to like Tavern, but I just can't get excited about it. For the most part, the waitresses seem to be huge bitches. Attitude about serving, hard to get their attention to order more booze. Food is a toss up. Kind of reminds me of the Cheesecake Factory--huge menu, but nothing's really memorable. For what you pay, it's not really worth it. But. The brunch buffet on Sundays is pretty sweet. All you can eat forsomething like $15? From eggs to French toast to salads to pasta to desserts, can't go wrong. Wouldn't order off the menu, though. Nothing is that impressive. Trivia night is always fun, even with the other dude bro teams that seem to frequent this place. Pitchers of beer, categories that aren't too hard, and a bunch of friends on a Tuesday is just fine by me. And sure, the outdoor patio is nice, I guess. Come on the weekend and expect a huge crowd of mostly Financial District-type people--definitely more of a Boston bar scene. Expect half-buttoned shirts and overly gelled hair on the guys.
(2)
Ari A.
I think these types of places are invented for people who really don't care what they are eating or maybe just want to get smashed and watch Television on A LOT of different screens. I hate places like this. Why do they even bother with food, it's like an afterthought it's SO bad. Do not go here unless you are one of the above mentioned people. (and now they have another location in Porter, unfortunately)
(1)
Henry P.
I wish I could give negative stars.... Went there (mistakenly) for the brunch, was the first and only time there. I haven't been there at nite, where I suppose the night life could be different, but I'm just gonna review their brunch. Everything looks sexy, but the key word here is "looks"...as the tastes were the opposite of secksie, just downright blah and omg I think this bill will be waaaaay more than it should be. You walk in thinking it'll be good food, but it really really sucks. It's all laid out nicely in silver platters, an omelette station, lots of fruit and desserts all over the place. It's all you can eat, but you will not want to eat at all.... You look around at the other guests, eager as they arrive, excited as they come back with their plates of colorful foods. Then you notice as they eat that their expressions turn from excited to slightly confused. Once they get into the 2 hour old pancakes, there's a sudden realization that they've made a mistake entering the door not knowing what this tragic brunch will cost them. Pretty much everything was not good...meh, I suppose the cut pineapples were good, but who the f- could possibly mess that up? The staff kinda sucked too. Alas, it ended up being about $20 per person. Worse brunch, ever....
(1)
Jessica R.
Some of our "friends" went here and it seemed pretty yuppyish, early 90's music playing and some trivia game.
(2)
Arik C.
This place used to be great when it was the "Good Life". Now its some wannabe upscale yuppie bar that has really crap for food and nothing that would make me want to hang out. Great decor if you like not seeing much, way too dark.
(2)
John D.
I'm surprised about the unimpressive reviews, but after reading MzLizz's, I can see why. I agree with her in that Tavern is yet another place with an identity crisis. I liked it a lot, and love the big screens, but at the same time, it's pretty ordinary and it does seem to be mixed up in terms of what kind of place it is. Is it upscale or ready to greet the college crowd? Still, I liked and I'd go back and thought it was slightly better than average. Deserves more 3.5 stars rather than 4.
(4)
J A.
THE "PINT" BEERS HERE ARE 12 OUNCES!!! Just a note. They come in regular, 23oz, an pitcher, and regular looks like a pint glass, but it's 12 oz, but the price is the same as for a pint anywhere else ($5 for a bass). And the veggie lettuce wraps are way lame, not nearly as good as pf changs. I gave 3 stars because I do like the atmosphere, the bartender is friendly, and such.
(3)
Kate I.
It's bipolar. The sports barish half is so loud it's like being inside a speaker at a Beyonce concert. At, like, happy hour time. Why the noise? Why? And the fancy bar half plays the TV so loud that the homeless guys across the street can catch the game. And the food is bland and basic. One bartender was pretty mean, and the other was pretty nice. No no, no no no, no.
(2)
Teju P.
I went here for Sunday brunch recently - it is fabulous for the price. So many options with breakfast, lunch, and dessert items. The omlet station can take a while if the place is busy, but my friend said his omlet was worth the wait.
(4)
Sara C.
I enjoyed the apps that I ordered (risotto balls are really good), although I didn't order dinner. This seemed like a good after-work bar, and I'll likely be there again, but if you're looking for great food and a more quiet atmosphere, look elsewhere.
(3)
Kenneth R.
I've been here several times for lunch. It's fine! The place was not very crowded during my visits. (I didn't show up during a World Cup match, however.) The sandwiches and salads were to my taste. Perfectly OK iced tea. I recommend the french fried sweet potatoes. There is a small supplement for this choice (when regular fries come with your meal); this supplement is in the high two-figures if you count in pennies. Friendly service.
(3)
Brian D.
Kudos for an absolutely outstanding job of being mediocre! HOORAH!! In all fairness, the jerk chicken tenders are A-OK with that sweet chutney sauce so you guys have that going on. Also, there are a few decent beers to chose from, so theres that too. But, what you don't have is any sort of real memorable character. No flare, no petting zoo, nothing to leave you saying 'holy crap, what a hole!' or 'holy crap what the bestest bar ever!'. No, it's more like 'yes, I went there - that is all'.
(3)
Tony P.
90's hip-hop is like crack to white suburban kids in their 20's. If that defines you, then this place is for you. Good beer, decent music., able to get a table without too much of a hassle. Right next to the T as well.
(4)
Tanya A.
This is a pretty standard place for me to go with friends for a late dinner or drinks, maybe after a workout or when we can't think of anyplace else to go. It gets a little noisy, but that's nothing to be surprised about when there are multiple TVs showing sports games throughout the bar. If you think of it as a "restaurant" you may end up annoyed by the noise and casual atmosphere. If you think of it as a sports bar, you'll be pleasantly surprised. The menu got revamped about a year or two ago, and since then I've really enjoyed the new foods. Ditto everyone else on the risotto fritters, they're excellent, though the truffle mac and cheese was a bit bland for my tastes. The Big Dig fries (waffle fries loaded with just about everything) are great to share with the table, but make sure there are at least four people or you'll overdose! Sometimes I'll just go for the chicken lettuce wrap appetizer as an entree-- it's definitely big enough for one, and feels healthier than the fried stuff. Beer selection's not bad, though I'm not really a connoisseur. Prices are reasonable for the quality, though they start getting higher if you order food that's less "bar-style" and more "restaurant-ish." I was underwhelmed with brunch, though I guess if you're hungry and don't want to spend too much, it's okay. The food was bland, eggs were overcooked, the glazed salmon was sickeningly sweet, and the high point of the meal was the fruit salad. Oh, and the mini-eclairs, which were clearly pre-frozen but nonetheless pretty decent. Don't even try the full-sized desserts, stick with the mini-pastries. Overall, I like the place, it's convenient, and I'll be eating there relatively often.
(3)
Cooper M.
I would do 3.5 stars if I could. It is a basic sportsish bar but a good looking one with better than average food. It is my friends' main hangout in Cambridge...so I go there too much but it is a good place for sports and food. While I am tired of this joint, I do enjoy their Sesame Chicken Salad. Need veggies sometimes.
(3)
Mary R.
I unfortunately left the Tavern wishing I had never walked in. On the first really hot evening of the year the AC was not on, making for a stuffy and uncomfortable environment inside. The wait for a table outside, although not too long, was longer than my starving stomach could handle, so we settled on seats at the bar. The meal was just not good. My salad, the seared tuna, was just mediocre. Although the tuna itself was cooked perfectly, the pistachio crust was bland and the greens that lay beneath were even worse. My husband's choice, the shrimp and basil pizza was no better. There was far too much oil, and you could barely taste the basil flakes. The spinach and artichoke dip was decent, but can't hold a candle to the dip at Cambridge Commons.
(2)
R.G. W.
I hate this place... the music playing over the PA is always too loud; the specialty beers are WAYYY over priced ($5 for a bottle of Harpoon Winter Warmer?? $8 for a bottle of Franziskaner Hefeweizen ?!); and ... well, that's all I have to say 'bout that.
(2)
Chinwe N.
I came here with a friend from out of town for brunch on a Sunday. The price was very good for the buffet selection. The ambiance was rowdy and young which worked well. This a solid place to come when you're looking for good value for the money.
(3)
John T.
Good ambience, friendly people but poor food. Very bland and under seasoned. Food doesn't match the price. Too bad... promising area.
(2)
Matt K.
Dear Robby. Yes, your job probably sucks, being the night manager at Tavern on the Square. Working every weekend night, having to deal with obnoxious drunk people who need to be kicked out before they throw up all over your nice clean floors. Sometimes that's going to cause some stress and even though you try to control it, your anger may be taken out on some people that don't deserve it. But how you acted last night was beyond rude, it was stupid and cost you and the Tavern some customers. But let's back track so you know exactly what happened from my point of view. Me and my girlfriend showed up an hour before game 3 of the World Series, we specifically asked for table that would have a view of the game, we even waited a few minutes to get that table. What we got was a table in the corner, but whatever, we could each see a separate TV, plus we could both see the big screen on the back wall. So, lets review, there was a TV directly behind my g/f that I was going to watch and the TV behind me. Now here's problem number one, the TV behind me wasn't showing the pre-game show yet, but when our waitress was asked, she informed us it would be turned to World Series when the game started and college football was only going to be on for a few more minutes. What ever, there was still the small TV I could see, and my g/f had a great view of the big screen. Our first order shows, up, your big plate of nachos. A huge plate I'll give you credit for that, and I honestly don't even mind the chips around the edges got a little burnt, it happens. Our food shows up a little earlier then we'd like as we're only halfway through the nachos, but let's be honest, you're going to be busy and trying to time everyone's orders gets screwy. I'm a cook I've seen it happen. My burger honestly was exactly what I was looking for, a perfect medium rare with two pieces of bacon on top, and the waffle fries...well yours are about the only waffle fries I like. My g/f liked her food just as much, even though one her steak tips was more burn then medium rare, but the rest were done correctly, so all is forgiven on the food front. We even went back to the nachos when we finished our meals, good stuff. About this time, it gets really busy, and because of the awkward seating arrangements where we were, when a large party was sat down next to us, they blocked our view of the big screen. So now out of the three TV's we could see when we sat down we can only see two, and one of them is not showing the world series. We ask the waitress when that TV will be turned to our beloved Sox, only to be informed that the game will no longer be shown on that TV. Effectively leaving my girlfriend with no way to watch the game. We debate changing seats every inning so that we can both take turns watching the game on the TV on the wall right above her seat, as silly as that sounds, but we both really wanted to be able to enjoy the game with some of our fellow locals while having a few drinks. It makes it more exciting that way, I'm sure you understand, your business thrives off of that type of thinking. But the idea of each of us only getting to watch half the game and switching seats every inning didn't sound as appealing to us as I'm sure it does to you. So we ask to speak to you dear Robby, manager of Tavern on the Square hoping to appeal to your reason, you are after all, wearing a baseball jersey, surely you'll be willing to accommodate us. This is where you screwed up; you came to our table with a body posture that can only be described as defensive ready to battle. Big mistake, never argue with my girlfriend, I've tried, it doesn't work. But she starts off polite enough mentioning how we came to watch the game and would really appreciate it if you would turn the one TV she can see to the baseball game. You quickly explain that every other TV in the bar is showing the Sox and we should be happy with that. She counters quickly that she can't see any of other TV's, the only TV she can see is the one she doesn't care about. She goes out of her way explaining this and offers to buy more food and drinks if that'll change your mindset. It doesn't, you quickly tap our table and leave telling us to enjoy the game. The game that we would have to take turns watching. So yes, we ended up leaving, debating to leave a tip at all for the waitress (we did by the way she did a great job even though you put her in one tough spot making her deal with us and the table next to us that made the exact same complaints) Good bye Robby. You may not remember me, but I'll sure remember you and the service you gave me when I visited Tavern on the Square.
(1)
Alison T.
Tavern is fast becoming a regular Sunday Brunch spot for me. The brunch is huge with make-your-own-omeletes and a large range of brunch and lunch options. The food is good, nothing to throw a party about but entirely edible. At times it isn't quite hot enough. I really love all the different food, which makes me feel like i'm getting my money's worth. The inside looks good and is still laidback. The waitstaff is attentive and friendly. I understand they have a good bar, although I have yet to sample anything. Once I was there when a game was one and the tvs were far too loud, but then again it is set up as a sports bar - every seat has a view of a screen.
(3)
Alyssa N.
After dinner at Match, a friend and I ventured over to Tavern in the Square in Cambridge, where yummy drinks and friendly bartenders awaited us. Even though there was a basketball game going on (which seemed to be a somewhat important one), we did not feel like we were in a sports bar. These sports fans were quite civilized, much to our enjoyment. I'm not opposed to getting excited over a big game, but some people take it to a scary level. I do not totally understand what the owners are trying to do with the Wish/Tavern setup. Wish seemed more like just another room in the place than a separate entity. However, I liked the drinks and can't wait to go back and try the food at Tavern in the Square. UPDATE: I've been back a few times and have decided that this reminds me of a fave bar that friends and I hung out at while in college in upstate NY, but a tad bit more upscale. And with a food menu that extends beyond chips and pretzels. The food is pretty good. I recommend the burgers, calamari, chicken sandwich with Brie (minus the onions, they overpower). Don't leave without trying the nacho app. Decent guac for a non-mexican place. Drinks here are consistently very good. I'd be here all the time, if it were closer to my house.
(4)
carol s.
Don't eat here. It might be OK for nachos, but avoid eating here for a meal. I had the worst pasta primavera I've ever encountered; I think the vegetables were canned then overcooked. They tasted bad and smelled worse. The "sauce" seemed like some cheap vinaigrette. Another member of our party got her entree cooked wrong--twice--before she gave up. The manager didn't really seem to care; he gave us a couple coupons but I don't think we'll be using them. On the positive side, our server was very nice and conscientious.
(1)
Ashley S.
I miss the Good Life being here. Please let no more bars like this enter Central Sq. Ever.
(1)
Kathleen D.
This is one of the many bars I find myself going to because my friends want to go there. They have high tables and stools. I like stools. They also serve beer in tall glasses, which is neat. The DJ on the weekends plays generic 94.5 hits. Sometimes locals wander in and want to talk to you about their relationship problems, sometimes random guys show up and assume you're a student at Harvard. It's OK. I'm only giving it two stars because in general I prefer the Phoenix Landing for dancing, and the Peoples Republic for chatting. Keep walking.
(2)
Katia M.
I liked the Good Life. I don't like the "Tavern." There's nothing special about it at all. Sure, the decor is pleasant and the food isn't bad, but it's just a bland place.
(3)
Ja H.
I've been to brunch a couple of time and think is ok. I think it's best for drinks at night.
(2)
Andrea D.
Very unimpressed with the service here. I went randomly during the week and sat at the bar with two friends and the place wasn't very crowded at all. I was amazed at how long it took the bartender to get us drinks. It seemed like he didn't even care that we were even there. Seriously is it that hard to pour a beer? I would have served myself if I could have. I haven't had the food, but they do have a nice little patio area outside which looks like a nice place to lunch at. I have no desire to go back because of the rudeness of the bartender that night. First impressions mean a lot to me and I didn't get a good vibe here.
(2)
Kelly L.
I've given this place a few tries: brunch, drinks, dinner. It didn't win me over though. Dinner was blah, brunch unimpressive, and generally the place just lacks character. They did however play a whole lot of old 80s and 90s music (Pharcyde anyone?) the last time I went there, if that appeals...
(2)
Gigi B.
I have been to Tavern in the Square in Central Square at least a dozen times since moving to Boston nearly three years ago. Overall my experiences have been positive and I enjoy eating and drinking there, but there is often spotty service and the quality of mixed drinks seems to have gone downhill. Recently our server did not come back for over 15 minutes after we had left cash for the bill and wanted changed; we ended up leaving and giving her a much larger tip than we wanted because we were so frustrated. On another occurrence, the night of the State of the Union address by the president, the bar proceeded to turn off the music and turn every television channel to the speech and have the audio over the speakers. Call me ignorant for only wanting to watch the highlights at home later that evening, but if I had wanted to watch the State of the Union address, I would have stayed at home. Overall Tavern in the Square is a good choice to meet friends for a burger, watch the game and catch up.
(3)
shary m.
This place only means one thing to me. Risotto fritters! They are the only thing that can get me through that door, past the hulking flat screens, past the clamor of the "upscale generic sports bar" vibe they've got going on. One bite of the fritties and everything goes away. Nuff said.
(3)
Sean E.
I guess I'll just add to the plethora of 3 star reviews here (and ones that probably decided to round up from 2.5). [Updated: Sorry, you're a 2 star affair.] As far as food goes the Tavern in the Square manages to succeed at middle of the road, chain-restaurant style appeasement. It's not good, but it's not bad. From what we had I can tell you that the salad was better than the (veggie) burger. I don't know if I can properly stress how much a good bun adds to a burger. At the Tavern you're getting a cold, yellow, tasteless, seemingly a couple-days-old as it fell apart in my hands, bun. No matter how good the actual burger is -- I mean, I wouldn't even call this thing bread -- I'd rather it were served on a couple slices of wheat or even white bread. The onion strings stood up ok but they'd be much better if they had some crunch and weren't as limp. And the salad was the winner with some greens that had a good snap to them and fresh tasting ingredients -- even though they skimped a bit on the avacado and feta that were supposed to be the starring items. The place itself has more than a couple identity issues. They keep the lights on low, but the volume up high (we were yelling at each other from across a tiny table), and the design of the place is saying we have a touch of class but the use of multiple flat screens and bad music is saying I want to be a sports bar. Maybe this is the destination to check out a Red Sox/Patriots game in Central Square? If you can find a spot, I'd recommend sticking to the bar area on the left and coming on a full stomach. They have a decent obligatory section on their beer list of stuff besides your big 3. But if you're just looking for hitting a bar for some drinks there's many a better option in the area.
The Tavern is a really fun place to hang out especially on saturday nights. The food is great and the staff are super friendly. What I like best os the lack of "goons" that you normally find in these types of bars and instead it holds a certain sophistication and is not at all messy. The tavern has quickly become my regular Saturday night spot.
(5)
Tez C.
Overpriced and our waitress was horrid. We had a huge group of us and so we wanted to buy our drinks separately at the bar, but she told us we could only order from her. She was a real wench about it. They had a Miller Light special which was cheap but otherwise it's a normal bar. Pretty big but a much older crowd I would say. Nothing to get too worked up about.
(2)
M. Deloris D.
I had stopped through here a number of times for libations. Based on that alone I would have given this place 3 stars. That was until I ate brunch here and was convinced never to return. The eggs were terrible, overdone, rubbery and the food at the brunch buffet kept running out (after I tried nearly everything and could not find the saving grace of the spread I don't understand why.) The only good thing about brunch was the mimosa. I think I paid nearly 17 dollars just to eat. NEVER AGAIN!
(1)
Holly M.
I enjoyed the scene and the brews. A great time was had on the friday night that I visited. Someone next to us order the food and it looked like decent pub type food. He seemed to enjoy it. The atmosphere was fun and hearty, exactly what I would expect from this Cambridge joint.
(3)
Roshni R.
yuck! totally overpriced for extremely mediocre food. service was ridiculously slow. even though you are technically supposed to be seated by the waitstaff, we had to wander around for 10minutes, find ourselves a table, and tell the bartender where we were seated before a waitress actually showed up. frankly i want only to give it 2 stars, but i came here with the ex for lunch on our first one-on-one outing in 2yrs, and the unbearable wait made us tired and cranky enough to get our squabbling over with before the meal actually began, so by the time we had food and a couple beers in our systems, we remembered why we're friends to begin with and went our (separate) merry ways. so i suppose the tavern served its purpose, and that deserves a third star ;).
(3)
Lakay C.
I've enjoyed just about everything I've eaten here. I've also always had good service. I give it a three stars though because it lacks originality and spunk. I've never had a bad time here but I've also never had a really great time. It's just generic.
(3)
Jillian M.
This place is simple with good solid food with plenty of options, good drinks, good atmosphere, really good service and plenty of tvs to watch the games on. No gimmicks or any of that... just really really good, anytime.
(5)
Mags L.
i don't mind this place. we go on occasion after tae kwon do and it serves a decent calamari. it was also nice during the summertime to have the option of sitting out in the "patio" area. never eaten dinner here, but have had decent peach martinis and mango margaritas (i'm a girly-drink drunk). i think it's hilarious that there's a "dj" booth. i think the person up there is playing cd's, but i've never taken a close look. she/he/whoever (again a close look was not taken) always seems to be playing a hit or miss selection of hip hop. thank goodness for the martinis. it's a good spot to hit up if you're interested in meeting men who feel no shame enjoying a nice cold smirnoff ice (ain't nothing wrong w/that). update: shots of ketel one were lukewarm. lukewarm! how can you do a shot of vodka that's not freezing cold. had to bump down the stars. :( i'd like to get drunk in as pleasant manner as possible.
(2)
Ellie L.
I scorned its yuppy looking exterior at first, thinking it belonged in Harvard, not Central, square. It's definitely a collar-popped bar, but the food is surprisingly good. I got some variation of an asian chicken salad, which has become a standard bar menu item as of late, but it surprised me with just how huge and fresh it was. a bunch of screens playing different sporting events kept everyones eyes everywhere but each other, and the music is far from subtle, but isn't that what taverns are supposed to be like? nice beer selection to boot.
(3)
Trish F.
Boston doesn't really have that many buffets...so I get kind of excited when I find one. For some reason, I thought that the food was a little better when I first started going here over a year ago. The service improved slightly. The omelet cook was nice and they actually remembered to bring me my omelet this time (seriously forgot all about me two times before and then acted like it was my fault for placing the order correctly and not hmphing louder when I didn't get my food in a timely manner). The spread just seemed old. The eggs benedict had burnt edges and the pasta had a weird taste to it. I did like their seasoned home fries and the chicken that was in the chicken parm. The cakes they had were pretty delicious too. It generally is a good mix of breakfast and lunch: pastas, salad, eggs, sausage, bacon, salmon, potatoes - mashed and home fries, wings, croissants, bagels, muffins, fruit.. OH! Something incredibly bothersome. The chocolate sprinkles tasted funny (sad sad ice cream). C'mon man.. what are you trying to do to a girl? Didn't they read my Yelp thread about my love of ice cream? They do have outdoor seating which is a huge plus in the spring/summer. And they don't seem to have a time limit.. so if you have a couple hours and want to get your $15.95's worth you can hang out for a bit.
(3)
Amie R.
Seems ilke a pretty cool place -- albeit a tad pricey. I really liked the atmosphere here, and the had a ton of drink specialties. Definitely a "nicer" place for the area. Haven't eaten here yet, but would like to try their food!
(3)
erin e.
Reminds me a LOT of Temple Bar in between Harvard and Porter Squares. Upscale American/Pub food. Casual. Good to go get drinks and hang out in Central. Don't think I'd want to "make a night of it" here, nor would I ever really plan on going here, but it's a nice place if you're in the area and need a place to stop in for food. Don't go to Wish.
(3)
Jess P.
Tavern started out with 5 stars because they spent months rehabbing the old Good Life and I figured we had to be waiting for something good. Minus one star for the limp, soul-less "fancy-Irish-pub-in-Boston" atmosphere. One more star lost for the puddles of puke you'll have to avoid on the sidewalk just outside the door as you try to leave on a weekend night. Last star lost for having really overpriced weekend brunch, middling food and for getting my hopes up. Two stars remain because it's convenient, close to T, and the biggest bar in Central - if you get sick of mushing up against lots of people in Enormous room, the Field, Middlesex, River Gods etc.
(2)
Rebecca Y.
Central's Square new answer to Good Life (literally, it is in the same spot). Good nachos, fun drinks and quite a night spot. We were there just as it opened and were very happy with the service and the food. We even talked to the manager for awhile and gave him some feedback on the menu. Just don't go next store to Wish - these guys should stick with the bar food at Tavern.
(3)
Karen D.
The biggest pluses for this place is that you can sit outside and they have Franzikaner beer. I went with 3 friends on a Saturday late afternoon for some appetizers and drinks. The server said that the fried clam appetizers were big enough to share and they definitely weren't. I got the Angry Shrimp which were very good and had a nice presentation. The best value was the buffalo calalmari. It didn't have a lot of batter and was actually big enough to share. The service was kind of lousy. The waitress asked if we wanted more drinks and one person said "no" and I said "yes" and she walked away. I asked for the beer menu and by the time I got it and got her attention to order, everyone at my table was done, so I didn't bother. My friends with the clams were going to order some more food, but the service was so slow, the didn't want to. It took us a really long time to get the check. I would go there again mostly to sit outside and have a beer, but not when I have to be anywhere after.
(3)
rishi h.
Eh. Maybe I'd come here more often if I was really dedicated to being a young professional. Not really my kinda place but I've stopped by for a drink often and recent enough to get a feel for it. Nothing extraordinary happening here. It's pretty busy on the weekends. Expect a young crowd dressed like they're out to get laid but might be seen earlier taking their parents out to dinner in the same attire.
(3)
Kabir H.
Holy shit, they've got a patio! You can drink outside in Central Sq. now!
(3)
Macall Z.
What changed??? I used to live near the tavern and would go there quite often. It wasn't anything particularly spectacular, but it had some good comfort food. I went back and noticed that the menu looked different. The food was plain horrible. I thought maybe it was just a bad day, so I went back. Again, almost inedible. However, there has always been a great beer selection.
(2)
Greg L.
This restaurant doesn't really belong in central square. I feel bad about the fact that I patronize it. I give it three stars instead of one because they show a ton of NFL games on Sunday and their buffalo chicken pizza is ridiculously good. Other than that, it needs become the tavern in some other square.
(3)
Kevin C.
Great Place to watch sporting events as there are plenty of televisions spread out throughout to allow one to watch multiple events. Food is good, with the steak tips as a favorite. Only downfall is the service could be better as you may find yourself waiting a long time for menus, food and maybe even getting drinks at the bar yourself as the staff can not accommodate the hectic atmosphere.
(3)
Tom v.
Lousy food, a smug manager, and....... a rat. Went there for the first and last time with an out of town guest. Music was insipid and loud, so we asked for a quiet table, were shown to one at the back of the restaurant, and still had to yell at each other. The waitress was nice and attentive, but the spinach/artichoke dip consisted of a stringy garlicky glop that reminded me of half-dried elmer's glue with lumps in it. The sangrias were mediocre at best. Our main course had just arrived, when my friend spotted a rat at our feet. The rat zig-zagged around underneath our table, and then made its way through the shadows towards the table where other diners were. We put down our forks, and glumly looked at our plates. Our waitress soon came, and asked what was wrong. She politely apologized when we told her the reason for our sudden loss of appetite, but she did not seem surprised, and indeed indicated that previous incidents like this had taken place. She told us she would get the manager to handle the situation. The manager was completely different from the waitress... smug, annoying and totally unapologetic. He explained to us that this was, after all, Central Square, and that rats were a part of daily life in Cambrige. Really? I didn't know that, after nearly 2 decades of living in Cambridge. I mean, I'd never enountered a rat at my feet before in any restaurant during all those years! The manager then grandly proclaimed that our drinks would be on the house, and assured us that "we run a clean establishment here." How very reassuring. The waitress, when she collected our money for our uneaten meal, was once more apologetic, and asked if the manager's settlement were satisfactory. I politely shook my head, we paid for the food and left. The Cambridge health department will be notified tomorrow morning.
(1)
Rina R.
This new place, alongside Wish, is a new favorite. You shouldn't miss their FANTASTIC brunch on the weekends. Inexpensive, but with many, many great options. Lots of fresh fruit, fancy little tarts and desserts, even a little ice cream bar, in addition to the usual breakfast options. Go there this weekend! Or, actually, don't so that when I go I'll be able to get a table!
(5)
sean m.
This place has awful food for a lot of money. The only good thing it has going is the TVs for watching baseball. Don't waste your time or money if you are looking for a good place to eat. There are plenty of great choices in Central Square.
(2)
Jenna H.
My good friend had her going away party here last night. The place was packed but I think that was a combination of the Red Sox game and the fact that this is immediately outside the Central Square T stop, so easy access from pretty much anywhere in the area. We were lucky enough to get a nice git bar table (although it had a post right in the middle of it) and have some fries and drinks. The red sangria that I had was sub-par, but some of the other drinks (the dark and stormy and the cosmo) were delicious. The service was decent and the atmosphere was definitely fun. I didn't eat the food, but it looked good and they had a cute patio out front for summer seating.
(3)
I D.
The food here is edible. You wont die from it, but you wont be getting a good meal either. I've eaten here a few times and the food is just bland! My sesame chicken was tasteless. The lunch time waitress wasn't so pleasant and was pretty slow!
(2)
Abigail B.
i had an appointment in central square... since my pop lives down there we decided to meet for brunch... it was a toss up between sticking with an old standard (brookline lunch) that we both know and love... and trying something new (tavern in the square)... and in the back of my mind i'm thinking... 'breakfast is easy... like you'd really have to make a concerted effort to make breakfast NOT TASTE GOOD' thesis... disproved. the potatoes were really mealy and starchy (okay i know potatoes are a starch but there's ways of cooking them so they don't have the texture of an apple from the produce section of a market basket)... and they were seasoned with i think paprika only... which is weird... the omelet looked like it was made with one of those 'shazam and it's done!' things you see on infomercials... (it had an unnatural shape and texture) and had absolutely NO TASTE... which is weird because eggs should have a flavor even if you don't season them... so somehow they managed to extract any natural flavor and then not add any... it's a bum out because i've heard this place is decent for dinner... but now i think i'm too scared to try it... even my dad was like 'wow that place was less than mediocre' and he'll eat anything...
(1)
Peter P.
Good, if you like commercial bars with no character. The service is always good, but being a bar manager I can see it is because it is way overstaffed. Over staffing means no one makes any money, typical corporate attitude. Not a bad place to watch sports, but honestly, I would rather get take out, some beer, and sit on my couch with friends. Nothing special here. Good selection of random beer.
(2)
Greg S.
Ok, this is just me taking pleasure in the simple things. My favorite thing here was not that it was a Sunday and we were the only people in the bar, or the fact that the bartender had a coaster fight with the bus boy and the waitresses or the mac and cheese which was really good, it was that it was my first encounter with the Xlerator hand dryer, I mean this thing actually blows, er I mean dries. So it actually moves the skin on your hand, it's like a wind tunnel, if every hand dryer was like this one we wouldn't need hand towels. I want to buy one of these for my home someday, sorry for being enamored by a hand dryer!
(3)
Jessica E.
I can definitely see what other reviewers mean by saying the Tavern is trying to bee all things to all people. I want to like the place- they're trying, which says a lot compared to other places in Central Square. But they need to find a few things to specialize in. Until then, I won't be back.
(3)
Joe R.
I may be biased as TOTSq is just a few blocks from my place, but I was quite impressed with it. The bartenders at both bars (Wish and Tavern on the Square) were startlingly kind, the atmosphere cool & relaxed, and the crowd unpretentious (which says a lot for Cambridge). It'll be a new hangout for me...
(4)
K L.
Went here for lunch...really bad service and so-so food
(2)
Jenny P.
I went to this restaurant/bar to watch Game 3 of the World Series (Boston vs Colorado). Before being seated by the hostess, I asked if I would be able to see the game from the table and she said yes. I sat with my back to the wall and could see the big screen, which I could see as long as there were not people standing at the high top table to my right and the game was on; however, the television that was straight in front of me had on college footbal, Penn State vs Ohio State. Now I am a diehard Penn State football fan, but this is game 3 of the world series and Boston is in it. I asked the waitress if they are going to change the channel once the game started and she said yes. Once the game started, the television still had on the football game. I asked the waitress again if the channel could be changed and she said no. Both myself and the table next to me asked to speak with the manager. The manager came over in a Boston Red Sox uniform, for Halloween, and his name was Robbie. The first question we asked was if he is a Red Sox fan and he said yes. We asked why one of the televisions in the main dining room and bar had on college footbal and the best answer we could get was, "because I am the manager and I say so." Not only did we get an answer that did not explain his reasoning, but he was the definition of arrogant, biligerent and displaying "short man syndrome." I understand there are people that would like to watch both games, but there is a small bar with televisions on the other side that could have displayed the game. The manager continued to say there were two televisions within view that had the game on and he was not going to do anything.
(1)
amanda n.
I've been here now two times to eat and once for drinks on a Saturday night. Not a lot I remember about the food except that the first dinner experience was extremely slow. We waited forever for our entrees. The thing I really don't understand about Tavern in the Square is why in the world the music has to be so LOUD. I hate having to yell to the person next to me. Lots of flat screens all over. I guess that's a good thing if you don't want to miss the game.
(2)
Lisa I.
I went to Tavern in the Square for a friend's birthday dinner, and I had a good time! It seems that everyone in our party enjoyed their food and drinks. I had a salad with nuts, dried cherries, and fancy cheese, and it was delicious! They have a big TV in the back of the bar area for watching sports. This place has a great combination of casual atmosphere and classy surroundings (think dim lights and dark wood).
(4)
R P.
I have to say that when I am in Cambridge (which if often) i find myself at two places, the Asgard and Tavern in the Square. If you like good food at good prices, awesome selection of beers, friendly diverse crowd and fun friendly servers then the Tavern is the place is for you. They always have a way of making me feel special and at home when I go there. There's also no better place to be during a Red Sox or Patriots game. I have always had a good meal at the Tavern and especially like the imagination they use when creating new dishes. I would recommend Tavern in the Square to anybody.
(5)
Amy B.
Was here yet again for drinks after work with co-workers. This place wouldn't be my choice if I was doing the organizing. On the way in the door last night a co-worker commented that she has never really enjoyed any of the drinks she has ordered here. I decided to try their red sangria last night and all I can say is YUCK-O. It tasted like cheap red wine with some fruit floating in it. There was no sweetness what-so-ever. I have to admit, I find the scene here to be decent, the place is set up well and our large group of post work drinkers is usually accommodated well. I do agree with other reviewers that the food isn't very great. I have had a number of the appetizers and I would have to admit that most of them are pretty lacking in the flavor department. My recommendation is to stick with beer when at the Tavern and when you get hungry head across the street to Picantes for something good to eat.
(3)
Ashley M.
friendly staff, great bar to hang out... but i have to disagree with the rest of you about the food... its really just not impressive.
(4)
Masmin P.
I'm surprised at all the bad reviews that this place is getting. Are we talking about the same place? I'm not a beer drinker so I can't comment on the price/ menu selection there, but I often go there for my regular sports bar lunch and dinner fare. The steak tips are my favorite (have the sweet potato fries as a side); fish and chips are a close second. I had the turkey version of the meat loaf recently and it was surprisingly tasty, esp. with the apple-tomato relish. The burgers are great, I absolutely love the chicken lettuce wraps; but the buffalo wings and calamari are about average. My husband likes it there because he can still keep an eye on the Red Sox games as we're eating. The Tavern offers a Lunch Box menu of selected dishes which are a little cheaper than on the regular menu, so it makes for a good lunch spot. It's usually busy in the evenings, so I can understand if the service staff can't always come around to your table, but they're generally attentive and friendly. I keep going back and the friends I've brought there have enjoyed it too, so I guess I don't have too many complaints!
(4)
Maryn H.
Nothing spectacular. They do have nice outdoor seating though, and the waitress who helped us was really funny and cute.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Street Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Music : Background Good For Dancing : No Alcohol : Full Bar Happy Hour : No Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat Coat Check : No Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
Bryanne R.
GREAT food. Awesome pork chops with cranberries. They're priced in the teens - which is what you'd expect from a place like the Tavern. OKAY service - maybe we just had a wacky guy... CRAPPY acoustics....could hardly hear across the table. We ended up sitting next to each other. And since others are yelling across their dinners so loud you can also enjoy their conversations if there is a lull in yours. I'd go back for the food, because it was a pretty cool place.
(4)Bruce B.
From all the blasts that it got i'll say it was alright. I just went for drinks cause we were intersted in checking out the trivia. Tap selection was pretty average, they did seem to have a pretty solid bottle selection though. Bar staff was great, we got our first 2 on the house cause the keg tapped out on our pours. So all in all I've got no complaints. It's not close enough to be a place that i'll become a regular, but it was good enough to meet friends at.
(3)Vanessa M.
This place is very loud to say the least, but what should I expect from a place called "The Tavern?" The Sunday brunch was uber expensive though it looks good, it taste bland and stale. They can't seem to keep the same staff around and the only reason I have eaten here more than once is because there was nothing else close by that was open.
(3)Liz H.
i like this place, but its nothing special. went for a couple of sox games this fall and it was stupidly crowded, but they have enough TVs (including a big projector screen) that everyone could at least watch the action. food is decent but not great, service about the same. they do have a good relatively expansive beer list from what i remember. standard sports bar with a cambridge crowd.
(3)Liz D.
Fried Pickles, Avacado and Feta Salad, and White Truffle Mac & Cheese are my favorites there. Plus they have Sea Dog Blueberry Ale on tap. I've only been to the brunch once and it wasn't great but I've heard they have a new brunch menu now, so it may be better.
(4)Sun Y.
NO. tavern, you are not special.
(2)A V.
Food is decent. Beer selection is good. Ton's of TVs for NFL sundays. Great place to watch every single game that's on.
(4)David L.
Last night I dined at their Central Sq location and it was pretty bad from the moment I sat down at the bar . First, the bar area was dirty w/ beer puddles and food droppings from the previous diner, and that's understandable, yet it stayed that way for far too long. It was only upon my request after sitting there for a while that I was able to motivate my Asian American woman bartender/server to wipe it down . I actually waited for a good while to see if she would take it upon herself to wipe it but noooo, even though she was just standing there "shooting the shit" w/ a coworker. So, when I asked her for a cloth so I could wipe it she kind of gave me a snotty look like I was bothering her. This should have told me right away, upfront that I was in the wrong place to enjoy a good comfortable dinner tonight. I started w/ a martini and I also ordered the $10 crab cakes as an appetizer. The martini was ok but the crab cakes were served room temperature cold and tasted like flavorless sawdust filled with something or other, I haven't a clue. It certainly didn't taste like crab, that's for sure! Even the dippin mustard was flavorless. It was definitely a wrong pick on my part and I should've sent them back, but I was really, really hungry as I had only had breakfast that morning so I regrettably tolerated it. Not once did she ask me how my appetizer was nor did she offer me water or even a roll w/ budda. Doesn't she know that good service = good tips, I thought? I guess not! I also felt quite rushed because she pressured me to hurry up and place my order while I was eating my cold "so called" crab cakes. Plus, to make things even worse, the TV's were loud, playing blaring commercials over and over. Man, great ambiance huh? I hate listening to loud commercials especially when I'm eating in a public place. Furthermore, I also hate it when the bartender asks for my credit card upon sitting down when I intend to pay cash for my order at the end of my meal. We, as customers and patrons, have got to rebel against this totally rude and insulting request which more and more restaurants are starting to do these days. They have a lot of balls in my opinion! This IS INDEED an insult because, and correct me if I'm wrong, but what it implies to me is that they fear that I, the customer, will possibly,or intentionally walk out w/out paying. Am I interpreting this wrong or an I not alone in this matter? That's how (I) read it anyway. And, if this is how we are welcomed as customers than obviously Tavern On The Square is a "NO CLASS OUTFIT". Well.. all the consumer has to do at this point when this happens, here or anywhere else for that matter, who also makes this rude request, is to bluntly say NO I will NOT give you my credit card, which is what I did say on this night, and they very hesitantly agreed ...... so it's that simple my readers! And... if they don't agree than tell them to fuck off and just walk out. Fortunately, I didn't have to take it this far on this particular night but if everyone did this than undoubtedly they would stop asking us this incredibly insulting request, right? By the way, the tip percentage goes WAY down should this credit card issue come up PRIOR TO ORDERING THE MEAL. There must be consequences for them practicing this impolite, unsociable, inappropriate and BAD BUSINESS behavior ! To continue on with this nightmare, for my meal I ordered " the combo", the most expensive meal on the menu at $21. This was a mix of steak tips, grilled shrimp and barbecued chicken. Again my meal came out room temperature light warm. The tips had a lot of gristle on them and in fact, two of the steak tips I was unable to consume because that's all they were was fat gristle. The shrimps were tasteless, very dry and rubbery like they sat previously cooked on the side of the grill for far too long. The chicken was just ok but again cold, dry and flavorless. I felt like I was eating in a cheap second hand mall restaurant. The BEST thing about this meal though was the cole slaw on the side, it was good but.... isn't this a shame? Seems more like a scam to me at $21 when the best item on the plate is the cole slaw. The bill was $40 and I certainly WASN'T going to tip the standard 20% due to the shitty service and the crappy meal so I left a "fin" ($5) for a tip...and even that was too much. I should've left a dime in order to make my point even more clear. I ASSURE YOU I WILL NEVER GO TO THIS PLACE AGAIN if I can help it Incidentally, this was my second dining experience there and the first time also sucked. I chose to not write a review after my first visit to generously give them a second chance to redeem themselves...but now I know. There are some great bars & restaurants in the cities of Boston, Cambridge and Somerville however, in my view, the Tavern On The Square located in Central Sq. Cambridge is certainly NOT one of them! My recommendation therefore is to DEFINATELY GO SOMEWHERE ELS
(1)Josh O.
I always thought this place was a really expensive bar and so never went there. But tonight we ended up here after discovering that The Field was just way too crowded. There isn't really anything about this place that makes it great, but they had a beer special of $4.50 for 23 oz. of Miller High Life or Miller Lite. Can't really complain about that. I didn't try the food, but I had a good time here.
(3)Lindsay D.
I don't care how busy a bar is, it should never take more than 20 minutes to get a beer at a table after work. The waitstaff was incredibly slow and didn't seem as if they could be bothered to put a little pep in their steps. The food, when we finally recieved it, was extremely good - risotto fritters with a tomato cream sauce were unexpectedly mild in flavor and the goat cheese, arugula, and leek pizza was phenomenal. Defintely a great place to go with co-workers to unwind after a busy week... just make sure that you order another beer halfway through your first to ensure you're never without a drink. EDIT: This place has become my work group's Thursday night bar of choice. Service has gotten way better, quite possibly because we're regulars and they know we'll leave if our glasses stay empty for too long. Burger-type food is meh - if you're going to eat here steer clear of the sandwich section and check out the appetizers. Spinach dip and risotto fritters are decent and for all you squid eaters out there, the calamari looked pretty decent too.
(4)Jane D.
great food, great staff, lots of TVs and they are willing to put on any game you request. kinda pricey but the portions are HUGE
(4)Colin N.
I lump Tavern In The Square (TITS) in with a few other restaurants in Central Sq. Au Bon Pain, Wendy's, McDonalds. I want to tell you how much I love TITS because it would make my review funnier. I would be lying. TITS reminds me of eating chalk. Tasteless, boring and unfulfilling. Shame on you TITS.
(2)Jennifer B.
This is one of those places where I feel like I die a little inside walking in but can't seem to stop doing it. Tavern in the Square is just a little too reliable and convenient, despite having no real character and being very crowded, for those near Central not to patronize it. The food I've had was actually good and not Bar Food (TM). Beers are fine, as is service. The giant screens also make it good for game watching. I think we all realize that large crowded sportsbars are probably a necessary evil, and you could certainly do worse than this place. A great option in central if you want to go to "just a bar."
(3)molly f.
Minus the great outside seating this place has to offer, I was underwhelmed. Stopped by for a quick lunch & ordered what I was hoping would be a tasty salad. Don't get me wrong, the salad wasn't BAD itself...but the moldy goat cheese it was topped with was pretty raunchy. One bite of that & I'd had enough...The manager was very gracious, as was my waitress, but I decided to finish my iced tea & not gamble another iffy dish. Next time I go there I think I'll stick to beverages and bar food.
(2)Doctor F.
had a few beers and watched the game. everything was ok. standard boston bro bar vibe. it seems to be part bro-sports bar / part "good" restaurant which i have never seen before. kind of strange to me. this has nothing to do with the tv or beer quality which were fine...but i find it depressing that everywhere i look i see one of these places popping up. boston/cambridge is being overrun with chain stores. now chain bar/restaurants? believe it or not, this city has not ever had that - chains like houlijans and fridays may have had one store...but not many all over town. soon, this city will be nothing but chipoltles, taverns, dunkin donuts and starbucks pretty soon. any one else find this sad? i try to support mom-and-pop spots (if they are quality) for the obvious reasons. it would be cool if the owners of this place would at least use different names at their different locations...i guess people like to go cookie cutter spots??? or maybe there just aren't any better options in this town? i was away from boston for 15 years and was honestly surprised to see this place all over town. i can't help being a bit depressed when i see these giant bar/restaurant chains all this city. boring.
(2)Anna F.
This review is only for their brunch, which I have been to on several occasions and enjoyed thoroughly. $15 isn't bad for all you can eat with a carving station and omelets made to order. You can conceivably eat pretty healthy if you stick to the fruit, yogurt, granola and some of their lunch fare- fish and grilled veggies. Overall, it's pretty decadent with eggs Benedict, grilled ham, and an assortment of chocolate cakes and mini parties. There is even an ice cream bar! Something for everyone. While their service is often lacking, the best thing about a buffet brunch is that you can serve yourself. I wish they'd turn off the sports just for brunch... that's my main complaint.
(4)amy g.
I think it's mostly over-priced for the average American cuisine it offers... BUT By far, BEST nachos with chili I have ever had.
(3)Amanda G.
Good place to grab some drinks or food when you want to watch the game on the many options of TVs. I ordered a really good salad, but loved the Mac N Cheese my "friend" got. Go for the comfort food! It's a pretty big place with a long bar and lots of tables. I tend to enjoy a smaller, more cozy type of place, but definitely a good sports bar/restaurant.
(3)Micaela L.
I've only ever come here at night (i.e. not to eat), so I can't comment on that aspect, but otherwise Tavern is a pretty typical sports bar. It was pleasant enough when I was there, but not exactly memorable and fairly crowded to boot.
(3)Chinwe N.
I came here with a friend from out of town for brunch on a Sunday. The price was very good for the buffet selection. The ambiance was rowdy and young which worked well. This a solid place to come when you're looking for good value for the money.
(3)Kenneth R.
I've been here several times for lunch. It's fine! The place was not very crowded during my visits. (I didn't show up during a World Cup match, however.) The sandwiches and salads were to my taste. Perfectly OK iced tea. I recommend the french fried sweet potatoes. There is a small supplement for this choice (when regular fries come with your meal); this supplement is in the high two-figures if you count in pennies. Friendly service.
(3)Brian D.
Kudos for an absolutely outstanding job of being mediocre! HOORAH!! In all fairness, the jerk chicken tenders are A-OK with that sweet chutney sauce so you guys have that going on. Also, there are a few decent beers to chose from, so theres that too. But, what you don't have is any sort of real memorable character. No flare, no petting zoo, nothing to leave you saying 'holy crap, what a hole!' or 'holy crap what the bestest bar ever!'. No, it's more like 'yes, I went there - that is all'.
(3)Tony P.
90's hip-hop is like crack to white suburban kids in their 20's. If that defines you, then this place is for you. Good beer, decent music., able to get a table without too much of a hassle. Right next to the T as well.
(4)John T.
Good ambience, friendly people but poor food. Very bland and under seasoned. Food doesn't match the price. Too bad... promising area.
(2)Matt K.
Dear Robby. Yes, your job probably sucks, being the night manager at Tavern on the Square. Working every weekend night, having to deal with obnoxious drunk people who need to be kicked out before they throw up all over your nice clean floors. Sometimes that's going to cause some stress and even though you try to control it, your anger may be taken out on some people that don't deserve it. But how you acted last night was beyond rude, it was stupid and cost you and the Tavern some customers. But let's back track so you know exactly what happened from my point of view. Me and my girlfriend showed up an hour before game 3 of the World Series, we specifically asked for table that would have a view of the game, we even waited a few minutes to get that table. What we got was a table in the corner, but whatever, we could each see a separate TV, plus we could both see the big screen on the back wall. So, lets review, there was a TV directly behind my g/f that I was going to watch and the TV behind me. Now here's problem number one, the TV behind me wasn't showing the pre-game show yet, but when our waitress was asked, she informed us it would be turned to World Series when the game started and college football was only going to be on for a few more minutes. What ever, there was still the small TV I could see, and my g/f had a great view of the big screen. Our first order shows, up, your big plate of nachos. A huge plate I'll give you credit for that, and I honestly don't even mind the chips around the edges got a little burnt, it happens. Our food shows up a little earlier then we'd like as we're only halfway through the nachos, but let's be honest, you're going to be busy and trying to time everyone's orders gets screwy. I'm a cook I've seen it happen. My burger honestly was exactly what I was looking for, a perfect medium rare with two pieces of bacon on top, and the waffle fries...well yours are about the only waffle fries I like. My g/f liked her food just as much, even though one her steak tips was more burn then medium rare, but the rest were done correctly, so all is forgiven on the food front. We even went back to the nachos when we finished our meals, good stuff. About this time, it gets really busy, and because of the awkward seating arrangements where we were, when a large party was sat down next to us, they blocked our view of the big screen. So now out of the three TV's we could see when we sat down we can only see two, and one of them is not showing the world series. We ask the waitress when that TV will be turned to our beloved Sox, only to be informed that the game will no longer be shown on that TV. Effectively leaving my girlfriend with no way to watch the game. We debate changing seats every inning so that we can both take turns watching the game on the TV on the wall right above her seat, as silly as that sounds, but we both really wanted to be able to enjoy the game with some of our fellow locals while having a few drinks. It makes it more exciting that way, I'm sure you understand, your business thrives off of that type of thinking. But the idea of each of us only getting to watch half the game and switching seats every inning didn't sound as appealing to us as I'm sure it does to you. So we ask to speak to you dear Robby, manager of Tavern on the Square hoping to appeal to your reason, you are after all, wearing a baseball jersey, surely you'll be willing to accommodate us. This is where you screwed up; you came to our table with a body posture that can only be described as defensive ready to battle. Big mistake, never argue with my girlfriend, I've tried, it doesn't work. But she starts off polite enough mentioning how we came to watch the game and would really appreciate it if you would turn the one TV she can see to the baseball game. You quickly explain that every other TV in the bar is showing the Sox and we should be happy with that. She counters quickly that she can't see any of other TV's, the only TV she can see is the one she doesn't care about. She goes out of her way explaining this and offers to buy more food and drinks if that'll change your mindset. It doesn't, you quickly tap our table and leave telling us to enjoy the game. The game that we would have to take turns watching. So yes, we ended up leaving, debating to leave a tip at all for the waitress (we did by the way she did a great job even though you put her in one tough spot making her deal with us and the table next to us that made the exact same complaints) Good bye Robby. You may not remember me, but I'll sure remember you and the service you gave me when I visited Tavern on the Square.
(1)Alison T.
Tavern is fast becoming a regular Sunday Brunch spot for me. The brunch is huge with make-your-own-omeletes and a large range of brunch and lunch options. The food is good, nothing to throw a party about but entirely edible. At times it isn't quite hot enough. I really love all the different food, which makes me feel like i'm getting my money's worth. The inside looks good and is still laidback. The waitstaff is attentive and friendly. I understand they have a good bar, although I have yet to sample anything. Once I was there when a game was one and the tvs were far too loud, but then again it is set up as a sports bar - every seat has a view of a screen.
(3)J A.
THE "PINT" BEERS HERE ARE 12 OUNCES!!! Just a note. They come in regular, 23oz, an pitcher, and regular looks like a pint glass, but it's 12 oz, but the price is the same as for a pint anywhere else ($5 for a bass). And the veggie lettuce wraps are way lame, not nearly as good as pf changs. I gave 3 stars because I do like the atmosphere, the bartender is friendly, and such.
(3)Kate I.
It's bipolar. The sports barish half is so loud it's like being inside a speaker at a Beyonce concert. At, like, happy hour time. Why the noise? Why? And the fancy bar half plays the TV so loud that the homeless guys across the street can catch the game. And the food is bland and basic. One bartender was pretty mean, and the other was pretty nice. No no, no no no, no.
(2)Alyssa N.
After dinner at Match, a friend and I ventured over to Tavern in the Square in Cambridge, where yummy drinks and friendly bartenders awaited us. Even though there was a basketball game going on (which seemed to be a somewhat important one), we did not feel like we were in a sports bar. These sports fans were quite civilized, much to our enjoyment. I'm not opposed to getting excited over a big game, but some people take it to a scary level. I do not totally understand what the owners are trying to do with the Wish/Tavern setup. Wish seemed more like just another room in the place than a separate entity. However, I liked the drinks and can't wait to go back and try the food at Tavern in the Square. UPDATE: I've been back a few times and have decided that this reminds me of a fave bar that friends and I hung out at while in college in upstate NY, but a tad bit more upscale. And with a food menu that extends beyond chips and pretzels. The food is pretty good. I recommend the burgers, calamari, chicken sandwich with Brie (minus the onions, they overpower). Don't leave without trying the nacho app. Decent guac for a non-mexican place. Drinks here are consistently very good. I'd be here all the time, if it were closer to my house.
(4)carol s.
Don't eat here. It might be OK for nachos, but avoid eating here for a meal. I had the worst pasta primavera I've ever encountered; I think the vegetables were canned then overcooked. They tasted bad and smelled worse. The "sauce" seemed like some cheap vinaigrette. Another member of our party got her entree cooked wrong--twice--before she gave up. The manager didn't really seem to care; he gave us a couple coupons but I don't think we'll be using them. On the positive side, our server was very nice and conscientious.
(1)Ashley S.
I miss the Good Life being here. Please let no more bars like this enter Central Sq. Ever.
(1)Aimee G.
This venue was packed with revelers watching the football playoffs. The crowd dispersed immediately after the game's conclusion. Interestingly, the ratio of remaining customers to flat screen televisions was almost 10 to 1. If you want to watch the game and order standard American bar fare, this is your Central Square destination. You will be neither awed or disappointed.
(2)Marcus D.
This is another of those bars that I've been to way too many times. There are so many better bars in immediate walking distance, but for some reason when I go for a beer here I end up getting stuck here. The food isn't THAT bad - I judge food on a scale of whether or not I'm running for the toilet within seconds of my last bite, and this place has never done that to me. The atmosphere and the crowd is BLAND - very manufactured. My advice is to come here for a beer or two, and get the hell out!
(2)Hannah F.
This bar just feels soulless. The food is ok, I guess, but it's blatantly microwaved in the kitchen. Not to mention it's the exact same menu as Union Street and The Joshua Tree. Chain in disguise!! [Edit: They now totally admit to being a chain.] Plus, the bar tenders will ignore you for minutes on end, not because it's busy but because they're flirting with a customer. Also, the bouncers are really rude, even for bouncers. Additional Reason I can't Stand This Place [Recently Added] I can now add their managers the list of "people at the Tavern who make me effing batshit." I went there last night for a quick drink and appetizer trip. I thought, "How can they mess this up?" Well, they did. We ordered the ultimate nachos (so called because they come with chili or chicken). They were delicious, I am not so bitter that I won't give them that. However, when the bill came, not only were we charged for the nachos ($3 more than the regular ones), but we were also charged for the chili. Not such a big deal, except that the waitress told us it was correct, then went back to check, came back and confirmed that indeed our nachos cost $15. I was having none of that jazz, so she went to find a manager. That manager then had to go find another manager and before we knew it, 15 minutes had past. By that time, every other table in the section needed something from the waitress, because her manager had kept her occupied for 15 minutes instead of just removing the *$3* charge. It's not just that this situation was so annoying, because it most certainly was. It's that this is par for the course for the Tavern. Hopefully, I'll remember that before I get the urge for some risotto fritters.
(1)Veronica P.
This is a classy looking sports bar with really good burgers. I ordered a medium burger stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese, topped with mozzarella cheese with a side of sweet potato fries. It was a busy, loud Sunday night, and it took an hour to get our food because the waitress screwed up our order. The manager came out, apologized, and told us our meal was on the house. That's customer service! We would absolutely go back.
(4)Amanda B.
The Tavern is in a great location to our house - we frequent it during nights out drinking and always get great service. We've tried the restaurant a couple of times for the food and we've been pleased, but not overly impressed. It's a good American menu, a bit more exciting than just regular bar food, but nothing to write home about. The steak tip dinner is really good, but nothing else has ever been special. We were actually disappointed at their Sunday brunch - nothing seemed fresh on the buffet, etc. I basically have to agree with Frank G.: nothing amazing, but it 's great to have an American-style place nearby for when you really need it.
(3)John D.
I'm surprised about the unimpressive reviews, but after reading MzLizz's, I can see why. I agree with her in that Tavern is yet another place with an identity crisis. I liked it a lot, and love the big screens, but at the same time, it's pretty ordinary and it does seem to be mixed up in terms of what kind of place it is. Is it upscale or ready to greet the college crowd? Still, I liked and I'd go back and thought it was slightly better than average. Deserves more 3.5 stars rather than 4.
(4)Abbey B.
I want to like Tavern, but I just can't get excited about it. For the most part, the waitresses seem to be huge bitches. Attitude about serving, hard to get their attention to order more booze. Food is a toss up. Kind of reminds me of the Cheesecake Factory--huge menu, but nothing's really memorable. For what you pay, it's not really worth it. But. The brunch buffet on Sundays is pretty sweet. All you can eat forsomething like $15? From eggs to French toast to salads to pasta to desserts, can't go wrong. Wouldn't order off the menu, though. Nothing is that impressive. Trivia night is always fun, even with the other dude bro teams that seem to frequent this place. Pitchers of beer, categories that aren't too hard, and a bunch of friends on a Tuesday is just fine by me. And sure, the outdoor patio is nice, I guess. Come on the weekend and expect a huge crowd of mostly Financial District-type people--definitely more of a Boston bar scene. Expect half-buttoned shirts and overly gelled hair on the guys.
(2)Ari A.
I think these types of places are invented for people who really don't care what they are eating or maybe just want to get smashed and watch Television on A LOT of different screens. I hate places like this. Why do they even bother with food, it's like an afterthought it's SO bad. Do not go here unless you are one of the above mentioned people. (and now they have another location in Porter, unfortunately)
(1)Henry P.
I wish I could give negative stars.... Went there (mistakenly) for the brunch, was the first and only time there. I haven't been there at nite, where I suppose the night life could be different, but I'm just gonna review their brunch. Everything looks sexy, but the key word here is "looks"...as the tastes were the opposite of secksie, just downright blah and omg I think this bill will be waaaaay more than it should be. You walk in thinking it'll be good food, but it really really sucks. It's all laid out nicely in silver platters, an omelette station, lots of fruit and desserts all over the place. It's all you can eat, but you will not want to eat at all.... You look around at the other guests, eager as they arrive, excited as they come back with their plates of colorful foods. Then you notice as they eat that their expressions turn from excited to slightly confused. Once they get into the 2 hour old pancakes, there's a sudden realization that they've made a mistake entering the door not knowing what this tragic brunch will cost them. Pretty much everything was not good...meh, I suppose the cut pineapples were good, but who the f- could possibly mess that up? The staff kinda sucked too. Alas, it ended up being about $20 per person. Worse brunch, ever....
(1)Jessica R.
Some of our "friends" went here and it seemed pretty yuppyish, early 90's music playing and some trivia game.
(2)Arik C.
This place used to be great when it was the "Good Life". Now its some wannabe upscale yuppie bar that has really crap for food and nothing that would make me want to hang out. Great decor if you like not seeing much, way too dark.
(2)Teju P.
I went here for Sunday brunch recently - it is fabulous for the price. So many options with breakfast, lunch, and dessert items. The omlet station can take a while if the place is busy, but my friend said his omlet was worth the wait.
(4)Sara C.
I enjoyed the apps that I ordered (risotto balls are really good), although I didn't order dinner. This seemed like a good after-work bar, and I'll likely be there again, but if you're looking for great food and a more quiet atmosphere, look elsewhere.
(3)Tanya A.
This is a pretty standard place for me to go with friends for a late dinner or drinks, maybe after a workout or when we can't think of anyplace else to go. It gets a little noisy, but that's nothing to be surprised about when there are multiple TVs showing sports games throughout the bar. If you think of it as a "restaurant" you may end up annoyed by the noise and casual atmosphere. If you think of it as a sports bar, you'll be pleasantly surprised. The menu got revamped about a year or two ago, and since then I've really enjoyed the new foods. Ditto everyone else on the risotto fritters, they're excellent, though the truffle mac and cheese was a bit bland for my tastes. The Big Dig fries (waffle fries loaded with just about everything) are great to share with the table, but make sure there are at least four people or you'll overdose! Sometimes I'll just go for the chicken lettuce wrap appetizer as an entree-- it's definitely big enough for one, and feels healthier than the fried stuff. Beer selection's not bad, though I'm not really a connoisseur. Prices are reasonable for the quality, though they start getting higher if you order food that's less "bar-style" and more "restaurant-ish." I was underwhelmed with brunch, though I guess if you're hungry and don't want to spend too much, it's okay. The food was bland, eggs were overcooked, the glazed salmon was sickeningly sweet, and the high point of the meal was the fruit salad. Oh, and the mini-eclairs, which were clearly pre-frozen but nonetheless pretty decent. Don't even try the full-sized desserts, stick with the mini-pastries. Overall, I like the place, it's convenient, and I'll be eating there relatively often.
(3)Cooper M.
I would do 3.5 stars if I could. It is a basic sportsish bar but a good looking one with better than average food. It is my friends' main hangout in Cambridge...so I go there too much but it is a good place for sports and food. While I am tired of this joint, I do enjoy their Sesame Chicken Salad. Need veggies sometimes.
(3)Mary R.
I unfortunately left the Tavern wishing I had never walked in. On the first really hot evening of the year the AC was not on, making for a stuffy and uncomfortable environment inside. The wait for a table outside, although not too long, was longer than my starving stomach could handle, so we settled on seats at the bar. The meal was just not good. My salad, the seared tuna, was just mediocre. Although the tuna itself was cooked perfectly, the pistachio crust was bland and the greens that lay beneath were even worse. My husband's choice, the shrimp and basil pizza was no better. There was far too much oil, and you could barely taste the basil flakes. The spinach and artichoke dip was decent, but can't hold a candle to the dip at Cambridge Commons.
(2)R.G. W.
I hate this place... the music playing over the PA is always too loud; the specialty beers are WAYYY over priced ($5 for a bottle of Harpoon Winter Warmer?? $8 for a bottle of Franziskaner Hefeweizen ?!); and ... well, that's all I have to say 'bout that.
(2)Maryn H.
Nothing spectacular. They do have nice outdoor seating though, and the waitress who helped us was really funny and cute.
(3)Kathleen D.
This is one of the many bars I find myself going to because my friends want to go there. They have high tables and stools. I like stools. They also serve beer in tall glasses, which is neat. The DJ on the weekends plays generic 94.5 hits. Sometimes locals wander in and want to talk to you about their relationship problems, sometimes random guys show up and assume you're a student at Harvard. It's OK. I'm only giving it two stars because in general I prefer the Phoenix Landing for dancing, and the Peoples Republic for chatting. Keep walking.
(2)Katia M.
I liked the Good Life. I don't like the "Tavern." There's nothing special about it at all. Sure, the decor is pleasant and the food isn't bad, but it's just a bland place.
(3)Ja H.
I've been to brunch a couple of time and think is ok. I think it's best for drinks at night.
(2)Andrea D.
Very unimpressed with the service here. I went randomly during the week and sat at the bar with two friends and the place wasn't very crowded at all. I was amazed at how long it took the bartender to get us drinks. It seemed like he didn't even care that we were even there. Seriously is it that hard to pour a beer? I would have served myself if I could have. I haven't had the food, but they do have a nice little patio area outside which looks like a nice place to lunch at. I have no desire to go back because of the rudeness of the bartender that night. First impressions mean a lot to me and I didn't get a good vibe here.
(2)Kelly L.
I've given this place a few tries: brunch, drinks, dinner. It didn't win me over though. Dinner was blah, brunch unimpressive, and generally the place just lacks character. They did however play a whole lot of old 80s and 90s music (Pharcyde anyone?) the last time I went there, if that appeals...
(2)fred n.
This is a great place for brunch lunch or dinner. Service is really friendly, honest and helpful when making recommendations. I had the Tuna with mango sauce. Pretty darn awesome. Risotto fritters were also tasty but not greasy or too heavy. Waitress was really frosting on the cake. Atmosphere is darker than I'd like it to be and the TVs make the restaurant seem more like Game On. Definitely a must try. Perfect for groups
(4)Beth M.
One of my favorite date places in Cambridge. The menu is huge, the portions are huge, and the food is pretty darn tasty. My boyfriend could pretty much live on the white truffle mac n cheese. I tend to jump around the menu, but everything I have tried has been really good. The pitchers of spiked lemonade are amazing!
(4)Wendy L.
The food is pretty good with something for everybody - salads, fajitas, burgers, lots of different stuff. It's a great place to snack and drink while watching the game. Everything is decent but nothing is spectacular. It feels as though there are about 500 TVs in there, so one of them should be showing the game you are looking for...on the other hand, if you are there with a boyfriend, you may have difficulty keeping him engaged in conversation. Most evenings, it seems to pick up espeically with the bar next door. I went once for the brunch buffett which is pretty reasonably priced (around $13-15), but I thought the brunch was pretty mediocre. The brunch, as you would guess, was light on the meats and pretty heavy on the continental breakfast/sweets type of items. Boo. Would've much rather have just gone to a normal brunch and had a nice, yummy, meaty entree.
(3)Mike G.
didn't think Tavern's as good or as bad as some reviews. menu's big enuff to satisfy most so you can actually eat well-ish. can be fun if this is your scene or out with buds. others may need to check high expectations at the door.
(3)Lindsey G.
Pretty decent pub. Lots of seating open on a Saturday night for people to sit around and chat. Pretty standard late night menu which took a little longer than it should have but the bartender made up for it with nice stiff drinks. Great location to catch up with friends.
(3)Flora R.
For some reason I prefer this location to the one in Porter. They have good food, a stocked bar and beer list, super helpful staff, and a great private room on the side that you can book for parties or big dinners.
(4)Chris M.
I have to say, I went for Sunday brunch buffet and I loved this place! Physically very nice, wood decor, modern but warm, very open feeling. They had a good number of flat screen TVs, and nice music in the background that wasn't too loud and allowed for conservation. There were many food choices on buffets, all looked fresh and tasty. The pancakes, fruit and yogurt and the omelets were especially good. The applewood bacon was truly excellent, better than anything I have ever had at a buffet. The service was great, we were seated right away, and our waiter was friendly and very attentive without being annoying. At $15.95 I thought it was a great deal. I went with two friends and we all agreed it was excellent and we will definitely go back., I can't really think of anything negative to say.
(4)Brenda H.
Food is ok...Fries were the best! Would go out of my way to go there for anything more than drinks.
(3)pete g.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. Boring menu, boring beer list, ok service. Food isn't all that great. Outdoor seating is conveniently located so career drunks in front of 7-11 can beg you for change while you're eating. I just can't see a reason why I'd return. *** Edit: So... I returned (don't ask), for drinks. Specifically, one drink: the Old Fashioned. Ingredients: bourbon, one cherry, one orange slice, one sugar cube, bitters, soda. The Old Fashioned is my cocktail of choice, it's been around for about 150 years and it's in every bartender's guide ever. The first one came to me fruitier than Hawaiian Punch. My rocks glass had three orange slices and about five cherries -- there was barely room left for ice, let alone bourbon. I took a couple sips, and over the next several minutes I dejectedly decided to send it back, the third time in my life I've ever done so. (Strangely, the first time was at the same location, though the space was The Good Life at that point.) I explained that people who order an Old Fashioned do so because they *don't* want a fruity drink, and asked for some restraint on the fruit in the next one. The second drink came, it was palatable, and it was not fruity. However, it became apparent that I had forgotten to check my calendar -- it was Opposite Day, and as a result the bartender had decided that Dewar's SCOTCH WHISKY counted as bourbon. Not as bad as The Good Life's substitution of Southern Comfort, but still not quite on the mark. I didn't want to look like a prick because the waitress was nice, so I just drank it and shut up. Potential patrons: be aware that at least one of the Sunday night bartenders doesn't know the difference between Scotch and bourbon. My companions, after trying to order nachos and being told the kitchen was out of them, had much better luck with accuracy; the Seriously Bland Crab Cakes and Pathetic Chicken Quesadillas For Pathetic White People came out exactly as advertised.
(2)Joanna S.
Very generic bar food. I usually get the ahi tuna sandwich. They usually make it just right. I'm consistently reminded of their sweet potato fries, frizzed with a maple syrup glaze. It's the best thing on their menu, I think. The servers are blah. Sometimes you get really nice ones and sometimes you get rude ones. It just depends on the day.
(3)Connie Y.
I've eaten here a couple times with my boyfriend. The first time we went, the place ran out of hamburger buns but was very nice in taking off our drinks for the trouble. The food is great sports-game watching food. The bbq steak tips and sangria are delish! We almost always over-order when we go here. The staff is generally very nice and accommodating.
(3)Meaghan S.
I'll just say it's a good thing that my office mates are not in today because there was something FUNKY about the chicken salad I ate at Tavern on the Square last night. Good god. I really wanted to like this place. Outdoor seating = awesome and they did have strong drinks. HOWEVER the food was bland, boring, mediocre and in my case BAD. It's also is a haven for homeless people leering over the fence around the patio. No I really don't want to spare some change, thanks. I will not be going back. No imagination, no atmosphere and a menu that is priced steeply enough that there should be a little of both.
(2)Josh M.
I visited this place for drinks a few days ago, and I was pretty disappointed. I can't speak to the food (as I didn't get any), but the beer tasted distinctly off - like they didn't properly clean their tap lines. The bar was chock-full of the popped collar crowd, and a DJ (quite the gentleman - he later engaged me in some unsolicited conversation, describing his girlfriend with the endearing term formerly used by John McCain to describe his wife Cindy) was blaring crappy music off of his MacBook. Not a pleasant place, by any stretch. I'm giving this place two stars, because it's quite possible that I just went there on a bad night, and because they have a nice setup of TVs. I could imagine that it'd be a good place to watch sports during the day (particularly given the dearth of good sports bars in the area), but I'll probably steer clear of the late-night crowd here. Too many other good bars to waste time at places like this...
(2)S D.
Always have a good time when we go here - they have trivia on Tuesday nights and if's a great time for large groups. They also have daily deals so be sure to keep an eye out on your calendar to keep up!
(4)Gordon B.
Loud and crowded - that's the way I find Tavern most nights. As a result I'm not inclined to dine-in very often however I will do take-out on a weekly basis. Most of the food on the menu is actually quite good and they have a number of tasty options for vegetarians. We usually take out-of-town guests here because Tavern has a good selection of beers and it's full of Sox fans on game nights. Again, the food is good and you can always find something on the menu that's appealing. The patio is rarely a good choice as people tend to hang out and smoke in that vicinity.
(3)J W.
Was looking for a brunch yesterday (sunday) and came across this spot. Drove by here in the past but never went in so I though id give it a try. Got their are the right time because a large group of people left. Apparently the secret was out because it was at capacity 10 minuets after i was seated. Anyways headed over to the buffet and was very happy with the selections. Had the apple wood beacon which I love, chocolate chip pancakes, french toast, fruit, eggs, few types of salad, honey glazed ham etc. But the best past was the omelet station which had a chief who makes it right in front of you. Price was very affordable($16) and it was a huge plus that every football game was on. Will definably be returning here for a 1:00 Pats game.
(5)Neha Y.
unless you're trying to go there on a night of a playoff game for either the Red Sox or the Patriots - when everyone is vying for a spot right in front of the flat screen tvs - you'll be in luck with seating. Prompt seating and service can be counted on. Its a perfect setting for meeting a friend for a bite after work - super convenient since its only a block or two away from the T-stop. Its a fun, casual but not sloppy place so I'll give it an A for atmosphere. But with American food I really don't know how they can keep going wrong time and time again. I ordered the lemon chicken with capers. As straightforward as it gets. I actually think that might have been the first dish I ever cooked on my own - because its so easy. Apparently the cooks at the Tavern don't feel the same way. The chicken was undercooked, the flavor was lacking and they dumped about a pound of capers. They even messed up mashed potatoes!
(3)Erica Y.
I didn't realize this place would get so many not so great reviews upon entering last night. Everything went pretty smoothly, though service was a bit slow. The martini I ordered wasn't very strong, but that was fine by me since it was still yummy. It has large TVs everywhere and is a great place to watch games. The mac & cheese (with bacon added) and maple sweet potato fries were really good, though salads could have had a better ratio of goodies on top. I ordered the Chicken & Fruit salad (what I was imagining to be similar to the Panera's Summer Fruit chicken salad - or whatever they call it), but it seemed as though a whole can of mandarin oranges was dumped on top of arugula before adding a bit of diced up chicken. My annoyance was more with the diced up chicken since it was so hard to spear any on a fork since it was diced up so tiny. It must have been pre-grilled to suit multiple purposes. Oh, and they have fried snickers on the dessert menu. Didn't stick around to try it, but in case anyone out there is looking... Decent food at okay prices. The crowd felt more like a sports bar than a restaurant.
(3)Tanvi D.
Been here a few times now.. Food is OK.. The service is very slow though.. But, you can pass time watching games on TVs that are all over the restaurant. If you are not into sports, there is no real reason to go here..
(3)Brandon H.
I came here for a meetup. Despite the chaos of thirty different checks, the waitress did a fantastic job of keeping track of all the orders and who they belonged to- in fact, not a single mistake was made! The prices were a bit steeper than I was expecting for a pub type restaurant, but the food was very good and the beer selection more than adequate.
(4)Keith L.
Decent sports bar. The best part about it was the Sunday breakfast buffett. Really nice job. After that though, this place becomes pretty average. Its too big to be a neighborhood kind of place. Its just not that warm and friendly. Its more in line with trying to be a sports bar and they miss on that too. They have enough TV's but for the big games, volume would be nice. Watched an NFL playoff game at the bar with no sound. All in all, decent but not great.
(3)Alark J.
A fantastic place for a great weekend brunch. This place has a great variety of brunch options including customizable omelets, scrambled eggs, bayou styled eggs (which were amaaaazing), french toast, waffles, home fries, grilled dill potatoes, pancakes, salad. This is just on one side. The other side had a ton of fruit options - strawberries, cantaloupe, pineapple etc. They also had ice creams and one could make their own sundae. Soooooo goood!! I wish I wasnt on the plumper side. I'd have devoured sundaes like jughead :-p The seating is excellent and the service too is great. For some reason they charge extra for drinks like orange juice etc, which I thought was a bit weird since its a buffet place. They could surely include a drink or two in their price.
(5)Susie A.
Hmm I'm surprised this place got so many bad reviews. I went for my first time the other night and didn't think it was so horrible. The place was a lot bigger than I thought it would be. The hostess was a bit rude, but nothing too crazy. And the server forgot to bring me my drink. I like how there is that back, more private room with tables. I also LOVED that they had the Olympic Opening Ceremonies playing on the huge TVs. And people were actually paying attention. The crowd seemed decent. Didn't try the food, but the drink menu had tons of cool drinks on it. Giving Tavern in the Square 3 stars for now because I thought it was A-OK. But hopefully I'll be back and can update my review with further opinions!
(3)Nie K.
I've only been here once during lunch and I also got the prix fixe. It was delicious and a little on the small side but I enjoyed a nice sunny day and eating outside with friends. If they always have that prix fixe menu I think it's worth it, maybe a brunch or lunch with your girlfriends but I don't know if I'd go for dinner based on the other reviews here.
(3)Andrea M.
We were looking for a place to catch a casual bite to eat early in the evening for my sister's bachelorette party. Despite the negative reviews I had read here, I decided the menu was broad enough to accommodate everyone's tastes and SUPER close to Improv Boston, where we were heading afterward. Our waiter was phenomenal. He had a great personality, was very attentive and seemed like he was right on top of everything. He even helped take some pictures of our group for us. As for the food, I have no complaints. I got a burger, which was what I expected it to be. It was quite filling but tasty. My sister got the white truffle mac and cheese which was soooooo good. I kept abandoning my dish to dig into hers. Everyone else liked their food as well. The drinks we got were very good. They have some nice cocktails on the menu, like the Mint Ginger Drop. So yummy! Overall, it's nice, casual environment. It was great for the group of 9 we had. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good group place or if you're looking for a place with some good TVs to watch the game on. The one in Porter Square is pretty decent as well though I've only been there for drinks and trivia I imagine the food would taste exactly the same. I guess you could compare this place to a Chili's or 99 in a way. Don't expect anything gourmet or over the top, but it is what it is and it was exactly the type of place we were looking for.
(4)Liz K.
Was only there for a short while on Sat night but it was fun. The lighting was really cool and they had a great crowd.
(4)Rohit S.
Let me first qualify my review. I go hear to eat, not to drink, play trivia or hang out. with that said, the food I have eaten is pretty good with a couple of unique items I highly recommend. Do you like your potatoes sweet? Their basket of sweet potatoes are awesome, you can't get this stuff at Mickey Ds!! My regular meal is actually a bowl of chili (pretty good and spicy) along with sweet potatoes on the side. The wraps are also good. OK so why three stars - the place is loud so you can't realty talk in here, but if you like sweet potatoes, this is one of teh few good options.
(3)Nicole P.
This is the closest bar to my house and I have to say it's pretty good as local bars go. It's not cool and hip like the River Gods but it is big, clean and modern with really nice screens to watch the games. The food is actually tasty as far as pub fare goes as well. There is a large variety to choose from- burgers/fries, wings, ahi tuna, salads, meatloaf etc. In the warm weather there are tables outside which rocks because there are not many restaurants in Central with outdoor seating. The service is good too. Myself and about 10 friends watched the NFL play offs at the Tavern and literally took up a huge table for 6 hours without one complaint from the bar! We did order lots of food and drinks but 6 hours is a long time! The best thing about the Tavern is Sunday brunch! As y'all know breakfast in boston/camberville usually means long lines but because the Tavern is so big, there are never brunch lines. The food is also really good- made to order omlettes, bacon, french toast, pancakes, chicken, pasta, salads, bagels, desserts, coffee etc all for $15 - pretty good deal.
(4)Carleton S.
Went here for the EuroCup Italy vs England game. Fans showed up in droves - the bar on the otherhand was completely unprepared. Hundreds of waitresses and two bartenders trying to accommodate hundreds of football fans. They shuffled all the fans to the backbar where there was no bartender on staff. Everyone had to parade over to the open bar to take their drinks back to the back bar while managers with suit and ties sat around doing nothing. What sports bar is completely unprepared for one of the biggest sporting events in the world? That would be Tavern on the Square! Avoid it at all costs if you can and never go there for a big sporting event!
(1)Jessica G.
A friend of mine was in town and our original plan to meet up with more friends (10-20) was thwarted when the Otherside decided to paint their walls. Good thing we called ahead. In a MAD scramble to find a place that (one) could accommodate the large size (Toad was out) and (two) close to the t (Cambridge Commons was out) -- we came up with the Tavern. My first time despite the fact that I live in Cambridge. Good stuff: Menu definitely impressed me (a vegetarian) with variety. Lots of drinks to choose from -- what fun stuff! A little pricey sure but nice decor. Not so good: Service!!! We were a large group and everyone was having a great time when things started disappearing from the table. Drinks, beer, food. I'm all about helping waiters close out so they can go home but prefer if this is made clear rather than losing my drink. By the end of the night I was haggling with my neighbor for sips of water!! The night was a great night--but it was the people not the locale that really shone. I wouldn't recommend it but it was certainly handy in a pinch.
(2)Dee P.
lately service and quality has been more consistent (still issues getting burgers cooked to correct doneness, though... grill issues?) and new menu items are definitely tasty. upping the stars for that and also i found out they feed the homeless for free on thanksgiving. yay tavern! half price burgers on tuesdays are still on, and you can get a 'VIP' card for a free lunch once it's punched fully. not bad!
(3)_ _.
Scale of 1-10 (multiple visits): 5 Food 7 Service 9 Atmosphere 4 Value
(2)Julie R.
This place has a really cool atmosphere. Very modern for the Central Sq. area. I went there for the first time and had a decent experiance. The spinach and artichoke dip was good. Very creamy and cheesy. The chips that acccompany it are served warm. They were fried and were a little greasy. I wish they were not fried cause it made for a heavy start but the carrot and celery sticks they give with it also balance things out. The mediterranean wrap was ok. It had chicken, sun dried tomato, lettuce and goat cheese. It could of used some mayo or dressing. It was very dry and I didn't finish it. The risotto balls were very large. They came on top of a tomato puree. The outside was crispy but a little greasy from being fried. The service was slow. The bartenders were friendly when you had their attention but they mostly hung out on one side of the bar chatting up the waitstaff. Prices were good. It also has a small outside patio for the season. The restaurant is spacious enough to take a large group and there is something for everyone on the large menu.
(3)Dottie D.
THIS REVIEW IS BASED *ONLY* ON THE SUNDAY BRUNCH!!! i don't know about happy hour or the dinner menu or anything like that but the brunch is fantastic. there are tables outside, which is a huge bonus in boston as not many places outside of newbury street have jumped on the al fresca dining tradition that i have been spoiled by living in los angeles. they have a brunch buffet for $15.95 that has an enormous selection. there are about 10-12 different hot entrees to choose from (french toast, waffles, veggies, sausage, potatos, etc). there is an egg station where you can pick all the cheese, meat, and veggies you want in your eggs and they'll make it and bring it out for you. there is a huge selection of toast, muffins, bagels, etc. There is a table full of desserts -- cakes, mini cupcakes, mini eclairs, etc. there is a make your own sundae station, and a table with fresh fruit, granola, dried cranberries, two types of yogurt and chocolate chips. basically, the selection is huge. i happen to be a bit of a picky eater and don't eat a lot of the above mentioned things and yet i think this brunch is totally worth it! my only complaint is that they don't open until 10:30 and that they get super crowded sometimes but overall, this is a great option for sunday brunch and not too pricey!
(5)John L.
This place has a decent Sunday brunch (eggs, omeletes, etc.). So Sunday morning does have a good atmosphere. And on top of that, the bartenders I've had were nothing but nice. However, the bar food is a little too expensive for my own taste, and it's not the greatest in the world. But on Sunday morning, it's good.
(3)Tara G.
Big Dig Fries. Anyway, why does everyone hate this place so? I think it's kind of nice, and they have that weird cool rock art in front of the bathrooms. They had pitchers of blueberry beer. BLUEBERRY BEER! -1 star for claiming to be a sports bar when their "main screen" is constantly dim/obscured by skylight/insufficiently lumens'd. They have an all-you-can-eat brunch that I'm dying to try.
(4)Tristan B.
This is a one star locale with the redeemable factor of one thing: the outdoor seating. Order some apps and maybe you can get away with just drinking out there because I'm sure as hell not going to eat their poor excuse of food. Eh-ish beer list, nothing to complain about but nothing special. Whatever. The atmosphere in there, however, couldn't be worse. They play the cold standard mix of shitty hip hop WAY TOO LOUD. It's so incredibly annoying when you're almost yelling (and being a complete loudmouth that I am, this is pretty loud) to the person across from you. This has happened more than once for me. Service is tolerable, never had any problems with them although one time I went in with a few friends and they asked if we were in a band. It made me laugh at least. So two stars you sit Tavern. It's so unfortunate that you're so close.
(2)Melinda C.
Though the rest of the food is unmemorable, their tater tot appetizer with white truffle oil and parmesan cheese is amazing. AMAZING. I teetered on paying the $$ for it, but it was completely worth it. Make sure you bring a few friends though, you can't do this one on your own or even with just 1 other friend.
(3)Tom E.
Crud. I hate this place, which is a shame as it's very close to me. I've been giving it second and third chances for a while now but last week it ran out of review rainchecks when I attended the trivia night. Not content with having.... A) no discernible atmosphere other than businessmen having a drink rather than going home B) overpriced lousy food including a 10 dollar burger that was crap galore C) a strange bi-partisan layout D) shit shit music ....the Tavern then also managed to achieve one-star-or-less-ness by having the rubbishest Stump trivia night ever. The trivia jockey was useless, gave away the answers to anyone who flirted with her and was hell bent on asking everyone questions about her favourite TV shows - of which 'America's Top Model' was one of them.
(1)christina c.
We had a couple beers here as well last night and the Buffalo Calamari. HELLO!?! Why doesn't every bar have this? I mean talk about bad for you but sooo good. Its Calamari covered in hot sauce and blue cheese AND fried jalapenos. I love spicy and this was great. When its warmer its nice to sit on the patio and people watch too.
(4)Chris W.
I had a nice dinner at this place. Yes it may lack character and not really belong in Central or whatever, but it's a nice bar/restaurant with good bar food. I liked the vibe at the place. It was a typical slightly trendy bar atmosphere. There were lots of flat panel TVs that were perfect to look at as I was zoning out of my conversation. The menu has a lot of different things, from burgers to pasta, to entree dishes. We ordered the Big Dig Fries as our appetizer. Waffle fries covered with cheese, bacon and sour cream. Definitely very delicious bar food. I got the Monterrey Chicken Sandwich on foccacia bread. It was also a good sandwich. The foccacia was delicious and the sandwich was perfect juicyness with sauce and lettuce and tomato. Service was pretty good, too. Our waiter came over a lot of times and refilled our water and asked us how we were doing a good amount. Good selection of drinks. Decent prices (~$8-15 for a dish). Good vibe. A good place to meet up with a few friends, have some delicious fried bar food and drinks.
(4)Hilary J.
It was my first time going there. I needed a big salad with chicken on top and I needed it NOW. So my sidekick thought of this place as being somewhere that would have that, and I didn't care where I was going to be getting this salad from, I just needed it. So we went. It was about 9PM on a Wednesday and it was crowded and loud. No big deal, I can deal. I won't go back, because the "vibe" just isn't there though. It's one of those places that guys who use a lot of hair gel go, you can tell. I think this place belongs more in Brighton or something....not really Central Square material. The salad was not very satisfying and I couldn't understand why they put bacon in an Asian style salad?? But I was desperate so I guess it did the trick at the time. The service was friendly enough but extraordinarily slow, and we had to ask another server if we could order drinks from him because we hadn't seen our own in a while. Maybe I'm in a bad mood today, but the one thing that kept me from giving it only 1-star was the delicious Mint Ginger Drop martini, which was one of the best drinks I've had served to me in a while. I suppose I should keep in mind when saying all this that it is classified as a "sports bar". Ok... I'll bump it to 3 stars I guess.
(3)Kew M.
I went to the Tavern for the open game of the Celtics found it really nice. I felt like I was at the game :) well at the discounted price. I had a batch of fries and some Buffalo wings and the win was the cherry on top great start to the session.
(4)Amy C.
Holy huge nachos here. We ordered the nachos solely because we saw an order come out and sham-wow they looked like a delicious pile of heaven. We were not disappointed. There are so few places that do nachos right and Tavern is one of them. Do you like cheese on the bottom layer of your nachos? Who doesn't? Tavern spreads the love all over the nachos, not just on the top layer. Guaranteed cheese on every bite. Our waiter went MIA on two occasions for 20 minutes each time. When we called him out on it, he made sure our next round of cocktails was super strong. He was promptly forgiven.
(4)Jocelyn C.
I've been kind of avoiding a review of the Tavern for some time now because I have a long history with them and a lot of the people that used to work there know me and all that jazz, BUT... I have to say, the Tavern is just your very average, very typical (i.e. boring) bar and restaurant. I'd go there when I was invited by others, but I never actually initiated any visits there myself. The staff used to be pretty cool and some of the food items are okay (I would recommend the turkey wrap with onion strings if asked), but if I'm hanging in Central, I make my way to all the other bars around the 'hood instead. This place used to my "Cheers," but a lot of the better (and cooler) staff have gone onto bigger and better things, and it's just not as much fun as it used to be. And plus, who has time to learn so many new names and faces when you've already invested so much time and energy and drinking into a place already?! Especially if those new faces behind the bar are extremely rude and take forever to get you a bottle of beer?! Sorry, Tavern... no hard feelings, but get your act together! If I had been writing this review when you had first opened, this would totally be a different story, but as it is now... wow, everything went downhill pretty fast.
(2)A L.
I come here pretty often, probably once every six weeks or so. My hubs and I went here this past Friday, and it began as a nightmarish experience. Our waitress was a very nice person, but had no idea what she was doing. She was clearly not competent, for whatever reason, to perform the duties of waiting tables. As far as I could see, she only had three total tables - although it was busy, this should've been entirely manageable. She took our drink orders 4 times, messed them up twice, took our app order 3 times, and our entree order 3 times. By this time, we began to commiserate with the other tables she was "serving," as they were having similar experiences. One table walked out, leaving full drinks on their table. She had messed up their drinks several times too. I asked the hostess, who was nearby taking care of the full drinks and wiping the table, if I could speak with the manager. I told him what was going on, hoping to get a new waitress for the rest of the night. Instead, he waited on us, got our food out almost immediately, offered a round of drinks, then comped the ENTIRE meal. We were very impressed by the amount of care that was given to our table when the manager realized we were so dissatisfied. The food is good, they have a good scotch list, could offer more wines...but hits the spot when you need a solid, dependable meal - as long as you get trained waitstaff. Thanks again to Tavern for the comped meal - we'll definitely be back.
(3)Stephen R.
I was looking forward to dining here. It looked like a nice place from the outside. It went downhill in a big way! Fast forward to dinner being served. We saw a cockroach on the wall. We didn't want to make a huge deal out of it in front of the rest of the restaurant. We called over the manager and she tried to smooth us over with drinks or moving the table. We told her we just wanted to leave at that point. Her compromise was to not charge us for the food. My friend and I just wanted to get out of there at this point and so did our wives. I wish that was where it ended. Later that night one of us got violently ill from food poising (they had the tuna salad). STAY CLEAR!
(1)Caroline O.
Ah, the Tavern. One of my favorite hangouts when I was taking bi-weekly classes at the Kaplan center across the street last year. Good brews, a nice mix of above average pub food, and some interesting menu items with a twist. I've been here several times, sometimes just for quick pub grub- wings, nachos, and some brews on tap, and a few times with my boyfriend for dinner. I've never been disappointed with either the service or the food. Lots of big screen TVs too for watching various sports events. Good stuff all around! The biggest downside is that the specialty beers listed on the menu always come in a bottle. I've been fooled twice now, thinking I was getting some exotic/special beer on tap, but instead got handed a bottle I could've picked up at the store. Bummer. All in all, a good place to hang out , have a few beers and watch the game, or sit down and have a good dinner. Definitely a place I'll keep going back to!
(4)Jenny i.
LOVE! Love the menu. Love the bar. The food is wonderful, the staff is attentive, (and attractive). Always have dinner here first before heading to see a show at TT's or the Middle East
(5)Patrick N.
Any time I have to choose the size of beer I would like to have it always makes me feel warm and fuzzy. Tavern is no exception. They have a decent beer selection and the glasses are always clean. The food, while it is slightly over priced, is pretty good. They have a large selection of comfort foods available, mac and cheese, shepherds pie, ect. If you are trying to enjoy a sporting event they have plenty of high def tvs to watch. With two bars waiting for a drink never takes too long. All in all it's a good place to catch a game with a friend or two.
(3)Michael L.
I walked into this place and was slapped across my face with a putrid wall of irritation. It's like everyone got off of work at the Pru, took off their ties or let their hair down, turned up the obnoxious-loud-dumb knob, and came here. To be honest, I think I disliked this place so much mostly because the crowd was irritating. The music was just bad. They had a DJ but it was positively pitiful. Dance/R&B can be fun and good. It wasn't. The drinks were overpriced ($7-10) but I have to say they had a mighty nice selection of bottled beer, including some imported rarities. Hence them receiving two stars. However, I wasn't in the mood to be back-patted and have dudes spit on my teeth about the latest developments at spring training. Actually I'm NEVER in the mood for that. There were attractive girls here, as far as looks go. If you're a dude who unbuttons the top button and loosens his tie to go out, check out the Tavern for manic action! Crash and burn.
(2)Phil W.
A pretty unremarkably restaurant/bar, but I like it for the following reasons : - It's in Central Square and it's there when I don't want to eat pizza or Middle Eastern or Indian food. - The quality of their buffet brunch is surprising. I've gone a couple times now and have never been disappointed. Salmon? Sweet cheese blintzes? Right on. - After one particular brunch, we stayed at the bar to watch the Patriots game, and proceeded to get really shitty on Guinness and the bartender Sal's Panty Droppers, which was his own special concoction. I think there was strawberry syrup in it. Anyway, we watched the game and then went to Harvard all liquored up to see "Borat." Man, that was a good day.
(3)Nam T.
I'm not sure if I'm the best person to judge the tavern. My experience here is limited to the 25 cent wings Tuesday. I think the wings can be a hit or miss. Some nights they are nice big and hot wings. Other night it can be smaller and cold. Some nights it will come with a small salad. Other nights it won't. Consistency is definitely and issue, but at 25 cents a piece why would you complain. A plate of ten is usually enough for me so a dinner that cost $2.50 is very nice. I still come here regularly for the wing Tuesday so I recommend you to come and give it a shot.
(3)Andrew C.
I've only been there for lunch but the food has always been tasty. A bit on the expensive side for lunch and pub food but the sandwiches are always good and the fries and onion rings have always been hot and fresh. I would recommend the bacon cheeseburger which has cheese and bacon stuffed inside.
(3)Vidhya S.
This is THE BAR that my co-workers and I head to on Thursday nights. It's perfect for after work drinks b/c it's a big place w/ lots of sitting areas to accommodate large groups. We prefer to sit in the bar tables near the windows. In the summer there is also outside seating and they open up the front windows to let in the fresh air. The food is eh, honestly we've been there so much that I can't stand even looking at the menu b/c I've read it a million times and am sick of the food. So take that into consideration when your reading this. But there is still no way I'd purposely go here to dinner especially with the million great restaurants in Cambridge. But for a drink after work? Yes please.
(3)Ilya Jacob R.
I used to go here for trivia (when it used to be on Monday nights) and always ordered up a pizza and dessert. I hadn't come here in a while and then all of the sudden - I was back and not loving it. And it wasn't because it wasn't trivia night. It was because the food was lame. The pizza was shockingly bad and not really even close to average by my standards. I think I had the shrimp and basil pizza - don't even think about it. My wife's dish wasn't good either - under seasoned (salt and pepper) - encrusted tuna salad. After this splendid meal I didn't feel like dessert, so I skipped it, but I will say that I remember enjoying their desserts last time I was there when playing trivia.
(2)Bevin C.
This place is clean and convenient, but over the past six months, it seems to have gotten more expensive and less cool (not that it was particularly cool to begin with). Plus, the food is really hit or miss. If it hadn't been for my last visit, I might have given this place three stars... the hostess was really rude, the bartender wasn't much better, and they were playing crappy music LOUDly. Oh, and my ten dollar martini tasted nasty. Not good.
(2)Felecia C.
A couple tips for Tavern in the Square: 1. If you are going to make people pay to hear the music they want on the lame jukebox thingy, turn the volume up in the bar so that we can actually HEAR the music. My party and I contemplated relocating to the bathroom just to listen to "Don't Stop Believing," but luckily one of us had an Ipod handy. 2. Hire enough waitstaff to handle a crowded bar, or at least tell them to check on patrons and their drink status more than once an hour. We should not have to go to the bar to try to order a round, only to be told to wait for the practically nonexistent waitress. Other than those gripes, the Tavern is a pretty generic after-work bar. The drinks are standard, and though I didn't eat anything, the people I was with seemed to love the food. I had fun here, but there's still room for improvement.
(3)Arturo P.
OK Beer/Drinks, Unimpressive Food, Big Screens Been here a few times, mostly because it's the easiest place to catch NFL Network football or West coast basketball in Central square. I'm generally unimpressed but not disappointed with the food, but nothing stands out as being particularly bad. Probably not worth going here for a Boston sports game as it gets exceedingly crowded and you can catch those games basically anywhere. Overall, a solid place to watch sports, but a basically unimpressive otherwise. I'm sure I'll be back for the sports selection, but that would be the biggest draw.
(2)Leslie K.
This place is a more expensive Applebee's or Chili's. BUT there are a few things I love: 1. Decent selection of beers. 2. Lots of tvs, often tuned to the Sox. 3. Easy place to meet people. 4. FRIED PICKLES!! (I have saved the best for last.) If you are going to eat a meal here, I would recommend sticking to food it's hard to mess up -- burgers, fries, nachos, etc. Other stuff doesn't turn out so well. Also, this place gets pretty loud -- not great for a first date, people!
(2)Caleb H.
To begin, I can only review this place as a bar. It looks like a bunch of people don't like it as a restaurant. I've been to this bar a couple times, and usually with a small group (~5 people). The place has never felt overpacked, and the atmosphere has always been good. Points go up for cool bartenders who have been quick to serve you and give a little personality to their service. They don't fill your beer and take your money without looking at you. They can recommend drinks, and they seem to know random mixed drinks too. Points also go up for the DJ from Friday night. He was open to tossing music on his playlist, and had a wide variety of songs. I was glad he could drop in some Spoon and Stevie Wonder per request, and then pop in the Humpty Dance afterwards--I suffer Music ADD. Finally, points also go up for the clean bathrooms. Maybe it was the type of crowd, or maybe they're on top of it, but the bathrooms weren't too shabby at the end of the night. I recommend the fries and a pitcher of Blue Moon with some wedges of oranges.
(4)Naomi M.
I was here January 7, 2012 for the New Orleans Saints vs Detroit Lions playoff game as a Saints fan and though I enjoyed the atmosphere and cheap beer all night, one bartender treated us horribly and made it so that I will NEVER RETURN TO THIS INSTITUTION. Being a sports bar, we all assumed that cheering would be tolerated.... we were told to stop cheering by this bartender. He also came over to us and taunted us, saying things like "How long have you even been Saints fans for, anyway? These guys from Detroit have been suffering there for their whole lives!" Though to me this point is absurdly irrelevant, it was all I could resist to point out that New Orleans hasn't had it so easy, either. On several occasions throughout the night we could also hear him talking badly about us to other patrons, especially the Detroit fans. At the end of the night when I closed my tab, a comment card came with the bill, and I wrote about how I was very unhappy with how I was treated by the bartender - and when he came back to pick it up, he read the card, crumpled it up, and threw it at me. I have never in my life been treated so horribly at any institution. This is a sports bar, which should invite sportsman-like behavior, and this bartender was an offensively bad example of this. Tavern in the Square has lost my business for life.
(1)Natural A.
Tavern in the Square is great for lunch or happy hour. The appetizers are okay. They don't have the best wings or calamari, but it's decent. They have great drinks. I simply love their sweet potato fries!!!
(3)Mihir P.
Went back a couple of times and was disappointed for the most part. Got the brunch buffet. So not worth it for $16 - no juice included. The omelets were good but that's about it. Sausages were too mild an mushy. Hello! Bacon is supposed to be resting on a screen in the chafing dish so it's not lying in it own filth. The result of the bacon was super greasy and soggy. Got some pancakes but of course there was no syrup. I told the staff and it took fifteen minutes for them to get some. Go there for the game, drinks and an app but leave it at that. ___________________ Original review 4 stars ___________________ Wow, what a name. No thought put into it. When I heard about this place, I thought "Another run down, depreciated bar with townie customers, and a staff as charming as eels; oh and artery clogging food ." Boy, was I wrong. I walked into a clean and modern tavern with a friendly young staff. My friend and I sat tt the bar to eat and watch the Patriots game. The bartenders were efficient and hardworking and very friendly (and easy on the eyes). They did what they could to please the customer. I asked one of them to make me a non-alcoholic drink. At first she was stumped and then I gave her some encouragement. She fixed me a virgin margartia which was decent. The food was good. The menu has a great selection of traditional and creative items. I played conservatively and had a salad and chili. Both were very good. THe chili was a tad oily and salty though. My friend went for the brunch buffet. The dishes were fresh and presented well. I would now be willing to try to some of the more creative items like the pistachio crusted tuna and others - I admit that I stereotype that a tavern can't have good creative food. While at the bar, I observed that it was kept clean and organized - no clutter, trash or spills waiting to be attended to. Even all the labels of the liquor bottles were facing forward. There is no pizzaz, glamour, crazy lights, or celebrity chef here. Just a solid, spacious, clean tavern with sound food and a hard-working staff. I think a new term needs to be developed for the places like this. The Neo-Tavern?
(3)Melody A.
I went here right after my friend picked me up from the airport and it was perfect! We sat on the patio which was awesome in the late afternoon to people watch in Cambridge. Granted, we only had drinks and appetizers but they were really good! I had sweet potato fries with MAPLE SYRUP - YUM!!! I wouldn't have thought of this combo, but my friend said it was good and I'm glad I ordered them! The drinks were really good and the service was excellent.
(4)Lalin A.
It is a regular bar. Shiny. I don't eat here, but only grab drinks. But for the real fun, comfortable setting, and atmosphere, I'd say walk a few blocks and go to People's Republik or Plough&Stars. They are DEFINITELY better. edit: this place feels a little better when there is a game. it was packed last night and the service was quick.
(3)Billie M.
I've only been here a few times and it was always just for drinks. No complaints, but no real raves either, it was a pretty standard, cookie cutter bar. Beer was ok, service was nice, atmosphere was forgetable. That being said, the last time I went there made me seriously consider giving it 5 stars. The DJ was playing some great old school hip hop, and the bartender and I had a great time pretending we were giving a live performance on Yo! MTV Raps. Why did it go back down to three? Because he and I were the only two people in the WHOLE CROWDED BAR that knew Renee. Seriously? Sorry Tavern, my loyalty lies with the Lost Boys.
(3)Milee S.
What can I say about this place? Fantastic food! I had one of the best turkey burgers ever at The Tavern. Great crowd, but service is really lacking. (We had to place our dessert order at the bar as our waitress was too busy socializing). I'd go back since the food is unbelieveable!
(3)sato h.
My friends and I went out for a lunch today... It was horrible. We enter to grab seats and had to wait for couple of min because nobody was there. Our waitestaff took our order for drinks and we waited for 10 min while she was asking the table next to us if everything was okay and cleaning up tables. Finally our coke arrives, and there is a hair stuck next to my lemon... I asked the waitstaff if I could change it, kindly. She doesnt say a single word and snatches my coke away. 5 min later my coke arrives. I asked her if I could put my fries on the side because I wanted to share it with my vegiteriam friend (so that the fries wont touch my burger.) The waiteress gives me a look as if that is such a hassle for her! Of course the food took forever like other reviewer were saying and all that. I will never go back there again.
(1)J M.
OK place: decent atmopshere, food is merely okay for the price.
(3)Emily O.
2.5 stars, really and only for its convenience and standard as a sports bar (which I don't think they're aiming to be, but who can tell?). I've been here twice - once just for drinks and to watch the Sox and more recently for dinner, an escape from the heat and to watch the Sox. Pros: nice ambiance when it's light out, two bars, many flat screens (Hi Def, I think) and they pipe the sound of the game throughout the bar; my drink was priced right and delightful the first time I went. Cons: The food! I echo Roshni R. It looks nice as it approaches, but has absolutely no flavor - none! The sweet potato fries were greasy, not crispy and had no seasoning. My soda was flat. My sandwich was essentially lettuce and tomatoes on a phony foccacia. That's all I need to say - phony foccacia.
(2)Frank G.
Tavern is one of the few places that serves a pretty standard sit-down American-style menu among Central's collection diverse ethnic restaurants. It fits in neatly between all the fast-food joints and the upscale places in price. The standard Sunday brunch buffet is a pretty good deal. Nothing about Tavern is amazing, but I'm very glad it's here for the times when I want to bring friends or visitors to something reliably familiar and not too expensive.
(3)John D.
The Tavern is a really fun place to hang out especially on saturday nights. The food is great and the staff are super friendly. What I like best os the lack of "goons" that you normally find in these types of bars and instead it holds a certain sophistication and is not at all messy. The tavern has quickly become my regular Saturday night spot.
(5)Tez C.
Overpriced and our waitress was horrid. We had a huge group of us and so we wanted to buy our drinks separately at the bar, but she told us we could only order from her. She was a real wench about it. They had a Miller Light special which was cheap but otherwise it's a normal bar. Pretty big but a much older crowd I would say. Nothing to get too worked up about.
(2)Gigi B.
I have been to Tavern in the Square in Central Square at least a dozen times since moving to Boston nearly three years ago. Overall my experiences have been positive and I enjoy eating and drinking there, but there is often spotty service and the quality of mixed drinks seems to have gone downhill. Recently our server did not come back for over 15 minutes after we had left cash for the bill and wanted changed; we ended up leaving and giving her a much larger tip than we wanted because we were so frustrated. On another occurrence, the night of the State of the Union address by the president, the bar proceeded to turn off the music and turn every television channel to the speech and have the audio over the speakers. Call me ignorant for only wanting to watch the highlights at home later that evening, but if I had wanted to watch the State of the Union address, I would have stayed at home. Overall Tavern in the Square is a good choice to meet friends for a burger, watch the game and catch up.
(3)shary m.
This place only means one thing to me. Risotto fritters! They are the only thing that can get me through that door, past the hulking flat screens, past the clamor of the "upscale generic sports bar" vibe they've got going on. One bite of the fritties and everything goes away. Nuff said.
(3)Sean E.
I guess I'll just add to the plethora of 3 star reviews here (and ones that probably decided to round up from 2.5). [Updated: Sorry, you're a 2 star affair.] As far as food goes the Tavern in the Square manages to succeed at middle of the road, chain-restaurant style appeasement. It's not good, but it's not bad. From what we had I can tell you that the salad was better than the (veggie) burger. I don't know if I can properly stress how much a good bun adds to a burger. At the Tavern you're getting a cold, yellow, tasteless, seemingly a couple-days-old as it fell apart in my hands, bun. No matter how good the actual burger is -- I mean, I wouldn't even call this thing bread -- I'd rather it were served on a couple slices of wheat or even white bread. The onion strings stood up ok but they'd be much better if they had some crunch and weren't as limp. And the salad was the winner with some greens that had a good snap to them and fresh tasting ingredients -- even though they skimped a bit on the avacado and feta that were supposed to be the starring items. The place itself has more than a couple identity issues. They keep the lights on low, but the volume up high (we were yelling at each other from across a tiny table), and the design of the place is saying we have a touch of class but the use of multiple flat screens and bad music is saying I want to be a sports bar. Maybe this is the destination to check out a Red Sox/Patriots game in Central Square? If you can find a spot, I'd recommend sticking to the bar area on the left and coming on a full stomach. They have a decent obligatory section on their beer list of stuff besides your big 3. But if you're just looking for hitting a bar for some drinks there's many a better option in the area.
(2)Kaopectate P.
food/restaurant = 2 stars drinks/bar = 4 stars average = 3 stars
(3)M. Deloris D.
I had stopped through here a number of times for libations. Based on that alone I would have given this place 3 stars. That was until I ate brunch here and was convinced never to return. The eggs were terrible, overdone, rubbery and the food at the brunch buffet kept running out (after I tried nearly everything and could not find the saving grace of the spread I don't understand why.) The only good thing about brunch was the mimosa. I think I paid nearly 17 dollars just to eat. NEVER AGAIN!
(1)Holly M.
I enjoyed the scene and the brews. A great time was had on the friday night that I visited. Someone next to us order the food and it looked like decent pub type food. He seemed to enjoy it. The atmosphere was fun and hearty, exactly what I would expect from this Cambridge joint.
(3)Roshni R.
yuck! totally overpriced for extremely mediocre food. service was ridiculously slow. even though you are technically supposed to be seated by the waitstaff, we had to wander around for 10minutes, find ourselves a table, and tell the bartender where we were seated before a waitress actually showed up. frankly i want only to give it 2 stars, but i came here with the ex for lunch on our first one-on-one outing in 2yrs, and the unbearable wait made us tired and cranky enough to get our squabbling over with before the meal actually began, so by the time we had food and a couple beers in our systems, we remembered why we're friends to begin with and went our (separate) merry ways. so i suppose the tavern served its purpose, and that deserves a third star ;).
(3)Lakay C.
I've enjoyed just about everything I've eaten here. I've also always had good service. I give it a three stars though because it lacks originality and spunk. I've never had a bad time here but I've also never had a really great time. It's just generic.
(3)Jillian M.
This place is simple with good solid food with plenty of options, good drinks, good atmosphere, really good service and plenty of tvs to watch the games on. No gimmicks or any of that... just really really good, anytime.
(5)Mags L.
i don't mind this place. we go on occasion after tae kwon do and it serves a decent calamari. it was also nice during the summertime to have the option of sitting out in the "patio" area. never eaten dinner here, but have had decent peach martinis and mango margaritas (i'm a girly-drink drunk). i think it's hilarious that there's a "dj" booth. i think the person up there is playing cd's, but i've never taken a close look. she/he/whoever (again a close look was not taken) always seems to be playing a hit or miss selection of hip hop. thank goodness for the martinis. it's a good spot to hit up if you're interested in meeting men who feel no shame enjoying a nice cold smirnoff ice (ain't nothing wrong w/that). update: shots of ketel one were lukewarm. lukewarm! how can you do a shot of vodka that's not freezing cold. had to bump down the stars. :( i'd like to get drunk in as pleasant manner as possible.
(2)Trish F.
Boston doesn't really have that many buffets...so I get kind of excited when I find one. For some reason, I thought that the food was a little better when I first started going here over a year ago. The service improved slightly. The omelet cook was nice and they actually remembered to bring me my omelet this time (seriously forgot all about me two times before and then acted like it was my fault for placing the order correctly and not hmphing louder when I didn't get my food in a timely manner). The spread just seemed old. The eggs benedict had burnt edges and the pasta had a weird taste to it. I did like their seasoned home fries and the chicken that was in the chicken parm. The cakes they had were pretty delicious too. It generally is a good mix of breakfast and lunch: pastas, salad, eggs, sausage, bacon, salmon, potatoes - mashed and home fries, wings, croissants, bagels, muffins, fruit.. OH! Something incredibly bothersome. The chocolate sprinkles tasted funny (sad sad ice cream). C'mon man.. what are you trying to do to a girl? Didn't they read my Yelp thread about my love of ice cream? They do have outdoor seating which is a huge plus in the spring/summer. And they don't seem to have a time limit.. so if you have a couple hours and want to get your $15.95's worth you can hang out for a bit.
(3)Amie R.
Seems ilke a pretty cool place -- albeit a tad pricey. I really liked the atmosphere here, and the had a ton of drink specialties. Definitely a "nicer" place for the area. Haven't eaten here yet, but would like to try their food!
(3)erin e.
Reminds me a LOT of Temple Bar in between Harvard and Porter Squares. Upscale American/Pub food. Casual. Good to go get drinks and hang out in Central. Don't think I'd want to "make a night of it" here, nor would I ever really plan on going here, but it's a nice place if you're in the area and need a place to stop in for food. Don't go to Wish.
(3)Jess P.
Tavern started out with 5 stars because they spent months rehabbing the old Good Life and I figured we had to be waiting for something good. Minus one star for the limp, soul-less "fancy-Irish-pub-in-Boston" atmosphere. One more star lost for the puddles of puke you'll have to avoid on the sidewalk just outside the door as you try to leave on a weekend night. Last star lost for having really overpriced weekend brunch, middling food and for getting my hopes up. Two stars remain because it's convenient, close to T, and the biggest bar in Central - if you get sick of mushing up against lots of people in Enormous room, the Field, Middlesex, River Gods etc.
(2)Rebecca Y.
Central's Square new answer to Good Life (literally, it is in the same spot). Good nachos, fun drinks and quite a night spot. We were there just as it opened and were very happy with the service and the food. We even talked to the manager for awhile and gave him some feedback on the menu. Just don't go next store to Wish - these guys should stick with the bar food at Tavern.
(3)Karen D.
The biggest pluses for this place is that you can sit outside and they have Franzikaner beer. I went with 3 friends on a Saturday late afternoon for some appetizers and drinks. The server said that the fried clam appetizers were big enough to share and they definitely weren't. I got the Angry Shrimp which were very good and had a nice presentation. The best value was the buffalo calalmari. It didn't have a lot of batter and was actually big enough to share. The service was kind of lousy. The waitress asked if we wanted more drinks and one person said "no" and I said "yes" and she walked away. I asked for the beer menu and by the time I got it and got her attention to order, everyone at my table was done, so I didn't bother. My friends with the clams were going to order some more food, but the service was so slow, the didn't want to. It took us a really long time to get the check. I would go there again mostly to sit outside and have a beer, but not when I have to be anywhere after.
(3)rishi h.
Eh. Maybe I'd come here more often if I was really dedicated to being a young professional. Not really my kinda place but I've stopped by for a drink often and recent enough to get a feel for it. Nothing extraordinary happening here. It's pretty busy on the weekends. Expect a young crowd dressed like they're out to get laid but might be seen earlier taking their parents out to dinner in the same attire.
(3)Kabir H.
Holy shit, they've got a patio! You can drink outside in Central Sq. now!
(3)Macall Z.
What changed??? I used to live near the tavern and would go there quite often. It wasn't anything particularly spectacular, but it had some good comfort food. I went back and noticed that the menu looked different. The food was plain horrible. I thought maybe it was just a bad day, so I went back. Again, almost inedible. However, there has always been a great beer selection.
(2)Greg L.
This restaurant doesn't really belong in central square. I feel bad about the fact that I patronize it. I give it three stars instead of one because they show a ton of NFL games on Sunday and their buffalo chicken pizza is ridiculously good. Other than that, it needs become the tavern in some other square.
(3)Ellie L.
I scorned its yuppy looking exterior at first, thinking it belonged in Harvard, not Central, square. It's definitely a collar-popped bar, but the food is surprisingly good. I got some variation of an asian chicken salad, which has become a standard bar menu item as of late, but it surprised me with just how huge and fresh it was. a bunch of screens playing different sporting events kept everyones eyes everywhere but each other, and the music is far from subtle, but isn't that what taverns are supposed to be like? nice beer selection to boot.
(3)Kevin C.
Great Place to watch sporting events as there are plenty of televisions spread out throughout to allow one to watch multiple events. Food is good, with the steak tips as a favorite. Only downfall is the service could be better as you may find yourself waiting a long time for menus, food and maybe even getting drinks at the bar yourself as the staff can not accommodate the hectic atmosphere.
(3)Tom v.
Lousy food, a smug manager, and....... a rat. Went there for the first and last time with an out of town guest. Music was insipid and loud, so we asked for a quiet table, were shown to one at the back of the restaurant, and still had to yell at each other. The waitress was nice and attentive, but the spinach/artichoke dip consisted of a stringy garlicky glop that reminded me of half-dried elmer's glue with lumps in it. The sangrias were mediocre at best. Our main course had just arrived, when my friend spotted a rat at our feet. The rat zig-zagged around underneath our table, and then made its way through the shadows towards the table where other diners were. We put down our forks, and glumly looked at our plates. Our waitress soon came, and asked what was wrong. She politely apologized when we told her the reason for our sudden loss of appetite, but she did not seem surprised, and indeed indicated that previous incidents like this had taken place. She told us she would get the manager to handle the situation. The manager was completely different from the waitress... smug, annoying and totally unapologetic. He explained to us that this was, after all, Central Square, and that rats were a part of daily life in Cambrige. Really? I didn't know that, after nearly 2 decades of living in Cambridge. I mean, I'd never enountered a rat at my feet before in any restaurant during all those years! The manager then grandly proclaimed that our drinks would be on the house, and assured us that "we run a clean establishment here." How very reassuring. The waitress, when she collected our money for our uneaten meal, was once more apologetic, and asked if the manager's settlement were satisfactory. I politely shook my head, we paid for the food and left. The Cambridge health department will be notified tomorrow morning.
(1)Rina R.
This new place, alongside Wish, is a new favorite. You shouldn't miss their FANTASTIC brunch on the weekends. Inexpensive, but with many, many great options. Lots of fresh fruit, fancy little tarts and desserts, even a little ice cream bar, in addition to the usual breakfast options. Go there this weekend! Or, actually, don't so that when I go I'll be able to get a table!
(5)sean m.
This place has awful food for a lot of money. The only good thing it has going is the TVs for watching baseball. Don't waste your time or money if you are looking for a good place to eat. There are plenty of great choices in Central Square.
(2)Jenna H.
My good friend had her going away party here last night. The place was packed but I think that was a combination of the Red Sox game and the fact that this is immediately outside the Central Square T stop, so easy access from pretty much anywhere in the area. We were lucky enough to get a nice git bar table (although it had a post right in the middle of it) and have some fries and drinks. The red sangria that I had was sub-par, but some of the other drinks (the dark and stormy and the cosmo) were delicious. The service was decent and the atmosphere was definitely fun. I didn't eat the food, but it looked good and they had a cute patio out front for summer seating.
(3)I D.
The food here is edible. You wont die from it, but you wont be getting a good meal either. I've eaten here a few times and the food is just bland! My sesame chicken was tasteless. The lunch time waitress wasn't so pleasant and was pretty slow!
(2)Abigail B.
i had an appointment in central square... since my pop lives down there we decided to meet for brunch... it was a toss up between sticking with an old standard (brookline lunch) that we both know and love... and trying something new (tavern in the square)... and in the back of my mind i'm thinking... 'breakfast is easy... like you'd really have to make a concerted effort to make breakfast NOT TASTE GOOD' thesis... disproved. the potatoes were really mealy and starchy (okay i know potatoes are a starch but there's ways of cooking them so they don't have the texture of an apple from the produce section of a market basket)... and they were seasoned with i think paprika only... which is weird... the omelet looked like it was made with one of those 'shazam and it's done!' things you see on infomercials... (it had an unnatural shape and texture) and had absolutely NO TASTE... which is weird because eggs should have a flavor even if you don't season them... so somehow they managed to extract any natural flavor and then not add any... it's a bum out because i've heard this place is decent for dinner... but now i think i'm too scared to try it... even my dad was like 'wow that place was less than mediocre' and he'll eat anything...
(1)Peter P.
Good, if you like commercial bars with no character. The service is always good, but being a bar manager I can see it is because it is way overstaffed. Over staffing means no one makes any money, typical corporate attitude. Not a bad place to watch sports, but honestly, I would rather get take out, some beer, and sit on my couch with friends. Nothing special here. Good selection of random beer.
(2)Greg S.
Ok, this is just me taking pleasure in the simple things. My favorite thing here was not that it was a Sunday and we were the only people in the bar, or the fact that the bartender had a coaster fight with the bus boy and the waitresses or the mac and cheese which was really good, it was that it was my first encounter with the Xlerator hand dryer, I mean this thing actually blows, er I mean dries. So it actually moves the skin on your hand, it's like a wind tunnel, if every hand dryer was like this one we wouldn't need hand towels. I want to buy one of these for my home someday, sorry for being enamored by a hand dryer!
(3)Jessica E.
I can definitely see what other reviewers mean by saying the Tavern is trying to bee all things to all people. I want to like the place- they're trying, which says a lot compared to other places in Central Square. But they need to find a few things to specialize in. Until then, I won't be back.
(3)Joe R.
I may be biased as TOTSq is just a few blocks from my place, but I was quite impressed with it. The bartenders at both bars (Wish and Tavern on the Square) were startlingly kind, the atmosphere cool & relaxed, and the crowd unpretentious (which says a lot for Cambridge). It'll be a new hangout for me...
(4)K L.
Went here for lunch...really bad service and so-so food
(2)Jenny P.
I went to this restaurant/bar to watch Game 3 of the World Series (Boston vs Colorado). Before being seated by the hostess, I asked if I would be able to see the game from the table and she said yes. I sat with my back to the wall and could see the big screen, which I could see as long as there were not people standing at the high top table to my right and the game was on; however, the television that was straight in front of me had on college footbal, Penn State vs Ohio State. Now I am a diehard Penn State football fan, but this is game 3 of the world series and Boston is in it. I asked the waitress if they are going to change the channel once the game started and she said yes. Once the game started, the television still had on the football game. I asked the waitress again if the channel could be changed and she said no. Both myself and the table next to me asked to speak with the manager. The manager came over in a Boston Red Sox uniform, for Halloween, and his name was Robbie. The first question we asked was if he is a Red Sox fan and he said yes. We asked why one of the televisions in the main dining room and bar had on college footbal and the best answer we could get was, "because I am the manager and I say so." Not only did we get an answer that did not explain his reasoning, but he was the definition of arrogant, biligerent and displaying "short man syndrome." I understand there are people that would like to watch both games, but there is a small bar with televisions on the other side that could have displayed the game. The manager continued to say there were two televisions within view that had the game on and he was not going to do anything.
(1)amanda n.
I've been here now two times to eat and once for drinks on a Saturday night. Not a lot I remember about the food except that the first dinner experience was extremely slow. We waited forever for our entrees. The thing I really don't understand about Tavern in the Square is why in the world the music has to be so LOUD. I hate having to yell to the person next to me. Lots of flat screens all over. I guess that's a good thing if you don't want to miss the game.
(2)Lisa I.
I went to Tavern in the Square for a friend's birthday dinner, and I had a good time! It seems that everyone in our party enjoyed their food and drinks. I had a salad with nuts, dried cherries, and fancy cheese, and it was delicious! They have a big TV in the back of the bar area for watching sports. This place has a great combination of casual atmosphere and classy surroundings (think dim lights and dark wood).
(4)R P.
I have to say that when I am in Cambridge (which if often) i find myself at two places, the Asgard and Tavern in the Square. If you like good food at good prices, awesome selection of beers, friendly diverse crowd and fun friendly servers then the Tavern is the place is for you. They always have a way of making me feel special and at home when I go there. There's also no better place to be during a Red Sox or Patriots game. I have always had a good meal at the Tavern and especially like the imagination they use when creating new dishes. I would recommend Tavern in the Square to anybody.
(5)Amy B.
Was here yet again for drinks after work with co-workers. This place wouldn't be my choice if I was doing the organizing. On the way in the door last night a co-worker commented that she has never really enjoyed any of the drinks she has ordered here. I decided to try their red sangria last night and all I can say is YUCK-O. It tasted like cheap red wine with some fruit floating in it. There was no sweetness what-so-ever. I have to admit, I find the scene here to be decent, the place is set up well and our large group of post work drinkers is usually accommodated well. I do agree with other reviewers that the food isn't very great. I have had a number of the appetizers and I would have to admit that most of them are pretty lacking in the flavor department. My recommendation is to stick with beer when at the Tavern and when you get hungry head across the street to Picantes for something good to eat.
(3)Ashley M.
friendly staff, great bar to hang out... but i have to disagree with the rest of you about the food... its really just not impressive.
(4)Masmin P.
I'm surprised at all the bad reviews that this place is getting. Are we talking about the same place? I'm not a beer drinker so I can't comment on the price/ menu selection there, but I often go there for my regular sports bar lunch and dinner fare. The steak tips are my favorite (have the sweet potato fries as a side); fish and chips are a close second. I had the turkey version of the meat loaf recently and it was surprisingly tasty, esp. with the apple-tomato relish. The burgers are great, I absolutely love the chicken lettuce wraps; but the buffalo wings and calamari are about average. My husband likes it there because he can still keep an eye on the Red Sox games as we're eating. The Tavern offers a Lunch Box menu of selected dishes which are a little cheaper than on the regular menu, so it makes for a good lunch spot. It's usually busy in the evenings, so I can understand if the service staff can't always come around to your table, but they're generally attentive and friendly. I keep going back and the friends I've brought there have enjoyed it too, so I guess I don't have too many complaints!
(4)Selena J.
I am actually somewhat ashamed to even admit that I've been here... multiple times. But at least it's only been to watch Celtics games with a group of people when because we couldn't think of anywhere else with TVs, beer, and sufficient seating. Are you familiar with that website 'This is why you're fat' ( thisiswhyyourefat.tumblr… )? Cause that is all I can think about whenever ordering food here. The portions are about three times too large for one person, but they seem to be consumed as individual dishes at tables throughout the restaurant. And yes I am guilty of occasionally eating so much food that I think I might die or be unable to fit into any of my clothes in the morning. But only when the food is good. Like, really good. Not mediocre bar food. And they don't even have good drinks. So really, unless I'm already fed and intoxicated and just need a place to be loud and obnoxious with friends during a game, I really don't see the point.
(2)Eugena O.
This place is better suited for appetizer + beers instead of dinner. The dinner portions are enormous. Any one entree can feed two people comfortably. The food isn't terrible, but it isn't wonderful either. There's nothing special about it, it's there and it's tasty and it's edible. The artichoke dip, however, was pretty damn good. I would stay away from the cocktail menu. Maybe it was an off night, but the cocktails either tasted like sugar or like they had decided to give you straight tequila on the rocks instead of a margarita. That said, maybe it's better outside in their patio than inside?
(2)Amanda J.
I was off the bat impressed with this place for being able to seat a party of 8 with virtually no notice. There was lots of bar space for us to hang out for a bit while they bussed a few tables and then we were seated. The waitress was really quick with the drinks and a tall beer here is a great deal. I ordered the rueben burger and definitely give it a two thumbs up. They cooked it perfectly and it had the right amount of cheese and sauerkraut on it. It was messy though and one of my other friends who also got a burger said the same thing. What I really loved were the sweet potato fries! So good and my favorite part of the meal. The atmosphere was pretty good, lively and busy for a Thursday, lots of TVs to watch the game with. Despite having 4 cards plus cash to figure out, the waitress was quick and efficient and nice about the whole thing.
(4)Jonathan V.
Tavern in the Square is generally a solid option. They have a good beer selection and the bar menu consists of mostly solid choices. I like this place for game watches as there are a plethora of TVs on every wall. My favorite items on the menu are the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and the Fried Pickles. The burgers are solid as well. Order the sweet potato fries if you have the option. It can get pretty crowded and there generally is a wait during peak dining times but all-in-all its a fun atmosphere with solid food options.
(3)Neil Z.
The Tavern has it all: food, beer, an enormous space -- this problem is that for the most part none of it is any good. The food is expensive for what it is, and what it is is pretty much what you'd find at the Ninety-Nine out on the 'pike (true story: I have a bad-salty-food thesaurus on my desk). Once I gave into temptation and ordered a stuffed burger, which proves two things: that I can't be trusted to order my own food, and that there exists such a thing as a stuffed burger. It won't kill you, but there are so many better food options at Central Square that I could never recommend the place. The beer can be divided into three categories: Harpoon IPA on tap, decent stuff in bottles that they want kind of too much money for, and swill. If you're looking to get your drink on, the tap beers can be gotten in a 23-oz "large" that's a bit more cost-effective. They've got lots of screens tuned to whatever sports are on. Back in the election season I caught a debate here, but I don't imagine there will be anything else like that any time soon. It's no louder than you'd expect, though sometimes the music gets a little out of control in the side room. Why do I find myself coming back here? Mostly because they do a pretty good job of handling large groups, I guess. And during the week it's not too crowded. So whatever, it's not *bad*. The beer's quite a bit worse than the Asgard down the street, the food's identical but slightly cheaper, and the atmosphere is equally lacking but with more distracting TVs. This is what 2-star reviews are made of.
(2)Ver D.
Stomach ache guaranteed. super greasy food. update / clarification... someone who works for this place has been spamming me because of this review -- so here it is loud and clear: I was there with 5 people and we all were sick after eating here. regardless of what you order, food you pay for should not make you sick. end of story. no argument, the food is bad... it's cool if you like it - I didn't.
(1)Donna D.
Convenient location for lunch, and happy hour. The menu here is huge, and has a nice selection of salads, sandwiches, burgers, pasta, and entrees. A definite crowd pleaser. Lunch service can be a little unattentive, but otherwise is decent.
(3)aland f.
This place is part of a Boston based chain that has the "sports bar atmosphere" down to a science. Tons of TV's for sports aficionados.... Decent beer selection... Wide range of food, including an AWESOME white truffle mac-n-cheese. Great place for sports or trivia nights.. Favorite part of trivia night is watching the "my brain is bigger than yours" contest between MIT and Harvard kids.
(4)Sox G.
I went here on a Tuesday for lunch. It was a pleasant surprise to find out that burgers are half off on Tuesday's (from 11:30-3 or so)! I am a burger snob and I have to say that their burgers are pretty darn good. The service is always great and I like the atmosphere. It's also perfect for large groups.
(4)Stacy M.
I give Tavern on the Square an A-OK +. We've gone several Tuesdays in a row (news flash: 10 cent wing night!!) and I've noticed we've had consistently above-par or excellent service. The servers have been knowledgeable about beer selection, great about checking in without being too intrusive, and seem to deftly manage several tables without seeming harried. This was appreciated not just by us but by the tables around us- I overhead a couple of girls next to us cooing over how nice the server was. Oh right, you probably want to know about the food. ;) Will it win foodie awards? No. But it's consistently good as well. The menu's all standard american fare, with a nice dose of comfort food. The prices are a bit high in my opinion, but the portions are large enough to share or take home. Lots of TV's all around, so it seems like a good place to go have a burger after work and catch any of the multitude of games on the big screens.
(3)Anthony R.
Tavern in the Square is an okay bar with okay decor with plenty of okay food and okay drinks at okay prices. It's a popular place for group events, I think, because they don't charge a room fee and can provide your group with tons of okay appetizers. The middle-of-the-roadness that so pervades everything at Tavern in the Square does have some upsides - last summer I was there with friends eying the nachos another table had, which had gone mostly untouched due to their incredible mediocrity. We eventually sent someone over to inquire about the nachos and ended up with their platter for free. They were.. well, they were pretty mediocre. Even better, an hour or so later, we saw another group doing the same thing and I offered them $2 for the rest of their mediocre nachos - they politely declined my offer to pay and gave us the rest of the nachos for free. My friends and I now refer to Tavern as "free nacho bar," or FNB. Remember: mediocre food counts as good food when it's free! Extreme luck and harassment of strangers aside, though, If you're looking for an okay evening, it's at least an okay bet.
(3)Jess C.
I completely agree with most of these reviews. Here's the basics. Big menu, lots of bar space, beer, cocktails, etc. I walked here one day with my friend Alisha from Boston over the Mass Ave bridge and we just walked in for a quick bite. So for that type of thing, this is a good place. The butternut squash arancini was really yummy, I will say that.
(3)Tajar E.
Good appetizers, good beer selection and Great environment. However, do NOT get any of the fancy sounding entrees. Sound is the only one of the 5 senses they got right. This evening's sesame salmon slab tasted dry, smelt burnt, and looked like a dried up flip flop. I guess I still have one sense to cover. It felt like umm a fish.
(3)Evan G.
Ya know, your at a place called T.I.T.S. The menus is 74 pages long and it serves an All-American Pizza that is descried as having "seasoned ground beef, french fries topped with Monterrey Jack and cheddar cheeses tomatoes, onions, and zesty bistro sauce." It has that classier than a suburban chain vibe. At some point you will wind up here because at some point a group of you will decide that 74 options of food with 95 TVs and 20 beers on tap will satisfy everyone and please no one.
(3)Melissa M.
Even if you have all the time in the world, Tavern in the Square is not worth your time. It's also not worth your money, sanity, and body. Your body? Yes. Unless you like to wait for a table for an hour when you were quoted a wait of 20 minutes. Only to be moved from a cramped corner of the bar to an even more cramped "dining area" a mere 2 feet away. The dining area was a high top table with bar stools and an "obstructed view" large pole/beam type thing that was blocking Matt -- one of our friends. We also were seated a mere foot from the door so that was really nice having a freezing cold fall wind at your back. The waitress cheerfully (or maybe hopped up on pills) came to our table and attempted to ask us if we'd like a drink. We already were at the bar for an hour and had our drinks, but then left when the hostess from hell came over to us to see what the problem was. Well, for one we did not fit at the table. When my fiance said other tables of 5 people were getting sat quite frequently before us, she had the bitchy reply that we could get a better table, but we'd have to put our name back on the list. That's when I said. No, and left. I apologize to my dining companions, but I won't be treated like that. I am a thirty year old woman, I don't need to feel like I'm doing something wrong by patronizing your restaurant. Nevertheless, I won't regale you with what I had because my party of 7 went quickly and not quietly to a party of 5. I had to leave. I went down the street to a much better place. Rendezvous in Central Square, and of course I will yelp that experience. If you find yourself in Central Square make sure you are not in Tavern in the Square. This has been a public service announcement from Melissa M. You can thank me later.
(1)Jackie P.
I had a great time my first time at the Tavern! I came here with my boyfriend and a mutual friend from out of town to watch some college football and this was a great place to do it! There are many TVs scattered throughout the two bar areas with all different games on! We arrived at 5pm expecting t o at least be there for the Penn State game at 7pm. The bar wasn't as crowded as I expected to be during those hours which was really nice. The drinks according to my boyfriend and friend (I was DD) seemed to be made well and not overpriced. The portions for the appetizers we got were HUGE! We got the Big Dig Fries and the pile was larger than my head! They were delicious too! We also ordered the spring rolls, bqq wings and a side of tater tots which also had very generous portions and all tasted great! The atmosphere was also a lot nicer than I expected from a "sports bar." The only downside was the service. It wasn't horrible, and I've seen a lot worse, but our waitress was no where to be seen unless she came directly to the table which was few and far between sometimes. We were actually there long enough that the first waitress finished her shift and we got a new one and she was around a lot more. All in all I would definitely go back again! I was able to spend about 5 hours there and enjoyed almost all of it! I wished I lived closer so I could go more often!
(4)Corry B.
This may be a place I'm embarrassed to say I've actually gone to twice, and both were for mildly desperate reasons. The first time was after a marathon walking tour of Boston-over the bridge- to Cambridge with a visiting friend and we just wanted to sit our bums down and drink a beer outside. We were in Central, it was easy. We waited an eternity for our beers, we ate really mediocre food. The second time was recently when it was a lovely below 0 ice storm and we wanted beer and food (after already warming up with several beers at the wonderfully appointed selection at People's Republik, but no food sat. night). So we made a mad dash to the Plough and Stars next door and couldn't pay $9 for a bowl of black bean soup no matter how pretty the wood grain on the bar, so we walk-jogged (like you do when you are wearing snow-suits, but for us it was just that our thighs had frozen) and we dashed into the Taven cuz it was the next place we saw that fit the bill. Despite it being full of a very random crowd, it wasn't hard to get a seat. We sat near a 30'th bday party (high point: the bday girl and her sister-?- did a choreographed dance to Bel Biv Devoe's Poison) and some underage looking boys watching the football game on the fifty screens surrounding us, while the dj played- a little more random sensory overload. We drank regular beer (boring selection for such a big place) at one of the two bars, and managed to grease ourselves up silly with buffalo fried calamari (can you say GAS?) and frech fries smothered in cheese sauce and bacon (can you say COLITIS?). These treats, were of course, a nice accompaniament to a beer-soaked liver. Might as well do it all at once, no? I hate to know that at some point I'm going to end up here again. Sigh.
(2)Roni E.
They've got TV's! Lots of TVs! Great place to see a game. Funky table layout. Decent wine selection. That's all I've got... for now...
(3)Meghan A.
The location I actually went to was the one in Porter Square, but that's fine. I don't think it makes a huge difference. The food is forgettable. The wait staff is kind of creepy, and the people it attracts are... interesting, but I can't hate on this place too much. I went there this past weekend with my brother for dinner in between a couple of parties to refuel. This was going to be a non-drinking dinner, that is, until I randomly started crying for no reason worth mentioning. Our waiter was pretty cool about it and immediately came over to ask if I wanted something to drink, and I didn't hesitate when I asked for a beer. His response: "I think I know the answer, but do you want a small one or the 20 ounce?" Obviously it was the 20 ounce. He brought it over right away, and I sipped on it casually through dinner, until I realized I have over half a glass left by the end of the meal and needed to down it before leaving. Nice and attentive, but still pretty creepy. In general I think this is a good place for some quick bar food so long as you aren't looking to be wow-ed by the quality of the food. A ton of options, great ambiance, and (you know me) nice bathrooms. Extra star for that.
(3)Patrick F.
Tavern in the Square is a pretty solid restaurant. The food is, in general, quite good and reasonably priced. The service has always been top notch when I've been there and I've heard no different from my friends. To get down into some specifics on the food, the Mac & Cheese with white truffle is pretty frikkin keen as are their salads and burgers. I can however advise against their turkey burgers. They must be for people with dietary restrictions because they are totally flavorless. Expect to season it yourself if you order one, otherwise it's gonna taste like all the awesome toppings on a paper mache patty. Trufax. I can always do without a loud room and sports on like, 70 TV's when I want to have dinner with my friends. Fortunately, The Tavern has a quiet side room for just such an occasion. Their brunch is pretty decent too and I've heard they'll DELIVER IT!
(4)Shaina S.
I used to work practically across the street from this place, so my co-workers and I came here a number of times both to unwind and to celebrate. We've had some really great servers who bantered with us and catered to our every alcoholic need and we even scored free drinks and apps one night with a special invite. Unfortunately, the food I've tried is unremarkable, especially for the price. I am a big fan of the tater tots, but I could probably find something pretty similar in the freezer section of my grocery store. The stir fry is also pretty good, but the sesame salmon is just okay. The vegetarian lettuce wraps actually looked awesome and got rave reviews, but I didn't get a chance to try those... Because appetizers are served in large portions, they tend to cost the same as an entree which means you can't get off cheap here. Especially after a couple of $9 martinis. Speaking of martinis, the Sparkling Pear is really lovely, garnished with a huge slice of pear which will certainly not stay balanced on the rim of your glass. Best eat that quick. The blackberry lemonade is also nice. If you want to drink your dessert, however, opt for the banana split martini. It was invented by one of their bartenders and should be on the menu soon. It is damn good! Most of their drinks are very very sweet though, which is okay by me, but may not fly with more serious alcohol connoisseurs. When the Jameson girls came around, we got free drinks and my friend won a light-up shot glass! Suh-weet! All in all, the Tavern is good fun and a nice place to hang out if you like drinking your sweet tooth. Even though the tvs show football and baseball games, I wouldn't call it a serious sports bar, but it is one of the more upstanding establishments in Central Square. I wasn't blown away by Tavern except in comparison to it's surroundings, but it did remind me of all the reasons I like bars and it's becoming something of a tradition with the co-workers, so I like it all the same.
(3)Bryan R.
Too big for the night time crowds that go in there and a little overpriced for the food that comes but an important link in any Central pub crawl.
(3)Erica E.
Tavern is the kind of place you go if you want pretty tasty pub fare. I love their appetizers and drink menu the best. Their fried pickles and risotto fritters are awesome! The avocado and feta salad is my most favorite entree, though at times they forget the pistachios or don't put enough dressing on (always ask for it on the side, that seems to be plenty!) If you are looking for a quieter dining experience, hope that the side dining room will be open or go earlier in the evening. It gets pretty loud in there when it's packed.
(3)Kristine M.
The brunch buffet is a good deal. Lots and lots and LOTS of food for a decent price. Most of the stuff in the buffet is pretty good, too. It's no Blue Room, but then again the price is much better. The thing that was sort of a bummer was that we went at noon, and what began as a nice, low-key brunch restaurant, turned into a sports bar. This was not what I was expecting and nor was it what I wanted. Before I knew it, rabid football fans were screaming and frothing at the mouth in between bites of their omelets. (My husband included!) I'd go there again for their brunch buffet, but I'd either go earlier in the morning or I'd avoid going during football season.
(4)Mario L.
It was okay. The nachos were great, but it is hard to make bad nachos. The meatloaf sandwich was extremely disappointing. Good atmosphere.
(2)Min L.
This place is more like a 3.5 in my book but I'll round up since it looks like it could use a little boost in ratings. Just like Union Street, its sister bar in Newton, this place has always served well the sole purpose I've created for it , and that's to provide a place for my friends to meet up and watch a game together when we don't want to bother each others' roommates and don't care how awesome the food is. It's true that there's nothing special about the food, but I've also never complained about anything I've ordered (nor the service) so I have nothing to hold against them. The TV screens are large and clear, everyone has their pick of which screen to watch (watch out for the one with the 2-second delay), we eat whatever, there's lots of cheering energy to feed off of in the room, and when the game's over, we leave and are glad we had a good time watching the game together. Not a bad place at all.
(4)Claire S.
Consistently pretty decent evening food and drink options. My husband is a fan of the fried pickles and I dig their spinach and artichoke dip. The waiters are all pretty friendly although there are one or two who can ruin your night. They do a fantastic dark and stormy. The brunch is total crap though. Not worth it.
(3)Betsy E.
I thought I would hate this place. It is one of the few places in Central Square that just screams "corporate." It seems like there was not one detail of this restaurant that was not tested in focus groups--it is not spontaneous or quirky at all. That being said, the food is decent, and I cannot remember ever having a bad time here. I live close by, and it is nice having one place that can accomodate even the pickiest eaters. I just wish it had a little more soul.
(3)Thanh L.
Only come here for the Chili because everything else is not worth the money. My friends and myself came here for lunch because it was near the mall. We were seated outside in the worst spot possible, but there were alot of open tables with alot space to move around. We were seated near a wall and the door to the inside which was not good place to move around. There was a bee surrounding our table and nothing was done about it. We ordered calamari, 2 chili, 2 burgers, fish & chips and also an Asian salad. The Calamari and chilies came out first. The calamari was heavily covered in dough and the chili was really good. The Asian Salad looked and tasted horrible. The service was pretty bad because they came out with the other food before we could even finish what was on the table. There was no room on the table to move any plates. There was a mistake on one of the burgers and instead of taking it away, the help was blaming each other for the error. When they did bring back the burger it looked the same but with un-melted cheese on the hash browns. Overall, I wouldn't waste my time and money here again because the service and food is not worth the amount that they charge.
(2)Jocee Z.
The Sesame Salmon is really nice!!! And the price is acceptable.
(4)Sarah R.
I haven't yet written a review for the Porter Square location, as I've been there a few times, but the experience is pretty much the same at the Central Square branch. It's not my favorite bar, but it's surprisingly not bad. Seriously, I thought I'd hate this place immensely before I actually tried it. If you know me, then you know how I feel about bars featuring lots of TVs showing "the game", or games, as it were. Went here the other night for a late night drink or two after an unsuccessful attempt to score a table at The Cellar. Sean ended up getting the Smokehouse Stuffed Burger with waffle fries, and we both got Abita Purple Hazes. The menu is exactly the same at both locations and features quite a selection of food. There's even a section for "comfort food". I haven't had their brunch, but I hear that it's decent enough. Their boneless wings (which I had on another occasion) were good, but I had to be all dainty and use cutlery to eat them because they were so big. (insert old Yelp joke about small mouth, big sushi) I tried a bite of the stuffed burger (this variation filled with cheddar and bacon) and yeah, it's a carnivore's wet dream and a cardiologist's nightmare. Waffle fries were also good, no complaint there. The beer selection is pretty good, too, considering that at first glance, I'd expect this to be the type of place that's strictly on a lawnmower-beer-only policy. Our server was...ehh, OK. We agreed that he seemed like the type of guy who would be unsatisfied with your selection, no matter what you picked off the menu. Not overly friendly, and there was a moment of semi-awkwardness when I explained that I wasn't ordering any food. Apparently that disappointed him, too. However, it was a semi-busy night (pub trivia) and maybe he was a little frazzled from having to attend to large tables of people demanding booze and fatty salted fried things, so who knows. The decor is identical to that of the Porter Sq. location: dark wood, lots of flat screen TVs, dim lighting, larger dining area in the back. The usj. No surprises. Given my choice of places to dine in Central, I could think of a handful I'd rather go to, but one could do worse than Tavern in the Square for decent pub food and drinks. Next time I'm there, I'm ordering the blue-cheese-stuffed burger. It's on like Voltron, as the kids say.
(3)Ken M.
We went here to keep a coworker of Andy's company while his husband was at the game. The food was alright and the atmosphere was fun. Service was okay. Not a standout by any means, but the food was fine and the company was good.
(4)Hisham K.
Tater Tots. 'Nuff said. Oh, and stay away from the cheeseburger quesadilla.
(5)Julia F.
I really want to like this place. I really do! I even know one of the waitresses here, which makes me want to like it even more. I have stopped in to grab a bite to eat when I want something easy, but possibly more than what the rest of the pubs on the block can offer - but the food isn't all that great, it just varies. It's overpriced for the quality as well! There are alot of TVs there, but I can't really say that that is one of the things I look for in a bar. I really have yet to be impressed with the bartenders, although the white dude with red hair was very nice when my friends and I gave it a last try a few weeks ago. We ended up getting some horrible lemon drop shots from another bartender, and promptly leaving to go to The Field, where we knew what was on tap, knew we were going to get good shots, and felt better tipping the bartenders because they are more efficient and friendly than at the tavern. I still would really like to like this place, I just don't think it's in the cards...
(2)andy b.
This place place let me and my GF in, let us buy two drinks, then kicked us out. My GF had a MASS ID instead of a LIQUEUR ID. They checked both of our ID's at the door, let us buy 2 drinks and tip the bar, then asked us to leave; refusing to give us any money back. I was in there about 5 min, and that was enough anyways. I suppose its a good place to meet up with people and then immediately leave to go to your real destination
(1)Dessa R.
How do I describe Tavern in the Square? It's like someone took your ugly cousin TGIFriday's- and then slapped some lipstick and a hat on her. A mild improvement, but you still know what you're getting.
(3)Purvi R.
ah, big place to meet up, convenient location, lots of TVs, lots of beer on tap, huge menu....blabla. This place is what it is. My bf and I instantly thought of Cheesecake Factory (which I HATE) - when the menu is THAT big, that means they can't really do anything well. Which turned out to be true (except for the drinks - the bloody mary's had rave reviews at our table). Got some weird and delicous tater tots for the table - white truffle oil. There are like 3487 tots in there, FYI, so more than enough for 4 people or more to share. Other than that, meet up here for drinks and try out one of the tons of other delicious eateries in Central Sq...
(2)J. L.
Awesome. Went here on the 4th of July with a few friends just to grab some appetizers before the fireworks. It was a nice night out so we asked to sit outside. No problem. Sat down right away. Had an awesome waiter. Very funny and food came out promptly. Portions were a good size (almost too good since we couldn't even finish them). Definitely going back in the future.
(5)Andrea M.
i don't know what's wrong with me, but I have a nacho thing and we keep going back every now and again. Tonight, the Tavern redeemed themselves. First off, our server, Tim, was awesome. I've been there how many times, telling them of my gluten allergy and tonight I actually got a gluten-free menu (ok, they label it their "gluten menu" which is kinda funny but whatever, it tells me what I can eat). Tim was super cool about the gluten allergy and my boyfriend and I just ended up sharing the single greatest plate of nachos I have had in a really long time (i.e. the best plate of nachos I haven't made). They were incredible - and it turns out we weren't the only people to note that (once again, Tim, the super waiter, was on top of letting the kitchen know they were making killer nachos, which is a good thing...) I am not against giving places another chance, sometimes I might even be a glutton for punishment, but this time the Tavern redeemed itself. Walking out, my boyfriend and I agreed that when we do go back, we'll ask if Tim is working and ask to be seated in his section, he was that pleasant.
(4)Janina T.
I'm pretty much in the middle about this place. I came here yesterday afternoon for the brunch buffet. They seemed to have a variety of food, including an omelette bar, but I didn't necessarily fall head over heels in love with anything they had. I was also feeling a little under the weather, which could obviously have played a role. The dessert/fruit display looked pretty good and didn't taste half bad either. I was a little bit confused/put off by the service. Our waiter was really very friendly but what confused me was it felt like he put on a really good front when he'd come to our table but as soon as he disappeared, so did our service. An example was that I ordered hot tea. He brought over a box of different teas so I could choose then noticed there were only 2 flavors so he said he'd be right back to bring a box with a more plentiful selection. Five minutes later, he is no where to be found and I'm a little worried my hot tea will lose all sense of self (aka...hot = no more). I see him a little later, delivering a platter of food to another table. I completely understand that waiters are waiting on more than one table but it just seemed a little of out of sequence to me that he came back 7-10 minutes later to bring me a tea bag. I don't know. I can't say I was ticked off at the service, but more so just confused. I've been here before on a weekend night for drinks with friends. We got a pitcher of one of their margaritas which was pretty good and had a lot in it so I suggest ordering one of those if you're out with a group!
(3)buckminster f.
This place is as generic as can be when it comes to food and ambiance. The nachos are the driest, most condiment neglected nachos I've ever seen in three decades of living. The salads are a tad better, although everything pretty much tastes like it was injected with some artificial flavor that was invented in some chemical factory out in lord knows where. i do appreciate their big screen tvs during the world cups but that's pretty much where my appreciation ends.
(2)Meena V.
Want a yuppie hangout/ sports bar without leaving Central? This is it! Compared to the rest of the places in this area, this place really has no personality to speak of, has a menu that you'd see at 20 other places, and just as mediocre food. The fancy special drinks tend toward sickly sweet and weak, but because I still can't bring myself to write an all negative review, let's say the simpler classic mixed drinks make up for this and a little bit more in strength.
(2)Mike M.
March is a special time of year - the departure of gross dirty snow mounds, parkas, and mittens and the accompanying return of sunshine, cool breezes, flip flops, and shorts. Almost as important in March is the one thing that accounts for more lost workplace productivity than water coolers and casual fridays combine - March Madness, the NCAA Tournament! It was this occasion that brought me back to Tavern most recently, although it definitely wasn't my first trip. I think people that are railing on Tavern for its qualities as a late night hot spot, the fact that the salmon is dry, or that they feel like the specialty cocktails are too expensive are TOTALLY missing the point. This is a sports bar - the BEST sportsbar in Cambridge. I have watched many NFL sundays and the first round of the NCAA tourney here just yesterday and the game watching experience at Tavern cannot be beat in Cambridge. A few examples: - Yesterday, I had 6 (yes, SIX!) HD flat screens surrounding me with buzzer beater action. Our waiter was awesome at getting different games changed up on the big screen per our requests. - During NFL season, the manager sets which games on which TVs with signs showing what game is where - very key to picking your fave spot- go Eagles! - While the food isn't great per se, they do have a huuuuuge menu. Size doesn't always matter, but when it comes to meeting needs of a big group, being able to choose between salads, fried pickles, stuffed burgers, mac & cheese, sweet potato fries, and actual entrees is a plus. My only deduction for Tavern is that the sound system there is really inconsistent when watching games. It is always too soft (trying to accomodate random people looking to have a deep conversation at a sportsbar at 2:30pm on Sunday), or too loud (blasting your ears with the commercials), or non-existent (as was the case with NCAA games the other day - really? we have to listen to house random Creed/Hoobastank rock tracks instead of the glory of Gus Johnson??? - you are better than that Tavern!)
(4)Sherrie G.
So I've came here maybe twice. First time for drinks on like a friday night a while ago and it was super loud. Bad music too. Wasn't fond of the crowd. Service was also a little slow that night. Second time was today with some work friends and it was surprisingly great. They have a really good spinach and artichoke dip that's served with wonton crackers, celery and carrots. We devoured it in minutes. I also got a pretty delicious chicken sandwich which I could not finish because i filled up on the dip and the blackberry lemonade. The server was a little young and clueless. (he wasn't even of drinking age apparently) Anyway, averaging what I would have given the place based on the two visits puts it pretty in the middle. Worth it to check out for that dip at least. lol
(3)Krystal T.
Its a chain so don't expect much. The portions are large and the food is ok. I do love the fact that you can sit outside at the Central Sq. location. On a nice day/night . I enjoy sitting outside and sipping on Ithaca Apricot Wheat beer. I haven't tried the pizza but I will soon. The rumor is that it is above average, we will see.
(2)aaron s.
If you're looking for a place with good food with generous portions and/or good drinks, the Tavern in the Square will be a good fit. It's kind of a sports bar, so don't go during a game (especially if it's a Boston team), as the place can get really crowded. Service is typically pretty quick, and their menu is huge. The prices are fair, but the portions are gigantic!
(4)Casey F.
I'm not a fan of the food - it isn't terrible but it is pretty boring. This is definitely the sort of place where I stick to burgers and regualr bar food. I stop in once and a while because it convenient for me and they've got lots of good beers in bottles and friendly staff. Oh - and they've got tables set up outside which is great now that the weather is nice. A little warning for non-sports fans (or a tip for sports fans) - the place gets packed and noisy when big games are on.
(3)Jeff C.
One star, and I still feel like I'm being generous. Every time I go to this place for lunch, we end up there for more than an hour. Not because we like hanging out talking to each other, just because the waitstaff is SO SLOW. Sit... 10 minutes later, they ask us for a drink. 10 minutes later we get our three cokes. Ten minutes later she takes our order. The food comes out (without the question of whether or not we want a refill), 30 minutes later she rolls around to drop the check off. Ugh. Never. Again. Don't waste your time here.
(1)Molly S.
I agree with Colleen Y. There's nothing intimidating or gimmicky about Tavern, it's home sweet home for the casual night-out-er like myself. Best beers, best drinks, best food in the neighborhood, for a really good price.
(5)Debbie C.
Quite a long wait to get food at 10PM. The hostess said 15 minutes but it was more like 30. It was okay though because I got to watch some March Madness and grab a drink at the bar. Not a bad place to chill and grab some appetizers. I recommend the Spinach & Artichoke dip.
(3)Claudia H.
Tavern in the Square offers a very wide menu and is a good location to choose if you are looking for a crowd pleaser with ample bar area to hang out before or after your dinner and in addition the options to follow your favorite sports game while having food and some beers. Though the option of food items is pretty large (including desserts), most of the options are pretty average in quality. But there are some standout items (more on the bar food side). I really love, love, love their fried pickles (and no, I am not pregnant) - they are just really good and the dip is yummy. Besides them their Bacon and Blue Fries are pretty good and their White Truffle Mac and Cheese are right out delicious. On the drink items their pitchers of sangria at great value and especially their holiday flavored sangrias (with apples, cranberry and cinnamon) taste really good. Tavern in the Square is an overall good experience, a lot of big tables allow you to accommodate a pretty big crowed and pitchers of beer and around 13 TV screens make it a good place to enjoy some sports watching with friends.
(4)Kim C.
I went to the one in Central Square tonight for dinner. It was OK but I won't doubt that I'll go there again. The beer menu is pitiful. My quesadilla was soggy because they don't put the salsa on the side so it got runny and pooled (literally) at the bottom of the plate. My daughter got the kids chicken nuggets and there were about 5 nuggets (which were very small) and a TON of fries. Which is annoying as a parent because I'd rather she have the protein of the chicken than the starch of the potatoes. The service was pretty good. The food came out amazingly fast, so fast it was a little suspect. The only reason that I would go back is because it is one of the few places that has a decent amount of outdoor seating.
(2)arete j.
If you're a person who believes that food should be fresh and tasty this is not the place for you. If you just want to eat bad food and watch sports this is the place for you. I haven't been to this place in years... and i shall never return. I find it to be a disgrace for all humankind (i.e. all their taste buds), and the fact that it's in Central Sq is a no, no. The Tavern's personality is generic and fake-- not at all compatible with the area. I suppose places like the Tavern are needed for those who have the same personality as it--sadly, those people are out there. But if you HAVE to see the game--whatever game it may be--its safe to order the lettuce wraps but stop yourself in ordering anything else. But if you want to get FAT order anything else... p.s i was forced to give it one star. I would have given the Tavern 0 stars...
(1)Dara C.
I had one atrocious non-meal there and one good one. Guess that means 3 stars? The first time, my roommate and I went on a crowded-but-not-unbearable night. We were ignored for 20 minutes by our server as she served every ... single ... table ... around us. We sat patiently, and signaled several times for her to come over. She continued to pretend we didn't exist, just like I pretend Ann Coulter doesn't exist. Except all I wanted was a damn turkey burger. I have never, ever walked out of a restaurant in my life, but we finally did, after almost 20 minutes of being kindly ignored. I went again with my father when he came to help me move out of my Cambridge apartment. It was late and nothing else in the area seemed appetizing. Our meal was A-OK. My father liked his blue cheese burger, but there was never a meat product in American history that my father didn't like. My salad was simple and tasty as well, although it contained distracting and pasty white beans that I kept pushing to the side. The citrus vinaigrette was very good, as was the white truffle mac-and-cheese I sampled from my friend's plate. This time, our service was fine and what you would expect at a pub. It's just not my favorite type of food (hyper-American-accented-with-everything-else) but I appreciate a good tavern and their selection of brews seemed pretty good. At least, my father enjoyed an oatmeal stout. I don't know if would ever have an incredible craving for their food, but it does its job.
(3)Mallory C.
We came here for lunch, and apps and drinks in the same day after discovering how close it was to the office we work at. Lunch was great. It was very quiet, the staff helped me park my scooter out of the way without complaint, and the manager gave us a "frequent lunch" card, to get stamped each time we came in. I had the Moscow Shandy and the cobb salad which was actually really delicious. When we went in later that night it wasn't quite so wonderful. Our waiter seemed pretty clueless about the menu and at one point he started to take away one of our apps that still had quite a bit of food left. I told him he wanted to keep it, and I think after that he was so mortified, he just sort of stayed away. The food was decent, and I highly recommend the tots trio. The drinks were pretty meh, and I had the "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and definitely expected something more like a martini but everything was pretty watered down. Basically I would go there for drinks or for an accessible place to meet people, but I think the verdict was we like the TITS in Allston better ;)
(3)Ben B.
This place is almost laughably bad. From the tough-guy doormen to the confused club/sports bar atmosphere to the incredible helpings of cheese that are slathered all over everything they serve, there's really something for everyone to not like. First time we went there they served us nachos that had must have spent at least 30 minutes marinating in the kitchen. The cheese (and there was no shortage of cheese) had re-solidified so it was like excavating chips from the ruins of some tex-mex empire. The waitress actually seemed surprised when we complained. The second time, we're outside and it starts lightly drizzling. We ask if we can move under the umbrella and she says, complete with indignation, "Oh, I'm not gonna come out here if it's raining." Totally cool if you don't wanna serve us in the rain. Less cool if you wanna talk to us like someone's snotty girlfriend. Just kind of a confusing bar. They don't seem to know what they want to be. Well, except unlikeable.
(2)Tashombe H.
This wasn't the best visit. I used to prefer this location over the much closer to me Porter square location. Today's food for my party of 3 was just ok but the service was subpar. It was not a crowded afternoon. The place seemed to be adequately staffed. Failing to fill empty drinks when the meal is delivered and failing to bring a requested drink change shouldn't happen and isn't something that can be blamed on the kitchen staff. The bar drinks were OK but I've had better here.
(2)tina k.
Painfully slow service on an empty Sunday night. Food is mediocre but maybe that was partially my fault for ordering something stupid... I mean why would I think a pizza that had grapes on it would be tasty? Bottom line, with all of your options in Central, you can do better in almost any other place within grape pizza throwing distance.
(2)Robyn B.
Ughhhhh they kicked me and my friends out of the bar because we were Seahawks fans. We hadn't even gotten our drinks yet! And were not drunk yet or screaming or anything! And it wasn't even the SuperBowl! We were playing the Packers!!!
(1)Tim G.
I wrote to Tavern in the Square via their contact us submission form. They did not respond. I filed a compliant with the Better Business Bureau. They wouldn't respond to that either. Looking at the other reviews on here customer service clearly isn't a priority. After my two failed attempts to contact them I'll know post my experiences on here, open table, and any other applicable restaurant review site. I wrote the following: Good evening, I'm contacting Tavern in the square about a terrible experience I had in your central square location. Apologies as this incident happened on 6/6/2015 and I'm just getting to this now as I've been traveling. But I wanted to make sure I did make contact because this experience was so awful and I certainly have not forgotten it. There was 7 of us and we were seated in kind of a tight spot however it was manageable and the table next to us which was bigger we were told we could move there once those guests left. Which we did. Our server a young lady with brunette hair seemed very upset that we did so even though we were told by the host it would be ok. That was just the beginning of what came across to me as a very rude attitude for the rest of our time there. One guy in my party asked for a glass for the drink he ordered didn't traditionally come in and I asked for the same however he got the glass he wanted and I had a martini glass which I was very upset with. However I'm easy going enough and cracked a joke about it and our server didn't have any personality and acted like she was doing me a HUGE favor by getting me the drink in the first place. We were ready to order our food and someone in my party flagged the server as she walked by our table and she very rudely told us to wait while she took the order for table that we were originally seated in even though they were there well after us. Every time we tried to interact with her we were met with rudeness and it was really uncomfortable. I can understand in this type of business that you may encounter disrespectful customers however none of us were being disrespectful. She made it seem like we were being disrespectful which offends me after all I'm spending money in your restaurant. One inconvenience in the service was she forgot to bring me a drink BUT STILL PUT IT ON THE BILL!! When I informed her about the error she argued with me and that really upset me. It's a pet peeve of mine anytime I'm out a restaurant and I have to ask for something twice in this case I ignored it and just went without the drink but somehow it was still on the bill. I did eventually get it corrected that night. After we put all our money in 7 ways she told the people paying with credit cards what the whole bill was. Basically soliciting us for a tip after the horrible service she gave us and the way she treated us like 2nd class citizens. I've been out to restaurants many times and never has any server I've ever had solicit me for a tip they just give me the bill and walk away. I gave her 20% because I'm a nice guy but I definitely feel guilty about it basically felt like I rewarded someone for giving myself and my group terrible service. All 7 of us agreed how awful she was and we're planning my birthday in July when I visit Boston again and we all mention we hope we never get a waitress like her again.
(1)Yan C.
One of my friends loves coming here to watch games and simply because the name in short is TITS. Me? Not so much. I have been to another location. In comparison, the one in Central Square is definitely subpar. My friends and I were hanging out in the area on a Saturday night. We were looking for a bar to have a couple of drinks and talk, so we came to TITS. That didn't seem to be the smartest choice. Being a sports bar, the place is very spacious but also extremely loud with various games on multiple screens and music playing in the other room. It was impossibly to carry on a conversation with someone sitting just across from me. I had to constantly ask my friends to repeat what they said, which became really tiring. I ordered a cocktail and it was overly sweet and clearly watered-down. I'm sorry, did I order a glass of ice?! There was barely any drink in the glass. It was so weak that we left immediately after finishing our drinks and went to another bar a few blocks away for the rest of the night. The chance of me revisiting is very small, unless I'm with a group of friends who want to go somewhere for game-watching. There are far better bars in the area.
(2)Alison T.
Decent bar food, and a nice atmosphere on the Wednesday evenings I've been there.
(4)Elissa F.
In Boston for a work trip and yelped this gem. My cab driver backed up the choice citing that it was "cleaner and classier" than the rest. He wasn't wrong! We loved our service, the outdoor patio and the risotto fritters. Try it!
(4)Nandanie S.
Had an awesome experience here tonight. The restaurant was empty but it was also pretty charming on a Monday night. For dinner I ordered the turkey burger and my husband got the quinoa veggie burger. We were both really really satisfied with our choices. Our waiter, Sergio, was extremely attentive and gave us ample time to ponder our choices on the menu. He also gave a really good recommendation for dessert of which we ordered the profiterole ice cream sundae. My burger was ginormous and so I saved half for lunch tomorrow. Burger was nicely seasoned and was very tasty. I also ordered it with sweet potato fries which were damn delicious. The one recommendation I'd make is to keep the second door shut at the entrance. It's cold out and the building is pretty drafty. That's all.
(4)Andrea L.
It's...OK? I've been here twice now, and it's just not somewhere I can get overly enthusiastic or unenthusiastic about. It's nice and spacious, so it's not a problem to get a seat. The TV screens are large and they're good about putting the volume to levels where you can actually hear a game. The beer selection is decent. ...however, the food is very underwhelming. While it's not the worst bar food I've ever had, it's bad enough that I didn't finish my chicken tenders or tater tots last time around. Those who know me would understand that it is highly unusual for me to leave any fried food unfinished. Service was fine. Not great, but fine. In conclusion: Eh. I might be back if I want to watch a game with a big group of people (not exactly a usual occurrence for me..) or I wanted a beer in the area, but I wouldn't come by otherwise.
(3)Denise A.
This is a sports bar. The food is subpar. I could stomach the tater tots but anything that didn't seem to have an idiot proof stick in fryer and wait 3 minutes instructions on the frozen goods box it came on was pretty bad. NONETHELESS...they have many huge TVs which are great for watching sports. Yes. Like I said. This is a sports bar. And I'm totally cool with that. I wish their food was better because when you spend 3-4 hours there watching a (college) football game, you just want something to nom on. As far as prices go...I'm not sure this is the cheapest place to get a beer in Central either (that's probably Cantab, if I had to guess) so I really only see this as a place to go to watch a game. Alas, I do that maybe once a year.
(2)M M.
Is there a way to specify zero stars? This place is to be avoided. Service? I have tried this place three times as its in my neighborhood and I really wanted to like it. The service was horrible to non-existent. The food? Meh, at best. Once it was cold, and complaining about it clearly put my table on the ' just leave them alone, they might go away' list. That was the third time. The first two? Slow to very slow. The drinks were ok, but only just. I miss The Good Life, the restaurant before this joke of a pub.
(1)Linley S.
Went for the brunch buffet over the weekend and was impressed. Normally I feel disappointment when going through buffets but there were so many options to choose from- including lobster macaroni and cheese, mushroom polenta, eggs Benedict, pulled pork hash, home fries, sausage, bacon, raspberry pancakes, buttermilk pancakes, scrambled eggs, scrambled eggs with goat cheese, salads, a create your own omelet station, fresh fruit, pastries galore, desserts... you get it. Tons of choices. In addition to the brunch buffet my group of three opted for quite a few mimosas and "executive" mimosas, which have vodka in them also. Our bill was somewhat pricey, at $170 for three of us... what can I say? We had a boisterous start to the day. Our server was efficient and very friendly. I'd definitely go back when in the area again.
(4)Stephanie T.
I used to greatly enjoy going to tavern, but it has gone downhill over the last year or so. I get that a lot of drunk college students frequent here, but the bartenders treat you like they are doing you a favor getting your drinks. If you order a bowl they try and send you to another bartender or say they can't make them. THEY ARE ON THE MENU. If you don't want people ordering them, take them off or don't complain about doing your job. Decent place for drinks if its not crowded, but the rude bartenders make me never want to come here.
(1)Cristobal C.
Great service. Food portions are too big. Bar tender made a really good drink. Great place for a beer on a Friday night after work.
(4)Maria D.
Okay, so I don't really love this place, but it's conveniently located, and their menu is well labeled for the gluten-free crowd (me!). I went to meet a few friends after work at an odd hour recently (3:30, 4:00) and though we only had snacks, the service was unbeatable. I ordered the nachos, and they had several different things: one had a Ceasar salad, the other had three different side dishes. My nachos are always good, thus I always get them. My friend asked if she should complain about her "old-tasting quinoa," and though we tried to tell her that there were polite ways and rude ways to complain about something, she chose the rude way. "Has it been sitting in the back all day?," she asked. "This tastes really old." It was an awkward experience, because the server was clearly uncomfortable. My friend tried to make it less uncomfortable by saying she just wanted to let them know because she had been a server before. Minutes later, the manager came out and asked if we wanted dessert-- and my friend said she wasn't interested. He then said it was on the house and asked if anyone had allergies. He brought dessert out, which my other friend really enjoyed. They didn't charge my bratty friend for her meal, and I left so damn embarrassed for all of us. It sucks.
(4)Dipak S.
This place is bubbling with energy and surprisngly for a sports bar, you can still find a quiet place next to the open windows. The service is really good and the folks are extremely nice. Tavern offerd a good choice of burgers. I surely want to come back to try the all you can eat brunch.
(4)Yuseff M.
There is only two other tables besides mine and yet it has been 15 minutes and I still haven't even met my waitress....
(1)Noshii R.
Ugh!!! Its bar food so you can't expect much...BUT it keeps getting worse and worse. Great spot for drinks...sports bar etc... The food is atrocious. The service is always great. So, go for sports and drinks and try to avoid eating there.
(1)Leah K.
Went to Tavern last night for dinner. The restaurant was pretty empty for most of dinner, which meant there were a lot of waiters...waiting...around. Anyway, we ordered avocado chips, which were amazing. Coated in cornmeal, they are deep fried and nice and hot. Loved them! I had a burger with bacon, blue cheese and I exchanged the caramelized onions for crispy onion straws. It was a little tough, the bacon (which was supposedly candied) was a bit chewy, but I enjoyed the flavors. Plus the french fries are really good there. My friend ordered the mac and cheese, which was very good but filling, and my other friend had a quesadilla, which was veryyy good.
(4)Magaly S.
Went there with my husband, and we're latinos, and service was horribly racist. Couldn't find us a seat, we ended up leaving. Worse place ever.
(1)Daniella C.
Fabulous place to watch a game and gets pretty busy when there is a big one but the place is big so tables of people not there for the game turn fast. At the same time if you want to stay for the game they won't rush you out, assuming you're still ordering drinks, which you should be if you don't wanna look like an A hole. It's not a problem tho because drinks are really good. Food is mediocre at best and it's definitely overpriced for bar food but it's Cambridge so it's not all that surprising.
(3)Chris R.
Plenty of outdoor seating and a ton of gluten-free options. I wouldn't say the food is particularly outstanding, but this place would be a good choice if you were getting a large group together because it's huge plus they have multiple bars plus the menu is about as long as the phone book so everyone is sure to find something that they like. Pretty standard semi-nice sports bar type atmosphere, comfortable and casual. I wouldn't call it a must try but it's a good option. The service is fine though sometimes kinda slow, and the place is clean enough. Bathrooms are fine. Gluten-free beverage wise, they had cider and the red Glutenberg last time I was there.
(3)Maggie P.
Maybe it's because I went during a World Cup Game.. in the middle of the day.. on a Thursday... when the place was only a quarter full. Actually, maybe not. The food was fine, but nothing out of the ordinary. But that's not why we go to sports bars. We go for the atmosphere! They had the windows open which was nice, on a beautiful day, but our server was not on top of his game. He didn't check on us after someone else brought our food. It seemed like he completely forgot about us once he got our order. Then he took forever to bring our check and swipe our cards. (again, it was not a busy time of day) Obviously I will continue going to TITS, but my expectation of service there has been lowered.
(3)Nick G.
Used to come here for half priced burgers at lunch every Tuesday when I worked in Central. Our group would include everywhere from 4 to 25 people and they were always accommodating, knew who we were, and we're quite nice. The burgers are very good and I love their waffle fries. I've also taken my wife here a couple times and she says they make the best veggie burger anywhere. The Tavern is one of the things I miss most about working up in Central.
(5)Sheldon F.
My children took me here for lunch for my birthday today and i was totally disgusted.. Everything was gross and not even appetizing. Ugh! "Puke" gag! Worst birthday lunch EVER!!!!!!!
(1)Kay S.
My friends, the Europeans, love this place. They are under the mistaken impression that this is what "real American bar" food is like. Guess the Tavern does deserve a place among American powerhouses like TGIFridays/Chilly's/Unos, etc. Because my friends live in Central Square, this has become their own Euro version of neighborhood bar like "Cheers". They come for trivia nights, catch the latest soccer match on screen, and happy with the variety of beers. As I prepare to head down there this evening, I'm trying to sort out which menu option stands out among the ocean of meh. While also giving myself credit for this is what true friendship is about
(2)Pam K.
I came here with my friends during my spring break. We were looking for a place to eat and drink, and my friend suggested Tavern in the Square, or TITS for short. My first thought was, "What kind of place is named TITS?" but then I found out it was an acronym. And then I thought, "Any place nicknamed TITS has to be something interesting." And so off we went. I don't really have much to say about this place. I think that this place is a good place to grab dinner and a few drinks. The portions are large and reasonably priced. The drinks are pretty decent, but according to my friend, their pitcher of sangria is very weak. However, we did go to the Tavern on St. Patrick's day, so the amount of alcohol they actually had left could have had something to do with this "weak taste." I think this is an example of a classic Friday night hang out spot, where you can get drinks and large appetizers with your buddies and unwind. Would probably go again, if my friends suggest it. It really wasn't anything extremely special, though.
(3)Kurt N.
Impossibly loud, and for absolutely no good reason. They were blasting horrible strange music mixed in with pop hits, at club levels, in a sports bar that was maybe half full and mainly in their 30s. At only 10pm. The draft beer selection was poor, and my friend's burger was passable. The waiter had to be physically tracked down to get the bill, as after he took our order he became invisible.
(2)Maddy C.
This rating is for the service, not necessarily the food/drink! (Food and drink is totally acceptable, nothing special but always pretty good and worth it) I am continuously blown away by the bartenders and managers AT THIS PARTICULAR LOCATION. All TITS are different but the manger and the day time bartenders at this location are phenomenal. Pay close attention to customer service and really make you feel like your business is important to you. I like to go for lunch, obviously dinner is a little different but if you go at lunch and sit at the bar you will not be disappointed!!
(5)Ahmed H.
We went for dinner on a Thursday night. We have been customers here. Service was exceptionally disappointing. Waited 15 min before anyone talked to us then waited another 20 min without water showing up. We decided to leave and eat somewhere else. there was no apology from their end, no one seemed to care. It's sad to see this place become like that.
(1)Mike I.
I think this might be the worst venue in Boston, and I've been to republik this very evening. Why would you: (A) not serve falafel (B) have pillars in the middle of tables (C) Admit the sort of riff raff that talk about heroin during dinner
(1)Eric C.
This is your average big bar restaurant type of place. If you're hungry and you're going with a big host of people, this is the kind of place to be. There are many options on the menu to choose from, many of which are great for sharing. There's an extensive list of beer and cocktails to satisfy any booze-filled dream. Things to be conscious of are the prices of the beers. I don't think the menus list the prices because I ordered an 'imported' beer from NY, a can of Six Point, and it ended up being $9. That is absolutely ridiculous. That's a huge markup. I'm not sure what was going on, maybe SIx Point is indeed very hard to find in MA, but that's more than a 30% markup. Also, they had some issues with charging credit cards. Something to do with their machine not being able charge more than some amount per transactions. We tried many cards from several people and had to do multiple charges. I'm not going to hold it against them but this is just something to consider because it was just annoying to sort it out.
(3)Corey D.
This place used to be a favorite restaurant of mine, and I've frequented all location. The one in Allston was a staple for me and my friends. But oh my how things have changed. The menu was recently changed for the worst and the staff just don't seem to care anymore. The quality of the food has gone FAR downhill and the portion sizes are about 1/2 what they used to be. The hostess' are usually not very inviting, assuming they are at the station to begin with. Don't get me wrong, I know that guests need to be seated and that leaves the booth unmanned, but the last 5 times I've been there, it's take about 2 minutes for someone to even come to us. The wait staff seem to be just as slow. Something else to note is that Tavern is a sports bar - so the TVs are cranked to full volume and the staff will seat you next to noisy, screaming sports fans - this isn't the place to go if you want to have a nice conversation during dinner. I don't know what has happened, but I miss the Tavern that I use to frequent and could rely on for those times when you and your friends are like, "I don't know what I want to eat. Let's just go to Tavern." So sad. Recommend: Risotto Fritters (used to be so good) Mac and Cheese
(2)Chloe W.
Tavern serves many needs - I've been there for late night drinks and greasy food, as well as a chill midday snack. This review is about their awesome Sunday brunch, and the great venue and service I got when I hosted my post-wedding brunch at Tavern for ~60 guests. FOOD The huge brunch buffet selection (from made-to-order omelets and yummy pancakes, to fresh fruit and ice cream) was perfect after a long night of open bar and dancing. We happily ate for hours, and all for $16 each. VENUE We also got to use Tavern's beautiful private function for FREE. Yes, I had to book ahead, but Tavern's staff made it super-easy, and didn't make us deal with any food minimums or space rentals like some of the other Cambridge-area locations I scoped out. The room perfectly located - with its own door, big windows that bathed our party in sunshine, and lots of space for people to move around and hang out. SERVICE We got a dedicated server on top of the 'help yourself' brunch set-up. She was awesome and patient, bringing us our drink and omelet orders even as we shuffled around the function room. Also, we had only booked the room until 2pm, but people were having a great time and they let us stay until 4pm, when they finally had to get ready for their dinner service. Overall, the perfect Sunday brunch in a great spot with awesome service!
(5)Derek D.
Hmmm, maybe it was a bad day, that is why I'm not giving one star... 6 of us were here for brunch yesterday, having booked a table ahead of time, when arriving we were told that there were no tables and we would have to wait 10 mins, and we said as long as we were inside. 20 mins later we had to remind the hostess, and then were seated outside, with no shade, on the warmest day or the year so far. We did ask for an umbrella which did arrive after 5-10 mins, but really shouldn't have been outside in the first place given earlier reservation and stipulations... There were no waters on the table, and no one came to get our drinks order. About 10 mins after we were seated someone finally took our drinks order, we also noted there were no condiments, despite empty tables nearby having spares (which we ended up getting ourselves). Everyone at the table had finished their brunch by the time the drinks and condiments arrived, was really not a great experience The food itself was ok, the omelette was nice, despite waiting 40 mins (everyone had forgotten about ordering these it had been so long) but the eggs Benedict was freezing cold. Really disappointed actually, as everything looked really nice, was just let down terribly by the service...
(2)Jon B.
My wife and I booked Tavern in the Square in Central Square Cambridge to host a brunch the day after our wedding. We've eaten brunches at a couple Tavern locations before and it is always a stellar buffet with a great variety. There wasn't a cost for booking the room; we were just charged a set amount per person who showed up to eat. The room itself is pretty big, and allowed plenty of space for the 20 people we had to eat, store their coats, and put aside luggage or gifts that they brought with them. It's not the easiest place to get to if you're driving because you're dealing with street parking, but Sunday morning traffic isn't too bad even in Cambridge. We worked with Nicole and she was great making sure we had everything we needed.
(5)Jay L.
Came by with a large group on a Saturday night to grab some food. The food was okay, but if I were to want a place watch college football this would be it. The truffle tater tots were pretty good, fried until they were crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. The combination of herbs, Parmesan and truffle oil is excellent. I would get these again if I were to go back. Got the Diablo burger, but the burger did not live up to its name. I could not taste the Cajun seasoning or the chipotle aioli. The jalenpenos peppers were in a couple bites but did not have much kick. It overall tasted like a plain pepper jack cheeseburger. The only good part of the dish was the plain tater tots on the side. Everyone else got a mix of burgers, salads and soups. No only complained but no one raved about their food. The most memorable part of evening were the other patrons. During the football games they cheered and chanted as if they were sitting in the crowd at the stadium. Okay place for a bite, but a better place to watch some sports.
(3)Tammy L.
I can't comment on the drinks since I didn't have any when I came here. This is just for the service alone. The waitress came by just once to check on us and then disappeared or decided that our table in the corner didn't exist for the rest of our meal. We were looking around for her when we needed our check and we were craning our necks to the point that other patrons had to stare at us like we were crazy. Then we tried waving. In the end, it took about 10-15 minutes for her to finally realize that we were still here. It would have been excusable if she were serving in a different section of the place. But no, she was in the bar area where we were so I can't think of why she didn't see us. It wasn't even busy. No apologies offered when she came by. We left the place telling each other we won't be back.
(1)laura e.
This place was HORRIBLE. We went for a quick dinner two nights ago and wish we had never gone. The place was practically empty at 5 p.m. and yet our waitress was all but absent. I ordered the "freshly fried, handmade tortilla chips" and "house made guacamole and pico". My dining companion ordered a cobb salad. It took forever for us to get our food and when it arrived, we were both disappointed. The lettuce in the cobb salad was brown on the edges and the tomatoes were cut into huge chunks but looked mangled and bruised. They also piled the salad on a tiny plate, making it difficult to eat. It was mediocre at best. My "fresh" chips were tough and had the texture of cold, packaged tortilla shells that need to be heated before being edible. They weren't the thin, crispy chips I was expecting. The housemade guacamole had the color, taste and consistency of a packaged guacamole that has gone by. It was not the pale green of a fresh avocado, rather a dark olive color that has zero freshness about it. And the salsa was a slurry of mealy, underripe tomatoes and onion chunks that looked about a month old and tasted unappetizing. Our server literally disappeared after dropping off our plates and never came to check on us for 20 minutes, when we asked for the check. She asked me if I wanted to wrap my chips and dips (it was clear I didn't eat anything after the first bite). I told her they were stale and the didps didn't seem fresh and she said in an offended tone "We make everything in-house". That may be true, but what was made was old and gnarly. She then disappeared again for 10 minutes and we had to ask the manager for our bill. They did take off the chips, and for that we are appreciative. The server was horrible and so was the food. We won't be back.
(1)Joy J.
I've been sitting here waiting for a side of French fries (to go) for 15 minutes now and there is only 1 other diner in here. These better be the best darn fries I've had in years. Seriously. 16 minutes now.
(2)Amanda H.
Burger and fries were good, decent prices on beer, but menu prices were different than actual bill. When we questioned the waiter, manager said they recently increased the prices and hadn't changed the menu. Annoying but again, good beer.
(3)A Y.
It's OK. We enjoyed the meal! Service? So so.
(4)Ned K.
One of my favorite spots. The Sunday morning brunch buffet is insane and one of the best in the area. It's a great place to watch sports and have some beers as they also have a great selection. I love coming here and it's usually pretty consistent and the food is also pretty solid. Wings are great as are most of their sandwiches and sides. However, I hope they are reading this because there is one concern I have. The last two times I have been there the service for outside seating has been horrendous. My girlfriend and I had to remind the waitress 3 times to get water and everything generally took forever. The outside area was also pretty empty and inside didn't look that crowded either. We put in our order and our drinks were pretty much forgotten about. The same thing also happened last week when I was getting brunch outside, it took about 20 minutes then to get waters and coffees. Just wanted to bring this to someone's attention. Either way though, a great place overall and I would recommend as the food and atmosphere is fantastic.
(4)Fanny L.
Slow service, but they were busy. It doesn't seem to matter that this is a c class place. Its here with lots of seating and decent food. My friend calls it "a chain with a twist", another says "hot waitresses"...i say "eh?"
(3)Alex C.
Only spot to watch football in central. Unfortunately it isnt a great one. Theh would not do a single thing to help accommodate us to see the NFL game we came to watch. Open seats at the bar can't be used for not much of a reason more than the staff doesn't want to be inconvenienced.
(2)Didi S.
The brunch buffet is a decent solution for groups, but at $21ish with tax and tip I'd rather go to an a la carte place without the bar atmosphere. Other than the omelette station, everything else seemed pretty straight-forward, though was really disappointed by the mediocre/bad baked goods and sweets. Should have stuck to the corned beef hash...
(3)Rob K.
Went Sunday for a football game. The TV situation is on point, they label each TV with the game it will have on. I didn't have the buffet (10:30-2) but it looked amazing. The drinks are a little pricy, but they were amply staffed and really attentive. I would definitely suggest it for any sporting event you want to watch.
(4)Julissa P.
They're ok, place is a bit pricey and it feels like a chain. Sort of like the management is a little too stiff which makes the employees feel forced to smile at you and look "professional". This is a cool place if you're watching sports but if you're looking for a place that has good food and better atmosphere go to Christopher's or the Cambridge common.
(3)Tanya S.
Tavern got a gluten-free menu now!! It is really nice when chains jump on-board. They have gluten-free nachos and other bar-snacks. Things tasted really great and the servers were really accommodating and double-checked additions. The outdoor seating (and open window-walls on warm days) is really nice. Service is always great, and often it is large enough to accomodate groups.
(4)Sarah B.
Tavern is near my apartment and the bars I like in Central Square so I end up here about once a month or so. It is the epitome of consistency, even if the bar is set a little low. On the whole, I don't care much for the food except for the calorie explosions that my friends and I order when we come to watch a game (it's a pretty good place to watch - lots of TVs, lots of seating, good sound system). The aforementioned heart stoppers I would not hesitate to recommend are: +buffalo chicken mac n' cheese - they nail the flavor, texture and elusive pasta-to-cheese ratio that makes a truly decadent mnc dish. +big dig fries - enormous and delicious. They don't skimp on the sour cream which highlights the crispiness of the waffle fries. +nachos - the chili ones are the best, but you can't go wrong. Again, it is a huge plate. - I am not a fan of the burgers. I've tried. On the less life-ending side of the menu, the feta and avocado salad is pretty good. Other than that, they have a fine beer selection, but the cocktails usually aren't worth the price.
(3)Corey L.
I've been to the Tavern on the Square a number of times - I LOVE their patio in the summer. The food is always fairly solid - I tend to go there for unhealthy salads for some reason and they're usually decent. Also, they have cute servers. So I will continue coming back - not to be blown away, but to have a decent meal sitting outside. Or for a game maybe.
(3)Alyssa J.
Oy Vey. I just had the worst lunch experience ever. TITS has 1/2 priced burgers on Tuesdays. I thought I would mosey over and grab a bite. I sat myself at the bar, ordered my burger. And then I waited. And I waited some more. Then I passed out and died from starvation. Not really, but seriously. 45 mins for a mid-rare burger? Finally the bartender shows up with my burger. Except it wasn't a burger. It was a hockey puck. A hard lump of undigestable roadkill. So why three stars? The manager dealt with the problem super quickly, got me a salad and a $10 gift card. Plus, there's something about TITS.
(3)Alon R.
Just bad - like just not even worth it. Almost like a tacky bad version of Applebee's. Food is below average and was difficult to eat. The drinks we ordered were run down with ice and insanely sweet. Thanks but no thanks. Never going back.
(1)Evan F.
I used to love this place, but recently things have gone downhill. The sound during football games is too loud and the new menu is significantly worse than the old menu. What happened to the nachos?! They used to be a huge plate of nacho goodness and now they're pretty meh. Also, bring back the tots! Still 3 stars because it's a good place to watch a game with a group, but the food used to be a lot better.
(3)Ana R.
Enough time had gone by since my last visit to Tavern in the Square for me to forget how forgettable it was. Last Friday, I met some friends for dinner, and ordered the California burger, medium rare. My fella had the cowboy burger, medium. Mine sounded great on paper - bacon, avocado and a heap of meat. I was hungry and hadn't treated myself to a burger in a while, so I was looking forward to it. What I got was super bland, which is mind-boggling because bacon!! Surprisingly, my burger was true medium rare, but so was my fella's. In the rush to get our food out at the same time, they undercooked his. My sweet potato fries were good, so I filled up on those. My burger was such a disappointment, I declined taking it home with me. Later that night I felt really gross and went home early, vowing to remember this time, that going to Tavern in the Square very rarely ends well.
(2)Andrew K.
Oh boy. What to say. So, I'll write about my experience in two separate descriptions. One is the bar experience and the other is the food experience. I often go to Tavern in Allston, usually for a quick bite or a beer whenever I have some free time, so I was happy to see one in Cambridge. I stepped in and stepped up to the bar to grab a bite to eat and a beer. Decor: Very spacious, well decorated. Great ambience, great lighting. Service: AMAZING. The servers here couldn't be anymore helpful, responsive, and they check on you constantly making sure you're doing alright. Love it. Drinks: Good drinks, slightly watered down, but for the price, can't complain. Small selection of beers. Food: Holy. Cow. The food could not be worse. I could microwave a package of chicken nuggets at home and it would be better. Nachos are dry (read: was it sitting in the back that long?) The chicken tenders are...what's up with the taste? It tasted...weird, almost as if the chicken was too old? Was the ranch dressing...watered down? It didn't even taste like ranch. Overall, as far as decor and service and drinks, I'm 5/5, it would be my next go-to bar when I'm in the area. But the food is so terrible, I can't fully give it 3 stars. Yes, I know what you're saying. C'mon, Andrew, it's a bar. What do you expect? It's a bar! You don't go there and expect a 5-star meal. No, I don't. I expect bar food. I expect fries, wings, burgers, and the like. But I'm telling you, the food here, I don't know if it's been sitting in the freezer too long or what, it's awful.
(2)C D.
Its a solid spot to meet for a bite and a few drinks. The Fried calamari is great. The bartenders are friendly and know what they are doing. They have good beer knowledge and know how to pour a stout correctly =). I have been here about 4 times and it is always enjoyable.
(3)Kyle G.
1/2 price burgers on Tuesday. Tough to go wrong with this. 1/2 pound, cooked medium rare, good fries, eaten and gone within twenty minutes of arrival. Who has more time than that at lunch? Won't need dinner tonight.
(4)Dexter H.
Okay this place is just too fun for words!!! I went with a large group and they took care of us like none other! The service was like clockwork. There was even a point where a manager came out personally to ask us a question about how one of us wanted something cooked because he had an allergy. Seriously, classy. They did all the right things and then some. Its definitely a place where you can just relax, take your time, be a little rowdy, drink and eat in huge portions. And everyone is having a great time there. It brings your energy and spirits up. For food II recommend the Sesame Encrusted Tuna Salad!! Seared Tuna in a salad. Yum! And they have a great beer selection. I would recommend this place highly to anyone!
(4)sarah l.
I have had only bad experiences with this place in the past. Food is average, service is extremely slow and our waitress was inefficient.
(1)Amruta H.
I absolutely love watching football games here - lots of big huge TVs, so no matter where you sit, you can get a good view of the game. Great selection of beer as well. Recommend getting the Nachos - cheesy and spicy to perfection
(5)Mk M.
Their burgers (tried) are good and sandwiches(not tried) look just as good. Some of the other items such as the pasta that i tried wasn't visually well presented and tasted very amateurish and for the amount paid, I don't think the quantity was large enough. But I guess, this is Boston we're talking about - a 'cradle' too old and overpriced that they charge simply because they can. They do have some good beers and local brews so I'd go here for casual drinks and maybe grease it up with a burger. Nothing fancy but expect to pay dearly, atleast in my eyes it is pricey !
(2)Kamille W.
I like Tavern In the Square. The food is mostly average, but it's a good place to go with a group since the menu is so diverse. I was super bummed to see that my go-to BLT (which was always freaking delicious, btw) seems to have disappeared from the menu since my last visit. The sesame encrusted tuna salad I got instead was pretty good -- all of the veggies were fresh and the wasabi peas were a nice touch. The sesame-ginger dressing that came with it was awesome; I'm definitely going to have to try recreating it at home. Overall though, I wasn't blown away by it. I think next time I'll stick with the burger/sandwich/fries side of life. Salads really aren't the thing to get here. The service, on the other hand, was excellent. When we mentioned to our server that we had an event to head to after dinner, she made sure that everything came to us quickly. She happily answered all of our questions about the food, even going so far as to ask the kitchen what cheese was on the fire roasted vegetable flatbread (it was mozzarella and very tasty). Anyways, I'm sure I'll be back to Tavern In the Square, if only because it's such a convenient spot. I'm also sure I'll forget the veggies and go for something deep fried or dipped in chocolate. ...Or both. Both would be ideal.
(3)Diliny C.
Fantastic brunch buffet on Sunday mornings that keeps you coming back for more.
(4)Zoe K.
I haven't been here in a while but I just want to give them a shout out for significantly expanding their gluten free menu. You can now get sandwiches/burgers and pizza's and they have GF beside many more of their menu items! This just expanded my options in there beyond the standard "nachos" as a safe option. Yes it's bar food but for those of us that have a hard time eating out, this makes a world of difference!!
(4)Y. N.
I've been a regular customer here for a while. The food and drinks are above average, the music selection is good, and it's a pretty good place to go to with big groups since there's a lot of open space. It's also a good place to watch big sports events, since they have plenty of TV's. A recent event left quite a bad impression on me. Some friends and I came here at about 11 PM on a Thursday night a few weeks back. One of my friends was lending me some clothes for a weekend trip, and we kept the bag of clothes directly between us at the bar. Unfortunately, at the end of the night, we both walked out of the bar without remembering the bag. I realized this first thing in the morning, and I wasn't too concerned. My friends and I were literally the last people out of the bar (they locked it right after we left), and we thought, surely, one of the staff must have picked it up and turned it in. But when I called in the morning, they said it wasn't there. I went there myself and looked around before they opened for the day, and it wasn't anywhere in the vicinity of where we left it. Given that we were the last people out of the bar the night before, this left only one of 2 possibilities--1) one of the staff took it, or 2) one of the staff threw it away. The second possibility would be very, very surprising, since the bag was a nice shopping bag, and there were about $200 worth of nice clothes in it (a big monetary loss as a grad student). I followed up with the staff 5-6 times over the next 2 weeks. Every time I called, they asked for my name and phone number, as if they were hearing about the issue for the very first time, suggesting to me that none of the staff ever communicated about it. Only once did I ever receive a call back, and that was after I complained multiple times about not receiving any sort of response. Two people I talked to even suggested that another patron took it, which didn't make any sense at all given the details of the story. Long story short, it's clear that the staff here lack concern for their patrons' belongings, and someone seems to have gone so far as to take the belongings for themselves or throw the belongings away. Worst part is, this is actually the second time this has happened! I left a North Face fleece jacket there a year and a half ago and had an almost identical aftermath. Bottom line: Watch your stuff, and don't count on the honesty or concern of the staff if something goes wrong.
(1)Bryan N.
I find Tavern on the Square to be a very average bar and restaurant. Beer selection is standard, nothing special, and the food good enough to eat, but nothing to rave about. I've been here a few times to watch football games, for which it gets the job done.
(3)Sarah R.
This is a belated rating for 2 visits between my negative review of 11/6/2014 and last Friday. Cobb salad really delicious, fresh and copious; drinks very good.
(4)john e.
OK to watch game. World Cup on. Very crowded. We waited in line to get in thinking this is a good sign. The drinks are way overpriced for a hole in the wall pub. I had an overpriced crispy chicken that was cold, greasy and overcooked. The wait staff seemed to hesitant to come to our table, even though the crowd had mostly cleared out. The whole experience was meh. Underwhelming. Its saving grace was quite a few TV screens, but they are most too small for a successful sports bar that it is trying to emulate.
(1)Celena C.
Buffet Breakfast was ok, the toaster oven needed to be a little higher so the toast actually cooked. The hostess was extremely slow despite the amount of tables that were available. It took so long to get served drinks at the table it was quicker for us to go to the bar. The manager gave us a $10 voucher for our wait to use next time but I can't say there will be a next time. Additionally on a better note we didn't have to pay for the drinks that we received once we had almost finished our food. Great to go sit at the bar and watch some sports, poor table service.
(2)Alisa K.
Considering their brunch buffet is all-you-can-eat for SIXTEEN DOLLARS, this place is seriously underrated. I have paid more for less at everywhere from IHOP (the gold standard for affordable breakfast goodness) to your garden variety 4 star hotel brunch buffet. While the execution isn't amazing, the selection is wide, varied, creative and SIXTEEN DOLLARS. Yes, they have the usual breakfast fare- home fries, scrambled eggs, and pancakes. But they also have awesome creative stuff like jalapeño cheddar hash browns; basil cheesy vegetarian scramble; orange coconut French toast (though a bit overdone for my taste); and Eggs Benedict. Not to mention a ton of warm entrees (pasta, stir fry, cod) and desserts (ice cream, petit fours, whoopie pies, cakes). My favorite items were the scramble, the jalapeño hash browns, and the whoopie pie! Bottom line, for the price (SIXTEEN DOLLARS), this place is a steal and pretty decent, especially for vegetarians. They handled a large group of 20 adults + a baby well and were gracious and polite. I would definitely go back.
(4)Michael M.
This is one of the best places in Cambridge for great food and service. I have been here many times and I highly recommend it. Look for Kelly at the bar top notch mixologist and very friendly! The burgers are out standing!
(5)Dorothy W.
Where to go when you a need loud, chaotic atmosphere, beer, and a place to celebrate the life of an old friend due to his untimely passing? The Tavern in the Square. He would have loved it. Right in the heart of Central Square, with a small amount of outdoor seating, The Tavern in the Square is filled with revelers of all types making lots of noise. As my old friend adored high energy, drama and meeting new people, especially minimally clad young women, he would have been the last to leave. And I doubt he would have left alone, either. There are many large TVs, so when the game is on, you can watch and listen, joining in the with the cheering and booing that takes place whenever anything interesting happens. My old friend preferred blues and jazz music, but he would be able to get a dose of that here, too. Every kind of auditory stimulation seems to be taking place at The Tavern in the Square. The place is huge and the noise carries. Not a place for romance, this is more of a place to party. My old friend was a life long drinker, starting in junior high, so we started the evening by raising a glass of Rogue Dead Guy Ale (which he would have loved knowing) and then the Cisco Whale's Tale Pale Ale. As he spent summers on Nantucket, he would have approved of this choice as well. There are some nice beers. Food is starchy, caloric and standard pub food. Heavy on chicken and cheese dishes, you'll find nachos, wings, quesadillas, pizza, burgers, soups, sandwiches, pasta, mac and cheese, chicken pot pie, steak tips, turkey and more. Load it on. There are also plenty of sides, salads and a few entrees that are veggie friendly. I can't say as I'd gravitate here for food, but I did eat all of my pickles, Thai lettuce wraps and rather expensive, rather dry veggie burger. Service was very pleasant. As my old friend was such a fun loving guy, maybe the servers could tell that by osmosis. They kept us happy and well fed as we told old stories together and began to add to the noise level. Easy to find and brimming with energy, The Tavern in the Square really was the perfect, vibrant place to gather with a bunch of people who had not seen one another in a while and raise a glass to an old party loving friend. He would have been right at home.
(3)Ryan B.
Tavern Central is still the Best (only) Minnesota Vikings Bar in Boston. Their function room large enough to accommodate our Proud, Purple-wearing Viking fans every week. With no room fees, this is the best bar around to host any kind of event or game watch party. Other highlights include the breakfast buffet - which just happens to coincide with Sunday football. Its FILLING to say the least - nobody leaves hungry. Another personal favorite are the tator-tots! I also appreciate their beer selection, they have all your local favorites, including some Western-Mass craft beers. I wish they had some of my Minnesota favorites, but those are hard to find this far east. I'm looking forward to another fun football season watching the Vikings at the Tavern!
(5)Betsy A.
Ugh... I hate to do this to the Tavern... it has served me well over the years, but it is time I accept what's been staring me in the face for so long... This place is mediocre. It's like that needy friend we all have. They are there when you need them, but then they start hitting you with all their problems and you just want to run away or rip your ears off... Such is the Tavern... They're convenient. A quick walk away. Big menu. All you can eat buffet on Sundays... Good you say? Eh... at first glance. You think it won't be bad this time. "I bet it was that waitress we had that time". "Maybe they had an off day"... And then boom! They hit you with "so so" food, poor inattentive service and "ugh" drinks. The place is relatively big for Central. Which makes it even more convenient in an otherwise packed restaurant area, but if you can wait 20-30mins more to get a table somewhere else, I would recommend it. It's not all bad within the Tavern. It's decent for watching a game with a good group of friends. Keep the beer and Nachos (if you can eat them) coming. Sit back and have a good time. But if it is quality food/service you want, keep walking. Trust me, you'd be better off not having to face your "needy" friend's problems...
(2)Kacie M.
I've been to Tavern in the Square two (Three? Three.) times now for lunch and dinner and I can't clearly recall what I had to eat on any of those occasions. Steak tips? Steak tips sounds right. For me, not being able to remember what I had to eat at a restaurant is not a good sign. It does mean that the food wasn't so bad that it was memorable, but it also means that the food wasn't anything special. The one menu item I do remember trying is the deep-fried pickles, but unfortunately what I remember was being unhappy with them. They use pickle spears instead of chips, the proportions are all off. I love pickles, but with spears there just isn't enough breading. The breading kept falling off, leaving me with just warm pickles, and I can get warm pickles at Stop and Shop. I was happy enough with my meals there, but would never press to go back.
(3)Amanda M.
I went to this restaurant for the first time recently and experienced excellent service, good food, and not so good wine. I think the wine is what one would expect from the typical "american grill" so it did not really take away from my experience. I will certainly continue to stop in from time to time, especially because they have all the gluten free items marked on the menu - and when I do, I will get one of their yummy martinis instead of wine!
(4)Ryan K.
Last week myself and 8 friends came here after our Softball game looking to grab a couple beers as our season had ended. We sat outside and ordered 6 pitchers of Coors Light and then started talking about our game and general banter. About 10 minutes later the waiter came back and we ordered some food. After talking some more for about 10 more minutes, we noticed that our beer still had not come out. When our waiter finally returned we asked him where our beer was and he said the keg was kicked the they were changing it. I told him we would take another type of beer instead but he responded "don't worry about it" and walked back inside. After being there for about 35 minutes with no beer (or water) our food came out. The first half of my burger was very good, but once i ran out of pickles i used to chase my food, being that i had no liquid to wash it down, I could not eat anymore; this was not being i was full, but because my mouth/throat was so dry. The other half of my meal sat there and eventually got too cold to eat. After the waiter brought our food out, we asked about the beer, starting to get disgruntled. He said there was an issue with the line and it was only pouring foam. We told him we'd take another type of pitcher, or bottles, or any form of beer that was not foam. He shrugged us off again, apologized, and walked in side. At this point we decided to get the manager. We had been waiting for about 40 minutes and had not gotten a drop of liquid. After a few guys went in to talk to the manager, the waiter comes out with hot, not warm, hot, glasses (must have come right out of the washer). He had in tow two pitchers of the flattest, most disgusting beer i've ever had (and we used to drink keg beer that'd been sitting in our college basement for weeks on end). After 45-50 minutes we decided we no longer wanted to stay there, get the run around, and give this restaurant our hard earned money. The manager eventually came out and was nothing short of hostile towards our entire group. He informed me his name was Rich (after me asking) and pretty much started yelling at us. Instead of caring about his customers he immediately had a scowl on his face and tried to prove that we were in fact wrong about the whole situation. I asked for the check, informing him we were fed up, and he still stood there arguing. He informed us there was no way we had been waiting for 45 minutes for beer, since the time on the food order was only 35 minutes ago. I told him we ordered the beer 10 minutes before we ordered food, and he still continued to press on. At that point i cut him off. "Stop, stop. Stop talking. This is not the time to talk. The time for you to talk was 30 minutes ago. You are not right. This isn't even a situation where the customer is always right. You are wrong. We know how long we have been here. Now please get our check, so we can leave." Were my exact words. He stormed off and came back with the check. We got about 15 dollars off of food. He said he would have given us 120 dollars of free pitchers. But that time had come and gone. we had now been there for an hour and fifteen minutes. We are all working young adults, and do not want to be up until all hours of the night on a work day. On our way out another group sitting outside asked us what had happened. Giving a quick summary they informed us they had been waiting for a long time as well, got up, and followed out us. This was the single worst restaurant experience of my life. The lack of service mixed with the non-actions of one of the worst managers I've ever encountered made me feel like Tavern in the Square could care less about their customers. I left feeling swindled. Not only did we practically sit for an hour with no service, but when the one person who is suppose to ease the customers pain and frustration only comes in to make it much worse...it leaves me at a loss of words. Even typing this infuriates me. What should have been a fun night with my friends reflecting on our season turned into a nightmare that left every one of us angered and shocked that service and management could be that bad. That customers could be cared for that less. There were so many opportunities for the situations to be very easily fixed. But when a manager doesn't care about his customers and has to be right no matter what, well i hope he felt like he won the night, because he left swarms of angry customers.
(1)Judy W.
This place is okay. Not good, no bad, just okay. Which is good, in Central Square, which has plenty of good and bad, sometimes in the same place, with zero relationship to price. If you can't come to a consensus on where to go you can go here and no one will suffer too badly. Two decent pours of decent pino grigio; three decent sized tacos; a pleasant and filling hot artichoke dip for around $40. Not a destination, but a solid fall-back. (the check boxes reminded me: way too many tvs all over the place, but that's pretty common in a lot of places)
(3)Andy C.
Short version: + 10 guys ordered 6 pitchers and waited over 40 minutes, were served warm flat beer, decided to leave after an hour of not being served any drinkable beer. + The manager made a number of poorly calculated decisions including - Not offering us a different type of beer that we could have quickly - thinking we cared about getting 6 pitchers all at once rather than giving us something to drink at all - thinking it appropriate to argue with us about how long he thinks we have actually been waiting and why we shouldn't be upset. Last night my softball team went to the Tavern in Central Square. We arrived at 9 and were seated outside. The first chance we got we ordered 6 Coors Light pitchers; this was before 9:10. Then we ordered food. after 20 minutes we have no beer. Then our food comes (not all together, mind you, relatively spread out), we still have no beer. "We are changing the keg, it's all foam right now," are standard excuses. Fine. I asked "can we just get something different? I'm not married to Coors Light." My question was brushed off. We begin to eat, but we still don't have anything to drink. Its now about 40 minutes since we ordered. We go inside to complain and ask for a manager. I walk back outside and the waiter has delivered 2 of our 6 ordered pitchers. These are full of what is obviously reconstituted keg foam - it's completely flat and not at all cold. They obviously spent 10 minutes filling the pitcher with foam and waiting for it to go down rather than just giving us something different. I take my beer inside and talk to the manager again. I explain that the beer is flat and gross, and that we need to get this situation resolved in the next 5 minutes. I go outside, 5 minutes pass (to be honest, I didn't have a stop watch, but we are all constantly looking at our watches because we cant believe it). I got back inside to tell the manager we are finished here. He has a couple pitchers sitting on the bar he says hes ready to bring out. Unless he's got 6 hands I can't see and was going to bring them all at one time, I think he should have brought them as they became available. I tell him I intend to pay for very little of this meal. It is now 10 pm. I don't care how many free pitchers you want to give me now. It's 10 on a Tuesday. I don't want 10 pitchers at 10, I want 6 pitchers at 9:15. Upon delivering the check, the manager though it would be appropriate to say "Now i just want to make it a point that it wasn't 45 minutes..." I stopped him right there. This is no longer an argument that I am willing to have. I am well aware of what time we got there and what time it is. We pay for our half eaten nachos and burgers that we never even got water to wash down. All in all, nightmare scenario. The manager failed in every aspect of his job - recognizing problems and correcting them quickly, soothing customer dissent, knowing what was a reasonable loss to accept. Really, what hurts you worse, 10 guy who go home and go postal on your yelp and facebook pages, or giving us pitchers of Sam for the price of Coors and calling it a day. Assuming you pay what I pay for a Sam Adams keg (and I'm sure you pay less) each 16 oz beer costs $1.48. So that Sam pitcher cost you 5.93. So if we are paying 10 for a pitcher of Coors and get Sam, you are still at least covering your cost, and at least breaking even considering labor. The manager failed to understand this, ran around in circles doing nothing, probably ended up pouring out the 6 pitchers that were sitting on the bar when we said we are done waiting, decided it was appropriate to argue with us about our complaint, and now you've got a bunch of 25 year old guys that hate your bar and will tell everyone they know.
(1)Sidney L.
I've been here several times to root on my college football team with other fellow alumni (GO CARD!). In terms of food and drink, Tavern In the Square is pretty unremarkable. Their beer selection is pretty standard, and their food selection is pretty much what you'd see from any full service pub, though with slightly higher prices. That being said, they are very accommodating to groups of patrons who want to catch a game together. The waitresses were very polite, professional, and bring out drinks efficiently, even when my large group was bumbling through the menu in incoherent fashion. In terms of food, I highly recommend the nachos, which are enormous and could probably feed two people on its own.
(4)Garrett H.
went for some food and drinks around 6pm because it was the first thing I saw. Beer selection was ok, atmosphere was fine, sat by the window. burger was fine, but the chips we ordered were stale. Would opt for somewhere else the next time I'm in central square.
(2)Dave K.
I got bad food poisoning from the Chicken Pot Pie. Which had a peculiar salty taste to begin with. I won't be going here again.
(1)Danege P.
celebrated my 46th birthday at the function room at this place on 12/30/12 with a group of 50! I and my guests felt that it was the best of the best! from service, food, attention to details on how i wanted things to be set and all! thanks to Nicole the extraordinaire event planer from there, the manager Mode who was on duty that night, the two beautiful young ladies Erin and Kate who were my waitresses! I will continue to celebrate there yearly till my big 50!
(5)Lauren R.
Eek! Methinks not is right. We sat and waited for over ten minutes at the BAR and no one acknowledged us. The girls were obviously to busy on their phones, looking at Facebook.
(1)Toni T.
Average food during an average brunch. A decent variety of food options from the buffet, including hash browns, salmon, bacon, and the featured omelet station. Unfortunately, nothing really stood out to me in terms of taste. For me, brunch is incomplete without mimosas; a weak mimosa is no better...I was disappointed in the quality of the champagne cocktails here. The service provided was decent at best; I like the townie feel of the neighborhood where this is located. Besides that, nothing was offered that would draw me to return during another visit to Boston.
(2)Steven D.
Three stars is fair, my giving it two stars reflects that I am too old for the place at thirty-five (you will be old one day too, reader!). The food is edible, the prices are alright, they were very nice and the beer selection is OK. I would be a regular here were I living somewhere with a poor selection of bars - but instead I am Cambridge. Large bar, suitable for groups and aimed at the early-20's. Gently loud, bar food standard bar food and passable beer selection. Very good if you wish to be drunk, which is a very good reason to be at a bar. Lots of young girls coo-ing at a British accent, I liked that.
(2)Lisa S.
I debated between 3 and 4 stars for awhile and 3 stars won. I want to give it 3.5 stars... I can understand why people would not like this place, but I actually like it. Usually. I've gone there a good number of evenings during the week with friends after working out, when I want food and some beer but don't really want to shower or care too much. On most weekday evenings, it's not too packed. The menu is HUGE (so you can always find what you're craving) and all the food is... good. Nothing I've found so far is too amazing, nothing is horrible. It's a bit pricey (aka not cheap) but the portions are huge so I'm mostly forgiving. They have an extensive beer/wine/cocktail list as well, and you can get pitchers of things like beer or sangria. And it's all tasty. Right after work and on weekends, it gets a bit more crowded, but not too bad. They have about a million TVs, which is great when you just want to chill at the bar, or watch a random sports game (one time my friend wanted to watch the WVU game, so the bartender changed one of the TVs for him, which was awesome). However, when big sporting events are on, it gets super crowded and rowdy and the crowd quickly escalates into drunken douchedom. Last Sunday, we went for the all-you-can eat buffet for $16.99 for the first time. It was actually a pretty good deal. Drinks weren't included, and the service was spotty (our waiter gave us multiple death glares when we asked for things like iced tea or water). But they have a selection of standard breakfast items (pancakes, eggs benedict, scrambled eggs, french toast, hash browns, toast/bagels, etc.), some lunch items (which I didn't try, so can't comment on), a "make your own omelet" station, fruit and desserts. Some things were a bit dried out- I was excited for eggs benedict and pancakes and both disappointed me. But I ate about 20 pounds of bacon so that redeemed my meal for me. Overall, a fairly good deal.
(3)Robert M.
I've been to Tavern in Central a lot. I think that I've had mixed experiences over time, i think 3 stars is both appropriate and what it's worth. I have to say that it is a chain bar/sports bar, what do you really expect? First, I really appreciate the seasonal beer selection, it is good. However, charging $7 for a 22 oz draft and $21 for a 60 oz pitcher just doesn't make sense. Second, I agree with most reviews that the brunch is not worth the price nor the visit, we came using a Groupon and thought the cost was ridiculous. Third, we actually planned to have a birthday party at Tavern in Central. We were told that we could use the overflow room and that it would be reserved for us and our 40 some odd guests. However, on the night of we were informed that not only would we have to tally a single bill in excess of $700 but that they would be seating other guests of tavern in the room. It would have been great to know this in advance, so we could have chosen a different location. Finally, after many years of stopping by to grab random drink or two, I was in this bar on a Saturday night with fewer than 75 people and found it amazingly hard to order a drink. Like over 20 minutes hard to order a drink, I gave up and almost left, we stuck around only because we were meeting other people. I want to finish by saying that not only have I been here many times, it also holds a lot of sentimental value since it is the place that I was introduced to the love of my life, That said I wish we had met somewhere else. I only added that portion to echo my desire to give a better review.
(3)Tamarleigh G.
I was not impressed with the brunch. The service was great, though. The weirdest thing was, they have ONLY ICE COLD WATER in the bathrooms. You have to wash your hands, in the dead of winter, in ice cold water. I thought the faucet was broken! Nope. Turns out that warm water is just one of those little "extras" that this restaurant doesn't provide for its guests. ???????? That is just lame. I would put up with it if the food were better--but it isn't.
(2)EricaLynn J.
It is with a tremendous amount of trepidation that I update this review and while doing so, remove two stars. I know, I know. It is pretty awful to think about even removing one; two is just obscene. But there have been some big changes occurring at this location, and unfortunately, change isn't always doin' you good. I understand that restaurants such as the Tavern - ones that not only know that people aren't usually going for the food but rather the drinks and scene, and ones that partnered up with other similar restaurants in the area - sometimes need a menu revamp. I understand that these new menus are based on many factors, a major one being popularity of items. The Tavern has a Porter Square neighbor, as well as sister restaurants such as Boston and Atlantic Beer Gardens, and The Joshua Tree, all of which are not really known for their food. So it is always disappointing when you go to one of your favorite spots, you are greeted with a new menu, and then notice that your favorite entree is gone, baby, gone. But c'est la vie. However, upon looking through the new menu, I came to the startling discovery that, based upon the dishes that were gone and the replacements, the Tavern is taking a turn away from quality and almost dumbing itself down as far as selection. Some delicious pasta dishes, for instance, were taken away, but in their place were more trendy dishes, such as truffle oil tater tots. Problem is, those items' prices were even more jacked up than the comparable items in the previous menu. And unfortunately, there are plenty of places in town that serve the same items - only much, much cheaper. And frankly, much better tasting too. I was told by my server that many of the dishes were omitted from the new menu due to popularity, but I was also told during a subsequent visit that a lot of items were taken out due to price. But you don't see the difference in the menu as far as price goes. And the one issue I always had with Tavern - but let it slide due to the quality of the entrees - was how expensive things were. So it seemed a little preposterous to me that now the food was boring and plain and uninspired, and yet my bill was definitely higher. I have been going to Tavern for Sunday brunch every week without fail, because the food and selection was always fantastic and I'm a girl who loves brunch. The whole idea of brunch always resonated with me in a big way, and to have a brunch spot right across from my house made it a no-brainer for me. But there were always two things that raised my eyebrow a bit as far as the Tavern brunch was concerned: No mimosa or drink included in the brunch price, and that the brunch was $16 per person (not including tax). A little steep compared to some of the other brunch spots in town that include a lot more. But the food was always over the top awesome so it was easy to plunk down the bucks for brunch. Since the new menu was implemented, it's become clear that Tavern was doing some trimming. There's still fresh fruit at brunch, but if you previously enjoyed having raspberries and blueberries, then your best bet is to go to Whole Foods and get some on your own next Sunday, because they aren't putting them out at brunch anymore. And there's still ice cream and toppings, but some of the toppings are also gone (like the mini M&Ms). Yes, it's little things and in the grand scheme of things, pretty nitpicky, but if I'm paying $16, it's hard to see things go. I inquired about the changes and I was told that certain things are just too expensive - like the raspberries - and that more items will surely go as well sooner or later. The menu is smaller, the items on the menu are lower quality and more expensive, and I'm just not understanding where they're trying to go with these changes, but I do realize that with changes come trials and tribulations and sometimes things do turn around. I am not completely over the Tavern - I will still do brunch and go in there to get some cocktails with friends once in awhile - but I'm hoping that the next big change is for the better, so I can be back in love with it again like I once was.
(3)Sherri H.
The Duchess Ericalynn G. took me here for brunch. She promised it would be epic and indeed it was. Everything was so delicious and there was SO much of it! Lots of innovative brunchy things like a cured salmon and cream cheese pasta salad, something that sounds weird but was amazing. Apple crepes were warm and gooey. Hash browns were a cheesy casserole of awesomeness. Lunchy dishes were impressive too, particularly a chicken pasta thing I wish I could remember the name of so I could try making it at home. Food gets a definite A. They lose a star because they wouldn't seat us right away, even though there were plenty of tables outside. We begged, and they said they didn't have anyone to serve us, even though all four in our group wanted the DIY brunch. We stood outside with a beeper until we saw the host seat another group of girls outside who had just arrived. We spoke up and he apologized and gave us a table. We lived happily ever after but it was an annoying chapter one.
(4)Enay V.
Service was kind of slow - We had to wait a really long time just to get the check. Outside seating is meant for wicked skinny people - not pregnant people - honestly, space those tables out! Food is ok - decent chicken & waffles though. Prices ok too. Not bad if you're looking for your run of the mill tavern/etc. fare.
(3)Stephen T.
I come here every Tuesday for trivia and have not yet been disappointed. The service is great, the food is great, and the atmosphere is awesome. Food 7/26/11 Cape Codder - beer battered fish in a sandwich with lettuce, tomatoes, and onion. The fish was flakey and delicious, especially with a bit of the tartar sauce. The bread they put it on (I don't know what kind it is.) was a great complement to the fish. I got the dish with tater tots. Because tater tots are stupendous!!! I have also had the Ultimate Nachos, the wings, and the white truffle tater tots. All great. Beer Decent selection on tap and bottled. Pitchers are cheap ~$11 a pitcher. I would recommend this place as a hangout or a casual dinner.
(4)Jolene S.
Tavern has pretty good desserts and sweet potato fries. That keeps me coming back. One of their stand-out (specialty) entrees is the angry shrimp. The skewered shrimp come with cherry tomatoes. The dish is well-seasoned but the sauce takes the shrimp to a whole new level. Don't forget to order the sweet fries as one of your two sides (the Mexican rice was only okay). I know they participate in Scvngr challenges here--haven't signed up for that (yet) but I am curious. Lots of screens for watching sports games. Good spot for meeting up--one of the best in Central Square.
(3)Carolyn C.
I've been to three TITS locations (Allston, Porter, & Central) and they're ok for a sports bar, but nothing special. The TVs are pretty small and the speakers are often so loud that you literally have to yell to be heard across the table. The biggest complaint I have though is that a lot of their menu is prepared in advance so if you're the type of person who asks for modifications with your meal you may not enjoy the menu here. I ordered a sandwich and asked to have it with no mayo and they told me they could not do it because all of the sandwiches were pre-made and they had none of the sandwich ingredients leftover to make one special just for me. Just kind of a bummer. On a positive note, the waitstaff has always been really nice and attentive and I do have fun here when I go with friends to watch a game.
(2)Dara S.
The service here is terrible. The food is greasy. What once wowed me when I moved to Boston years ago, no longer impresses. There are so many better places in Central, and now thankfully a sports bar in my own neighborhood in Inman. I will not be going back.
(1)Susanna W.
Pricey for what it is, but at least you get to watch any game you'd like on their many flat screen tvs. We ordered: - Fried pickles: NOT pickle chips as we imagined, but long spears. It was basically a warm pickle covered in breading. - Butternut squash risotto arancini: Ok... not great. - Boneless buffalo wings: These would have been good if they were hot. Unfortunately they were cold/lukewarm... definitely NOT the way you want buffalo wings to be. - Truffle oil tater tots: Tasty... but... they're tater tots... how can you go wrong? Decent selection of beers (although not as extensive as I imagined). I tried the Purple Haze, which I thought was quite good, even though it was on the fruity/sweet side. Total for 3 came out to over $65 (only 1 beer/person). Make of that what you will.
(3)Kelle S.
I love this place for lunch. I'm allergic to gluten, so the first thing I ask is if they can accommodate me. Not only can they do so with aplomb (they have a gluten-free version of their menu and are VERY informed on the subject), but they are one of the few places in the city that regularly carry gluten-free beer. (Not that I often drink beer at lunch, but it's nice to know it's there if I want it.) I love the burgers (no bun, obviously) and their fries are top-notch, no matter which ones you try (yes, the oil is comingled, so if you're celiac, don't get excited). And if you are there for lunch, be sure to sit at the bar and ask for David. He's awesome. He'll keep you company and entertained as well as feeling personally cared for (he asks for your name when you sit down and then calls you by name as he serves you - nice touch!) The only downside to this place is when it gets busy. It is EXTREMELY noisy when it's busy. During the downtimes however, it's quite charming and inviting.
(4)Shane W.
Good beer selection, decent service, and happening atmosphere. Great place to come with friends to catch up and prepare to party.
(3)Glenn N.
I have been to Tavern in the Square only a few times. Why does it deserver four stars? Two reasons: VERY friendly staff and fried pickles. The food is pretty average (although the mac and cheese wasn't disappointing and if you're in a comfort food mood, it's a good place to start here) but the staff is so friendly and attentive that it completely enhances the experience. Unlike alot of bar/restaurants around, they know when to back off and when to ask how everything is. Maybe it was just my four experiences there, but there seems to be a quality group of people at the front of the house. Plus, like I said, fried pickles. They aren't on a lot of menus in Boston, so if you are seeking them out and are looking for a place that doesn't destroy them, try Tavern in the Square.
(4)Hunter T.
Great place to watch a game with friends. Okay food and good beer selection. This particular Tavern, located in Central Square, is a great place to meet up with friends for a bite and watch whatever game happens to be on TV. Their beer selection is better than average, with a modest selection of craft beers on tap and in bottles plus most of the common macrobrews. Their mixed drinks are somewhat variable in quality, but the food is at least consistently average. The emphasis on the food is on quantity more than quality these days. Some of the menu items that used to be outstanding such as their seared tuna salad have faded in quality over the past few months. All that being said, the food quality and quality is unlikely to be bad, but it may underwhelm you if looking for something tasty and memorable. This location of the Tavern seeks not to impress you but is merely content to be "ok". It's brethren, especially the location in Allston and to a somewhat lesser degree the Porter Square location, have similar menus but somehow manage to deliver much higher quality results with the same ingredients. The beer selection at the Allston location also tends to have a better craft beer selection, perhaps due to having to compete with the likes of Deep Ellum and what now passes as the Common Ground. They could stand to add a few Belgian beers on tap, as well as some higher caliber IPAs such as the likes of Stone IPA, Ithaca Flower Power, and Green Flash, or at least add some session beers such as Notch. The salads are a good option, but their poorly conceived flatbread options are best avoided. One surprisingly good menu item are their tater tots, and their taquitos can be great depending on who is cooking (they are often undercooked and soggy). Their burgers are reliably good as well as most sandwiches, but their mahi mahi tacos tend to look better than they taste. All in all, not a bad place to get together and create your own memories with friends, because you certainly won't remember the food. This place would get 4 stars if they started paying a bit more attention to their food preparation quality. Regarding their Sunday brunch buffet, they do manage to offer a good selection of quality items.
(3)Quianna S.
Why one star? Because every single time I come here I leave thinking to myself "Why did I come here again?". Honestly I have been to other taverns and to be honest this one kinda sucks. and the food makes me feel sick.... Its not even good drunken food....
(1)Rani P.
Although my experience included a lot of "WHAT?"s and "HUH?"s- it was a nice place to take Chrystina S. after a long hard day at work. They told us it would be 25 minutes before we would be seated. We scanned the bar areas and only could find lonely seats- so we stood passing the beeper thing back and forth, making bets on who would make it go off. I lost. We ended up only waiting 10 minutes and were sat surrounded by a mass of people (very loud people) and March Madness. We were informed we would be having not one server taking care of us- but TWO.. we must have looked pretty important. Instead of ordering an appetizer, we split the Chicken and Fruit salad- and they actually brought it out to us on two separate plates. It was the best salad I've had in a long time- who can complain with strawberries, grapefruit, mandarin oranges, candied walnuts and grilled chicken over arugula? Life was good at that point.. and I probably should have stopped there. But when there are sweet potato fries on the menu, there are sweet potato fries on my bill. Their crispy-ness was perfection- and my burger on the side wasn't too special- but good. So even though I lost my voice yelling over the obnoxiously loud tables surrounding us- I will definitely return for a fun night of good food and good beer. Did I mention the beer was good?
(4)David E.
Not bad at all. Went here for dinner. The truffle parm tots are off the charts. Spinach artichoke dip was pretty good too. The flat bread pizzas are humungous and definately give you the most bang for your buck on the menu. The have a seperate section for mac and cheese on the menu. The philly mac and cheese was awesome, although a little pricey for the size. All in all a good casual spot for dinner,
(4)Cody C.
Came in on a saturday evening to a college football crowd with my two friends. We were seated and waited 25 minutes with no service before we got up and went down the street to the field. It was so loud in there it was even hard to coordinate our decision to leave. Also the prices are a bit high. I've been there other times and the service was better and the food standard. Great TVs.
(2)Carissa S.
I've been here three times. The first two visits were fantastic. We ate indoors on a weekend night, and while the place has a casual, loud, sports bar vibe, it was a good place to grab a bite with a friend. Our servers were super enthusiastic and really helpful with food/beverage ideas. They have a gigantic menu, so there are a lot of options. My last visit wasn't as awesome. We ate outdoors on a Saturday afternoon. The outdoor seating area was nice, clean, right on the street. The waitresses (we had two.. not sure why...) were not very friendly. Pros: The Tavern has an extensive gluten-free menu. I was delighted to see all of the delicious choices. I got a burger that came on a gluten-free bun and it was really good. Cons: While the food was good, it was a little on the room temp side. Kinda got the feeling our waitress(es) had forgotten about it. I'm hoping last Saturday was just a fluke and that my next visit to the Tav is as great as my first.
(4)Mahina K.
My roommates and I live down the street from Tavern so we're here all the time. The staff is always friendly. I don't drink but ended up at Tavern on St. Patrick's day and it was PACKED. So while I'm sure this girl at the bar ordering shirley temples instead of green beer, was *great* for business, they didn't show me any rudeness over it. In fact, the waitress saw my empty glass and refilled it without me asking. It was very sweet of her. We ordered the Big Dig fries, basically nachos with waffle fries instead of chips. It is delicious. If you go to watch the game, they usually have a few showings at once but you can usually see one or more of the televisions at once. It's a pretty great atmosphere, I see a lot of the same people, so while it's not exactly Cheers, but it's pretty damn close.
(4)Shannon M.
Tavern is always solid for a meal, and think "classy sports bar" for vibe. Wide variety of food to choose from, all of which is good-- I've never had something that I didn't like. Brunch is solid, and there's a spot in the back with a skylight that's a great place to get together with a big group of friends. Here's the thing. Every neighborhood needs a place like Tavern-- a loud bar that's actually more of a restaurant that serves huge portions of classic American food. That doesn't mean that it's great. If you're in the mood for American food with a group of friends, though, this is your place to go in Central Square for a good meal and catching the game. ... And get the waffle fries while you're there.
(3)Jeffrey B.
In the spirit of full disclosure, I confess that I am mad at Tavern In the Square. Why? For getting rid of WING NIGHT! No more 25-cent wings? That's a travesty. There are too many other good bars in the area that nothing really sets Tavern apart from them anymore. Fine, it's generally cleaner than the other bars, and it usually has all the games playing. The food here consists of your average bar menu. Lots of items, but nothing really spectacular. Quantity, but not too much quality. In sum? It's a decent place to watch the game or to meet up with friends, but that's about it.
(3)Paul S.
I am here all the time. But what's worth the money is just the usual: the nachos platter, the hamburgers, and the beers on tap. They are not really good at making mixed drinks, but if you're friends with the good bartenders then they'll be good to you. They have many television for watching sports events, which it is a very popular place to be in the crowd when the Celtics, the Patriots, the Red Sox and/or the Bruins play their games!
(3)A F.
Fun place with only fair food. I was in with a friend on a Tuesday night, the bar was pretty full and they had the big windows open which was nice. Beer samplers were fun and only $8. We shared lettuce wraps as an appitizer and those were pretty good but my flatbread pizza was mushy and lacked flavor. Trivia started later that night and it was LOUD. It took our waitress three tries to get our bill correct but she was friendly throughout the night. I'm sure there are way better places to eat in Salem for others who may just be here for one night...
(2)Missy P.
Had the most ridiculous experience here over the weekend. We used to live in Central, and would occasionally go to the Tavern. Its a decent place, with decent food, and we usually had a decent time. So, we decided to drop in for the Sunday brunch. After being sat and waiting 10 minutes for our server, who never showed up, we decided we were absolutely starving and got up to help ourselves to the buffet. Mind you, throughout this time we made eye contact with several servers, including a young Latino boy who was helping the table behind us, and a black-haired Katniss Everdeen lookalike who was busing tables nearby. If you've ever been to the Tavern, you know they have that omelette bar thing which is pretty good. We ordered omelettes, had them delivered to our table and ate our entire meal. Still no service. We should have just left without paying, but instead we went up to the hostess, explained no one had come over to us the entire time we were there, paid what little we thought it was worth, and left. The Tavern needs to have its servers get their shit together. People less honest than us will just walk in, eat, and leave with an entire staff that refuses to pay attention or you know, do their job.
(1)Mike G.
Extremely fun atmosphere! Very dark and hard to see your food, but a great place to watch a game or hang out with friends and have a few cocktails. The food was very decent for a bar (although, spread those nachos out, so you can find all the meat under the pico and guac:). We had a great time!
(4)Melanie H.
To echo the sentiments of some of the other reviewers, the word 'meh' comes to mind everytime I think of the Central Square Tavern in the Square. The beer menu is acceptable, the food choices are acceptable, and the wait staff is pretty terrible. All in all, this location garners the rating of 'Meh. I have experienced better.' This place could be any bar in any city in any country because there is absolutely nothing unique about it. I wish in the category of ambiance they had 'boring' because I would for sure select that box. The place is big, so it's good for groups. But do not, I repeat, DO NOT, come here with a large group if they are not expecting you. Even if it is a Wednesday night and they aren't very busy- the wait staff will get overwhelmed and irritated. (I am speaking from personal experience) I might go back, I might not because heck, the world is my oyster.
(2)Kelly C.
Had dinner here last night with the book club gals, and despite my reading the reviews, I tried to go for something semi-healthy. Side salad, Salmon, broccoli and a baked potato. The Thai Peanut dressing on the salad was really yummy. The broccoli was ok. The Baked potato was over cooked(but I dug the zig zag way they cut it open), and the salmon was too dry and I wasn't into it. I didn't eat it, but I didn't make an issue of it...the waiter ( who did a great job with us) asked if there was something wrong when he took my plate, and I just explained that it was a bit overcooked. A few minutes later the manager came over and gave me a $10 voucher to come back again, that they would like to make sure my next visit was perfect. I thought that was a very nice gesture, and showed that they are concerned about their image and that their patrons are satisfied. I think though, that when I do go back, I'll stick with the pub food. Those that got the nachos(which are HUGE) seemed very happy!
(3)Josie G.
*the drinks were strong *the bartenders were quick and efficient *loved that there were two bars on either side *lots of seating, space to move around *my friend, DJ Obie spins there on occasion Tavern on the Square's similar to Beer Gardens, Joshua Trees, and all the other Taverns. After leaving the Middle East and the Field, I was grateful for the change of set-up. A bit of an odd crowd, but we got there close to closing on a Friday night. We ordered lots of shots created by the bartender, and they were delicious and strong. Decently priced. The doorman was friendly when we entered, and let us stay while we waited for our friend to finish up so we could catch a ride. I'd definitely return if we decide to do another night in Central.
(4)Sarah D.
They have a lot of TVs and a lot of options on the menu. That's about the gist of it. From the outside it seems kind of fancy, but it's really not fancy at all. Food is okay. Nothing is great though. Wings are sub-standard, which is a terrible thing to say about a sports bar but it's the truth. Standard beers. Service can be anywhere from okay to completely horrid. Insanely loud music on the weekends. But it's not a bad place to catch a non-event game. There is a dearth of bars with a good TV situation in central so I am glad they're here i guess? This is a boring review but in this case I think it is warranted; this is a pretty boring place. The only interesting thing about it is that its initials are TiTS.
(3)Rachel M.
Potentially one of my favorite Boston-area pub-style restaurants. Tavern has a HUGE menu of food and drinks, and the service is great. I have never had anything I didn't love before. It is great for dinner with family & friends, and has a "chill" feel for casual drinks later at night. The outdoor patio is really nice, and their new breakfast menu is great. I can't imagine any reason to give this place lower than 5 stars! I love the tomato mozzarella melt, veggie burger, and french dip :) I suggest to try them all with fries and a cold Magner's :)
(5)Mr. B.
Disgusting burger. So overseasoned it tasted like bad meatloaf. 13.99, might as well buy a mcdonalds burger and pay the rest to one of the hobo's outside to punch you in the stomach. We could be starting a cottage industry here people. I think the worst part was when I told the manager about it I got the eye roll and the "nobody ever complained about that before" instead of sorry sir we will work on it. Usually if folks have a bad experience they just leave, never go back and tell their friends not to go. Mr manager: you should hang up your name tag and try another profession if you cannot handle it.
(1)Joe P.
This isn't the first time I've had lunch at the Tavern, but for the price they charge could they spare the food. I ordered the Soup & A Half. Well where was the half, two bites and it was gone. The sandwich was 2x2. You call they a half. Don't waste your time going. There are so many other good restaurants in cambridge where you can actually see the sandwich.
(1)D A.
I frequent the Tavern in the Square in Porter, so when a couple of us needed a place to grab a bite in Central before meeting friends I went to Tavern. The food was pretty much what I expected and the beer was cold. Unfortunately, the service in the Central Square location is horrible! We walked in and immediately had the hostess pushing through us to get out to the patio area. Not exactly a friendly greeting from the face of the staff. Once seated, the waitress came over and we all ordered beers and waters. The beers came alone. We finally received the waters after 3 requests. This is the last we would see of our waitress until our meal was done. Our food was brought over by a guy wearing a tie (manager?). We didn't receive a side that we had ordered, but there was never an opportunity to ask for it because nobody checked in with us. Our waitress finally came back after we were done eating to clear our table and offer more beers. We asked for the check because we were up against our other engagement... And then we waited... And waited... And waited... We waited for over 20 minutes for our bill. The entire time I watched as our waitress buzzed around chatting with every member of the staff, including a 5 minute conversation with the hostess who is apparently hilarious because our waitress was laughing hysterically. Finally after 20 minutes, one of my friends found her, interrupted another of her conversations and asked for our check because we were now late for our other commitments. She acted surprised, like she had no idea we wanted it. This behavior is completely unacceptable. Bringing the bill should be the exciting part for you, that's the part where you get paid. Don't make me beg to give you my money!
(2)Jules C.
I just had their brunch which is sundays only $17. This place to me I'll give 4 stars and it's not easy running a place like that. The brunch should be great, it's ok, it's like a 3/5 stars. Huge selection, ok quality, the problem is that brunch should be like $13, both for quality and the poor cooking. Example, the eggs benedict are cooked by someone who's never cooked them properly before. The salmon they put out, it's rock hard overcooked. These things sad and true, see for yourself. So the brunch could be worth $15 if they properly cooked it and didn't run it like casino buffet. Just properly cook and present the food and this brunch would be a lot nicer. The rest of the menu is great, tvs are good, they got iffy wireless, and some great staff. The other key thing I'd say is, it's going to stay a 3 star place because the ppl, bartenders, and food is really hit or miss. You'll have some ok/poor experiences in an individual basis there and some of the best. Divide that by it being overpriced by 25-30% and that's Tavern. I do like it and I want to love it, but it's stuck in needing to be nicer or be cheaper. The staff is hit or miss. Great cheesecake factory type menu and some great dishes/service when they're on their game.
(4)Clancy R.
This is a pretty decent place, but the company that owns this restaurant owns many others in the area and seemingly cannot be bothered to make the menus differ between locations. Because their places have other names than just the "Tavern" branding, you can walk into a newer-looking bar anywhere within ten miles of here only to find out that it's just another of the same. It's not a bad chain, so really it could be worse, but it would be nice if the owners made an effort to unify their branding so patrons would know that they are going to a place they know and enjoy as opposed to attempting to try something new only to open the menu, see the same fried pickles and risotto fritters (which admittedly are quite good) and realize "Oh crap, it's just another Tavern in the Anywhere."
(3)Johnna M.
This place has a Cheesecake Factory like menu-so big its overwhelming. I debating between 3 or 4 options but ended up ordering the sesame salmon (a risky choice) It was pretty tasty and came with really tasty sweet potato fries. I like anywhere that serves good sweet potato fries, I think its the western mass in me. I spent a good deal of time complaining that the salmon was too large but I eventually ate it all and half of my dining companion's sweet potato fries. His sweet potato fries came with an unidentified substance that he raved about but I would not try because my maydar was going off WAY too clearly. Sure enough, when asked, the waitress explained it was a mostly mayonnaise based dipping sauce. I do not think it is good practice to sneak mayonnaise onto anyone's sweet potato fries. For drinks, I had two glasses of the prickly pear sangria. It was so tasty that I realized I could quickly down five of them, which I did not want to do so I switched to sea dog blueberry. It had big, fresh, blueberries in it-yay! I really liked the set up of this place. It was pretty big and had a huge bar. I could definitely see myself enjoying a game here on a weeknight. Our waitress was new but doing a great job. Other staff did not hesitate to help us take about 15 pictures of ourselves. I think it will definitely be a great beer and burger spot in my new neighborhood.
(3)Alana H.
While my experience here wasn't mind blowing, it was fine. I came here with a party of 7 for dinner on a Friday night. Some of the group came earlier than the rest and they didn't hassle us for when the remaining part of the group was arriving. We were started with the Spinach and Artichoke Dip which I didn't have too much of but the chips were very tasty. I ordered the Creole Crab Cake Sandwich with a house salad. The cake was good and although I don't love focaccia the sandwich was good. Nothing memorable but good. Our waiter was a bit interesting as I think he was a bit hungover from his crazy night out the night before and his family was visiting and sitting a couple tables away from us. He messed up a couple things with some orders but nothing too crazy. This place is walking distance from where I work so it's not a bad option for a work dinner.
(3)Vy T.
It's your normal sports bar. The food was ok. I got the wings which were room temperature so it didn't taste the great. The husband got the burger which was surprisingly good. Fair pricing for the food. Good service. Our waitress split our bill for us and we know that can be a pain
(3)Kavita B.
This place was about what I expected - standard bar food with the usual drinks menu. Wine was far too pricey for my taste - come on, I can get a $6 glass in CA but have to pay $9 in Boston?! - but everything else was reasonable. I got the pesto risotto balls, which were (per bar food standards) overloaded with oil to make it taste good. I also snuck a taste of the margherita pizza. This exactly met my expectations, but I wouldn't go here if you were looking to experience something uniquely Boston.
(3)Julieanne B.
I think this place is great. I have eaten here a few times and was very happy with my meals, as was the person I was with. Today I went for lunch with a co-worker and the manager came over at the end of the meal to thank us for coming in and asking us how everything was. We said everything was great, and he then told us he was comping our meals. So we got a free lunch. It was very nice, we hadn't complained or anything. The service was food was great. So I thought it would be good of me to let people know about this place, that it's a great place to go for a quick lunch. They also serve dinner and brunch on Sunday's (I am hoping to get there for brunch one of these days).
(4)Hannah M.
Every time I go to Tavern on the Square, I'm hoping it will be better than previous experiences. It never is. I should stop going. Last night was no different. Packed, loud, cramped quarters. Waitress, who looked like a 15-year-old with french braided pigtails (right, no comment there) came over and seemed annoyed. Apps: Truffle tater tots - sound awesome. Taste like tater tots. Drinks: I asked for a cranberry juice. She looked baffled but said OK. My co-diners requested water for the table. 10 minutes later, Waitress came back with waters. No cranberry juice. Co-diners ordered drinks. Waitress was annoyed that someone ordered a specific chardonnay rather than generic white wine.... Um, right. Another 10+ minutes. Waitress came back with 2 of the 4 drinks and didn't know which wine was which. Classy cat. Another 10ish minutes and she arrived with the 3rd drink (mind you, wine and beer were all ordered well after cranberry juice) - a beer. And finally arrived with cranberry juice. Watery cranberry juice. Food: Orders were taken when Waitress brought water (aka, early in the experience, relatively). Food took a while. I had ordered sesame salmon salad. Food arrived. Well, some food arrived. And the wrong salad. Waitress was annoyed that I wouldn't eat the sesame chicken salad she brought when I ordered salmon. 20 minutes later, salad comes out (everyone else is pretty much done). It wasn't even that good. No one else was wow'd by their meals either - seared tuna sandwich was OK, taco salad was OK, house salad was OK. Check please: Waitress brings check, tosses it on table. Salad is on it. What?! I ask for it to be comped given the mix up and delay. She again seems baffled. Sends manager over who seems appalled, but also not to believe me. Comps salad. Waitress throws a little tantrum and gives the table attitude. Still gets a tip (not from me - my meal, thank God, was comped). Gross. At least no one got food poisoning. That would have been special.
(2)Jessica M.
This has become a go-to place for my best friend and me whenever she visits from NYC. Everything we've had here has been fantastic. The pot roast is especially delicious. Fun atmosphere, too, with TV screens -- great place to watch sports games. We watched the Bruins demolish Philly (I'm from Boston, she's from Philly - HA). AND - The bartender knew how to make a Grasshopper! Only the second bartender I've found in the Boston area who knows how to do this. (Yum, it tastes like one of those Keebler cookies.)
(5)Emily G.
Ok, I can understand why people might take issue with this place, but I don't think that they are seeing it in the right light. Tavern fills a void that would otherwise be in Central Square - a big restaurant with a comprehensive American style menu that has a much better feel to it than any mega-chain restaurant that could be occupying the space. The atmosphere might be a little confused - part sports bar, part wannabe modern, but I think that goes along with the spirt of the place, wanting to please everyone. Both the drink and food menus are extensive, so you can please all types at once. I've had the Apple Goat Cheese Salad a few different times, and it has always been excellent and not wilted with too much dressing. It's generally always packed, but they do take reservations so I think it's a great place to take a big group of people and have everyone feel satisfied. I also think you get better service with a large group because the server knows the big bucks are riding on it. So you can't expect the French Laundry when you come to Tavern, but it's a fun time with pretty good food, and decent prices.
(3)Amber P.
Absolutely awful service. Average food, average drink-no surprise-but when it came time for the check, we asked our waitress who was serving the outdoor patio on Saturday, it took 20+ minutes at which point I had to stand up and walk into the restaurant and ask her for the check. When I walked back, check in hand, the peoe next to us commented that last night a server had gone home with one of their credit cards, and no one was helping them get it back. The waitress said that happens a lot. Do NOT come here! ... Oh and we mused our bus thanks to our slow waitress. Ugh.
(1)Dondi D.
I've been a regular the past year now. Nothing exceptionally great about the place, but drinks and food consistently good. The tacos appetizers are HUGE. The wings are great. The service always welcoming and attentive. It get crowded sometimes, but even during March Madness, there is a place for everyone. I normally stay at the bar.
(4)Kat V.
TITS! One star just for the acronym. One star for brunch - awesome! One star for the fact that they happen to serve booze and food AT THE SAME TIME (I know, crazy right!). That is about it. They can't seem to get the TV situation right for Bruin's games. They can't seem to get my order right. They can't seem to figure out the bill. The bartenders are nice. The managers are nice and seem to have their act together. The hostess and servers are severely lacking...and I mean severely. The server's at the Porter location are awesome and way more personable...too bad the Porter location is at, well, Porter. :(
(3)Brian D.
A great pub - great atmosphere and above average food - pretty much as good as bar food gets in Cambridge! The huge menu goes on and on, and ALMOST everything I've had has been quite good (skip the nachos). Salads, sandwiches, and burgers are all great... and don't forget to have some sweet potato fries. And the white truffle tator tots are AMAZING. Service can be uneven, but hey it's a bar... and they've got plenty of TV's. One small thing is that they often don't put on the sound for the big games... which can be annoying at times.
(4)Eric F.
TitS is pretty much an East coast equivalent of BJ's back in CA, but the bar food's above average to offset the much more limited beer selection. The spinach dip had great texture and spot-on flavor, chili had nice kick and the chicken & walnut salad sandwich was surprisingly light (bread was mediocre though). Def wouldn't mind coming here again and perhaps trying one of the ginormous salads I saw being served to some of the other tables haha.
(4)Nitya D.
I haven't been to the other TITS locations, but I like the one in Central. I come here every now and then for a couple of post-work beers and maybe something to munch on. Food: As a vegetarian I'm frankly surprised by the number of edible-sounding veggie options on their menu. I've had: truffle tater tots (sort of truffle-y, mostly just potato-y), white truffle mac n' cheese (UGH they used so much oil that it was actually inedible and made me sick to my stomach), fried pickles (actually pretty decent), and marinated feta + avocados salad (awesome). Drinks: They have a limited selection on draught (Sam, Sam Seasonal, Stella, and a few others I can't quite remember). But the bottled beer selection is better with beers like Rogue, Arrogant Bastard, and Purple Haze, to name a few. It might have been on a specials menu or something, but I've had a pitcher of their spiked raspberry lemonade and it was delicious! I like it for post-work drinks but it's not the kind of place I would go to for dinner really. But given that they have many TVs, I might be inclined to watch a game there sometime.
(3)Kelsey P.
A bunch of my friends are fans of this place, but I've gotta say that I find it pretty mediocre. My personal opinion is that Tavern tries a bit too hard. For instance, take the tater tots. Tater tots aren't really that hard to do well; I can fry up a bag from the grocery store and they'll taste pretty good. Tavern in the Square, however, adds a bit too much truffle oil and just enough parmesan to stick the tater tots together -- leaving you with fairly intense-tasting clumps of 3-4 tater tots. Again, not a disastrous move, but why bother? Similarly, you can get a dozen different types of burgers, but the burgers are just okay and don't justify either the prices or the excessively creative ways you can get them served to you. Anyway, Tavern in the Square isn't a bad place to watch a game with friends on a weekend afternoon, but I don't think it's all it's cracked up to be.
(2)Amanda F.
Good amount of beer on tap, but their house beer is more expensive than any other beer. The food was pretty average and overpriced for what it was. I got a summer salad. It had great ingredients including watermelon, blue berries, and yogurt, but everything was oddly chopped. Our waitress was not in a good mood and definitely showed it. The music was way to loud that I had to be screamed to be heard. For a place this crowded, they need more than 2 barmen behind there. Drinks are cheap, but the food not so much.
(3)Kelly O.
2 TITS reviews in the span of 1 week? That's madness. This review is for their Sunday Brunch, which is all you can eat for $16.99. Totally worth it IMO, they had an excellent selection of items with a great variety that were all pretty tasty... they had brunch classics of course (scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, home fries, omlettes made to order), some fancier versions of things (creole eggs benedict, chile cheese home fries, peanut butter and jelly pancakes, raspberry chocolate waffles), some hearty lunch items (baked beans, cajun catfish and dirty rice, roast pork loin, various pastas and salads), and all kinds of various breakfast pastries, fruits, desserts, and an ice cream bar. Things seemed generally fresh, nothing seemed to be in the warming boxes for too long, and the flavors were good. I stuffed myself silly and was pretty pleased with the whole meal. Also my mimosa was only $6, cheaper than a lot of places. An excellent Sunday brunch experience.
(4)Yosub K.
Beer? Good. Nachos? Big. Good. Pizza? Cheesy. Good. Manager telling us he closed the chicken* when the waitress said otherwise? Not so good. *"Girl, Interrupted" reference
(3)Romney D.
Came here Saturday night for a friends birthday. The atmosphere is perfect if you want to grab a bite and watch the game. I ordered the calamari & maple sweet potato fries. The calamari was bland, not much flavor. The fries were decent, I wish there was more maple on them. Overall I did have a great time!
(3)Shelly C.
I've came here multiple times to have lunch. The service is slow. The drinks are mediocre. It took about 5 mins for someone to sit us down. The food came out about half an hour later. Our waitress wouldn't come by & ask how we're doing or how the food is. I was late going back to work because the waitress didn't come back and check up on us. I wasn't able to get my check and pay. There was also another incident where I would sit at the bar and have a couple of drinks. The bartender charged me the wrong amount for the beer. I had a regular size beer, when she charged me for the 20 ounce. I don't know if I would consider coming back here.
(1)Brian H.
I came for lunch with a large group and didn't have extremely high expectations but was pleasantly surprised. I ordered the blackened catfish which was a risk having spent a few years in New Orleans. The dish was extremely flavorful with just the right amount of spice, topped with a just-sweet-enough relish. The service was slow enough to notice, but overall the experience exceeded my expectations for this type of restaurant.
(4)May N.
My partner and I were looking around for a place to eat in our neighborhood. River Gods was packed early on a Friday evening so we traipsed further into the square for food. Passed by the ethnic restaurants and stumbled into this place. Totally corporate-looking and loud with lots of tv screens broadcasting March madness with plenty of casually-dressed patrons in large groups. It felt more like a place you'd go to watch a Sox game with a bunch of strangers or a large group of friends. Somehow, I guess we gave off an air of not being their typical customers because they sat us in the private room which only had 1 tv with the sound off where you could actually hear the overhead music and still have a conversation. Only one couple and a family of three were dining there. It looked like it had probably been a small bar that had moved out and was absorbed by Tavern in the Square. The tables were up against a wall with a row of booth-seating with large pillows. The 4th star is for seating in this room. I chose a California chardonnay with the fish and chips and my partner had a Guinness with his margherita pizza. The food was ok, nothing to write home about. Portion sizes were pretty big. Prices were moderate, service ok. I liked being in the quiet part of the restaurant, where our server was attentive initially, but seemed more distracted as time passed and various waiters began removing furniture to open up the space more. Turns out a group had reserved the room for a party and it was time to give up our table after a couple of hours. Not sure about happy hour, but this seems like a place that would have some kind of deal. I saw a sign advertising Stump trivia on Tuesday nights at 9 pm so I'll have to come back for bar trivia so close to home!
(4)Dan S.
It's OK. Nothing really special here. Typical burgers, Typical apps except no mozzarella sticks. Brunch is very busy and its pretty good, again pretty similar to other brunch buffets. This is a place to go, but not a place to go out of your way for.
(3)Kenny J.
Umm, better when it was the Good Life back in the day. Never had the food here, but from what I hear, don't bother. Drink more instead. Problem is, the service is pretty poor. On a busy Saturday night, there was one bartender at the bar. I tried to order drinks from another guy, but apparently he was just a bus boy. 10 minutes later, another bartender arrived and didn't even ask me for my order. I looked at him, but didn't order right away in case he was another bus boy. lol!! At least they have Hoegaarden on draft, but it seems like more and more places are carrying it these days. There are better bars in Central. If your friends make you meet them here, they owe you a drink.
(3)Christian W.
I only had very good experiences at the TITS. They are not picky about my foreign ID and the girls and guys behind the bar are quick and very friendly. Last time they even gave me a beer for free! The atmosphere was always very nice and you get to know other people at the bar. And finally it's only a 2 minutes walk from where I live. Generally I don't like the sports bar-Atmosphere that much - so only 4 stars.
(4)John S.
I'm rounding up. Tavern is big enough to be a lot of things to a lot of people. It's a nice place for brunch to some. It's a particularly spacious sports bar to others. It's a pub grub dinner spot to others still. It's a place where you'll run into someone you know for everyone else. I like Tavern for the food first, the televisions second and the overall vibe third. They do well in comfort food - heaping nachos, truffled mac'n'cheese, french fries covered in bacon. It's a special kind of place like that, with good, honest fare served without a fuss. There are enough televisions at enough angles that you'll see whatever sporting event is on, and while piping in music instead of game audio means it's not a true "sports bar," it's close enough for me. The service is good, though overworked at times, and I definitely don't envy them on Fridays and Saturdays. Between the Asgard, Tavern, Enormous Room, Green Street Grill and Field, Central Square has some very solid bars in the rotation.
(4)Mike D.
I have been here a few times for the brunch buffet. Overall, the service was mediocre and the food was average. The best part about it was the omelet station which they would cook to order for you. All the TV's around are pretty cool for a Patriot's game or another bug sporting event. It's a good all you can eat brunch if you have some friends in town and they are hungry. It is an average restaurant at best.
(3)Bill M.
All I can say about it is...the side salad is flipping huge. Okay, I can say more about it then that. I've gone to this one once before, mostly when I go to this company it's the one in Porter Square, but this is something that made me say "Hmmm..." We went there to eat before going to another place for a trivia night. First, Ice Tea. I like brewed ice tea. This is what I call Bag in Box, a bag of syrup in a box that comes out like a soda. It's disgusting. I wound up drinking water for the rest of the time. This was my fault though because I didn't realize they had coke products and had this idea they had pepsi products (Pepsi products, as I have mentioned before, don't sit well in my stomach). We had buffalo skewers, which were very nomable. If you get any appetizer there I would suggest this over everything else. We decided to have side salads with our meals instead of french fries or onion rings. I had a blackjack burger (I was disappointed cause I thought it would be spicier) and my girlfriend had the italian wrap. The side salads though, are freaking huge. You are not left for wanting with there side salads. It was like "Here is a salad with a side of hamburger." That being said, I'm not complaining. It was large enough to help fill me without feeling sick that fries or onion rings might (if they gave me that size of an order). Also, my girlfriend liked the fact that they had pineapple juice, so that's a bonus. So I give it 3 stars, I'd probably go back if I was in the area, but then again, there are places in the area that we would want to try first.
(3)Jason B.
Decent food, decent drinks, friendly staff. A group of us came here for a hangover brunch and to toast Dr. King and equality. The bloody marys are a large, salad-encrusted affair, but suitably large and spicy. The salads are brobdignagian, and all the food is plentiful and great. The burger was a little dry, and someday, someone will figure out that serving a reuben on a low rack on a plate will make the bottom piece of bread not go soggy. The veggie burrito was huge and full of tasty goodness. Our server was friendly and cool. There's nothing bad, really to say about that place. Nothing super kickass, but it's a solid choice for a bite and a beer in Central Square.
(3)Cassie H.
A few of us met up here to watch the 2011 World Cup Womens Final. Totally crowded, but we still managed to get a table just in time for kick off. Considering how busy it was, our server was amazing. Just attentive enough to refill our drinks and let us order (we staggered appetizer, meal, and dessert throughout the match), but not so attentive that we couldn't enjoy the game. The appetizers (and portions in general) are big for the Northeast. The chili fries were amazing, although I'm still feeling guilty. :P The molten chocolate cake left a little to be desired (the chocolatey cake was too gooey for my tastes), but there was enough vanilla ice cream goodness to cover that. My husband actually enjoyed the consistency of the cake, so it was a fair trade. We probably wouldn't make a special trip to Tavern in the Square for the food, but for the ambience and a great atmosphere to catch a sports event, it's got four stars from me.
(4)Laura M.
This review is for the Central Square location. I was skeptical about trying this place because of my gluten-free situation, and I read a review that said someone else had a bad experience trying to eat gluten-free here. However, I risked it and tried Tavern in the Square for dinner with a few friends last night. I did ask for the gluten-free menu, which has a good number of choices for dinner. 3-4 choices in each section: appetizers, salads, burgers, and entrees. We decided to share the classic nachos and then I ordered the apple salad with grilled chicken. The waiter was very concerned about making sure those things were gluten free, even though they were on the GF menu, so he said he checked with the manager before he put the order in. He said he doesn't like to take chances with food allergies - which I appreciated a lot. I wish I remembered the waiter's name so I could compliment him here - he was very attentive, and always kept water glasses full. My friend tried a new beer and hated it, and this waiter even took it back (and didn't charge my friend for it) and brought him a different beer. The reason for four stars? The noise level was REALLY loud, even though we sat by the open window. Also, the servings of food here are ENORMOUS, and none of us could get through even half of our dinners (especially with the nachos - we probably could have just shared those for a meal they were so huge) Otherwise, it was a good GF experience! I would go back.
(4)Derek B.
Tavern in the Square is the place you go when you want some comfort food and you don't know where else to go AND you're too lazy to go too far. In that narrow band of choices, it's fine. Anything more than that, like, if you want actually good food, good service, attentive and friendly waitstaff....well, I mean, you can still choose Tavern, but you should prepare yourself for disappointment. I've been here a number of times, mainly b/c it's close and I'm lazy, and almost everytime there's been something wrong with either my order or the food and, most disturbingly, the management doesn't really seem to care. They look at you w/ those dead shark eyes and explain how it wasn't really their fault which is usually minor consolation. I don't go to places like Tavern b/c they have amazing food or b/c their unique - I go for smooth process and b/c I know exactly what I'm getting. If you're thinking of going, bear in mind that it's a decent location to have a beer and watch a game. Maybe some Big Dig fries in addition. If you're looking for more than that, keep walking.
(2)Dawn E.
"Where are you guys going?" The TITS! that's right, you heard me. My party was an unruly mess, but our waiter handled us pretty well. He scoffed a bit when I asked for a separate check (Hey, I couldn't have brought cash even if I wanted to, there's no cash to withdraw 'til this bitch gets paaaaid), and said something like he'd try, which then resulted in a 20 minute debate about separate checks with me and another person at my table, in which I explained which great success, how ridiculously easy it is to do, unless you work at a little mom and pop place without a computer system. In the end, though, my separate check arrived, and I tipped well. For my meal, I ordered the crab cake sandwich, and it was really good... but the kicker... WAFFLE FRIES! Why, hello, waffle fries, I love you. I love you so much I chose you over the sweet potato fries that I also love. Despite the place being crazy crowded, it didn't seem like we waited to long for much (well, except to order in the first place, that took FOOOOREVER), and I never wanted for a drink. The ambiance of the place is nice, but nothing special, and I hated the volume of the TVs in the background. You couldn't actually hear what announcers were saying, it was just this awful mumbled speaker noise. Overall, I'd say the TITS is a fine establishment. Not my favorite, for sure, but "A-Ok."
(3)Hilary D.
So I see that Tavern in the Square has several different locations...this review is solely for the Central Square location. The fact that it's a chain kind of explains why I felt like Tavern-Central Sq. is T.G.I. Friday's with a Masters degree. OK food, OK drinks, but nothing standout. I like the fact that they have fried pickles. Very clean, and the bartenders were friendly. I'd go back if I was invited, but it wouldn't be my first choice.
(3)Bill C.
You've been to Tavern before, even if you've never stepped foot in the place. Tavern is the Applebee's of Boston. The menu is extensive but familiar, but I don't think familiarity is necessarily a bad thing. There are times when I really, really want 6,000 calories worth of french fries and cheese, or a decent burger, or a pitcher of middle-of-the-road beer. That's fine and dandy. But don't come here if you want to try someplace new, because you've hit this formula already: big portions, lots of fat and grease, and pictures of random crap on the wall. They do have an extensive menu, but none of it is really done well. I'm okay with Tavern every now and then. I come here for Trivia or if I need a place that can accommodate a large number of people without much notice. Their drinks aren't too expensive and they've got some good deals if you use the SCVNGR app and don't mind looking like an idiot for a bit. But please, there are many much better restaurants in the area if you want food (Garden at the Cellar, Craigie, Rendezvous, Central Kitchen), and there are many much better bars if you want good cocktails (Green Street is a block or two away).
(3)E. A.
Nothing special. The menu looks good, but the execution is poor. I went with two other people and we ordered a variety of items - two appetizers, an entree-size salad, and another entree. Many of the ingredients seemed to be straight off the Sysco truck. I'm looking at you, crab cakes! And you, pre-sliced/bagged/canned salad veggies! Service was spotty as well. We were first seated outdoors, but decided to move inside after our frazzled waiter told us he had too many tables. I don't mind going here for drinks/beers to watch a game in the evenings. Would not recommend it for much more than that, though.
(2)Michael P.
Cool place, good vibe! I like! Tavern in the Square has got the right atmosphere for young professionals who want to wind down after a long days work or who are out to mingle, grab some brewskis and listen to top40's/hip-hop music on weekend nights. There are ample number of tables for groups to sit and order food, since this place seems to emphasize the restaurant aspect of their business more. However, if you just want drinks, don't worry! There's not only one, but TWO bars waiting for you. Full bar and good selection of beers on tap for reasonable prices. I haven't had their food yet but I will soon because apparently there's 1/2 off burgers on Tuesdays during lunch time. I shall be back!
(4)Theodore D.
T.I.T.S. (Tavern in the square) is the only real sports bar in Cambridge. Great Place to watch a game and have a few beers. I'm here more than anywhere else in cambridge. I'm not really sure why bc its nothing special but just a normal sports bar in the not so normal town of Cambridge. 2 things - Get the Nacho's. They kick ass. Go with the "Tall" beer.
(3)ZZZZ T.
Its above average pub food in a lively atmosphere. You're certainly not coming here for fine dining, but if you're craving some good ol' American comfort food, the menu is huge, portions are generous, prices are reasonable, and the beer is cold. Its got a little something for everyone. Also, with the plethora of TVs and colorful personalities bellowing at the screen, its a fun place to watch a game.
(4)Michael L.
If you are thinking of having a corporate function here please read this first. The place first of all is physically beautiful... It catches your eye, you look twice and then you hope for a great experience that will lead to a longer relationship... You hope more, you judge fairly, and you scratch the surface just a little and you begin to see the cracks... You won't ever go there again. The company I work for is close to this establishment. Our company was saying goodbye to a wonderful colleague, so we wanted somewhere nice to say goodbye. We made a reservation about a week in advance at the Tavern In The Square, and told them we were expecting 20 to 40 people for drinks, appetizers, and other menu items. We were told that they had a space to accommodate our party, but they requested that we please do not order drinks from the bar, as we would have a dedicated server. Okay...we can honor that request. There is a side room in the establishment that can accommodate a party just about the size of the one we were, yet when we got to Tavern In The Square we were told that use of that room required a payment of $1000.00. Instead of letting us use a room that was not in use the Tavern In The Square started putting together tiny tables, in my opinion sort of like the tables the kids sit at when at a large Thanksgiving celebration. They cobbled these tables together like broken legos, and built a shaky accommodation for about 15 people. The rest of us... The ones who had to stand were sort of shifting foot to foot, while 1 overworked waitress tried to keep up with our food and drink orders. She did what she could and was cheerful but the size of the party and the rate which we were eating and drinking, while trying to celebrate was greater than what she could handle. I felt bad for her and here is why. 1) We asked the management if we could move to the side room that had proper tables that would keep us together. (We were then reminded of the $1000.00 policy) 2) We would have ordered more food if we were all able to SIT. 3) We would have ordered more drinks if we were all able to SIT. 4) We would have stayed longer and ordered even more if we were able to SIT. 5) The bill presented by the establishment would have been bigger, and the tip to our food service staff would have been bigger. This felt like a shakedown and it lacked common business sense. Tavern In The Square presented us with nothing but inflexible attitude when we requested an area that would accommodate the size of the party that they knew was coming. We kept hearing $1000.00 while most of us stood with our coats on, no chairs, and no place to set a plate of food. In this economy isn't a restaurant like Tavern In The Square concerned with the amount of food and drink each person could potentially order? The place was hardly busy, and to be honest we have more functions coming up soon...we will choose to go where we are able to sit, put our coats down and order food and drink.
(2)Janee L.
Food was great. We were there for company not the sports so the TVs were a little overwhelming but it was okay. Good service.
(3)Jonathan H.
Average food with below average service. Also, pay with cash. My group had issues with credit cards being overcharged.
(1)Kristine A.
I went to brunch for the 1st time there & wasn't totally impressed. They have a ton of different options which is great, but it just sits there in the chafing dishes so not really fresh though. I also did not realize how expensive it was which didn'e make it any better either.
(3)Yasmine K.
I have been there several times, during the day and night. Never had any problems with their foods or service. the quality of the food was good, the atmosphere is live and nice, overall its a casual sport/restaurant bar place to go and enjoy
(4)Sanura W.
Mediocre food. Weak drinks. Horrible wait staff who is very unprofessional. Bad experience. The highlight of the evening was going off on the waitress and complaining to the manager. I have no intentions of ever returning here.
(1)Michael B.
A Tavern that doesn't let you have drinks at the tables in the bar area unless you order food. At 8:00 on a Tuesday night where there were 20+ tables empty. And... After they already seated us at the table w/o describing this policy and taken our drink order. Absolutely ridiculous. I have eaten here and the food is okay. Standard bar food which I enjoy. But... Not any more. Good luck with your crazy policy Tavern.
(1)Andy M.
Service was good, but my burger was kind of slimy, and the onion rings were down right horrible (flavorless and extraordinarily stale - like they were cooked weeks ago). The Tavern is a clean, attractive location (especially for Central Square), fine for meeting up with friends, but be realistic and don't expect great food.
(2)Jason S.
My wife and I were regular customers at Tavern in the square until today. The place is very convenient and food is good but you should really reconsider whether keeping bad servers employed. We don't see the fit and she is harming the business. Today around 4:15pm, my glass of diet coke was empty, I'm looking for her and see she is chatting at the end of the bar. Another male server passes by our table and I asked for a refill. In about 30 seconds she shows up at our table, grabs the glass and pulls it away so upset that ice comes flying out of it, spilling ice all over the table behind us. The male server went and cleaned the table. After she brought the soda we paid (of course BAD SERVICE = NO TIP) and left with the promise to never return again to your business. We will also be sharing this experience with every social media and friends possible.
(1)Lily S.
3 words: yum yum yum my friend took me here on my birthday for post drink dinner/more drinks. Since i had already had a few drinks, my review of the food may be off a little...but i thought it was perfect American bar food. We split the cheese covered fried tater-tots: perfect, crispy, crunchy..what more could you want? I then had the blue cheese bacon burger: AMAZING. it was melt in your mouth-perfectly cooked/seasoned. soo goood!! I was drinking grey goose redbulls--yum. The only reason i'm leaving the last star off, is our waitress was pretty inattentive...we had to wait like 10 mins after we were done eating to flag her down for the bill. and then about the same amount of time until she brought my friends credit card back. but overall, great experience.
(4)Kim K.
Went here with a big group at 6:30PM on a Friday. We were seated almost immediately, right before the crowds and long lines, thank god! Our waitress took a while to come over but was attentive once she did. She was also accomodating when two extra people showed up and wanted to sit with us. Appetizers were good - nachos were SUPER cheesy and the spinach artichoke dip was more chunky full of veggies than creamy or cheesy. I got the fish and chips, which was decent. The tartar sauce was to die for. This place was nice but pretty generic. Big TV screens everywhere, bustling bar, young adult crowd. Nice but I don't need a repeat anytime soon.
(3)Shaina P.
Oh come on.. If it weren't for the TVs and the big screen for US soccer viewing (since it's bigger than Phoenix), I would be giving this bar a 1. Although, I was quite taken aback when they wouldn't let a long-ass line of soccer fans enter for the US vs. Slovenia game until the game started. We show all of the world cup games, my arse.
(2)Vanessa F.
Brunch here was solidly mediocre. I was disappointed there was no smoked salmon, so I contented myself with baked cod. I think the main draw is the sheer quantity of food rather than the quality. The pork tenderloin was rather dry. I have cooked the heck out of pork tenderloin and still had it come out moist, so I'm not sure what they did to it. The omelet was good, except that it left a shameful oil slick in it's wake that not even my napkin could sop up. I tried the cheesecake but it was room temperature, which was a little upsetting. For $17 plus tip I think we may have fared better elsewhere. I should be fair, the service was decent and the waitress came by frequently to check if we needed refills. Also, the place got crowded quickly once the Pats game started, and we hadn't intended on staying, but they didn't try to rush us out despite the prime location of our table. The bloody marys looked awesome, and if I come back I'd just order that.
(3)Rob C.
Stopped in for a pint of Guinness last night, which was the second time I'd been there. The first time was with the folks from work a couple years ago, and i was spectacularly overserved on the company tab (i'm told that i put on a really good performance of sobriety every time i needed another beer). This time i actually remembered more. The Guinness is expensive and carelessly poured. The bartender was surly. The bar itself is very nice, modern but still with a warm feel. A very comfortable place to sit, really, despite the crowd. The TVs, particularly in the seating areas seemed a bit excessive though (eating a nice dinner, i'm not sure i'd really want to be seeing ESPN's strongman competition over on the wall). One of these days i'll have to try the food. It's also very big. As far as drinking locations go, i'd say it's a good bet for groups of respectable folks. And sometimes even i fall into that category.
(3)Lynn F.
For some reason I've been to this place twice in two weeks. Actually 4 times in two weeks if you count the Porter Square location, but thats not the one I'm reviewing... So, its got a really great menu for what it is (bar food). I've never been disappointed with my selections, especially the pistachio encrusted ahi salad - mmmm. However, my recent visits have been with big parties - 20+ people, for which reservations were made and confirmed day-of. Only to arrive and have the hostess scratch her head and say "what reservation??". They worked us after a looong wait but in my view this is not the way to run a business (especially in Boston where everyone and their Grandma is a Yelper and you *know* that kind of treatment ain't gonna fly with us). My advice...shape up Tavern on the Square... you have so much potential!!!
(2)Christine A.
Tavern in the Square has recently become one of my favorite low-key hangouts. My favorite item on the menu is the house salad with grilled chicken and citrus vinaigrette. Fresh greens, a healthy portion of grilled chicken, and a delicious dressing. By far the best value here are the pitchers of sangria. A $25 pitcher will deliver at least 8 glasses of sangria (usually $7/glass). You do the math- this is a great deal! I highly recommend the holiday sangria, with apples, cranberry and a dusting of cinnamon. Good location for a casual meal with reasonably priced entrees and great drink values.
(4)Jeroen V.
The place is ok, you can get a nice selection of beers and food, the prices are too high. Charging 17 $ for 1,5 pt of beer and a portion of ill-fried fries is just too much. Service is nice, attentive.
(3)Hubert H.
Their brunch was decent - a variety of pastas, soups, and lots of different dessert choices. I'm wondering how the ratings are so middling when I look in and see it packed all the time; perhaps people like it more as a place to grab a beer with coworkers rather than as a sit-down dinner place. It's so so loud you can't really hear people talk when you get there past 9p. And certainly yes, overpriced, like many restaurants in Cambridge are.
(4)Sho B.
In this case, i feel like yelp ratings are really expensive European shoes- half sizes don't exist. In other words if I could only do HALF stars, this place would get a 3.5 star rating. For one, it's a chain restaurant/bar, and I think that's important to know even though it's called "Tavern in the Sq". (Tavern connotes a smaller venue to me, but maybe it's just me). So, it feels like your typical chain, which is ok for some occasions, especially if it's a bit more formal, unknown group you're planning for because there's a large menu and a lot more space than just a small town bar/restaurant. The beer selection is OK, and the draft list is really limited. Beer pitchers aren't really too cheap, but at least you have the option of getting a pitcher of good beers. The food is also pretty decent- they have sweet potato fries that are the bomb.com , and they even have a wine and desert menu. So the options for eat and drink are large. It's an overall ok experience, nothing to rave about, but a good fallback to have when the line at Pheonix Landing or the Middle East is long in the winter.
(3)Rebecca K.
I always want to like Tavern on the Square much more than I do. Their bar is well stocked and affordable. Their big specialty cocktail menu is a bit overpriced, but they do have some good stuff Their food menu is what I consistently find lacking. Not that what they make isn't good. I've never found anything wrong with the food I've gotten. It's solid pub food; I just always wish that there was more to choose from. And perhaps more in a more reasonable price range. That being said, make sure to come on Monday nights for 25 cent wing night!
(3)Jason J.
After coming to trivia a few times here (Tuesdays), I've decided Tavern is fairly underwhelming. The tap list is tiny however the food menu is quite extensive. While the place is larger than most in Central Square, there is nothing unique or definitive about it. Sure, they serve liquor and food and have wait staff, but they do not excel in any of those departments. Tavern would get 2.5 stars from me if they did not do trivia.
(3)Vanessa D.
This place is usually really great. They have awesome service with a great setting... I love coming in here with my boyfriend for dinner and to watch whatever game is on. However this last time I was in there I was not too pleased. For starters the hostess glared at me when I walked in the door... I know firsthand that most of a hosts job is just being and looking friendly and welcoming. Someone needs to find a new occupation stat. After that my margarita tasted watered down... No not like it was weak... It tasted like someone drank the margarita, let the ice melt, and then handed it to me to drink. I sent it back and waited 15 minutes for my other one to arrive at which point I was already done with my food. Maybe it was just a bad night for them.
(2)Eliza W.
Fast wifi, chill vibe, super friendly staff - love the library decor in the back of the restaurant...I will definitely return here.
(5)Jeremy K.
My girlfriend and I first heard of the Tavern in the Square by driving by it and later on saw it again on Phantom Gourmet; it was drizzly today and I didn't feel like cooking so we went there for lunch.... We walked in the place for the first time, right at the peak of the lunch rush at about 1pm; there were quite a few tables to be filled although quite a few were filled. I really liked the decor, it was my kind of place; from the moment i stepped in, I felt this vibe about that, I just really liked it. Plus I was a in a very good mood walking in despite feeling a bit under the weather. I found parking easily, I felt like a million bucks because of that... There's something about finding parking easily that sometimes makes you feel so good and smart. It's like winning the lottery; it's luck but still: I was just like "Woah dude." Anyways, we were promptly welcomed by the hostess and she walked us to a nice table by a window: awesome. we can people watch. I really like the menu they have. A great balance between comfort food and regular pub food. I noticed that they have a few televisions and look forward to watching a baseball game in the future there while drinking a few beers and wings with a buddy. A few of their dishes have modern twists to them like the classic mac'n'cheese which they serve with white truffle oil. What a clever thought. A nice little twist. They also have a fried snickers bar which I look forward to trying at some point... something tells me that desert tastes amazingly good. I could not find chicken noodle soup (I am sickish, remember?) so I had chicken pot pie which I have never had before. My girlfriend had a steak with fries & string beans. The service was a bit slow but the hostess was very nice. The food arrived and then I was startled. Did I just order an entire pie?!?! That thing was HUGE. Like 3 meal huge! All of that for $13?! DAMN. It was pretty good too! I had never had chicken pot pie and it tasted good. My girlfriend's steak was overcooked and the waitress noticed and promptly spoke to her manager who gave us half off. What a nice move on their part. She still enjoyed it, but yeah the whole thing was a bit expensive, so the least they could have done was get it right in the first place. Overall the place is great, I really like it and look forward to going again the future. I can tell this is my kind of place... my future hangout.
(4)Susanne H.
Tavern in Central Square delivers the most delicious Macaroni and cheese to be discovered anywhere in Boston! I'd in no way ever order Macaroni & Cheese in a restaurant, but their Macaroni & Cheese comes with truffle oil and is simply divine. Service can be slow when the place is packed, but the food makes it well worth the wait.
(5)Bassem S.
Standard sports bar, definitely nothing special. Main draw is general lack of sports bars in Cambridge, especially in the Square, but I'm not sure it's worth the trek over to Central. Last time I was here, we got a great high table by the bar and ordered a bunch of drinks. We had a small mix-up with the tip when the tab came (too many cooks in the kitchen) and the bartender totally ripped us a new one. One of our friends is too big-hearted and over-tipped him to compensate, and still just a stone-cold stare. Definitely turned us off to the place - come to think of it, I don't think I've been back since.
(2)Kat C.
I really like this place and it is so close to my apt. Anyway... we went at 6pm on a Monday night and it was pretty empty when we got there, but slowly started to fill up as the night went on. It's a large place with many TV screens showing the best of Boston sports teams. It's a great place to go for a drink and to watch a game. I got the shrimp po'boy sandwich and waffle fries. The sandwich was pretty incredible. Just the right spiciness and the shrimp was fried just right. The waffle fries were also pretty good, but some of them could have been cooked a little longer. They were kinda crunchy and not in a good way. The reason this place got a 4 star rating is due to the surprisingly lack of drought beers on the menu. Actually I'll reprise that, lack of creative drought beers on the menu. Just a little tip: If you call yourself a tavern have good beer on tap!!! It's very very important!!!
(4)Sara S.
For outdoor dining in Central, this place is pretty unbeatable. They have pitchers of margaritas and sangria, don't rush you to finish your meal, and don't bother you about ordering food when ordering drinks outside. Our server was the man and accommodated all our requests, very friendly, and basically awesome. Brett M. and I split the BBQ Chicken Potato Skins. Yum! Five medium sized potato skins filled with white meat chicken and cheese, covered with BBQ sauce. These were a meal of themselves. For my entree, I got the Buffalo Burger, but as a veggie burger (crumbled blue cheese, jalepenos, buffalo sauce, lettuce, tomato, onion). It was really spicy but really good. The burger had a ton of beans and grains in it, which I prefer over other which are often too bland. My side of sweet potato fries was generous, and while they were slightly too fried and crispy for my liking, they were still tasty. If you're looking for bar food, good drinks, and tons of TVs? Perfect. You want healthy, original, ethnic? This isn't your kind of place.
(4)Lisa I.
I was so excited when I first saw their menu. It was love at first sight. Big dig fries?? Truffle tater tots? Truffle mac & cheese? You've got me. But I've been here several times now, and the food is always below par. It seems like everything's frozen and sloppily thrown together. It can also be REALLY loud. I understand that it's a bar too, but if you're going to serve dinner, you should at least be able to hear each other, and that's tough here. Even the truffle tater tots can't save this place.
(2)Julia M.
I'm surprised that my fellow Yelpers are critical of this place. It's a pretty versatile hang-out spot in a great location in Central Square. The bar crowd is usually strong and the food isn't bad. Tuesday night trivia is where it's at. There is always a full slate of teams and the beers flow freely and cheaply. Also, there are televisions at multiple angles for your sports watching pleasure. Not a legit sports bar, but if you're local and don't feel like making the trip downtown, this is the place.
(4)Hugh R.
This place is perfect for loner stoolies who like to saddle up to the bar with their 23oz. draft and be left alone. Why do I say that? Because the other sort of bar patron - the drinker with comes to the bar with a lot of drinking pals - won't be able to carry on a meaningful conversation with anyone past 8 or 9 o'clock anyway. It doesn't matter if it's music on a Saturday or the BCS championship game on a Thursday night, if the sound is on, it's probably too loud. That and if you aren't sitting at the bar, you need to practically trip a server on her way by to get her attention so you can place an order for that first round of drinks. After that, you won't be able to get RID of her as she'll no doubt be back every five minutes to see if you're ready to place a food order because every single flat surface that isn't at the bar is apparently reserved solely for patrons who plan to dine. Which is too bad, because the food here is hit-or-miss. The crab cakes are "okay," as are the risotto fritters. The maple fries are okay as are the tater tots, but while the portions are ample, the flavor is not. And the nachos, in my opinion, are disgusting. Nothing to keep me from coming back (although I may stick with drinks, thanks), but please, turn down the sound and do something, anything to make sure patrons don't sit at a table for 15 minutes waiting for service. You have hostesses; make sure they tell the servers that someone has been seated in their section. Or, I don't know, offer them benefits so they can get their eyes checked, because the only logical explanation for 4 different employees passing a table multiple times without SOMEONE asking if an order has been taken is that they couldn't see them sitting there.
(3)Lisa C.
I stopped in here for some apps and a few drinks with friends after work and I have to say, I really prefer the Salem location better. The food is really good, but the service and the ambience (thanks to the Central Square patrons) was lackluster. Also, the chicken and pear sandwich still had the sticker on the pear. The manager was really cool about it though and gave us a round of drinks for free as well as a coupon for $10 off our next visit (which we'll be using at the Salem location thanks very much!)
(2)Tony K.
Seems like once a year or so a particularly brazen (gay) waiter feels the need to hit on me. Hopefully the guy that waited on me last night at Tavern has satisfied that quota for a while. Seriously - just because 2 guys are eating a meal together you assume they are gay? And what if we were? If we were on a date why would you feel that you can ask us where they are going after dinner because your shift is ending. We didn't even have any small talk beyond ordering the food and this waiter is trying to weasel his way into our man-date. Weirdo. Beyond that mess the place was ok. It kind of reminded me of cheesecake factory. I had a turkey club and the turkey was a little dry. The fries were good. Beer selection was boring, but the prices were ok. $7 for a 22 isn't bad. We sat outside which was very nice since there aren't a whole lot of places with outdoor seating. I will likely go back to give it another shot and try something different.
(3)Michael A.
Ambiance: The first things you will notice as you step into the tavern on a Friday night is the noise, and the two large bars on either side of you. The place is a lot bigger than expected, however when it's packed (as was the case when I went) you do have to yell to carry a conversation. The small bar tables next to the street side windows are probably the best place to enjoy a drink, meal and carry conversation. I was seated with friends in the dining room in the back which was louder than the bar unfortunately, and didn't enjoy the experience at all. Service: Service was prompt, and I really appreciated the bar tender who was attentive to waiting customers. Food: Ok, here is where I have a problem. For about $17 I got stir fry with shrimp. I surely got what I ordered but, what I would consider as a $5 version instead. The rice-a-roni pilaf was clumped on my plate, not a big deal (white rice would better compliment a stir fry). Vegatables were fresh and crunchy, but for the additional $4.99 for shrip, it only came with 4 pieces. The "crisp" wonton shell tasted stale (the dish could do with out it).
(2)Smar T.
I'm leaving the rating the same, bc I haven't been back to the Central Sq location so my opinion remains the same. But..... I have been to the one in Porter a few times and it's actually much better than Central. Ok drinks, good beer list, bar-fare but tasty. Don't get me wrong. It's not GOOD or anything. But its fine. Hopefully its Central Square sibling has upped its game to match the Porter location's offerings.
(2)Sean M.
3.333...stars TTITS (yeah couldn't resist that abrv.) fills a niche in Central Sq. There is some stiff competition for your food and beverage dollar in Central and this mini-chain, while not a standout is decent place when it's not too crowded. I like the chili, a lot. Yeah it has beans but it is spicy without augmentation. I'm also a fan of the stuffed burgers. They have a an acceptable mac & cheese offering so they have comfort food covered. The beer selection is better than average and the bar is long and spacious. TTITS is probably too kewl for a geezer like me at night with hipsters and wannabes running amok. I'd rather sit just inside with windows open than right on Mass Ave, but style points for having outdoor seating. Central can be just a little too "entertaining" while I'm trying to eat. * decent not extraordinary but good enough * like the beer, the boigers, the mac and cheese and the chili. * a tad expensive but that is priced in to connivence
(3)Ariel G.
i have only been here once but don't feel like i need to hesitate to give them 4 stars. the service was quick and the food was good; served in large quantities. I had to hold myself back from asking if they were sure they added the vodka to my first mixed drink but the second was ok. I will be happy to go back. yummm! the tator tot platter is very good and the buffalo wings are the perfect spicy!
(4)Ryan H.
I went to tavern to watch some of the basketball tourney. I was really excited to try it because the menu looked great. The whole experience was pretty good. I love the atmosphere of the bar area and the beer prices are decent and its nice they do pitchers and 23oz glasses. We actually ended up ordering a pitcher of sangria and that wasn't the best idea. It was a very bizarre tasting sangria. It was a white sangria (which wasn't advertised on the menu so i assumed it was red) and it almost had a cinnamon taste to it. For food we ordered loaded fries, white truffle mac and cheese and spinach and artichoke dip. All three were painfully average. My mouth was watering when everything came out but unfortunately it didn't taste as good as it looked. The chili had a nice kick to to it but the fries were very starchy. The chips on the spinach artichoke dip were great but the dip itself was bland. The white truffle mac and cheese just sounds do delicious but the flavor just isn't there. The server was definitely busy and a little rushed but he was satisfactory. I'd go back to drink at the bar but definitely not for apps. I might have to give the brunch a shot to see if thats any better.
(3)Michelle A.
Tavern is a great spot for anyone! It's large with two bars and plenty of bar tables or seating for meals. The decor doesn't have a ton of personality but it's warm and very Boston-y. The food is standard pub fare with some real winners - the burgers are good and the big dig fries are a meal for two to share! I also love their sweet potato fries. Pricing is a tad high (Esp for brunch buffet), and service can be hit or miss. But the place is always busy any night of the week so that has to count for something good :)
(4)Penelope T.
NEGATIVE 5 stars. Awful ambience. There are like so many TVs here playing so many different sports it created a strobe light experiece. The food was awful. We got buffalo wings and they were so bad we couldn't eat them. Our mixed drinks were disgusting and overly sweet. In addition, my friend got whiskey on the rocks and THEY CHARGED HIM $1 EXTRA DOLLAR FOR THE ICE!!!!!!!! WHAT???? Not OKAY. Will never ever return. Like even if there was a post-apocalyptic -- the walking dead kind of scenario, I would eat my own limb before going back here.
(1)Rita C.
Went here for a friend's bithday and now I'm a fan. We were a fairly large group and the waitresses were friendly and nice enough to quickly accomodate us to two adjacent tables. The beer selection is good and pretty reasonable. I had the puple haze $5 and the Harpoon IPA 23oz. for $7.50. For food I got the crabcake sandwich and a side of sweet potatoe fries, which was a huge portion and pretty yummy. Later in the evening we went into what seemed like a private room for some Wednesday night karaoke. It was somewhat empty and not many people sang, but still fun, it would be cool if the Dj also sang to liven up the crowd a bit, but the playlist between the songs people sang was good. Overall, I would come back for food or beer, but probably not for karaoke.
(4)Brendan M.
I have to agree with other reviewers that this place is pretty high on the Corporate "polish" However, the food is very good, the appetizers are good, and the desserts are good. Recommendations: appetizer: nachos with everything under the sun on them entree: stuffed burgers, bacon&bleu or smokehouse, both tasty, the bleu is dry though, so watch out if you are expecting creamy dressing ( I usually get a little creamy dressing on the side to augment) dessert:molten chocolate cake, mmm. NOTE:This particular molten cake is consistently moist all of the way through - often you get really dry cakey edges and then delicious goo in the middle. Here the cake has less goo in the middle, but the consistency is perfect. They also bring a sinfully good chocolate sauce to drizzle over the cake and the ice cream. Goooooooood dessert!
(4)Sam N.
The only reasons we sat down at this place were the sunny day and the outdoor seating. A 23Oz Hoegarden for $7 wasn't a bad deal. My turkey club was pretty standard, but the bacon and turkey were high quality. Fries were pretty good. The vegetarian quesadilla was quite good and stocked with fresh vegetables--salsa was probably from a big jar. Lots and lots of options and friendly service.
(3)Omar F.
I love their brunch! I've been there two Sundays with friends for the brunch and it has been both times delicious. $20 all you can eat brunch with a great selection seems fair to me. Their 'apple smoked bacon,' oh bacon, is really good. Other things I ate include hash browns, regular fries, pork sausage, some sort of rice dish, yogurt, mm... oh there was that thing... I forgot the name. Their orange juice was pretty good too, although I might be biased cause I love orange juice in general. Anyways, I can't talk about any other thing, but their brunch is pretty good and it's a nice way to meet with friends and have a nice chat. I've been there both times at around 11am and it hasn't been that crowded, so it's been good. Oh, and their desserts selection is fantastically yummy.
(4)Shireen T.
My five star review is strictly for the gluten-free beer they serve -- Daura. Tavern also has a gluten-free menu (you have to ask for it). It's awesome. Take all your gluten-free friends out to The Tavern.
(5)Barney B.
OK, an update is warranted because just by chance I have been here twice in the past week, and things have definitely improved. the waitresses were both efficient, friendly, and knowledgeable. the place felt cleaner. and the food was more than satisfying. but the place, for all its space, still feels damn tight. The tables towards the rear of the seating area are seriously a fire hazard, the chairs are that close
(3)Lauren D.
I went here with a few friends for Tuesday night Trivia (9:00pm) and it was a lot of fun. As always the food is pretty good at all of their restaurants. The only down-side was the wait staff was not very friendly and it was a mistake by the hostess to have us sit in their section. I love these places because they're pretty consistent and the menu is extensive. The service was a little awkward when they tried to guilt us into buying more food because they sat us in the incorrect location.
(3)Emily M.
I walked in to the Tavern with a friend. We walked up to the host table and the host was on the phone. After her phone call she looked up at us, and just walked away! We stood there for a min or so but no one came over. It was a Saturday night and it wasn't busy at all, its not like she didn't see us. After waiting for another min we just walked up and ate at the bar. Apparently they didn't want us to sit down at a table. The food has always been okay, over priced but the flavor is always okay. I do love their chili cheese nachoes. We had a work party here and the service was also not so good. I think if the service was better I would go more often... even though its expensive. Bartenders were great though.
(2)Daniel M.
There's nothing terribly special about this place. When you walk in the bar area reeks of rancid beer. Not nice...BUT the seating area is clean and doesn't stink. Unfortunately you can barely hear yourself think none-the-less what the person you're sitting with is saying. I get it, it's more of a sports "pub". The food was surprisingly good. I had the mozzarella melt sandwich. It was on a large piece of focaccia with eggplant and pesto. While at first it seemed the flavors might be a bit much they actually worked quite well together. I was also glad that they didn't grease the whole thing up. Well played. I opted for the waffle fries (.99 more) and they really don't fuck around with those. It was a mound that dwarfed my melt and very nearly buried half of it on the plate. The fries were hot, crisp, and well seasoned. Luckily I had assistance in finishing the fries. Even though it was a challenge I felt up to, no one should eat that many fries NO ONE. Our server was a nice girl. She took our order, made sure everything was ok, and kept us hydrated. All without getting on my nerves. You really can't ask for more. Everything was fine until a gaggle of yah-doodz (a yaggle?) walked in and took over five tables next to us. The grunting and prevalent stench of Aqua Di Gio meant it was time to go. On the way out I noticed the place was turning in to a veritable popped-collar fest so we were leaving just in time. I think I'd go back at some point. But only if there are no Boston teams playing that night.
(3)Andrew R.
I have no problem saying that this is probably my favorite bar in Cambridge, and yes, I am well aware that it is a chain. TIS has several nice things going for it. First of all, it's set up very well for mingling, and I've always met interesting new people while being here. People who come here tend to be pretty friendly and open, and you don't get many pretentious vibes from the partons. this bar seems to be a place that almost anyone could go and be comfortable, whether you're with a large group, or on a quiet date. It does get crowded on weekend nights, but never to the point where you can't move around and easily access the bar. The staff is very friendly and attentive. Finally, I haven't tried too many items on the menu, but the Blackjack Burger is really good, and I would recommend it to any burger lover. If you're somebody who immediately rules a place out because it's a chain, I urge you to give this TIS a chance first, you may be pleasantly suprised.
(5)Jen J.
Good food, decently priced. Nice atmosphere although it can be a little loud at times. Outdoor seating.
(3)Francisco A.
I have sentimental feelings for this place. Its usually the meeting place with Hisham K. and we have celebrated and couple of things at the place, like breakups and fancy things like that. All that been said (not that there was a point to it) its an OK place. OK food, OK beer selction, and OK atmosphere... Big Screens and all the basics of a restaurant/bar.
(3)Lauren K.
I have been here three times in the last couple of weeks and now I think I am ready to write a review based on: Outdoor seating dinner, outdoor seating apps/pitchers and Bar seating drinks. I just moved to Central and the first time I was in the area exploring I had dinner here. I got the Seseme Chicken Salad which was good and fairly priced. My boyfriend ordered the chicken stir-fry which was much better than expected. We are usually very critical of places that try to master all types of food, such as stir-fry, but it was much better than one would get at a place like the 99, Fridays or Applebees. We also had a pitcher of Bluemoon for $19, which wasn't a bad price. The second time I was here we sat outside again for apps and drinks. In two hours we had two pitchers or Miller Lite, lettuce wraps and wings all for $43. The Miller Lite was the best part. The Lettuce wraps were pretty tasteless with a gross/oily sauce. There were also two side sauces, one was like duck sauce and the other tasted like an orange bathroom cleaner. On the up side: The Iceberg was crispy! His wings were a litle cold by the time they came out and he BBQ sauce wasn't great. We are definitely picky on wings too. Last night was the third time at the Tavern and we sat at the bar and had a couple beers. Trivia night was in the background and the bar was pretty full, which is nice to see on a Tuesday night in a new neighborhood! We got 3 pints and 3 tall drought beers for $30. Not bad!
(4)MJ R.
been to a few other 'tavern in the squares' and they're all basically the same - though the staff at this location was a little less than stellar. we were being sat at a table than decided to sit in the bar area to be closer to trivia - as we were moving the server muttered under her breath 'so feel free to sit wherever the fu## you want'. there were 3 of us and when we moved to a bar table the hostess came over and told us that we needed 5 or more people - her words 'that's why i sat you at a table'. she was very short with us and it felt like she was scolding us. we asked if we could sit at a high top by the window and she said 'only if you're ordering food' - when we said yes she rolled her eyes and walked away. not the best start. trivia guy bill was great - bar server katie was wonderful. i would go back for them on tuesdays but that's about it.
(3)Jamie S.
I've been here on quite a few occasions for professional events, so I've spent 90% of my time in their functions room to the left of the main bar and seating area. But the service has always been great back there, and the nibbles I've had of other people's food were consistently decent. Not a place I'd go out of my way to have drinks or dinner at, but you can certainly do much worse.
(3)Maya S.
Tavern in the Square is pretty unassuming. It looks generic and feels generic. But the food is a pleasant surprise because you can't always find good bar fare with a twist. Not only were the buffalo wings a tasty treat, but the white truffle mac and cheese put to shame some that I have tried at much nicer restaurants. The nachos also have a decent flavor and if you are feeling up to it, I recommend the fried pickles (they are similar to the ones at Boston Beer Works). All in all a worthy experience and I would not mind going back again! On a side note: for New Years they do the cab voucher for Cambridge starting at dinner and onwards, this past year it was spend $30 and get a $35 cab credit
(3)Colleen Y.
Tavern is one of those very 'normal' bars. I used to mean this as a hard core insult. Normal is for losers, I liked edgy, hip, fresh. But, I have grown to love normal. To me, a normal bar is one that you don't feel intimidated by upon entry in any way, shape or form. The lack of vulnerable tension breeds more friendliness than most places too. I almost always end up talking to the guy next to me at the bar or the cute couple who didn't know that the Celtics just won the championship and had never felt sketched out while there. You could go there with your grandma and feel totally normal and go in there with a group of 40 drunk people and feel normal. It is a very 'American' establishment with a beer list that feels corporate and a menu that feels like an updated Applebee's. I like going there to watch sports especially. People get along and pretty much everyone watches. The bar is long and I rarely wait more than a couple minutes for a drink. I will definitely keep going there when I don't really want a 'night out' I just want to be out of my house for a couple hours and still feel just as comfortable as I do on my couch.
(4)Brita F.
It's a sports bar. With lots of TVs. Decent food. Decent selection of beer. Will I ever go out of my way to come here again? Nope. But it's got a great location, right off the T in Porter, so it's not a bad starting point.
(3)Ryan K.
big dig fries. bros. football. yeah it might not be a typical Central Square establishment but for a lazy weekend afternoon, it's quite the fun place. Also, limited sample size, but super friendly service today!
(5)Andrea P.
Overall a great experience! Service: Our waitress, who sadly I don't know the name of, was fantastic. Not only did she have great recommendations for everything we were questioning, but she also didn't rush us at all. Attentive without being pushy is always a bonus in a server. Food: I had the tomato mozzarella melt sandwich with onion strings and my friend had the monterey chicken sandwich. Both were tasty, he loved the onion rings but I only thought they were okay. More so onion rings...not at all onion strings. But I loved the menu selection and am looking forward to trying the Porter Square location!
(4)Brandon T.
I like this place because it is cheap and the service is good. There is 25 cent wings on Monday nights and 3 dollar Miller Lights everyday. The bartenders can be hit or miss on promptness, but they are all friendly.
(4)fred n.
This is a great place for brunch lunch or dinner. Service is really friendly, honest and helpful when making recommendations. I had the Tuna with mango sauce. Pretty darn awesome. Risotto fritters were also tasty but not greasy or too heavy. Waitress was really frosting on the cake. Atmosphere is darker than I'd like it to be and the TVs make the restaurant seem more like Game On. Definitely a must try. Perfect for groups
(4)Beth M.
One of my favorite date places in Cambridge. The menu is huge, the portions are huge, and the food is pretty darn tasty. My boyfriend could pretty much live on the white truffle mac n cheese. I tend to jump around the menu, but everything I have tried has been really good. The pitchers of spiked lemonade are amazing!
(4)Wendy L.
The food is pretty good with something for everybody - salads, fajitas, burgers, lots of different stuff. It's a great place to snack and drink while watching the game. Everything is decent but nothing is spectacular. It feels as though there are about 500 TVs in there, so one of them should be showing the game you are looking for...on the other hand, if you are there with a boyfriend, you may have difficulty keeping him engaged in conversation. Most evenings, it seems to pick up espeically with the bar next door. I went once for the brunch buffett which is pretty reasonably priced (around $13-15), but I thought the brunch was pretty mediocre. The brunch, as you would guess, was light on the meats and pretty heavy on the continental breakfast/sweets type of items. Boo. Would've much rather have just gone to a normal brunch and had a nice, yummy, meaty entree.
(3)Mike G.
didn't think Tavern's as good or as bad as some reviews. menu's big enuff to satisfy most so you can actually eat well-ish. can be fun if this is your scene or out with buds. others may need to check high expectations at the door.
(3)Lindsey G.
Pretty decent pub. Lots of seating open on a Saturday night for people to sit around and chat. Pretty standard late night menu which took a little longer than it should have but the bartender made up for it with nice stiff drinks. Great location to catch up with friends.
(3)Nam T.
I'm not sure if I'm the best person to judge the tavern. My experience here is limited to the 25 cent wings Tuesday. I think the wings can be a hit or miss. Some nights they are nice big and hot wings. Other night it can be smaller and cold. Some nights it will come with a small salad. Other nights it won't. Consistency is definitely and issue, but at 25 cents a piece why would you complain. A plate of ten is usually enough for me so a dinner that cost $2.50 is very nice. I still come here regularly for the wing Tuesday so I recommend you to come and give it a shot.
(3)Andrew C.
I've only been there for lunch but the food has always been tasty. A bit on the expensive side for lunch and pub food but the sandwiches are always good and the fries and onion rings have always been hot and fresh. I would recommend the bacon cheeseburger which has cheese and bacon stuffed inside.
(3)pete g.
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ. Boring menu, boring beer list, ok service. Food isn't all that great. Outdoor seating is conveniently located so career drunks in front of 7-11 can beg you for change while you're eating. I just can't see a reason why I'd return. *** Edit: So... I returned (don't ask), for drinks. Specifically, one drink: the Old Fashioned. Ingredients: bourbon, one cherry, one orange slice, one sugar cube, bitters, soda. The Old Fashioned is my cocktail of choice, it's been around for about 150 years and it's in every bartender's guide ever. The first one came to me fruitier than Hawaiian Punch. My rocks glass had three orange slices and about five cherries -- there was barely room left for ice, let alone bourbon. I took a couple sips, and over the next several minutes I dejectedly decided to send it back, the third time in my life I've ever done so. (Strangely, the first time was at the same location, though the space was The Good Life at that point.) I explained that people who order an Old Fashioned do so because they *don't* want a fruity drink, and asked for some restraint on the fruit in the next one. The second drink came, it was palatable, and it was not fruity. However, it became apparent that I had forgotten to check my calendar -- it was Opposite Day, and as a result the bartender had decided that Dewar's SCOTCH WHISKY counted as bourbon. Not as bad as The Good Life's substitution of Southern Comfort, but still not quite on the mark. I didn't want to look like a prick because the waitress was nice, so I just drank it and shut up. Potential patrons: be aware that at least one of the Sunday night bartenders doesn't know the difference between Scotch and bourbon. My companions, after trying to order nachos and being told the kitchen was out of them, had much better luck with accuracy; the Seriously Bland Crab Cakes and Pathetic Chicken Quesadillas For Pathetic White People came out exactly as advertised.
(2)Joanna S.
Very generic bar food. I usually get the ahi tuna sandwich. They usually make it just right. I'm consistently reminded of their sweet potato fries, frizzed with a maple syrup glaze. It's the best thing on their menu, I think. The servers are blah. Sometimes you get really nice ones and sometimes you get rude ones. It just depends on the day.
(3)Connie Y.
I've eaten here a couple times with my boyfriend. The first time we went, the place ran out of hamburger buns but was very nice in taking off our drinks for the trouble. The food is great sports-game watching food. The bbq steak tips and sangria are delish! We almost always over-order when we go here. The staff is generally very nice and accommodating.
(3)Dee P.
lately service and quality has been more consistent (still issues getting burgers cooked to correct doneness, though... grill issues?) and new menu items are definitely tasty. upping the stars for that and also i found out they feed the homeless for free on thanksgiving. yay tavern! half price burgers on tuesdays are still on, and you can get a 'VIP' card for a free lunch once it's punched fully. not bad!
(3)_ _.
Scale of 1-10 (multiple visits): 5 Food 7 Service 9 Atmosphere 4 Value
(2)Liz K.
Was only there for a short while on Sat night but it was fun. The lighting was really cool and they had a great crowd.
(4)Josh M.
I visited this place for drinks a few days ago, and I was pretty disappointed. I can't speak to the food (as I didn't get any), but the beer tasted distinctly off - like they didn't properly clean their tap lines. The bar was chock-full of the popped collar crowd, and a DJ (quite the gentleman - he later engaged me in some unsolicited conversation, describing his girlfriend with the endearing term formerly used by John McCain to describe his wife Cindy) was blaring crappy music off of his MacBook. Not a pleasant place, by any stretch. I'm giving this place two stars, because it's quite possible that I just went there on a bad night, and because they have a nice setup of TVs. I could imagine that it'd be a good place to watch sports during the day (particularly given the dearth of good sports bars in the area), but I'll probably steer clear of the late-night crowd here. Too many other good bars to waste time at places like this...
(2)S D.
Always have a good time when we go here - they have trivia on Tuesday nights and if's a great time for large groups. They also have daily deals so be sure to keep an eye out on your calendar to keep up!
(4)Gordon B.
Loud and crowded - that's the way I find Tavern most nights. As a result I'm not inclined to dine-in very often however I will do take-out on a weekly basis. Most of the food on the menu is actually quite good and they have a number of tasty options for vegetarians. We usually take out-of-town guests here because Tavern has a good selection of beers and it's full of Sox fans on game nights. Again, the food is good and you can always find something on the menu that's appealing. The patio is rarely a good choice as people tend to hang out and smoke in that vicinity.
(3)J W.
Was looking for a brunch yesterday (sunday) and came across this spot. Drove by here in the past but never went in so I though id give it a try. Got their are the right time because a large group of people left. Apparently the secret was out because it was at capacity 10 minuets after i was seated. Anyways headed over to the buffet and was very happy with the selections. Had the apple wood beacon which I love, chocolate chip pancakes, french toast, fruit, eggs, few types of salad, honey glazed ham etc. But the best past was the omelet station which had a chief who makes it right in front of you. Price was very affordable($16) and it was a huge plus that every football game was on. Will definably be returning here for a 1:00 Pats game.
(5)Neha Y.
unless you're trying to go there on a night of a playoff game for either the Red Sox or the Patriots - when everyone is vying for a spot right in front of the flat screen tvs - you'll be in luck with seating. Prompt seating and service can be counted on. Its a perfect setting for meeting a friend for a bite after work - super convenient since its only a block or two away from the T-stop. Its a fun, casual but not sloppy place so I'll give it an A for atmosphere. But with American food I really don't know how they can keep going wrong time and time again. I ordered the lemon chicken with capers. As straightforward as it gets. I actually think that might have been the first dish I ever cooked on my own - because its so easy. Apparently the cooks at the Tavern don't feel the same way. The chicken was undercooked, the flavor was lacking and they dumped about a pound of capers. They even messed up mashed potatoes!
(3)Erica Y.
I didn't realize this place would get so many not so great reviews upon entering last night. Everything went pretty smoothly, though service was a bit slow. The martini I ordered wasn't very strong, but that was fine by me since it was still yummy. It has large TVs everywhere and is a great place to watch games. The mac & cheese (with bacon added) and maple sweet potato fries were really good, though salads could have had a better ratio of goodies on top. I ordered the Chicken & Fruit salad (what I was imagining to be similar to the Panera's Summer Fruit chicken salad - or whatever they call it), but it seemed as though a whole can of mandarin oranges was dumped on top of arugula before adding a bit of diced up chicken. My annoyance was more with the diced up chicken since it was so hard to spear any on a fork since it was diced up so tiny. It must have been pre-grilled to suit multiple purposes. Oh, and they have fried snickers on the dessert menu. Didn't stick around to try it, but in case anyone out there is looking... Decent food at okay prices. The crowd felt more like a sports bar than a restaurant.
(3)Tanvi D.
Been here a few times now.. Food is OK.. The service is very slow though.. But, you can pass time watching games on TVs that are all over the restaurant. If you are not into sports, there is no real reason to go here..
(3)Brandon H.
I came here for a meetup. Despite the chaos of thirty different checks, the waitress did a fantastic job of keeping track of all the orders and who they belonged to- in fact, not a single mistake was made! The prices were a bit steeper than I was expecting for a pub type restaurant, but the food was very good and the beer selection more than adequate.
(4)Keith L.
Decent sports bar. The best part about it was the Sunday breakfast buffett. Really nice job. After that though, this place becomes pretty average. Its too big to be a neighborhood kind of place. Its just not that warm and friendly. Its more in line with trying to be a sports bar and they miss on that too. They have enough TV's but for the big games, volume would be nice. Watched an NFL playoff game at the bar with no sound. All in all, decent but not great.
(3)Alark J.
A fantastic place for a great weekend brunch. This place has a great variety of brunch options including customizable omelets, scrambled eggs, bayou styled eggs (which were amaaaazing), french toast, waffles, home fries, grilled dill potatoes, pancakes, salad. This is just on one side. The other side had a ton of fruit options - strawberries, cantaloupe, pineapple etc. They also had ice creams and one could make their own sundae. Soooooo goood!! I wish I wasnt on the plumper side. I'd have devoured sundaes like jughead :-p The seating is excellent and the service too is great. For some reason they charge extra for drinks like orange juice etc, which I thought was a bit weird since its a buffet place. They could surely include a drink or two in their price.
(5)Susie A.
Hmm I'm surprised this place got so many bad reviews. I went for my first time the other night and didn't think it was so horrible. The place was a lot bigger than I thought it would be. The hostess was a bit rude, but nothing too crazy. And the server forgot to bring me my drink. I like how there is that back, more private room with tables. I also LOVED that they had the Olympic Opening Ceremonies playing on the huge TVs. And people were actually paying attention. The crowd seemed decent. Didn't try the food, but the drink menu had tons of cool drinks on it. Giving Tavern in the Square 3 stars for now because I thought it was A-OK. But hopefully I'll be back and can update my review with further opinions!
(3)Nie K.
I've only been here once during lunch and I also got the prix fixe. It was delicious and a little on the small side but I enjoyed a nice sunny day and eating outside with friends. If they always have that prix fixe menu I think it's worth it, maybe a brunch or lunch with your girlfriends but I don't know if I'd go for dinner based on the other reviews here.
(3)Andrea M.
We were looking for a place to catch a casual bite to eat early in the evening for my sister's bachelorette party. Despite the negative reviews I had read here, I decided the menu was broad enough to accommodate everyone's tastes and SUPER close to Improv Boston, where we were heading afterward. Our waiter was phenomenal. He had a great personality, was very attentive and seemed like he was right on top of everything. He even helped take some pictures of our group for us. As for the food, I have no complaints. I got a burger, which was what I expected it to be. It was quite filling but tasty. My sister got the white truffle mac and cheese which was soooooo good. I kept abandoning my dish to dig into hers. Everyone else liked their food as well. The drinks we got were very good. They have some nice cocktails on the menu, like the Mint Ginger Drop. So yummy! Overall, it's nice, casual environment. It was great for the group of 9 we had. I would recommend it to anyone looking for a good group place or if you're looking for a place with some good TVs to watch the game on. The one in Porter Square is pretty decent as well though I've only been there for drinks and trivia I imagine the food would taste exactly the same. I guess you could compare this place to a Chili's or 99 in a way. Don't expect anything gourmet or over the top, but it is what it is and it was exactly the type of place we were looking for.
(4)Rohit S.
Let me first qualify my review. I go hear to eat, not to drink, play trivia or hang out. with that said, the food I have eaten is pretty good with a couple of unique items I highly recommend. Do you like your potatoes sweet? Their basket of sweet potatoes are awesome, you can't get this stuff at Mickey Ds!! My regular meal is actually a bowl of chili (pretty good and spicy) along with sweet potatoes on the side. The wraps are also good. OK so why three stars - the place is loud so you can't realty talk in here, but if you like sweet potatoes, this is one of teh few good options.
(3)Flora R.
For some reason I prefer this location to the one in Porter. They have good food, a stocked bar and beer list, super helpful staff, and a great private room on the side that you can book for parties or big dinners.
(4)Nicole P.
This is the closest bar to my house and I have to say it's pretty good as local bars go. It's not cool and hip like the River Gods but it is big, clean and modern with really nice screens to watch the games. The food is actually tasty as far as pub fare goes as well. There is a large variety to choose from- burgers/fries, wings, ahi tuna, salads, meatloaf etc. In the warm weather there are tables outside which rocks because there are not many restaurants in Central with outdoor seating. The service is good too. Myself and about 10 friends watched the NFL play offs at the Tavern and literally took up a huge table for 6 hours without one complaint from the bar! We did order lots of food and drinks but 6 hours is a long time! The best thing about the Tavern is Sunday brunch! As y'all know breakfast in boston/camberville usually means long lines but because the Tavern is so big, there are never brunch lines. The food is also really good- made to order omlettes, bacon, french toast, pancakes, chicken, pasta, salads, bagels, desserts, coffee etc all for $15 - pretty good deal.
(4)Carleton S.
Went here for the EuroCup Italy vs England game. Fans showed up in droves - the bar on the otherhand was completely unprepared. Hundreds of waitresses and two bartenders trying to accommodate hundreds of football fans. They shuffled all the fans to the backbar where there was no bartender on staff. Everyone had to parade over to the open bar to take their drinks back to the back bar while managers with suit and ties sat around doing nothing. What sports bar is completely unprepared for one of the biggest sporting events in the world? That would be Tavern on the Square! Avoid it at all costs if you can and never go there for a big sporting event!
(1)Jessica G.
A friend of mine was in town and our original plan to meet up with more friends (10-20) was thwarted when the Otherside decided to paint their walls. Good thing we called ahead. In a MAD scramble to find a place that (one) could accommodate the large size (Toad was out) and (two) close to the t (Cambridge Commons was out) -- we came up with the Tavern. My first time despite the fact that I live in Cambridge. Good stuff: Menu definitely impressed me (a vegetarian) with variety. Lots of drinks to choose from -- what fun stuff! A little pricey sure but nice decor. Not so good: Service!!! We were a large group and everyone was having a great time when things started disappearing from the table. Drinks, beer, food. I'm all about helping waiters close out so they can go home but prefer if this is made clear rather than losing my drink. By the end of the night I was haggling with my neighbor for sips of water!! The night was a great night--but it was the people not the locale that really shone. I wouldn't recommend it but it was certainly handy in a pinch.
(2)Leslie K.
This place is a more expensive Applebee's or Chili's. BUT there are a few things I love: 1. Decent selection of beers. 2. Lots of tvs, often tuned to the Sox. 3. Easy place to meet people. 4. FRIED PICKLES!! (I have saved the best for last.) If you are going to eat a meal here, I would recommend sticking to food it's hard to mess up -- burgers, fries, nachos, etc. Other stuff doesn't turn out so well. Also, this place gets pretty loud -- not great for a first date, people!
(2)Julie R.
This place has a really cool atmosphere. Very modern for the Central Sq. area. I went there for the first time and had a decent experiance. The spinach and artichoke dip was good. Very creamy and cheesy. The chips that acccompany it are served warm. They were fried and were a little greasy. I wish they were not fried cause it made for a heavy start but the carrot and celery sticks they give with it also balance things out. The mediterranean wrap was ok. It had chicken, sun dried tomato, lettuce and goat cheese. It could of used some mayo or dressing. It was very dry and I didn't finish it. The risotto balls were very large. They came on top of a tomato puree. The outside was crispy but a little greasy from being fried. The service was slow. The bartenders were friendly when you had their attention but they mostly hung out on one side of the bar chatting up the waitstaff. Prices were good. It also has a small outside patio for the season. The restaurant is spacious enough to take a large group and there is something for everyone on the large menu.
(3)Dottie D.
THIS REVIEW IS BASED *ONLY* ON THE SUNDAY BRUNCH!!! i don't know about happy hour or the dinner menu or anything like that but the brunch is fantastic. there are tables outside, which is a huge bonus in boston as not many places outside of newbury street have jumped on the al fresca dining tradition that i have been spoiled by living in los angeles. they have a brunch buffet for $15.95 that has an enormous selection. there are about 10-12 different hot entrees to choose from (french toast, waffles, veggies, sausage, potatos, etc). there is an egg station where you can pick all the cheese, meat, and veggies you want in your eggs and they'll make it and bring it out for you. there is a huge selection of toast, muffins, bagels, etc. There is a table full of desserts -- cakes, mini cupcakes, mini eclairs, etc. there is a make your own sundae station, and a table with fresh fruit, granola, dried cranberries, two types of yogurt and chocolate chips. basically, the selection is huge. i happen to be a bit of a picky eater and don't eat a lot of the above mentioned things and yet i think this brunch is totally worth it! my only complaint is that they don't open until 10:30 and that they get super crowded sometimes but overall, this is a great option for sunday brunch and not too pricey!
(5)John L.
This place has a decent Sunday brunch (eggs, omeletes, etc.). So Sunday morning does have a good atmosphere. And on top of that, the bartenders I've had were nothing but nice. However, the bar food is a little too expensive for my own taste, and it's not the greatest in the world. But on Sunday morning, it's good.
(3)Tara G.
Big Dig Fries. Anyway, why does everyone hate this place so? I think it's kind of nice, and they have that weird cool rock art in front of the bathrooms. They had pitchers of blueberry beer. BLUEBERRY BEER! -1 star for claiming to be a sports bar when their "main screen" is constantly dim/obscured by skylight/insufficiently lumens'd. They have an all-you-can-eat brunch that I'm dying to try.
(4)Tristan B.
This is a one star locale with the redeemable factor of one thing: the outdoor seating. Order some apps and maybe you can get away with just drinking out there because I'm sure as hell not going to eat their poor excuse of food. Eh-ish beer list, nothing to complain about but nothing special. Whatever. The atmosphere in there, however, couldn't be worse. They play the cold standard mix of shitty hip hop WAY TOO LOUD. It's so incredibly annoying when you're almost yelling (and being a complete loudmouth that I am, this is pretty loud) to the person across from you. This has happened more than once for me. Service is tolerable, never had any problems with them although one time I went in with a few friends and they asked if we were in a band. It made me laugh at least. So two stars you sit Tavern. It's so unfortunate that you're so close.
(2)Melinda C.
Though the rest of the food is unmemorable, their tater tot appetizer with white truffle oil and parmesan cheese is amazing. AMAZING. I teetered on paying the $$ for it, but it was completely worth it. Make sure you bring a few friends though, you can't do this one on your own or even with just 1 other friend.
(3)Tom E.
Crud. I hate this place, which is a shame as it's very close to me. I've been giving it second and third chances for a while now but last week it ran out of review rainchecks when I attended the trivia night. Not content with having.... A) no discernible atmosphere other than businessmen having a drink rather than going home B) overpriced lousy food including a 10 dollar burger that was crap galore C) a strange bi-partisan layout D) shit shit music ....the Tavern then also managed to achieve one-star-or-less-ness by having the rubbishest Stump trivia night ever. The trivia jockey was useless, gave away the answers to anyone who flirted with her and was hell bent on asking everyone questions about her favourite TV shows - of which 'America's Top Model' was one of them.
(1)christina c.
We had a couple beers here as well last night and the Buffalo Calamari. HELLO!?! Why doesn't every bar have this? I mean talk about bad for you but sooo good. Its Calamari covered in hot sauce and blue cheese AND fried jalapenos. I love spicy and this was great. When its warmer its nice to sit on the patio and people watch too.
(4)Chris W.
I had a nice dinner at this place. Yes it may lack character and not really belong in Central or whatever, but it's a nice bar/restaurant with good bar food. I liked the vibe at the place. It was a typical slightly trendy bar atmosphere. There were lots of flat panel TVs that were perfect to look at as I was zoning out of my conversation. The menu has a lot of different things, from burgers to pasta, to entree dishes. We ordered the Big Dig Fries as our appetizer. Waffle fries covered with cheese, bacon and sour cream. Definitely very delicious bar food. I got the Monterrey Chicken Sandwich on foccacia bread. It was also a good sandwich. The foccacia was delicious and the sandwich was perfect juicyness with sauce and lettuce and tomato. Service was pretty good, too. Our waiter came over a lot of times and refilled our water and asked us how we were doing a good amount. Good selection of drinks. Decent prices (~$8-15 for a dish). Good vibe. A good place to meet up with a few friends, have some delicious fried bar food and drinks.
(4)Chris M.
I have to say, I went for Sunday brunch buffet and I loved this place! Physically very nice, wood decor, modern but warm, very open feeling. They had a good number of flat screen TVs, and nice music in the background that wasn't too loud and allowed for conservation. There were many food choices on buffets, all looked fresh and tasty. The pancakes, fruit and yogurt and the omelets were especially good. The applewood bacon was truly excellent, better than anything I have ever had at a buffet. The service was great, we were seated right away, and our waiter was friendly and very attentive without being annoying. At $15.95 I thought it was a great deal. I went with two friends and we all agreed it was excellent and we will definitely go back., I can't really think of anything negative to say.
(4)Brenda H.
Food is ok...Fries were the best! Would go out of my way to go there for anything more than drinks.
(3)Hilary J.
It was my first time going there. I needed a big salad with chicken on top and I needed it NOW. So my sidekick thought of this place as being somewhere that would have that, and I didn't care where I was going to be getting this salad from, I just needed it. So we went. It was about 9PM on a Wednesday and it was crowded and loud. No big deal, I can deal. I won't go back, because the "vibe" just isn't there though. It's one of those places that guys who use a lot of hair gel go, you can tell. I think this place belongs more in Brighton or something....not really Central Square material. The salad was not very satisfying and I couldn't understand why they put bacon in an Asian style salad?? But I was desperate so I guess it did the trick at the time. The service was friendly enough but extraordinarily slow, and we had to ask another server if we could order drinks from him because we hadn't seen our own in a while. Maybe I'm in a bad mood today, but the one thing that kept me from giving it only 1-star was the delicious Mint Ginger Drop martini, which was one of the best drinks I've had served to me in a while. I suppose I should keep in mind when saying all this that it is classified as a "sports bar". Ok... I'll bump it to 3 stars I guess.
(3)Kew M.
I went to the Tavern for the open game of the Celtics found it really nice. I felt like I was at the game :) well at the discounted price. I had a batch of fries and some Buffalo wings and the win was the cherry on top great start to the session.
(4)Amy C.
Holy huge nachos here. We ordered the nachos solely because we saw an order come out and sham-wow they looked like a delicious pile of heaven. We were not disappointed. There are so few places that do nachos right and Tavern is one of them. Do you like cheese on the bottom layer of your nachos? Who doesn't? Tavern spreads the love all over the nachos, not just on the top layer. Guaranteed cheese on every bite. Our waiter went MIA on two occasions for 20 minutes each time. When we called him out on it, he made sure our next round of cocktails was super strong. He was promptly forgiven.
(4)Jocelyn C.
I've been kind of avoiding a review of the Tavern for some time now because I have a long history with them and a lot of the people that used to work there know me and all that jazz, BUT... I have to say, the Tavern is just your very average, very typical (i.e. boring) bar and restaurant. I'd go there when I was invited by others, but I never actually initiated any visits there myself. The staff used to be pretty cool and some of the food items are okay (I would recommend the turkey wrap with onion strings if asked), but if I'm hanging in Central, I make my way to all the other bars around the 'hood instead. This place used to my "Cheers," but a lot of the better (and cooler) staff have gone onto bigger and better things, and it's just not as much fun as it used to be. And plus, who has time to learn so many new names and faces when you've already invested so much time and energy and drinking into a place already?! Especially if those new faces behind the bar are extremely rude and take forever to get you a bottle of beer?! Sorry, Tavern... no hard feelings, but get your act together! If I had been writing this review when you had first opened, this would totally be a different story, but as it is now... wow, everything went downhill pretty fast.
(2)A L.
I come here pretty often, probably once every six weeks or so. My hubs and I went here this past Friday, and it began as a nightmarish experience. Our waitress was a very nice person, but had no idea what she was doing. She was clearly not competent, for whatever reason, to perform the duties of waiting tables. As far as I could see, she only had three total tables - although it was busy, this should've been entirely manageable. She took our drink orders 4 times, messed them up twice, took our app order 3 times, and our entree order 3 times. By this time, we began to commiserate with the other tables she was "serving," as they were having similar experiences. One table walked out, leaving full drinks on their table. She had messed up their drinks several times too. I asked the hostess, who was nearby taking care of the full drinks and wiping the table, if I could speak with the manager. I told him what was going on, hoping to get a new waitress for the rest of the night. Instead, he waited on us, got our food out almost immediately, offered a round of drinks, then comped the ENTIRE meal. We were very impressed by the amount of care that was given to our table when the manager realized we were so dissatisfied. The food is good, they have a good scotch list, could offer more wines...but hits the spot when you need a solid, dependable meal - as long as you get trained waitstaff. Thanks again to Tavern for the comped meal - we'll definitely be back.
(3)Stephen R.
I was looking forward to dining here. It looked like a nice place from the outside. It went downhill in a big way! Fast forward to dinner being served. We saw a cockroach on the wall. We didn't want to make a huge deal out of it in front of the rest of the restaurant. We called over the manager and she tried to smooth us over with drinks or moving the table. We told her we just wanted to leave at that point. Her compromise was to not charge us for the food. My friend and I just wanted to get out of there at this point and so did our wives. I wish that was where it ended. Later that night one of us got violently ill from food poising (they had the tuna salad). STAY CLEAR!
(1)Caroline O.
Ah, the Tavern. One of my favorite hangouts when I was taking bi-weekly classes at the Kaplan center across the street last year. Good brews, a nice mix of above average pub food, and some interesting menu items with a twist. I've been here several times, sometimes just for quick pub grub- wings, nachos, and some brews on tap, and a few times with my boyfriend for dinner. I've never been disappointed with either the service or the food. Lots of big screen TVs too for watching various sports events. Good stuff all around! The biggest downside is that the specialty beers listed on the menu always come in a bottle. I've been fooled twice now, thinking I was getting some exotic/special beer on tap, but instead got handed a bottle I could've picked up at the store. Bummer. All in all, a good place to hang out , have a few beers and watch the game, or sit down and have a good dinner. Definitely a place I'll keep going back to!
(4)Jenny i.
LOVE! Love the menu. Love the bar. The food is wonderful, the staff is attentive, (and attractive). Always have dinner here first before heading to see a show at TT's or the Middle East
(5)Patrick N.
Any time I have to choose the size of beer I would like to have it always makes me feel warm and fuzzy. Tavern is no exception. They have a decent beer selection and the glasses are always clean. The food, while it is slightly over priced, is pretty good. They have a large selection of comfort foods available, mac and cheese, shepherds pie, ect. If you are trying to enjoy a sporting event they have plenty of high def tvs to watch. With two bars waiting for a drink never takes too long. All in all it's a good place to catch a game with a friend or two.
(3)Michael L.
I walked into this place and was slapped across my face with a putrid wall of irritation. It's like everyone got off of work at the Pru, took off their ties or let their hair down, turned up the obnoxious-loud-dumb knob, and came here. To be honest, I think I disliked this place so much mostly because the crowd was irritating. The music was just bad. They had a DJ but it was positively pitiful. Dance/R&B can be fun and good. It wasn't. The drinks were overpriced ($7-10) but I have to say they had a mighty nice selection of bottled beer, including some imported rarities. Hence them receiving two stars. However, I wasn't in the mood to be back-patted and have dudes spit on my teeth about the latest developments at spring training. Actually I'm NEVER in the mood for that. There were attractive girls here, as far as looks go. If you're a dude who unbuttons the top button and loosens his tie to go out, check out the Tavern for manic action! Crash and burn.
(2)Phil W.
A pretty unremarkably restaurant/bar, but I like it for the following reasons : - It's in Central Square and it's there when I don't want to eat pizza or Middle Eastern or Indian food. - The quality of their buffet brunch is surprising. I've gone a couple times now and have never been disappointed. Salmon? Sweet cheese blintzes? Right on. - After one particular brunch, we stayed at the bar to watch the Patriots game, and proceeded to get really shitty on Guinness and the bartender Sal's Panty Droppers, which was his own special concoction. I think there was strawberry syrup in it. Anyway, we watched the game and then went to Harvard all liquored up to see "Borat." Man, that was a good day.
(3)Vidhya S.
This is THE BAR that my co-workers and I head to on Thursday nights. It's perfect for after work drinks b/c it's a big place w/ lots of sitting areas to accommodate large groups. We prefer to sit in the bar tables near the windows. In the summer there is also outside seating and they open up the front windows to let in the fresh air. The food is eh, honestly we've been there so much that I can't stand even looking at the menu b/c I've read it a million times and am sick of the food. So take that into consideration when your reading this. But there is still no way I'd purposely go here to dinner especially with the million great restaurants in Cambridge. But for a drink after work? Yes please.
(3)Ilya Jacob R.
I used to go here for trivia (when it used to be on Monday nights) and always ordered up a pizza and dessert. I hadn't come here in a while and then all of the sudden - I was back and not loving it. And it wasn't because it wasn't trivia night. It was because the food was lame. The pizza was shockingly bad and not really even close to average by my standards. I think I had the shrimp and basil pizza - don't even think about it. My wife's dish wasn't good either - under seasoned (salt and pepper) - encrusted tuna salad. After this splendid meal I didn't feel like dessert, so I skipped it, but I will say that I remember enjoying their desserts last time I was there when playing trivia.
(2)Bevin C.
This place is clean and convenient, but over the past six months, it seems to have gotten more expensive and less cool (not that it was particularly cool to begin with). Plus, the food is really hit or miss. If it hadn't been for my last visit, I might have given this place three stars... the hostess was really rude, the bartender wasn't much better, and they were playing crappy music LOUDly. Oh, and my ten dollar martini tasted nasty. Not good.
(2)Felecia C.
A couple tips for Tavern in the Square: 1. If you are going to make people pay to hear the music they want on the lame jukebox thingy, turn the volume up in the bar so that we can actually HEAR the music. My party and I contemplated relocating to the bathroom just to listen to "Don't Stop Believing," but luckily one of us had an Ipod handy. 2. Hire enough waitstaff to handle a crowded bar, or at least tell them to check on patrons and their drink status more than once an hour. We should not have to go to the bar to try to order a round, only to be told to wait for the practically nonexistent waitress. Other than those gripes, the Tavern is a pretty generic after-work bar. The drinks are standard, and though I didn't eat anything, the people I was with seemed to love the food. I had fun here, but there's still room for improvement.
(3)Arturo P.
OK Beer/Drinks, Unimpressive Food, Big Screens Been here a few times, mostly because it's the easiest place to catch NFL Network football or West coast basketball in Central square. I'm generally unimpressed but not disappointed with the food, but nothing stands out as being particularly bad. Probably not worth going here for a Boston sports game as it gets exceedingly crowded and you can catch those games basically anywhere. Overall, a solid place to watch sports, but a basically unimpressive otherwise. I'm sure I'll be back for the sports selection, but that would be the biggest draw.
(2)Caleb H.
To begin, I can only review this place as a bar. It looks like a bunch of people don't like it as a restaurant. I've been to this bar a couple times, and usually with a small group (~5 people). The place has never felt overpacked, and the atmosphere has always been good. Points go up for cool bartenders who have been quick to serve you and give a little personality to their service. They don't fill your beer and take your money without looking at you. They can recommend drinks, and they seem to know random mixed drinks too. Points also go up for the DJ from Friday night. He was open to tossing music on his playlist, and had a wide variety of songs. I was glad he could drop in some Spoon and Stevie Wonder per request, and then pop in the Humpty Dance afterwards--I suffer Music ADD. Finally, points also go up for the clean bathrooms. Maybe it was the type of crowd, or maybe they're on top of it, but the bathrooms weren't too shabby at the end of the night. I recommend the fries and a pitcher of Blue Moon with some wedges of oranges.
(4)Naomi M.
I was here January 7, 2012 for the New Orleans Saints vs Detroit Lions playoff game as a Saints fan and though I enjoyed the atmosphere and cheap beer all night, one bartender treated us horribly and made it so that I will NEVER RETURN TO THIS INSTITUTION. Being a sports bar, we all assumed that cheering would be tolerated.... we were told to stop cheering by this bartender. He also came over to us and taunted us, saying things like "How long have you even been Saints fans for, anyway? These guys from Detroit have been suffering there for their whole lives!" Though to me this point is absurdly irrelevant, it was all I could resist to point out that New Orleans hasn't had it so easy, either. On several occasions throughout the night we could also hear him talking badly about us to other patrons, especially the Detroit fans. At the end of the night when I closed my tab, a comment card came with the bill, and I wrote about how I was very unhappy with how I was treated by the bartender - and when he came back to pick it up, he read the card, crumpled it up, and threw it at me. I have never in my life been treated so horribly at any institution. This is a sports bar, which should invite sportsman-like behavior, and this bartender was an offensively bad example of this. Tavern in the Square has lost my business for life.
(1)Natural A.
Tavern in the Square is great for lunch or happy hour. The appetizers are okay. They don't have the best wings or calamari, but it's decent. They have great drinks. I simply love their sweet potato fries!!!
(3)Billie M.
I've only been here a few times and it was always just for drinks. No complaints, but no real raves either, it was a pretty standard, cookie cutter bar. Beer was ok, service was nice, atmosphere was forgetable. That being said, the last time I went there made me seriously consider giving it 5 stars. The DJ was playing some great old school hip hop, and the bartender and I had a great time pretending we were giving a live performance on Yo! MTV Raps. Why did it go back down to three? Because he and I were the only two people in the WHOLE CROWDED BAR that knew Renee. Seriously? Sorry Tavern, my loyalty lies with the Lost Boys.
(3)Mihir P.
Went back a couple of times and was disappointed for the most part. Got the brunch buffet. So not worth it for $16 - no juice included. The omelets were good but that's about it. Sausages were too mild an mushy. Hello! Bacon is supposed to be resting on a screen in the chafing dish so it's not lying in it own filth. The result of the bacon was super greasy and soggy. Got some pancakes but of course there was no syrup. I told the staff and it took fifteen minutes for them to get some. Go there for the game, drinks and an app but leave it at that. ___________________ Original review 4 stars ___________________ Wow, what a name. No thought put into it. When I heard about this place, I thought "Another run down, depreciated bar with townie customers, and a staff as charming as eels; oh and artery clogging food ." Boy, was I wrong. I walked into a clean and modern tavern with a friendly young staff. My friend and I sat tt the bar to eat and watch the Patriots game. The bartenders were efficient and hardworking and very friendly (and easy on the eyes). They did what they could to please the customer. I asked one of them to make me a non-alcoholic drink. At first she was stumped and then I gave her some encouragement. She fixed me a virgin margartia which was decent. The food was good. The menu has a great selection of traditional and creative items. I played conservatively and had a salad and chili. Both were very good. THe chili was a tad oily and salty though. My friend went for the brunch buffet. The dishes were fresh and presented well. I would now be willing to try to some of the more creative items like the pistachio crusted tuna and others - I admit that I stereotype that a tavern can't have good creative food. While at the bar, I observed that it was kept clean and organized - no clutter, trash or spills waiting to be attended to. Even all the labels of the liquor bottles were facing forward. There is no pizzaz, glamour, crazy lights, or celebrity chef here. Just a solid, spacious, clean tavern with sound food and a hard-working staff. I think a new term needs to be developed for the places like this. The Neo-Tavern?
(3)Melody A.
I went here right after my friend picked me up from the airport and it was perfect! We sat on the patio which was awesome in the late afternoon to people watch in Cambridge. Granted, we only had drinks and appetizers but they were really good! I had sweet potato fries with MAPLE SYRUP - YUM!!! I wouldn't have thought of this combo, but my friend said it was good and I'm glad I ordered them! The drinks were really good and the service was excellent.
(4)Lalin A.
It is a regular bar. Shiny. I don't eat here, but only grab drinks. But for the real fun, comfortable setting, and atmosphere, I'd say walk a few blocks and go to People's Republik or Plough&Stars. They are DEFINITELY better. edit: this place feels a little better when there is a game. it was packed last night and the service was quick.
(3)Milee S.
What can I say about this place? Fantastic food! I had one of the best turkey burgers ever at The Tavern. Great crowd, but service is really lacking. (We had to place our dessert order at the bar as our waitress was too busy socializing). I'd go back since the food is unbelieveable!
(3)sato h.
My friends and I went out for a lunch today... It was horrible. We enter to grab seats and had to wait for couple of min because nobody was there. Our waitestaff took our order for drinks and we waited for 10 min while she was asking the table next to us if everything was okay and cleaning up tables. Finally our coke arrives, and there is a hair stuck next to my lemon... I asked the waitstaff if I could change it, kindly. She doesnt say a single word and snatches my coke away. 5 min later my coke arrives. I asked her if I could put my fries on the side because I wanted to share it with my vegiteriam friend (so that the fries wont touch my burger.) The waiteress gives me a look as if that is such a hassle for her! Of course the food took forever like other reviewer were saying and all that. I will never go back there again.
(1)J M.
OK place: decent atmopshere, food is merely okay for the price.
(3)Emily O.
2.5 stars, really and only for its convenience and standard as a sports bar (which I don't think they're aiming to be, but who can tell?). I've been here twice - once just for drinks and to watch the Sox and more recently for dinner, an escape from the heat and to watch the Sox. Pros: nice ambiance when it's light out, two bars, many flat screens (Hi Def, I think) and they pipe the sound of the game throughout the bar; my drink was priced right and delightful the first time I went. Cons: The food! I echo Roshni R. It looks nice as it approaches, but has absolutely no flavor - none! The sweet potato fries were greasy, not crispy and had no seasoning. My soda was flat. My sandwich was essentially lettuce and tomatoes on a phony foccacia. That's all I need to say - phony foccacia.
(2)Frank G.
Tavern is one of the few places that serves a pretty standard sit-down American-style menu among Central's collection diverse ethnic restaurants. It fits in neatly between all the fast-food joints and the upscale places in price. The standard Sunday brunch buffet is a pretty good deal. Nothing about Tavern is amazing, but I'm very glad it's here for the times when I want to bring friends or visitors to something reliably familiar and not too expensive.
(3)Bryanne R.
GREAT food. Awesome pork chops with cranberries. They're priced in the teens - which is what you'd expect from a place like the Tavern. OKAY service - maybe we just had a wacky guy... CRAPPY acoustics....could hardly hear across the table. We ended up sitting next to each other. And since others are yelling across their dinners so loud you can also enjoy their conversations if there is a lull in yours. I'd go back for the food, because it was a pretty cool place.
(4)Bruce B.
From all the blasts that it got i'll say it was alright. I just went for drinks cause we were intersted in checking out the trivia. Tap selection was pretty average, they did seem to have a pretty solid bottle selection though. Bar staff was great, we got our first 2 on the house cause the keg tapped out on our pours. So all in all I've got no complaints. It's not close enough to be a place that i'll become a regular, but it was good enough to meet friends at.
(3)Vanessa M.
This place is very loud to say the least, but what should I expect from a place called "The Tavern?" The Sunday brunch was uber expensive though it looks good, it taste bland and stale. They can't seem to keep the same staff around and the only reason I have eaten here more than once is because there was nothing else close by that was open.
(3)Liz H.
i like this place, but its nothing special. went for a couple of sox games this fall and it was stupidly crowded, but they have enough TVs (including a big projector screen) that everyone could at least watch the action. food is decent but not great, service about the same. they do have a good relatively expansive beer list from what i remember. standard sports bar with a cambridge crowd.
(3)Liz D.
Fried Pickles, Avacado and Feta Salad, and White Truffle Mac & Cheese are my favorites there. Plus they have Sea Dog Blueberry Ale on tap. I've only been to the brunch once and it wasn't great but I've heard they have a new brunch menu now, so it may be better.
(4)Sun Y.
NO. tavern, you are not special.
(2)A V.
Food is decent. Beer selection is good. Ton's of TVs for NFL sundays. Great place to watch every single game that's on.
(4)David L.
Last night I dined at their Central Sq location and it was pretty bad from the moment I sat down at the bar . First, the bar area was dirty w/ beer puddles and food droppings from the previous diner, and that's understandable, yet it stayed that way for far too long. It was only upon my request after sitting there for a while that I was able to motivate my Asian American woman bartender/server to wipe it down . I actually waited for a good while to see if she would take it upon herself to wipe it but noooo, even though she was just standing there "shooting the shit" w/ a coworker. So, when I asked her for a cloth so I could wipe it she kind of gave me a snotty look like I was bothering her. This should have told me right away, upfront that I was in the wrong place to enjoy a good comfortable dinner tonight. I started w/ a martini and I also ordered the $10 crab cakes as an appetizer. The martini was ok but the crab cakes were served room temperature cold and tasted like flavorless sawdust filled with something or other, I haven't a clue. It certainly didn't taste like crab, that's for sure! Even the dippin mustard was flavorless. It was definitely a wrong pick on my part and I should've sent them back, but I was really, really hungry as I had only had breakfast that morning so I regrettably tolerated it. Not once did she ask me how my appetizer was nor did she offer me water or even a roll w/ budda. Doesn't she know that good service = good tips, I thought? I guess not! I also felt quite rushed because she pressured me to hurry up and place my order while I was eating my cold "so called" crab cakes. Plus, to make things even worse, the TV's were loud, playing blaring commercials over and over. Man, great ambiance huh? I hate listening to loud commercials especially when I'm eating in a public place. Furthermore, I also hate it when the bartender asks for my credit card upon sitting down when I intend to pay cash for my order at the end of my meal. We, as customers and patrons, have got to rebel against this totally rude and insulting request which more and more restaurants are starting to do these days. They have a lot of balls in my opinion! This IS INDEED an insult because, and correct me if I'm wrong, but what it implies to me is that they fear that I, the customer, will possibly,or intentionally walk out w/out paying. Am I interpreting this wrong or an I not alone in this matter? That's how (I) read it anyway. And, if this is how we are welcomed as customers than obviously Tavern On The Square is a "NO CLASS OUTFIT". Well.. all the consumer has to do at this point when this happens, here or anywhere else for that matter, who also makes this rude request, is to bluntly say NO I will NOT give you my credit card, which is what I did say on this night, and they very hesitantly agreed ...... so it's that simple my readers! And... if they don't agree than tell them to fuck off and just walk out. Fortunately, I didn't have to take it this far on this particular night but if everyone did this than undoubtedly they would stop asking us this incredibly insulting request, right? By the way, the tip percentage goes WAY down should this credit card issue come up PRIOR TO ORDERING THE MEAL. There must be consequences for them practicing this impolite, unsociable, inappropriate and BAD BUSINESS behavior ! To continue on with this nightmare, for my meal I ordered " the combo", the most expensive meal on the menu at $21. This was a mix of steak tips, grilled shrimp and barbecued chicken. Again my meal came out room temperature light warm. The tips had a lot of gristle on them and in fact, two of the steak tips I was unable to consume because that's all they were was fat gristle. The shrimps were tasteless, very dry and rubbery like they sat previously cooked on the side of the grill for far too long. The chicken was just ok but again cold, dry and flavorless. I felt like I was eating in a cheap second hand mall restaurant. The BEST thing about this meal though was the cole slaw on the side, it was good but.... isn't this a shame? Seems more like a scam to me at $21 when the best item on the plate is the cole slaw. The bill was $40 and I certainly WASN'T going to tip the standard 20% due to the shitty service and the crappy meal so I left a "fin" ($5) for a tip...and even that was too much. I should've left a dime in order to make my point even more clear. I ASSURE YOU I WILL NEVER GO TO THIS PLACE AGAIN if I can help it Incidentally, this was my second dining experience there and the first time also sucked. I chose to not write a review after my first visit to generously give them a second chance to redeem themselves...but now I know. There are some great bars & restaurants in the cities of Boston, Cambridge and Somerville however, in my view, the Tavern On The Square located in Central Sq. Cambridge is certainly NOT one of them! My recommendation therefore is to DEFINATELY GO SOMEWHERE ELS
(1)Josh O.
I always thought this place was a really expensive bar and so never went there. But tonight we ended up here after discovering that The Field was just way too crowded. There isn't really anything about this place that makes it great, but they had a beer special of $4.50 for 23 oz. of Miller High Life or Miller Lite. Can't really complain about that. I didn't try the food, but I had a good time here.
(3)Aimee G.
This venue was packed with revelers watching the football playoffs. The crowd dispersed immediately after the game's conclusion. Interestingly, the ratio of remaining customers to flat screen televisions was almost 10 to 1. If you want to watch the game and order standard American bar fare, this is your Central Square destination. You will be neither awed or disappointed.
(2)Lindsay D.
I don't care how busy a bar is, it should never take more than 20 minutes to get a beer at a table after work. The waitstaff was incredibly slow and didn't seem as if they could be bothered to put a little pep in their steps. The food, when we finally recieved it, was extremely good - risotto fritters with a tomato cream sauce were unexpectedly mild in flavor and the goat cheese, arugula, and leek pizza was phenomenal. Defintely a great place to go with co-workers to unwind after a busy week... just make sure that you order another beer halfway through your first to ensure you're never without a drink. EDIT: This place has become my work group's Thursday night bar of choice. Service has gotten way better, quite possibly because we're regulars and they know we'll leave if our glasses stay empty for too long. Burger-type food is meh - if you're going to eat here steer clear of the sandwich section and check out the appetizers. Spinach dip and risotto fritters are decent and for all you squid eaters out there, the calamari looked pretty decent too.
(4)Jane D.
great food, great staff, lots of TVs and they are willing to put on any game you request. kinda pricey but the portions are HUGE
(4)Colin N.
I lump Tavern In The Square (TITS) in with a few other restaurants in Central Sq. Au Bon Pain, Wendy's, McDonalds. I want to tell you how much I love TITS because it would make my review funnier. I would be lying. TITS reminds me of eating chalk. Tasteless, boring and unfulfilling. Shame on you TITS.
(2)Jennifer B.
This is one of those places where I feel like I die a little inside walking in but can't seem to stop doing it. Tavern in the Square is just a little too reliable and convenient, despite having no real character and being very crowded, for those near Central not to patronize it. The food I've had was actually good and not Bar Food (TM). Beers are fine, as is service. The giant screens also make it good for game watching. I think we all realize that large crowded sportsbars are probably a necessary evil, and you could certainly do worse than this place. A great option in central if you want to go to "just a bar."
(3)molly f.
Minus the great outside seating this place has to offer, I was underwhelmed. Stopped by for a quick lunch & ordered what I was hoping would be a tasty salad. Don't get me wrong, the salad wasn't BAD itself...but the moldy goat cheese it was topped with was pretty raunchy. One bite of that & I'd had enough...The manager was very gracious, as was my waitress, but I decided to finish my iced tea & not gamble another iffy dish. Next time I go there I think I'll stick to beverages and bar food.
(2)Doctor F.
had a few beers and watched the game. everything was ok. standard boston bro bar vibe. it seems to be part bro-sports bar / part "good" restaurant which i have never seen before. kind of strange to me. this has nothing to do with the tv or beer quality which were fine...but i find it depressing that everywhere i look i see one of these places popping up. boston/cambridge is being overrun with chain stores. now chain bar/restaurants? believe it or not, this city has not ever had that - chains like houlijans and fridays may have had one store...but not many all over town. soon, this city will be nothing but chipoltles, taverns, dunkin donuts and starbucks pretty soon. any one else find this sad? i try to support mom-and-pop spots (if they are quality) for the obvious reasons. it would be cool if the owners of this place would at least use different names at their different locations...i guess people like to go cookie cutter spots??? or maybe there just aren't any better options in this town? i was away from boston for 15 years and was honestly surprised to see this place all over town. i can't help being a bit depressed when i see these giant bar/restaurant chains all this city. boring.
(2)Anna F.
This review is only for their brunch, which I have been to on several occasions and enjoyed thoroughly. $15 isn't bad for all you can eat with a carving station and omelets made to order. You can conceivably eat pretty healthy if you stick to the fruit, yogurt, granola and some of their lunch fare- fish and grilled veggies. Overall, it's pretty decadent with eggs Benedict, grilled ham, and an assortment of chocolate cakes and mini parties. There is even an ice cream bar! Something for everyone. While their service is often lacking, the best thing about a buffet brunch is that you can serve yourself. I wish they'd turn off the sports just for brunch... that's my main complaint.
(4)amy g.
I think it's mostly over-priced for the average American cuisine it offers... BUT By far, BEST nachos with chili I have ever had.
(3)Amanda G.
Good place to grab some drinks or food when you want to watch the game on the many options of TVs. I ordered a really good salad, but loved the Mac N Cheese my "friend" got. Go for the comfort food! It's a pretty big place with a long bar and lots of tables. I tend to enjoy a smaller, more cozy type of place, but definitely a good sports bar/restaurant.
(3)Micaela L.
I've only ever come here at night (i.e. not to eat), so I can't comment on that aspect, but otherwise Tavern is a pretty typical sports bar. It was pleasant enough when I was there, but not exactly memorable and fairly crowded to boot.
(3)Meaghan S.
I'll just say it's a good thing that my office mates are not in today because there was something FUNKY about the chicken salad I ate at Tavern on the Square last night. Good god. I really wanted to like this place. Outdoor seating = awesome and they did have strong drinks. HOWEVER the food was bland, boring, mediocre and in my case BAD. It's also is a haven for homeless people leering over the fence around the patio. No I really don't want to spare some change, thanks. I will not be going back. No imagination, no atmosphere and a menu that is priced steeply enough that there should be a little of both.
(2)Marcus D.
This is another of those bars that I've been to way too many times. There are so many better bars in immediate walking distance, but for some reason when I go for a beer here I end up getting stuck here. The food isn't THAT bad - I judge food on a scale of whether or not I'm running for the toilet within seconds of my last bite, and this place has never done that to me. The atmosphere and the crowd is BLAND - very manufactured. My advice is to come here for a beer or two, and get the hell out!
(2)Hannah F.
This bar just feels soulless. The food is ok, I guess, but it's blatantly microwaved in the kitchen. Not to mention it's the exact same menu as Union Street and The Joshua Tree. Chain in disguise!! [Edit: They now totally admit to being a chain.] Plus, the bar tenders will ignore you for minutes on end, not because it's busy but because they're flirting with a customer. Also, the bouncers are really rude, even for bouncers. Additional Reason I can't Stand This Place [Recently Added] I can now add their managers the list of "people at the Tavern who make me effing batshit." I went there last night for a quick drink and appetizer trip. I thought, "How can they mess this up?" Well, they did. We ordered the ultimate nachos (so called because they come with chili or chicken). They were delicious, I am not so bitter that I won't give them that. However, when the bill came, not only were we charged for the nachos ($3 more than the regular ones), but we were also charged for the chili. Not such a big deal, except that the waitress told us it was correct, then went back to check, came back and confirmed that indeed our nachos cost $15. I was having none of that jazz, so she went to find a manager. That manager then had to go find another manager and before we knew it, 15 minutes had past. By that time, every other table in the section needed something from the waitress, because her manager had kept her occupied for 15 minutes instead of just removing the *$3* charge. It's not just that this situation was so annoying, because it most certainly was. It's that this is par for the course for the Tavern. Hopefully, I'll remember that before I get the urge for some risotto fritters.
(1)Veronica P.
This is a classy looking sports bar with really good burgers. I ordered a medium burger stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes and goat cheese, topped with mozzarella cheese with a side of sweet potato fries. It was a busy, loud Sunday night, and it took an hour to get our food because the waitress screwed up our order. The manager came out, apologized, and told us our meal was on the house. That's customer service! We would absolutely go back.
(4)Amanda B.
The Tavern is in a great location to our house - we frequent it during nights out drinking and always get great service. We've tried the restaurant a couple of times for the food and we've been pleased, but not overly impressed. It's a good American menu, a bit more exciting than just regular bar food, but nothing to write home about. The steak tip dinner is really good, but nothing else has ever been special. We were actually disappointed at their Sunday brunch - nothing seemed fresh on the buffet, etc. I basically have to agree with Frank G.: nothing amazing, but it 's great to have an American-style place nearby for when you really need it.
(3)Abbey B.
I want to like Tavern, but I just can't get excited about it. For the most part, the waitresses seem to be huge bitches. Attitude about serving, hard to get their attention to order more booze. Food is a toss up. Kind of reminds me of the Cheesecake Factory--huge menu, but nothing's really memorable. For what you pay, it's not really worth it. But. The brunch buffet on Sundays is pretty sweet. All you can eat forsomething like $15? From eggs to French toast to salads to pasta to desserts, can't go wrong. Wouldn't order off the menu, though. Nothing is that impressive. Trivia night is always fun, even with the other dude bro teams that seem to frequent this place. Pitchers of beer, categories that aren't too hard, and a bunch of friends on a Tuesday is just fine by me. And sure, the outdoor patio is nice, I guess. Come on the weekend and expect a huge crowd of mostly Financial District-type people--definitely more of a Boston bar scene. Expect half-buttoned shirts and overly gelled hair on the guys.
(2)Ari A.
I think these types of places are invented for people who really don't care what they are eating or maybe just want to get smashed and watch Television on A LOT of different screens. I hate places like this. Why do they even bother with food, it's like an afterthought it's SO bad. Do not go here unless you are one of the above mentioned people. (and now they have another location in Porter, unfortunately)
(1)Henry P.
I wish I could give negative stars.... Went there (mistakenly) for the brunch, was the first and only time there. I haven't been there at nite, where I suppose the night life could be different, but I'm just gonna review their brunch. Everything looks sexy, but the key word here is "looks"...as the tastes were the opposite of secksie, just downright blah and omg I think this bill will be waaaaay more than it should be. You walk in thinking it'll be good food, but it really really sucks. It's all laid out nicely in silver platters, an omelette station, lots of fruit and desserts all over the place. It's all you can eat, but you will not want to eat at all.... You look around at the other guests, eager as they arrive, excited as they come back with their plates of colorful foods. Then you notice as they eat that their expressions turn from excited to slightly confused. Once they get into the 2 hour old pancakes, there's a sudden realization that they've made a mistake entering the door not knowing what this tragic brunch will cost them. Pretty much everything was not good...meh, I suppose the cut pineapples were good, but who the f- could possibly mess that up? The staff kinda sucked too. Alas, it ended up being about $20 per person. Worse brunch, ever....
(1)Jessica R.
Some of our "friends" went here and it seemed pretty yuppyish, early 90's music playing and some trivia game.
(2)Arik C.
This place used to be great when it was the "Good Life". Now its some wannabe upscale yuppie bar that has really crap for food and nothing that would make me want to hang out. Great decor if you like not seeing much, way too dark.
(2)John D.
I'm surprised about the unimpressive reviews, but after reading MzLizz's, I can see why. I agree with her in that Tavern is yet another place with an identity crisis. I liked it a lot, and love the big screens, but at the same time, it's pretty ordinary and it does seem to be mixed up in terms of what kind of place it is. Is it upscale or ready to greet the college crowd? Still, I liked and I'd go back and thought it was slightly better than average. Deserves more 3.5 stars rather than 4.
(4)J A.
THE "PINT" BEERS HERE ARE 12 OUNCES!!! Just a note. They come in regular, 23oz, an pitcher, and regular looks like a pint glass, but it's 12 oz, but the price is the same as for a pint anywhere else ($5 for a bass). And the veggie lettuce wraps are way lame, not nearly as good as pf changs. I gave 3 stars because I do like the atmosphere, the bartender is friendly, and such.
(3)Kate I.
It's bipolar. The sports barish half is so loud it's like being inside a speaker at a Beyonce concert. At, like, happy hour time. Why the noise? Why? And the fancy bar half plays the TV so loud that the homeless guys across the street can catch the game. And the food is bland and basic. One bartender was pretty mean, and the other was pretty nice. No no, no no no, no.
(2)Teju P.
I went here for Sunday brunch recently - it is fabulous for the price. So many options with breakfast, lunch, and dessert items. The omlet station can take a while if the place is busy, but my friend said his omlet was worth the wait.
(4)Sara C.
I enjoyed the apps that I ordered (risotto balls are really good), although I didn't order dinner. This seemed like a good after-work bar, and I'll likely be there again, but if you're looking for great food and a more quiet atmosphere, look elsewhere.
(3)Kenneth R.
I've been here several times for lunch. It's fine! The place was not very crowded during my visits. (I didn't show up during a World Cup match, however.) The sandwiches and salads were to my taste. Perfectly OK iced tea. I recommend the french fried sweet potatoes. There is a small supplement for this choice (when regular fries come with your meal); this supplement is in the high two-figures if you count in pennies. Friendly service.
(3)Brian D.
Kudos for an absolutely outstanding job of being mediocre! HOORAH!! In all fairness, the jerk chicken tenders are A-OK with that sweet chutney sauce so you guys have that going on. Also, there are a few decent beers to chose from, so theres that too. But, what you don't have is any sort of real memorable character. No flare, no petting zoo, nothing to leave you saying 'holy crap, what a hole!' or 'holy crap what the bestest bar ever!'. No, it's more like 'yes, I went there - that is all'.
(3)Tony P.
90's hip-hop is like crack to white suburban kids in their 20's. If that defines you, then this place is for you. Good beer, decent music., able to get a table without too much of a hassle. Right next to the T as well.
(4)Tanya A.
This is a pretty standard place for me to go with friends for a late dinner or drinks, maybe after a workout or when we can't think of anyplace else to go. It gets a little noisy, but that's nothing to be surprised about when there are multiple TVs showing sports games throughout the bar. If you think of it as a "restaurant" you may end up annoyed by the noise and casual atmosphere. If you think of it as a sports bar, you'll be pleasantly surprised. The menu got revamped about a year or two ago, and since then I've really enjoyed the new foods. Ditto everyone else on the risotto fritters, they're excellent, though the truffle mac and cheese was a bit bland for my tastes. The Big Dig fries (waffle fries loaded with just about everything) are great to share with the table, but make sure there are at least four people or you'll overdose! Sometimes I'll just go for the chicken lettuce wrap appetizer as an entree-- it's definitely big enough for one, and feels healthier than the fried stuff. Beer selection's not bad, though I'm not really a connoisseur. Prices are reasonable for the quality, though they start getting higher if you order food that's less "bar-style" and more "restaurant-ish." I was underwhelmed with brunch, though I guess if you're hungry and don't want to spend too much, it's okay. The food was bland, eggs were overcooked, the glazed salmon was sickeningly sweet, and the high point of the meal was the fruit salad. Oh, and the mini-eclairs, which were clearly pre-frozen but nonetheless pretty decent. Don't even try the full-sized desserts, stick with the mini-pastries. Overall, I like the place, it's convenient, and I'll be eating there relatively often.
(3)Cooper M.
I would do 3.5 stars if I could. It is a basic sportsish bar but a good looking one with better than average food. It is my friends' main hangout in Cambridge...so I go there too much but it is a good place for sports and food. While I am tired of this joint, I do enjoy their Sesame Chicken Salad. Need veggies sometimes.
(3)Mary R.
I unfortunately left the Tavern wishing I had never walked in. On the first really hot evening of the year the AC was not on, making for a stuffy and uncomfortable environment inside. The wait for a table outside, although not too long, was longer than my starving stomach could handle, so we settled on seats at the bar. The meal was just not good. My salad, the seared tuna, was just mediocre. Although the tuna itself was cooked perfectly, the pistachio crust was bland and the greens that lay beneath were even worse. My husband's choice, the shrimp and basil pizza was no better. There was far too much oil, and you could barely taste the basil flakes. The spinach and artichoke dip was decent, but can't hold a candle to the dip at Cambridge Commons.
(2)R.G. W.
I hate this place... the music playing over the PA is always too loud; the specialty beers are WAYYY over priced ($5 for a bottle of Harpoon Winter Warmer?? $8 for a bottle of Franziskaner Hefeweizen ?!); and ... well, that's all I have to say 'bout that.
(2)Chinwe N.
I came here with a friend from out of town for brunch on a Sunday. The price was very good for the buffet selection. The ambiance was rowdy and young which worked well. This a solid place to come when you're looking for good value for the money.
(3)John T.
Good ambience, friendly people but poor food. Very bland and under seasoned. Food doesn't match the price. Too bad... promising area.
(2)Matt K.
Dear Robby. Yes, your job probably sucks, being the night manager at Tavern on the Square. Working every weekend night, having to deal with obnoxious drunk people who need to be kicked out before they throw up all over your nice clean floors. Sometimes that's going to cause some stress and even though you try to control it, your anger may be taken out on some people that don't deserve it. But how you acted last night was beyond rude, it was stupid and cost you and the Tavern some customers. But let's back track so you know exactly what happened from my point of view. Me and my girlfriend showed up an hour before game 3 of the World Series, we specifically asked for table that would have a view of the game, we even waited a few minutes to get that table. What we got was a table in the corner, but whatever, we could each see a separate TV, plus we could both see the big screen on the back wall. So, lets review, there was a TV directly behind my g/f that I was going to watch and the TV behind me. Now here's problem number one, the TV behind me wasn't showing the pre-game show yet, but when our waitress was asked, she informed us it would be turned to World Series when the game started and college football was only going to be on for a few more minutes. What ever, there was still the small TV I could see, and my g/f had a great view of the big screen. Our first order shows, up, your big plate of nachos. A huge plate I'll give you credit for that, and I honestly don't even mind the chips around the edges got a little burnt, it happens. Our food shows up a little earlier then we'd like as we're only halfway through the nachos, but let's be honest, you're going to be busy and trying to time everyone's orders gets screwy. I'm a cook I've seen it happen. My burger honestly was exactly what I was looking for, a perfect medium rare with two pieces of bacon on top, and the waffle fries...well yours are about the only waffle fries I like. My g/f liked her food just as much, even though one her steak tips was more burn then medium rare, but the rest were done correctly, so all is forgiven on the food front. We even went back to the nachos when we finished our meals, good stuff. About this time, it gets really busy, and because of the awkward seating arrangements where we were, when a large party was sat down next to us, they blocked our view of the big screen. So now out of the three TV's we could see when we sat down we can only see two, and one of them is not showing the world series. We ask the waitress when that TV will be turned to our beloved Sox, only to be informed that the game will no longer be shown on that TV. Effectively leaving my girlfriend with no way to watch the game. We debate changing seats every inning so that we can both take turns watching the game on the TV on the wall right above her seat, as silly as that sounds, but we both really wanted to be able to enjoy the game with some of our fellow locals while having a few drinks. It makes it more exciting that way, I'm sure you understand, your business thrives off of that type of thinking. But the idea of each of us only getting to watch half the game and switching seats every inning didn't sound as appealing to us as I'm sure it does to you. So we ask to speak to you dear Robby, manager of Tavern on the Square hoping to appeal to your reason, you are after all, wearing a baseball jersey, surely you'll be willing to accommodate us. This is where you screwed up; you came to our table with a body posture that can only be described as defensive ready to battle. Big mistake, never argue with my girlfriend, I've tried, it doesn't work. But she starts off polite enough mentioning how we came to watch the game and would really appreciate it if you would turn the one TV she can see to the baseball game. You quickly explain that every other TV in the bar is showing the Sox and we should be happy with that. She counters quickly that she can't see any of other TV's, the only TV she can see is the one she doesn't care about. She goes out of her way explaining this and offers to buy more food and drinks if that'll change your mindset. It doesn't, you quickly tap our table and leave telling us to enjoy the game. The game that we would have to take turns watching. So yes, we ended up leaving, debating to leave a tip at all for the waitress (we did by the way she did a great job even though you put her in one tough spot making her deal with us and the table next to us that made the exact same complaints) Good bye Robby. You may not remember me, but I'll sure remember you and the service you gave me when I visited Tavern on the Square.
(1)Alison T.
Tavern is fast becoming a regular Sunday Brunch spot for me. The brunch is huge with make-your-own-omeletes and a large range of brunch and lunch options. The food is good, nothing to throw a party about but entirely edible. At times it isn't quite hot enough. I really love all the different food, which makes me feel like i'm getting my money's worth. The inside looks good and is still laidback. The waitstaff is attentive and friendly. I understand they have a good bar, although I have yet to sample anything. Once I was there when a game was one and the tvs were far too loud, but then again it is set up as a sports bar - every seat has a view of a screen.
(3)Alyssa N.
After dinner at Match, a friend and I ventured over to Tavern in the Square in Cambridge, where yummy drinks and friendly bartenders awaited us. Even though there was a basketball game going on (which seemed to be a somewhat important one), we did not feel like we were in a sports bar. These sports fans were quite civilized, much to our enjoyment. I'm not opposed to getting excited over a big game, but some people take it to a scary level. I do not totally understand what the owners are trying to do with the Wish/Tavern setup. Wish seemed more like just another room in the place than a separate entity. However, I liked the drinks and can't wait to go back and try the food at Tavern in the Square. UPDATE: I've been back a few times and have decided that this reminds me of a fave bar that friends and I hung out at while in college in upstate NY, but a tad bit more upscale. And with a food menu that extends beyond chips and pretzels. The food is pretty good. I recommend the burgers, calamari, chicken sandwich with Brie (minus the onions, they overpower). Don't leave without trying the nacho app. Decent guac for a non-mexican place. Drinks here are consistently very good. I'd be here all the time, if it were closer to my house.
(4)carol s.
Don't eat here. It might be OK for nachos, but avoid eating here for a meal. I had the worst pasta primavera I've ever encountered; I think the vegetables were canned then overcooked. They tasted bad and smelled worse. The "sauce" seemed like some cheap vinaigrette. Another member of our party got her entree cooked wrong--twice--before she gave up. The manager didn't really seem to care; he gave us a couple coupons but I don't think we'll be using them. On the positive side, our server was very nice and conscientious.
(1)Ashley S.
I miss the Good Life being here. Please let no more bars like this enter Central Sq. Ever.
(1)Kathleen D.
This is one of the many bars I find myself going to because my friends want to go there. They have high tables and stools. I like stools. They also serve beer in tall glasses, which is neat. The DJ on the weekends plays generic 94.5 hits. Sometimes locals wander in and want to talk to you about their relationship problems, sometimes random guys show up and assume you're a student at Harvard. It's OK. I'm only giving it two stars because in general I prefer the Phoenix Landing for dancing, and the Peoples Republic for chatting. Keep walking.
(2)Katia M.
I liked the Good Life. I don't like the "Tavern." There's nothing special about it at all. Sure, the decor is pleasant and the food isn't bad, but it's just a bland place.
(3)Ja H.
I've been to brunch a couple of time and think is ok. I think it's best for drinks at night.
(2)Andrea D.
Very unimpressed with the service here. I went randomly during the week and sat at the bar with two friends and the place wasn't very crowded at all. I was amazed at how long it took the bartender to get us drinks. It seemed like he didn't even care that we were even there. Seriously is it that hard to pour a beer? I would have served myself if I could have. I haven't had the food, but they do have a nice little patio area outside which looks like a nice place to lunch at. I have no desire to go back because of the rudeness of the bartender that night. First impressions mean a lot to me and I didn't get a good vibe here.
(2)Kelly L.
I've given this place a few tries: brunch, drinks, dinner. It didn't win me over though. Dinner was blah, brunch unimpressive, and generally the place just lacks character. They did however play a whole lot of old 80s and 90s music (Pharcyde anyone?) the last time I went there, if that appeals...
(2)Gigi B.
I have been to Tavern in the Square in Central Square at least a dozen times since moving to Boston nearly three years ago. Overall my experiences have been positive and I enjoy eating and drinking there, but there is often spotty service and the quality of mixed drinks seems to have gone downhill. Recently our server did not come back for over 15 minutes after we had left cash for the bill and wanted changed; we ended up leaving and giving her a much larger tip than we wanted because we were so frustrated. On another occurrence, the night of the State of the Union address by the president, the bar proceeded to turn off the music and turn every television channel to the speech and have the audio over the speakers. Call me ignorant for only wanting to watch the highlights at home later that evening, but if I had wanted to watch the State of the Union address, I would have stayed at home. Overall Tavern in the Square is a good choice to meet friends for a burger, watch the game and catch up.
(3)shary m.
This place only means one thing to me. Risotto fritters! They are the only thing that can get me through that door, past the hulking flat screens, past the clamor of the "upscale generic sports bar" vibe they've got going on. One bite of the fritties and everything goes away. Nuff said.
(3)Sean E.
I guess I'll just add to the plethora of 3 star reviews here (and ones that probably decided to round up from 2.5). [Updated: Sorry, you're a 2 star affair.] As far as food goes the Tavern in the Square manages to succeed at middle of the road, chain-restaurant style appeasement. It's not good, but it's not bad. From what we had I can tell you that the salad was better than the (veggie) burger. I don't know if I can properly stress how much a good bun adds to a burger. At the Tavern you're getting a cold, yellow, tasteless, seemingly a couple-days-old as it fell apart in my hands, bun. No matter how good the actual burger is -- I mean, I wouldn't even call this thing bread -- I'd rather it were served on a couple slices of wheat or even white bread. The onion strings stood up ok but they'd be much better if they had some crunch and weren't as limp. And the salad was the winner with some greens that had a good snap to them and fresh tasting ingredients -- even though they skimped a bit on the avacado and feta that were supposed to be the starring items. The place itself has more than a couple identity issues. They keep the lights on low, but the volume up high (we were yelling at each other from across a tiny table), and the design of the place is saying we have a touch of class but the use of multiple flat screens and bad music is saying I want to be a sports bar. Maybe this is the destination to check out a Red Sox/Patriots game in Central Square? If you can find a spot, I'd recommend sticking to the bar area on the left and coming on a full stomach. They have a decent obligatory section on their beer list of stuff besides your big 3. But if you're just looking for hitting a bar for some drinks there's many a better option in the area.
(2)Kaopectate P.
food/restaurant = 2 stars drinks/bar = 4 stars average = 3 stars
(3)John D.
The Tavern is a really fun place to hang out especially on saturday nights. The food is great and the staff are super friendly. What I like best os the lack of "goons" that you normally find in these types of bars and instead it holds a certain sophistication and is not at all messy. The tavern has quickly become my regular Saturday night spot.
(5)Tez C.
Overpriced and our waitress was horrid. We had a huge group of us and so we wanted to buy our drinks separately at the bar, but she told us we could only order from her. She was a real wench about it. They had a Miller Light special which was cheap but otherwise it's a normal bar. Pretty big but a much older crowd I would say. Nothing to get too worked up about.
(2)M. Deloris D.
I had stopped through here a number of times for libations. Based on that alone I would have given this place 3 stars. That was until I ate brunch here and was convinced never to return. The eggs were terrible, overdone, rubbery and the food at the brunch buffet kept running out (after I tried nearly everything and could not find the saving grace of the spread I don't understand why.) The only good thing about brunch was the mimosa. I think I paid nearly 17 dollars just to eat. NEVER AGAIN!
(1)Holly M.
I enjoyed the scene and the brews. A great time was had on the friday night that I visited. Someone next to us order the food and it looked like decent pub type food. He seemed to enjoy it. The atmosphere was fun and hearty, exactly what I would expect from this Cambridge joint.
(3)Roshni R.
yuck! totally overpriced for extremely mediocre food. service was ridiculously slow. even though you are technically supposed to be seated by the waitstaff, we had to wander around for 10minutes, find ourselves a table, and tell the bartender where we were seated before a waitress actually showed up. frankly i want only to give it 2 stars, but i came here with the ex for lunch on our first one-on-one outing in 2yrs, and the unbearable wait made us tired and cranky enough to get our squabbling over with before the meal actually began, so by the time we had food and a couple beers in our systems, we remembered why we're friends to begin with and went our (separate) merry ways. so i suppose the tavern served its purpose, and that deserves a third star ;).
(3)Lakay C.
I've enjoyed just about everything I've eaten here. I've also always had good service. I give it a three stars though because it lacks originality and spunk. I've never had a bad time here but I've also never had a really great time. It's just generic.
(3)Jillian M.
This place is simple with good solid food with plenty of options, good drinks, good atmosphere, really good service and plenty of tvs to watch the games on. No gimmicks or any of that... just really really good, anytime.
(5)Mags L.
i don't mind this place. we go on occasion after tae kwon do and it serves a decent calamari. it was also nice during the summertime to have the option of sitting out in the "patio" area. never eaten dinner here, but have had decent peach martinis and mango margaritas (i'm a girly-drink drunk). i think it's hilarious that there's a "dj" booth. i think the person up there is playing cd's, but i've never taken a close look. she/he/whoever (again a close look was not taken) always seems to be playing a hit or miss selection of hip hop. thank goodness for the martinis. it's a good spot to hit up if you're interested in meeting men who feel no shame enjoying a nice cold smirnoff ice (ain't nothing wrong w/that). update: shots of ketel one were lukewarm. lukewarm! how can you do a shot of vodka that's not freezing cold. had to bump down the stars. :( i'd like to get drunk in as pleasant manner as possible.
(2)Ellie L.
I scorned its yuppy looking exterior at first, thinking it belonged in Harvard, not Central, square. It's definitely a collar-popped bar, but the food is surprisingly good. I got some variation of an asian chicken salad, which has become a standard bar menu item as of late, but it surprised me with just how huge and fresh it was. a bunch of screens playing different sporting events kept everyones eyes everywhere but each other, and the music is far from subtle, but isn't that what taverns are supposed to be like? nice beer selection to boot.
(3)Trish F.
Boston doesn't really have that many buffets...so I get kind of excited when I find one. For some reason, I thought that the food was a little better when I first started going here over a year ago. The service improved slightly. The omelet cook was nice and they actually remembered to bring me my omelet this time (seriously forgot all about me two times before and then acted like it was my fault for placing the order correctly and not hmphing louder when I didn't get my food in a timely manner). The spread just seemed old. The eggs benedict had burnt edges and the pasta had a weird taste to it. I did like their seasoned home fries and the chicken that was in the chicken parm. The cakes they had were pretty delicious too. It generally is a good mix of breakfast and lunch: pastas, salad, eggs, sausage, bacon, salmon, potatoes - mashed and home fries, wings, croissants, bagels, muffins, fruit.. OH! Something incredibly bothersome. The chocolate sprinkles tasted funny (sad sad ice cream). C'mon man.. what are you trying to do to a girl? Didn't they read my Yelp thread about my love of ice cream? They do have outdoor seating which is a huge plus in the spring/summer. And they don't seem to have a time limit.. so if you have a couple hours and want to get your $15.95's worth you can hang out for a bit.
(3)Amie R.
Seems ilke a pretty cool place -- albeit a tad pricey. I really liked the atmosphere here, and the had a ton of drink specialties. Definitely a "nicer" place for the area. Haven't eaten here yet, but would like to try their food!
(3)erin e.
Reminds me a LOT of Temple Bar in between Harvard and Porter Squares. Upscale American/Pub food. Casual. Good to go get drinks and hang out in Central. Don't think I'd want to "make a night of it" here, nor would I ever really plan on going here, but it's a nice place if you're in the area and need a place to stop in for food. Don't go to Wish.
(3)Jess P.
Tavern started out with 5 stars because they spent months rehabbing the old Good Life and I figured we had to be waiting for something good. Minus one star for the limp, soul-less "fancy-Irish-pub-in-Boston" atmosphere. One more star lost for the puddles of puke you'll have to avoid on the sidewalk just outside the door as you try to leave on a weekend night. Last star lost for having really overpriced weekend brunch, middling food and for getting my hopes up. Two stars remain because it's convenient, close to T, and the biggest bar in Central - if you get sick of mushing up against lots of people in Enormous room, the Field, Middlesex, River Gods etc.
(2)Rebecca Y.
Central's Square new answer to Good Life (literally, it is in the same spot). Good nachos, fun drinks and quite a night spot. We were there just as it opened and were very happy with the service and the food. We even talked to the manager for awhile and gave him some feedback on the menu. Just don't go next store to Wish - these guys should stick with the bar food at Tavern.
(3)Karen D.
The biggest pluses for this place is that you can sit outside and they have Franzikaner beer. I went with 3 friends on a Saturday late afternoon for some appetizers and drinks. The server said that the fried clam appetizers were big enough to share and they definitely weren't. I got the Angry Shrimp which were very good and had a nice presentation. The best value was the buffalo calalmari. It didn't have a lot of batter and was actually big enough to share. The service was kind of lousy. The waitress asked if we wanted more drinks and one person said "no" and I said "yes" and she walked away. I asked for the beer menu and by the time I got it and got her attention to order, everyone at my table was done, so I didn't bother. My friends with the clams were going to order some more food, but the service was so slow, the didn't want to. It took us a really long time to get the check. I would go there again mostly to sit outside and have a beer, but not when I have to be anywhere after.
(3)rishi h.
Eh. Maybe I'd come here more often if I was really dedicated to being a young professional. Not really my kinda place but I've stopped by for a drink often and recent enough to get a feel for it. Nothing extraordinary happening here. It's pretty busy on the weekends. Expect a young crowd dressed like they're out to get laid but might be seen earlier taking their parents out to dinner in the same attire.
(3)Kabir H.
Holy shit, they've got a patio! You can drink outside in Central Sq. now!
(3)Macall Z.
What changed??? I used to live near the tavern and would go there quite often. It wasn't anything particularly spectacular, but it had some good comfort food. I went back and noticed that the menu looked different. The food was plain horrible. I thought maybe it was just a bad day, so I went back. Again, almost inedible. However, there has always been a great beer selection.
(2)Greg L.
This restaurant doesn't really belong in central square. I feel bad about the fact that I patronize it. I give it three stars instead of one because they show a ton of NFL games on Sunday and their buffalo chicken pizza is ridiculously good. Other than that, it needs become the tavern in some other square.
(3)Kevin C.
Great Place to watch sporting events as there are plenty of televisions spread out throughout to allow one to watch multiple events. Food is good, with the steak tips as a favorite. Only downfall is the service could be better as you may find yourself waiting a long time for menus, food and maybe even getting drinks at the bar yourself as the staff can not accommodate the hectic atmosphere.
(3)Tom v.
Lousy food, a smug manager, and....... a rat. Went there for the first and last time with an out of town guest. Music was insipid and loud, so we asked for a quiet table, were shown to one at the back of the restaurant, and still had to yell at each other. The waitress was nice and attentive, but the spinach/artichoke dip consisted of a stringy garlicky glop that reminded me of half-dried elmer's glue with lumps in it. The sangrias were mediocre at best. Our main course had just arrived, when my friend spotted a rat at our feet. The rat zig-zagged around underneath our table, and then made its way through the shadows towards the table where other diners were. We put down our forks, and glumly looked at our plates. Our waitress soon came, and asked what was wrong. She politely apologized when we told her the reason for our sudden loss of appetite, but she did not seem surprised, and indeed indicated that previous incidents like this had taken place. She told us she would get the manager to handle the situation. The manager was completely different from the waitress... smug, annoying and totally unapologetic. He explained to us that this was, after all, Central Square, and that rats were a part of daily life in Cambrige. Really? I didn't know that, after nearly 2 decades of living in Cambridge. I mean, I'd never enountered a rat at my feet before in any restaurant during all those years! The manager then grandly proclaimed that our drinks would be on the house, and assured us that "we run a clean establishment here." How very reassuring. The waitress, when she collected our money for our uneaten meal, was once more apologetic, and asked if the manager's settlement were satisfactory. I politely shook my head, we paid for the food and left. The Cambridge health department will be notified tomorrow morning.
(1)Rina R.
This new place, alongside Wish, is a new favorite. You shouldn't miss their FANTASTIC brunch on the weekends. Inexpensive, but with many, many great options. Lots of fresh fruit, fancy little tarts and desserts, even a little ice cream bar, in addition to the usual breakfast options. Go there this weekend! Or, actually, don't so that when I go I'll be able to get a table!
(5)sean m.
This place has awful food for a lot of money. The only good thing it has going is the TVs for watching baseball. Don't waste your time or money if you are looking for a good place to eat. There are plenty of great choices in Central Square.
(2)Jenna H.
My good friend had her going away party here last night. The place was packed but I think that was a combination of the Red Sox game and the fact that this is immediately outside the Central Square T stop, so easy access from pretty much anywhere in the area. We were lucky enough to get a nice git bar table (although it had a post right in the middle of it) and have some fries and drinks. The red sangria that I had was sub-par, but some of the other drinks (the dark and stormy and the cosmo) were delicious. The service was decent and the atmosphere was definitely fun. I didn't eat the food, but it looked good and they had a cute patio out front for summer seating.
(3)I D.
The food here is edible. You wont die from it, but you wont be getting a good meal either. I've eaten here a few times and the food is just bland! My sesame chicken was tasteless. The lunch time waitress wasn't so pleasant and was pretty slow!
(2)Abigail B.
i had an appointment in central square... since my pop lives down there we decided to meet for brunch... it was a toss up between sticking with an old standard (brookline lunch) that we both know and love... and trying something new (tavern in the square)... and in the back of my mind i'm thinking... 'breakfast is easy... like you'd really have to make a concerted effort to make breakfast NOT TASTE GOOD' thesis... disproved. the potatoes were really mealy and starchy (okay i know potatoes are a starch but there's ways of cooking them so they don't have the texture of an apple from the produce section of a market basket)... and they were seasoned with i think paprika only... which is weird... the omelet looked like it was made with one of those 'shazam and it's done!' things you see on infomercials... (it had an unnatural shape and texture) and had absolutely NO TASTE... which is weird because eggs should have a flavor even if you don't season them... so somehow they managed to extract any natural flavor and then not add any... it's a bum out because i've heard this place is decent for dinner... but now i think i'm too scared to try it... even my dad was like 'wow that place was less than mediocre' and he'll eat anything...
(1)Peter P.
Good, if you like commercial bars with no character. The service is always good, but being a bar manager I can see it is because it is way overstaffed. Over staffing means no one makes any money, typical corporate attitude. Not a bad place to watch sports, but honestly, I would rather get take out, some beer, and sit on my couch with friends. Nothing special here. Good selection of random beer.
(2)Greg S.
Ok, this is just me taking pleasure in the simple things. My favorite thing here was not that it was a Sunday and we were the only people in the bar, or the fact that the bartender had a coaster fight with the bus boy and the waitresses or the mac and cheese which was really good, it was that it was my first encounter with the Xlerator hand dryer, I mean this thing actually blows, er I mean dries. So it actually moves the skin on your hand, it's like a wind tunnel, if every hand dryer was like this one we wouldn't need hand towels. I want to buy one of these for my home someday, sorry for being enamored by a hand dryer!
(3)Jessica E.
I can definitely see what other reviewers mean by saying the Tavern is trying to bee all things to all people. I want to like the place- they're trying, which says a lot compared to other places in Central Square. But they need to find a few things to specialize in. Until then, I won't be back.
(3)Joe R.
I may be biased as TOTSq is just a few blocks from my place, but I was quite impressed with it. The bartenders at both bars (Wish and Tavern on the Square) were startlingly kind, the atmosphere cool & relaxed, and the crowd unpretentious (which says a lot for Cambridge). It'll be a new hangout for me...
(4)K L.
Went here for lunch...really bad service and so-so food
(2)Jenny P.
I went to this restaurant/bar to watch Game 3 of the World Series (Boston vs Colorado). Before being seated by the hostess, I asked if I would be able to see the game from the table and she said yes. I sat with my back to the wall and could see the big screen, which I could see as long as there were not people standing at the high top table to my right and the game was on; however, the television that was straight in front of me had on college footbal, Penn State vs Ohio State. Now I am a diehard Penn State football fan, but this is game 3 of the world series and Boston is in it. I asked the waitress if they are going to change the channel once the game started and she said yes. Once the game started, the television still had on the football game. I asked the waitress again if the channel could be changed and she said no. Both myself and the table next to me asked to speak with the manager. The manager came over in a Boston Red Sox uniform, for Halloween, and his name was Robbie. The first question we asked was if he is a Red Sox fan and he said yes. We asked why one of the televisions in the main dining room and bar had on college footbal and the best answer we could get was, "because I am the manager and I say so." Not only did we get an answer that did not explain his reasoning, but he was the definition of arrogant, biligerent and displaying "short man syndrome." I understand there are people that would like to watch both games, but there is a small bar with televisions on the other side that could have displayed the game. The manager continued to say there were two televisions within view that had the game on and he was not going to do anything.
(1)amanda n.
I've been here now two times to eat and once for drinks on a Saturday night. Not a lot I remember about the food except that the first dinner experience was extremely slow. We waited forever for our entrees. The thing I really don't understand about Tavern in the Square is why in the world the music has to be so LOUD. I hate having to yell to the person next to me. Lots of flat screens all over. I guess that's a good thing if you don't want to miss the game.
(2)Lisa I.
I went to Tavern in the Square for a friend's birthday dinner, and I had a good time! It seems that everyone in our party enjoyed their food and drinks. I had a salad with nuts, dried cherries, and fancy cheese, and it was delicious! They have a big TV in the back of the bar area for watching sports. This place has a great combination of casual atmosphere and classy surroundings (think dim lights and dark wood).
(4)R P.
I have to say that when I am in Cambridge (which if often) i find myself at two places, the Asgard and Tavern in the Square. If you like good food at good prices, awesome selection of beers, friendly diverse crowd and fun friendly servers then the Tavern is the place is for you. They always have a way of making me feel special and at home when I go there. There's also no better place to be during a Red Sox or Patriots game. I have always had a good meal at the Tavern and especially like the imagination they use when creating new dishes. I would recommend Tavern in the Square to anybody.
(5)Amy B.
Was here yet again for drinks after work with co-workers. This place wouldn't be my choice if I was doing the organizing. On the way in the door last night a co-worker commented that she has never really enjoyed any of the drinks she has ordered here. I decided to try their red sangria last night and all I can say is YUCK-O. It tasted like cheap red wine with some fruit floating in it. There was no sweetness what-so-ever. I have to admit, I find the scene here to be decent, the place is set up well and our large group of post work drinkers is usually accommodated well. I do agree with other reviewers that the food isn't very great. I have had a number of the appetizers and I would have to admit that most of them are pretty lacking in the flavor department. My recommendation is to stick with beer when at the Tavern and when you get hungry head across the street to Picantes for something good to eat.
(3)Ashley M.
friendly staff, great bar to hang out... but i have to disagree with the rest of you about the food... its really just not impressive.
(4)Masmin P.
I'm surprised at all the bad reviews that this place is getting. Are we talking about the same place? I'm not a beer drinker so I can't comment on the price/ menu selection there, but I often go there for my regular sports bar lunch and dinner fare. The steak tips are my favorite (have the sweet potato fries as a side); fish and chips are a close second. I had the turkey version of the meat loaf recently and it was surprisingly tasty, esp. with the apple-tomato relish. The burgers are great, I absolutely love the chicken lettuce wraps; but the buffalo wings and calamari are about average. My husband likes it there because he can still keep an eye on the Red Sox games as we're eating. The Tavern offers a Lunch Box menu of selected dishes which are a little cheaper than on the regular menu, so it makes for a good lunch spot. It's usually busy in the evenings, so I can understand if the service staff can't always come around to your table, but they're generally attentive and friendly. I keep going back and the friends I've brought there have enjoyed it too, so I guess I don't have too many complaints!
(4)Maryn H.
Nothing spectacular. They do have nice outdoor seating though, and the waitress who helped us was really funny and cute.
(3)