Darwin’s Ltd

Do you like absolutely delicious sandwiches that are very slightly overpriced?
How about a treasure trove of baked goods that are also very slightly overpriced, but you can’t resist?
And do you have a fondness for friendly staff who always make good coffee???
And finally, do you enjoy the thrill of a battleground for table space, where surely not everyone will survive???
Then this place is for you. order your sandwich, latte, and amazing cookie for $ 20, wait for 20 minutes for your food, and good luck out there on the battleground. it’ll be worth it, but just barely.
Also, protip: the special sandwiches are half-​off are 4pm. it’ll be a lucky day if there are any left by 4pm, but if there are, you have to jump on that $ 5 sandwich deal.

Excellent sandwiches, great assortment of foods, and wonderful cookies from Lakota Bakery.
That said, I actively avoid Darwins. If you come anytime at all, even when slammed, it will take you 30 minutes to get your sandwich. Period. This place is so poorly run it is maddening.
And If you have little kids, they’re already unhappy and lunch will be miserable.
Avoid.
Oh, and name your sandwiches the same at both of your Harvard Square locations. That’s just annoying.

beware… a few times recently my colleges and I have been overcharged for things or charged for extras (avocado or cheese) but the item doesn’t make it on the sandwich. Not sure if it is because everyone seems a bit high or just very forgetful and sloppy? Anyways 9 – 10 $ for a sandwich is pricey enough, let alone not getting what you want.

The coffee is really good, the sandwiches are crafted from good quality products, and are inexpensive, they are good but a bit more flavor would be great… Staff is very friendly

As a coffee house, just about perfect. Decent coffee, good selection of baked goods, excellent sandwiches (for both breakfast and lunch). Plus you can get breakfast until 3PM on weekends.
All of which means it’s incredibly difficult to get a seat, even during off hours. Good luck with that.

The sandwich was delicious and the ingredients fresh. Definitely worth the price and they were piled so high i couldn’t even hope to eat more than half! Unfortunately the seating was also jammed making it next to impossible to find a seat, so if you go plan to take it home or to a nearby park because you probably won’t find a seat there.

I was very disappointed with the poor service and latte. I asked if my mint machete can be made without mint. He said no. But when I watched the lady made my latte, it is obvious that the mint and machete were added into my cup separately.

I ordered a pear and ginger tart and macchiato. Service was friendly and speedy. The macchiato had spot on creaminess and coffee to foam ratio, and wasn’t too hot — very important in a tiny espresso drink to be able to fully experience the flavor. The latte art was a wee rosetta attempt, but macchiato is difficult to do art on. It was my first time here and the food offerings were honestly a bit overwhelming, although I’d like to return at another time to try some sandwiches. My tart was tasty, although could’ve been tastier if warmed. The cashier was friendly and energetic but didn’t offer to warm the tart, so I didn’t ask since there was a line. All in all, solid coffee/​sweets experience.

The coffee is really not very good, and I’m not even a coffee snob. They have a pretty good tea selection though.
The sandwiches are tasty and large but overpriced.
The staff is efficient and gets the job done but not very friendly.
Overall, it’s an a-​ok place. Nothing spectacularly nice but nothing glaringly bad either.
The free wifi and laptop friendly environment makes it an attractive place for a lot of students, it seems.

Darwin’s serves up tasty, fresh, and filling sandwiches in a nice, relaxed atmosphere. They’ve got two locations that are on either side of Harvard square, and another one somewhere else in Boston. Not going to try to be Darwin and figure out what the differences between the locations are, but I will attempt to characterize the one I went to.
Service during lunch time was pretty good, I doubt we waited more than 5 minutes for our sandwiches. I got an Ellsworth which had turkey breast, sundried tomatoes, and pesto… actually, I had to look that up, and upon doing so I found out its called different things depending on the location? In any case, there’s a decent amount of meat in the sandwiches and the quality is definitely discernible. They are a little pricey though, and that’s the main reason I’m going to have to go with 4-​stars. It was something like $ 9.50 for just the sandwich. Maybe one day I can get the Harvard professor salary?

Pricey for a breakfast spot; sandwiches run about 9 after tax, although the one I got the Handcock was worth it. About a pound of smoke salmon on it. Very tasty.

Great place to do a little work. The sandwiches are quite tasty, and the desserts look absurdly good (though, to be honest, I’ve been hooked on the florentines since 2008 and have yet to convince myself to try the others — I guess I should just visit more).

Tl;Dr overpriced and greasy good, but a good study space.
I ordered a simple egg and spinach bagel, which cost $ 6.25 (this will be the last time I order anything without having coffee first). The bagel sandwich was big, but not enough to justify the price. They wrapped the bagel in sandwich paper instead of giving it to me on a plate, and the bagel was so greasy that the oil seeped out all over my hands pretty much immediately.
It tasted ok for the first few bites, but the grease overpowered everything pretty quickly.
Their drip coffee smelled fantastic, and the first half tasted adequate. The bottom half was stale.
I’d give this place a one star, but their dessert is really pretty, the WiFi is strong, and there’s a lot of outlets. It was a decent study spot. Just don’t come for the food.

Been here at least 10 times. Come for the coffee and the breakfast sandwiches, both are good. But after a number of experiences I can say I just don’t think it’s worth it.
Prices definitely border outrageous, but don’t get me wrong I’m always willing to pay a little more for quality. What makes it not worth it is terrible customer service and a dingy table area.
I ordered a «make your own breakfast sandwich» this morning and when I got it the cheese was missing (gasp!). I knew I ordered it because it was on the slip I got, which means I also paid for it. And you better believe every single item you order on your sandwich is meticulously charged for. So after a few bites I brought the sandwich up to the counter where I ordered and said the cheese was missing. The person I spoke with went to the prep area and came back with two pieces of cold cheese on the piece of parchment paper (!). Hmm. I said ok well can you throw it on there for me and heat it up? No he said they can cant take my sandwich back over the counter, it’s a rule. Ok… well I wasn’t looking for a new sandwich but if you can’t take mine back handing me cold cheese isn’t really acceptable in my book.
I went back to my seat and didn’t put the cold cheese on my sandwich… but hey why waste, I brought it home and put it my fridge at least. Maybe I’ll melt it on my own breakfast sandwich since I won’t be getting any more from Darwin.
And yeah table never ever get cleaned through out the day.

223 reviews and I’m the first to mention the mocha buttercream? It might be the best coffee-​flavored cookie I’ve tried, and I eat a LOT of coffee-​flavored foods. The mocha part doesn’t have the kind of queasy aftertaste that you sometimes get from coffee frosting, and the cookie part is just right as a complement.
Of course, my affection for Darwin’s is overdetermined: they carry a bunch of my favorite fancy soda brands, have a wide selection of sandwiches in my sweet spot (mostly vegetarian but very fond of cheese), not to mention the desserts. I’d much rather pay $ 8-​$ 9 for a really good sandwich here than $ 7 for a mediocre one elsewhere in the neighborhood. I just wish it was easier to get a seat at lunchtime.
P. S. For best experience do not sit down on the bench outside with an iPhone in your back pocket and shatter the screen like I did

Guys! I am about to let you in on one of the best kept secrets of Cambridge: the Hancock. I am not kidding around when I say this the Hancock was hands down the BEST breakfast sandwich I have ever eaten.
The Hancock: fried Eggs with Cream Cheese, Smoked Salmon, Sauteed Red Onions and Tomato. This sandy is the perfect combination for a morning pick me up and a smile that will not leave your face.
Another need to get is an iced mocha. The chocolate they use in this beverage is something divine. It comes from the heavens. I couldn’t imagine paring the Hancock with this drink it would be a recipe for a heart attack.
While you are at Darwin’s be sure to check out the artwork that is hanging through out the café. This place is a great atmosphere if you are looking to study or have a conversation. Over all the staff was super friendly. I loved when I got an iced coffee that I could add my own syrups and milk, too. Keep up the great work, Darwin’s. I cannot wait for my return trip.

The best place for breakfast in Cambridge for me so far. I like to create my own sandwich for breakfast. Their roast beef with eggs and spinach is awesome. I like to add black beans in it, just my own taste, and that simply makes my day. However it’s a bit pricy too.
Their drip coffee (i usually just get a drip coffee, not sure about espresso base stuffs) is on the lighter side for me. You might need to get a red eye or add an extra shot. But the iced coffee is good. The staffs are very friendly and I love the warm and comfortable atmosphere.

I love hipster coffee shops and Darwins is no different. Sandos up the wazoo. Do they still price them by the pound? I am about that. Also breakfast sandwiches that are not to mess around with.
Decent amount of seating, solid drinks.
I am a fan.

3.5. I like going, but it can be hit or miss. After many iterations, I’ve gone with the Merrill on a garlic bagel. I’m not a huge fan of the lunch sandwiches (mainly, I love eggs), but my friend swears by the Crawford. More recently, the BLT special on ciabatta was pretty good, though I don’t think I would have paid $ 9 for it (protip: daily specials are half off after 4) — and there’s the rub: the sandwiches are pricey.
Other things: soups are good and filling. The iced coffee is excellent (more expensive than Crema, less expensive than HiRise) and the variety of tea is pretty good. Of the many cookies in the case — don’t expect chocolate chip cookies, these are like classy Pepperidge Farm cookies, and I mean that in a good way — the lemon macaroon is my favorite.
Internet is fast. If you like flavoring your coffee, syrup is free. There’s no rush to leave, though I would avoid hanging out here during peak hours (8 – 9, 12 – 1), both out of courtesy and if also if you don’t deal with noise.

This was my first time at this location of Darwin’s. I’ve been to the other one, on Mt. Auburn before. That one has a greater selection of grocery goods and feels a bit different. This one is primarily sandwich and drinks focused.
It’s definitely a very family-​friendly place. Darwin’s gives off a very hipster vibe without trying to be hipster, and the food is always freshly made and delicious. I’m reluctant to give a full five stars because the service isn’t always the most organized. At this location, you order at the cash register and then pay, then have to backtrack to the middle of the line to reach the sandwich counter, where you can pick up your food. There’s a lot of confusion, especially when the lines are long and there are lots of people waiting. They generally call out your name when your order is ready and I definitely heard a lot of names being called repeatedly.
I would recommend going if you’re not in a rush or especially hungry, as the experience will prove to be frustrating. The sandwiches are hearty and quite filling, so I’m willing to pay the higher prices. I recommend getting their daily bread if you’re at a loss with all the options. I personally love the Hancock (smoked salmon, cream cheese, egg and onion, tomato). It’s hearty and definitely a filling breakfast.
In closing, Darwin’s has that homemade flare that you just can’t get at other sandwich places. I would just caution against going there if in a rush.