Russell House Tavern

I Came here with a few friends looking for a nice dinner that wasn’t too casual and wasn’t to fancy. This place is a happy medium. Food was delicious and good portions for it’s price.

One of the places at Harvard Square that you can go for any meal and leave satisfied. We were here for dinner, first shared the nose to tail fritters then had pizza and burger. Portions and the flavors are big to fill a hungry person. What’s more exciting than the food though is the cocktails here. I can easily drink gallons of always sunny. Highly recommended.

Russell House is a great place to stop by for drinks or dinner if you are in Harvard Square. The inside is large and spacious, although a little too dark for my tastes (makes it difficult to take pictures of the food: D) I ordered the pork belly and kimchi sandwich, which was a great deal at only $ 13. It was packed with a generous amount of soft, tender pork belly and served on a crusty roll that added a nice contrasting crunch to the pork belly. There is a choice of a side salad or fries. I opted for the fries, which were a little on the soggy side but still paired very well with the sandwich. My partner ordered the 12 oz. ribeye, which was also very good. It was cooked perfectly to medium, with the inside still red and tender. I will definitely be back to try out their drinks and appetizers!

Came here for drinks so I can’t say much about the food. I tried every drink on their specialty drink menu and my favorite is the Moneypenny (Pimm’s No. 1, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, Lemon, Blackberry, Coffee, Tarragon, Egg White, Angostura Bitters) followed by the Crimson Crow (Sobieski Vodka, Lime, Raspberry, Rothman & Winter Crème De Violette, Pavan Liqueur De France). These are sweet but not overly sweet. Very good. My least favorite is the Distract N’ Confused (Ford’s Gin, Campari, Lustau San Emilio PX Sherry, El PelotÓn de la Muerte Mezcal, Regan’s No. 6). This one is bitter and very… hmmm…confusing. I wasn’t sure f it’s good bitter or gross bitter. I finally concluded that I would only drink this again if I was distracted and or confused.
I did order a small dish just so I’d get some food in me. I got the lamb meatballs. I wasn’t a fan. The flavor was way too strong for me. I guess I’m used to eating lamb thinly sliced and cooked in soup broth (hot pot) as opposed to a big meatball.
Definitely coming back here again.

This restaurant is 5 stars all around. The atmosphere is causal yet upscale, esp downstairs.
The food here is always amazing and their price is right. The duck entrée I got was amazing, and filling. Their oysters and scallops are fresh and desserts are great. Their menu is also very diverse, in terms of selection and price scale.
This is a go-​to spot if you want KNOW that you will get good food each time.

We had an 8:00 reservation and were seated promptly in a nice corner. And we’re semi forgotten about periodically throughout the evening. Our waitress was having a very busy night so it could have been that as well. Timing was just off for a few of the table’s meals — my duck confit in particular had a «sitting under a heat lamp» quality to it, though it was tasty.
Harvard Square is a convenient meet-​up point for another couple we often dine with and therefore I believe I ended up paying above what I think the value of the meal was worth.
The apps were a bigger hit, my terrine plate was lovely. The bottle of wine we had was good value and matched well with the meal. I’d recommend it if you’re looking for slightly upscale, standard American fare, but not for anything special. It is LOUD, busy, and definitely meets certain standards, but you pay for the location.

Cool little spot in Cambridge with good food although the menu seemed limited. Bartender Joe was cool, the other guy seemed like he wasn’t feeling work that day. Nice experience overall.

Russell house tavern is my go to place every time I am in Harvard square. The food is consistently delicious every time and the cocktails are interesting and tasty. This isn’t on the menu but they make a mean south side.
I think the thing we order EVERY time we are there are the pizzas. Russell house tavern makes a mean bar pizza. If you like oysters, there is a great oyster selection. The mignonette sauce is a
Pickle based sauce which is a nice change from the traditional. Overall, highly reccomend.

Hands down my favorite restaurant in Harvard Square. A really good place to go if you’re craving a fancy sandwich! I don’t order the entrees much, but seeing my neighbors’ plates, they smell and look amazing too.
I have gone to this place more than ten times, and every time I leave with a very, very happy feeling. I usually come here with friends or my boyfriend for lunch or brunch, but I have also brought my parents in for dinner and had an equally pleasant experience.
As for what I would recommend, here are some fabulous things to try if you see it on the menu (some dishes rotate on and off the menu):
–R. House Burger (8 ounces!!): Several of my guy friends, as well as my boyfriend, claim that this is the best burger they’ve ever tasted. My boyfriend orders it every other time.
–E.B.L.T. on a Croissant: A BLT with eggs. On a warm croissant. Are you salivating yet?
–Seared Yellowfin Tuna BLT: My personal favorite. So much flavor in one filling sandwich!
All the sandwiches and the burger are served with either fries or a tossed salad, but they are happy to give you a generous ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ split of both. They fries are served with ketchup and garlicky aioli.
If you’re visiting Harvard and wanted a nice sit-​down place for lunch or dinner, definitely try Russell House. You will leave with a smile on your face and a very satisfied tummy.

Have been here for both brunch and lunch, and while handsome, have had mixed experiences on both occasions. This past weekend, two friends both got sick from the anti-​benedict, which is essentially a Scotch egg (fried poached egg). On the bright side, the breakfast pizza is gorgeous, delicious and large enough to share for 2 at least.
A couple months ago, I was here for lunch with friends — while the outdoor courtyard is quite charming in good weather, the mussels were sandy and a complete disappointment, besides being tiny. Fingers crossed for better luck next time!

During my stay in Cambridge, I fell for this tavern… hard! First night here on a Wednesday the two floors were packed and there was a wait for a table, so we decided to leave. Big mistake! Unbeknownst to us, there was a second bar downstairs! I wanted to check this place out before I left town, so on my last night we totally lucked out! We arrived in time to see the tail end of a private party leaving so the main bar had cleared out. Yay! We parked our keesters at the bar for the rest of the night!
Drink–
I started with the Rising Tide Ishmael, Copper Ale and warmed up to Bulleit (Rye) whiskey.
My friend tried the «Grin And A Wink» — Old Overholt Rye, Dewar’s White Label Scotch, Campari, Lemon, Grenadine, Lemon-​Lime Soda. His cocktail was on point!
Food–
— New England w/​Three Local Cheeses, Traditional Accompaniments — ²⁄₃ cheeses were quite enjoyable; the accompaniments were sparse and lacking flavor.
— Lobster Sliders w/​Pickled Watermelon Rind, Watercress, Buttery Old Bay Brioche — bland, no flavor or seasoning to speak of!
After telling the bartender that we didn’t make it in the first night we tried, he was generous enough to surprise us with:
— Chilled Lobster Tail w/​Saffron-​Lemon Aioli! Saaayyyy whaaatttt?! It was chilled perfection people! Love love love me some, no all, all of the lobstah!
Service–
The bartender (kicking myself for not remembering his name!) was hospitable and engaging. It wasn’t until the end of the night right after last call when an obnoxious manager repeatedly and loudly declared to the remaining patrons at the bar that everyone had to leave, quickly! I wouldn’t have cared if he hadn’t done it with so much crass distaste. Buzz and mood killer.
Come for the atmosphere, stay for the fun, leave because of the boorish manager!

Thanksgiving Menu Review: Very pleasantly surprised by my dinner experience here. Exceeded my expectations, especially for the price — $ 45 three course prix fixe + $ 18 wine (or beer) pairing for each course.
First Course: The House-​cured Salmon dish was very pretty but too salty (as expected, but still). The Local Greens Salad with pear and candied pecans was massive and pretty good, just very oily.
Second Course: Everything was delicious — we were all happy campers! Both the Turkey and Grilled Swordfish were not dry at all and well-​seasoned. The Short Ribs were the star of the night IMO, with a rich, flavorful sauce and melt-​in-​your-​mouth tender meat. Good wine pairings for these, too.
Third /​Dessert: Both the Pumpkin Cheesecake and Pecan Pie + bourbon ice cream were great, and just enough to get us full but not stuffed. Didn’t like the sherry paired with it though — too sweet.
Wish they had this stuff on their regular dinner menu, but overall I’m convinced of the food & drink quality here. v

Met up with some friends for brunch here. Russell House has a few different dining rooms (upstairs/​downstairs) and outdoor seating. We were seated in the downstairs room for brunch. The brunch menu differs quite a bit from the lunch and dinner menu options. It definitely caters more to the breakfast foods with some sandwiches and salads.
Food:
— Anti-​Eggs Benedict — Two crispy fried poached farm eggs, local stone and skillet English muffin, spinach, sausage, and Hollandaise with home fries. Really good! The only difference between the regular and anti-​benedicts are the fried poached eggs, spinach, and home fries instead of hash browns, but these differences were enough to win me over!
— Stuffed Brioche French Toast — Topped with Nutella, candied filberts, and torched bananas. This was way too sweet… It should definitely be split by two or more people because it gets to be a little too much after a few bites. Tasted more like dessert than brunch!
Located in Harvard Square, just steps from Harvard University, this area is great for walking around afterwards!

This had to of been my favorite spot we went to while on vacation! There’s a few tables outside on the patio that you walk by to get to the main door and it looks small when you first walk in. There are tables to your left as well as a small bar, but straight ahead there are stairs that lead you to the main dining area where there is large bar and plenty of table seating. It’s dimly lit and has an old school feel between the waiters and bartenders outfits and the fancy cocktails being made at the bar.
The wait was about an hour, so we stalked the bar waiting for someone to get up. We had great luck and ended up sitting down at the bar within 5 minutes of walking in! Our bartender, Joe, was amazing! All of his suggestions were on point! I ended up having the steak and blue flatbread pizza which was absolutely delicious! A garlic base, arugula, roasted cherry tomatoes, steak and blue cheese! I ate the whole thing myself, but it was definitely large enough to share! They have a great selection of beers on tap and Joe definitely knew his stuff. I told him what I liked and every beer he recommended was awesome!
The prices here are reasonable and the atmosphere is great! It’s definitely fun to sit at the bar downstairs and watch the bartenders make the cocktails. There’s so much that goes into them and they like to put on a show when shaking up the drinks! I had a few sips my sister’s cocktails and they were really great! Some of the best cocktails I’ve ever tasted! Again, Joe is awesome! If I ever find myself in Boston again, I will definitely be returning!

Overall good food but I wasn’t really blown away.
I actually rather liked the atmosphere on the inside — it was cozy, intimate, and when you went inside you felt like you were eating somewhere tucked away instead of in the middle of Harvard Square. That being said — maybe because of the atmosphere — I wasn’t very impressed with the menu. I ended up ordering the moules frites because it seemed like the most interesting thing on the menu. I actually ended up loving the fries and dipping sauce, but I wasn’t a big fan of the mussels and the broth.
Perhaps I ordered the wrong thing. Perhaps I should have stuck with the burgers and sandwiches. But based on what I ordered 3-​stars seems about right. I would consider coming back to try something different.

I hang out in Harvard Square a lot and had always wanted to check out Russell House Tavern at some point, simply because of its gorgeous outdoor seating and pretty archy gate (in case you didn’t know, I am a sucker for well designed restaurants). Finally I did check out this place before I am leaving Boston.
With its fancy look and premium location in the heart of Harvard Square, one would think price is high. Nope! I got an egg Benedict with a lot of fries for a reasonable price of $ 12 – 13 (let me tell you that I paid the same price for a much smaller portion at a coffee house also in harvard square). They are also running a promotion on Unilocal to give away a non– alcoholic drink per person if you visit before 4pm on a weekday. I got a cappuccino which tastes decent but could use some foam art (if you are giving away something, it’s worth making them pretty, right?) — this is the only reason I dock 1 point off their rating (a little but harsh I know — I would give a 4.5 stars if that’s possible)
There’s nothing to complain about the design of this restaurant. The outdoor seating makes you feel like you are taken back to the 19^th century somewhere in Europe. It’s even prettier at night with the string lights lit up. There’s a lot of space inside too if you dont like sunshine or moonlight (why not!!!) — indoor seating feels like a fancy cigar club (lol jst my impression).
This place can get crowded pretty quickly
So make sure you get a reservation or just come early to beat the traffic. We came in at 11am which is when the place starts opening and there’s already a line of people waiting outside.

Great vibe, great food, great location.
Our group was seated in the basement where there is another bar (wonder how many bars there are in this spot). The place is packed! Both at the tables and the bar.
The food is SO GOOD. I got the oyster appetizer and the pizza for dinner — both exceeded my expectations. Everything was cooked perfectly, and the flavors can definitely wake you up. Both comforting and pleasantly surprising.
Four stars because compared to other restaurants in Boston, it wasn’t necessarily «out of this world amazing,» but it’s definitely on the top of the list. A good casual spot for good food :)

Even if it’s not a cheat day I wouldn’t feel guilty eating here. The menu is full of scrumptious options — I always have a tough time deciding on the fare, but now I know I’ll probably be happy with whatever I choose! Chickpea fritter with parsnip purée is heavenly — purée changes depending on the season by the way (around now it’s carrot). Yummy veg option and very filling.
Beet salad is presented beautifully — feast for the eyes and will definitely sing for your taste buds. All the flavors just go really well together and they do a great job not just throwing the usual diced beets onto a bed of greens with almonds/​walnuts. They do pistachios and cherries. I love getting this salad with my entrée. The local leaf salad packs a good flavor punch, too.
You’ll get a delicious house made kimchi with aioli with the pork belly sandwich — big portion as well. The pork can be a bit fatty — just let it happen. Yum. The flavors are great and so is the price point! More than satisfying option that won’t break the bank — especially if you plan on having a few cocktails.
Cocktails are fun — I favor the Guadelajara and Battle of Trafalgar. Jumpin Jack Smash isn’t bad either. Moscow Mule is ok but the other drinks are better.
Seafood is fresh and delicious — subtle but good swordfish salad. Complement it with oysters from the raw bar and you’ve got a light satisfying dinner. Tried every single oyster on the menu — super fresh. Do ittttt.
A go to spot for date nights, hosting out of towners, or just catching up with friends. Love the convenient location — right off the Harvard T Stop. Street parking isn’t great but you can definitely find some on side streets depending on the night!
Don’t miss out on amazing food and drinks — can’t wait to try more from here!

After searching for parking for 30 minutes (don’t be like us, do not drive there!), I was excited to eat in the cute alleyway style outdoor area, but unfortunately it was closed when we stopped by for lunch on a Saturday. Not sure if it was because it had rained a little earlier in the day or if they just don’t seat the area until dinner, but that was a small bummer. My husband and I were, instead, seated at a table on the lower level. The restaurant is much larger than I anticipated with plenty of seating, although at this time most of the tables were occupied.
We were there at about 1pm and they were still serving items off of the brunch menu. I opted for the EBLT, which included a fried egg and was served on a croissant. It wasn’t bad, but not memorable. The home fries it came with were not good at all. Honestly, they tasted like they had been sitting under a warming lamp all morning. My husband had the burger. That, luckily, was not disappointing at all. It was very large, messy, and had an amazing beef patty. So good! They had a pretty extensive wine and beer menu. Food came out rather quickly and the server was very friendly.
Overall I’m not mad we chose this for our lunch while visiting Cambridge, but I’d probably also have been happier elsewhere.

Stopped by to grab a drink with my boyfriend after dinner! They have a wide range of cocktails and drinks and the place is very cute. We sat by the bar, and it seems like there’s a decent amount of space — more downstairs and even outdoor seating too.
Ordered some Moscow mules for drinks and got a side of fries — both were delicious. Had a good buzz going after one drink! Would recommend! Great atmosphere and attentive staff.

Restau sympa a côté du campus d’Harvard. Dommage que seule la carte de brunch soit disponible les weekends et jours fériés, mais prix très abordables et bonnes bières. Un backyard agréable aussi.

Cette taverne est une très belle découverte dans Cambridge. Nous étions 4 amis pour le brunch un dimanche et nous avons été conquis! L’ambiance était à la fête pour la St-​Patrick et les games de foot à la TV. Néanmoins, nous avons été très bien servis et nous avons très bien mangé…un peu trop! Les brunchs sont rustiques, généreux, faits d’ingrédients frais et pour la plupart, locaux et/​ou biologiques. Les pommes de terre en accompagnement sont sublimes: gros quartiers, bien assaisonnés avec oignons caramélisés. Les jus d’orange et de pamplemousse sont fraîchement pressés et les tranches de bacon, bien épaisses. Belle présentation et bonne température. Les salles de bains sont propres et bien aménagées. Il y a aussi un grand bar central pour les 5@7 et les soirées bien arrosées. À essayer absolument lors d’un passage dans Cambridge!

Das erste Haus am Platz, beschreibt die Lage der Russell House Tavern, direkt am Harvard Square gelegen, ganz gut. Neben dem Lokal auf Straßenebene, gibt es noch einen großen Keller mit Bar.
An einem Freitag Abend war es daher auch ordentlich voll, so wir zu zweit ein Weilchen (30 Min.) auf Sitzplätze warten mussten. In der Zwischenzeit versuchten wir uns Zugang zu Getränken in der Bar zu verschaffen — kein leichtes Unterfangen, so dass sogar unser Tisch vor dem Cocktail und dem Bier zur Verfügung stand.
Während es an der Bar harkte, war der Service am Tisch gut. Wir bestellten Burger und Rib Eye. Der Burger war gut. Das Rib Eye ließ ebenfalls nichts zu wünschen übrig. Die Getränke fanden ihren Weg in akzeptabler Geschwindigkeit.