Insider Pages Reviews for Grafton Street Pub & Grill

3 Stars: Like the atmosphere (by EllieNH)

EllieNH — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 01:00:00 GMT

Food was decent...post-modern comfort food I guess you could say.

Great place to get a drink on a cold winter night.

1 Stars: The food was terrible! (by fooodie35)

fooodie35 — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 01:00:00 GMT

From the outside it looks like a great place, but the food was absolutely awful. My burger tasted "gamey", like the meat was old. My girlfriend's meal was so drenched in oil, it was practicallly inedible.

What a waste of 40 bucks.

2 Stars: Was it a club or a restaurant (by andy888)

andy888 — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 02:00:00 GMT

2 stars, need I say more!!! Went on a friday night, Will give credit for the service and the drinks, was the food frozen and cooked in a microwave? It was not worth the dining experience! Go back for the harvard club scene not the food.

3 Stars: Great bar, but steer clear of the kitchen (by TheReviewa)

TheReviewa — Sat, 18 Oct 2008 02:00:00 GMT

This place is great for a bar scene, but the food leaves something to be desired. The menu lacks consistency or any sort of theme and the food is surely frozen before preparation. Pizzas and apps are average at best and the sandwiches are nothing special. Stay in the bar for a good time, but seek other Harvard Square options for dinning purposes.

5 Stars: Great Food and Funny Bartender! (by LynchmobSomerville)

LynchmobSomerville — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I went here recently with my wife Kate and we had a blast. We sat at the bar and shared a few appetizers and had a few drinks. The bartender Paul was hilarious, worth going back just to watch him in action. The food was atypical bar food in the sense that it tasted very fresh, and that someone actually put time putting together rather than just throwing it on a plate.

4 Stars: Love this place (by bostongirl13)

bostongirl13 — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 02:00:00 GMT

I went to Grafton St. last night for a friend's birthday dinner - though i've eaten there in the past, I had never had anyhting beyond a burger or a salad, but i was left wondering why this was the case last night - had roasted chicken dish which was about as close to home-cooked as can possibly be - delicious, perfectly seasonsed and very reasobaly priced. Soemone else at the table got the pork and someone got a fish dish of some sort (bass maybe?) - everyone was super impressed. I'll definitely be back (maybe for brucnh, which I just found out they offered last night)! Good patio too.

5 Stars: Love the outdoor patio!!! (by Jules1126)

Jules1126 — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 02:00:00 GMT

Besides the food being amazing, I love love love that the outdoor patio opens up to Harvard! What a great scene - a little piece of Boston history in your line of sight while enjoying a lunch or dinner. There's always an interesting mix of people as well - everyone from students, to professors, to regular working people.

The crab cakes and the Pear Salad are delicious, and the butternut squash risotto is SO GOOD. I always have trouble making a decision when I eat at Grafton Street!

5 Stars: Awesome new menu, new chef, new staff, new managers, NEW EVERYTHING (by mwolfe28)

mwolfe28 — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 01:00:00 GMT

I think the only thing they didn't change here was the lighting... which is fine.
I used to go to Grafton street all the time a couple years ago until things started to slide and hadn't been back in a long time- It was almost by accident I ended up at the old haunt. Thankfully I was pleasantly surprised by all the work they've been up to. I know turnover is high in restaurants but it looks like they really went for it at Grafton and hired a new HAPPY staff that is friendly, knowledgeable and really hot.
The new menu is pretty hot for that matter too. The old pub staples are still there but now theres alot of new items and its being cooked by a new chef who makes everything look like a fine dining without killing me on the price. Even the new managers were walking around the dining room- one even came to my table just to see how everything was, then he refilled my drink himself instead of making a busy waitress do it.
It's nice to see the new life in Grafton Street- I'll definitely be hanging out there again in the near future!

1 Stars: Terrible, awful, don't go! (by klange422)

klange422 — Sun, 21 Oct 2007 02:00:00 GMT

I went to Grafton Street with six other people. Our waiter was extremely rude and slow. We finally ordered our food more than half an hour after we sat down. One of our friends told the waiter that she was allergic to peanuts and tomatos. When she received her wrap, it was stuffed with tomatos. She pointed it out, and he lectured her and had an atitude problem. I ordered the same wrap...it was awful. The drinks are terrible. The waitstaff is lazy. The food is disgusting..

5 Stars: Fantastic Food, Service and Hospitality (by davidflanagan)

davidflanagan — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 02:00:00 GMT

My wife and I ate at Grafton St with two friends from out of town. We were going to a show at 7:30. The staff couldn't have been more accommodating to our time restraints. The food was delicious and the wine list inexpensive with a large selection. When they overheard that it was my wife's birthday, they even sent over an extra dessert. Our server was friendly and professional, as was the host and valet (they have complimentary valet when going to the ART)! We will definetly be back when in Harvard Square!

1 Stars: A tidal wave of bad luck or just poor service. (by cambridgetour)

cambridgetour — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 01:00:00 GMT

A tidal wave of bad luck or just poor service. Take my advice, spend your money and your time looking for better dining experiences. The food was greasy, fatty, undercooked and thrown on a plate. Our service was an order taker and made no recommendations and offered no guidance. Entrees were overpriced.
Another disappointing Night! AVOID GRAFTON STREET CAMBRIDGE. Save Your Money & Your Time!

1 Stars: Stay away from this Harvard Square Diaster (by arlingtoncritic02474)

arlingtoncritic02474 — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 01:00:00 GMT

This wannabe Pub/Bistro needs a MAJOR Overhual. Fire Chef Dan Poque & Hire Waitstaff that actually enjoys working. Small Portions and Overpriced Drinks and Entrees will keep this Consumer & Friends away from this Harvard Square Diaster.

1 Stars: Travel to Boston or Providece for better dining experience (by southshorecritic)

southshorecritic — Sun, 21 Jan 2007 01:00:00 GMT

Hostess was polite and timely, not so for the waitstaff. Music was horrible. Food was reheated. It has potential, but would rather travel into Boston or Providece for better dining experience.

1 Stars: A real disappointment (by jo5377)

jo5377 — Mon, 11 Dec 2006 01:00:00 GMT

I have been eyeing this place for awhile and finally got to try it out on a Saturday night meeting up with friends. I am extremely disappointed. It looked like such a nice place, but obviously looks can be deceiving. The service was terrible. The waiter could care less about us and he took forever to get us our drinks. Like another reviewer had mentioned, he was too busy chatting with the rest of the wait staff and complaining about his tables to notice we needed refills. Well, the food was even worse. We ended up ordering a few appetizers instead of a meal and they were awful. The brushetta was a piece of hard, stale,end pieces of bread, with a slice of tomato and a big chunk of fresh mozzerella stuck on top, and the calamari was rubbery. The sauce that came with the calamari tasted like a bowl of mayo. The clam chowder was the only thing edible. Needless to say I do not recommend this place, and I will never be going back.

4 Stars: Another good place for afternoon snacks and drinks... (by northshorefoodies)

northshorefoodies — Sun, 17 Sep 2006 02:00:00 GMT

My boyfriend and were in Harvard Square for a second day in a row and got hungry and thirsty again. We saw this restaurant and thought it would be nice to sit on their sidewalk patio. It looked busy so i asked the hostess if we could sit there and just have an app and some drinks. She said it would be fine, but that our server might be "a little mad" if that was all we ordered. We decided to risk it. I had the best mojito of my life and my BF got an OK sidecar. The calimari was tender and yummy, but the salad was a little overdressed and limp. I guess we lucked out, because our server was very nice and did not seem mad at all. We had a nice time. I think I prefer the ambiance of Temple Bar more. Grafton Street is a little more chaotic with large parties and kids all over the place.

2 Stars: Poor Service / OK Pub Food (by patkiley)

patkiley — Mon, 03 Jul 2006 02:00:00 GMT

We waited an extended amount of time to get our bill... and even had to get up and ask the waitress for it . The food is nothing special. I would stick to the basics (club sandwiches / basic salad).

3 Stars: Bad Brunch Eggs (by gobears2001)

gobears2001 — Sat, 13 May 2006 02:00:00 GMT

If you go to Grafton St for Brunch, do not order eggs! Five people in our group ordered various omlette and egg items, and the consistency of the eggs were terrible! And they left a strange aftertaste...almost like a residue in your mouth. I cannot explain why it was so bad, but order their pizzas or something else other than eggs.

5 Stars: Something different in Cambridge... (by cooliogx)

cooliogx — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 01:00:00 GMT

Although the people that hang out there aren't very different from most other Cambridge spots, the place itself is. I've been to Grafton Street several times and it's always a place I'm willing to try again. Food is a bit pricey, but if you are going for a few drinks they have a great beer selection and live music on the weekends. The difference with the music is that it's typically a one-man-band, so it's not quite as loud as other live music bars (which is a good thing). Check it out, it's worth it...

1 Stars: VERY POOR (by mac30)

mac30 — Sun, 22 Jan 2006 01:00:00 GMT

I found the staff very rude and more interested in counting out their tips and chatting to each other than paying my group any attention. Crab cakes came highly recommended. they were poor at best. that the place lacked character.

3 Stars: ok....nothing special (by karind1)

karind1 — Fri, 30 Dec 2005 01:00:00 GMT

After walking by hundreds of times, decided to have Thanksgiving dinner at Grafton's. Very average experience all the way around. Only time I would go again is to sit at the bar and watch a game. Seems like a nice bar scene.

4 Stars: very nice location (by Luke L.)

Luke L. — Thu, 15 Sep 2005 15:11:00 GMT

On the outside, as you walk in Grafton may seem like a bar. However, there is more to it seems and that's why I checked it out.

The food is cooked very well and the prices aren't that off. You can get a burger for about $8.

The place is huge on the inside. The seats aren't very crowded so you can get your own place in the corner.

Dessert stinks. Don't get them.

5 Stars: Great place for drinks year round (by sb_fido)

sb_fido — Wed, 20 Apr 2005 02:00:00 GMT

I've always been very pleased by the bar service, especially the great beer selection and interesting cocktail menu. The food menu is interesting but trys too hard to be part Irish pub and trendy Cambridge resturant. Stick with the pizzas and pub fare for best results. It does get crowded any time the weather is nice and in the evenings and parking is nearly impossible. Overall, a great place.

4 Stars: Clam Chowda' (by califsunlover)

califsunlover — Sun, 30 May 2004 02:00:00 GMT

If you want great Boston clam chowder, this is the place to go. It is not a thick, chunky soup, but they use cream and a smokey bacon which is the key secret to the great taste. Sit at the bar for the best ambiance and people watching. Wish I lived in Boston to enjoy this place often..

3 Stars: I liked the old place better (by acme401)

acme401 — Mon, 14 Apr 2003 02:00:00 GMT

It's still good, but I liked the old place better. You still can't beat their chower & sandwich for lunch with an ice cold Stella. Yummy!