Cambridge Dining Guide
Best Bars & Cocktails in Harvard Square
The 5 bars & cocktails restaurants in Harvard Square worth walking to — ranked, with addresses, hours, and T access. Curated by Guide to Cambridge.
Cambridge's bar scene is more varied than most people expect. Beyond the classic college bars of Harvard Square, you'll find speakeasy-style cocktail lounges with house-made bitters, natural wine bars with curated European imports, local craft breweries, and neighborhood Irish pubs that have anchored their blocks for generations.
Insider TipCambridge bars close at 1 AM (some at 2 AM on weekends). For the best cocktail experience, visit earlier in the evening when bartenders have time to craft custom drinks.
Wusong Road
Tiki Bar · 112 Mt Auburn St, Cambridge, MA 02138
Two-level Tiki bar and New England Chinese restaurant from Cambridge native Jason Doo, hidden in the century-old Conductor's Building on the edge of Harvard Square. Upstairs is Tiki drinks; downstairs is Hong Kong-deli rice plates.
Noir Bar
Cocktail Bar · 1 Bennett St, Cambridge, MA 02138
Candle-lit bar at the Charles Hotel with a 1940s film-noir atmosphere. French-inspired cocktails built on premium spirits and house-made ingredients. Part of the Charles Hotel dining collection alongside Henrietta's Table.
The Longfellow Bar
Cocktail Bar · 40 Brattle St, Cambridge, MA 02138
Above Alden & Harlow in historic Café Algiers space. Craft cocktails with house-made infusions, syrups, and bitters. The famous secret burger available all night.
Shay's Pub & Wine Bar
Wine Bar · 58 John F. Kennedy St, Cambridge, MA 02138
Harvard Square basement pub on JFK Street — curated wine list, strong beer rotation, from-scratch pub food built on local grass-fed beef and hand-cut fries. The heated outdoor patio is one of the most coveted spots in the Square in warm weather.
Grafton Street Pub & Grill
Irish Pub · 59 JFK St, Cambridge, MA 02138
The original Grafton Group restaurant, now in the former PARK Restaurant space at the corner of JFK and Winthrop. Full-service pub food, extensive beer list, late-night kitchen, outdoor patio. Named after the cobblestone shopping street in Dublin.