I enjoyed my dinner at Highland Kitchen!…read more This was my first stop with a friend after landing in Boston. I live for Creole food so I loved seeing Creole options on the menu. The cocktail and beer selection was also nice. Service was also super attentive to my food allergy. Solid option in Somerville.

Many years ago (I'm talking pre-pandemic), Highland Kitchen used to have the BEST fish and chips…read moreI've had this side of the Atlantic. And those are the days I miss, because the food was good across the board. Since that time, it's gone downhill quite a bit, and I don't know why. The past few times I've eaten here, my food was oversalted or overcooked, smaller portions, you name it. Recently, I was here with friends and I wasn't overly hungry, so I ordered some sides... broccolini and mac and cheese. My meal was fine, but nothing great. The waiter we had was super attentive and friendly, so no issues there. Highland is a staple in Somerville and lots of our friends love it, so we will keep coming back, but it's never my first choice for places to get dinner anymore, whereas it used to be. I miss those days!

Full Blog: https://tantorski.com/f/black-ruby…read more Friday nights in Cambridge have a great energy, and Black Ruby fully leans into it. The restaurant was buzzing when we arrived, but we were seated right away at the last available table. The space felt both lively and cozy, perfect for a date night. Service started a bit slow, but once it picked up, the pacing was excellent. Our server was more hands off, which worked well, letting us settle in and enjoy the night without feeling rushed. We started with the Larb Pork Dumplings, which were beautifully presented with chili lime mayo, fresh herbs, and crispy greens. They were fried perfectly, packed with bright Thai flavors, and the added crunch from the greens made the dish even better. With five dumplings, it was a great portion to share. For dinner, we ordered the Crispy Basil Burger and the Thai Garlic Burger, both cooked medium and full of flavor, with Thai seasoning adding a unique twist to the beef.

Once I tried Black Ruby, it immediately became one of my favorite restaurants in Cambridge. The…read morecocktails are creative and delicious--I love the Thai Tea Martini--and the food is fantastic as well. The Khao Soi burger is my go-to. It has all of the flavors and textures of Khao Soi, with pickled mustard greens for acid, crispy noodles for a crunchy flair, and just the right amount of spice. I find myself craving it often! The one and only bone I have to pick with Black Ruby is that the service, while very attentive, is almost TOO fast. I get that they want to turn tables over efficiently, but the last couple of times I've come, I kind of felt like they were rushing me out. I came here to catch up with a couple friends and our food came almost instantly, before our drinks, and the waitress seemed eager to keep us moving. I think our entire meal was less than 50 minutes. While I'll definitely be back, I think it won't be somewhere I'd bring friends anymore since it's just not enough time for a full conversation.

We got the pulled pork egg rolls... absolutely amazing!!!! I also order the chicken parm wings…read morewhich were good but I was very confused how these could be considered wings... they are chicken tenders... I feel as though they were mislabeled on the menu because that's not what I expected ... other than that it was very good!

I think the owners need to send in some mystery diners and see if the customar experience is what…read morethey think it is. This place has all the Hallmarks that is good depending on who is working that night. And that is the beginning of the end for a lot of places.

A quirky and tiny pub/bar in Inman Square with lots of character everywhere you look. We…read moreunfortunately missed the kitchen as by the time we got there at 10:30pm, they had stopped serving food (on a Tuesday). But we grabbed a drink and enjoyed conversation. They had a lot of local brews and my cider was local too from MA--it was really good and refreshing. It was busy for a weeknight, so I think this is a good spot for locals! We will definitely come back for food another night as we wanted to try their fish and chip.

I came here on a Friday, probably around 2 PM, when it wasn't as busy, but most tables and…read morebarstools were occupied. The service was very warm and friendly, and I felt very well taken care of. The fish and chips were pretty good, with the added charm of being wrapped in newspaper. The portion was pretty big, and the server offered a takeaway container for my leftovers, and I opted for a plastic bag instead since the newspaper already made it quite convenient. Would definitely go back here again, especially to check out the live music for myself.

Avenue Kitchen + Bar: A Ball Square "Short & Sweet" Review…read more​Rating: The Vibe: High-end industrial garage where everyone is 15% cooler than me. ​The Pizza: Their Detroit-style crust is a thick, cheesy brick of joy. It's the only thing in Somerville with more structural integrity than the Green Line. ​The Drinks: Strong enough to make you forget that you spent forty minutes looking for a parking spot three blocks away. ​The Noise: Loud enough that you don't have to pretend to listen to your date's podcast ideas. ​Verdict: Go for the crispy cheese edges, stay because you've had two "Spicy Margaritas" and walking up the Winter Hill incline now seems impossible.

Great spot for the neighborhood, super cozy vibe with genuinely friendly service. We tried the…read moretequila wings, personal pizza, and chicken sandwich, and loved all three. The wings were huge, juicy, and perfectly crunchy with tons of flavor. The pizza had a crisp crust and really flavorful sauce, and the chicken sandwich was hand-breaded with high-quality ingredients. Highly recommend, we will definitely be coming back!

For dinner and drinks, this is a great restaurant in the neighborhood. The ambiance for a cocktail…read moreparty was great, and the hamburger sliders and cocktails were top notch. In particular, there was an orange mezcal cocktail I loved. For brunch, it was good but not great. The pancakes were good, but the eggs Benedict wasn't as good as I hoped. It was trying to be too many things. I think it would be better if the veg was on the side and not on the egg, and the Benedict sauce could benefit from having more flavor, maybe a little more spice. The coffee and cappuccino was also mediocre. The service was friendly and the location convenient, right next to the Cambria hotel with an indoor entrance between the two. Recommend for dinner and drinks!

Let me preface this with I'm a SAVORY GIRL! My favorite foods are lemon, garlic and salt. This…read moreplace made everything the exact way I would want it if I could always have everything my way One of the best meals I've had in a while. I got a martini with the blue cheese olives, the smoked blue cheese in the olive was so unique and CREAMY and salty I'd be happy to back just for the olives alone. Shrimp cocktail came with half a lemon with OLD BAY seasoning!! Genius! Big shrimp, two sauces were great too, horse radish cream sauce and a classic cocktail sauce which was a tad sweet for me but I'll get over it because I'm all about the lemon and old bay. Cesar salad! Big salad! Wish we shared one. Big garlic croutons with a bit of rosemary and you could taste good olive oil on those. Dressing was very lemony and there was a hefty amount of cheese. I'd say even if you're someone who prefers a creamy Cesar you'd probably still like this because there's a lot of cheese which added great texture. Came with a big grilled lemon which is an A++ move in my book. Husband added grilled chicken to his and said it was great. Next time we'll share a Cesar and I can't wait to go back and try the fried artichokes.

I was impressed with this place once I overcame my surprise this is not a stand alone diner car…read more I ordered the bacon cheeseburger since it is a signature dish. It was tasty, greasy (in a good way), and the spiced fries were a nice change up. My wife and I ordered a bottle of wine which was priced quite reasonably. This place has a stealthy good selection of craft beers on tap. Look forward to returning here again.

Walked in on day after thanksgiving for brunch, and this place was relatively quiet. We got an…read moreamazing booth seating, but really wanted their fancy bus seating which gives a classic diner feel to the restaurant. TL;DR - if you are from Bombay, are craving that specific Bombay Chinese food taste, and Vada Pav - look no further - this is the place. Most of their staff are fellow Mumbaikars - shout out to Shiv, Dhvani, and Ronak! Shiv, our server was friendly and our hungry table got straight to ordering which included a flavor packed and well priced Lychee Martini ($10), Masala Chai Hot Toddy ($12), and Spicy 'Lil Rita ($12) - being the best one! Food included some well name dishes like Kashmiri Deviled Eggs ($12), Vada Pav ($12), Rasam Risotto ($15), Butter Chicken Pot Pie ($20), Chicken Steak with Makhani Sauce ($18), Street Fried Noodles ($16), and Penne Pasta with Chicken for the kiddos. Food just hits the right spots and is very flavorful, extremely well seasoned, and perfectly spiced. Interiors and their bar is very inviting. Noise levels during our stay were on the lower end. Service was excellent. What was refreshing was they didn't charge us any automatic gratuity even for our large group - but absolutely deserved a generous one! Highly highly recommend if flavorful food is your thing!

More love for my neighborhood bar, please! What's not to like?…read more*solid, rotating tap list (which expands during Oktoberfest season) *solid pub food -- burgers, curry, salmon sandwich, even the tacos are decent for a non-Mexican joint *fireplace *lots of beer signs/decor *friendly staff *Tuesday night trivia

Oh my gosh this place was great! It gets packed on the weekend, so definitely come by earlier in…read morethe week or before 6 on the weekend! The staff are great, super friendly. Love their selection on tap, and the prices are great. I love that they have multiple games going on both on the tv and projector! Very cozy spot too, with nice lighting. The food was amazing, I was really impressed. Hearty, comforting dishes that were super satisfying!

Wow talk about a hidden gem!…read more I hadn't heard much about this place so I wasn't sure what to expect-- located in Inman square with nearby limited street parking (there's a metered lot on Springfield street nearby!), Oak Bistro is a medium sized restaurant with a simple but chic decor and true focus on hospitality. When we came in we were greeted and our coats were taken and put away. They have rotating specials that our server walked us through. We ordered all three of the mock tails on the menu -- Odin's Oracle was a sparkling elderflower and passion fruit drink, the Northern Rose was fruity with a slight thick cream of coconut base (and the tables favorite!) and the last drink was a warm ginger drink. They all came out looking beautiful. For food, we started with the Halloumi Cheese which was delicious and perfect for sharing (comes with four pieces), then tried the Blueberry Ricotta Cornbread (really well made and yummy but needed a little more butter spread) and the fried burrata (huge serving of burrata with balsamic, fig jam, warm bread, just as good as it sounds). We tried the Braised Short Rib Croquettes which were stuffed with short rib and topped with sooo much yummy cheese. We also had the Pappardelle braised shore rib Ragu which was truly delicious-- would highly recommend. For dessert we tried a special menu bread pudding which was a perfect end to the night. Our leftovers came perfectly packaged in little baggies with dish names and dates written on them which is so cute and thoughtful! Overall I would order everything we got again and was so pleasantly surprised by the caliber of food at Oak Bistro-- get in and try it before it gets too popular!

Most excellent Yelp find! I am still not sure why it wasn't packed the day we visited. I don't…read moreknow if it's new or if it's unpopular or what it could be, because this place is great! Everything and everyone we encountered were just lovely! Our server was a delight. Slightly shy and a bit pensive at first. She opened up as we interacted. The interior is beautifully decorated. Interior design was spot on to me and the atmosphere was warm and cozy. Bravo! Why is it empty?? Restaurant business if tough man! Here sits a great place and no one is there. I really hope they kill it at night as our visit was at lunch. I absolutely loved my sandwich and think about it often still to this day. Beautifully grilled and crunchy, with a great beefy/oniony taste. The au jus was rich and flavorful and oh so good. Fries were fresh and also banging as well. C's dish of the thousand layers of really thin potato slices was probably the coolest thing we had to eat on our trip to the northeast. Wonderful dish with an excellent presentation! The piles of pecorino were an instant swoon. Very time consuming dish to prepare well. I applaud them for having it on the menu. All in all, a total memory maker kind of place that I do hope to return to someday. Until then, take care and keep up the good work! '26 - 10

No one needs this review because this place is old as dirt and has over 1,000 reviews ... but here…read moreI go. I have not been here in years. I mean like since the 70s. My middle son wanted to try it out and I thought why not - it is a Monday, day after a bad Super Bowl loss, and frigid - should be quiet. I was right so no wait and very quiet. This was the best burger I have had in a while. I have all but given up on eating burgers out but this one was ... chef's kiss. I got a build your own - The bun was toasted just right and held up to a juicy burger, the meat was tasty (not mushy like the place down the street), the tomato was flavorful (how in winter, I don't know), the pickle to burger ratio was perfect, and the fried onion straws made the combo complete. Bonus points for the raspberry lime Rickey - Also something I gave up getting at restaurants because it is usually too sweet. This was the right combo and you could tell they squeezed a fresh lime and not just added syrup.

I'll be honest, I had high hopes for this place. After seeing it online and just how it's an old…read moreschool vibe, been open for a long time. I was impressed upon arrival, seeing the cool menu and interior. Knowing that many celebrities had eaten here! But then the food came out and we were a little disappointed. I ordered the D-Luxe and my boyfriend got the Bill Burr. We also started with soups, clam chowder and chili. The soups were good. Fries were really good! The burgers looked good, but then we took a bite. We both got medium, but usually that means pink...not raw. I'm not even lying my burger felt like I was eating raw meat. The meat was still super soft and shredded like. I get pink, but not raw. I was nervous I'd be sick after to be honest. I hate seeing pictures of people's bitten into food online but I felt the need to post it for reference... It's too bad because the vibes were great and everything, and maybe next time it'll be better, but I'd definitely say medium or medium well...