Catalyst has great food and drinks and is a decent option for a special dinner or a business event. The scallops were amazing and cooked perfectly. Other dishes were good, too, but out of what our party ordered, the scallops were what really stood out. They also have a wide range of appetizers that were great for starting off the meal and great cocktails. Overall, we really enjoyed our meal here, although I don't know if it quite measures up to some of the other excellent restaurants on Main Street. read more

Catalyst Restaurant - Chocolate cake dessert - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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I work across the street but never understood what seemed like overpriced hype about this place... until my SO introduced me to the cod. If you think there's a chance at all you might eat white fish, just get it. Drinks good too. read more

Another restaurant I visited while in Cambridge and this too was very good. I had the Tempura Battered Delicata Squash Rings for an appetizer and the Block Island Swordfish for dinner. Another very good Cambridge restaurant. Sat at the bar here as well and the food and cocktails were very much enjoyed as was the service. read more

We had a wonderful experience with Catalyst Restaurant. We chose Catalyst for my husbands LCDR promotion celebratory luncheon. We had the restaurant to ourselves and sat in their fireplace room. Robyn was an ease and wonderful to work with from our initial phone call to setting the menu. Table was beautifully set on arrival with printed menus. We had a beautiful 2 hour lunch with a champagne toast and dessert. Food was delicious and a wonderful time was had by all. I would not hesitate to recommend Catalyst for any special event! read more

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Delicious spot with beautiful decor right next to Area Four / Tech Square. Very friendly service. An excellent choice for group lunches and corporate outings, as it is a little expensive. Healthy lunch options are available, as well as tasty comfort food. read more

Catalyst Restaurant - Catalyst Burger - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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I don't understand people's gripe about this place. I had a very good experience there while having dinner with a friend. Having heard many things about this place and receiving recommendations on what to order, I was very much looking forward to my meal there. I OpenTable'd a reservation a few weeks ago and met my dining companion at the bar there for a quick drink before being seated for dinner. Immediately upon entering, I noticed how sleek, modern and yet so simple and welcoming the decor was. There's a lot of metal, woods and even stone: yet it is very simple and quite elegant. I can't exactly describe it, but it is very modern and with a naturish kind of twist: I totally dig it. On my left, I also noticed a nice gas fireplace which was a nice touch. The place isn't too dark either - I feel like they really outdid themselves and designed a very clever layout. It's spacious, it's inviting and has a great flow to it. At the bar, I decided to order up an "Undecided" ($11) which let the bartender decide what I was drinking, after asking me what I was in the mood for. I requested something with some whiskey and ended up with a drink featuring some bourbon, Benedictine and lillet. It went down smoothly and i was now ready for the meal. We were seated and bread arrived along with the menus and some water. After taking a quick glance at it, I was ready to order. I was going to get an appetizer and an entree and share a side or two of their small plates with my friend since we were both very hungry. My meal started with their caramelized onion soup which was topped with a raclette toast and some roasted Cipollini onions ($9). Then came the main course which was a medium rare tournedos of beef with some rainbow chard, some house-made Tallegio ravioli with a Bordelaise sauce ($28). The meat was absolutely divine and extremely tender; the pasta was tasty however a tad dry (maybe from a heat lamp?) but the sauce paired well with the dish and my plate was clean within instants. I loved every single bite. Luckily my meal wasn't over - as my main course arrived, so did two smaller, shareable plates: the first was a dish which was recommended by a friend of mine who had dined there previously and was their Garganelli pasta served with chicken oysters, bacon, black truffle butter ($10). That dish was pretty damn tasty and the chicken oysters were both original and absolutely amazing. For those who aren't familiar with the ingredient it's basically a piece of dark meat that's in the back of the chicken's thigh. They are about the size of the quarter and there's only two per chicken making it somewhat of a delicacy. It's delicious. Along with that dish came an order of their grilled scallions which came topped with some almond pesto ($6) - They were pretty tasty as well. All in all this place is an incredible addition to the Kendall Square food scene. While it's not a very affordable option, it's also not completely out of price and the quality is great. But aside from the great food, the service and the atmosphere make it a neighborhood gem. I look forward to returning there in the future whether it be for lunch, dinner, brunch or drinks. High five! read more

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Upon entry, a small cocktail seating arrangement on the left is warmed by a blazing wall of fire that offsets the stark metal lighting of purple tinted balls that seem to float freely above ones head and throughout the space. Catalyst was a win from the moment we walked in. I can't remember the last time we entered a restaurant and the host genuinely smiled and said hello. Reservation for 6 that ended up being five and we were ten minutes late. "That's no problem, your table should be ready in a minute or two." And it was. The post modern architecture uses soaring ceilings and enormous swathes of warm, comforting wood paneling that is enmeshed with industrial ducts and commercial framed windows to welcome you to sparse Kendall Square. The seating area is divided into three distinct sections including the bar with tall chairs and tables, the front facing window expanse with low and wide seats and the cozy back area that is framed by the open kitchen glowing in the rear. Tables are spaced far enough apart so one is not cramped. The flat black sheen floor holds the entire restaurant together and flows from one section to the next. Although our server forgot about our first order of drinks, once this minor blip passed, the meal was a delight. Attentive servers, professional attitude, well prepared food. The bartenders' choice cocktail was cucumber vodka paired with lemonade. Good but I switched to Sapphire martinis after the first one. A glass of excellent spicy red wine was had by one of the party. The rest continued with martinis. Thick and meaty oysters, juicy and succulent, were served with a mint pesto "dollop" and arrive on beds of see salt with seaweed garnish. An amazing house made garganelli (similar to ziti) with chicken oysters, bacon, and black truffle butter sprinkled with fresh shredded Parmesan follows. This tender morsel of meat from the backbone is rarely used but is a French specialty that allows the chef to display his mastery of French cuisine, evident throughout the menu. The bacon bits and truffle butter meld into the chicken and garganelli creating an almost creamy fabric. Gnocchi with oven dried tomato and black olives are purported to be "the best gnocchi ever eaten" by a man who makes gnocchi. This gnocchi is simple, soft and luscious. The Catalyst Burger with "bacon, caramelized onions and roasted tomato" served on a brioche bun with "house made ketchup, mustard and aioli" is wonderful. Prepared to perfect med rare, the meat is juicy, tender, seasoned with a bit of salt and one of the best burgers I've ever tasted. The bun suits the affair quite well and contains the whole "mess" perfectly. The ketchup alone is worth ordering since the ramekin contains the single most delightful order of tomato sauce ever concocted. I got lucky and was given an entire half of a burger since a lady friend had ordered a bit too much food and happily gorged myself on this meaty sandwich. Roasted cod with olive oil and crushed butterball potatoes surrounded by a fennel based mussel chowder with tarragon (parsley, basil and chives?) butter and cream was on par with the finest prepared fish I or anybody else at the table had ever eaten. A nice sized chunk of cod literally crushed the mashed potatoes below and created a starchy mop with which to spoon up the delicious mussel chowder. The cod is exceptionally buttery, tender and flaky, falling apart with the slightest application of a fork, pan seared with salt and pepper - crispy on top, perfectly paired with the seafood in the underlying chowder. Deep and delicious cappuccinos and espresso follow, earthy; the coffee has a near thick quality to it. We finish with several flutes of prosecco - extraordinarily crisp and dry, a perfect conclusion to an amazing new addition to the Boston restaurant scene. We had somewhat low expectations once we found out Catalyst had only been open for four days but honestly, in my mind it had been open for several weeks. Two friends from the "venerable" NYC were particularly pleased, I believe at some point during the hours after dinner both commented "nice choice" for dinner. We all know that us Bostonians don't need New Yorkers' stamp of approval but without even fishing, stamp was granted. Easily accessible from the Red Line, this day four experience was incredible. As most folks note, it is hard to review a restaurant in its' early days but some how, Catalyst succeeds. Amazing. read more

WOW!! Came here for brunch on Sunday with a 12:30 pm reservation for two and was SO IMPRESSED. When we first walked in, we were shocked how large the restaurant and bar were. We also saw many others table with enormous bloody mary's. Upon sitting, we immediately looked at the blood mary options. You get a huge mason jar (1L) bloody for 15 dollars and can customize it (i.e. alcohol, spicy mix, lime, lemon, horseradish, blue cheese stuffed olives, cream cheese stuffed olives, jalapeno, pickles included; meats, cheese are extra). We each ordered one of these. For food, we split the panko-crusted french toast and the american breakfast. The american breakfast was really something else - succulent bbq chicken hash with perfectly prepared eggs on top and just-right crunch ratio for the toast. The panko french toast resembled the taste of a fried dough; it had some whipped cream and fresh bananas on top. I wish it came with more bananas on top. It was pretty sweet so I am glad we split the dishes to try each. The bloody's came right before the entrees. I wish they came out a little after ordering them and not right before the entrees, but everything was still finished. Great food, service, and overall experience here. Can't wait to bring friends for brunch and also try dinner. read more

Catalyst Restaurant - Bloody Mary bar - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Organized a large group dinner here, and definitely had to jump through some hurdles. I called in about a week in advance to set a group of 15 for a Saturday night dinner. I was able to get my information in, but pretty much right away it was an uphill battle. The woman on my phone kept getting my information wrong. I had to repeat my credit card number (for the reservation) literally 5 times before she finally got all the numbers. Things like my name, email, date and time all had to be confirmed at least 3 times before I could be sure they were correct (there were mistakes every time). I was told that for parties larger than 9 they had to arrange a set menu - totally fine. I'm told that they'll contact me either the night of or the next day to arrange the menu. The night passes - no contact. The next day passes - also no contact. I call them again the day after and am assured that I will be contacted very soon. I proceed to call in every single day that week, because no one ever reaches out about arranging the menu. One of the hostesses was actually quite rude, dismissing me by saying something along the lines of "we'll contact you eventually, stop calling, we're too busy because we are doing full dinner service right now." Okayyyy..... I call in the night before, and finally get through - apparently there had been some personnel changes and my reservation had slipped through the cracks. Arranged the menu on the phone right away - why couldn't this have happened the four other times I called? Opps, Catalyst..... When we got there, dinner service was pretty good. The food was definitely decent, and their prices are very reasonable. However, the service was SLOOOOOOWWWWWW. It literally took 20-30 minutes at least between courses, and our entire party spent a lot of the dinner sitting around twiddling our thumbs. Our dinner starting at 5pm did not end until past 8pm. I thought the whole point of having a smaller menu for large groups was that they could get the food out faster? There is no reason a four course dinner should take more than three hours. Throughout the dinner, we were constantly asking them about status updates and asking them if they could speed it up. The worse part was the restaurant was not even very busy during most of the time we were there. The food was pretty good, which is what's redeeming them one extra star. I can see myself coming here and really enjoying dinner, but I would avoid if you had a large group or some kind of event. read more

With a spacious bar and dining area fireside seating, an outdoor patio for winding down after a long day, and a serene event room, Catalyst serves delicious and refined dishes, beautifully plated, in dark, sexy atmosphere that still manages to feel welcoming. Catalyst is a great option for a relaxed meal in an upscale setting or a drink or two at the lively bar. I visited for an event and was struck by the attentive staff, and the beauty/consistency of plated meals - first, main, and dessert courses were all creatively presented. The inventive cocktails and simple menu make it deceptively simple to spend over $100 on a meal for two, but after devouring the beef tournedos and catching a glimpse of the other entrees, I'd reckon it's well worth it. read more

I am back from my hiatus and am starting with a BANG! CATALYST people...it's incredible. Start with the strawberry arugula salad. It's so simple, yet so bomb. Arugula, extra virgin olive oil, strawberries and goat cheese with cracked pepper on top. That's it! Let's talk fries and dipping sauce. The Catalyst fries are perfection, but the sauces are the cherry on top. The homeade roasted red pepper ketchup is a revelation. It's like no other ketchup you've tasted. The garlic aioli is also incredible, and mixes so well with the ketchup (thanks for the tip, Virginia from the bar)! Virginia rocks guys, go to her. Last but not least, I'd like to review the fish tacos. I'm a fish taco snob, and I can honestly say that these are my second favorite fish tacos in the world. It's simple, it's fab and it's on a corn tortilla like it SHOULD BE! The only thing that could make this fish taco better would be a touch of roasted corn inside. If you're in Tech Square, do yourself a favor and check this place out. read more

Stopped in for a late night 'light bite' and had the Watermelon Salad with Crispy Pork Belly - Delicious and hit the spot! Love the decor and great service. It's a nice gem in Kendall Sq and a little pricey, but overall great place to eat. I'd like to come back and try some other things there in the future - can't wait!! read more

Catalyst Restaurant - Yummy!! - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I went here for dinner. The place serves American cuisine with some very vague French touch (but really, don't come here for "French" or you'll be disappointed). I had a pleasant tuna tartare as a starter, and a nice cod dish as a main. Both were delicious and very fresh. The orange sorbet that followed was very good and probably freshly made. Service was nice and quick, and the overall experience was very good. Not a cheap place, but hey, you can't have everything, right? read more

We recently had a small family luncheon following our wedding at City Hall. Food was amazing as always and service was impeccable. Event manager Robyn was very helpful throughout the process. All our guests were impressed by the lunch and had a great time. read more

Hey Ya'll, It's me again your neighborhood foodie. This was my last time walking into the Cat's Dine! I really tried to like this place. I have eaten here a total of four time and they got my order right once. SMH, I ordered the Catalyst Burger three time and I could not get them to make a medium well burger at save their sole. The fourth time I asked for a Turkey BLT you would think they could not mess that up! WRONG, they forgot the bacon!!!!!!! Need I say MORE! UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!!!!! read more

My bro and I had a very good dinner, but there were indeed some kinks towards the beginning that keep Catalyst from getting that 5th star. We were seated by the fireplace initially while waiting for a table - a spacious, warm area to kick back with a drink or two. Thing is, we both ordered draft brews and somehow the two others who ordered cocktails at the same time as us got their drinks before we did. Thankfully, the staff noticed and had one of the servers give us a heads-up...but something as simple as that shouldn't be overlooked. Then the man at the front came by to see if we wanted to be seated at the bar instead to save some time. Sounded great, except that it somehow took almost another 15 minutes to actually be led to our seats... From that point on though, it was smooth, tasty sailing =D Garganelli, Chicken Oysters, Bacon, Black Truffle Butter - clean flavors, but the portion was skimpy given the price and it was a bit bland on the whole. Mushroom Ravioli, Hen of the Woods Mushrooms - impressive! Catalyst does one of the best jobs I've seen yet when it comes to al dente pasta and the filling was delicious to boot. Again, the portion could've been a bit more generous, but the price tag was well worth it. Honey Glazed Duck Breast, Baby Turnip, Bok Choy, Water Chestnuts - solid overall, though the duck was a little overdone. The accompaniments were also too salty...clearly heavy-handed with the soy sauce. Butterscotch and Passion Fruit Pudding, Warm Pound Cake Croutons - SO GOOD! Easily the star of the meal and each bite was pretty much a mouthgasm haha. I never expected butterscotch and passion fruit to be such a heavenly combination as the latter provided a nice, light finish to the richness of the former. Worth every penny and then some! Our bartender, Scott, clearly knows a quality dessert when he sees one as he built up some serious (and well-deserved) anticipation to the pudding. He certainly did a great job of taking care of us throughout our meal too. The modern yet inviting atmosphere and strong overall performance of the dishes warrant another visit and these guys def have the potential to become quite an establishment in the Cambridge dining scene. read more

Had a bunch of disappointments here: my drink, the food, our service. Service really left a lot to be desired. Uncoordinated-had to servers come and welcome us and both try to take our reservations, then at the end of the night, after sitting with empty plates for almost 10 minutes, I had to flag a bus boy down to clear our plates and get our waitress. It was pretty bad as far as service goes. We (2 of us shared) started with two salads, which were the highlight of our meal. Our cod and chicken were the low points. Cod filet on chowder? Boring. I had that prep in Chicago in 2004, and expected a little more here. (Also, "blue" cod tasted just like plain cod.) Chicken was clearly precooked and reheated, and done so so poorly, it may have been the third time it was cooked. Breast was disgustingly dry and the dark meat was like a mealy confit. Bartender put too much bitters in my manhattan, too; who does that? 100 barrel series Harpoon Black IPA was a great though. All around: boo. read more

Selected this restaurant for a special unique family evening: meeting the in-laws of my son and fiancee. Two complete families meeting for the first time! For a truly special occasion like this you want elegant, quiet yet festive, comfortable, delicious, perfect service. Catalyst was all the above and more. The meal arrangements were perfect, from appetizers and drinks in the foyer area to the private fireplace dining area. Food was delicious, perfect, served hot, elegant. Service efficient and friendly, and stayed unobtrusive so we could concentrate on getting to know each other. One always wonders what might have happened had we experienced bad food, bad service, too much noise, or a hundred other things that can go wrong. With Catalyst, we had a feeling that it would be perfect, and it indeed was. read more

I've only been here for business lunches, but it is always a solid choice and is impressive to whoever you bring. The lunch prices are incredibly reasonable (in the $10-$16 range) considering the atmosphere. Their menu changes every month or so, and they often have specials. The spaciousness makes it very comfortable, however the food can sometimes be a tiny bit underwhelming. The bolognese pasta I had here was extremely rich and flavorful, while the sriracha lemonade I sampled was unique and habit-forming (and I'm not one of those sriracha addicts either). On the other hand, my roasted cod today was underflavored (though good texture), and the desserts I've had here so far have been too heavy (very large bricks of chocolate). I would give the food a ~3.5, but the overall rating gets a bump up for the atmosphere. Overall, solid choice for a meeting or a date, and one of the many great fancy places in the Kendall area. However, there is steep competition in Cambridge over this sort of modern American / European gourmet food and I'm not sure if this place would quite rank in the top-5 because of minor misses with some dishes. I'm curious to see how this place develops. read more

Catalyst Restaurant - Roasted blue cod - good presentation but a bit under-flavored. - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Catalyst is a hip and young bar with a cool ambiance and awesome food. I have hung out at the bar a few times and the environment is classy, but laid back. I recently decided to have dinner at Catalyst with some coworkers and ended up loving the food. I started off with a salad containing arugula, endive, asian pears and walnuts served with whole gain mustard vinaigrette. The candied walnuts were delicious. The salad was a nice and fresh start to my meal. For my main course, I ordered the Georges Banks scallops with roasted brussels sprouts, turnips and squash in Vermont butter. The scallops were fresh and perfectly cooked and the vegetables were seasoned well. I topped the night off with peanut butter chocolate fondant, toasted marshmallow, peanut brittle and graham cracker crumble. Wow was this a spectacular combination. I love chocolate. I love peanut butter. I love marshmallows. What's not to love about this dish? I did notice the peanut brittle and graham crackers were a little stale but I will let that slide. Overall, I had a fabulous time at Catalyst and plan on returning there in the future! read more

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Went here on a Friday night and had a nice experience. The restaurant was spacious and comfortable. We started with the focaccia and crab Rangoons which were both very nice, I was not a fan of the sauce served with the Rangoons. for entree we ordered the cod which was perfectly cooked with a nice crisp crust and flakey inside. we also tried the Bolognese which was amazing as well. the sauce was not too tomatoey or runny and the pasta was well cooked. read more

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Came here for brunch after ice skating in Kendall. The restaurant has a cool, industrial, raw feel to it with high exposed ceilings, knotted wood tables, and plants growing in the walls. The hostess offered to take our coats before seating us. Whoa, this place is kind of fancy. Our server was very pleasant and attentive. We ordered orange juice and were pleasantly surprised to taste that it was freshly squeezed! Points for Catalyst. The cornbread was in a cute little dish, but tasty and a good starting point. We both ordered the eggs benedict and quickly joined the clean-plate-club. Would definitely come here again for brunch. It is on the pricier side but everything is fresh and homemade- even the English muffins! In my book, it's worth it. read more

Catalyst Restaurant - Inside Catalyst, looking towards the kitchen. - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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I really liked this restaurant, minus the fact that the service was a bit slow. Plan to be here longer than expected. Decor is very modern and I definitely think this would be a cool place to hang and catch up with friends over good conversation. I didn't even know of this restaurant, but my friends family was in town and they took us out to eat. We started off with drinks and we ordered some "undecided" drinks, which is essentially the bartenders choice. They started us off with some bread and a butter-olive oil combo, which was interesting, but delicious because we were starving. We ordered the potato puffs, which comes with smoked paprika aioli... And wow these were amazing. It was like a fried puff ball of mashed potatoes. Between my friend and I, we shared the tournedos of beefs and the bucatini pasta. They both were delicious! I loved that the beef was cooked perfectly and was very flavorful. The kale that came with it was a little salty. The pasta was al dente and the flavors of the mushroom brought out some great tastes to the dish. We ended with a dessert to share: olive oil ice cream and the a chocolate brownie dessert. I don't think I really liked the olive oil ice cream, it was ever so slight, but a little weird. The chocolate dessert was yummy, but very chocolate-y. Overall, aside from the service being slow, great experience here! I would come back and try other things on the menu! read more

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So this is the first restaurant I've been to since quarantine and it was fantastic. I chose it because they had put good safety measures in place: I was able to make a reservation online in advance - so no standing around in crowd - and choose where I wanted to sit - indoor, outdoor, or bar - when reserving. When we arrived, everyone was wearing a mask (except diners), there was hand sanitizer readily available, the tables were well spaced, and the staff were attentive but also safety conscious. It was so nice to go out to eat after so many months of cooking and takeout and the food was beautifully appetizing and really really good (I had the summer salad with chicken, mmm....) Now I want to go back and do it all again, but this time with a glass of wine. read more

Great food and service! I tried the Beef Tournedos and it was delicious. Incredible sauce. I also had the Dark Chocolate Fondant and it was amazing. Great contrast in textures. Will definitely be coming back! read more

Ummm, where do I begin. So we were there for brunch because Area 4 was a 45 min wait. We no longer go to Friendly Toast (because their service is HORRIBLE) so we thought we'd try something new and improved. So we went to catalyst. When you go to a place like this the service is always going to be good and it was. The brunch items were ok. Not out of this world but certainly not bad. Would I go back......ummmm.......yeah sure, for drinks but not for breakfast. Maybe if they added some banana walnut pancakes or made their omelettes a bit more enticing, yeah I'd go back for brunch. All in all here's what it boils down to folks. This is mainly for the guys. If you wanna impress your girl and take her to a very nice place for brunch, this is an option, but for the money I'd rather hit up a spot like Top of the Hub. Warning to Tall Men: I'm 6'3 and if they seat you in a booth or along the benches....you'd think that the seating would be ample and comfy. Well lets just say in these sections I just mentioned, the bottom parts of the seat are very short. I felt like I was about to fall off. Circulation was also a problem when it cuts high into the thigh (I swear that wasn't supposed to rhyme) Damn, I'm just nice like that!!! read more

Love the bartenders! Shelby is amazing at figuring out what drink you like..and then you will love get it! Order the roasted cod and thank me later! read more

My second visit, gave the place a total mulligan. Ordering the same dish. I was very, very happy. My meal of choice was the roasted cod. My first experience with this dish was rather salty....literally. You could see it crystallized on the breading of the fish, the sauce tasted as if a box of Morton's feel in. It was a horrible dish. My meal today was perfect. The service was stellar as in my first visit. read more

I was really looking forward to this place, but it didn't really meet up to expectations. I think they still have kinks to work out. Decor is great. We ordered two of the Undecided drinks and gave our server our preferences. My buddy had the sole, and I had the cod. Our drinks came 5+ minutes later after our food was served. Not sure what happened there! We both agreed the entrees were a bit rich/buttery tasting. Portions were ok. Some might argue it was small. The desserts were ok also, probably better than our entrees. My friend had the butterscotch, and I had tart. Be warned the butterscotch is really rich. The tart was good. Service was ok, food was overpriced. I left a 20% tip, but I calculated the total incorrectly by an additional $10. I've worked in the food establishment business for a long time as a youth. If that happened, I would just correct it. I wish that was the case. Not a big deal since it was my mistake, just saying. read more

Catalyst Restaurant - Tart - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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The food was very tasty, the service was very good, it was (at that time) reasonably quiet. Good beer selection, too. A little expensive, but not excessively so for the quality. It's odd, I enjoyed my meal greatly and yet I'm in no hurry to go back. It was good, but somehow failed to be striking. read more

This place was extremely, OK. We came on a Wednesday night after work, and there were few tables in the restaurant aside us. It took over 10 minutes to be greeted, and only happened after we requested a server. The drinks took probably another 10 minutes, and the bread another 10 after that. We ordered some french fries to share as a table, and some burrata, both of which were nothing more than average. For my main, I had the salmon, which was nothing to write home about, though the puree was quite good. Presentation was nice, and the cocktail list had some fun drinks. Overall, I'd pass on this place in the future. Might be a nice spot for a date night for older couples on the weekends, but there's better restaurants in the area, especially given the relatively high pricetag. read more

Yum. Yum, yum. Starting with the moist and flavorful focaccia with warm butter, moving onto the pan roasted blue cod served atop a creamy chowder with mussels, clams and crushed potatoes...accompanied by a nice glass of wine, and, then on...to another slice of focaccia with butter...so delicious! read more

Catalyst Restaurant - Pan roasted blue cod - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I had grilled blue cod for lunch. Really tasty. It was interesting that the fish in the cream with potato. It was quite tasty but the portion was small, since I am a big eater. The desert chocolate torte was very good but again the portion was small. The interior is very nice and cozy, especially quiet; it's good to have a nice conversation. read more

This place is good for cooperate dinner or large groups! I went there for a business dinner and we were 28 people. Staff is very professional and food and drinks are not bad at all. In fact, the steak that I asked to be rare was perfectly cooked and well seasoned! I enjoy this place every time I go! read more

Catalyst Restaurant - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

From looking at some of the portions of food in the pictures on Yelp before arriving (i.e., the Beef Tournedos and the chicken dish pictures), I was a little concerned that I would be leaving hungry. So when I got there, I had a little of their nice free bread some reviewers here reference. It was quite yummy, so do indulge. The bread is served after everyone has picked their dinner, according to our server last night; just wanted to mention it as a few people at our table were questioning it. However, she was kind enough to bring it out earlier before we put our menus down. My concerns about leaving hungry were soon alleviated choosing Catalyst's special appetizer for the evening, however; goat cheese ravioli. This dish was also available as an entrée, but am glad I went with the starter portion; it was very filling. And tasted *amazing*! They should make this a regular rotating app! Everyone else very much enjoyed their starters, and we were all happy to share with one another. Some of our other choices? The tuna tartare, the octopus and these tempura-like "squash blossoms." All of them were very good, the best, aside from my ravs, was the octopus. And it's hard to forget their shishitos. We ordered a couple of bowls of these for the table and boy were these addictive!!! Everyone seemed to enjoy their cocktails. A number of us had their George Harrison - yum!! Slightly tart, nicely sweet - a few of those could be deceivingly dangerous. Many of us agreed it was hard to choose an entrée. I went with the salmon, which was adequate, but may go for blue cod if there is a next time; someone at our table had it and they were very impressed by it. Other dishes ordered were duck breast and scallops. Both had positive reviews from my tablemates. The burger was reported as okay, and the fries that came with it were a dud. If I did not have that appetizer, I might have gone home hungry, can't say for sure. The entrée portions were...good enough. I didn't leave hungry. I didn't leave overly stuffed. Catalyst is a good-looking, clean looking, open space with pleasant acoustics; the background music is nice and unobtrusive, and conversation with your dinner companions is easy to hear. Service was fine and at times expertly discreet. One can effortlessly drop $100 per person here with a couple of drinks, apps, dinner and dessert. The restaurant validating parking for under 3 hours at the 800 Technology Square Garage helps soften the blow and is very appreciated. Solid place for a nice night out! read more

Let me start off my saying that the food and drinks here are outstanding. The reputation for good food holds true here and it has taken me four years living in the neighborhood to finally make it to dinner here. Our party of 5 was all in agreement that the food was excellent, but no one mentioned the resident MICE they have! While the food was great, I do have to mention that this was my second time at the restaurant - the first being just for drinks at the fireplace - and this was my second time seeing MICE in the restaurant. Generally speaking, I find these little guys very cute, however, it is a bit concerning that of the two times I have been, I have seen mice both times, and not just a quick look, but multiple views of the mice running around the floor. Thankfully, our group is pretty understanding and animal friendly, however, I think most people would feel differently, especially in a food establishment with the reputation that Catalyst has. I think it will be a while before we venture back to Catalyst and hope that they get some traps! read more

I had an exceptional experience at an event I attended at this restaurant. The space is quite lovely and we moved from one room to another with ease and efficiency. The four course meal was spectacular and served by an amazing staff! They served over 100 guests with such professionalism and grace. You can have a lovely atmosphere and great food but if your staff is not good it's a total disappointment. Catalyst had it all. I was so impressed!! read more

Rubbery scallops but pleasant sauce. Patee was good. Excellent presentation. Wonderful cocktail menu. Elegant yet very modern ambience. Can't recommend. Sorry. Enjoy! read more

There only good thing at this place is the drinks. The servers all look miserable. The bathroom smelled like a had station bathroom. Not what you'd expect from a high scale place. On top of that, there were a lot of little flies all around the restaurant. read more

Went to the bar last Friday night at 9:30pm. Service was curt even though they closed at 11pm. Our server was visibly nicer to other customers. His cocktails were also not well balanced. I would not go for the drinks. read more