I'm really indifferent about this place. Seriously, my opinion is split right down the middle. I spent many a night at Charlie's over the summer, I will say that. My summer was filled with long nights in Harvard Square- starting at Grendel's, then Noir and then ending up at Charlie's. The pros: - cheap - pretty good vibe - karaoke upstairs (which took me forever to find out after going there time after time) - outdoor seating in the beer garden which is great on summer days/nights - one time, a bartender "accidentally" made me two of the one drink I ordered and I got it for free. That was pretty cool. Not so cool when he asked for my number and I found out he was still in high school :-/ The cons: - Maybe I just got too drunk there but sometimes the vibe is not so cool and the people are creepy and or rude - The service (esp in the beer garden) can be really slow/shitty - Once our server asked for our IDs, I handed him my valid passport and he took about 10 minutes to look it over and then ultimately asked if I had another form of ID to verify it (i.e. just a credit card). UGH unnecessary. But let's be real, I will get drunk enough to end up there again. read more

There are some things I really like about Charlie's Kitchen: 1) They have a fairly large selection of beer. On top of that, they have a frequent turnover of some beers to keep your liver from getting bored. 2) They host a trivia night upstairs every Sunday at 8PM. It's a very casual setting and a good way to spend your final hours before...DUH DUH DUHHHH...Monday. And then there are some things I really don't like about Charlie's Kitchen: 1) Their clam chowder sucks. 2) Their service is typically very slow and unfriendly. I'm convinced that one of our waitresses last night didn't have a soul. Or she was a robot. But probably the former because robots can at least be programmed to smile. Also, my friend ordered a Lagunitas if and only if they served the IPA. I'm assuming they didn't have the Lagunitas IPA so she just came back with a random (and more expensive!) beer without even saying a word. Not cool. 3) There were drops of blood in the men's restroom. Never cool. Just avoid the clam chowder, soul-less waitress, and upstairs restrooms and you're in for a treat! read more

Charlies Kitchen seems to like 2's alot... First I want to say this is probably the first time I ever was in a place that had an all male waitstaff, at least when I went there. There was a female bartender but I don't count her. I'm counting the people serving tables. That being said, I really couldn't find much fault with it. We went and it was pretty busy overall, but there was a booth near the back. First, which is always a positive for me, coke products. Coke is superior to pepsi and will greet our Coke overlords when they take over the world. Then the two's began. We got the Appitizer platter which had 2 of everything, two jalapeno poppers, two cheese sticks, two chicken tenders, two buffalo wings. While they were tasty, I do think a combo platter would have a LITTLE more. The two's continued with one of the entrees. I got the jalapeno burger with Waffle Fries. This was an awesome burger in the sense that it actually had more then 3 slices of jalapeno on it. Other Jalapeno burgers I've gotten basically have had no jalapeno. This was able to get a good kick, and the waffle fries were nice and crispy. My girlfriend got the Grilled Seafood Combo, which came with Salmon, 2 shrimp, and 2 scallops...The Cole slaw she said was fine, but she wouldn't give it to me trying to talk me into liking Cole Slaw. The rest of the food according to her was very tasty, which is a good thing. The staff was an excellent staff even though it was busy, everyone was polite and friendly, and they even have a Text your Server option, which is awesome cause the place seems to get really busy. It is a loud place, but not loud enough that you can't hear the person you are talking to, and a bit dark. Still, overall, it is a great place, and I will go again to try other items. read more

To sit in the beer garden (which often doesn't get enough sunlight given the buildings surrounding it), you pay a premium on the beer (though they do have a decent selection) and jeopardize destroying at least one artery with the selection of deep fried everything. Also, the inside restaurant is seedy, the toilets aren't known for their cleanliness and depending on the night, or the hour, the crowd can become very sketchy. read more

I'm not feel'n you anymore Charlies. I don't think I wore out my welcome... but its not the same anymore. I use to come here every night for YEARS...and now all of a sudden I get carded at the door? I like the new juke box. I like ONE of the new bartenders. I like your veggie burger. I also like your slider specials with the 4 unique toppings. But the patrons? That beer garden was a huge mistake.... now all the preps are make'n their way upstairs!! I've sinced moved on, I'll visit from time to time. But I'm all set with the bar fights and fall down drunken bar flies. read more

This place is great for harvard square - went on 4th of July before the festivities started and had a couple of beers, burgers and fries - less than $20, can't complain about that! The good: They have a custom beer on tap - Charlie's BBC which was a great, slightly hoppy amber that's delivered daily from the Berkshire Brewing Company. The service was also great - the waitress was quick, nice and got everything right. The not-so-good: the fries were pretty mediocre and although its nice to have low cost meals, some additional choices for healthy eaters would be nice. read more

I sincerely wish I'd read the Yelp reviews of this place beforehand, because it might have changed my mind about eating here. We got the appetizer sampler and were really rather horrified at what $8 got us. We got two mozzerella sticks and a giant bowl of marinara sauce. The rest was terrible. The chicken wings come without any sort of sauce, as do the leathery chicken strips. The jalapeno poppers were alright. Both of us ordered the Double Mega Cheeseburger plate, which came open-faced with a gigantic pile of sauteed mushrooms, onions, and bacon. However, the toppings were cold and they use canned mushrooms. Gross! Also, the french fries were WAY disappointing. Splurge and substitute waffle fries, beer fries, or onion rings. It will make your meal. Regardless, the burgers were tasty despite being difficult to eat. I'd come back for a more basic burger (eff paying for canned mushrooms) and I'd pay the extra dough for some decent fries. Side note: As previous Yelpers have said, the service here kinda blows. Our waitress was nice enough, but she was slow and her colleagues were downright rude when we they delivered our food and cleared plates. Meh. read more

Having a beer in the terrace during warm days is wonderful. Otherwise, French fries and burgers are ok. It seems a little too crowded upstairs, and the quality of the burgers is not to die for. I have good memories of this place, but as I said it was all prompted because of the terrace. There is a good selection of beers-- read more

Charlie's Beer Garden offers that rare Boston/Cambridge oppurtunity known as outdoor drinking. There is nothing better then settling in at Charlie's on a nice summer day, getting drinks and grub until the sun goes down. The place does get a little cramped on certain nights, especially with good weather, but it isn't anything that should turn you away. The crowd is never rowdy, or inappropriate, and the crowd is usually looking to chill and enjoy some good food, drinks, and company. It would seem that their only weakness is their beer selection. While it harbors many classics, it could use a few more wild cards. But alas, I could say that about any bar. read more

I'm sorry, this is not a food review! I'll explain why. I was looking for on the Charlie's website to check out their menu and what their live music schedule looked at and I saw their section of 'Green Initiatives'. The section explained that they are taking initiatives such as composting, recycling and even fuel their vehicles with vegetable oil. I hope that they really are doing all those things, in which case I think it's great that they display it on their website. I'm sure i'm not the only one who appreciates this, I feel like the Greening movement has gained a lot of momentum recently. Charlie's kitchen my gain a lot by becoming officially certified by the Green Restaurant Association. That way consumers will feel good knowing that their money is going towards a sustainable and responsible business. Phew..with that out of the way.. i'm excited to see some good live music on Monday! read more

I hadn't been to Charlie's in several years prior to this past Friday. I wasn't a huge fan of it the last time I went, but I thought I would give it another shot. Sadly, this time was about the same. Charlie's is a fairly average bar. It has a decent beer selection, fairly OK mixed drinks, average food, and standard prices. I think it is supposed to be considered a casual, unpretentious, dive bar. But to be honest, the ambiance seemed really forced. It seemed to be one of those places that is only a dive bar because dive bars are hip and trendy with the college age crowd. To me, Charlie's came across as being snobby about the fact that is was so casual. Like the place is pretentious about being unpretentious. If that makes any sense. I got this feeling based on the fact that: A) The servers and bartenders were all fairly rude and spoke to me as if I were wasting their time B) Most of the patrons of the bar were pretentious and rude and C) when I went outside for a smoke at 9pm (which took almost ten minutes to get from my seat to the door because the place was filled well past fire regulations {which I know because they had the max capacity listed on the wall next to the door}) there was a very long line of people at the door who were all complaining about having to wait to get in. As a bar, Charlie's is definitely decent. But it is no where near being good enough to have to deal with the amount of crap that goes with trying to enjoy a drink there. I will try the place again on a Tuesday in the early evening and see if I like it better. read more

There is no better place to grab a beer (or house cocktail, or double cheeseburger) on a sunny afternoon in Harvard Square. The booze is cheap ($5 for a 20oz bottle of Magner's? Yes please!) and so is the food. Their famous double cheeseburger is delicious, especially after a long afternoon (yes, afternoon) of drinking. I was surprised to hear that they offer gluten free bread in place of their usual burger buns, although they don't have a dedicated gluten free fryer. Hey, still better than your usual backyard bar! Although the service can be pretty iffy when it's busy, I will definitely come back here when it's a good day for drinking. read more

Probably the worst service I've received in a restaurant in a long time. It wasn't even our waitress's fault. There was only one waitress for over 60 customers. Took 15 minutes after sitting down for us to ask for menus. Then took another 10 for someone to take our drink order. The food was decent at best. Got fish and chips, buffalo chicken wrap a burger and nachos. Nothing was anything above mediocre. Got 5 waffle fries on the side of my buffalo chicken wrap. And the buffalo chicken wrap was too spicy to eat but to ask for a side of ranch or blue cheese would have taken another 15 minutes- not worth it. Friend got an over cooked burger with a sad side of chips and salsa. Waitress was forced to be accommodating when we made her split our checks individually because we were annoyed with how bad the service was. We won't be returning. Really not a fun afternoon at all. read more

Head to the patio for drinks with friends! As populated as Harvard Sq is, Charlie's Patio seems to be a hidden gem. Great venue for a pregame spot. Cheap drinks, young-professional/friendly patrons. Can't say I've eaten here, even though the Double Cheeseburger comes highly recommended (it's marketed out front with bigger lettering than "Charlie's Kitchen"). The indoor section is your typical College dive bar, don't bring a date inside unless the plan is to get extremely aggressive! read more

Charlie's Kitchen - Charlie's Kitchen, Harvard Square, Cambridge Ma - Burgers Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I like this place.. They serve my fav. beer "Carlsberg". Good prices, service and Yes! Delicious food read more

Charlie's Kitchen - Great food and they gave me this gift with the check.. Definitely coming back next time I'm in Harvard - Burgers Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Been to Charlie's a couple times now and each time has been a good experience. Their double cheeseburger is delicious and cheap as all hell. You have the option to get waffle fries, which are great, instead of their regular fries which were also good (friend's plate). There's a good beer selection and everything there is fairly priced. Service was friendly and prompt. Great spot for late night food and drinks. Will definitely be going back. read more

Great spot for an outdoor beer when the patio is nice. The indoor space is not so great, as it is very hard to seat more than four people downstairs. One of the waitresses is fantastic. She has been there for many years and loves telling her customers about how many Presidents have come to town and to Charlie's over the decades. If this review were just about her, it would be five stars. Unfortunately their drinks really need to improve -- you can't really drink anything other than beer here. Food is ok, but options are limited and nothing outstanding. read more

Thanks for helping me celebrate my birthday Chaaahhhlieee! I just wanted to tell you that I couldnt stop thinking about you after I left. Your toasted buns and juicy center made my night. I hope we can get together again some time. XOXO read more

Excellent UGC (ultimate grilled cheese) sandwich with lobster salad. They have many other UGC choices, plus burgers and other good stuff. Great choice of draft beers, and fast service. I took off 1 star bc we got bad service and cold fries a few days ago when we stopped in. read more

"Bar first, restaurant second," said my husband as we walked out of Charlie's Kitchen. Maybe it was our fault for going on Thanksgiving, but they were the ones who were open, right? The entire restaurant is filthy. Tables, booths, floor, silverware, bathroom, plates. After getting a plate with crusty dried green stuff, I honestly wasn't shocked when I rolled open my silverware roll and discovered lipstick all over my fork. The food was terrible. I ordered the black bean burger with guacamole, salsa, and chips. It was huge but there was no flavor. It was dry, salty, and incredibly disturbing. Hubby ordered the club sandwich with waffle fries, which came out with regular fries. So when he ordered the waffle fries, we were docked another $1 -- I'm assuming it's Charlie's way of punishing us for someone else ignoring the order. The lemonade I had was great, and the waitress was pretty cool. I'll never go back here again, and will steer any friend of mine away from the experience. It's something you just don't need to know. read more

This is the place where when you fit in somewhere normally, you don't fit in here. With that said, I'm not a huge fan of the place. I've been several times and a friend of mine used to actually work here so there's that. Beer selection, nice job. French fries, very good. Overall; Meh, I've experienced better. Bar staff this weekend, awesome! The girl was really funny, she asked what some of the local radio stations are and I said Jamn 94.5 and she said something along the lines of, I like that station too but we can't play it in here, not the right type of music. ..not really my kind of place. Will I go back, eventually I suppose, it's inevitable. read more

Came here for a few drinks on a Saturday night and it was super busy--we could hardly move and the bathroom had a huge line. We were told to get our drinks and then stand in line because if you went without a full drink you'd be thirsty by the end. Staff were a bit slow (yes, I know it was busy), but I ordered, paid, 2 more people ordered and paid, they got their drinks and then I got mine. A bit strange. Great outdoor area--can't wait to go back when it's even warmer! read more

I reviewed Charlie's Kitchen once before at just one star -- I'm giving it a significant upgrade given the following: - you manage to find a table outside on a warm day - the hipsters find some other place to hang out - you order the waffle fries read more

Charlie's is the kind of place you go to if you want to end up snorting Fireball Whiskey out of your nose at 12 am. Pros: 1) It's cheap. You can get some awful burgers for around five bucks. 2) My friend David, who was born with three livers, will remind you that this is one of the few places in Boston that you can get $4 Jameson shots. 3) I just realized that #1 and #2 are about the place being cheap. Cons: 1) It's cheap. You can get some awful burgers for around five bucks. 2) My friend David, who was born with three livers, will remind you that this is one of the few places in Boston that you can get $4 Jameson shots. 3) I just realized that #1 and #2 are about the place being cheap. For a long time, Team Green Line (which was composed of two twee ultraliberal hipster girls who lived on the other side of the river with their king, David, burly Delaware man of three livers) used to argue that Charlie's was a good spot for Team Red Line to meet up with Team Green Line. Team Red Line, being of the pinkie-pointing Harvard communist persuasion, argued that Charlie's is a contrivance of the bourgeois, a diabolical farce designed to function in every respect like People's Republic except the darts. Charlie's has lots of friendly waitresses with brightly colored hair and tattoos. I like them. I don't ever go to the "beer garden" in the back (god almighty, what IS a beer garden? Wouldn't it be sticky all the time?), but the second floor is sufficiently seedy; just bypass the first floor bar because it's always cramped and it's the main runway for the tattooed waitresses. Honestly if you have more than $30 in your pocket you should probably go to Beat Hotel across the street. read more

Hipsters, hipsters everywhere, and many a pint to drink, although it's an obscenely expensive pint. Having just relocated from San Francisco, I was stoked to see Lagunitas IPA on tap. However, that pint cost me almost $8. EIGHT FREAKING DOLLARS. Lagunitas is good, but it's not Chimay, you know? I've had good martinis that cost less. Their tap selection is good, and if you want to drink outside, it's a great spot. Just make sure you bring a wad of cash. read more

My first time going to this place I was in town visiting friends and my ex took me out and got me wasted! I had not eaten before I went and after drink number 3 it started getting fuzzy. Needless to say, I ended up blacking out and losing my wallet but it was found and all my stuff was in tact! The bartender found my wallet! It's a dive which I can appreciate (see other reviews about dive bars around different major cities ex: Liar's Club in Chicago) The people are wicked nice, drinks are cheap and it's a place you can go back to over and over again! read more

Look, let's be straight, you're only gonna really, and I mean really enjoy this place if you're a townie and you got nothing better to do but to hang out with your hometown buddies on any given night, drink cheap beer, eat cheap food, and reminiscence about the time(s) you went to Vegas....(sorry, you know what happens stays there ;) But a note for Hoegarden lovers, they serve then in the traditional 20 or 22 oz octagonal or hexagonal tall glasses and on tap...for 4.25..that's 2 beers, 2 delicious belgian wheat beers for the price of one! Burgers are small but delicious and dirt cheap, and the rumors are true, the waffle fries are messed up good. Remember, there's no ambiance, it's kinda dirty but not smelly, the service takes awhile, but hey, go there with a group of friends, and if you're normal and not pretentious, you'll love it for what it is. 5 stars. read more

Charlie's is always an awesomely awkward mix of old Boston rockers, harvard dudes and gals, and hip cats. The night I was there 2 bros got iced and the whole place erupted to cheer them on. That was a sight and a good laugh. The wait staff was way off, but it's a busy bar so I can't really blame them. Our waitress dropped off 3 of the tables 4 beers then went to take the next tables order while holding my beer. She finally dropped it off with out saying anything. Double cheeseburgers, lobster rolls, cheap beer, good tunes. read more

Out of town visiting and wanted a quick lunch with a cool vibe.....did not get that at all! Started with terrible 2 for 1 oysters, very griddy, smelled like fish, (first red flag), and drowning in water. Experience continued with no waters, asked for 10 minutes earlier, food was terrible, asked for bacon with burger, bacon never came after waiting 15 more minutes, server was frantic and forgot everything and acted like first day. The best part was the beer and waffle fries, which you can't mess up. Overall bad food, service and experience. Sorry. Need some help. read more

If you are reading this, buy me a plane ticket so I may be reunited with my old friend Charlie. One of the only things that is a stand out in good memories of Boston. Eat down the street at Border Cafe, then come here, sit upstairs in the corner and kill a few tall Hoegardens. read more

Hmm...this is a tough one. I give Charlie's 3 stars for it's food. The burgers and fries are fine, and dirt cheap. But the cafeteria at my college made them pretty much the same. I give Charlie's 5 stars for being Charlie's. For giving the finger to Teavana and all these other incredibly expensive "we're not a normal chain" chain stores. The real reason Charlie's won a place in my heart is Thanksgiving 2006. The family was up from NYC and we went out to Central MA for a big turkey dinner. We usually eat at my folks place. So what happens around 7PM? We normally look for leftovers. Problem is, there were none. I went in search of a restaurant. No dice. I mean NO DICE. No pizza joints, no Chinese places. I had like 13 menus in my hands and they were all useless. But then on a hunch, I called Charlie's. A girl answered and I asked when they closed. When she said midnight, I almost cried. That is why I love Charlie's. And I really didn't care how the food was that night. read more

Fried green beans are glorious but the wait staff...not so much... the waitress didn't want to be there - it was totally evident. If you don't want to be there - get a new job and stop serving me food! The other waitress looked like she had smoked a little crack before she came to work also - she tried to serve two other tables food a few times...gee wiz! come on now! Basic waitress 101! HELLO! I won't be rushing back. read more

I was walking along Winthrop and heard a bunch of chatter from below the street. Looked down and I saw a biergarten style patio that I had to check out. Tables everywhere, and large groups here and there. There's a tiny tiny bar, but thankfully a hostess makes her way around the tables. Students everywhere, so I wasn't exactly out of place when I wanted to pop open the textbooks. I would make the most friends at Harvard from this bar, so that's my lasting memory. Sign out front said 7 dollar burger and fries and that just pretty much sold me. -=-Burger and Fries-=- Very no frills standard tasting burger. It tasted like something out of a work picnic. I really was confused after that first bite and wondered if it came out of a Weber grill. Fries would fare a little bit better, but not much more. Ketchup is the answer to all your questions. I'm a rare complainer, but I had the worst stomach aches after eating here. Maybe just a bad batch, but man that got me good. read more

I went here on the Politely Elevated Bar Crawl. Orly summarized that pretty well. Another time I was here they accidentally kept my ID after we were sitting outside. The food is inexpensive and greasy. They have Stella on tap. Those creds are easily repeatable. Decor is typical long-time dirty bar. Booths upstairs and a long bar that when full makes it hard to get across the bar. There was a guy with a shirt there that said "Locals Hate You". Charlie's seems to have a place in many people's hearts, both on and off yelp. My heart is too crowded with places where the staff is friendlier and doesn't keep my ID after I pay. read more

I'm a fan of dive bars. Charlie's hit the spot for me shortly after touching down at Logan airport. Late on a Monday night I was greeted with unfriendly faces upstairs, probably due to the horrible karaoke singing and bad weather. Downstairs, I was greeted with food that hit the spot and friendly locals. The fried green beans are yummy enough to forget you're not eating french fries... Good Cambridge stuff. read more

Oh, Charlie's. I don't know, man, I don't even really like this place and yet I keep going back. Is it the food? Definitely not. The beers? I mean, the selection is good. The ambience? Hell, no. I guess it's just the fact that Charlie's is pretty much an institution. Also, their Tuesday night karaoke (see photos) is surprisingly awesome. Oh yeah, and the prices...awesome. read more

What a great little place. My buddy and I were looking for a late dinner, and we were recommended to Charlie's by a friend. We got: Double cheeseburger and fries Lobster rolls Mozza sticks Beer battered fish and chips The food was super good, especially considering the price. The burgers were juicy and tasted exactly like a BBQ. So good! The atmosphere was also awesome (wicked music too!). Definitely worth checking out if you're around the Harvard area! read more

One of my favorite places to grab a beer and a burger. It also doesn't seem to necessarily scream "Harvard Sq" when you're there, but it's a pleasant surprise. You can actually grab a burger for $5 and they have the best Double Guinness Burger which is packed with flavor and you'll never forget it. They have great cheap selections and the curly fries are awesome. In the summer they have an outdoor patio which is dog friendly and is a great brunch/lunch spot in the morning. They have a good selection of beers and I'm always getting their Bloody Mary. it's a little on the divey side of bars, but from what I've been told, Charlie's has been around for 30+ years and it doesn't seem like it's aged a day. read more

Here is the thing. I used to like Charlie's a lot, a whole lot. Now it's insane. The bartenders are really good at ignoring you - or, well. Good at collecting money, but otherwise seem more interested in chatting people up all the way down the bar. Also - I'm not so into the hipster scene. I'm really not - but whatever. It's recently become one of the last places I would go for a beer or burger, but that is not to say that the beers and burgers are bad - au contraire the do well with both, and I like the place, just I don't like being pressed up against people while trying to enjoy a beer - if I did? I'd go to a club... read more

Decent menu options that are cooked up in an average fashion... a Three Faces of Eve beer selection... Interesting back deck seating option if the weather permits... try and sit facing into the alley - almost Parisian(esque)! Painful parking, abysmal/confused service and the roulette wheel you spin when coming here are the major drawbacks... The other drawback/hilarious point of note is this: you will invariably hear some collegiate strong man detailing a made up time he was on a bus in Bavaria and was swept up by the beauty/love of the transitory nature of existence and just had to stay X number of days more while his cronies all nod appreciatively in the face of his avalanche of bs so that when they tell their own version of this fabricated tale the speaker will, in turn, nod appreciatively at them... but try and ignore that and have a good time while being cognizant that it is Cambridge, after all... If you're in the Cambridge area on foot or T bound... not a horrible place to drop by... read more