I'd been here for lunch once or twice over 20 years ago, never for a show. Funky set up with long rows of tables. There are nice side tables but the show was almost sold out by the time I learned about the show and was able to purchase tickets. Fun time, would go again. read more

Great experience here seeing Puerto Rican cuatro player Fabiola Mendez. The space opens at 7 for 8pm shows and you can order drinks and food from a limited, but tasty menu. We opted for their Passim burger with thyme fries on a brioche bun which exceeded my expectations for a place that's primarily a music venue. I thought the food would be more of an afterthought but it was equivalent to a casual bistro or gastropub. We sat right in the front row which was amazing for the experience and pics but I would recommend maybe bringing some ear protection if you sit this close. Our show was supposedly sold out but we lucked out that the folks seated next to us didn't show- otherwise I could see that one would be really packed in here as the seating is extremely close together. The performance was amazing! We absolutely loved the show and the intimate vibes. I also really appreciated that Fabiola took some time to explain her instrument, some Puerto Rican history and her experience growing up playing a folk instrument. She graduated from Berklee in 2018 and also brought in a Cuban tres player named Olivia Soler Espinosa in the latter part of her performance who is currently studying at Berklee. Another cool aspect of this place was the mixed ages. There was a good representation of older folks who looked like they have been coming to Passim since the 60s as well as younger folks in their 20s and 30s as well as folks in between. Anyone should feel welcome here. read more

See all

I love this venue. It is a historical bedrock place in folk, jazz and blues music. Intimate and welcoming. Great visionary artists come here to perform and you will get amazing performances. The food and drink here are very good. Some venues have meh! I loved the burger, fries, cauliflower bites and pale ale. You can get anything you want at Passim read more

Top 10 music venues of all time. Most say it's my happy place for watching excellent music and eating French fries.

It is a wonderful place to go hear live folk music! My wife and I recently went and enjoyed a relaxing evening listening to some stellar musicians. read more

Absolutely wonderful venue. I've known about Club Passim for most of my adult life and finally made it to see a Richard Shindell show this past weekend. The show was sold out, so prepare to be cozy with neighboring tables/people. The food and drink list was surprisingly varied and of excellent quality. Our show was at 5pm, so we opted for snacks instead of something larger: guacamole/chips and the hummus plate. I had a glass of Spanish red wine and tasted the cider...yum. The sandwiches, salads and other food looked outstanding. Bathrooms are labeled "anyone" and "everyone". And...get this....I used the facilities right after a nice gentleman....and....he put the seat down!!! So, the crowd was nice; service was great and the show was fabulous. read more

See all

This musical venue is a beloved and intimate institution in the folk music genre, with a long history luminaries performing there, such as Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Muddy Waters, and Tom Rush, to name a few. Last evening my better half and I attended a concert celebrating Women's History Month, starring Fabiola Mendez, singer and Puerto Rican Cuatro player, with special guest Olivia Soler Espinosa, a scholarship Berklee student specializing in the Cuban Tres, and opening act by Gabriella Simpkins, singer composer from Cape Cod. It was simply a magical experience. Club Passim has a Folk Collective, which is a quarterly gathering of twelve select artists, musicians, and cultural thought leaders. More information contact shea@passim.org. There's also an associated school of music, with courses listed at passim.org/school-of-music. The club opens an hour before the show, and there's a nice selection of dinner and drink options. There's paid street parking in Harvard Square, but I suggest you allow sufficient time for parking hunting. read more

See all

Favorite venue and delicious food. Staff are so welcoming that you feel like you're in someone's living room. Too musical talent and good acoustics. It's magical to sit so close - all while enjoying good food and drinks in a casual atmosphere. And they've got gluten free hamburger buns, if you need that as an option (as I do). read more

OH WOW- It really doesn't get any better than this place for local music. Incredible musician/performers and wait staff and food were top notch! read more

I took a look at the seating chart before heading over to my first concert at Club Passim - it is a lot tighter in person! The square tables were lined with metal folding chairs placed in close proximity to one another. If all the seats were filled, it would be very crowded. But fortunately for us (if not for the entertainers) the seats behind us were empty. To sit at these tables, each person is supposed to order at least $5 worth of food. The stage is also a lot smaller than I had presumed. But it made for a much cozier experience. And I had a great time cause both the opening act (Seth Glier) and the main show (Kevin So) were fun and funny. Our dishes arrived just after the lights went off as the show was about to start, so we couldn't really see what we ate and the pictures turned out fuzzy. There were large florets of broccoli in the mac & cheese which was of a decent portion. The large half and half pizza ($11.75) of Safe'n Sound with spinach and Dinner for Henry arrived sliced in four quarters and was pretty good, but slightly too crispily burned in spots. I preferred Henry's side, especially the part covered with the fresh mozzarella. The waitress was friendly and checked up on us often enough, while still allowing us to enjoy the concert. She also offered to split our check or consolidate based on our preference when we placed our orders. Bathrooms, there are two, and they are for either gender! That I like! The men can wait along with us women. ;) They validate for parking at University Parking ($6), but make sure you get your white ticket back along with the yellow validation ticket. Sometimes they have volunteers helping out who may or may not know how this validation thing is handled. read more

See all

Raw oysters are the best. Bone marrow is a great. Thank you, Dr. Jacqueline Sacco MD PhD

This is an intimate space to see and hear live music. The tables for two are just inches apart, so it is not possible to have a private conversation. The limited menu has a lot of healthy choices. I liked the hummus plate. My companion enjoyed his salmon burger and fries. The chicken dumplings were deep-fried instead of pan-fried, so they were too crispy overall for my taste. Arrive an hour before the show to enjoy a meal. It does offer wine and beer. Service becomes spotty once the room fills up and becomes noisy. Sitting in the first table next to the stage, we had to get up to go find our waiter when the crowds descended. read more

I love the atmosphere of this venue. All the staff and performers are clearly passionate about music and it shows in their impeccable work. Food and beverage selection is a bit limited though, so look up the menu beforehand. read more

I went to college in Boston, moved away for a couple of years and came back 20+ years ago. Can you believe in all that time I had NEVER been to Passim?? Cut to a few weeks ago...I went to my first show there and I fell in love with the place. It's so cozy, warm and friendly. The live music is off the chain...such amazing artists are coming through there all the time. The food/drinks are fantastic too. I went back on Halloween night for Peter Mulvey's Lamplighter series featuring Ali McGuirk, Tim Gearan and Thank God For Science. I had a blast. It was the best Halloween I've had in awhile. This is probably my favorite live music venue now. It only took me 20+ years to finally come and experience it. read more

This is a great venue to see live folk/acoustic music. I was fortunate to be here for one of their campfire weekends - basically a non-stop festival of folk and acoustic performers sharing the stage. Its a pretty neat setup as groups of 3 or 4 musicians take turns playing their songs. Often, they'll even play backup for each other. If you can't make it to one of the live shows, you can also catch a live streaming feed from their website. Club Passim is a non-profit music venue that has been serving the community for over 4 decades. They don't serve alcohol here, but they do share space with Veggie Planet, so you can order some great vegetarian food and non-alcoholic drinks. read more

Club Passim - Music Venues Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

See all

Last night, I went to the Peter Bradley Adams show (opened by Danielle Ate a Sandwich). Tickets were $15 each for table seats, which came to $18.50 or so after taxes. I ordered online and there was no processing or delivery fees, which was nice. When you purchase tickets, you can pick where you want to be seated (which tables, or chairs, etc). The show started at 8pm, and the ticket said they do not hold tables after the starting time. The doors opened at 630pm and tables have a $5 min food/drink per person. We arrived around 7-715, and there were already people seated, enjoying food from Veggie Planet. The tables were crammed in pretty close together, and if you have less than 4 people in your group, expect to sit with strangers. When we arrived, the place was really really warm but it cooled off later in the show. It was also about 90 degrees in Veggie Planet, where you have to stand while waiting in line for the bathroom. I like Veggie Planet (it's great for vegetarians or vegans) so I was excited to eat dinner there before/during the show. For drinks, they offer 2 beers and a decent number of wines for $5-6. I had prosecco, which was tasty. We ordered garlic knots (I love, my friend was neutral) and pizzas, which are really more like flatbreads- my friend ordered the Portobello Redhead and I ordered the Vegan Oddlot. Both were really good. We ordered the smalls and took half of our pizza home. The waitress and waiter working last night were surprisingly nice and attentive. The show pretty much started on time (8pm) and ended around 10:30. The room was quite intimate and the acoustics were amazing. The room is so small that pretty much every seat has a great view. It's the perfect venue for quiet, intimate, acoustic shows. read more

It was an unforgettable experience at Passim which immediately left me longing for another.

Amazing local venue and restaurant. What a hidden gem tucked away in Cambridge. I went here on a weekday night for dinner and a show and was blown away by the quality of music for such an intimate venue. This place can hold about 100 people seated for dinner and/or drinks and every seat is a great one. As a bonus, tickets are so reasonable and they offer even more specials if you're a student or member. I love that they're a non-profit that supports artists to feature their sound. On top of all that, the dinner I had was great. I would recommend the Passim Burger which comes with rosemary fries. The perfect dessert was the warm bread pudding. It's a huge portion that can be shared between two people. Go enjoy yourself! read more

See all

My friends and I had a great time today at Club Passim's music brunch. It was fun having bluegrass being performed in the background. And, it wasn't so loud or obtrusive that we couldn't chat/catch up with each other, as we were there for a mini-reunion of four friends. The waitstaff was friendly and patient, and we all loved our meals which were attractive-looking, fresh, and yummy, and healthy too! While this place is fairly well known in Cambridge, Harvard Square, Boston, etc. for its live music, many may not know what may be a well-kept secret that the Club has music brunches on Sundays. You should definitely check it out. read more

Nice local performance music venue, tight-knit community. Reasonably-priced food service during shows and supports local emerging artists. The seating is always really packed in, so it makes getting around and sitting a bit tight. read more

Live music and brunch- loved it! Locally owned still means something. Photos show history. read more

See all

Really great place to see a show. Small venue, either you can purchase a specific table seat or just do GA and see what you find the night of. They have a limited drink menu (heavily repping CBC) and a decent choice of foods, though i've never actually eaten here. Its been around forever and feels that way. The shows vary in popularity but its a really small and intimate venue, so I've seen some pretty great shows up close and personal. Highly recommend you check it out! read more

Attended this tonight: https://tickets.passim.org/eventperformances.asp?evt=4152 A great night of witty, poignant, intelligent folk music and funny stage banter in the Club 47, Club Passim tradition. On stage together for the entire performance, the four profoundly talented veterans, Claudia Schmidt, Jim Infantino, Geoff Bartley and Cosy Sheridan performed to a packed house, played beautifully off each other and sang on topics that are as contemporary and relevant now as songs they sang when they were younger but with the additional wisdom and performance chops that come with experience and age. I join the audience in hoping Passim does more of this. read more

I hate to rain on the hippie parade here, but you've got to be kidding me. I have all the respect in the world for the folks who came up through this institution, but every time I've gone there in the past three years, the experience has grown considerably worse. I usually end up going solo, because the performer is some weirdo that none of my friends are into (like Issa - formerly Jane Siberry), I'm happy to attend these things alone, but it inevitably means getting seated with somebody else's party and making small talk. I can live with that. I'm then held hostage by Veggie Planet's outrageously poor service and bumbling waitstaff delivering food more than halfway into the set. Take a page from Johnny D's or the Regatta Bar, and have some respect not only for the people on stage, but those of us who pay good money to see them, and don't care who had the "butternut squash and groat casserole." I like the intimacy of the place, but again, between getting my chair bumped, my feet stepped on, and some liquid getting poured on or near me with frightening regularity, let's just say it breaks the connection. Yes, yes, venerable history and all that. That's why there are two stars here and not one. How can a vegetarian restaurant not make a decent salad? Sheesh! read more

This is space is SUPER crowded to the point of claustrophobia - the best description I can give is trying to find a modicum of comfort in a totally packed airplane while you're in the middle row. I was continually bumped into by the wait staff, had to move so the waiter's arm wasn't on top of my face, and spent ~30 minutes in such proximity to my tablemate that all I could smell was brussel sprouts (NOT a favorite) and hear him chewing. On top of all this, the club sold my friend's seat (who couldn't make it) to a walk-in and then asked if that was "okay" when the original half to my four-person table arrived and I got confused why there were (theoretically) five people for four seats. (No heads-up, no apology, no offer of a refund.) I understand that my opinion is the anomaly, but I was so uncomfortable and annoyed with the club's behavior that it completely ruined both the show I attended and any chance of going back. read more

One of the biggest reasons that I love this city is the music scene. There are a ton of live music venues that support local indie, rock and pop music; but when it comes to local folk and singer-songwriter there is nothing that even compares to Passim. Passim has daily live performances from up and coming artists and local legends alike. This place has a BIG reputation on the folk scene; but as a venue it is intimate; seating is at tables, and you will be seated at a table with other people if you come in a pair or small group. Food is brought in from Veggie Planet, making it healthy, vegetarian/vegan friendly and delicious. Unlike too many music venues that will offer you watered down mixed drinks at outrageous prices; Passim keeps it simple with a small, but nice, selection of beer and wine. Or coffee and chocolate, if you prefer to go that route. Wait, there's more! Passim is not only a truly legendary live music venue; as a non-profit organization they also offer classes and workshops for adults and kids. In summary; Club Passim not only provides an incredible experience for music fans; but they also passionately promote and nurture local music and musicians. At Club Passim, musical history meets the future music scene and they make sweet, sweet noise that keeps me coming back for more. read more

Passim is the most sincere music venue I've ever been in. The speakers are ruggedly hung from the ceiling with metal chains, loud enough to give you the best possible sound but janky enough to be charming. The backdrop is sagging in center stage, some of its clips unevenly hung forcing the letters to be askew. The chairs are close together and drinks are served in old plastic tumblers that were probably purchased at a Dollar General in 1986. The room is small, making everyone constantly aware of anyone leaving to go to the restroom. It's not a venue. It's a music community. The clientele skews young to old, hipster to former disco scenester. At the end of the day, people who come here dig good music. And the music? Priceless. From Girlman to Dan Bern, you'll find some of the most talented, genuine musicians touring. Passim gives me hope for the future of the music industry. read more

I came to brunch today with 11 other women. We had a reservation. We were seated right away at our table. When our waitress came to take our order should took 6 of our orders and then walked away. She eventually came back about 10-15 minutes later and took the rest of our order. When the food started to arrive, only the first 6 meals came out. After waiting for a little while we asked where out meals were and were told they were coming. By the time the other 6 meals were out (served lukewarm) the first 6 had finished their meals. We complained to the manager. We were informed that the person now service us was the manager. At the end of the meal even though we asked twice for separate bills, one bill came. We asked for separate bills again. The manager came back and said they are going to comp the whole meal but not because of what happened but because we were told that we were very rude. We were not, we just were asking where our food was. I was very taken aback about how disrespectful we were treated. And this was a jazz Bruch. We arrived at 11:30 and left at 1 pm and I think they played for all of 15 minutes. Never again. read more

THE small club for live music in Harvard Square. They get the best acts, consistently.

If you love folk music, this review isn't for you, since you already know all I am about to say. Passims is a landmark. It's one of the most famous folk music clubs in the United States. Everybody has played here and it still remains a place for new artists to get their start. It's size really doesn't match it's reputation, and I think the unsuspecting out-of-town preformer is shocked by how intimate a venue it is. As far as the food goes. . .I am not a vegetarian. I am a meat eater. I love meat. BUT the food is actually really very tasty. So don't worry about eating before a show, it's safe to grab dinner here during it. read more

I'll just say it... I'm a boozehound. I like my concerts with a side of PBR and my ass on a barstool. With that in mind, Club Passim holds some awesome concerts on the humblest of stages... a lot of lesbian folky stuff... and I, being an honorary card carrying lesbian myself, don't mind the music one bit. The space is rather small and awkward, and it fills me with domesticity when I'm at a show with mothers and fathers and children... but not a bad place to catch a show if you love the band... and from what I hear, it's a good place to dine vegetarian style as well. read more

Dear Club Passim, I have a huge crush on you. I talk about you all the time; to the point of which is making my boyfriend crazy jealous. But when he starts to fume I just point out the fact that he is crushing on you just as much. Why you ask... Why, do we harbor these feelings for you? Well... First off you have an alter ego name Veggie Planet, a restaurant devoted to delectable vegetarian goodies so yumtastic that my before mentioned sweetie (who is a 100% meatatrian) will gladly eat there. Secondly, your lodging is just what it should be; a little ram-shackled and cluttered but full of love and brick walls. Thirdly, you sound awesome, and you are totally into improving your sound and sharing it with others. If I didn't know any better I would think that you are a hippie commune trying to get people to enroll and "feel the love"; which, considering the fact that I have a total crush on you, has worked completely so good job on that one. Fourthly, you love you some local artists, and this fact makes my folkie loving heart swell with happiness. You are the only destination if you are craving some Chris O'Brien and Band with a side of black bean pizza; or some Antje Duvekot and Dinner for Henry (a most delicious pizza). I was craving the former on Saturday and you delivered it with a freakin' awesome PEACH lime rickey! Shut up so good! Raspberry lime rickey is love... Peach lime rickey is lust! And Chris & Band, you blew the roof off with greatness (banjo player and stand-up bass, I also have a crush on each of you now, respectively of course). Though I am crushing on you I want to let you know that your seating arrangement is a bit tight, you might want to think about offering your followers just a few more inches of room than the 3" of personal space come with the table seating, and you might want to think about accepting credit cards too. There is so much more I could say about you, but I fear this review is already bordering on lengthy. So you keep on with your folkie, green, earthy crunchy, veggie lovin' ways and I will keep on crushing on you. Love, Cloie read more

Club Passim is the haunting grounds for many indy folk musicians, some notably are Bob Dylan and Taj Mahal. Here I see some of my favorites when they come pass by, Kris Delmhorst and Dar Williams. The club is a little small-cozy, but you are so close to the musicians its personal. Within the club is Veggie Planet-better then best in vegan and vegetarian meals. It tastes fresh and flavorful. Tickets for a show can be $15.00 anywhere up to $25.00. Their website www.clubpassim.org accepts credit cards on their website and at the venue. Veggie Planet only accepts cash for their meals. Staff is respectful and chill. read more

A great venue for trying out new songs! I finally got around to checking out Club Passim after hearing many good things about their open mic sessions and shows. I was so impressed with the stage setup and the house stage equipment. Everything was very professionally done and the sound quality was great. I will definitely be back to play more open mic sessions here. The crowd was a bit folky-earthy-crunchy for me but it was a good time and good vibe nonetheless. Club Passim is an excellent small venue with great setup and sound but unfortunately I don't think I'll ever check out a show here. I'm aware that Club Passim has a lot of history and is very important in the folk music scene but the ticket prices are just too high. Yes, I would love to go see Stephen Kellogg later this month but at $32 a ticket I'm simply priced out of the show. The really confusing thing here is that Club Passim is a non-profit. read more

I'm from out of town - state - and country. I've been to Club Passim a few times but only for specific shows so I haven't been able to explore the venue to its full extent. However, I've been to it enough that I can understand its seeming legendary status. It has a great community vibe. Of the few times I've been, there are people I recognize from previous visits. Something like that is important for a place like this and also likely hard to attain so that's definitely a plus. It's also a great performing venue - at least from a spectator perspective. There have been shows there that I've wanted to go to but couldn't (due to my being from so far away) but the shows I have seen have always been excellent. The downsides? It's cramped and tight. Good when it comes to watching performers but it's easy to get interrupted when drinks are being ordered and delivered. It's a tight squeeze. Other than that, I do look forward to coming here any time I'm in town. read more

Passim has some great acoustic and folk acts. I was just there this weekend to see Girlyman--a personal favorite. If you want a good view of the band, you have to buy a table seat. First of all, the tables seat four, so if you only buy two tickets you'll end up seated with two strangers, who may or may not be enjoyable conversationalists or savory dinner companions. Keep in mind the tables are very very small and you will be playing footsy and bumping knees with these people for a couple of hours. After experiencing several stilted conversations with awkward people, I now buy 4 tickets for a show and force my friends to come with me. Second, if you spring for the close-to-the-stage tables, that also means you have to spend $$ on the food. I can't remember the minimum, I think it is $5 a person. I guess now with the new alcohol license that isn't so bad, but before it pretty much meant you were required to order dinner from the Veggie Planet menu. So there you are, as close to people as you are on an airplane but with less aisle room, sitting in a folding chair, and forced to order the gag-worthy food from Veggie Planet. Let me elaborate on the VP food because there seem to be a lot of crazy people out there that love it. I eat vegetarian often, I cook vegetarian often. This is not good vegetarian food. Here are the things I have tried: The peanut curry over rice. The curry was grainy and dry, the flavor was strange. The broccoli appeared to have been raw broccoli put on top of the sauce and then microwaved--not steamed or sauteed. So the broccoli was both tough, dry, stringy and had that microwaved-burned flavor. Sure enough, if you walk past the kitchen to get to the bathrooms, you see they have a long row of microwaves in action, each one going strong. In my opinion, good cooking does not happen in a microwave. I've tried to mac and cheese. It is really, really, really greasy and oily. When the lights come on at Passim, and you can really look at your meal, it is gross...like an oil slick on a plate. It's tasty with a beer though. The pizzas--I've tried the Safe N' Sound and the portabella/pepper. The bread is good, especially the crust part. But again, the toppings are over-oiled, and they sink quickly into the thin crust leaving the entire "pizza" part of the pizza a soggy, oily, slipper mess. I do appreciate that they use plenty of garlic and fresh basil on the Safe N' Sound but other than that, this is not great pizza. Better pizza, made in a similar thin-crust brick-oven style, can be had across the street at Cambridge 1. (Try their portabella pizza...now that is heaven.) I can say the portions are huge, although if you can eat a whole one of these oil-laden bombs, you might be spending some time in the bathroom later. The brownie is good but the service is so slow, that several times I have tried to order a brownie sundae and when I FINALLY get the waiter's attention (two waiters serving approx 100 people?!?!) they are out. The ice cream is from Christina's so that is always good. And the raspberry lime rickey is quite good and made with real raspberries. The music: excellent. The service/ambience: well, at least you are sitting down. The food: would never ever eat it if I wasn't there for the music. That's how much I love Girlyman! read more

The ONLY thing that keeps me from awarding the 5th star is the crowding factor. But for some odd reason, that's a big one for me. But make no mistake, I am a BIG fan of Club Passim. The vibe, the ticket price, the intimate tables where you can stare at graham parker while you butcher his songs along with him. Sixteen years in Boston, and hanging out in Harvard Sq is always so bitchin! Unless you're really depressed/crying or have a limited amount of time to do an errand and have to find parking. Since Hard Rock moved to Boston proper, there's no better place nearby for music. Club Passim feels great. You're with other music lovers (and their sig others). Right off the T, right near & across from excellent & fun food/bar choices, good food, very affordable ticket prices (like Portland prices!!!!). Negatives: And of course, there's NO parking in Harvard Sq (but we're used to that). The table are close together. Getting to the bathroom is a bit uncomfortable. Maybe it's my just inner (and outer) Bull in China Shop talking. I just checked out their schedule and was very disappointed that no one I "had to see" was gonna be there for my trip. Next time, for sure! read more

If you're looking for yet another reason to venture into Harvard Square...this is it! Club Passim has just begun their Live Music Brunch and it's fabulous. This club has been around since 1958. Known for their folk music and wide selection of contemporary artists in that genre. The brunch was relaxing and mellow, perfect for a lazy weekend. Wonderful brunch menu with delish food served piping hot. The music was perfect for conversation. Hats off to the staff for a job well done. It's a cozy place so be sure to make a reservation! Then go back in the evening for yet another great experience! read more

When one thinks of live acoustic music in Boston this is where one pictures it. Forget the historical reasoning (by which I mean Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Tracy Chapman, Susan Vega, etc. have all played here), instead, focus on what it is. What this place is is a cozy little venue where people go to listen to talented people make music and they get to do so for less than $20 bucks almost every night! I've been coming here since I was 8 and it is the model I use to compare other venues to. As a warning, this is a listening room. Do not come here to take a load off and chat with your friends, you will be scowled at most fiercely at best and told off by the performer at worse. This doesn't sit well with some of the crowd that loves gum flapping, but its because of this that for everyone that's come to listen, there is an intimate availability between yourself and the performer available on a nightly basis. read more

I cannot think of anything better to have spent the last few hours of my stay in Boston with. Incredible venue with great musicians lineup. I almost missed my flight b/c I stayed here longer than I probably should've. Totally worth the adrenalin rush though - totally. I'd go back to Boston in a heartbeat just for this. read more