I really wish there were more classy wine bar like spots in this area which is why I was so excited to finally be able to try out Noir!!! But...It really wasn't as cool as it sounded. They did have quite the cocktail list, with all kinds of creative names and mixtures of all sorts of things, but the cheapest cocktail was about $11 and they just went up from there. The cheapest glass of wine was $9 I think, so you can't really come here and stay too long if you don't plan on earning some major points on that rewards credit card of yours. The decor and the ambiance does make it quite nice though, especially for a bar in the middle of harvard square. It adds that touch of class for the more sophisticated crowd that doesn't want to just go to Charlie's beer garden all the time. It is weird that you have to go upstairs in the building to go pee, especially for a bar, but I guess that is just how this building works. And the other weird thing, I think I would like to come back and try some food, because it looked pretty good and it actually was not too badly priced at all--way cheaper than the drinks! read more

Located in the Charles Hotel, Noir is a great place for happy hour and people watching. I came on the night that they were having their annual block party and it was packed. Free hor d'oeuvres, live jammin' band, and $6 drinks, what more could a girl ask for? I got to sample their goat cheese, pancetta, and caramelized onion flatbread. Very tasty! There was also a shrimp cocktail with pineapple salsa - a little too sweet for my taste. What I enjoyed the most were the watermelon margaritas. Refreshing, delish, and went down smooth! With happy hour available from Monday - Thursday 5 - 9pm, why wouldn't you give this place a try? read more

This is the place I go to when I'm feeling a little fancy pants (which isn't very often, as I'm a total dive bar, cheap beer whore). They have fun, delicious drinks on the menu, and the cheese platter is yummy. Bonus points for being really dark inside, sets the mood to create a little film noir scene of your own if you're wearing a trench coat and some sunglasses. read more

very attentive service. the bartenders were very friendly and accomodating (and we only had 1 drink each!) The place is beautiful, feels like a little piece of Manhattan in Cambridge. The drinks were good, moderately priced..... and they didn't hurt going down! Definitely a good place to grab a drink! read more

Noir is a trendy but cozy bar that offers really good cocktails, an affordable happy hour (with great deals on their flatbreads, sandwiches and sweets) and good quality snacks. I really love their Black Dahlia cocktail with vodka, blue curacao, pomegranate juice and fresh raspberries and their flatbread with smoked duck, brie, grilled portobello's, roasted red peppers and truffle oil. The waiters are very nice and help you find the right cocktail for your taste on their menu, or mix your own creation for you. Noir also has a very nice outdoor patio, where you can enjoy their great cocktails in the sun (while watching people walking by). Its definitively one of the nicer bar options, but also comes with a steeper price tag than some of the other places in Cambridge. read more

Noir chills their martini glasses on crushed ice.. at the bar. WOW. Anyways.. it's nice to drop in here for last call-- 2AM. They are here for us later chillers. It's super for a hotel bar.. still has carpeted floors but manages to look pretty hip. Bathrooms are stocked with goodies since you have to travel outside the bar into the hotel to use them. It's like a ready travel kit for your voyage back to your seat. Good for one on one.. at the bar. Bad for groups.. whether in the Summer where you'll never get a seat or during Superbowl night when the booths can get cramped while looking at the projector screen. read more

The Charles Hotel is my favorite of the Boston boutique bunch, and its lounge, Noir, is intimate, hip, WOW. Fantastic martinis and dim black and red lighting all add up to a sexy late-night scene. Yep, my boyfriend at the time and I were making out like teenagers in one of the comfy circular booths. I do blame the champagne but mostly Noir-- its vibe is inherently seductive. I hope to someday return on another snowy, cold evening... Noir's cozy confines somehow ameliorate even the worst Noreaster. read more

It's all about the happy hour. 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1 - 0 !!!!!!!!!!!!!! We got the following: Goat cheese pizza - $5 Artichoke Dip - $3 Chocolate Chip Cookie - $1 Fresh Strawberries - $1 And a ton....I mean...MANY MANY Sidecars. It's ALL about the happy hour!!!!! read more

Not my favorite: rude/unprofessional waitstaff, boring (and slightly pricey) drinks, and it feels like extreme narcissism is a prerequisite to becoming a regular. The only reason to go there is because it's open until 2am. Instead, when you hit that time of the night just suck it up, put on your ironic game-face, and head to the Kong instead. read more

God bless the Noir staff. They have to deal with drunken hooligans (like I was at 22) each night. Noir is the place to go after most bars shut down - you do the math. It's pricey, but they make a mean martini. If you haven't guessed from reading my reviews, I like martinis. The service has always been lovely, too. The best part is that you can take your drink onto the patio during warmer weather. Full of win. read more

So, i gave this place a few tries to impress me and the only really cool thing about it Is the patio area. Their drinks are too strong in a really bad way, the crowd sucks and their is no real ambiance just dark lighting. They sometimes display random silent black and white movies on the back wall which is neat but I can't even enjoy it over the horrible music. Needless to say I won't go back, sorry Noir. read more

This isn't really my favorite type of place, but if you need to go somewhere for a recruiting/job interview drinks thing, it is almost always at Noir. I agree with most other people that things are kind of swanky with the dark lighting and retro movie playing on the exposed brick. They do have a pretty great original cocktail menu and I had a really nice, funny conversation with the bartender while I was waiting for fiancee to show up. She was really cool and had lots of good recommendations for snacks and cocktails when we were discussing the menu. One drawback is the lack of coat check - even at the Charles. I had my big jacket and bag from a full day and didnt want to cram them next to my chair at an already full table. I ended up persuading a guy at the concierge to hold/check my bag despite his protestations that they "never do this." That was cool of him, although I didn't really see why it was a big deal, but it was still a pain. Anyway, I think Noir is great when it's nice outside and when you HAVE to go for work stuff, but not really where I would pick if I had an open slate of options for drinks around Harvard Square. read more

Came here with my Yelper friend! It was a weekday night so I probably didn't get a completely accurate representation of the place. It was nice and dark and was playing fun alternative rock songs from the early 2000s, but the place didn't really stand out to me. The flatbreads were interesting in concept (I got the chicken, avocado, and chocolate sauce one) but didn't strike me as particularly memorable. The drinks also were tasty but didn't leave a strong impression. One good thing about this place is that they have a $1 oysters deal on Tuesday - Saturday, and they were extremely fresh and delicious! One negative thing is that you have to use the 2nd floor restrooms of the hotel (and the stairs are currently under construction so you have to take the elevator). Overall, it's a decent place with nice enough food, drink, and service, but nothing overwhelmingly amazing to make you want to come back again. read more

Super tiny, but has a good vibe. The night I was there they played hit after hit and it was fantastic. The drinks are good. Very strong... but at $15/cocktail, they better be! read more

Noir seems like it would be exclusive and uptight (like the hotel it's associated with), but it's really a neighborhood hangout with a great cocktail menu. Popular with the restaurant crowd, since it's open 'til 2am. Drop by on Fridays to meet up with a very friendly (and mostly harmless) Harvard admissions officer. He'll give you his card. Bonus: best bathrooms of any bar in the Boston metro area. read more

Nice cocktails, but be prepared to pay in the 10-12 dollar range for one of those sugary delights. Be warned, these cocktails are the type that taste like Hawaiian Punch going down, but then the alcohol slowly creeps up on you. The crowd is a little odd at this place - a mix of college kids and adults coexisting in one bar. I once had a conversation with an older guy that worked for Harvard killing goats. Before anyone goes all PETA crazy on me (damn you, dirty PETA activists), it was research for the purpose of constructing artificial limbs for injured Iraq servicemen. Apparently the ligaments of a goat and a human are very similar - who knew? Definitely worth a try for some tasty bevvies and meeting interesting folks. read more

I have mixed feelings about Noir. Their drinks are pricey and the bar is loud and pleased with itself, so it's not a place I'd ordinarily seek out. But the "happy hour" 5-4-3-2-1 menu is a good deal, so I checked it out with a girlfriend. While the ultra sexy black and red decor is kinda weird while it's still light outside, they have a patio if you want to take in --GASP!-- sunlight while you drink. And the stuff we sampled from the bar menu was damned tasty, especially when a sandwich is $4, an app is $3, and dessert is a mere buck. I spent $6.50 on a roasted veggie and goat cheese sandwich, half an order of artichoke dip, and half an order of strawberries with creme fraiche and brown sugar. You can pay twice as much for a drink if you want, but my Mika's cup (Pimm's cup made with schmancy Hendrick's gin) was $10, which is not outrageous for a nice cocktail in the Bean. If I had to pay full price or come when it was unbearably noisy and crowded, I'd knock this place down several stars, but the happy hour pleased me. And the Charles Hotel has a cool lobby and several other restaurants to peer into if you have to wait for a tardy dining companion. Plus, actual towels for your hands in the bathroom (upstairs, next to Henrietta's Table)! I am thralled by such elegance. read more

I only came back here because every other bar was full, and I STILL regret it. When we walked into the bar, there was no one to greet us or seat us. We wandered through the small room looking for a place to sit and wondering if we should seat ourselves. The staff saw us, but still ignored us. Eventually I asked if there was a place to sit. The waitress looked at us dismissively and said, "Uh, well, all these [unmarked] seats here are reserved, but you can sit anywhere else that's open." The only tables available had just two seats. "We've got another person coming," I explained. "Could we have another chair?" She shrugged. "Yeah, if you can find one." Really? At an expensive hotel bar, the waitress couldn't even bother to bring an extra chair to our table? When we finally sat down, another waitress approached the table, threw a pile of three menus onto it, and quickly walked away without even saying "Hello." We waited too long to order, get our drinks, AND to settle our check. We were in here nearly an hour, and only spent about 15 minutes on one round of drinks. This place just keeps getting worse and worse. read more

This place is open late, so once you've exhausted the other H-Square bars, you can crawl here. 2AM, folks; a majestic thing generally reserved for Boston proper. Otherwise, it's a lonesome-looking piece of shit hotel bar. Yes, a hotel bar. Where you go to cheat on your wife. So why are you here? Because you're an alcoholic that can't stop after Cambridge's 1AM last call. read more

Every time I've gone in here, there were what appears to be people on match dates or something. Like, there'd be someone sitting alone at a table looking nervously at their watch and then standing up when their date arrived shaking their hand. I guess this would be the sort of place where you'd get some action afterwards. Whatever. The drink menu is cute with their Film Noir names, but they're really denting my wallet. The interior is nice with some snug booths and fancy decor. And the outdoor area has tons of lurkers just waiting for you to stand up. This is the kind of place that Sonny Crockett and Rico Tubbs would hang out with some lovely ladies after they've solved some crimes and had high-speed water chases. In summation: interesting, expensive drinks, panty dropper. read more

I second the reviewer below who said "great after work spot." It is - its very non-descript, but its right in the middle of The Compound. The drinks are good, and the patio is open for business in the summer - so everything is fine. Get there right after the office closes on a Friday and bitch about your coworkers... it's the right thing to do. read more

My friend took me for a cocktail at Noir last night. I love anything with lime in it and ordered a "Chartreuse Basil". It was the most disgusting drink I have had in ages. The bartender was totally cool with me returning it and mixed me up something better at no charge. The "Black Dahlia" my friend had was AMAZING. It's a must try before you die cocktail. I liked the eclectic crowd at Noir. There was an old guys, young girls table. A few tables of young professionals, and some middle agers. The lighting is great and it was quiet enough to have good conversation. Next time I want to take someone for a classy drink away from hustle and bustle, I'll head to noir. read more

With a group of about ten friends we went to Noir for an evening of fun and we truly enjoyed our time there. 1. Our waiter was extremely nice and professional, no attitude or eye rolling when we asked for 10 separate checks! 2. The side dishes and appetizers are very reasonably prices, are very tasty and come in large portions! 3. Drinks are also reasonably priced and are well-made 4. The place is not large but modern and nicely decorated. read more

I love small, dark, red abundant bars, but my first and last experience was pretty disappointing. Having been to all the restaurants and bars in Charles Hotel, I finally decided to give Noir bar a chance seeing that it was not closed for an event (which, it frequently is). It was early evening. The bar was awefully empty, the music was bad. They turned on the tv, which killed the whole atmosphere with the screen. Well, these could be conjunctional events, let's say. The drink menu was appealing with Film Noir theme but the cocktails were not up to the level. It is a little risky to have just random petals floating in a cocktail, especially when it tastes like Snapple. The drinks tasted like they had the secret desire to be different, but I just wished that I ordered a regular martini. From just reading it, you'd think that the appetizers will offer some compensation for the pretty ordinary drinks. Unfortunately, the flatbreads are very small in size and they are much like thick, deep-freeze, supermarket pizzas. The service was good (attentive and thoughtful), actually. But not professional enough. So, why 3 stars? Well, I'd have given lower but it is my hopeful look for the future, when I will give Noir one more chance. read more

Rounding a 4.5 star review up-- the food, ambiance, and drinks were all stellar! Had a wonderful 21st birthday celebration here on a Friday night (Whispering City was A+). Can affirm that the turkey sandwich was amazing, but all of the food overall was delicious and very affordable (contrary to how expensive Noir's exterior may appear). Great for a classy night, whether you're in the pre or post game stage in the night. Will be coming back soon to explore more of their drink menu and try some of their $1 oysters! *Service was a bit slow even when the space was fairly empty, with a third of our table receiving their food well after everyone else had finished their meal, so a deduction of half a star there.* read more

The dim lighting, dark walls, candlelight, and beautiful red accents everywhere create a sexy and stylish spot to catch a cocktail at in Harvard Sq. The drink menu is very creative but my favorite is still the Black Dahlia (combo of blackberries and vodka--you can't go wrong!) The drinks range from $8- $14 which can get pricey when you had a few martinis but they are delicious! The happy hour menu is on of the best deals in town! The food is flavorful, fun and more creative than most bar menus. The flatbreads are delicious, the spinach dip w/ Gruyere is lovely, the smoked salmon sandwich is huge--but nothing special. The strawberries w/ brown sugar and creme fraiche is a perfect way to end the meal. Overall a great bar for a quick drink or tasty food. The happy hour prices are awesome and the food is good. The service has always been friendly and attentive. The outdoor patio is also a big plus. read more

Due to an incredibly complicated string of mishaps involving a slacking comcast guy, a slacking MBTA system, and a slacking ex boyfriend and chauferre, I was an hour late to a going away party here. Due to an even more incredibly complicated string of mishaps, it turned out the party was the night before. Bottom line-I left my friend stranded here alone for hours waiting for me and or a party to show up. Even though she never ordered anything, the staff treated her very nicely and so they get a star for that. I ordered two sangria to calm my nerves. They were fine. I ordered her a whiskey juice combination as an apology. She said it was watery. My tab came to 39 dollars. I deserved that. I am a huge fan of eating and drinking outdoors and the patio was happening and looked really fun. Unfortunately, by now my friend was calling the shots and she liked inside. The food sounded really delicious and they had some really inexpensive happy hour options. They also served warm chocolate cookies for a dollar. I didn't try them but thumbs up to that. I would definitely try this place again if only to enjoy the food and outdoor ambiance, preferably during happy hour time. read more

I went here for happy hour. It's only worth it if you drink ethanol. They have a $6 dollar drink minimum, but their mixed stuff runs $10, and their beers $5. The happy hour food was very good. I got some free nuts and has happy with the good mix. I had an artichoke dip that was piping hot and delish. The smoked salmon wrap was kinda salty, generic, and too cold (it's not a hot wrap, but still...). The strawberries were good, and the hot chocholate cookie went well with the fruit. Service was excellent (they gave me a glass of milk with my cookies--awhhh!), and I did like the dark decore, and old movie playing on the blinds. read more

I like Noir. Its a really nice space with mostly good music and good atmosphere / vibe (the crowd is an eclectic mix of business travelers, Harvard students, professors, and music lovers). Outdoor seating when the weather is nice is a great bonus too. read more

Love the sexy screen siren manly man coctail names so remniscent of that era of stylish Hollywood. Felt so Ava Gardner-esque in my sweeping halter top maxi. Femme Fatale in hand providing the perfect zing to my post dinner evening out that I wanted to start quoting Bogie...."Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine." The decor still spoke a little loudly of hotel chic, regardless, it was such a breath of fresh air to be outdoors in the warm evening with a drink. Last call is at 2 a.m.? That'd take the record from People's Republik as the latest last call bar in Cambridge. Attire is formal optional, athough it is far better to live out film noir fantasies fully dressed. read more

I popped into Noir because I'm scoping birthday venues and love the sexy decor and sophisticated drink menu. I was not let down by any means, the drinks were lovely, staff very attentive. However the venue was a bit small for the group of people I will be hosting. I will definitely be back! read more

We were walked to our parking spot in the garage. How sweet! The guy told us not to drink too much, cause if we stayed overnight at the hotel, we'd be towed. It was reserved parking. Right next to the elevator. Pissah. We walked in and hovered over a table as a large group split up and left for the night. It was desperately close to the time that the kitchen closed. My friend got a (not dirty, vodka) Harry, and I got something called the *something* O'pear. It tasted like honey. I was jealous of the blue cheese stuffed olives in my friend's drink, and after a short butt break, we were back at it again. She ordered the aruluga salad, which was SO TASTY, I was offered a bite, which is nice, cause I probably would have taken one anyways... It looked so fresh and good! I got a Dirty Harry, which got me sufficiently drunk, and she had another non dirty one. Ooooh, la-lah. Drinks. The bill was not too high, considering the locale, the atmosphere, I thought we were in for a shocker. Not so much. I like the cute little booths, and the whole decor of the place is really very nice. I think it's a good place for us to go back and eat more stuff. Maybe a girls night out? Oh yes. I'll be back. The only strange thing was when all of a sudden the old school videos stopped being projected on the wall... Eminem started to be blasted. Really? It was all sexy and dark, now it's confusing and dark... read more

Noir seduces me back all too often with two of my favorite indulgences - Chartreuse Green V.E.P. and bottles of Veuve. Their decadent cocktail menu tempts me as well, with the Chartreuse Basil being my favorite. It's a hotel bar, so you think it would have a bland clientele but the opposite couldn't be more true. Yes, you have some hotel guests and groups in town for Harvard events, but there's entertainment to be found in people watching them! More importantly, there's a nice representation of indie types who stop by for last call, as it's the only place in Cambridge open until 2a all week long. If you can, grab a table on the patio in the warmer weather. And save a seat for me! read more

I've been trying to fall in love with Noir for over a year now but I think I need to call it quits. It started in December 2007 when my office hosted their holiday party at Noir. That night I must have tried over four cocktails, and although I left Noir singing that night, it wasn't the praises of the cocktails. Sadly their cocktails are just "ok", they're not exceptional. The reason I know this is because I could name off five places in Cambridge within 5 seconds that have tastier cocktails than Noir. Want to test me on that? I dare you! In an effort to try to love again I went back to Noir last summer for their half off happy hour. It was a lovely day..I sat outside with some friends...and split a sandwich and salad with my lovely friend Louisa. Later that night I found myself in the fetal position on my bathroom floor suffering from food poisoning. Not so fun. Although I won't choose Noir for happy hour anymore, my story does have a happy ending - once I informed the manager that I had been poisoned, he was very gracious and even called to check up on me the following day. He offered me a free meal at Noir, but like I said, I haven't been back. read more

Three words. Dirty Hairy Martini. = UBER Yummy Blue Cheese OLIVES! Nice place for a romantic evening of cocktails, like on a date or something... Just do go in from 1- 2am on the weeknights, it is pure crazeeeeeeeness because all the other bars in Cambridge close at 1 and everyone flocks here. Well I guess that could be a good thing too. read more

excellent night scene - everyone looks cool in the black and red lighting. Old films play on a louvered screen. Red beads hanging at the entrance add some drama as well. The bartender is no joke and mixed a great martini and a gimlet - they have many olde timey drinks as well ( sidecars etc...) The only down side was the bathroom arrangement - or lack thereof . You have to go back into the Charles hotel upstairs and wait in a long line if you are a lady - come on one bathroom and 2 restaurants and a Bar? read more

Happy hour is a good deal - but my friend made a good point. I don't want to return for not-happy-hour because the cheap sandwiches, dip, and free nuts make it worth it for me to get there before 9. The Dirty Harry was good - I would have preferred it with gin though. It inspired my friend to ask me where to buy good blue cheese stuffed olives, and the waitress clearing the table next to us volunteered that they were super easy to make. Just use a knife to stuff the olive... and voila! Much cheaper fancy olive. Thanks for the tip! Also, Noir has shown me that you can get a lovely fruit martini without being sweet. Their Spellbound combines Hendricks and blackberry for fun of fruit without the intense sweetness of other girly martinis. read more

This place is boring. The whole concept is "Film Noir" and the wallpaper says it all. Other than that, it gets crammed up at specific hours. If you're an Urban Cowboy snob like me you won't mesh with the crowd. It's a bunch of dudes with Gucci ad facial hair and typical thoughtless fashion. A bunch of girls who won't talk to you unless they showed up with you. Point being, people go here together in packs not to meet others but to get banged up. I'm all about getting banged up but the reason I do it is to meet new people and take home exciting women who act like Natalie Portman in Garden State but aren't somewhat mentally retarded and annoying.. so basically I mean kind of look like Natalie Portman but not really because I'm not super attracted to her. Don't go here if you're looking for fun or wild times. This place is about as wild as the introduction to the Mr. Rogers television programme. Yeah I spelled it the British way. I'm smarter than you too. read more

Creativity did not only lie in the drink names.... like 'Ride the Pink Horse,' 'Satan Met a Lady,' 'You Only Live Once,' 'Naughty O-Pear' ... but also in the drinks! A little pricey but you get what you pay for. I personally like 'Ride the Pink Horse' and 'Naughty O-Pear.' If you like a little spice in your drink (it had hot pepper water), then you may like 'Satan Met a Lady.' 'You Only Live Once' was a bit too sweet with the pumpkin, cinnamon, egg white, peach schnapps, etc, but if you like desert drinks - it may be your thing. I also had a taste of 'Black Dahlia' - pretty good with blackberries in it. The place is small and dark, but nonetheless cozy and a great place for good conversation with good company. read more

Ehhh. Noir is one of those default "I miss New York and I'm tired of watching sports in bars and there are only 3 decent lounges in the Boston area so let's try it... again" lounges that likely gets 90% of its patronage because the lounge scene in this city is a disgrace. That said, they do have a drink that is truly crave-able on nights when I just need a little bit of champagne: the blue velvet. Aside from that, the other drinks are so-so, the bartenders are always nice, the crowd is a typical H.Sq. mix, and sometimes the music is great, and sometimes it's just plain lazy (do we really need to hear the whole Ting Tings album straight through.. twice?). Meh. read more