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

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

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Came here on a weekday for lunch before we headed to the airport. There was a private parking lot about 3 min walking distance so parking was super easy. Walking inside, the decor was super pretty and modern with plenty of holiday flair. We were seated quickly and the restaurant was not busy. We ordered the fried potato, the short rib appetizer, steak sandwich, mussel and fries, and the risotto. Everything was delicious and the dusting of cheese was incredibly liberal (which I loved). I'm from out of town, but the next time I'm in Cambridge I'd def come back! read more

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All the food we had was good. I got the scallops and they were fresh and cooked perfectly, and the butternut squash purée was so good to pair with scallops. The arugula salad was a refreshing start, i liked the citricy of the dressing. Overall, good food, but the staff served us that day was not so friendly. read more

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We came here for lunch/brunch on a Saturday and it wasn't too crowded so we got seated right away. The service was pretty fast and the food was good. We split the clam chowder, which is so good on a cold day. The steak sandwich was alright, I would have preferred steak slices rather than shaved steak. I enjoyed the short rib pasta. read more

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I came here with my work colleagues. I have a lot of dietary restrictions (vegan and gluten free), and there are other people on our team with dietary restrictions. The wait staff and kitchen did an AMAZING job. Everyone was happy and everything tasted so good. We will be talking about it for weeks. Thank you! read more

Wow! This place was super delicious, but can get quite packed so make sure to make reservations ahead of time! They do have a nice patio in the front that is heated, but it can still get quite chilly. Some of my favorite dishes we ordered were: blueberry cornbread (perfect balance between sweet and savory), Spanish octopus (perfectly seasoned and cooked, very tender), and the sea scallops (risotto was to-die-for). Would highly recommend to anyone in the area. read more

Wow this place was fantastic. Best cocktail I've ever had! The place inside was gorgeous and the servers were incredibly kind! read more

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The food was incredibly fresh and absolutely DELICIOUS!!! The service was excellent. Staff is friendly and attentive. I appreciated that they fit us in on a very busy Easter Sunday for my daughter's birthday. We will certainly be back the next time we are visiting my daughter at college. read more

Oak Bistro - Seared scallops, steak, pappardelle with short rib - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Came on a Saturday brunch with with a reservation. They are so sweet as they have made placeholder names on our tables which is a nice touch. The service is attentive and very friendly. We got French toast and the egg Benedict. I have to said I'm super impressed by the French toast, it's so delicious! Same for the egg Benedict and the potato pieces are chunky and crunchy -personal preference to have it smaller but it's still good! Love the decoration and it's very cozy to come here with a big group of friends or a date! read more

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Exceptional restaurant, perfect for a date. Friendly service and incredibly tasty bites of croquette, potato pave, risotto, and steak sandwich. Great creative fall cocktails as well. read more

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This was a Boston highlight for me this time around. My top-tier chum who literally went to the school of hospitality and I stopped by last Saturday for brunch after a very nippy walk on the other side of Cambridge. I required warmth and sustenance, both of which were delivered in droves. It was pretty packed when we came in around 2ish but we were immediately seated at a high-top table near the bar to begin increasing our body temperatures and consuming calories. In what's becoming a bit of a trip tradition, we decided to go a little bougie and get an edgy mimosa situation. Oak Bistro had a flight option in the $55 range where you got a bottle of champagne and I think three or four juice options to mix it with. Not a bad deal. Based on what we sampled, I don't see a reason for them to get too creative here - dance with the one you brought, right? In this case, orange juice. There was a berry-flavored one that wasn't bad but both of us kept relying on the mainstay orange juice. One of them was a cider that just didn't hit at all, and I'd remove that from the flight options. It flat out doesn't jive with the champagne. But honestly, that cider was the only miss of the adventure in my book. I'd built up an appetite braving the New England wind gusts, so it felt appropriate to go straight to the Benedict section. It's one of my favorite brunch entrees but I especially like it when it's not the dictionary definition version, aka with Canadian bacon. This was a very solid alternative, featuring short rib. Delicious and really hit the spot. The short ribs themselves were a LITTLE dry but I think it cancelled out with the hollandaise sauce. The home fries were great too, perfectly cooked and seasoned. A very solid dish in my view. My chum was tepid on them, but we will respectfully agree to disagree. The service was fine from what I recall. We were in a "good" area in that respect, in that we were pretty visible and not tucked away in a corner, so our waitress came by fairly regularly. We weren't on the clock so if the visits were more on the infrequent side, it wasn't noticed. The high-top tables ARE a little small especially given the plate sizes - we had two entrees and a mimosa flight and it was a very tight squeeze. If they have the ability to replace those with ones that provide more space to play around with, I'd do it. Was this mind-blowing/off the charts? No, but it was very solid and you take that as a win. read more

Oak Bistro - Short Ribs Eggs Benedict. - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

We loooooved this lil bistro. What a delicious surprise in Camrbidge. Here's my grade: Drinks: - Quetzal (Montelobos Espadin, kiwi cucumber fresca, orange liqueur, lime, spicy salt, thai chili) - B - Don Augustin (Brown butter washed Monkey Shoulder, Punt e Mes, Frangelico, hickory smoke) - B+ Food: - Thousand-layer crispy potato pave (Pecorino cheese, bravas sauce, chives, gluten-free) - A+ - Special risotto (Pecorino cheese, mushrooms, duck confit, gluten-free) - A Server: - Naomi - A+ Vibes: - Tasteful, hip, smart layout, but not trying too hard. They installed a thick curtain at the door to stop chilly winter air from blasting in to the dining area. Not too bright, but also not too dark. Perfectly lit. A+ I would absolutely come back if I was in the area! In fact, I'd seek out a reason to go to Cambridge just so that I could have dinner here again. I still dream about that thousand-layer potato dish. The prices were a little high, but I think they mostly aligned with the area, the quality of food, & the great service. read more

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This place is sooo yummy. We called around 6pm on a Saturday with no reservations and they were able to get us seats. Food highlights: Fried burrata - really delicious and large portion. big enough for 4 people to split Berry Farm Roasted Beet Salad - maybe the highlight of the entire meal. perfectly dressed, the pear was melt in your mouth good and toasted pecans were a good touch. wish we had more! Ricotta Gnocchi (asked for vegetarian) - this was the perfect portion and some of the most well cooked gnocchi I've had. really yummy Pappardelle short rib ragu - so good, fresh tasting pasta. not super saucy but in a way that made it taste light (for a pasta dish). large portion, enough for left overs! banana beignets - surprisingly "light". very fluffy but a tiny bit dense compared to my idea of a beignet. the caramel sauce was really good for dipping. it definitely needs that to not taste too dry. drinks: loved autumn in inman - not too sweet but just sweet enough. easy to drink taste like home - very pretty drink, a bit sweet but perfect if you like that I would definitely return here. the service was fast, nice and the ambiance of the restaurant is great for a date night! read more

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Ordered takeout for dinner via the website and the service was fast and easy! Had to try the burger, it was tender and juicy, very simple steak seasoning. The ricotta and Sweet potato fritters were delicious, I personally did not like the taste of the sauce very much even though it does bring out some of the flavors. I've never had a restaurant write a beautiful message on my to-go bag for me, that was special! Ambiance on the inside is intimate and classy, great for a special night out. read more

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It's ok. I think it's overrated. Prices are high and food is very good, just feels like portions are a little small and it's trying to be trendy. I do like the cocktails and it is a very cozy yet modern vibe inside. I have not sat on the patio but it is very cute and well maintained. The staff has always been friendly. There are just so many great restaurants in this area that it's hard for me to recommend this one over somewhere else (like Moona or Puritan). read more

We love this place. My partner, son and I stumbled in here hungry when the Druid was full up for lunch. I ordered the kids pasta almost immediately, and they had milk on the table for him in seconds flat. We got the wings, the ruben, and the short rib pasta, and some kind or cornbread something or other to share. Each bite of every single thing we ordered (INCLUDING the kids pasta) was so yummy - full of flavor, and showing exactly how much thought and love went into it. We came here a second time to celebrate a birthday and the staff was so helpful pulling off a silly surprise for my beau. It was a really great time. The service, ambiance, food, everything is so lovely. read more

Oak Bistro is wonderful! A comfortable, enchanting setting, lovely staff and great food! We tasted the fried oysters (absolutely delicious!), the mussels (ditto!!), the blueberry ricotta cornbread (to die for!, so creamy and warm!) and the Thousand-Layer Crispy Potato Pave (I had the leftover portion with a fried egg this morning!). We wanted to try more, but we couldn't fit in another bite! What an exciting surprise! I read a Yelp review and was visiting the neighborhood and decided to drop in. Don't pass on this one. It's so refreshing! read more

We had a lovely dinner here. Everything was tasting great. I love the fact that they serve reasonably sized portions. I had a bit of a late lunch so I opted to just get the Spanish Octopus and the Parmesan Garlic fries. Both were superb and were polished clean. My dining companions ordered the Scallops and Duck Confit. Both liked their meals. Service was quick, waitress was very friendly. read more

What a fun place! My fiancé and I visited Oak Bistro for Valentine's Day after making a reservation. They had a special drink and food menu for the occasion, and can attest that cocktails were delicious! Standout dishes were the croquettes, potato pave, and the special chocolate mousse. I also wanted to add that the staff went above and beyond for Valentine's Day, even coming by and taking Polaroids of us to keep! Looking forward to returning soon! read more

Oak Bistro - Barbie and Ken Valentine's Day cocktail - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Came here with my team of 10 and had a really amazing meal. Apps especially-layered potatoes, truffle fries, short rib croquettes, citrus salad, peach burrata salad, Brussels- rave reviews from everyone on those. Entrees were all good but reviews more mixed on enthusiasm. Scallops were as good as the apps, as was the mushroom risotto and chicken. Gnocchi was a little bland and short rib pasta good. Ambience is fun, server friendly and competent, cocktails and beer enjoyed by those who imbibed. Highly recommend! read more

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Dee's artichoke cakes were great! Enjoyed the vegan options and the staff were very friendly. Cute and cozy, we look forward to visiting again. read more

Oak Bistro - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Stepped right into this restaurant and felt like a great place to have a great conversation or spill some sipping hot tea! In Inman square, Oak bistro is off the side of the road that I would always pass by on my 40 minute journey from Somerville to HMart in Central. It's very lively and homey inside with a pink wall with a small frame and light fixtures giving a lot of life to the place. Seating is all over the place with booths, bars and normal tables. It's actually freaking adorable because when they take you to your table there is a paper name plate the reservation is booked under. Way to add some personalization, a small gesture that meant so much. Our waiter was really nice and had such a sweet personality. When she hadn't come over to get our order yet she was deeply apologetic and very sincere.Their menu is marked for veg options, dairy free or things they can make gluten free. They've got a farm to table concept so I guess why the food is so pricey lol. But everything was so delicious. I don't get burgers often but I was in the mood for one and it was so juicy and meatyyy. Then the short rib hash though VERY small was freaking delicious. Told my friend the meat is just meating because the flavor of the meat was so BOLD and leveled up if you know what i mean? Drinks were great as well got the winter mimosa which tasted like christmas to be honest. We got dessert and I've had better crème brûlée but that's okay because I just needed my sweet fix after. This would be a great place to have a date or maybe have a girls treat yourself dinner. I would definitely recommend trying this spot. Do be mindful that they do ask to put your card down and if you cancel under 48 NOT 24hrs they will charge your card. So they mean business lol. $$$ Food 9 Atmosphere 9 Service 8 Farm to table burger Short rib hash Sage crème brûlée Winter mimosa read more

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This is one of the decent late night options. The chicken entree was a bit dry. I wouldn't recommend. The salmon entree on the other hand was very good. Portion sizes were larger than expected. read more

The soft glow of the warm and dim lighting of Oak Bistro serves as an invitation into an otherwise unassuming interior. There is no singular wow factor in the arrangement of the restaurant, and yet each of the little details -- the spacing of the tables, the small ornamental decorations, the choice of materials -- combine to create an enrapturing environment. Truly, if you had not told me the name of the restaurant was Oak Bistro, I might be able to guess just by looking at the interior. My party arrived at the restaurant with ten guests in total, and the waitstaff worked as a well-oiled machine to provide an incredibly smooth experience. In a moment, the waitstaff seemed to disappear into the background -- leaving plenty of time to enjoy the food and company -- and at the very next they were at our beck and call precisely when we were ready for them. We must have ordered practically the entire menu, and not a single dish was a source of disappointment. In fact, the reality was quite the opposite. We had so much good food during our time at Oak Bistro that it's difficult to highlight any one dish in particular. My advice: get ready to share so as to try a great variety of excellent dishes. read more

This was my favorite restaurant I went to over the long weekend I spent in the Boston area. All the courses were inventive and delicious. I would particularly recommend the croquettes. The ragu was also really good as were the fried potatoes. The service was really attentive and friendly too. It's a nice looking restaurant. I would go here again many, many times. read more

Oak Bistro - Patas rellenas - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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A charming bistro in Inman Square decorated with natural wood and drying flowers. The service is attentive, and they made sure to accommodate allergies by putting sauces on the side. Unfortunately, the food itself was hit or miss. Of what we got: Steamed mussels-frites: mussels were small and we weren't provided with a dish to discard the shells. The taste was overly buttery. Would skip. Bison sliders: not very juicy, flavor okay. The potato chips side did not fit into the sauce container meant for dipping. Would skip. Thousand layer potato pavé: the most unique dish we had. The layered texture is soft and delicate while also being hearty and filling. Flavor was delicious. Would recommend. Oak wings with honey sauce: delicious savory-sweet flavor and well executed wings. Would recommend. Short rib croquettes: tough, dry, and not flavorful. Would skip. Overall, a cute place with good service. Could be a good experience if you are lucky with ordering, but not worth coming back to for me. read more

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Great experience from service to food. Comfortable environment and quiet enough for conversation

My friend lives just outside of Inman Sq and walks by this place all the time so we decided to give it a try. This place has some outside seating but the only way to access is from the one main door. If you're going to have outdoor seating you should really have another way to take care of the patrons. We opted to sit inside. It was early dinner on a Sunday night, with a reservation and the restaurant was pretty full (always a good sign). We were greeted promptly with a smile and seated. It did take a little bit longer for our server to come over but she was friendly with a smile too. Our appetizers came out fairly quickly but our entrees took a bit longer than expected. And when we were finished with dinner it took a little while again for our server to clear out plates. There was a table that was seated a little while after us and their server did not come to their table for a very long time. My friend and I both made a comment to each other about it. It was a bit surprising and you could tell the party was slightly annoyed. On to the food. We ordered the blueberry ricotta cornbread and it was very delicious. Our only issue was how little you got for the price. The order had 2 small squares, maybe if they were bigger or they gave you 3 small squares but it was def overpriced for the portion. The same can be said for the halloumi bites. The bites were ok. They were pretty bland, even if you got a bit of the drizzle and greens still not much taste to it. Each were $9 and $10 respectively and really should have been at least $2-3 less. For entrees my friend got the short rib pasta and I the duck confit. Unfortunately my friend said his dish was on the salty side, but ok. I fully enjoyed the duck leg. The carrot puree was a smidge too sweet even with the duck. The polenta was good. There was also a little arugula salad. It was a well composed dish minus the overly sweet puree. The short rib dish seemed reasonably priced but not the duck dish. I have to add, I have been in the restaurant business for over 25 yrs. My family had a restaurant and I worked front and back of the house helping. There are ways to cut costs or at least prepare dishes where people seem to get there monies worth. Overall we aren't likely to return due to the somewhat slow service and some of the dishes being overpriced a bit. But as always never take my word and go try yourself. read more

Today was our last day in Boston during our four day outing and we were looking for a place to end off our trip with a bang. Did not disappoint!!! The layout and vide of the restaurant is beautiful, perfect for a date night or night out with any loved ones. Our waitress, Shivahni, was amazing! She was very nice and super attentive. For appetizers, we got the cornbread and their croquettes. Both were tasty and had their unique flavors. For entree, both my mother and sister got the mushroom risotto, my father got the scallops, and i got the panini. This has to be one of the best french dip panini's out there. 100% would recommend!!! I wish they had this exact place back in Miami! When we come back, we are totally coming back here :) read more

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Had an amazing dinner at Oak Bistro while in Cambridge for the weekend recently. Some highlights: -The food, of course. We started with a couple cocktails, which were delicious, and the thousand layer crispy potato pave. This was one of my favorite appetizers I've had in a long time. For my entree, I had the pappardelle braised short rib ragu. Also a big hit. My only complaint is that I wished the serving was a little bigger, although that may just be a testament to how good it was. - Excellent service here. We arrived a little early for our reservation but were seated quickly anyway. Per usual, I cannot for the life of me remember our server's name, but they were friendly and attentive. - The thoughtful touches all around the restaurant. It's clear that they have carefully considered all the little details that make for a comfortable, welcoming experience. The heavy curtain between the front door and the host station so you don't get blasted by a cold draft while you're waiting for your table. The little placard on the table with our name on it. The table light that can be dimmed, depending on what kind of ambiance you're looking for. All in all, it was a great night out and we left more than satisfied. Next time we're back in Cambridge, we'll definitely be making a reservation here. read more

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Came here for a work dinner so we ordered a bunch of stuff and got to taste a lot. My favorites are: Short Rib Croquettes - much better than the short rib ragu. Sea Scallops were very delicious. The citrus salad was also very good. read more

My wife and I visited Oak Bistro and had a great lunch. The service was welcoming and efficient. Even at lunch the place can be rather loud so be prepared. We started with the Za'atar Naan Bread and the Old Bay Buttermilk Fried Oysters. The Naan bread with hummus was fantastic! Very fresh red bell pepper hummus with the listed ingredients and an additional unlisted treat of toasted pine nuts on top. The oysters were excellent but were a bit small and far too few for $13 IMHO. My wife had the cheeseburger and reported that it was excellent. I had the French Dip Panini and it too was exceptional. The homemade au jus was very savory and was perfect for the sandwich. Both dishes came with their fresh cut French fries which we thought were outstanding! We'll probably visit when in the area again but will avoid these pricey small oysters in a seafood town. read more

We had a lovely lunch here, it was pretty quiet which is expected on a Monday at 2pm. There were only 2 other occupied tables, but that meant we got to chat with the bar tender and server, both were very friendly and accommodating. The space is bright and cutely decorated with curated photos on the wall of small town, rural Brazil. We had the Tia Maria and Loose Goose, a cocktail and a mocktail. Both delicious and refreshing. You cannot taste the alcohol at all in the Tia Maria, you've been warned. All of the small bites sounded good so it was hard to choose. We ordered the croquettes and the fried oysters. The croquettes were delicious, well fried, not greasy and rich. I really liked the fried oysters but my husband thought they were too lemony, I love citrus so I enjoyed them. The gnocchi with confit duck and mushrooms was amazing. The gnocchi were pillows and the duck and mushrooms brought nice umami and texture. The tomatoes added acid and the pan sauce had a sweet touch. This dish really hit all the taste notes. The wings with their honey chili sauce were so well fried and crispy, the sauce was balanced and not too spicy. I want to also shout out Juan Carlos, the bar tender, who had to deal with the unpleasant situation of a patron not being able to pay for their meal. He handled it with grace and empathy, not many people would have reacted in the same way. We're looking forward to going back! read more

Oak Bistro - Croquettes and fried oysters - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Found this incidentally for lunch last weekend. My husband and I loved it! Great cocktails and the food was high quality. We enjoyed the bison sliders, gnocchi, and patatas appetizer. The ambiance was modern. Service was friendly and attentive. New spot so it wasn't packed but I think it's truly a hidden gem and you should check it out if in the area! read more

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We started with the Thousand Layer Crispy Potato Pave' and Oak Wings. Our entrees were the Classic Mushroom Risotto, Pappardelle Braised Short Ribs Ragu and Pan Seared Sea Scallops. Everything was absolutely delicious! Naomi B was our server, very attentive and friendly. They offer creative cocktails and a nice beer and wine selection. The weather was gorgeous so we opted to sit outside, it was a tough decision because the inside atmosphere is very inviting. Overall we had a wonderful experience and will definitely be back to sample more of the amazing menu options. read more

Oak Bistro - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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the food was amazing! i got the omlette at brunch which came with a side of well textured home-fries. our peach spritzes were also a perfect brunch addition. the handmade nametag was also a cute touch as it was my birthday brunch! the staff was also attentive and great at dialoguing about the dishes. they also brought out a mini portion of beignets for dessert due to the event. overall, a great and thoughtfully curated experience! love the ambiance as well. definitely recommend as i always love coming here! read more

Oak Bistro - omlette, oak benedict, and peach spritzes! - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Great place for good food and drinks. We tried several different small plates and all were delicious. Went there without reservations but they were able to accommodate us and so glad they did. We definitely return only WITH reservations. read more

Charming restaurant in Inman Square, with modern country vibes. Food and service were both good. read more

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What a find! Farm-fresh ingredients, beautiful presentation, attentive servers and beautiful decor with dried flowers, exposed brick and warm wood. They even have a beautiful outdoor dining area. We enjoyed blueberry cornbread with honey ricotta, hummus with warm pita and fresh veggies, a cheeseburger with fries and a citrus salad with chicken. Delicious!!! And bonus points for metal straws instead of mushy cardboard. read more

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