I popped in to grab some food to go, with my nine month old in tow. The host saw me coming before I saw him and had the door open for me when I got to it - a small but rare touch of service. I stood as out of the way as I could be - the bar is not cramped, but it was pretty packed, and my stroller wasn't small - and the host sent over a waitress - Amanda. She was super sweet and quickly charmed my son, who grabbed her finger and didn't want to let go. The wait for my food was quite reasonable, especially considering how busy it was, and Amanda checked on me a couple of times and brought me water. During my wait, I watched two strangers play a game of pool, and it seems perfectly in character for the place. It's not the bar where everyone knows your name, but hang around for a bit and you might learn everyone else's. A few other staff members came and cooed at my kid, and it really drove home how friendly the place is. I'll have to come and sit down sometime to fully soak in the energy. Now for the food: wow. I got the Nashville hot chicken, which comes with kale. I normally dislike kale, but theirs is cooked properly and seasoned well - I'd have no problem eating it again. The chicken was nice and moist, and there was plenty of it. It was properly spicy, burning at the lips, but still had a wonderful mix of other seasonings shining through. I was impressed with how well it travelled - I wasn't able to eat it until nearly an hour after I got it, and had to keep it warm in a hotel microwave! Now, the real star of the show for me was dessert! The Sour Cherry Hand Pies. Holy shit! (Am I allowed to swear on Yelp?) Even after sitting for an hour, the crust was beautifully flaky, the filling was tart and plentiful, and the ice cream, with the crunch of the pistachios, was the perfect complement. I'm a dessert fiend, and this was easily the best thing I've put in my mouth in recent memory! An absolute must get if you're dining here! Seriously: I'm only in town for a week, but I'll definitely be coming by for more pies! read more

I came to this cool little joint on a retro DJ night. We hanged out and grabbed some drinks with friends during the week. I really liked the chill laid back atmosphere, the electric decor, plethora of seating, and my delicious cocktail - the green walnut. I love nutty flavored drinks and appreciate that it wasn't covered up with lots of mixer. They also had arcade games and what looked like a tabletop shuffleboard of some sort. I'll definitely be back for an easy way to unwind. read more

State Park - Drinks and vintage DJs Green Walnut - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Very chill. Great patio seating in the summer. Dive bar seating in winter. Standard fries are the best of all time. Get the Frozen Cobra's Fang in the summer. Changed my life. read more

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Best cocktails and bartenders in town! Straight up old fashions are delish. Food is dope too, with no frills- I would ask for staff favorites, but the pork belly and duck are insanely good. Lots of events and party's here too, bumping and cool atmosphere with juke boxes and retro decor. Super popular industry spot for chefs and cooks too. Can't wait to come back. read more

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Their fried chicken IS SO DELICIOUS. I will say that it's not consistent.. I've had it a bunch of times and sometimes it's the bomb.com and then other times it's been too dry. I keep getting it and probably won't stop :P. Bartenders are attentive. I've come here a lot for after work drinks and I've never had an issue. I don't think the pitchers are worth it but the beer and shot combo is a good deal. They also have shuffle board and pool. I've ended up playing people which has been fun! read more

State Park - Beer and shot deal. So worth it! We had two rounds of the session. - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Pre covid review: I had the cauliflower sandwich which was bland and would have been better had it been warm. The fries were average. All sandwiches came with sweet pickles. No thank you. However, we started with the biscuits which were fantastic. I would do a running dinner in the area to just come back for those. Jalapeno butter? Yes. Service was really lacking as we were trying to pay and get to a movie but she went to other tables multiple times before coming back to us. I guess eye contact and waiving does not mean anything here. read more

Went here last weekend for the first time and had a blast! Cheap beer, a photo booth, vinyl, and disco lights. Will definitely be back.

Mark at the door rocks! Made me feel welcome but also was thorough with checking my id.

Ok, it gets the fifth star because when I decided to leave Boston, this was on my "just one more time" bucket list. First, the Official State Park Cocktail. It remains one of the best drinks I've ever had. I will start keeping High Life or Grain Belt just to be able to make this. Second, OMG chicken. I know what I said last review. It's different when you get it true Nashville Hot fried up. It will hurt you, both input and output. But it's sooooo good. Wish they'd put the pub cheese back on the menu, that was fabs. But still, this is one of the places I'll miss the most. read more

It is easy and nice little bar + restaurant. Nothing fancy but you won't fail on anything either. My husband Michael and I tried dinner here before movie and it was great. Servers are good and bar is loud and upbeat. Try their pickled eggs they are nice and give you the appetite. Michael got katsu sandwich. It was good but not really authentic katsu style but more fried chicken style. I got the burger and it was decent. It was a good place for a quick and laid back dinner and drink. read more

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Came here on a foodie tour and had a really interesting dish: pickled eggs!! The flavor was great but what really stood out to me was their homemade signature hot sauce. It was a really amazing blend of flavors. Overall I really want to come back here on a night out!! The atmosphere was really cool and i loved all the old fashioned dive bar games. read more

State Park - Pickled Eggs - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Have you ever just created your own local FOOD/PUB CRAWL just for the fun of it? ONE KENDALL SQUARE (Cambridge MA) has really become a foodie destination, thanks to all the great bars and restaurants clustered around the lovely remodeled outdoor square. On a recent sunny fall afternoon, here's 5 places we hit up for drinks and a bite (and there were plenty more to choose from too)...check out my reviews of the other 4 places for more details... Stop #1: CAMBRIDGE BREWING CO. Stop #2: THE SMOKE SHOP Stop #3: MAMALEH'S Stop #4: STATE PARK ~Downstairs, State Park is definitely the hippest place in OKS, combining outdoor seating with a dim interior and pin ball machines. Time for our first cocktail, the delicious Mustang Island (mezcal, strawberry, rhubarb). And a half-dozen Wellfleet oysters. Stop #5: PAGU I'm stuffed; time to go home and have some of those leftover ribs... read more

State Park - MUSTANG ISLAND: Mezcal, strawberry, rhubarb - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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This place was so fun! The drinks were great and we LOVED mark! He was so funny and nice and made us feel so welcome at a new bar. Absolutely coming again :) read more

TLDR: no longer family friendly. This place used to be my happy place for an outdoor cocktail while my kiddo ran around. All through the pandemic we were Friday regulars. The staff was so kind, and even gave a park badge sticker to my toddler. Today, the vibe was totally different. Waitress was visibly annoyed when we ordered. Then, after it started raining (not our fault) instead of letting us sit at the table w. umbrellas they told us we needed to move inside or get our food to go. All passive aggressive, fake nice. Look, if you're going to seat ppl outside, plan ahead for a little rain. And don't be a jerk. read more

Drinks are not my taste at all. Cider was a weird concoction with botanicals, the sweet cocktail I asked for after because I couldn't find anything on their menu I liked was not sweet at all and super strong. Staff was really friendly though, service was fast and overall vibe/mood was good. If you're a beer and whiskey person, you will like it. If you like sweet drinks, don't bother. Lastly, I'm ticked off by them adding their 20% admin fee and then still displaying a tip line. I'm from abroad and was briefed by everyone how you need to tip people at least 20% because of their low hourly wage. I didn't know what the admin fee was, so tipped 20% on top of that. Just to find out on their website later, they use that to pay their people a living wage already. Then don't call it an admin fee, call it the tip, so I know I already tipped. I just find that pretty deceptive and am ticked off I tipped over 40% on drinks I didn't even enjoy. read more

Snotty hostess, no thanks. Now only caters to annoying hipsters, no use for families that want to spend money. Go elsewhere.

Eh. EH. EHHH. Epic fail State Park. Yes, the vibes and location are spot on but the whole experience last night fell SO short I will not recommend this place to anyone. My man and I came in for the dollar oyster special they offer for Monday nights (10-12am) and were highly disappointed by what went down. There was one bartender on with what seemed to be an aloof female barback. Working in the industry, it really makes me cringe writing this but I still have those ODD vibes a day later. This is DEFINITLY an industry spot, yet, we don't work in Cambridge so we weren't down with the ordinary crew. We sat at the bar and the bartender checked my ID, then asked if he checked my ID shortly after. Um....yes you checked my ID. Are we in the twilight zone, or are you in the twilight zone? We then ordered 12 oysters, and when they came out they were served PLAIN. No cocktail sauce, no horseradish, no oil, and a flimsy wedge of slimey lemon. YUM? We then asked the female barback if they had any condiments for the oysters, she literally looked at us like we were aliens visiting earth and said no and walked away. Odd that on the regular menu the oysters say they are served with condiments. We wouldn't even care if we had to pay more but just a straight out no is kinda offsetting. Okay cool. We then didn't have any interaction with either of them for the rest of the experience. The bartender had all of his boys slugging those high lifes when he was ignoring guests at the bar. There was a couple next to us that was literally standing waving to get the check. Not really sure if the staff was feeling toasty themselves, which is why they felt the need to literally ignore us the ENTIRE time. Just when you think it can't get any worse, yes, there is icing on the cake. After waiving the barback down she says she can't run credit cards so be prepared to wait longer, just fair warning. EXACT WORDING. Honestly, at this point we should of just walked out. What kind of place is this? I'm confused. Was really expecting a better experience. Boo State Park. read more

I love this place but I'm totally rageing that they've changed the fried chicken pricing!! $17.85 for a plate and a $2.10 charge to make it Nashville hot. Adunno - liiiiiiiiiiiiikeeeeee --- is that necessary? Hot sauce is a condiment. Feels petty! State Park rules and they rise above that kinda crap (or do they) Also if you drink a megroni but order two because you're a polite friend and your friend is late. You got MEGRONIS. Aka: what I'm doing, me groaning Baiiiii xoxo read more

Impressive food and fun (but a little expensive) drink selection. Popcorn - 5/5. Fun strong flavor of garlic and nutritional yeast. Mushroom Stroganoff - 5/5. Really good! Delicious, balanced flavors. Would be happy to go back and get it. Dark lighting makes dampens the atmosphere but really solid place. read more

Go here if you're waiting for The Friendly Toast. No line, sat inside, way faster service, and comparable food. Food: delicious breakfast Drinks: excellent mimosas Ambience: like a cabin, a bit dark Service: fast, helpful, and nice read more

State Park - Eggs, toast, and salad - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Great southern style, fresh food. I keep wanting to try the Smoke Shop across the square, but keep coming back here! Had the State Park Fried Chicken (Nashville Hot) - nice and juicy! Next trip, came back and had the Miso-Caesar Salad with the Steak Frites - they were nice enough to sub Garlicky Greens for the frites! Great selection of beers, friendly service. The Notch | Left of the Dial is a nice, solid IPA. read more

I was really excited to come to state park, since I work nearby. I workout at Turnstyle which is right next door, so I made a plan with a couple friends to do a spin class and then check out state park. We arrived around 6:30 on a wednesday evening hoping to sit outside. The girl gave us an estimated time of 45 minutes, so we decided to wait. After almost 45 minutes she tells us that nothing has cleared up so it's going to be a bit longer. We were starving by that point, so we decided just to sit inside. The server took about 10 minutes to come get our drink order. Then at least another 10 for our food orders. She was super disinterested, and basically ignored us the whole time. I had the scallop appetizer which was just one raw scallop sliced thin. It tasted delicious. Then I had the mixed green salad, which had these breadcrumbs that somehow made the salad really dry. It was lightly dressed which I appreciated but the breadcrumbs just overtook the whole taste of the salad. My friends had fish and spicy fried chicken, and they both liked their meals. Overall, I won't be back. There are too many great spots in the area to give this one another try. read more

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One of the bartenders here needs to be let go. Completely judging me and friends after taking a shot and asking for another 30 minutes later. Everyone else I've encountered who works here has been great. read more

Great food and drinks, and nice outdoor seating options! But we ordered two half pitchers and were served full pitchers instead - it was our first time at the restaurant, so we didn't recognize the error in pitcher size until the bill arrived. It was difficult to address as the entire waitstaff disappeared indoors for a while, and in the end we decided not to push the issue given our time constraints of getting to an event. read more

I like their food, drinks and atmosphere. The sandwiches are to die for. We sometimes stop in for a quick bite before the movies and it gets pretty busy but usually able to find a seat at the bar. The bartenders are very friendly and if we tell them we're in a rush they're happy to get you your beer and food order in and cash you out. read more

From the creators of Hungry Mother...yet another restaurant that can do no wrong for me! I had the Tabasco honey fried chicken, snappy's famous pork chop sandwich, and the B+B pickles followed by the preacher cookies. The sandwich was amazing! It had a mcdonalds type bun (in a good way!) with chili, cole slaw, and a tender, thin pork chop. It was my favorite! The preacher cookies will be familiar if you've ever been to hungry mother. They're the ones they give out with the check. If you're like me, you've always hoped you'd someday be able to order a whole bunch of them and now you can! $3.50 gets you 3 big squares of the stuff. They're so good, you'll eat them with your eyes closed. I've heard the ambiance described as "hipster dive bar", but I feel that puts it in a negative light. To me it feels homey. It's an unpretentious dark-ish hangout space with booths you can hide away in as well as space to be rowdy and play pinball and pool! Be sure to avoid the crazy dinner rush and I'm sure you'll love it too! read more

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Mama, I'm coming home. Pool table, delicious (let alone palatable) High Life cocktails, Southern comfort, the return of the Iran Sheik, eclectic jukebox and chipsters! Yes, it's a word. Search my reviews for the definition, Matlock. Not much has been added to the Think Tank's old subterranean interior, but what Barry Maiden and team have done to the space itself is transformative. Candied beer nuts, pickled eggs, whipped cream cheese and pepper jelly beside grilled toast points and the Nashville Hot fried chicken. Oh, that chicken. Back to that in a 10,000,000 Scoville minute. Had a hard time deciding to stick with the State Park (a High Life with a shot of Rittenhouse rye, a shot of Amaro Braulio and a lemon twist - all in bottle) or the Pine (a fruitless rye Old Fashioned with smoked cinnamon), so I just went with both. See ya, stomach. And if you want a Surfer on Acid with a Genesee Cream Ale chaser, good on ya - it's part of the shot/beer menu. Ok, the chicken. Eat it. Boss got ya down? Eat it. Girlfriend left you for... absolutely nobody else? Eat it. Tongue been getting a little too close to your teeth, and it needs a fierce what-for? Eat it. The spice is no joke, yet the flavor isn't trumped and the fry itself is worthy of a headbanger's nod. It's damn fine chicken while you're sitting there, and it could be said that it makes an even finer hash the next morning. When you're cooking off that Surfer/Genny combo hangover. You stupid idiot. Anyway, stop by and see me at State Park, and your first drink is on me. Day and time? It doesn't matter - I'm pretty much moving in. read more

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We found this place when looking for a post-Halloween shenanigans hangover cure - and it delivered. The brunch was delicious and fairly priced. They were very willing to accommodate 7 of us after a small wait time. I went for the State Park Breakfast and was not disappointed whatsoever. Their delicious hot chocolate and coffee topped it off for me :) Would love to return! read more

State Park - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Came here for brunch and had the pleasure of sitting outside in the plaza. I got the corned beef hash, and it was very delicious. All the food came in good proportions. Everyone I was with also enjoyed their food. If you're looking for a brunch drink, they're strong and tasty! And if you like hot sauce, my god, theirs is incredible (not too hot, lots of flavor)! One thing that really stood out was the service! The staff were all very friendly and down to Earth. The hostess even came to find our group when our table was ready, which was especially kind! read more

State Park - Corned beef hash and toast! - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

We had a great casual meal here. Service was excellent despite it being packed. It looked to me like they are accustomed to being packed and they know how to manage the heavy demand. We had kale fritters, double burgers and an impossible burger (veggie that tastes like meat). All were very good. One note on the double burger, the menu says it is 2 4 oz patties, so I was expecting something like a double quarter-pounder sized burger, but they seemed a lot smaller than that. It was delicious and perfectly prepared (they warn you that they are thin patties and can't cook them MR) so I was just hoping for not dry and it really was perfectly cooked. It's a pretty cool atmosphere with enough TV's for sports and the bartender did a great job keeping everyone's glasses full. I look forward to returning! read more

Order a Toronto and a highlife ($9): it's a highlife tallboy with a shot of whiskey poured in -totally genius. There's a pool table - actually can find a game if you wait. Get seated - the table are just too small. My belly was hanging over that edge like a balloon being squeezed in the middle. Seriously - take a table out. Fried chicken Tabasco honey ($16) is an incredibly moist and juicy pile of chicken thighs, legs, breasts and wing. Memphis bbq spaghetti ($11) is essentially spaghetti in meat sauce - don't order it. Oyster po' boy ($14.95) has a very well griddled roll with hard battered oysters and a nice remoulade. Tobacco onion rings are string and plentiful. Friendly servers, a low key atmosphere. Overall very fun. read more

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Dope late night spot! Frickin define carrot cake, OMG! Candied walnuts, ginger, currants and slivers of lovely little carrots - so wonderful with a Myles Standish and Pimm's Cup! Staff is sweet and kind. Regular dive bar with a kicked up attitude if you're checking for it! And y'all know me, I'm always checking! P.s. Lazaro Cherries! Ask for an extra one in your drink! You'll kiss me later! read more

State Park - Le menus! - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

You have to provide proof of vaccination to enter. Once inside if a table is requested you are advised that " they'll expect you to order entrees." Once the check was delivered I notice that a 20% tip was added (for two of us) because of some employee compensation surcharge. The server explained that was to ensure that the front of the house, back of the house and service staff received a "living wage." It's an automatic tip and was never brought to our attention. I'm not quite sure if they know how tips work. Anyhow, food was a 6/10 and way overpriced. Service was efficient but unfriendly. Decent place but don't expect to see it open in a year. read more

What an interesting little place Yelp led me to. After an Elite Event not too far away Paul M. and I decided to grab another bite to eat. I did my Yelp research beforehand and the menu was definitely intriguing. I started with a Pimms Cup - I often get one when I see it on the menu, classic. We did technically eat at Shanti earlier so I opted for something light. The blackened scallop crudo and their asparagus salad both caught my eye. Both dishes were unique and flavorful. We sat on their outdoor patio which was maybe 1/3 full. The service was friendly and knowledgeable but not too attentive. Drinks and getting the check took a bit longer than I'd like but nothing outrageous. Most likely will return when in the area. read more

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The new trend seems to be for every fancy restaurant to have a corresponding hip and upscale bar. Cragie has the Tap and Trotter, Blue Room has Belly, now this from the folks behind Hungry Mother. I stopped by to grab a bite to eat on a whim after drinks with friends at CBC. (As a result, I have yet to try the drinks here, need to go back for that.) It was a good dinner. The Hoppin' John was incredibly delicious. A simple dish with rice, black-eyed peas, ham, and greens in broth, but everything was done just right. Good comfort food. There was good coffee. Preacher cookies for dessert were rich enough that we wrapped up two of the three and ate them the next morning. Service was really, really good. Very friendly, quick, and attentive. Fun atmosphere. Reduced-price movie tickets if you're heading to Kendall Cinema after. Looks like a great addition to the Kendall area. read more

It's so refreshing to have an excellent new establishment that isn't just another retread of the current bar scene. This is the best "dive bar" that you dream about but never expected to actually find. The food is fantastic (the fried chicken is to die for, especially at full Nashville spice, the collards are continuously fantastic, and the fish sandwich is excellent), the cocktail menu is unique and the waitstaff is friendly, attentive and actually cares. If I want a quick late night bite or a place to hang out with friends there couldn't be a better place than State Park. read more

State Park - Classic lights adorn. - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I wanted to love this place, but really it was just ok. This place is not on the ground floor, so you have to go down a short flight of stairs to find the entrance. Portions seem a little small for the prices. Catfish was very thin and I felt like I was just eating the batter. The pulled pork burger was good, but nothing to write home about. We also tried the broccoli with a special soy-barbeque sauce, and that too was just ok. Maybe I'll come back for drinks. They have a pool table! read more

State Park - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Given the name of this place is State Park you won't be surprised by my one word description of the decor... Campy. It really is, it reminds me of a typical bar/restaurant I would visit as a kid while on the camp grounds in New Hampshire. State Park's cement industrial exterior welcomes you into one of the best manufactured dive bars I have ever been in. Forget the juke box, pinball machines and pool table. all the other small touches done to decorate this place really add a wow factor. This place is brought to you by Hungry Mother. State Park Cocktail - They take a Miller High Life and replace a couple ounces of it with whiskey and bitters. It sounds simple but it is just damn good! Pork Sandwich - Beyond the white bread they used nostalgic qualities I think a better type of bread could be used. Next time I might ask that they toast it. Otherwise the pork in this great sandwich was cooked to perfection. It had a great seasoning and was tender. read more

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I feared this would be a hipster magnet, but it was really nice when we went during the storm on opening night. State Park gets 5 stars on staff alone. The vibe was great! super cozy and very chill The fried chicken, tobacco onions(onion strings), and a cold remedy cocktail delicious! There is something more than a little disturbing about scouring out the last remnants of the contents of an ashtray and eating them, but those tobacco onions were perfectly done. read more

State Park - New American Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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This feels like the hipster version of a western saloon mixed with a state beach with southern comfort food trucks outside and I love it. Atmosphere: Low key hipster vibe, all the hosts and waiters wear "I work here buttons" so you don't mistake them for patrons. Pretty helpful amongst the vintage shirts, selvedge denim, and docs. Lots of interesting art and very old-wooden feel to the inside and run of the mill Kendall square outside tables. Service: The friendly but non-intrusive feel extends from host to servers. Not pretentious but caring about their product and experience. We had a very knowledgable and attentive waiter who was helpful with our menu choices. Waters always filled, plate always cleared quickly. Food: The apps are where it's at -- the shrimp toast was better than I've had in asian restaurants, the homemade ham and biscuit sandwiches were delectable (and I'm a southerner!) though quaint, crispy artichoke salad was a must (luckily not the overly chewy, hard fried leaves of some crispy artichoke dishes), and the panzanella salad and halloumi were crowd pleasers. The impossible burger was decent and the nashville hot chicken was great -- but buyer beware -- mega hot with ghost chilis in the batter. Almost unpleasant but I love a challenge (waiter was very clear it's mega hot). I'd get the tabasco and honey next time. Side of blue cheese was necessary for migitation of the heat! We had the ice cream sandwich special -- the fernet ice cream sandwich. It had good fernet hint but was balanced well with the dark chocolate cookies, making it taste just like a better mint chocolate chip cookie sandwich. The semi-freddo wasn't really a classic semi-freddo but was creamy, rich, and had some good bitter/sweetness combination. One party member thought it was too smoothy and almost felt like it was mixed with bacon grease. We weren't complaining. DRANKS: The cocktails here are some of the stars of the show and the primary draw for the 4 of us to come here. It didn't disappoint. The bone crushers went down easy. The mustang island was boozy, concentrated, and refreshing at the same time. Les cactus was a great summer time spin. PRICE: Not too out of the norm for this area of Kendall Square. Cocktails were expensive but at least they were novel and boozy (worth it). The food was delicious for the most part. I'll definitely be back. We might stick with mostly appetizers/share dishes and drinks with desert in the future -- those are the stars of the show here. read more