An old friend just called to say he will be in town tomorrow, so we are planning on getting together for dinner. Since I live here, I feel it incumbent on me to name the place. Problem is, I am so old and boring that I have no idea where to go.
Can any Boston Dopers recommend someplace in the downtown/Cambridge area which has good food and a fun (but not overly frantic) atmosphere? Any bar suggestions are also welcome.
Thanks, all!!
Okay, I’m sort of into ethnic cuisines…
How about the Middle East? The food is good and they also have some shows.
House of Tibet: it’s in the David Square area. It has lovely ambiance, the food is good and the family that runs it super nice. I always get the best service there. It’s only a couple of doorways away from some great Irish pubs, too. And for dessert I think there’s a Toscanini’s down in Davis Square proper.
Fire and Ice in Harvard Square if your friend is into “make your own stirfry from various meets and condiments” type atmosphere. Personally, I get a thrill out of seeing my food cooked for me. I haven’t been to Fire and Ice but I have been to a Mongolian Grill so I bet it’s probably similar.
There used to be a Caribbean food restaurant in the Central Square area that also used to have dancing after a certain time but I’m not sure if it’s still there. Actually, I really like the Central Square area. There are lots and lots of tiny little bars and ethnic restaurants. At least, there used to be…haven’t been there in a couple of years.
I don’t live in Boston, but my wife and I were there on May 27-29 while vacationing through out New England.
Though it’s a tad touristy, CHEERS was a lot of fun, especially for an out of towner. I would think anyone who’s never been there would like to see it at least once. Living there I can imagine you might r:rolleyes:ll your eyes at it, but we got a real kick out of it, and our friends were impressed hearing we were at the actual Cheers bar. The food was decent (for bar food). They had some kind of a lobster sandwhich that was pretty tasty.
But that’s the only restaurant I’ve been to in Boston. It rained like hell the next day and we stayed in the hotel eating room service.
I’m sorry, that’s Davis Square as I’m sure you know.
I just remembered, if you’re interested in the Harvard Square area there’s always Bombay Grill (decent Indian and there’s a Swatch Museum downstairs) and Border Cafe.
Somewhere in the Landsdowne there is some place that is a brewery that also serves decent food.
Our Corp. offices used to be in Cambridge, but we rarely stayed there for dinner. I only have a couple of suggestions:
Florence’s - North End near Paul Revere’s house - small family run Italian spot - was our favorite place. Good food combined with good service.
Jimmy’s Harborside - can’t go wrong with the baked stuffed lobster.
If you’re out at lunchtime, go for the Union Oyster House.
Rhythm and Spice is DOA, sorry to say.
I second Fire and Ice. It’s a little noisy, but lots of fun. Yummy mixed drinks, too if you’re into that. Also in Harvard Square, the Border Cafe is a fun Mexican place.
PLUS Harvard graduation was last week, so you should be able to get a table without a 2-hour wait. 
I’ll concentrate on Cambridge, since that’s where I spend almost all my time…
If you don’t mind a 2-hour wait, there’s Dali at the corner of Beacon & Kirkland. Great tapas & sangria. I hear their other food is good, but we always go for the tapas. Or you can get there at 4:30/5 when they open and not have to wait long. They take reservations for parties of 6 or more.
John Harvard’s at 33 Dunster in Harvard Square brews some really good beers and does a good job with pub food. Love their Ale & Mustard Chicken, & the meatloaf. Catch of the Day salad is also yummy when the catch of the day is a light whitefish. when they use stronger fish it seems to overpower the fresh corn & roated peppers.
Inman Square is home of the original Jae’s - fun pan-asian stuff. Good sushi, cool fish tank to watch while you wait for a table.
Also in Inman is the East Coast Grill - great seafood, though pricey and a v. small menu - they mostly cook what’s fresh that day.
You could go to Kaya in Porter Square or Koreana on Prospect (just outside Central Sq) for Korean barbecue. It’s fun to cook meats n things on the firepot.
Yup - saw them removing the awning last week. 
My favorite place to eat is Gargoyle’s in Davis Square. My favorite place to drink is The Good Life Downtown; go downstairs for live jazz in a smoky room, and drink large martinis.
Hmmm, I had forgotten about the Border. We had lunch there a few times and it was always very good.
I second “Dali” on the Cambridge/Somerville line. Order the whole fish covered in salt, it’s the house speciality, and get a pitcher of sangria for the table. Definately check out the bathrooms, even if you don’t have to use them.
In Harvard Sq I like “Cambridge 1” for great flatbread pizza, just across the street from “The Border Cafe” which is OK, but nothing special IMO. “John Harvard’s Brew Pub” is good for hearty food and great microbrews. Just upstairs from that is “Pho Pasteur” for the best Vietnamese soup in town. On the other end of HS is “Dolphin Seafood”.
In Central Sq in addition to “Middle East” try the “Green Street Grille” just around the corner, great food with a Carribean twist. Also “The Enormous Room” is on the other side of Mass Ave, a real funky spot.
In Davis there’s “Redbone’s” for the best BBQ in Boston.
For Boston proper, I’d recommend a trip to the North End for any one of a dozen great Italien restaurants. There are too many to give a recommendation, but you can top it off with a nice capaccino and canoli at the place just next to Mike’s, I’m not a huge fan of Mike’s but I can’t remember the other place’s name. Another possibility is “Durgan Park” next to Faneuil Hall for some good traditional seafood and surly waitresses (they’re part of the entertainment).
Spin the wheel! Spin the wheel!
Try EVOO on the Sommerville / Cambridge line across the street from Dali. Fantastic duck and great oysters. For informal fare, I’ll also go along with Redbones. The catfish is the best.
When we go to visit my sister in Cambridge, we try to get to the Elephant Walk.
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Rhythm and Spice went away??? That sucks, I used to like their food. I think it used to be rated higher than Green St. Grille.
Just as long as Green House Cafe and their surly, smelly service people stick around I won’t feel completely lost amid formerly familiar environs.
Fire and Ice is great. Lots of fun every time I’ve eaten there.
Some friends of mine like “Dick’s Last Resort” which is a restaurant (in the mall by Copley Square, [directly under the Prudential Center]) with the gimmick that the waiters treat you like shit, curse at you, make you wear dunce caps, etc. I don’t get the appeal, and haven’t eaten there, but some people like it.
There’s a place called Mike’s Pastries which is pretty renowned, but that’s a bakery, not a restaurant, technically.
There’s some good restaurants in Chinatown, but I can’t think of their names at the moment.
In the North End, there’s a little Italian restaurant called Dom’s. The food is sublime. Dom is the owner and chef. The food tends to be very, very rich, but Dom really cares about what he’s doing and it shows. He also comes out and chats with every table, guides you through the menu, and tries to cater to what you feel like eating on a given night. If you make a reservation or go pretty early in the evening you can get a table upstairs, which has nice windows out onto the street. Otherwise it’s downstairs, which is a slightly larger room, and has an intimate/romantic atmosphere. The prices are not casual, but they’re not ridiculous either. I wouldn’t call it a formal dining experience (Dom is rambunctious. It tends to be fun.) but it is good for special occasions of the family variety.