Important Notice:We have made the tough decision to say goodbye to the Foursquare City Guide mobile app, effective December 15, 2024, with the web version to follow in early 2025. Visit our FAQ for more information or to download our Swarm app.
Planning a trip to Boston?
Foursquare can help you find the best places to go to.
Russell House Tavern
Gastropub$$$$
Harvard Square, Cambridge
The folks at Eater and Boston.com like this place. Would you agree?
"Flatbread pizzas, rotating secret burgers, and oysters"(8 Tips)
"Great burger and tasty late night $1 oysters after 11pm."(11 Tips)
"Try the breakfast pizza, our favorite breakfast dish in Boston."(8 Tips)
"Steak tartare is the best I've ever had! Pomme frites are good, too."(6 Tips)
268 Tips and reviewsFilter:
- good for dates
- bar
- sandwiches
- trendy
- meats
- (15 more)
Sort:
- Popular
- Recent
Max ZhiltsovJanuary 5, 2015It is awesome place to take a lunch or dinner. Delicious food and good serving, perfect service! Try pumpkin soup, Harvard Beet salad (it has an awesome pistachios sauce) and chicken sandwich!
LatifMarch 31, 2017The best place that you can eat in Boston .. great food and service .. try the short ribs with spoon to dig and get bone marrow .. this place deserves all the good rating
Kazem EdmondDecember 30, 2016Anything you order will be served with prociutto or other pork related things...And it'll be amazing. The pork 5 ways is excellent, but it's more like pork 4.5 ways. :-) Good beer and expert service!- Steph HillMarch 27, 2014Loved everything from the friendly bartenders (Alex & Les) to the tasty food and cocktails. The pizzas are great for sharing and the cocktails and beer list is a lot of fun. High & Mighty was great.
- T BAugust 8, 2016In terms of food, the best of the Grafton Group restaurants. Quality selection of oysters ($1 after 11 pm). Friendly bartenders. The mushroom and leek pizza with truffle oil is out of this world.
If you get the mussels, when they are brought over and you are asked if you would like anything else, ask for some extra bread because you'll want it to soak up the awesome sauce goodness at the end.
CassidyJanuary 9, 2015the burger is my personal favorite (with double fried fries!!) but the chicken sandwich is also strong. $1 oysters (usually wellfleets) from 4 to 6 and after 11pm weekdays.
$1 oyster between 2-5pm as well as after 11pm! So good! I strongly recommend leek and mushroom pizza as well as fried oysters andnlobster slider.- Elaine CourtneyMarch 19, 2016Brunch here is amazing. Breakfast pizza, anti-benedict, grilled chicken sandwich are all must-haves! Wash everything down with a pint of Rising Tide Ishmael and you'll be golden.
Jessica RacineApril 11, 2016Both the brunch and drinks are amazing . Bartenders downstairs have the magic touch. A word to the wise not to order your steaks well done because they come extremely well done!
Lauren ChristopherJanuary 18, 2017The seafood is amazing! Order the swordfish if it's in season. They also had an excellent drinks menu. I had a smoky scotch there that changed my world.
Lisa SaMay 12, 2017Delicious fresh oysters, crab cakes and fantastic service. Highly recommend after your visit at Harvard
atusa aMay 12, 2013The Benedict was really good. The torched banana with yogurt tastes good but is too small. Overall a great brunch spot. Very friendly staff and excellent service.
Very fresh and savory oysters. I especially love visiting here after 11pm during $1 oyster happy hour.
KarenFebruary 5, 2016Fantastic cocktails. Split the tuna tartar, cesaer salad, and clam pizza with my coworker and I can't decide what I liked best. Not a crumb left!!
Boston.comJanuary 31, 2012Bacon-infused bourbon, house bloody mix, crispy bacon. The bourbon combined with the spicy bloody mix leaves your mouth deliciously on fire, and the slice of bacon adds a yummy breakfast feel. Read more
Kate wOctober 18, 2014Scallop pork belly, seared salmon, fried oyster, crab cake, and the best and unbeatable caesar salad ever!
Megan OutlyAugust 8, 2014Came here for brunch & wasn't disappointed. Ordered an omelette w/ a side of potatoes (they're tossed in a roasted garlic mash)! On a nice day, sit outside/upstairs.. The basement is a little dreary.- They have 1 dollar oyster hours from 11pm every night and 4-5pm every day😍 The oysters here are very fresh. Their pizzas are awesome too!!
Nicole WilliamsMay 22, 2011In Boston for 1 night. Dinner at the tavern was terrific! Had the toasted tuna, mashed potatoes, and the thyme roasted carrots - all were great. Loved the beers! But the creamy spinach- not so great.
Mark LoganDecember 16, 2015Every item of food I've had is excellent. Just getting small plates and apps for the table works instead of entrees, too.
Wendy ApisdorfMarch 11, 2015Great place & great burgers! I loved the house grass-fed burger. Awesome staff too. 👌👌👌
James DyeJuly 12, 2011if this place looks packed check and see if there's seating downstairs. the bars get packed but if u want to eat it's a short wait. great burger. tried the bone marrow for the first time. fun place.
thoughtbotAugust 31, 2013Smack in the middle of Harvard Square, this place inevitably feels like a smart Harvard student gastropub. The beer is good but the food is, too. Get the oysters and/or the burgers.
One of my favorites. Great service, good beer list, and amazing food. Get the extra dirty Caesar (kale Caesar salad) or the burger !
Pratheeksha KSNovember 26, 2016Fantastic cocktails. If you like gin and cacao try the 20th century cocktail. Great service, nice ambiance.
Bonnie ChenMay 25, 2014Crispy fried oysters and their house-made cotechino sausage pizza are really good. Its a thin crust pizza. I recommend sharing it with two.
Smashing DrinksApril 25, 2012Do you like cocktails? Do you live near Harvard Square? In that case you're in luck. Have a seat at the bar and let the bartenders make you something tasty. Try a Last Word... Enjoy!
Mark J.February 21, 2015Great selection of local beers. Be sure to try some of their more unorthodox appetizers and more exciting cocktails.
Niki BlakerSeptember 3, 2018Absolutely love sitting at the bar here. The folks working here love crafting cocktails but aren't pretentious at all.
EaterJanuary 12, 2012Delightfully long menu, thorough beer list and creative applications of offal. [Eater 38 Member]
Behnam HeydarshahiSeptember 1, 2015Mojito is lovely, the steak and blue cheese pizza is a killer, and the grillwd chicken sandwich is a to die for.
James DustinJanuary 18, 2014Great rotating draft Stout list: Backlash Russian Imperial, Blatant Imperial, Mystic Descedant Saison Stout, & a Jacks Abby Framingham Baltic Porter.
Kavita BabaFebruary 17, 2015Extensive selection of liquors and beers, and yet I always gravitate towards the Sauvignon blanc. Great for any time of day.
Alexandre BarbosaNovember 7, 2014If you are hungry near Harvard Yard, don't miss the opportunity to try the delicious food of Russsel House Tavern!
John CapecelatroJune 13, 2012Great and loud vibe that gives you the center of the city feel (ala NYC) without the obnoxious cabs and rude people. Go for tapas and cocktails. $$
Tom HalleranFebruary 3, 2016Great beer and liquor list. Burger was great, and fries were crispy and good. Great stop!
JariJuly 8, 2018Great house burger. Tasty patty with English muffin. Ask fries and salad half and half.
Vanessa GatlinMarch 11, 2014(Best of Boston 2013-CAMBRIDGE (Harvard Sq.)) Improper Bostonian says, "Chef Thomas Borgia has recently taken the helm at this Harvard Square favorite, where he reinvents American classics."
Open Air PublishingApril 16, 2012Our favorite breakfast dish in Boston has to be the Breakfast Pizza here. Tip: you can find chef Michael Scelfo's receipe in "The Better Bacon Book" for iPads. http://bit.ly/foursq_bacon
Chris KonecnyJuly 19, 2017Sit outside for good people watching. Decent beers and menu. Good place to stop after a bunch of walking around
Ben FishnerMarch 17, 2013Great house made ginger beer (non alcoholic). Everything everyone says about the charcuterie plate is true and then some.
GREAT cider list! Perfect place to grab a drink that's relaxed but a little swanky/romantic in ambiance.- MMay 2, 2013Grab a seat outside in the warmer months and enjoy the Harvard Happy Meal: delicious burger, 16 oz Gansett and a shot of Fernet
Sarah NixonMay 21, 2017Great ambiance! We had some wonderful drinks and tapas. Try the lamb belly meatballs!
Benjamin ChaitAugust 28, 2014Get a “Battle of Trafalgar” -- one of the few cocktails I’ve truly enjoyed.
Lindsey HoganApril 15, 2015Huge portions so considering splitting the sandwiches. They also offer to split half fries and half salad with your sandwich.
712 Photos
Foursquare © 2024 Lovingly made in NYC, CHI, SEA & LA
Russell House Tavern is a New American Tavern serving seasonally-inspired, classic dishes from New England and beyond. We specialize in artisanal fare served alongside carefully hand-crafted cocktails and a distinctive collection of all-American wines and craft beers.
Open until 2:00 AM (Show more)
- Mon–Wed
- 11:00 AM–1:00 AM
- Thu–Fri
- 11:00 AM–2:00 AM
- Sat
- 10:00 AM–2:00 AM
- Sun
- 10:00 AM–1:00 AM
(617) 500-3055
Features
Credit Cards
Yes (incl. Discover & Visa)
Wi-Fi
Yes
Outdoor Seating
Yes
Food & Drink
Menus
Lunch, Dinner, Happy Hour
Drinks
Beer, Wine, Full Bar, Cocktails
See More
You might also like
Places people like to go after Russell House Tavern
- 8.9
"Amazing food in the area. There's also some specialty shops if you're looking for gifts"
Alexandra Mottern - 7.8
"Love avocado poppers, waffle fries, mozzarella sticks!!! Wachusett a blueberry"
Kelly Ann - 8.9
"They always have a few of my fave craft beers on draft, and cocktails to suit all tastes. Will have to come back to try more off the food menu!"
Ben Bearnot
Appears on 444 lists
Created by The Next Great Generation (Boston)
76 items • 103 followers
Created by Boston.com
33 items • 307 followers
Created by DigBoston
200 items • 234 followers