UpStairs on the Square

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91 Winthrop St (at At John F. Kennedy St, Harvard Square & Vicinity)
Cambridge, MA 02138

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(617) 864-1933
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UpStairs on the Square - Cambridge, MA
Reviews
( 18 )
( 17 )
( 5 )
( 6 )
( 10 )

Best

Definitely one of the best restaurants in Harvard Sq. My friend and I went there to try their special SuperBowl menu. We just got appetizers and drinks, but they were extremely go...

Worst

HAVING SEEN THE VERY FAVORABLE REVIEW OF ""UPSTAIRS"" ON CHRONICLE RECENTLY, MY FRIEND AND I WENT FOR BRUNCH YESTERDAY (02/09/09) AND LEFT FEELING VERY DISAPPOINTED FOR THESE REAS...

Love <3 12/30/2006

This place is great. The decorations are great - the food is great - the service is great. Great!! more
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Don't walk - run away from the soiree room! 10/30/2006

Where do I begin? The tasting menu with wine pairings - the food was miniscule, uninspiring and our wine glasses only a fourth full. I am not one for large portions, but even I left barely satiated. We were served by a 15 year old - I really believe he was 15 and that clumsy and unknowledgeable. Our bill was at least $130 per person. I love fine dining but next time I will stay in the South End. more
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Hated it! 9/18/2006

I have to say I'm very disappointed with Upstairs. It used to be my favourite restaurant, especially when it was located on Holyoke Street. Pros: Great food when they're on point and you don't mind the price Cons: When they're not on point, it's a big let down, especially on the wallet more
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Nice space 8/3/2006

I'd have to agree that the food is mediocre and overpriced. I think you're paying for atmosphere and ambience. They should pay as much attention to the food as they did to the decor. I do have to say, the desserts were outstanding, even though we waited a good 30 min. for them. The servers are another story entirely. They are the most pretentious waitstaff I've ever encountered. You'd think that someone trying to earn tips would be a little nicer. Pros: Desserts are great, decor Cons: service, overpriced more
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no way 7/15/2006

The wine selection was mediocre at best. The food was nothing to write home about. Our group of four asked the waitress to evenly split our final bill (not an outrageous or unusual request). She proceeded to charge one friend the full price of the meal, me 3/4 the price of our meal, and so forth. When we tactfully pointed this out to her and asked her to remedy it, she said she didn't know how and generally acted like a flake for a full 15 minutes. Finally she had enough sense to get a manager to help her. He was equally rude and entirely apologetic - as if it were our fault she mis-charged us. And then there's the tacky pink decor... Pros: fun location Cons: service, management, food more
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Charming 5/12/2006

Great place to hold a bridal shower, small wedding or baby shower. Pros: decor, food, harvard square Cons: parking, limited menu more
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A wonderful spot for tea 5/10/2006

I recently visited the Monday Club for lunch with a girlfriend of mine. We were not ravenously hungry, so the 3 tiered tea with a champagne kick seemed like it would be just the right thing for us-- tea, tea sandwiches, and a few treats. We got much more than we bargained for; everything was very rich, and very delicious. Their amazing turtles were devilishly hidden on the bottom tier, which I reach well after I was completely full. I could not leave that turtle uneaten. We may have walked (rolled?) all the way home to Boylston Street to compensate for the rich food, but it was completely worth the effort. more
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Fabulous Prix Fixe 4/18/2006

At first I thought the service was slow - then I realized I am getting used to not being rushed... and my husband and I could really relax and enjoy our meal. We felt the service was very attentive and took the time to discuss food and wine with us. We ordered the Restaurant Week menu, but saw they have a regular prix fixe. Now they have regular customers! Our second visit was just as enjoyable. Pros: great prix fixe, friendly, no attitude, nice food/wine choice Cons: parking (?), , we took the T more
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Fantastic in every sense of the word! 2/22/2006

If you are looking for a true dining experience, rush to Upstairs on the Square. My husband and I recently celebrated our anniversary there - we can not say enough about the service, the ambience, and the food. Everything was first rate from beginning to end. Pros: Ambience, Food, Service more
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Great Spot for Lunch, Brunch and Drinks 2/11/2006

Lunch is elegant and a good deal, with delicious tomato soup and grilled cheese. Brunch is also yummy with the most amazing bread basket. The best thing about Upstairs though, besides its zany interior, is the staff. more
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Not worth anywhere near the $$ 2/4/2006

Soiree Room. Very disappointed. Made reservations, supposedly only early times left. WORST table - right by the room entrance, near heavy door that waitstaff uses constantly. Room was half-empty the entire time, so we wondered why we were seated there, better tables remained empty. Food - good, sometimes great, but many places offer great food with better experiences and lower $$. Portion - if not for the bread, we would have left hungry. Service - good, sometimes snooty - overall room ambience is not consistent with fine dining experience. VERY loud table very close to us, ruined the 2nd half of our meal - not the restaurants' fault, but with the room not full, why the proximity? Overall, $200+ for two after tax and tip was out of line - great food does not make up for an environment that detracts from the ability to enjoy the food. Pros: Nice coat check, Good service, Food is good Cons: Not a value for $, Loud more
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ups and downs 1/27/2006

First let me say, the food itself was amazing. Very delicious. Of course, the portions were extremly small, even for fine dining. The service was extremly slow, but good when actually aorund. The bar took forever to make sub par drinks-I expected alot more from the bar side of things, more creativity, steping outseide of the box. I would go again, maybe on a much slower night, and drink wine. Pros: fireside dining, cool interior, nice people Cons: slow service, expensive, very small portions more
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I tried and tried... 12/27/2005

The first time I went to Upstairs, I was taken by several friends for my birthday. They were horribly embarassed, the food was terrible. The second time I went during restaurant week, assuming they would put on a good spread and a good showing. Wrong! The third time, I stopped-up with some friends b/c they wanted to try it - we never ended-up eating, since no one ever checked back with us after we got our wine. Speaking of which, it is a great wine list - and it is a beautiful space - I would highly recommend sitting at the bar and having a glass of wine, but don't eat the food. It is not good, and is very over-priced. Pros: wine list, atmosphere Cons: service, food quality more
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Charming Upstairs 10/29/2005

The upstairs part of the restaurant is a lovely place to dine on a weeknight--it's very quiet and empty, and you can actually hear your companions speak. Our waiter was very solicitous and when we raved about the amuse-bouche, he had the chef make us another! I ordered the skate and it was absolutely delicious--it came in a grapefruit reduction that added just the right amount of tartness. My friend ordered the cod, which was perfectly cooked. Pros: Quiet, Intimate, Food Cons: Parking, expensive more
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Go UpStairs, not downstairs 6/6/2005

Actually a wonderful night with the food being stellar. a spicy skirt steak flanked by a salad was a wondeful starter and then pea shoot ravioli was to die for. Impressive wine list that is shared with the upstairs restaurant. However, the service was more fitting of a tavern than an upscale restaurant. probably the worst service I've had all year. Come with low expectations and you'll have a good time. Lots of people watching. We were there when the harvard glee club took over a portion of the restaurant and frequently broke into song. Quite a spectacle. Enjoy. more
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My Favorite Special Occasion Treat 3/16/2005

This is my new favorite restaurant. The decor is absolutely gorgeous. This alone is worth the visit. But the food is spectacular and even though some things are a bit more than you may normally pay the value is there. Super delicious. Pros: Excellet Food, Friendly Staff, Stunning Decor Cons: Slightly Pricey, Few Low-Fat Choices more
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Such a Treat 6/15/2004

I had read so much about this place that I made sure to visit there when my parents were in town. It was better than I expected. The food was amazing, the decor was almost worth the trip itself. the most beautiful paint and lighting I've ever seen. The prices were high, the downstairs dining was a little less pricy but everthing was so perfectly cooked it didn't seem unreasonable. I would go more often it fhe prices were lower but this is an amazing restaurant, definitely going to be my special occasion place from now on. Pros: Beautiful Decor, Amazing Food, Professional Servers more
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Marvelous and delicious! 12/12/2003

This place is great! With wonderful treats for the eyes and the tastebuds. Started out in the Monday Club with drinks and a yummy crabcake and scrumptious Rabe pizza. We had reservations on a Saturday night (highly recommended) and were told it was going to be a slight wait (but that should be expected every place that is this popular on Saturdays) My husband had the Steak and I had the rabbit, which is now my all time favorite meat. Leave room for the yummy dessert! These people even make their own ice cream...try the coconut. The service was impecable friom the moment we arrived, till the moment we departed. The host even printed out us directions from her computer and gave my husband the Patiots score throughout the evening. Now that is what I call service. :-) Pros: Friendly Service, Romantic, Food more
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Beyond disappointing 11/29/2003

The worst dining experience I have had in the Boston area. Made a reservation for the upstairs dining room only to arrive, trek up five flights of stairs and find the dining room empty expect for cases of beer. Went back to the cafe and waited while several members of the staff walked by but refused to acknowledge us. Finally stopped someone to ask for a table. Apparently the formal dining room is closed on Sunday nights. The host seemed to have fogotten this when booking our reservation. Sat down in the cafe, were given an after dinner drink list instead of the wine list and were unapologetically informed that 2 items on the very skimpy menu were unavailable. What was available was overpriced and the staff seemed like they couldn't be bothered to wait on us. Finally walked out without so much as a piece of bread. more
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Interesting 9/30/2003

Service was ok, wine list very good, prices not justified, my lamb $39.00, asked for m/r came m/w, lamb ragu quite pleasant, but when did a rack mean 3 small chops, which looked like they were ""in shake and bake"" my partners steak was perfect, room was also quite cold. All the staff were excellent apart from the waiter who seemed like it was all to much of a bother.Eat downstairs, where the food is more reasonable, I've been downstairs many times and it has always been perfect. Pros: Room, View, Most Staff Cons: Waiter, Price more
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Menu for UpStairs on the Square


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Editorial

  • Like an elegantly demented take on ""Alice in Wonderland,"" the restaurant's Monday Club Bar is all odd angles and colorful touches, while the upstairs Soiree Room is a vision in pink, outfitted...

  • 8/1/2008 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Daily 11am-1am
  • Payments: American Express, Diner's Club, Discover, Master Card, Visa
  • Neighborhoods: West Cambridge
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