I was hungry and hot and needed food and air conditioning, Russel House Tavern provided just that. The ambience was cool both figuratively and literally. The service was friendly and the food was good. They made a small mistake on my salad and they comped it right away. Solid place in Harvard Square. - 5 stars

The wings! So so good. The cold lobster appetizer was hearty for the price. The outdoor area is cute. It rained so I moved to the bar and the inside is also very cute. I was visiting Harvard Square and glad I stopped in. Service was quick and friendly.

They have bars on the first floor looking out at Harvard square and a larger one downstairs. We are at the one downstairs. We both had the fish and chips. I had just the Cole slaw because I stay away from the carbs in the chips. The room was dimly lit with just lights ion the wall and lamps on the bar. The bartender gave me a menu as soon as we sat down which is something I watch for. The fish was four pieces and there was a dish of Cole slaw. I was full afterwards so the serving was large enough. I would return if I am in the neighborhood.

Updating my earlier review (while keeping my 5 star rating) because I just stopped by Russell House Tavern for a quick dinner and tried the Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder, which was hands down delicious! I enjoyed this entree so much I felt compelled to write a review of it. This dish came with Cheddar Grits, Pepper Jelly, and Pork Braised Collard Greens in a sweet tangy sauce, a decadent southern inspired meal. I highly recommend ordering the Pork Shoulder if you come here. I sat at the bar and even though it was a busy Friday night, the service was excellent. The bartender was friendly, my food came quickly and I enjoyed the cheerful cosmopolitan vibe. Russell House Tavern remains a solid choice for dining in Harvard Square whether you want a bite to eat on your own or a night out with friends. It's pretty loud, so I wouldn't suggest going here for a first date. My server said they recently added this to their menu and I highly recommend it.

Great Tavern near Harvard. Great bar area. The food was good. I had the short ribs with mash potatoes and Brussel sprouts. My family had burgers which they said were great. We also had the steak Frites which were good as well. Hands down the best butternut squash soap I ever had.

Beers recommended: - whalers rise is American pale ale 5.5% $9 with bright citrus aroma, smooth body, a subtle hop and lingering spice. - founders breakfast stout nitro stout 8.3% has flavors of roasted coffee, chocolate and caramelized sugar, with low bitterness and just the right amount of sweetness. Ok: - Cambridge flower child ipa 6.5% $9 with herbal blast of citrus, floral, and piney hops

Russell house tavern is conveniently located by the Harvard square T station hence. This place had been on my brunch list for a while and I'm glad we had brunch here. I ordered the Tavern breakfast that comes with eggs, bacon, sausage, English muffin and home fries. The food was well seasoned and delicious. The server was kind and attentive. It can get a little loud but overall lively ambiance. Definitely make reservations early on as it can get pretty busy!

Time to update my review! Finally got the chance to sit in the main room/first floor a couple of times recently! I definitely love it much better! I prefer it over the basement/downstairs. Be sure to request the main room with the host, because it seems the default reservation system put you in the basement (like my previous review suggested). Also, sometimes they may charge a minimum for a large group, depending on the night of the week and other factors. Service is always lovely. All the staff members are always super helpful. Can't give it 5 stars due to consistent poor indoor air ventilation reading from numerous visits. This applies to both the first floor as well as the basement. The CO2 meter read anywhere from 1000 ppm to 2000 ppm. Whenever possible, I always request outdoor seating. I love the fact that they have plenty outdoor seating to choose from during the summer months. In terms of the food, tuna tartare is one of my favorite dishes here. Also highly recommend the brussels sprouts! The chicken wings are also amazing!! Also a pretty solid brunch menu!

Did somebody say $1 oyster happy hour?! Don't mind if I do! Came here for the late night oyster happy hour and drinks, and it did not disappoint. Russell House Tavern is located in Cambridge and housed in bustling Harvard Square. Although it's located in the college district, it's pretty far from hipsterish. There's plenty of outdoor seating including the adorable alleyway patio setup that's lit up with cute string lights. The interior space is even more captivating. There are two bars inside; one on the first floor which seems super low key and geared more towards the younger crowd, and the horseshoe bar downstairs with a tad bit fancier esthetics. The entire place is beautiful though. It's grandiose and the dining area is lovely. Great ambience here for sure. I arrived on a Monday a little before 9 pm for a night cap and to take advantage of their late night $1 oyster happy hour. Most places that I encounter have their oyster happy hour before 6 pm, but it was nice to find a deal like this later on in the evening (it starts at 9 pm during the week). Since it was late-ish on a Monday night, there wasn't too much of a crowd. The bartenders were all really friendly and helpful. Ended up having a few cocktails and some wine and everything tasted great. The cocktails are really good here and also decently priced. They also have a decent wine selection too. I ordered 18 oysters thinking that they were gonna be small like the Hog Island oysters that I'm used to having back home. I was sorely mistaken. These oysters were huge! Not exactly sure what kind of oysters they were, but they were nice and meaty. You definitely get your money's worth during happy hour! Hung out until closing time and then called it a night. I can see why this spot is a hot commodity around these parts. I'd love to come back to have dinner downstairs at some point. I'm sure it would be marvelous given my great happy hour experience.