Red House

I don't think I realized that this is the same restaurant I went to almost twenty years ago...but apparently it is!The Red House is a small, quaint restaurant in a quiet alleyway in Harvard Square. We made a reservation on a cold, spring Sunday evening, but it wasn't necessary as the restaurant wasn't particularly busy. We ordered the scallop bites (scallop + cod balls which texturally resembled arancini) to start, and I ordered the lobster roll (hot preparation with butter). The scallop bites were tasty, and the lobster roll was solid, though my bread was already falling apart by the time it arrived. I am always a sucker for tiramisu which I ordered for dessert. It was quite a bit boozier than I expected and a bit heavier than tiramisu I'm used to. Service was very friendly and responsive. We clarified the nut situation, and the server told us that they don't have anything on their menu with nuts which is a great relief to those who have allergies.

I loved coming here years ago. But tastes may have changed ... the most recent visit was less scintillating. The garden salad was pedestrian, the lettuce leaves from iceberg lettuce, and the bottom of the stems at that. The mushroom toast was somewhat sour, and the mushrooms were chopped in larger chunks rather than in smaller delicate pieces. The seafood pasta could have had a more subtle flavor profile... it tasted mostly if butter with some larger chunks of seafood of mixed quality. Some of the mussels were sandy [and one tasted expired], the shrimp was a tad overcooked and the the scallops were oddly lumped together in one mass. The texture of the scallops was decent though.The tiramisu was delicious with a strong coffee flavor and liqueur that was much appreciated.The server was excellent and responsive to all the table's needs. Ultimately a worthy place that with some refinements could be a top notch choice in the Harvard Square area.

I do like the idea of an old house turned into a restaurant. The only problem is if you are one of the only people in the room, it's hard to ever see/flag down your server. The New York Strip was a bit chewy/not high quality, and coming with a piece of charred romaine seemed more like a plate filler than a side dish. The fingerling potatoes were fine. I got the lamb shank which was tender but the watercress seemed a bit of a mushy pile on top. The dishes were fine, price okay, the ambiance was fine, and the service was okay/fine/a little slow. It's not a bad choice for the area, but it was only okay.

Came here on a Friday evening with a reservation and we were seated quite quickly. The indoor space they had felt very much just like a house they repurchased into a restaurant; our table was in a separate room from the entrance and main area thus it was very hard to get any server's attention unless they were already in the room due to there only being a connection via a separate hallway. The area itself felt older and more vintage with its decor; they also didn't have their AC on, leaving it a bit stuffy. Our server was pretty quick with getting our orders and drinks, however pretty slow with refilling waters overall. The menu had a decent selection and my party of two got two apps to share on top of each having an entree; this was enough for us, however portions were a bit on the smaller side. The ceviche was very hard to eat and had an overall messy appearance; the taste was also too watery and not very flavorful. The oysters were pretty good - no complaints there, and then the lobster roll was tasty but overall too tiny to really enjoy. Overall, I don't think I would choose to return, however if a group of folks wanted to come I wouldn't mind. The prices were a bit steep for its quality and portion, unfortunately.

The Red House is a solid but unexceptional experience. The blueberry basil drink was pretty good but the guava mojito left an odd aftertaste. The clam chowder fries was nicely topped with bacon and was seasoned decently, but upon reflection it seems odd to add French fries to a clam chowder dish that is already chocked full of potatoes. The Baja fish tacos also were solid but would have been well swerved to have seasoning. And the unisex bathroom was filthy. Pee on the floor is never okay. So not bad, but they can do better.

A recent meal out with the kid was my first time at this Cambridge classic. Kid wanted to share the fish and chips. The fish was really very good, crispy batter, flaky fish, a single big filet with really a perfect texture. The fries were good, if ordinary, and the coleslaw was better than average.We also shared the Caesar salad. This was enjoyable, though not my favorite Caesar. The crumbly Parmesan made the whole thing a bit dry instead of being more incorporated into the dressing, and I would have liked a bit more anchovy flavor, I think a seafood restaurant can certainly lean into that a bit. It also was cut into surprisingly small pieces. Not saying that you need to do whole-leaf romaine steakhouse-style, but I think it lost something in texture at that point. The Asiago crouton was quite tasty.Finally, I had the Douglas Fir Martini, which I certainly can't criticize for being what it says on the tin, but I'm not sure I'd order again. Interesting and evocative, strong aroma of fir and wintergreen (I think?), brought back memories of walks in the woods. A bit overwhelming on its own, but pretty good sipped with some of the food.The kid had lemonade and was very pleased.The setting of this place is pretty cool. Enjoyed the high tables on the covered porch. Definitely would like to come back and try more of the menu.

My sister and I wanted something light for our dinner on a Friday afternoon. We ordered through DoorDash. The food came, but I was not notified of its arrival. We got an Avocado lobster roll, summer salad, and grilled chicken. The bun was well toasted with two wedges of avocado. Fries has cooled down by that point but still retained some crispness. Lobster itself was fresh requiring little seasoning. Salad was refreshing with a subtle coating of the raspberry vinaigrette, feta cheese and chopped pecans. Grilled chicken was just that, not anything special. For almost $80, I did not think it was worth the price and would have been 5 stars otherwise. Would be interested in trying more from their menu next time I'm in the area.

It's $2 for their oysters on happy hour, I hate when info isn't correct or up to date and the restaurant itself doesn't correct that. It's online as 50c but when you go there it's $2. Annoying

Good restaurant with a fun menu! I got the lobster roll which was pretty good and we also got the chowder fries which was actually tasty and worth trying if you want to try something different!

My wife and I were visiting Harvard square and happened upon this place in a wider spaced alley.. casual atmosphere ...outdoor seating at oversized wooden barrels... very cool vibe. The food ...we ordered a variety of skewers , lamb, chicken, swordfish and octopus... all pretty darn good. And the price was more than reasonable. The only way I could see this being rated at 3 stars is people trying to steer people away from diamond in the rough. Service was fine.