Dear Annie

Dear Annie is the sister resto of Rebel Rebel (a James Beard nominated for its wine program), so I decided to check them out because I wanted food to go with my wine.The long table is community style seating and there are little tables along the walls to seat groups of 1-4 people. There's also a lovely outdoor patio with additional seating. You won't have a dedicated server, you will have to order your food and wine at the counter/bar.Although, it's a wine bar if you are wanting food and lean more towards the carnivore side, this place might not be for you. It's gears more towards fish and vegetables. I ordered the kimchi deviled eggs, oysters (with a cucumber mimotte), and the fish of the day (which was a poached cod). I loved all of my chooses and with the help of the server, all completed each other well. For me, the house made hot sauce was the star of the deviled eggs. Oysters were lovely and I think there was some white pepper to make the cucumber mimotte stand out from others. If you are a person who looks for more comforting food and are not adventurous eater this place might not be for you.I wasn't sure what wine to choose, and the server gave me three options that she believed would pair nicely with all my chooses. And they do have interesting chooses like a rosé that could fool you for a light red, but I ultimately chose the orange (and went back later for the rosé).There is a 23% gratuity automatically added to each bill (20% for front of house tip and 3% -if you order food- for back of house). For those that grumble about not having a server and still paying 20% ... hear me out. My 20% tip went to my servers knowledge on the wine she was selling and helped me decide on based on my preferences. Honestly, 3% is little for home much back of the house busts their asses to provide service in the form of food. And I would know, since I've worked with a James Beard nominated chef in the back of the house.

The positives- really nice staff, cool vibe and decor, communal table The negative- the food was horrible It would be great if they offered some basic, decent dishes. Maybe just go for a glass of wine there and then move on to somewhere else for dinner?

Had the chance to stop into Dear Annie. We were blown away by their selections of wines and tapas choices. The olives were perfectly seasoned and not squishy. Oysters were absolutely lovely. They dressed the beans of the day with olives oil and lemon instead of pesto because I have a nut allergy. The deviled eggs were perfect AND topped with kimchi. Fish of the day was cod. Absolute perfection and the pickled veggies were the best surprise. It's a communal dining which ended up being way more fun than expected!

I came here in the summer and sat outdoors - which was such a cute spot to people watch in Cambridge! Dear Annie has a lovely wine selection, and the staff was very knowledgeable in helping us decide what wines to ordered. We also ordered the green beans as an appetizer which were so delicious- well seasoned and in an amazing homemade sauce.

I've been wanting to try this place for so long! it's in the middle of Harvard square and porter square, worth the walk! It's a small cute place, communal seating dim lighting perfect for a date night. There were a lot of wine choices and the staff are super helpful in making a decision on which glass to pick. They even let me try the wine before making the decision. Not pictured: the cheese board which didn't come with as much cheese as I thought but still delicious

This is a perfectly curated spot from the welcoming vibes to the tasty food menu and extensive wine list.

This place could use a more balanced review since it seems everyone else either loves it or hates it. Tl;dr it's expensive but on the whole worth it, so let's say 3.75 stars.Our food was very good. The marinated squid and the chocolate tart (which comes with miso whipped cream -- very interesting) in particular were superb. We also had the deviled egg and the monkfish which were delicious as well. No complaints about the quality or taste of the food.The ambiance is great, chill vibes, cozy, artsy. We went early when the place was bathed in light and not too busy, that probably helped. I think it's nicer inside than outside.Other reviewers don't like the 23% service charge, given that the servers don't seem to do much. But if you approach the place as a cafe that has wine, gourmet food, and servers to bring you your food and bus your plates at the end, rather than as a restaurant that forces you to order at a counter, it's not such a big deal. To be honest, I wish more restaurants would let you just grab water, a napkin, or a sharing plate when you want, instead of needing to wait around for someone to bring it to you. Yeah 23% gratuity is a little steep considering, but there's no obligation to give more (counter to what some others have said), and it's in line with other restaurants these days.All that said, yes, it is a pricey place. The drinks in particular are quite expensive. Not just wine, but also non-alcoholic beer and cider are in the $15+ range. That makes it prohibitive to have more than one or two drinks. Some food portions are small for the price: the deviled egg is only half an egg, which bothers me because if I pay $5 for an egg, I'd better get a whole egg. And the monkfish, while tasty, is a pretty modest portion considering it's the priciest thing on the menu. The dessert, however, was surprisingly generous for the $10 price and very shareable.All in all, I would return. They are playing a dangerous game, being right on the line of "pricey but worth it" and "Jesus this place is expensive." But I found the high quality of the food, the good vibes, and the pleasant service combined just about justified the price.

Such a lovely spot with a local neighborhood feel! Lots of reviews about the price / 20% service fee which I understand...def was pricy for 3 dishes but we had a glass of wine each which was very nice and the staff are all very nice and knowledgeable so I'm happy to pay a little extra for such a pleasant experience !!

Cute decor, helpful service, good wine! Will return to try the food which based on the menu looks great

Annie, are you okay? Are you okay, Annie? Cuz' you're a "smooth criminal." Seriously, after reading all of the negative Yelp reviews, I thought I braced myself for the experience but I was not. Tonight, I patroned this restaurant as my dear friend has wanted to attend this place for years now. This week, before moving out of the Boston-area, we thought we'd go as her "Bon voyage" meal.It was lacking in every way. The food was unexceptional and limp. I would have had no issue paying the amount I was charged for an exceptional meal but it wasn't even good. Just lame and uninspired. Portions were shockingly small. The wines I tasted and I tasted all of the reds offered by the glass, were not good AT ALL. The cheap IKEA patio furniture and melamine plates the food is served on, made the restaurant feel cheap and a money grab. Servers were friendly though a bit pretentious. As my party was seated near the door, we watched patrons and servers alike struggle to enter and exit the establishment to tend to patrons in the outdoor eating area, precariously carrying glasses of wine, plates and cutlery.Nothing about this experience felt special. None of the food or wine was interesting. I don't mind paying the included gratuity, I do mind paying the +250 for the two glasses of wine and the subpar food. I would never do this again and I would never recommend this place. Most telling, after leaving the restaurant, I saw two of the groups who were seated next to my group eating at a near by taqueria.