Nubar

Get the burger!! It is flame broiled and not a preformed patty of questionable proteins. The smell of the char is enough to elicit overactive salivary glands. Not kidding. It is that good. The fries? Eh, and best. Not hot, not crispy, but passable. The ambiance in the bar area is kind of cool, but in desperate need of music. The searing is comfortable, but the lack of welcoming sound is definitely something to be improved upon. The service is quick, but not really welcoming or warm. The food kind of makes up for the lacking attributes, but not quite enough.

As part of a trip to the American Repertory Theatre to see Romeo & Juliet, we had dinner at Nubar. Once again, we were delighted with the service and the food. When we arrived, there was a very large and noisy convention being hosted. But happily, there was a quiet and welcoming private room for us and other non-convention guests! We were served by Nay L., and her service was attentive and professional. She honored our request to eat at a slow pace, and the meal was outstanding. We enjoyed the Oberon 2021 Cabernet and had a flatbread pizza and pork bun, then enjoyed the salmon main course. Finally we had an amazing burnt sugar ice cream, and a sampling of the chocolate cake and tiramisu. Nubar has become a real favorite of my partner and me.

The restaurant/bar has a lot of comfy seating options which would make this a nice spot to get drinks. However, I would not come back for the food.We decided to try their salt n pepper squid ($15), cigara borek ($10), Nublue burger ($21), and shrimp scampi pappardelle ($28).The salt n pepper squid was okay, it just tasted like the typical calamari you get at an Italian restaurant. I didn't taste too much pepper in the breading and the sauce that it came with tasted like a standard spicy mayo. The squid itself was very tender, though.I loved the flaky crust on the cigara borek but the cheese filling was wayyyyy too salty!The Nublue burger had a very juicy, well-cooked patty, but unfortunately underseasoned. Most of the flavor and saltiness in the burger came from the bacon. The bun was also extremely dry and tasted stale.The pappardelle was too soft for my liking. The sauce tasted like pure butter and garlic which was good but I wished it was just a tad bit saltier. The highlight of the dish was the shrimp which were plump, tender, and perfectly seasoned.At the end of our meal we felt that the restaurant did a great job at preparing meats/seafood but most dishes would benefit from adjustments in the seasoning.

I've spent a ton of time in Harvard Square over the years but I admit I didn't know this was here. We walked in for a drink and some nosh on a Thursday night after a thing. The place was nearly empty -- maybe ten parties -- but we were welcomed. There's a lot of seating and a gas fireplace. We sat at the bar where the marble(ish?) top was warm and lit by yellow lights. There were two TVs and a few people down bar. Bartender was busy but also attentive to us the whole time we were there. Drinks were good. We both ordered a mezcal cocktail (Fumo Nuevo) that was spicy jalapeno infused and very very tasty. (Yes, that's two verys.) The bartender said he himself had invented it. That kind of moment transforms a place from corporate to boutique where the people who work there are invested. They also have a good whiskey selection. The food menu is varied. My friend and I shared a pretty standard burger, which they split from the kitchen with two plates and two loads of fries. No fuss. No upcharge. It was advertised with jellied onions (or some such), which were good, but it also came with standard (and cold) accoutrements such as pickles, tomatoes, etc. We didn't make any substitutions but I'm sure that the kitchen would make it to preference, given how they split the order for us. The fries were good.

We wanted to come to this place because the pictures of the inside looks nice. We had reservations on a Saturday night and got seated immediately upon entering. The ambience in the restaurant was pleasant. Our waiter was great and attentive. The food was quick to arrive upon ordering. AppetizerWe got the Winter Squash Arancini and it was a good portion size and the arancini tasted great. The sweet potato puree was also a nice touch if you enjoy sweet potatoes. EntreeWe got the Risotto, 10oz Strip Steak and a side of Roasted Brussels sprouts. Risotto - the risotto was a decent portion size but lacking a bit of flavor. Not something I would recommend but it is a safe choice. 10oz Strip Steak - The two sides this came with - then au gratin tasted great as a well as the carrots. I ordered the steak medium rare and it was just alright. It was cooked more towards medium/medium-well and tougher/chewier to eat than I would have liked but not something worth bringing up to our waitress in my opinion.Roasted Brussels Sprouts - Nothing special to say about the brussels sprouts. They just tasted like regular brussels sprouts. Not a bad choice as a side dish. DessertWe got the cookie plate chefs. It was just a cookie made in a dish similar to a small skillet with a scoop of ice cream on top. I think the cookie was too thin and a smaller dish could have been used to reduce the surface area of the cookie but also make it more dense. This is a good choice if you like cookies but not something to go crazy over. SummaryOverall I liked this place. I would come back here if I am in the area and want to grab something to eat. I would not go out of my way to come here.

We stopped in for Cappuccinos to go before apartment hunting. The spot is super cute and the breakfast bar looked great. Services was spot on and the coffee, pretty darn good.

Good to be back "home". After nearly a three year hiatus, it's good to come back to a place that feels like home. The service is nice, quick and friendly. The food, small menu, is good. The drinks are nice as well. I'd definitely partake and imbibe here again!

We ordered here since it was downstairs of our hotel.. the ordering process was easy. The gentleman taking our order was polite. We ordered two cheeseburgers and a spicy chicken sandwich... the food was not great... the bread on the chicken sandwich was way too small, the chicken was drenched in hot sauce and the chicken itself was flavorless.. the burgers were ok, very dry and bland. The fries were average.. overall, I feel that their food is way overpriced for what you get.

I'm sorry to report such a low rating. Food is absolutely the worst. I ordered the Armenian prix fix special - appetizer was soggy and bottom stuck to plate. I could not chew the Main course lamb - it was way over cooked and full of gristle (like a very bad lamb stew quality meat with 4 1-inch pieces for the prix fix price of $40). Dessert was purportedly with yogurt? There were 3 small cookies that appear to be from a package (think chips ahoy packaged cookies). Servers aren't used to - or trained to - give dining service. I ordered the appetizer for at the table while I had a cocktail and I asked for the main course to go and to be prepared when I was ready to leave (finished my cocktail and appetizer).I received the main course in a to-go box before anything else came. By the time I went up to my room to hopefully enjoy the main course, the restaurant was closed (close at 9:45 - I got there at 9:15) and I didn't trust kitchen to re-open and make another disaster. It was truly one of the worst n meals in 20+ years, sad to report.

Nubar is a neighborhood favorite for friends who live close by. We were fortunate to be their guests for a lovely dinner. My salmon was delicious and cooked to perfection. My husband enjoyed his cod on a cedar plank. The service was perfection. Our servers were very attentive.It's not a large restaurant and it has an intimate feel. Highly recommend!