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Bambara - Cambridge

3.6 (377 reviews)
Closed • 7:00 am - 10:30 AM, 11:00 AM - 1:00 pm, 5:00 PM - 10:00 PM

Bambara - Cambridge Photos

BAMBARA - CAMBRIDGE ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Dogs allowed
Good for groups
Outdoor seating

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Cod Eggs Benedict
Lisa D.

Large restaurant, can easily accommodate large groups. We were a table of 12, came around 10:30am on a Sunday with a reservation. It was pretty empty when we first came in. Service was great. Food was also good. -1 star because one of my poached eggs on my eggs Benedict was overcooked and not runny. This turned out to be a just my meal problem, my friends poached eggs were perfect. Overcooked poached egg is a tough one for me to look past though. The eggs Benedict with cod was a very nice variation and I ate the entire thing.

By Chef Adam Resnick!
Court N.

Bambara has a special place in our hearts because it is where we gathered after our wedding in May. We have been here many times from dinner to brunch to happ hour local dollar oysters (everyday from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.) and every time the service is amazing and the food is out of this world - curated, seasonal, and delicious! Big shout out to Jasmin the Manager and the amazing server Yvessse - such genuine care, and the awareness where they are available with a glance but not in the way of conversation or privacy. True hospitality. (And shout out to Chanel, oir amazing server from the evening!) The brunch menu is unique and seasonal, I ordered the French Toast with pumpkin custard and it was sweet and delicious! I've never had french toast with pumpkin custard and candied walnuts, now I will in the future! Yum. Chai latte is less sweet than expected but traditional and warm, latte is flavorful. The evening before I had the scallops and I've never had a seasonally fall scallops dish, it was just the right amount of of squash with little pepitas to perfectly pair with a nicely pan seared dish of scallops with risotto. My partner also thinks that the Caesar Salad here is one of the best he has had, especially because of the homemade croutons. If you are a guest at The Marlowe, and want to make sure you try clam chowder in Boston, the chowder here is good, it is creamy but not too thick. 2 cups. Fresh. My partner also said the homemade fusilli pasta dish was delicious, and I had a bite and I agree. Thank you so much to the Bambara team. A nice surprise as I was finishing my meal occurred when a team member named Jessica came by just to say it was so nice to see me back again and we talked about the last time I was here. Just an all around fabulous place, with a beautiful view and calming upscale environment, welcoming intimate dinners, family brunches, and everything in between.

Restaurant Entrance from the hotel lobby
Genesis T.

I went to have dinner at Bambara Restaurant inside the Kimpton Marlowe Hotel in Cambridge on my third day at the hotel. I'm glad I did. Their delicious dishes have nice presentation and quality, the server is attentive, and always checking on us. The bar have craft beers, cocktails and nice selection of wines to complement your meal. The spacious dining room have a cozy and lively atmosphere, and the comfortable banquets makes your dining a pleasure. Check it out!

Ariana M.

We went to Bambara for breakfast on Thanksgiving day and it did not disappoint! My favorite thing were the breakfast potatoes. They were the optimal level of crispy. We also went back to the restaurant for drinks during our final night and they were perfection! I loved the staff at the restaurant, they were all very kind. I was also able to access the oat milk to make my own latte using the complimentary hotel that they offered me at the hotel. The environment was super chic and I definitely enjoyed being there!

Smoked St. Louis Ribs
Saerom K.

This is my second time visiting Bambara. I took my parents, a brother and a cousin. I ordered same dishes from 1st time and everyone enjoyed all the dishes except for calamari. It was bit too salty. We ordered two dozen $1 oysters(happy hour 5-7). They were small but so good, we ended up ordering four more dozens, 72 oysters all together. We ordered clam chowder, beet salad, ribs, calamari, scallops, oysters and a bottle of wine, Austin Hope. I forgot to get our waitress's name but she was exceptional. Welcoming, bright and went beyond to serve our table. Atmosphere is very pleasant and comfortable. I will definitely visit again and highly recommend Bambara.

Menu
Siarhei Z.

The restaurant has so much potential -- the service was warm, attentive, and honestly close to flawless. Our server worked with genuine care, and that deserves recognition. But the kitchen details held the experience back. Oysters should be a luxury, not a bite with tiny shell fragments. Eggs Benedict should arrive hot, rich, and runny -- not on the edge of hard-boiled. The potatoes? They looked and tasted like they had just come out of a microwave, not a chef's pan. These may sound like small things, but together they chip away at the magic. Service is a strong 5-, but the food execution drags the overall feel down to a 3+. With a bit more attention to presentation and precision, this place could easily climb into true 5-star territory.

Alcohol Menu
Gajtana S.

My first time staying at a Kimpton property; the Bambara is connected to the Kimpton Marlowe. For the $30 hotel daily amenity fee, you have a $10 credit at Bambara, among other cool perks. We had dinner and breakfast at Bambara. The burger and fries is $28 and the lobster roll is $44. The two egg breakfast with bread and home fries is $19. Coffee and tea are $4 each. Tres leches is $12. The prices are on the high side with moderate portions,but so are most restaurants these days. Service was very good at dinner- warm friendly and efficient. At breakfast, there was no place to put the tea bag which would have been helpful, but service was otherwise fine and the breakfast was very good. The dinner was also overwhelmingly very good. The hamburger was juicy and the Caesar salad side (upgraded at no charge) was good with homemade honey dressing I asked for, which was excellent. My mother, a lobster expert at this point, had the lobster on hot buttered roll. She found it over buttered and said the butter overwhelmed the lobster, which was a small portion. Her homemade coleslaw and thick cut fries, which I tried, were excellent. The tres leches was different than the three milk drenched wonders I have had. This one had pieces of pineapple on top and was on the dry side. They have $1 oysters at happy hour from 5-7 p.m. which were small but very good. It was overall a very good (4 star) experience and I know Bambara has the potential for five stars.

Dollar oysters
Alice Z.

Dollar oysters here are so worth during happy hour!! Also got drinks but they were nothing crazy. Located in a hotel, it's usually pretty quiet and have plenty of seating and good service.

Sonya F.

Came here for a company outing and the food was amazing! I typically don't go for steaks, but theirs was wonderful, moist and full of flavor. I also enjoyed their chicken dish, I don't think I've ever had a chicken cooked so well and not dry! Even though I really loved their food, I had to knock it down a star because it felt like an eternity before we finally got to eat after ordering. I'm not sure if this was because we were a large party, but as soon as the food came, I ate it up very quickly. Overall, this is a great nice restaurant by the river, and I can see how it'd be a nice after work activity!

rachel m.

Stopped here for a weeknight dinner and enjoyed it. They have $1 oysters during happy hour and a good range of cocktails. Staff were friendly and helpful with sharing their menu favorites. It did feel a bit expensive for elevated bar ambiance but given its connected to the hotel, it made sense.

Map on the wall.
Eddie R.

We were looking for a breakfast place early Saturday morning. We arrived right when it opened so we got a nice table by the window. Our waitress was very nice and took our order. I asked for recommendations on the French toast. She said it was a favorite and very good. I ordered the French toast and my wife ordered an omelet. Both were really good and hit the spot. Great taste. So, good food. Food service. Nice view. Clean restaurant. What else could you ask for. I recommend this place.

Dry-Aged Burger
Sama C.

Stopped in to have dinner, and was amazed by the burger and fries! The burger was super juicy and cooked just perfectly. The veggies and pickles on the sandwich was fresh and crispy. The bun, held everything well together. BUT, I would have liked it to be a bit bigger in size... I like to eat, and when something tastes soooo good, I need more of it! The fries were super delicious! Hand cut, thick slices, fried to perfection, seasoned with right amount of salt. Crispy on the outside, tender and moist on the inside. Sooooo good! Only gripe is the menu is limited and small. Would have loved to see more items as the burger was delicious.

Amelia M.

Went to Boston for a weekend and wanted a low key dinner with my husband! We were totally happy with this place. The ambiance was so nice from before you even walked in. The walls were used as bookshelves and I thought that was so cool. The food was great too! I opted for the chicken parm and my husband got a burger. Staff was also friendly and attentive. Food was great! 10/10

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Had a chance to visit on a busy Saturday night with my family. We were lucky from the beginning as…read morewe got a parking spot right across the street on Highland Ave, which is a very busy street. Upon entry, it was very busy. We put our names on the list and we were told that our wait would be 25-35 minutes. Our luck continued as we only waited 15 minutes before being escorted to a booth. As I said earlier, it was busy and you could tell the wait staff was working to keep everyone happy! We were given menus and quickly asked what we would like to drink. The drinks were on our table in no time! We ordered one appetizer (buffalo fried brussel sprouts) and it came pretty quickly! I am not a big fan but my son and wife loved it! They raved about the seasoning and taste of the sprouts! (see picture) We put our orders in for dinner after finishing the sprouts. I ordered steak tips with frieds and ceasar salad, we had pan roasted flattened half chicken and a shaved kale and brussels salad to top things off. The food was delivered to our table in managable time. I would say 15 minutes from the time we ordered. The food was delicious and serving size was perfect. All three of were happy with our choices. The steak tips were perfect for me.....cooked medium well and juicy! We finished our dinner off with a dessert that my wife had heard of and wanted to order. I did not have any, but they raved about it! The Banana Break pudding was out of this world! I wish I saved some room as the smell was delicious and the size was perfect! WOW! Price- average Parking- seems to be enough spots on Highland Ave Vibe- a local bar with great food...lots of families Would I come back? For sure...I am looking forward to a visit before the Holiday season! I really like the way the entire place is set up....inviting and welcoming! 5 stars from me!

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I was impressed with this place once I overcame my surprise this is not a stand alone diner car…read more I ordered the bacon cheeseburger since it is a signature dish. It was tasty, greasy (in a good way), and the spiced fries were a nice change up. My wife and I ordered a bottle of wine which was priced quite reasonably. This place has a stealthy good selection of craft beers on tap. Look forward to returning here again.

Walked in on day after thanksgiving for brunch, and this place was relatively quiet. We got an…read moreamazing booth seating, but really wanted their fancy bus seating which gives a classic diner feel to the restaurant. TL;DR - if you are from Bombay, are craving that specific Bombay Chinese food taste, and Vada Pav - look no further - this is the place. Most of their staff are fellow Mumbaikars - shout out to Shiv, Dhvani, and Ronak! Shiv, our server was friendly and our hungry table got straight to ordering which included a flavor packed and well priced Lychee Martini ($10), Masala Chai Hot Toddy ($12), and Spicy 'Lil Rita ($12) - being the best one! Food included some well name dishes like Kashmiri Deviled Eggs ($12), Vada Pav ($12), Rasam Risotto ($15), Butter Chicken Pot Pie ($20), Chicken Steak with Makhani Sauce ($18), Street Fried Noodles ($16), and Penne Pasta with Chicken for the kiddos. Food just hits the right spots and is very flavorful, extremely well seasoned, and perfectly spiced. Interiors and their bar is very inviting. Noise levels during our stay were on the lower end. Service was excellent. What was refreshing was they didn't charge us any automatic gratuity even for our large group - but absolutely deserved a generous one! Highly highly recommend if flavorful food is your thing!

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Diner booth seating
Diner booth seating
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We were part of a large group (12 diners) for a pre-wedding dinner/party…read more Except for the couple getting married, I believe the rest of our party were the only out-of-towners dining that evening. This is a pub-type atmosphere with a full-service, large bar serving cocktail specials and a gazillion draft beer options. There is a street-side patio if you wish to watch the people and cars at Davis Square. Five Horses serves American comfort food, and they do a pretty good job serving up their offerings. I ordered the steak tips, and they were OK. They were served Med/rare, as ordered, but they did need a bit more seasoning. Plus one ordered a steak salad, and it was OK. They were pretty frugal with the protein, and it came with an abundance of tomatoes. Another guest split a cobb salad it arrived without some ingredients, like bacon. Other diners stated that their dinners were excellent, so 4 stars seems about right. Even though they were very busy, our table was well taken care of throughout the evening. If I lived here, this would be in my rotation for a brew or two, catch a game, and enjoy a burger.

I try not to post negative reviews but I do not recommend the flank steak. I saw it (flank steak,…read morechimmichurri sauce, mashed potatoes, and broccoli) at $29 and said I haven't ordered a steak in while, let's treat myself. Boy was I disappointed, it was literally four tiny slices of beef, about a ladle and a half of mashed potatoes (flavor was great but the texture was dry and it was hard to swallow), and the broccoli was broccoli. The steak was cooked to my liking (rare) but it was room temp and I would describe that serving size as maybe the equivalent of a medallion. Everything else our table ordered (pizza, shepherd's pie, and a burger) looked great but the flank steak is not it y'all. However the service was top notch and will definitely go back, just won't order the flank steak next time!

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Eye catching tap handle display
Eye catching tap handle display
Biscuits and gravy with mimosa flight.
Biscuits and gravy with mimosa flight.
Menu with my dirty martini and husband's Negroni

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Menu with my dirty martini and husband's Negroni

Bambara - Cambridge - newamerican - Updated July 2026

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