Right across from Faneuil Hall over near City Hall we made our way over to do some sampling…read more There were free samples of juices and assorted chips that were all yummy. It was an extremely hot day so I was hesitant to try hot chowder. They had tents within an outside fenced area. We went to pay the $10 but found we couldn't bring our 9 lb pup into the gated area. We didn't really want to take turns since my husband and I wanted to do it together. It was a real bummer since it was all outside but I understand animals and food are a no no. 1 Star cuz I didn't go :( 3 Star cuz it did look like fun and I am sure we would have enjoyed it :)

If you like going to Costco to get free samples....this is the place for you. Except that it costs…read more$10....but that's for AYCE 2 oz. samples of seven different types of chowder mind you! As soon as you get off the T, you literally step right into the plaza at city hall where you are bombarded by lines at booths giving away free shit. We're talking Honey bunches of oat boxes, stickers, pens, little bottles of cholula...you name it; all the things you never thought you wanted on a Sunday afternoon, they're there for you to shove in your purse like the greedy person you are. After twenty minutes of this, you realize you haven't had any chowder yet. So it costs $10 but all the money goes to continuing Harborfest, and it's once a year so shut up! There was a bubble blower to add to the "ambiance" i guess.....then there is a cold drinks booth which has soda and water all for 2 bucks a bottle. Then there are seven booths lined up next two eachother serving up two ounce cups of chowder to big lines. the lines move really fast though, so it's not really annoying at all. We took it seriously: try each one, then choose the top two and try those head to head to make our choice. Some of the particiants were okay...none were really bad, except one, but I think I got a bad batch as my boyfriend's was okay. We had it narrowed down to Yankee Lobster Co. and Ned Devine's......in a head to head battle we voted for Yankee but Ned's took the whole thing....oh well. I think all in all we had a bowl and a half of chowder, a perfect afternoon treat. Maybe this is a tourist trap, but I like being trapped in an area overflowing with chowder and a four man folk band!

I don't write restaurant reviews very often, but THIS place deserves one!…read more I happened to show up on gluten-free night, and let me tell you... the pasta was hands-down some of the best pasta I've ever had. You would never guess it was gluten-free. And the desserts?! Absolutely out of this world. Honestly, just go for the pasta and stay for dessert. Or better yet, make a whole evening of it! I'd literally take the train into Boston just to eat here again. That's how good it was. Fun, fabulous, delicious--and definitely going back!

Visited the restaurant on a Sunday night for Sinatra night to celebrate my birthday. I was able to…read morebe seated at the time I arrived for my reservation even though my friend hadn't arrived yet. The tables for two people are in awkward spots around the restaurant, there are more seating options for larger groups. There is also a large bar area. The musicians were amazing, played many great hits. They also serenaded everyone celebrating their birthdays by mentioning everyone's names, which was a very nice treat. There was a table next to me that was also celebrating a birthday, they were given a free bottle of champagne. The server we had was also working the bar, he wasn't very friendly and disappeared a lot. The food took long to come out but tasted good.

Incredibly long lines. Too many people. Ran out of ice cream hours before closing time, vendors…read morewere leaving early. This is for charity so I don't feel great about leaving a negative review, but this was a poorly planned and poorly run event. The most expensive two tiny scoops of chocolate ice cream I've ever had. In past years this experience was much better. Typically lines were only a few people and you wouldn't have to wait very long, there were more vendors, and vendors did not run out of supply. The people in charge of the event this year should have limited the crowd size and better controlled the space. The lines were so long they crashed into each other and it was impossible to even determine what line you were in. Very negative experience. Cannot recommend.

So glad to finally join in on the Scooper Bowl. I've always seen and walked by the Scooper Bowl in…read morepast years and this time around I couldn't pass up the opportunity for Scooper Bowl at Night a 21+ event. I will say the lines were quite long and if they were to do it again I wish they'd expand the perimeter of the 21+ event. The ice cream was delicious and I got to try plenty of flavors. I decided to attend because Bart's one of my favorite ice cream places from western mass was serving the Purple Cow. I can't recommend that highly enough if you're ever in Amherst. I liked the options for drinks as well. While I was originally in line for wine, their portions probably wouldn't be considered generous. So I ended up with with harpoons pale ale which was very good and perfect for the nice weather since it had a hint of citrus. It was a better bang for the buck, my friends got the hard seltzer drinks and said they were very good.

Ehhh it was ok. The vibe is nice inside and I can see potential here however the drinks fell flat…read more I got an espresso martini dark and it came out in a wine glass? Okkk that's odd even tho they have pics of martini glasses. Service was mediocre had to ask for water and no refill. Asked to remake my drink and it came out not any better. Overall I would not come back

Definitely a place for vibes and good drinks. I had a paradise punch and purple rain. Both were…read moregood. Purple rain slightly better to my palate. I ordered chicken tenders and fries. Some tenders were on the cusp of being burnt and they're a bit small but okay overall. I would rather try their pizza if I ever come back because one that passed our table looked really good. My fiancé ordered a cider, which was good, and birria tacos. The tacos were not true birria, more like ground beef tacos, but the pickled onion wasn't too pickle-y for him, which was nice. Overall wouldn't get again.

Lots of fun, music crafts If the weather is good its an awesome way to spend some time in Harvard…read moresquare.

MayFair is a city of Cambridge tradition. Note how I say city of Cambridge instead of Harvard…read moreSquare. That is because it's all local and none of that kitschy Harvard University touristy crap which is one of the reasons I love attending it every year. The city basically closes down several blocks in Harvard Square where businesses and the community set up shop in the streets selling various food, art, clothes and random things like home decor window treatment specialists. But it's not all business, there's always something to see from the Chalk Walk along Church street and concerts in front of the train station to kiddie trains and street performers busking. It's a lovely day filled with activities for all ages. Did I mention the food? There's all kinds of food here. While Harvard Square already has quite the array of restaurants it also draws some Mexican and Caribbean places from greater Boston as well. During the few hours I spent there I had a Belgian waffle, Spanish rice and beans with shrimp, jerk chicken, and I washed it down with a lychee tea. I probably ate too much but all that cost me only about $15. I should also mention the event itself is free. There's nothing but an upside to this.

WOW! they mean it when they say its THE view. Wrap-around, went here for my second corporate…read morefunction and the food is pretty good. No off-limits zones or things, we just cant bring drinks past the dining area. places to sit, stand, watch a brief slide show, it was a good time. I'd recommend it for an event for a corporation. I cannot speak to the individual prices.

Very disappointing way to spend $74…read more Aside from being weirdly hard to find in the lobby, the observation area is devoid of anything that let's you know what you're looking at. Great views sure, but of what??

During a recent weekend trip to Boston, I reserved an entire day for the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA)…read moreand it was the best decision I could have made. If I lived in Boston, I would become a member so that I could visit at will, even if only for few hours at a time. I am particularly interested in the impressionists, and John Singer Sargent, so I kept mostly to the 2nd floor. The museum is well organized, and there are staff floating around to answer any questions (one staffer even offered some tips to reduce the glare when taking a photo of a certain painting). I had checked out of my hotel so I had baggage with me (don't we all)...MFA has a convenient bag check. I also purchased a sizeable book from the bookshop and the staff put it in a box for me to keep it from being damaged during travel. I saw one temporary exhibit that was a nicely curated mix of multimedia art, and I also enjoyed seeing some of the rooms presented in a gallery style so that I could truly appreciate modern display methods. Six hours here went by in a flash, and I will definitely be back to see more of the MFA's vast collection. p.s. The equestrian sport of polo came from Persia?? Loved this fact! I also really enjoyed the time put into the object labels and the stories they told. "The most outrageous series of ferocious daubs that any slanderer of Venice could possibly imagine," a quote from a critic describing Renoir's Grand Canal, Venice, made me snort laugh out loud!

The Boston Museum of Fine Arts features an impressive selection of art from around the world and…read moreacross different periods. We explored the Egyptian, Greek, European, Flemish and Dutch, Asian, Impressionist, and a small Jewish section. The exhibits are wonderful, and the museum is too large to explore in a single day. The gift shop has a nice selection of books, cards, and other typical museum knickknacks. Their Impressionist-themed puzzles were especially interesting. This is a progressive museum that strongly supports respective causes. If that bothers you, you may not enjoy your visit.

I love chocolate and I can't think of a better way to kick off the weekend in the middle of what I…read morefind a gloomy, harsh winter. With some light entertainment (music troupe) and chocolate, what more can you ask for at this 10th year of the festival? Line started forming around 12/12:15PM. We were lucky that today was warmer in comparison to weeks ago but it easily could have been frigid. I do suggest being prepared attire wise in case. By the time I left with a full plate of samples (fudge, ganache, chocolate dipped bacon, tiramisu, Starbucks brownies, Crema Cafe brownie/chocolate cake, JP Licks hazelnut ice cream and more), the line extended over 5 blocks long. I wish I was able to document all the goodies and vendors but it was too crowded to take pictures of every stand. As per the event website (http://harvardsquare.com/events/legendary-10th-taste-chocolate-festival-harvard-square), these are the vendors: Benedetto Cabot's Candy DAVIDs TEA Flour Bakery Freepoint Hotel Harvest Henrietta's Table JP Licks Parsnip Pressed Juicery Roseadela's Seacoast Sweets Starbucks Tatte Bakery & Cafe Toscano Zinneken's Suggestions for a more organized event though I could see how some of these may be difficult to execute: - Have previous registration - Use a fenced in area to ensure that those waiting in line can get a fair chance at getting samples - it seemed like anyone off the street could just join in at lightly crowded vendors instead of waiting in line for a plate that organizers hand out at the beginning; vendors are too busy to regulate who waits in line or not - Token/raffle ticket system - i.e. give a string of 12 tickets and each patron can use their tickets how they choose; in this way, there are more samples to go around Overall, I enjoyed the event, recommend it, and would definitely come again.

Who doesn't love free chocolate? The Harvard Square Chocolate Festival is an annual tradition (now…read morein its 8th year) and occurs over one weekend in late January. The festival culminates in a one-hour free chocolate tasting event that is held in Brattle Square, usually from 1-2pm on a Saturday. I attended the one-hour tasting today, and it was fantastic! The lines start to form around 12:30pm, so getting there early is a must. Also note that the event is outside, so dress warmly since you will probably be standing in line in the cold for 30 minutes to an hour. Once the line starts moving, it goes fast. The event features a lot of local businesses like J.P. Licks, Ben and Jerry's, Crema Cafe, and so on, and you basically pick up a plate and then move along the line to different tents in order to grab free samples. Some of the goodies that I got today were: - cup of hot chocolate from Shake Shack - scoop of chocolate ice cream from Ben and Jerry's - scoop of chocolate ice cream from J.P. Licks - mini chocolate covered cannoli from Toscano (delicious! My favorite item) - chili chocolate mini cupcake from Crema Cafe - Chocolate chip cookie from UNO's - Bite-sized portion of chocoalte cake from Wagamama - Chocolate square with a dab of honey from Follow the Honey - Sponge cake from El Jefe's - Fudge from Cabot Candy Most of the vendors also have free coupons and discounts that you can grab to encourage you to visit their stores. There was also a music group that was playing, and it contributed to the festive atmosphere of the event. Overall, I was very happy with the event - I just wish it could happen during the summer when it isn't so cold to stand outside!