After buying a coffee (at 1pm) and asking to use the bathroom, they said bathrooms are closed to patrons after 12pm -- huh? What a bizarre policy. read more

Great working environment if you're able to get a seat! Go to order is an 8 oz cappuccino. Also has delicious food. Espresso drinks vary a bit depending on which barista is there. A couple baristas are newcomers and tend to mix up your order. Has almond milk but not soy. read more

Caffè Nero - a cup of coffee on a saucer - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I've loved Caffe Nero since before it came to United States. They're pretty much consistent in coffee quality and taste. The coffee is strong but not with the horrible burnt aftertaste present in Seattle coffees. I'm especially hooked on the iced coffee! It's also nice to enjoy coffee in ceramic mugs instead of paper or styrofoam .... (when dining in). This chain loses points for mixed bag staff. One is very friendly, one looks like he hates his life and the other two were just indifferent. On top of that, it wasn't busy and the milk/sugar station was a disaster. There's NO excuse for it! They were all standing around and doing nothing. Cleanliness is next to godliness, people! read more

Caffè Nero - Why, WHY doesn't someone clean this??? - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I love Caffe Nero and this location is nice but they close at 5pm, super inconvenient. Might as well go to other coffee shops in the area.

My friend was en-route from Harvard Square; we had a planned coffee date at HMart. The long, stagnant queue motivated us to try Caffe Nero next door. I am so glad that we changed venues. This is the most friendly coffee shop in metro Boston! Let explain what happened during my first and only visit. This is the first Boston based coffee shop where the barista has taken the time to shake my hand pre-order. He asked my name and greeted me warmly. A very altruistic customer behind me offered me his frequent buyer stamp. He intuitively picked up on my adoration towards loyalty programs. This doesn't happen in real life, right? Finally, the same friendly barista came to our table to check in on us. He then offered to make us two free drinks: rose latte and soy lavender latte. We left (incredibly) happy and caffeinated. read more

Caffè Nero - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Food and coffee are fine, but why are the baristas so mean? Atmosphere is fine, but it can be hard to find a table. Come for your caffeine fix, but don't expect a smile or anything from the baristas read more

The cold brew was very good. Also, I loved the atmosphere. It was $5 for a cold brew with a shot of caramel. There is lots of room to sit. read more

Caffè Nero - Cold Brew Grande (20oz) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I haven't been to this location for my java fix... Not that I have one but it's good to say. But I arrived at 6:22am and ther doors were still closed. I was a bit stunned... the sign says 6:00 opening. I knocked on the door and the guy just looked at me and turned around to go into what seemed to me, a more illustrious direction into their cavernous back room. When he does come out to open the door I felt as though im intruding into his deranged state of namaste. My stomach and desire for coffee hated him. Liz the manager needs to know about this!!!! read more

Everything starting from taste and ending with atmosphere is amazing. Pain au chocolat was very soft and fresh! read more

Caffè Nero - Interior - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Terrible service - waited 15 minutes, the barista needed to ask multiple times for my order, burned my food but hid it, then didn't even apologize or say anything in fact as giving me my order after having served 4 people in line behind me. I hope for their sake that this was a new employee and not typical. Update: it must be typical - two of the employees are now yelling at each other and one just called the other a "psycho bitch" read more

There should be another dollar scale for coffee. I would say this is an expensive coffee even though it could technically be under the $10/person mark on the yelp $ scale. Caffe Nero is a tasty place both for beverages and victuals. Coffees, lattes, cappuccinos, range from 2-5$. They make my second favorite dirty chai latte in the city. They also make coffee frappes and smoothies, which are yum. For food there are assorted baked goods, sandwiches, and salads for breakfast and lunch. Try a cheese croissant, they sell out quickly but are delish... Baked goods are $2-4. Sandwiches are $5-7 (i think i only ordered a sandwich once) Everything I have had is good. I personally don't like their apple bread, it is to wet and crumbly, but most everything else has been pleasantly satisfying. If you become a regular get one of their loyalty cards. Every 10th drink is free. Also invest in friends to take you here most times. It's spendy, worth it, but spendy. For seating this is a cozy location with set-ups for 2 -6(?). They have a fire place and an eclectic bunch of chairs, couches, seats and tables. read more

Caffè Nero - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Very cozy café off of mass Avenue. Much better environment than the corner Starbucks couple doors down. It's definitely place to linger and do some work or have a nice cozy conversation with someone. The coffee options are and what you usually see. And I love the fresh made espresso drinks. read more

I feel disappointingly meh about Caffè Nero. While promising from the outside with an incredible layout, the coffeeshop's slow service and disappointing drinks and food left a lot to be desired. The morning I decided to try out Caffè Nero there were 3-4 parties ahead of me, all in a rush to get coffee to go, yet I felt like I waited on that line for some 20 minutes before it was my turn to order. I'm not sure if the delay was simply because they had just opened, but I found the experience frustrating. I ordered a cappuccino and a slice of the pumpkin bread, both ended up being quite sad. The cappuccino tasted a bit like water with only a drop of foam and the pumpkin loaf would have tasted better from a grocery store. I have to give props for the prices for both though. At less $3 for a small cappuccino, I don't know if I can complain too much. It's a shame, since the vibe of the place manages to be both cozy and modern with so many nice cushy chairs. I sat in a booth near the register and was able to easily find an outlet. Unfortunately the actual wooden table top seemed to be misshapen all kinds of weird ways, which made working on my laptop quite difficult. Depending on the other groups around, the place can be perfect for working or annoyingly noisy. PSA there's a 3 hour limit on the wifi, which is reasonable, but also quite annoying. read more

Caffè Nero - Cappuccino and a slice of the pumpkin bread. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Great place to hang out in Central Square. Great location, cool vibes and good coffee. A trifecta! read more

Caffè Nero - Afternoon coffee - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I had small size latte. The portion was real small. The cup was small and the content was only 75% full from the beginning. And lots of loooots of foam. Not much liquid. Nice cozy inside, but latte was too small. read more

I've been going to Caffe Nero before they opened their last 4 locations. The coffee is Ok. The price for underwhelming food and pastries is too high. The cold-brew coffee is somehow still bitter but flavorful. The atmosphere is good. So why 1 star? .. because I used to come here to do work, and my work requires access to YouTube materials, and Caffe Nero now blocks YouTube on their wifi, forcing me onto my phone hotspot. Goodbye Caffe Nero. read more

Very disappointed. The chai was basically pure milk and the latte tasted burned. First time I went it was delicious. Unfortunately the second time ruined it for me. Will not be returning. read more

Wow if only I had the CHANCE to give this place more than 1 star but sadly I never even had my order taken! I stood there for 5 minutes getting completely looked over while the batista took everyone else's order who came in after me. Totally refused to acknowledge a customer, so I walked out and will not be coming back ever again. read more

In terms of the location, this place is the best cafe to be at. It's located not too far from MIT campus, and also located right next to H-Mart. On Sunday evening, after the MIT library closes, I come here to continue working on my papers/projects. After 6pm, there are very few places to go in this neighborhood, especially on Sunday. Since H-Mart closes late (11pm), it give me some time to stop by and allow me to taste good quality beverages and enjoy the chocolate or cheesecakes. It's is cozy inside and the bookshelves give "academic" vibe. I am glad that this cafe opened at this excellent location. read more

Was left waiting at the counter for 5 minutes ignored by the barista and cashier over customers who came in after me. Horrible, rude service. read more

The coffee at Nero is pretty alright. It's really close to my work so it's a good place to grab a cup of coffee. In terms of a line or a wait, it's pretty much a toss up but I've never had to wait too long. Not my preferred coffee shop in Central Square area or nearby but definitely a decent option. read more

Polite little cafe with a well-made cup of (iced) coffee and lots of intimate seating. The iced coffee I had was mildly acidic, boldly round, and had a prudent amount of ice in it. I felt it was far more worth the $2.75 than Starbucks. All the sugars and creamers you could need, too, so everyone should find a way to be pleased. The space has plenty of outlets for working long hours, comfy chairs, great WiFi, and solidly ambient music. Plus, it's quiet, private, warm, and conveniently right off the red line. All patrons seemed like they were doing what I was: working, caffeinating, and sitting back! 4 stars because some of the duo seating was awkward and the bathrooms were rough. read more

A pleasant coffee shop! I came here to get something to eat and do a couple hours of work. Fair warning, free wifi is only available for three hours and you can't stream Netflix or YouTube (which is probably a good thing for me). I got the Ham and Cheese croissant as well as the zucchini nut bread and both were so delicious! The croissant was super buttery and warm because they toasted mine. Getting both things cost me $7.17 which I think is pretty decent for a sandwich and dessert. The ambiance is also nice, usually quiet when I come, and there's a lot of communal seating but more difficult to find individual booths. read more

Caffè Nero - Ham and cheese croissant and zucchini nut bread - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Food: nice granola, oatmeal, and strong, lightly acidic coffee Ambience: lots of study spaces, a bit dimly lit Service: not very nice or helpful, much better at other locations! Hence, the lower rating, especially since there are a lot of cafes with better ambience, service, and comparable food in the Cambridge area. read more

Flies on the cake When I pointed out to the cashier that there were flies on the cheesecake on the shelf, she simply said "I don't see it". So I took a photo and zoomed in to let her see that lovely fly. She said "oh sorry I didn't see it." And that's all they could do and say. They didn't even bother to take either the cake or flies off. Very impressive. read more

Caffè Nero - Fly on the cake even when it's on the shelf. And they don't care. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Great place to sit down and have a chat or study, but this place can get really crowded. Decent coffee. Definitely have a back up plan if the lines queue up. read more

Tried a ristretto (similar to espresso but smaller and more concentrated) for the first time, and it was good but very strong! Strong without becoming too bitter though. read more

TLDR: the good usually outweighs the bad, but come on people, can we learn to share booths?! Pros: - Great alternative to the nearby Starbucks in both seating/space and quality of drinks and food - Cozy ambiance! The bookshelves, couches, natural lighting, and wood finished tables are a nice touch. - Mostly good experiences with the baristas - The reward cards! 10 stamps and a free drink! - 3 hours of free, dependable WiFi! Cons: - The order process seems confusing and inefficient. You get matched up with a barista that follows you along the line, which can make it backed up and also awkward to add onto your order. I once made the mistake of asking a different barista for a pastry which seemed to interrupt their process. Oops. - Seating can be challenging. I can't tell who is at fault here- the individuals who take up an entire booth to themselves (definitely them) or Caffe Nero for not doing anything about it (not that they could)? The one in JP has a friendly reminder for everyone to share (lol) and I've seen it actually work! Not so much in Central Sq. - Mediocre expensive food. - Ok this might sound weird, but the chairs at the communal tables. They are SO low that it makes it uncomfortable for me to work because my laptop is so far away from me. read more

I was looking for a cafe to study at on a Sunday afternoon which is probably where I went wrong. It's super packed which is totally fine and I didn't mind navigating that at all. The only awkward part about the fact that it was packed was that people were drinking coffee and using the top of the separators between chairs/tables as their standing desks/tables aka drinking coffee on top of your head which makes things... awkward. The line was kind of long and the baristas forgot about me as different baristas were taking different orders from people. Not a huge problem but something they could obviously improve. I had the spinach tomato scone which was not the greatest I've ever had but I could taste the spinach and the sun dried tomatoes so, there's that. All in all, get there early or don't go if you want to sit and hang out. read more

If Caffe Nero was a man, he'd be a handsome, brooding, sophisticated, consistent, laid-back, urban, kind, intelligent librarian. But it's not, it's a coffee shop. So... I was so happy to see a Caffe Nero come in on the North side of the Charles! This is Yelp, who loves chains? No one. But this is one of the good ones. (In other words, it provides a quality product and doesn't feel excessively chain-y.) Always a good cup of coffee, great seating (tables, chairs, chaisses....), cool decor, and even some tasty nibbles. My only complaint (one I often make about coffee shops) is that the music is too loud. Right off the Central Square red line stop. Go there! Or don't...please don't make it crowded! read more

Explored it this afternoon. I have mixed thoughts: 1. Excellent london fog. They were out of earl grey, which was weird, but they made it with eng. breakfast which was so, so good. 2. Their veggie sandwich really sucks. It's expensive and oily and thin and premade and just miserable. But it's a coffee shop, not a sandwich place, so I don't ding them much for it. 3. Uncomfortable place to work. Rickety tables, tin or wooden chairs, just pretty uncomfortable. Good place to chat. Bad place to work. read more

The coffee: great roast beans are being used for their espresso! Nice cups as well. The staff: they know about coffee, they know what they're doing! The location: nice vibe, a beautiful mixture of chairs and table, great decor! I will go back! read more

Walked in with a friend one evening for sit down coffee hang out. It was pretty busy! Didn't like that but loved the look of the place! Pretty big coffee shop. We struggled a bit to find a place to sit - finally someone got up, so my friend grabbed that seat, while I grabbed a chair from somewhere else to join her. When we were ordering our drinks, unfortunately it seemed as though the barista lady was a little confused and wasn't sure of what she was doing ... but it's okay, cuz the chai tea latte I ordered was good ! Looking forward to going back and hopefully find better seating ! read more

I like café Nero for multiple reasons. First the ambiance is always cozy and woody contemporary decoration! Second, the coffee is strong and not acid or bitter like other places. The iced coffee is provably my favorite @ Nero! Third, the "Pains aux raisins" taste is gorgeous that reminds me my childhood breakfast in France! The sandwiches for lunch are really good too! read more

Cafe Nero located inside Hotel 1868 in Porter Square Cambridge, is a GREAT location. However the Managers are nice, but some of the baristas there are (Not all there) and they sometimes mess up on the drinks a little (WAY TO MUCH) depends on who makes the drinks. The food and drinks are very good, but the customer service would need a Boost! but other then that, its a nice place for food/drink and relaxing. read more

Great cafe! Very bustling environment and the perfect selection of food. Got the iced latte and walden pond sandwich! Both delicious. The big mac cookie was great too with a nice chewy almond base. Would recommend as a perfect place to camp out for the afternoon. read more

Great atmosphere, delicious food and lots of healthy choices, super nice people, fun place to hang out. Love this brand!

THE GOOD: Caffe Nero has really nice coffee and some great pastries and sandwiches to choose from if you're coming in for a morning snack or a light lunch. THE BAD: 1) The service here is, in a word, wretched. You order coffee and food at the register, but the barista doesn't take your money immediately so you can sit down and wait for your coffee/food until they call you. No, you order the food, and then you must wait awkwardly while one person makes your entire order, even if you've ordered multiple drinks. Only then can you pay. I realize this might not seem like a big deal, but it means you end up waiting at least 5-10 minutes at the register, usually while other people are impatiently waiting behind you. Ugh, I would honestly rather go to Starbucks! Caffe Nero really needs to adopt a new policy and allow their baristas to take orders and payment at the same time and then call people up to collect their coffee/food. It would be so much better. 2) People like to camp out here with their laptops. If you're looking to work on your laptop for a couple hours, this might be your place. But if you would actually like to sit and chat with a friend, good luck getting a table! read more

I am just purely giddy writing this review because I have been long awaiting Caffe Nero's arrival into the land of "the other side of the Charles". Being a frequent frequenter of the Longwood location I knew beverage/food/pasty wise, I would be happy as a clam. But, what I absolutely love about this Central square location is the sheer size of this coffee shop. It has the humble touches of your quirky little coffee shop, but is literally enormous and will pack a ton of seating (especially on those busy weekends when - myself included - everyone wants to see or be seen doing their work/studying). Another enormous plus is that they do indeed offer free WiFi for 3 hours (blast you 1369 Coffeehouse for being stingy on the Wifi .. although, I still love you). As far as food, I've always found Caffe Nero to be a slight cut above the rest. Starbuck's (and related shop's) sandwiches have always made me twitch a little, because we all know they once resided in prepackaged bags before just getting popped in the toaster oven. Here, my sandwiches have always been really fresh and I especially recommend the breakfast frittata (: Lastly, their coffee is flat out fantastic. Personally, they have one of my favorite cold brew blends - most others come out way too bitter. Bitter, however, will be the last thing you're feeling when you leave this place. Unless of course their *slightly* off-putting classical/Victorian age clavier featuring soundtrack puts you in that kind of mood. But hey, I felt like I was Queen Elizabeth while sipping on coffee and studying for two hours - so I'm not complaining. read more

Pros: Lovely interiors and friendly staff. Cons: the almond milk latte I got was way too foamy.