BEWARE RACIST BOUNCER!!!!! Grendel's is an amazing spot to drink a beer... if you can make it in. The bouncer is homeless and will harass you, especially if you are brown. Imagine: you're just a girl running away from a homeless guy chasing you on the street... then it turns out he's the bouncer!!!! He falls asleep on the job and then blames you for not checking in with him. Bouncer does crackhead math to arbitrarily decide if you people can enter. Party of 5? NO WAY!! part of 2? party of 3? FOR SURE!!!! He also cant read IDs, which is basically his only job as a bouncer. Have you ever beeen judged racially?? If not, come interact with the grendel's bouncer: then you'll know how it feels. Otherwise Grendel's is sick. The servers and bartenders are super nice and the vibe is great. But the bouncer eating soup ruined it. read more

Pretty basic pub fare, but the entire food menu was half off for happy hour and well worth the price! The pub has a cool, casual vibe, with cheap eats, good beer, and excellent service. We are looking forward to trying some more of their food during happy hour sometime. Went around 6 on a Tuesday and it wasn't crowded at all. read more

See all

Been here twice now, with my college roommate who loves the place. It's decent! The food ambiance is cute, the food I've had is good (although I do wish they had fries), the drink selection is fine and the service is okay. Other than going with a friend who is kind of a regular here, I probably wouldn't go. It does seem though a lot of people like it for business lunches and working from the bar. Hey, just because it's not really my scene, doesn't mean others won't like it! I just Cambridge has lot of other more unique places! read more

Grendel's Den Restaurant & Bar - Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Grendel's Den is a very local feeling bar. It definitely attracts a Harvard crowd... maybe mostly grad students if I had to guess. The vibes there are pretty chill, not too rah rah or anything. I wouldn't choose to come here for food, but they do have a number of American and Irish dishes - nothing special, just standard pub fare. At the end of the day, it's a place to drink. The service is solid for what you'd expect from this type of spot. Decent pick overall. read more

See all

We stopped in during their popular and very busy happy hour. With it being in the basement of a building, the interior was gloriously dank and dark. The service was prompt, straightforward, and minimal. The food was good, not great, but at a bargain price. The overall experience and long history was the highlight before we left for a concert at Club Passim. read more

Foods good. Good deals. Good choice of beverages. The beef stew is really good and then the Salvadorian dinner is really good. Lalas is really good. Good menu for a lot of different dietary options. I am going to get the fondue next . read more

Came here with a friend for a quick lunch away from work. This is a pub/home style restaurant. The entrance is a bit tricky to find, as it is located on the basement floor. It is a small dining room with some tables and bar, and we sat ourselves. It was pretty quiet on a Wednesday at noon time. We chose a table to the corner and we're assisted by a very welcoming gentleman. The service was prompt, personable, and efficient. Everything came out very quickly. We started off with some garlic bread (not pictured) which came with a tomato based sauce which had olives in it. It was just okay- a bit underwhelming. There were 6 very small pieces and tons of sauce. I wish the pieces were bigger, as they all disappeared within 2 minutes. For our entrees we both ordered the Chicken Caesar salad wrap, which was also okay. A pro was that it was full of chicken, and the size of the wrap was pretty big. It came with a side of chips, which was surprising. I have never seen a restaurant which doesn't serve fries. After doing some investigating I now realize it is because Grendel doesn't have a fryer. Unfortunately this is something worth docking points for. To end the experience, we got the molten brownie. Very average- reminded me of those Little Bites brownies that you'd have as a kid. Overall, this is a very average place on Harvard square. The pros are that the service and prices are good, but the food is just okay. I'm glad I tried this place, but I would not eat here again. Honestly, I think the lack of a fryer really sold me. read more

Grendel's Den Restaurant & Bar - Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

After years of living in the area I finally had the chance to come by Grendel's for a dinner. My friend and I came by around 6, when the place was still pretty empty (there were plenty of tables for us to seat ourselves at), but when we left around 7 the place was packed and thriving. We wanted to take advantage of their half-off deal - between 5-7.30pm every day, all food is 50% off if everyone orders a drink at least $6. I had ordered a Hefeweizen and my friend had a crimson berry cooler (which was good! I quite liked the sweet cranberry/mixed berry flavours.) For food my friend ordered the Lala's grill with steak and I had the chicken breast sandwich. Long story short, I don't think anyone comes here for the food. The chicken was dry and a bit over cooked (although I liked the toasted baguette it was on!). The coleslaw was really strange in that it actually had no flavour - nothing good, nothing bad, just nothing. My friend's steak was chewy and even a bit difficult to cut. Salad was decent but nothing too special. Overall, though, the food was really quite cheap, especially with the happy hour deal, so as a supplement to the drinks they worked well. I will note that my rating attempts to capture the overall experience, which includes the quality of the food. The drinks were great and very reasonably priced, and the service was quick, efficient, and very welcoming. If I came solely for drinks I think I would have given a 4-4.5 instead. read more

See all

This is a dive bar -- we came twice as a group of four people on a Friday night between 730p and 930p and both times the bar tending staff denied us service. We tried to stand around the bar, like you do at a dive bar, and they didn't want anyone outside of butts in seats. This isn't good ambiance for a dive bar, nor the type of place you can ever rely on to get a seat. Also, there were multiple tables taken up by people working on laptops, so clearly the tables were never going to clear anytime soon. For a dive bar, the service is awful which is honestly hard to accomplish for a dive bar. Never trying here again. read more

Wow! The happy hour food special is a STEAL. Everything on the menu is 50% off during happy hour, with a drink purchase. The food was good and reminded me of good comfort food. It is a bit loud and dark inside, but it adds to the vibe of the place. The service was great! Even though it was busy, we got everything quickly and efficiently. Would return, especially for the great food deal! read more

See all

Has not changed much, always welcome and dicey-homey to me. Good food and enough drinks to meet your need. I used to like to come here on dates. Staff is layed back and friendly. Relax and enjoy. read more

See all

Good simple bar and food. Their happy hour deal is nice if you can make it. French dip sandwich is my favorite

Was this the best food I've had in Cambridge? No. Was this still a really enjoyable bar with great drinks and dinner deals? Yes!! I visited with a group of friends and it was a great place to chat over some delicious drinks and bar food. We came during their "50% off special" which meant if we ordered a drink that our food would be half off - which ended up being a great deal for us. I ordered the hot cider (which was delicious) and tried some of their mulled wine (which was even more delicious) and ordered a beef burger. The food was nothing special, but it also wasn't bad at all. The veggies on the burger were fresh and tasty, and it left me feeling full. Our server was also lovely, although service was pretty slow. If you're looking for something fast-paced, this restaurant probably isn't for you. But if you're looking for a good time with great drinks and decent food, I'd recommend Grendels! read more

Grendel's Den Restaurant & Bar - Beef burger and chips - Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Nestled near Harvard, Grendel's Den beckons with its cozy underground charm. Sip beer, ponder life, and people-watch amidst nostalgia. Friendly staff, great drinks - an unforgettable college favorite. Cheers to Grendel's Den! read more

Grendel's Den Restaurant & Bar - people sitting at the bar - Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I thought this place was cool, interior exposed brick and old feeling downstairs bar restaurant in an historic area!! I didn't eat so perhaps some of the more negative reviews include that- and I usually don't give the 5th star without trying the food, but I thought as a bar hang out this was great fun and deserved the 5th to me. Had a beer from the oldest brewery in the world- or 2- and the bartenders were absolutely top notch, and when it's about an experience what a difference that makes. Gave advice and jokes, they were crazy prepared for their servers and interacting with everyone and directing traffic on a rainy day. The Harry Potter glasses guy and another fellow, if they needed a shout. I think this is a place to visit- if you aren't fond of their food- drink and enjoy the atmosphere!! read more

A true dive bar. Nothings changed over the near 40yrs I have been going to this place? Doesn't have the allure it had in my collegiate days. Had some oddly made and tasting quesadilla so not recommending the food. Service was good and had a half way decent beer list read more

Good, reasonably priced drinks. Nice patio area outside and cozy inside. Overall good vibe

Nice ambience. Waiter was very nice. Great Guinness pours. Was a bit chilly, but I always love a bar when you have to walk downstairs.

The food is cheap, but mediocre. Half off food during happy hour brings the price for the main dishes to below 10$, which is pretty good for Harvard Square! Unfortunately, of the things I tried (spinach pie, chips + salsa, guac, hummus, garlic bread, and lemonade), it's pretty obvious that your choices should be dictated by the stuff that reheats well. Chips were great and the dips not bad! The lemonade was way too sweet and didn't have much ginger/turmeric/lemon flavor, and the spinach pie distinctly... limp. I feel like this is really an alcoholic drinks place (not many non-alcoholic options), with some nice snacks. read more

Came here for happy hour oysters after Red House across the street stopped offering oyster specials. Sorry, oysters tasted really bad: fishy, gritty, not appetizing. They were cold and didn't have a smell, but they definitely weren't super fresh or complex. On the plus, the half pitcher of (red) sangria was good -- perfect size for 2, noticeably fruity, and not overly sweet. Service was friendly and responsive. Grendel's is one of few dive bars in Harvard Square, so I'm sure I'll be back at some point, but definitely not for raw oysters. read more

Grendel's Den Restaurant & Bar - Dozen oysters during happy hour (Mon-Thurs 3-5pm) - Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Grendel's is one of my go to spots after work! We usually get a pitcher or three of the red sangria, which I can say is the best Sangria I've ever had. The sweetness from the fruit juices hides the alcohol flavor, and it's just so refreshing to have after a long day of work. The food isn't necessarily the best, but I do like that fhey have vegan options on their menu and that they have 50% off food on Thursdays! I ordered the impossible burger in a lettuce wrap. I actually think the impossible patty was a beyond patty because I could kind of recognize the difference as I am not the biggest fan of beyond meat. The lettuce was a little wilted, and it was a less than average burger, but I feel like the main reason to go is more for the drinks and not really the food. Looking forward to more Thursdays spent at Grendels! read more

Grendel's Den Restaurant & Bar - The Impossible Burger in a Lettuce Wrap - Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

See all

Server was rude. Complained about not being tipped enough. Avoid this place Portions were small for the price. read more

Customer service was bleh. I was just telling whoever I was talking to on the phone that they gotta spell out the discount on the electronic receipt as that will help future customers to see that deductions were applied (plus for accounting purposes on my end). All she said was "okay" with indifference. But I can't expect much from a dive bar. Food was good though. read more

What a find! This places wasn't even on my radar but I'm glad a local student introduced us. (She had only heard about it recently so we were all pleasantly surprised. ) So, it is conveniently located in Harvard Square. It is downstairs in a basement type area. Dim lighting. And the 3 of us agreed it had a great vibe. Don't quote me, but I think I heard that the restaurant was started by a student who had graduated with an English degree. Makes sense. The menu was very reasonably priced. Clearly appealing to all the students about. What's even better is that have a big discount every night during happy hour from 5-730: menu says all food is half price with min $4 bev purchase per person. A couple of other rules, like no takeout. I had the tuna melt which was served open-face style. I thought it was very tasty. With the potato chips on the side, I was set. Another person in our group ordered the Reuben Sandwich and also liked it. We'll definitely be back. read more

See all

Some of the fairest prices for drinks and food in this area. Cool environment, nice staff, average food, and will most definitely be returning! read more

Grendel's Den Restaurant & Bar - Drinks - Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

See all

Review #1018 A very solid 3-star dive bar in the Harvard Square area. I arrived with 2 friends at 5 PM sharp on a weekday, and this place was already half full! It was very loud in here, and it was hard to hear what my friends had to say. We all eventually moved to another bar nearby that was somewhat quieter. We did take advantage of the half-off food Happy Hour and ordered some starters: Nachos $6. I would never pay $12 for a bowl of extremely mediocre nachos! First of all, there was not enough sour cream. I mean, there can never be enough sour cream. Also, Boston simply cannot get the Mexican food right for some reason. There were not enough cheddar cheese toppings. The overall flavor was slightly better than my earlier experience with bar nachos in Boston, but still not good enough. Buffalo cauliflower $4.5. Simply too dry, and you can barely taste the buffalo sauce. Devil egg $2.5. A better dish, but too salty for the aftertaste. Don Julio shot. My friend ordered two shots. It is $12 per shot, and they gave us a generous pour! French 75 cocktail for $8. Good drink, but too watered down! Not in a rush to return here. Will keep this place in mind as the great Happy Hour deal. My server was experienced and excellent. We ordered a bunch of stuff, and he insisted on memorizing our orders instead of writing anything down. Allow me to plug in this Tweet here, https://twitter.com/NetflixIsAJoke/status/1078373644475064320 read more

Grendel's Den Restaurant & Bar - Nachos (skip) - Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

See all

Good vibes, no fries (Grendel's does not have a fryer). Go for Happy Hour to get 1/2 priced food. read more

Grendel's is my go to in Harvard Square. Decent food, service and ambiance. A third date or meet friends place. I had my family meet me there last night and I was able to get outside seating. Unbeknownst to me, the 5 to 730p half of food special does not apply to outdoor seating. The servers did not alert me either. Interesting. When I received my bill it was full priced. I found my server and he said oh it's because you were seated outside; there are different menus outside. My family was with me so I didn't want to fight it. The server, who'd did well BTW up until then, received a 12% tip; maybe it should have been lower. User error or deceptive practices. I will leave that up to you. I will go back but that was not good. read more

Great time! First time here; the ambiance is giving dive bar! Very chill and amazing time read more

See all

A better than average place for a vegan and a non vegetarian. We had a great experience. Bummed about the lack of fries. On the lower side of cost. Our server was very attentive and just over all great! The place is as cute as cute can be. We will definitely be back read more

Let me start off by saying they have a great happy hour, or at least a great deal that should more or less count as a happy hour, even if it may not be marketed one. All food on the menu (not just apps, and not just one menu item) is half off between 5 and 7:30 PM every day with a purchase of a $4 (or more) drink. Everything single food item! What a deal, right? We headed over a little after 5 on a Friday and the place sure filled up quickly. We were the first table seated on the lower level and by the end of our meal, every single table in the place was filled. Clearly this deal is working! My girlfriend and I split the quesadilla appetizer (a pretty large one with pico and a green salsa for $4) which was a great amount of food for the price. I got their special, which was Irish stew with beef and cooked with Guinness, and my girlfriend got their veggie plate with an assortment of different veggie menu items. The quesadilla was tasty and an excellent deal. Presentation wasn't great, but the value was incredible for $4, as it was large and filled with a ton of cheese. My girlfriend loved the assortment of food in her veggie platter, too. Hummus, a spinach cake, roasted veggies, a salad, and pita bread! She didn't finish the pita bread due to the portions being so large, but she appreciated the spread and really enjoyed the salad and hummus. I didn't love my stew, however, which is why I'm knocking this down a star. It wasn't my usual kind of go to, but it seemed special and since it was on their specials menu, I thought I'd go for it. By the time I got it, it teetered on the warm to room temperature side. I don't lover super hot soups and stews, but it made me wonder how long the bowl had sat out. Kind of a bummer! Otherwise, the value was great, and I think I just happened to order wrong. Half off all food with drinks is a steal, and I'm very satisfied with how happy my girlfriend was, even if I didn't love my meal. read more

Grendel's Den Restaurant & Bar - Irish Stew - Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

every college town needs one of these. brisket sandwich is phenomenal, chips are yummy, and a good selection of drinks. but what makes grendel's a staple is the divey, underground, no nonsense atmosphere. seat yourself, be yourself, and treat yourself. all walks of life are welcome. it's hard to not feel at home here. though people are mostly laid back here, you get the grungy feel of a good "regulars" bar. this is one of my favorite places for a quick stop with friends. plus they're open late! grendel's is CLASSIC and i hope they stay alive for the long-haul. cheers. read more

Grendel's Den Restaurant & Bar - Barbeque Beef Brisket - Bars Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

We really enjoyed this little restaurant. We went with a group of 6 and we were all a bit surprised by how good the food was. I think our initial impression was due to there being a pop-up thrift shop right when you walk in, but if you move beyond that and take a table and eat your experience will be different. We really liked our waitress, she was sweet and friendly. We also had the impossible chili, the tuna salad, the southwest salad, a chicken caesar wrap, a burger, chicken tenders with fries and bangers and mash. I am a bit crazy about chicken and it not being chewy and this was fresh, grilled chicken. My husband is British and was so excited that these were the sausages just like in London and actually wanted to know where they were purchased. It was good, classic American diner style food but it was all so fresh and delicious. I would absolutely go back and dine here again. read more

See all

This place is overhyped considering the buzz around it. It's a convenient location, but the vibes are a bit off. Feels like you're quite literally in the basement of someone's home lol. We got a pitcher of sangria and it just tasted very diluted, didn't seem to have much alcohol in it. Was relatively spacious to fit a small group of people. The bartender was nice though at least. Overall wasn't a terrible place but would rather try somewhere else next time. read more

What can I say about Grendel's Den that 800 reviews didn't already cover? I don't know, I wanted to add my two cents to help boost them from a 3.5 to 4.0 stars. They have very reasonable priced drinks in Harvard square, what more could you ask?! Sure I wouldn't want to schlep down into the den on a nice summer day, but on those dark dreary New England winter afternoons- the ones that get dark at 3:45pm with a -4 degree wind chill... skulk on down into the den an grab a miller lite... just kidding you can't get macrobrews in this establishment. Instead grab a gansett try some of their food and be merry. The beer is always tasty and they serve hot cider with your choice of alcohol. read more

Had a really solid burger and beer here before a show in the area tonight. Have lived in the area for a long time but never really spent much time in here. Dug the classic "cheers" esk dive vibe and service was friendly and fast read more

Grendel's is the spot to be! Very chill, lax vibes. Walk down the steps into this cozy den and seat yourself wherever you'd like. There's some nice little corners you can fold yourself into. I probably wouldn't come with a huge group, it's not a big place. Great for a casual drink or bite either by yourself or with a friend/date. Have been here a couple times now and have enjoyed both their food and drink. This time I got the Kanye's Workout Plan for my bevy--love the name and aptly titled for this low cal guilt-free vodka number--and I tried two (of the three) soft tacos. Tacos are $5 each, order as many as you'd like. They offer a choice of: BBQ pulled pork w/ green apple & red onion, Cajun chicken w/ rajas and chipotle sauce, and Buffalo cauliflower w/ coleslaw and feta. I tried the Cajun chicken and the BBQ pulled pork; both were good, but the Cajun chicken was the clear winner and I'd come back for that one. Overall this is a wonderful little hangout. Granted we had a light meal, but my boyfriend also had food + bev and our combined bill was around $40. Very inexpensive for Harvard Sq! read more

Very underwhelming. The atmosphere is a generic bar vibe. The service is not very good or friendly and the food takes a long time. The food is also mediocre bordering on bad, not to mention very expensive for the type of restaurant it is. The appeal of this place might be drinks, but their drinks menu is not very good either. All around a place I would avoid. read more

First time I've been in Boston in eight years, and like a shot I dashed onto the subway to get to Cambridge. Grendel's was going to be my first stop. And, of course, the food was as good as ever, and everything was as I remembered it -- Grendel's was always a comfort for me, and since I was in town for a relative's funeral, I needed it. "Thanks for supporting, especially right now" is what Yelp put at the bottom of the review box. Please do. Grendel's is a gem, in a Harvard Square that's increasingly losing its old time gems (Out of Town, Dickson's Hardware, Herrell's Ice Cream, Nini's Corner, Games People Play and Bertucchi's have all bitten the dust since I was last in town, and I hear The Garage is next on the chopping block). And never before Tuesday night have I seen Grendel's merely *three quarters* full. It was maybe a quarter full, at 5:30 PM on a weeknight. Heaven alone knows what's keeping it afloat in COVID time, but can those of us in the area who love a pub atmosphere do our bit? I'd really love it if Grendel's was here for my next visit. read more

Grendel's Den...One of my favorite spots in Harvard Square for ever. Today we were one of only three tables. You have to check out what they are doing to allow staff to make extra money -- creating a consignment shop in the empty areas where full tables once resided. Today I found a gently used black cashmere cardigan for $10! They also accept clothing + monetary donations! Go + check it out! I had delicious hot toddies all evening + the salmon + couscous was delish! Also $1 oysters until 6pm!! #supportingtherestaurantindustry #kanyesworkoutplan read more

See all