Has gone way downhill unfortunately. Was once a great place for cocktails and had always provided adequate service but this is not the case anymore. You actually need to track down the wait staff to get service. Cocktail selection is pedestrian at best. Forget about sitting outside as everyone is ignored (and they play horrible old disco music). They benefit from built-in clientele from the hotel and aspire to nothing more. Look elsewhere. . . read more

Nice chill place for a low key night. Love the L. A. Confidential martini. Just the right amount of tartness. Strawberry and basil martini left me chewing like a cow when the basil leaves drifted into my mouth, but hey, fresh breath, right? The pressed sandwiches and skewers smell really good, althought I haven't had a chance to try it. Definately will get to it! read more

A guy took me here on a first date. The place is smaller than I thought. But the outdoor seating was open so we wandered outside. YUCK. Everyone sitting there was smoking. I was sipping on a very delicious cocktail, but I felt like I was sitting in a Vegas casino being surrounded by smokers. Sorry to all the smokers out there, but I think Noir needs to get rid of those ash trays!! The drink list is nice and the drinks are good. But my experience there was a bit disappointing...the guy was a bit of a bore and the smokers were disgusting. (Hopefully he doesn't see this....) read more

Oh, the late nights I've spent at Noir. My one complaint about Noir is they've usually long stopped serving food by the time I show up in the wee hours. They're open till 2, they've got a good bourbon selection, the cocktails are excellent, and Alice will give you a great neck massage if you ask nicely, and sometimes even if you don't. The patio's fantastic in the summer, and hell, in the spring and fall too. When you see all the neighborhood bartenders show up at the same place when their shifts are done, you know you've chosen the right bar. read more

I've only been to Noir once, but was surely disappointed. I had a Chartreuse Basil. Normally I'm really excited about drinks which include herbs, it's just the foodie in me. In this drink however - the less than flavorful (old?) basil was chopped up into tiny little pieces that ended up more in my teeth then my gullet. Not ideal. It's also far darker than necessary- it's pretty impossible to make out the people sitting with you, let alone people watching. The bar is also populated by a mix of people from the hotel above, or those too intimidated to go to one of the better bars in the neighborhood. One good thing, it doesn't have the same soaked in stale beer smell that Deadalus does down the street. read more

Eh, they're not bad but Noir is not my favorite place to go. I dislike the atmosphere-- it felt like a lot of people were trying too hard to feel more swank than they are and there was a huge disconnect between the intended high class joint vibe and the giant projection screen with the game on it when I went there last, admittedly quite some time ago. Drinks are well made, but not particularly special. Service isn't bad. I just have other places I'd rather be spending my money at to get more precieved value at the same price. read more

Noir, I do not understand you. Your drinks are delicious, your theme is different and intriguing, and the staff fantatsic...why do you hide in a dark corner of a colonial-themed hotel? It's not that I have a problem with hotel bars...you just seem a bit lost! Perhaps one day we'll meet again, and I'll sample your menu alongside my (slightly-overpriced-yet-oh-so-tasty) libation....but probably not for awhile. Adieu for now... read more

There are 80 Noir reviews, but I choose it for my first one. Why you ask? Consistently fun times, always dependable when every other bar has closed out at the shockingly early hour of 1am. The martinis are my favorite in Cambridge, particularly the Black Dahlia and LA Confidential. Their mulled cider is also really good. Haven't really eaten here except for the appetizers, but I'm particularly fond of the arugula salad and that nut mixture they have. The staff is also super nice and always puts up with the rowdy late night crowd, and props to the waiter for admitting to me that their wine selection wasn't all that hot but recommending a good one for me. Only 4 stars because the coat check is unattended and I've known people to lose stuff, and it is fairly pricey (although I've been lucky enough to go their several times not on my tab, which has allowed me to sample a lot of their pricey drinks.;)) read more

Much like the name, the film genre, and the girl that you always see at the laundrymat but can't quite work up the nerve to talk to, this place is sexy. I mean it's a hotel bar, of course it's sexy. However it's the kind of sexy that makes you want to use words like stimulating, aroused, provocative, and...um...I don't know...let's just say lube for the time being...in casual conversation. More importantly I've been on a couple dates there and the bartenders always remember my drink, and give me pep talks as soon as the girl leaves to use the restroom. That's mostly the reason I suppose I go to Noir...they make me look good on dates. So...hey...if you want to look like a real classy dame or hunky bond-like-type than start going to Noir. Make sure you mention my yelp review at the wedding. Seriously though, the drinks are classic and fun, the food is what you would expect, and the atmosphere is sexy. Wear something classy-casual and check it out. read more

I went to Noir Bar for the first time last night for their Mad Men season premiere party. The party was excellent, with I'd say at least 100 locals dressed in their swanky 1950's finest. The party could have been better organized, with a few sound difficulties but my real gripe came at the bar. The bar on the patio was perfect: two Makers Mark drinks for $10 each or a Heineken for $5 but unfortunately it was cash-only, so when I first arrived I had to go to the bar inside to order a drink. It was a nightmare. I do not know who made the decision to only have two bartenders on the shift, but the customer and drink volume by far exceeded their bartenders' abilities. There were drink tickets lined up along the bar for the patrons filling every single table and the line to get a drink at the bar was three people deep. I stood waiting for 15 minutes just to see the bar and realizing I was wasting my time for a $13 martini, I went to the ATM, swallowed the $2 fee and went outside to the patio, where I did enjoy my martini and the rest of my night. So next time, Noir, please have more bartenders and servers on a party night like this! You should know when you have every table full, every bar stool full, people sitting on the steps outside and people standing elbow-to-elbow inside, you really should have more than two bartenders making drinks. read more

Good, strong drinks (I'm partial to the Singapore Sling, and their rum & Cokes are dangerous). Tasty appetizers: The hummus & tabbouleh plate is too oily for my taste, but still good. The meatball plate is also good, but I wish the meatballs didn't have peppers in them (Blech). The cheese plate is way bigger than you'd think, but that means there's a nice variety of cheeses to try, with an assortment of different crackers (And grapes! yum) The outdoor seating is pleasant, chairs are comfy, and the waitstaff is attentive and prompt. Indoor the music can be just a little too loud for conversation, but outside it's a nice background (And they play a lot of Michael Jackson). The other bonus? You get to use the hotel's clean, classy bathrooms. read more

I really love this bar. The bartenders are sweethearts. The bouncers are really great. Atmosphere is awesome. Great drinks. half star off because... what bar doesn't have budweiser? yes, they're classier, but c'mon. half star off due to the drama that happens when Doyle's bouncers get off work and come spread their insanity here. read more

Other folks have used the word "cozy", and that's the one I'll use too. It can get crowded, it can get a little noisy, especially if a function at the hotel's conference center upstairs spills over down here. But on an off-night, it's a good place for a chat. The cocktails can get pricey, but I think they're worth it: there's good variety and each is mixed strong. The by-the-glass wine list is a little on the skimpy side: just four each of reds and whites. I've never had the food, but the menu descriptions are always tempting. read more

Pretty small inside. They have a great mix of beers and desserts. The chocolate cheesecake is GREAT! read more

For anyone who walked into this place as his or her first date experience in Harvard Square, I can understand your effortless pick. Maybe this hotel bar looks just as elegant as you would expected from the red candle lights and crystal bead curtains, however, wait until you sat down and take a sip of your overpriced cocktail and microwave taste finger foods. However, the little round sofa at the corner is perfect for intimate dates and you do not have to worry about being spotted by your other girlfriends. read more

Great after work spot. Amazingly fresh cocktails and they just introduced a brand new after work menu so if you stop by from 5 to 7 you can choose from $1 desserts, $2 salads , $3 skewers, $4 flat bread pizzas, or $5 sandwiches. You can't beat that deal. Noir has a terrific atmosphere, and is the perfect place to unwind after "one of those days" at work. read more

The stylish Charles Hotel lounge has some yummy happy hour appetizers. Go for the skewers. Their drink menu is divine.

I agree with the other reviewers in that this is a great place to snuggle up with a date over an extensive list of sexy, well-mixed cocktails. Drinks are pricey at $10-12, but strong and smooth. I went mid-week, so it wasn't crowded at all. Although the bar is not huge, the seating arrangement is great, since they have a long bar, as well as single tables in the middle of the floor and comfy booths along the wall. There's also a huge HD TV screen, so you can check out the game. I have mixed feelings about this, because I feel like it detracts a little from the atmosphere, but then again, it does keep the Sox fans happy. Oh, and I noticed that the "flickering candles" on the table are actually battery-operated, so that was amusing... read more

Head to Noir from 5-9pm Monday - Thursday. Order a sidecar. Drink it. Order a sidecar. Drink it. Order another sidecar. Drink it. Tell 'em Melissa M sent ya. read more

'tinis + nerds + $400 tab = good times. at least i think. i don't remember. (l.a. confidential) the food was good. maybe. 2 'tinis into it. (blue velvet) the food was great. 3 'tinis into it. (black dahlia) the food was amazing. 4 'tinis into it. (another l.a. confidential) umm, it's only 9pm? shit. read more

tres chic. always mean to stop in here, never ever do, really glad I did. I love hotel bars. It falls under the umbrella of my love for airports and escape. The service is attentive the drinks are brilliant. It is the kind of place I would like to pre-game before a celebratory night or show at the ART. It doesn't even feel like you're in harvard square- which in my book, is a very very good thing. read more

Noir just did not meet my expectations. Located in the Charles hotel, it is very close to Harvard. The interior was passable, the darkness did not give it any extra chic. It was not busy at all on a Wednesday night, and being from out of town, I was instantly taken a back when the waitress and bartender were wearing jerseys and t-shirts. I am just not used to this kind of casual attire at these kinds of bars--even at sports bars they bring their A-game; however, they were nice. But perhaps it is because they know the drinks suck. There are simply no measurements of the different components--my drink was pure alcohol. No mixology going on here, or any attempts to alter the state of these "cocktails." Its only redeeming quality was the music, but I would never come back. read more

What a bummer! No more happy hour prices! That was one of the big reasons I went; cheap apps soften the blow of $13 cocktails. I'll have to downgrade my visitation schedule, or maybe start mixing my drinks at home. read more

Good drinks, never tried the food. BUT I went here w/ Val, Eli, and posse, and was OVERCHARGED $30. We had a pretty big tab (thank you Eli for loving $$$ whiskey). Eli fell asleep @ the table so I decided to pay on my card & drive us all home. I tipped 20% and we bounced. I'm not pointing any fingers, but I think someone changed the tip amount. HOWEVER when I called and left a message with the manager, who got right back to me, he took care of it without ANY issues. read more

Just wanted to say that they came through again and again during my fest this past weekend. The staff were gracious, accommodating my vegetarian and vegan guests which they didn't have to do as they were providing modest eats as part of our sponsorship. The atmosphere was brilliant, the drinks were worth the dosh and everyone had a great time. Props to Charles and Tanita. Great place to have an event!! read more

The food is good, the drinks are excellent (and expensive), but the reason I went to Noir at least once a week all summer long was to relax on the outdoor patio with a martini and a cigarette late at night and do some quality people watching and gossiping with my good friend. And Noir is an excellent venue for such things. read more

You should order up the "Noir Nibbles," a low price menu every weekday from 5-7pm. For cheap you can eat anything on their limited menu. The patio is dog friendly (they'll even give your pup some water to drink while you're there) and is in a great corner of Harvard Square to people watch. I'll definitely be back again. read more

Great food, great drinks and fantastic atmosphere. Tuna tartare, calamari and flatbread pizza's are the best for late night munchies. Love the outdoor seating in the summer! Noir is a great after work happy hour bar. I've spent some time at the Charles Hotel, and have come to Noir many times for drinks. They have fun cocktail menu, but I always go with their mojitos... cool, refreshing and yummy. A great place to meet people to as there is a good mix of locals and travelers staying at the hotel. Always friendly. Always cool and relaxed. If you're into celebrity sightings (I'm not), Ben Affleck has been known to come down for a drink when in town. read more

Their happy hour is SO worth it (suppper cheap for SOOO much good food) I LOOOOVE their sandiwches and their pizzas! Delicious!! ANd their drinks and so good, you can't drink just one! Or two even. read more

I think it took me 6 years before I started visiting this place regularly. I was prompted to find Noir when I was searching for a place to take an exboyfriend (for one of those awkward state-of-my-life-without-you conversations) that we hadn't visited during the relationship. Plus, it's dark there, which gave the meeting a stealthy vibe. Anyway, since then, I've been back to Noir a ton. I never knew about the happy hour menu! All the sandwiches are 4 dollars instead of 8, and you can get a big warm cookie for a dollar. And a wasabi pea mix for only a few bucks. My favorite time to visit Noir is in the summer, when one can feel all Euro by sitting on the patio. No one has to know you only paid 6 dollars for your meal. Of course, drinks are not on sale, but a place that will feed me and provide a full cocktail for 20 bucks has got my stars. Finally, the waitstaff is incredibly friendly. The gregarious bartender always lets me sit where I want, and she even sneaks me the happy hour menu even when I show up just moments before 9pm. (Happy hour ends at 9, and I believe it begins at 6). Good music, too. I've heard the Cure there. ps. They showed Madmen on Sunday nights last summer on the large projector. One time the projector didn't work, which was frustrating, but then we got a free round. Good times. read more

Very cool place to relax with friends if you're looking for a night of conversation. The atmosphere was perfect on a rainy, windy Boston night. Shelter and alcohol provided. Imagine that. What else could one ask for? Oh yes, great people. Everything was here. Need to go back. read more

I've only ever been here for drinks and it can be a bit pretentious but I think that's the point of it. I have definatly been here when it's too full and they won't let us in(to Charlie's Kitchen we go!) but if you can get in the drinks are fantastic and the atmosphere is classy. Great place for a date or drinks with friends. In the summer their outdoor seating is lovely. read more

Noir certainly isn't one of the best bars, but I still tend to really like it. The dark moody red atmosphere is perfect and the drinks are amazing although terribly expensive. Service can be VERY bad on occasion but if you have a lot of time to kill, that can be okay. Still, we always end up coming back here--probably the people watching--and the great drinks. The Naughty Au Pear is excellent! read more

They offer a decent happy hour menu and I was pretty satisfied with my basil, tomato, and mozzarella sandwich. The cocktails aren't amazing and are a little bit overpriced. If you want to order off the happy hour menu, there is a six dollar drink minimum . A beer is about five to eight dollars, which is a bit cheaper than their cocktails. The ambiance is eh. Personally, I kind of think this place is a little bit over-rated but if you're in the area around 5 or 6 PM, this isn't a bad place to stop by for a quick and cheap bite to eat. read more

Noir is a great place to go for late night drinks after a nice dinner with friends (or, in my case most recently, a horrible dinner with friends). Though it's a fairly calssy joint, they do have a big screen that they sometimes show baseball games on. This is why they don't get 5 stars in my book. Swanky bars should NOT show sports, or anything else for that matter, on TV's in my opinion. Anyway, the staff there has always been competent and pleasant if not downright excellent and bubbly. The drinks are always good and I usually leave with at least enough for a cab ride home. read more

oh my f*** since when in the world is it okay for any place (fine, using caps: ANY PLACE) to charge $3 (or was it $3.50) for a soda water for my sick in the belly friend??? oh yeah, and a watery G&T for $8. no thank you. i shall take my money to places where the drinks actually contain EtOH and not just H20. plus the place is LOUD, did i say LOUD? I MEAN SCREAMING AT THE PERSON SITTING NEXT TO YOU, and making wild hand gestures and wierd faces so that the person sitting 1 foot away from you can understand anything you are saying. neither of us are hearing imparied. (yes i know, i don't use caps when i should, and do use caps when i shouldn't. that's what a free-thinking/pot-smoking liberal arts edu-ma-cation does to you). very personal: yeah, and the ppl just didn't do it for me. maybe it's cause i don't wear a suit when going out for a drink (fine, i've had the same suit for the past 8 years). but whatever, i can tell that a lot of ppl did dig this place on this friday night. just not me. will not come back to the indoors. may check out the outdoors when it's warm (based upon the prior reviews). (i'll update this review if i do). cheers, and you can really find a better bar to drink at in Cambridge (i promise), at least for people that are worth randomly meeting. read more

NOT CLASSY NOIR, NOT CLASSY AT ALL This is a time where your good and poor service has consequences, business-wise and the way Noir's staff treated our group on Saturday night was total BS. "excuse me would you absolutely hate me if i asked you to make me a mojito" --me at 1:25 am...they close at 2 am. response from bartender "yeah, i don't even have mint" ok, this was not a good start but it's late and i moved on. fine, ordered a couple drinks, moved some chairs so 6 of us could sit together and 2 minutes later our friends walked in and got their drinks. we all sit down and less than 5 minutes later the lights start blinking and "Last Call" was announced. What is this? It wasn't even 1:45 yet. Whatever. Let it go, we're there for a last drink for a friend's bday after an awesome dinner out in Kendall Sq. Next a server and a person who I think was told to come by the manager both asked us to settle up and a bill was brought to us somewhat forcefully. I wasn't thinking of ordering another drink, obviously but I did want a second sip of the gin and tonic before i paid. Seemed reasonable to me? I worked late in places before...tons of my friends do and have as well, so I'm fairly mindful in this department. I'm familiar with the business. In my experience, 2am on a Saturday is an acceptable time to pay the bill and perhaps leave a tip. Then you leave. Nobody's disrespecful. We were continued to be rushed and basically not feel welcomed. I nor any of our party of 6 enjoyed our service. This was not the type of service that demands a nice tip...and i'm a 20% and usually better tipper, especially at the bar. Next another person approached the table rather hastily, moving unused chairs around us back into their places at tables and mentioned that her manager would like the check signed. I asked "Would you also like a tip?" i had signed it and left it blank right next to me and told the group that I'll tip depending on the remainder of our stay. I look at my phone, it says 1:42am. I'm stunned we're getting rushed this hard already! I still feel guilty stiffing someone who's supposedly "working" for their tips. Server says "Yeah, I would" and walked away. Nobody at the table knows what I tipped but i did leave a tip....just so i can live with myself. It wasn't as much as it would have normally been but it wasn't a dollar or zero. We leave through lobby toward the bathrooms and phone say 2:05am. If you're gonna be open til 2am do your job properly till 2am then we'll talk. If I did my job that way, nobody would call me back for another dinner party. I hope this doesn't get filtered because this is what you gave us on Saturday. Good luck getting more of my money. Too bad, I liked your spot before this. read more

Worst experience I've ever had. My friends and I got there and were told we had time for one drink. However, five minutes later we were kicked out because they had to close, and told we could not drink our over-priced drinks. When we asked for our money back since we couldn't drink what we had paid for, we were called drunks and ugly by the bar tender, in front of the "manager!!" That place is a disaster. Don't go there, unless you like throwing your money away, being treated like crap and getting called ugly! read more

I went to Noir for the first time last night after a wonderful Yelp Elite event in Charles Square. I typically enjoy upscale hotel bars and I had heard good things about Noir in the past, so I was excited to check it out for myself. While the deep red and black decor and general ambience was to my liking, the bar service (of lack thereof) was certainly not up to par. There was only one bartender serving and she did not seem to be concerned with speed or accuracy in her drink preparations. After waiting to be acknowledged for several minutes due to her lack of initiative (it's not like the bar was packed), I was shocked when she started preparing my friend's vodka tonic without putting the ice in the glass first. We watched in amazement as she sloppily poured Grey Goose into the glass, topped it off with far too much tonic and then dumped a huge load of ice on top of her haphazard concoction. Never in my life have I seen a mixed drink made in this fashion and I hope I never do again. If I'm going to pay Noir prices for a cocktail, I think I should at least be granted a final product that is made in the correct order and in the right proportions (the drink was very weak). Throwing in a smile or at least faking interest in providing a positive experience for the customer also never hurts, but I know that's quite a lot to ask. We'll start with getting the drink right first. The only reason I gave Noir two stars instead of one is because I do like the look of the space and I was in love with the playlist they had on (lots of Amy Winehouse, Lauryn Hill and Alicia Keys). When good music is the major redeeming factor of my experience at what is supposed to be a classy, upscale establishment, that's a problem. If I ever do have the courage to try my luck here again, I will surely run the other way if I see drinks being made backwards again by unenthusiastic staff. Perhaps Noir should dedicate a cut of their generous drink earnings to bartending courses for their staff. Just a thought. read more

There are recent reviews on here that talk about Noir's happy hour special, so I thought it prudent to point out that they are no longer doing the special. I went yesterday and was disappointed to be charged full price for my appetizers. The martinis are hands down the best in the city. They are also the priciest ($13!!!). The happy hour special made this place a reasonable after work option. Sadly, not anymore! read more