If you're anywhere near Harvard Square, The Friendly Toast is absolutely worth a stop, especially if you're looking for a brunch spot that's just as fun as it is flavorful. The space is super vibrant, filled with bold colors, retro diner touches, and a bunch of quirky statement pieces that make you want to look around before you even check the menu. It feels playful and energetic without being overwhelming...definitely a place that stands out from your typical brunch spot. One of the most unique things about this place is the drink menu. I loved that you can order flights...not just for mimosas, but also spritzers/mixed drink and even coffee-inspired drinks. That's not something you see everywhere, and it made the whole experience feel a little more elevated and fun. Everything we tried was solid across the board. The drinks were well-made, balanced, and honestly just fun to try in a flight format. The menu itself keeps that same energy going with quirky, pop culture-inspired names that make ordering more entertaining than usual. But it's not just about the names, the food actually delivers. The chicken and waffles were a standout: crispy, flavorful, and perfectly paired with the sweetness of the waffle. The traditional breakfast was done right too: simple, classic, and exactly what you'd want when you're craving something familiar. The real surprise for me was the crispy pimento potato bowl with chicken. It was packed and layered with flavor: comforting, a little indulgent, and definitely filling. You can tell they're intentional about how they build their dishes, not just throwing things together. Shoutout to our waitress as well...she really made the experience better. She gave great recommendations, helped us navigate the menu (which has a lot of options), and made sure we picked dishes we'd actually enjoy. That kind of service goes a long way, especially at a busy brunch spot. read more

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My husband and I had breakfast at The Friendly Toast in Cambridge about two weeks ago. It was our first stop of the day and a great way to begin a day in Cambridge. The Friendly Toast was founded in 1994 in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, but has locations throughout New England now. It's easy to see why. This all-day brunch and bar is quirky and fun and unique. The decor of the Cambridge location is super eclectic. We arrived around 8:45am on a Saturday, and it wasn't busy yet (it's a huge restaurant). Since it was pretty quiet still, we had plenty of time to look around at the fun decor. The menu is as fun and eclectic as the decor with really fun small plates, breakfast classics, vegan options (like a tofu scramble and vegan pancakes), wild pancakes (cookie monster pancakes!?), and some healthier options. They currently have (or maybe always have?) a "Comeback Tour" menu of dishes that were popular that they brought back. My husband and I both chose from that menu. He got the Rice Baby Rice Comeback (grilled citrus chicken, seasoned rice, roasted street corn, black beans, pico de gallo and avocado topped with crispy tortilla strips, grated cotija, pickled onion, avocado cilantro sauce, and fresh cilantro), and I had the Medley Crue Comeback (two poached eggs served over a medley of home fries, tomatoes, spinach, red peppers, mushrooms, onion, zucchini and corn; topped with avocado cilantro sauce, lemon pepper sumac & fresh cilantro). Both dishes were great. They have a full drink menu, too, including flights (a mimosa flight, a coffee drink flight, and more), beer, wine, mocktails, classic cocktails, and more. I had their strawberries and cream coffee (cold brew with vanilla strawberry cold foam), while my husband stuck with a simple iced coffee. It's a really fun place for brunch, and I'd happy to return or visit another location. It's just a retro, quirky, happy place! read more

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Stopped by The Friendly Toast for brunch and had a great experience overall. The service was fast, even during a busy time, and the staff were friendly and attentive. The quiche was definitely the standout dish. It was flavorful, satisfying, and something I'd happily order again. The eggs Benedict was good, but just okay compared to other brunch spots in Boston. It wasn't bad at all, just not particularly memorable. Overall, the fun atmosphere and efficient service made for a really enjoyable brunch. I'd come back to try more of their menu, especially if the quiche is involved! read more

I have been to another location of the friendly toast a few years back and had a great experience. When my friend suggested we go to the one in Cambridge, I was very excited because I remembered loving my previous experience. This lived up to my memory! It was so so so good! We each got a flight and I really loved my mimosa one. It was aesthetically pleasing, but also super tasty! We split the Megs breakfast burrito and the cinnamon French toast and wow! I think we chose right! What a great spot! I look forward to going back! read more

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While this restaurant was cute, the food was not good at all. The eggs were burnt and covered in grease. The pancakes were also flavorless. read more

The Friendly Toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Such a fun brunch spot! I'm a huge fan of all day brunch spots (after all, isn't that the best meal of the day)? Parking can be a nightmare, but they're pretty accessible via the T. We definitely loved The Friendly Toast's creativity and quality dishes. We came on the weekend and it was easy to get a walk-in spot for two. Would definitely say their Chicken & Waffles is a must-try! Each component was already so delicious on its own it didn't need additional syrup to carry it. My boyfriend got one of their breakfast burritos and it was eggie, cheesy goodness. The only dish that didn't hit the mark for me was their Cinna Swirl French Toast. It only tasted good in the first couple bites then quickly became overwhelmingly sweet. In terms of service, our waitress was helpful & kind. She even gave me a mini syrup bottle to take home which made a really cute memento. Will definitely need to make a trip back. read more

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Thank you for staying in Cambridge, Friendly Toast! I miss the old location in Kendall Square, but the Harvard location is a pretty convenient and upgraded spot, with still many of the fun retro touches of the original restaurant. I've been here many times with groups, and often come here with out of town guests (or folks coming back to Boston who want something tasty and nostalgic). I don't think I've ever eaten anything but breakfast/brunch foods, here, though. Why would you, when there is just so much to try? I've had various omelettes and scrambles, but my go-to is their enormous gluten free pancakes (gluten free pancakes!!) with blueberries with a side of eggs or corned beef hash for protein. The gluten free pancakes can also be made vegan, which is another rarity. So nice and fluffy! One pancake is enough for me (it fills the entire plate). Their corned beef hash is all minced and fried pressed flat like old school shredded hash browns. Just yum. They're very kid friendly, as evidenced by the many many children present. They've got bendy straws! If you've got a stroller, though, be prepared to fold it up and leave it by the door (or under your table if you can). The front part of the restaurant is at street level and accessible. Parking is pretty tricky around Harvard Square, but we've usually had luck finding parking on a side street or down on Brattle or Mount Auburn Streets. I can't count the number of meals I've had at the Friendly Toast. Even in the middle of the increasingly touristy Square, it's retained its charm and hearty goodness. read more

The Friendly Toast - Gluten friendly blueberry pancake with a side of corned beef hash! /Dec 2025 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Funky diner-like ambience with spacious banquette type seating and action hero toys and stuffed animals seated on ledges in yhe walls with good service and generous portions of varied tasty breakfast/brunch type items. I had a well stuffed breakfast burrito filled with scrambled eggs, cheese and jalapeños, and she had a tasty green breakfast salad with poached eggs. Both dishes came with abundant tasty home fries that were maybe a little too salty, the service was friendly and the price reasonable read more

The Friendly Toast - Breakfast burrito and home fries - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

The food was okay, I've had better. The service was kinda slow, we were there for 2hrs. The place was really nice, it felt like the colors were really nice. The price was okay for a breakfast place. read more

The Friendly Toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

We had a great server and I have to say the food was really good. Tons of choices and it was able to fit everybody's hunger for breakfast brunch. I will say that you absolutely need to get the churros in a dish.... great colorful atmosphere read more

The Friendly Toast - My gang, while I got a chance to show them my old stomping grounds at Harvard and the Square... - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

As a gluten free person this place was amazing. I ordered a breakfast burrito with a gluten free tortilla and it was great! A little pricey but the gluten free options made it worth it. read more

The Friendly Toast - Gluten free burrito - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

We had to wait to be seated (great sign) and once inside we found out why! Finally, some good food around Harvard square.... They did seem to be short staffed but made it work. The restaurant is lively inside in both decoration and patrons. read more

The Friendly Toast - Irish Benny - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

A filling and satisfying brunch. I got the Hash Quiche. It didn't look like much food upon first glance, but turned out to be a hefty meal. Nicely flavored protein and carbs balanced by the refreshing fruit at the end. It's definitely a popular spot, make sure to waitlist early if you can read more

The Friendly Toast - Menu (1/2) as of 3/1/26 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Please note...parking is a nightmare! I suggest getting here using public transportation. After trying to park for about 1/2 an hour, we were famished and wanted breakfast quickly lol. My son and I both got egg Benedict's. Mine classic and his the cordon bleu. Both were phenomenal. Our cinnamon toast lattes were good, not great, but good. Our service was fantastic. Our waitress was friendly and had such a warm smile. Which, honestly isn't necessary in my book (the service industry is tough!) but when it does happen, it's so nice. The prices are a bit steep, but it's Cambridge. So it's to be expected. read more

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Always my favorite brunch spot when I'm in Boston. This is a franchise and offer several locations in the area. The service is great and friendly, but the vegan options are the real star. The locations provide a classic diner decor down to the chairs. Very retro and cool! Most locations only offer street parking so plan accordingly. read more

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Terrible service! The hostess made us wait way longer than she originally said while we are looking at open seats. Food and drinks took forever. Literally just sitting here staring at the bartender not making any drinks. So frustrating! Overrated, expensive, disappointing, annoying experience I wouldn't wish on anyone! Only positive thing was I met Paul Giamatti here. But unfortunately even Paul was treated terribly. read more

4 stars. The Friendly Toast is still hands down the best location by far and definitely has the coolest decor out of all of them. The vibe inside is awesome and the food was really good overall. Only reason I'm giving 4 instead of 5 is because the service was a bit slow and I actually had to go looking for our server twice. Besides that though, it was still a great experience and I'd definitely come back. read more

The Friendly Toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Located on a very busy street with little parking. The restaurant is decorated very hip and hypebeast like. We were greater by staff and sat down almost immediately. Their selection of drinks and food were large so there's always something for everyone. The food and drinks were okay but they have their own sauce that elevated the food. The prices were similar to other brunch spots but it seems like a good place to hang out and chill in the future. They have a bar with entertainment so potentially you can go here to watch sports. read more

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This place was great! We came with a large group and had perfect service. They have an extensive, very fun menu with a cute diner setting. I loved the Aperol mimosa! I had their take on a croque madam, and I feel like the bread should've been crunchier, but otherwise it was a great meal. Everyone was happy here! read more

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Did was amazing, we had the best meal. 10/10 service and the dulche de leche coffee was the best coffee I've ever had

Great brunch. Wonderful mimosas. Sensational service. I found this spot while in town for the New Balance Indoor Nationals and I might have to go back before we leave. We went on a Saturday and parking was insane. I would also suggest getting on the Yelp waitlist because the line was just as insane. But it was worth the parking hassle and any wait. We were greeted quickly and the Yelp wait time was pretty accurate. Our server was lovely. The decor was eclectic and fun so we anticipated a treat. I started with the traditional mimosa flight. I was concerned because there are no substitutions and I just knew I would not like maybe one of the four. I could not have been more wrong. Every mimosa was amazing so definitely try a flight. I built my own omelette with spinach, jalapeño jack cheese and turkey sausage. Omelettes come with toast and I chose a seven grain one. The plate arrived (quickly) and to my surprise had potatoes, too. Forget trying to skip my carbs because my potatoes were too good to pass. My omelette was fluffy and tasty. I left nothing in a glass or on my plate. Seriously try this spot. It's staying on my short list. read more

The Friendly Toast - Mimosa flight - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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So yesterday my mom and I went to The Friendly Toast in Harvard Sq for breakfast. Since my birthday is coming up my mother treats and leaves a 20% tip. The server, while clearing the table, glances at the receipt and mutters under his breath "cheap a$$." He didn't think I heard him but I did. I ask him "what did you say?" He's like "oh do you go to school around here?" I flatly said no. The his fake a$$ says "okay well hope to see you around." You won't. His name in the receipt said Tony N. I called the restaurant afterwards to talk to a manager and no answer. I sent them a message on their FB and no answer. For a place to be called "The Friendly Toast" that's not friendly behavior at all. The food was good, the decor was very cute, everything went well until that experience. The server's friendliness was clearly fake af! Smh. read more

My prayers have been answered- a cool little place that serves breakfast all day- I mean come on- we all know breakfast is the most important meal and this place has taken it to Master Class level. Very cool design and perfectly curated menu. These guys must have listened to prayers on Mimosa, Bloody Mary, Margarita and Expresso martini flights- all are outstanding. The service is top notch- the food is great and the customer service is awesome. Note - they don't take reservations on weekends- so get there early- like when they open. I can't wait to go back! read more

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The food was delicious, but the tip I left on my credit card receipt was changed after the fact. Shady business practices.

I was in the area for work; and the group I was with trusted me to pick out the place we had breakfast before our tour of Harvard. Our service was great! Attentive, friendly, but not over bearing, I had delicious eggs Benedict and tasty fresh orange juice! After our tour and my group split off and I had time to myself, so I decided to go back and check out their breakfast cocktails! They were very savory and delicious! I hope I'm able to come back one day! read more

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Super cute restaurant in Harvard Square. The menu is super creative, food is good. Service is fast. Great place for families. read more

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Tasty Brunch Spot! I've walked by this Friendly Toast so many times and eventually had to go and see what the long lines were all about. I ordered the: -Chicken and waffles: love love loved this! The flavors were great on this. The waffle was fluffy and filled with bacon, corn, cheese, fried chicken. Drizzled with hot honey and pickled onions. -Friendly toast Benny: whenever I go to a breakfast place I need to order an eggs Benny. So delicious. This one was the classic smoked ham, poached egg with hollandaise sauce and their delicious home fries. -The Monster Breakfast: pancake breakfast sandwich. Very unique but it worked! I loved the sweet and salty combo. Service was really fast and everyone was really nice. They got the line moving fairly quickly. read more

The Friendly Toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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We thoroughly enjoyed this brunch spot during our trip to Boston! The menu was huge, offering a wide variety of options to appeal to any food preferences. I settled on the BYO omelet and even though I didn't build anything different it tasted better than normal. The potatoes that came with my meal were fantastic as was the 7-grain sourdough toast. The restaurant was eclectic and colorful, and the service was great. Pro tip: check in before you get there via the waitlist, then make sure you check-in in person. We only had to wait about 10 minutes when we got there. read more

Overrated. Not good for large groups. They say they take reservations, but we left after waiting over 45 minutes (and this is on a Tuesday for a 10am reservation). We had elderlies and babies in our group and could not wait longer, as everyone got hungry. Would not come here again. read more

The friendly toast is a great spot for a casual breakfast. I was in the area and decide to stop by to see what they had to offer. The food was just like your average diner, but the best thing we had was the jumbo tater tots. They were amazing!!! The service was good and the inside was cute. read more

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Fun place and fun food. Not cheap but not crazy for the location. Jshdjdjshsdjdnshshfkfj

Great breakfast food and wonderful service. Nice atmosphere. I would recommend getting there early

Great food. Great decor. Fast service. Line usually develops by 9:30 am. The chorizo Benny was my favorite. read more

The Friendly Toast - Mimosa flight - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Had read the amazing reviews about " The friendly toast" but was initially hesitant due to the long line to get in. After having brunch here, I can attest that this restaurant is 100% worth the wait! Food/drinks:Started off the meal with the delicious pumpkin cold brew ( great addition to the meal) and chose to split the strawberry french toast and the bacon and egg quiche with a friend. The French toast were to die for! The quiche was also amazing, and the bread bowl it came in was baked to perfection! Service: we were seated at the bar and our server was attentive and efficient! Ambiance: the diner has a quaint and rather colorful look. I enjoyed looking at all the odd decorations on the wall while I was eating, and the rainbow of colors in the restaurant was what made me choose it initially!! Overall, great experience and would definitely come again. read more

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Glad to see The Friendly Toast made it to Harvard Square! The service here is always very friendly. The inside is very spacious. It's good for solo diners and group diners. The food is good, and comes out quickly. They do have a full bar and you can order drinks with your breakfast! read more

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Such a fun themed restaurant - think the 90s. We came on a weekday morning so not too busy. Our waitress was very nice and had good recommendations. We were intrigued by a special - think toaster strudels - and they were good. Otherwise your standard breakfast diner food. read more

The Friendly Toast - Toaster strudel type special appetizer - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Finally got a chance to check out The Friendly Toast! Came on the morning of Harvard Yale, thank goodness for yelp waitlists!! Everyone was so nice, and our food came out pretty quickly after we ordered. The scrambles, French toast and pancakes were all delicious and my friends love the fact that they give you cute little bottles of maple syrup! read more

The Friendly Toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

The friendly toast is great! It's a super cute restaurant with an extensive menu. I love all of the creative names for the items on the menu. Some of the dishes are so creative and hilarious it's almost worth going just to experience the menu. I visited here with a group of my friends. I got a vegan breakfast dish that had potatoes, scrambled eggs with spinach, and sourdough toast. I thought it was pretty good. My friends tried some of their pancakes and loved them. There is lot of seating inside, and there is a Yelp waitlist that you can use to make a reservation. however, this waitlist will close sometimes. In that case, just head over to the restaurant and put your name in person. When we went, the waitlist had been closed and we only waited like 15 minutes before table was ready. Just know they also won't let you into your table until your whole party has arrived. read more

The Friendly Toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Good brunch spot but be prepared for a 30+ min wait if you come on the weekends. They're always crazy popular and we never saw a table empty for more than 10 mins before being filled up again. There is so much cool art on the walls and the blue and red plates are very nostalgic Highly recommend getting their chicken and waffles. The bacon bits they bake into the waffles brings a delicious salty and sweet combo. The eggs Benedict was nice and slightly runny. Pancake sandwich was on the sweeter side but the egg balanced it out read more

The Friendly Toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

The food was delicious our server was amazing and was aware I had a gluten allergy and when the food came it had the allergy stick on it highly recommend coming for brunch read more