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Upstairs on the Square: Restaurant Reviews

91 Winthrop St, Cambridge, MA 02138-4929
617-864-1933
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Ranked #45 of 429 restaurants in Cambridge
4.0 of 5 stars 93 Reviews
Price range: 42 AUD - 82 AUD
Cuisines: American, Eclectic, Seafood
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Restaurant details
Good for: Romantic, Business
Dining options: Lunch Spot, Dinner, Reservations, After-hours
Dining style: Casual Elegant
Cross street: JFK Street
Transit: Harvard MBTA
Description: Restaurateurs Mary-Catherine Deibel & Deborah Hughes opened UpStairs on the Square in 2002, with its Monday Club Bar serving “casual haute cuisine” and where guests can enjoy award-winning design, fireplace dining, a meal in the playful pink Zebra Room overlooking the park, & a new (2012) open-kitchen Food & Bubbly Bar with small plates, panini grill & pizza oven—-it's open all day. The Soirée Room upstairs (the main dining room), is reminiscent of a glowing & colorful jewel-box supper club, lit with the flicker of two glowing fireplaces at each end of the room. This main dining room serves Chef Susan Regis’ menu that is both artisanal and sexy—featuring seasonal and local ingredients beautifully prepared and served. There are many options for private dining at UpStairs (call or email events@upstairsonthesquare.com); we specialize in large party reservations. Because of the restaurant’s two dining rooms, be sure to read your confirmation carefully to confirm your seating preference
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93 reviews from our community

72% Recommend
    33
    35
    13
    8
    4
Rating summary
    Food
    Service
    Value
    Atmosphere
Date Rating
Maryland
Reviewer
4 reviews 4 reviews
Reviews in 4 cities Reviews in 4 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
“Great Location for a Girls Afternoon or Brunch!”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 13 February 2012

My friend had a birthday and decided to host it here. To keep it short, the decor of the place was whimsical and feminine, the tea choices were abundant and heavenly, and the tiered sandwich and dessert trays were wonderful! This would be the PERFECT location for a wedding shower, bridal shower, or girls luncheon.

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Ask cocogirl013 about Upstairs on the Square
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Cambridge, MA
Senior Contributor
23 reviews 23 reviews
Reviews in 8 cities Reviews in 8 cities
3 helpful votes 3 helpful votes
“Food was just ok”
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 26 January 2012

I can't tell if this place is fancy or casual. The decor looks a little fancy. The food looks a little fancy but there is something very casual about the place overall. Their beer selection is decent but I can't say I loved their food. I got some fancy pizza which was really way too dry... pizza shouldn't be dry ever and the waitress wasn't very knowledgable about the food. Overall... I am not sure if I would return but I won't have one of their pizzas again.

Visited June 2011
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See 6 more reviews by CambridgeGem for Cambridge
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Boston, Massachusetts
Senior Contributor
34 reviews 34 reviews
Reviews in 16 cities Reviews in 16 cities
18 helpful votes 18 helpful votes
“Eclectic and fun atmosphere, Excellent Food”
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 25 January 2012

I love this place! If you are looking for a casually elegant vibe with a twist - this is the place to go. Each room is decorated differently with its own unique feel - zebra room, one room that looks directly out of alice and wonderland...overall a very unique experience.

The food is delightful, and the servers are very knowledgeable.

Great place in Harvard Sq.

  • Visited April 2011
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Atmosphere
    • 4 of 5 stars Service
    • 4 of 5 stars Food
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See 4 more reviews by lauragp for Cambridge
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Boston, Massachusetts
Senior Contributor
34 reviews 34 reviews
Reviews in 11 cities Reviews in 11 cities
11 helpful votes 11 helpful votes
“LOVE! Rings of Carrie Bradshaw and The Girls”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 17 January 2012

It is so interesting and hip here and the food is great. The drinks are even better! Their wine list is fantastic and the staff is hilarious. It gets cramped and a little loud but the energy is great. We had some great conversations with the people sitting around us. It's fun.

Maybe it's me but when I'm there I feel like I'm partly in Alice In Wonderland and Sex And The City. The decor and hip crowd is what does it. The prices are right in line with what you would expect and well worth the trip.

Another great Harvard Square treasure.

  • Visited September 2011
    • 4 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Atmosphere
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
    • 5 of 5 stars Food
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This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC
Lincoln, Massachusetts
Top Contributor
50 reviews 50 reviews
Reviews in 34 cities Reviews in 34 cities
13 helpful votes 13 helpful votes
“Great restaurant--delicious food, beautiful surroundings & friendly service”
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 12 January 2012

We loved this restaurant. We ate upstairs: The food is simply wonderful and the atmosphere is pink, really creative and beautiful. We thoroughly enjoyed every minute.

The wait staff are friendly and accommodating. We had eaten downstairs which we like, and upstairs is sumptuous. I found the pricing about right for such great food. We will definitely go back for special occasions--and other times too.

  • Visited December 2011
    • 5 of 5 stars Value
    • 5 of 5 stars Atmosphere
    • 5 of 5 stars Service
    • 5 of 5 stars Food
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