Was here for brunch just this Sunday with a friend. Â We split a full sized plate of buffalo wings ($8), I ordered the Eggs Benedict ($7.50), and he ordered the breakfast burrito ($5.50) with bacon ($2). Â
The wings were very very dry so I would not recommend them. Â The Hollandaise sauce on my Eggs Benedict broke so there was a small puddle of butter. Â But that made no difference because the EB were still delicious and really you can't go wrong with butter. Â The Eggs Benedict comes with a side of potatoes and a cup of fruit! Â Delicious, great portion size, and good service.
We just sat and ate in the outdoor seating area and just enjoyed ourselves - in the sweet sweet Boston humidity.
One of my favorite, unassuming places to go to. I always recommend this place for a low key hangout where you'll get good food and drinks. While so many places in Harvard sq try their absolute hardest to be incredibly pretentious with an expensive albeit mediocre food and drink selection, this place is just a breathe of fresh air despite being in a basement. With eclectic choices of beers and drinks and a great menu for even vegetarians, what more can you ask for. They even do a solid brunch!
Review Source:What to expect: Standard bar food quality. Portions are not skimpy, but also not especially generous. Read on to decide if the Half-Off menu is worth it:
Half off appetizers everyday from 5:30-7:30pm BUT only with the purchase of a beverage that's min. $3. The cheapest alcoholic drink is their bottle of Honey Brown for $3.50, other than that, the prices jump to $5.
If you're ordering an entree for yourself, you'll probably save $1-2. Example: I ordered a $8.50 Natural Disaster burger plus a Cisco Grey Lady for $5.50 and paid $12 with gratuity.
This might be a worthwhile deal if you're sharing as a group.
A quintessential (literally) underground Cambridge pub where you can almost feel the Harvard geniuses of yore waxing poetic about life, love and the pursuit... or something. The atmosphere is charmingly dingy and the food is pretty good (they have a whole vegetarian menu - killing me softly). The drinks are absolutely nothing to write home about but it's a piece of the brick and cobblestone that is Harvard Square history and you are obliged (as an American citizen) to check out if you can.
Lows: French 75 (suuuper strong/bitter gin drink)
Highs: Moscow Mule, flaming shot of absinthe (just kidding says my hangover)
Still the least pretentious watering hole in the Boston area. From homeless to ivy league professor, from barely legal to drink to senior citizen, everyone gets the same good service.
It once served as my living room (during my academic days) and it hasn't changed. Always a good place to grab a pint of original sin and some half-off happy hour snacks.
My boyfriend and I went here because it had outdoor seating that was somewhat in the shade. It was an extremely hot day and we decided on sangria. We were excited because the prices weren't bad and we ended up getting a pitcher for 20$ because we wanted to sit and relax for awhile. This amount would have probably been way too much for us if it actually contained an appropriate amount of alcohol and wasn't so watered down. The food was terrible, I couldn't even eat mine. I would never go here again unless I was only going to get a beer. If you care about what you put into your body, I wouldn't recommend eating here.
Review Source:A superb place (really very den-like) to meet friends and have great conversation. Good selection of beers and many choices for food. Food is nothing too special, but commensurate with the type of place - wayyyy better than your usual bar foods. Overall a great restaurant-bar! Go before 7:30pm and the food is half-price (Boston restaurants can't charge half price alcohol, so they do the food instead - great!)
Review Source:I first went to Grendel's Den a few months ago after a friend recommended it. I had a few hours to kill with my parents and boyfriend, so we went to Harvard Square for dinner and ended up at Grendel's for half-price happy hour. It ended up being about $50 for an appetizer, four meals, two sodas, and four drinks...super cheap. However, the food's not all that great and there's really not that much on the menu. Don't come here if you're picky! I had the chicken burrito. There was nothing wrong with it, but it just wasn't anything special. The atmosphere was good. It was freezing cold and snowing outside, so it was nice to sit by the fire. However, the four of us had to sit at a small table since the normal tables are only for parties of 5 or more. That night our service was great, other than the fact that our waiter charged me for guacamole which I didn't order. My mom was a little perturbed by the "either or" bathrooms though! Haha.
The next week I attempted to go to Grendel's with my brother and a few friends but we couldn't find a table (again, there were 4 of us) so we left and went somewhere else.
The week after that I ended up at Grendel's again, this time for Sunday brunch with a friend. It was surprisingly not crowded at all despite having a pretty good brunch menu. I ended up getting the eggs florentine (poached eggs over spinach with Hollandaise sauce) which came with a small bowl of fresh fruit and home fries. The home fries were not good at all. I can't even describe what I didn't like about them, but I took a few bites and left the rest. Despite the fact that the restaurant was nearly empty, our waitress took a long time to attend to us, brought our meals out about five minutes apart (which was awkward...do I wait for mine to get cold or...?), and forgot to bring my fruit, which I had to ask for. She just didn't seem like she wanted to be there at all.
Thus ended my time living outside Boston and regular trips to Harvard Square.
Last month, I ended up in Boston with my grandparents and mom, since my grandfather had an appointment at MGH. I thought they would enjoy Grendel's since they love pub food...who knows why. I was right! My mom and grandmother shared a salad and sandwich and my grandmother couldn't stop talking about how great it was! She was also very happy that her Guinness was room temperature, as it should be. My grandfather was pleased with his sandwich as well. I had the burrito again...and again, it was mediocre. At least I didn't get charged for guacamole this time. Our waitress was very busy, waiting tables inside and out, so service was a little slow but I don't blame her. She was fairly friendly and personable. Overall, a good lunch.
I think it's a hit-or-miss kind of place.
Pros: cheap, good atmosphere, outdoor seating available, drinks
Cons: slow service, mediocre food, crowded at night
I went with some friends to get some drinks and snacks. Our waitress just wasn't very attentive. It was very tough to flag her down, and when she did come by, she wasn't helpful. We normally tip 18-20%, but this time, we left probably somewhere around 12%, and she came to get us as we were leaving, asking what was wrong, and why we didn't leave a higher tip. Rather than argue, my group gave her a couple more dollars and got out of there.
Review Source:(you didn't think I wasn't gonna yelp this crap up?)
The food and serving staff aren't that bad.
It's the manger that I have sh!t beef with (or so I was told she was the manager). My friends and I use to be regulars here. Although, I was accused of not paying my bill and the manger gave me an attitude about not having time and wanting to find the receipt -- I paid a ridiculous amount and left. Honesty and accountability apparently isn't appreciated here. Get a new manager!
We had heard a lot about this place so had high expectations. We rocked up in the late afternoon for very late lunch. The place was pleasant enough and with few punters in attendance, we had our choice of seats so we chose a table beside the faux fireplace which lacked any warmth and, as it turned out, Â just like our waitress. The very definition of surliness, she tossed menus at us and continued in that vein throughout the meal. That, frankly, wouldn't have bothered me if the food was any good. We both ordered burgers - they don't do fries so we had chips/crisps on the side instead which is a very poor carb substitute in my view. The burgers were grey, limp, thin patties of poor quality beef on a rubbish supermarket bun. Cheap and nasty. Best part of the meal was the price. Two burgers and two beers each came to $40 for the lot with a grudgingly given tip. Dreadful and very disappointing given the expectations we had going in. Never again,
Review Source:I wrote a review on grendals 6 years ago and now I'm updating that.
I still love Grendals. I mean, 5 dollar lunch? You can't really beat that.
And the service is usually really great.
And you can't beat half off specials either!
And that's why a friend and I went the other day.
We sat on the patio because it was still relatively nice out (maybe upper 50s) and we didn't want to give up on being outside for the day yet (I had been at work all day). So, we sat on the patio, got a couple of beers and were told that in order to sit there we needed to order food.
That was totally cool with us because we needed dinner.
What wasn't told to us (and was only posted on the sign entering the patio area in pretty friggen small print) was that the half price deal doesn't count on the patio because the patio is so popular.
Um, it was 50 something degrees out and we were the only ones there when we sat down at 6:30, aka, dinner time.
I wouldn't have been peeved by this if the woman had told us; we would have just went inside.
She did not inform us.
Our beers were great and our sandwiches as well. I love the food.
But that little mishap gave me a bit of a sour taste in my mouth.
Only reason it's getting 3 stars instead of 4 or 5
Grendals: you should definitely let you patrons know about that when sitting on the patio. Especially when they're already told to order food.
Little print on ONE sign does not do the job.
Every place has a "go here if..." niche. Here's Grendel's: Go here if you're a party of 2 or greater than 5, for drinks only, anytime earlier than 6 PM or between 7 and 7:45 PM.
If you're a party of 3 or 4, you won't be able to get a table, and will have to wait while a parade of groups of 2 or 5 get in before you. This is because they won't let groups smaller than 5 sit at the corner tables, but have no such restriction on the limited number of 4-person tops. So groups of 2 take the tables for 4, and groups of 4 can't take the bigger tables. Out of luck.
If you're looking for food, go elsewhere. The food here is inconsistent at best. I was going to say it might be worth it during the half price times, but if you're that hungry just go grab fast food. It'll be faster, and probably tastier too.
If you're thinking of coming at any of the times I didn't mention, don't bother, unless you like waiting. You won't be able to find a seat.
It gets a second star because of the clever and friendly ambiance/theme. I could probably justify the wait/crowds if the food were better, because it really is a great concept, but as it is I'll probably avoid in the future. Somebody alert me if they hire a new chef.
Grendel's Den is my panic room. Â Whenever I'm having a life crisis, or the weather is particularly bad, or the power goes out at my apartment, I am immediately compelled to march straight to Grendel's. Â Because it resides in a basement of an old building and the decor is decidedly lived in, I feel a palpable sense of comfort when I am within its walls. Â
The food at Grendel's is not great. Â It's not even good, honestly, but to come to Grendel's to eat food is like going to the Grand Canyon to ride a donkey. Â It's an available activity that you may want to take advantage of to supplement your experience while you're there, but it's not exactly the main draw. Â When the food is half priced (and really, the food is half priced more often than it's full priced, which in of itself should tell you something about it's quality), it seems to be a good value for the money, and since a half priced sandwich at Grendel's is $4, what I'm trying to say is that it is comparable to something you would buy at a high end gas station. Â
The beer list if solid and varied, but not expansive. Â You'll find something for to suit every taste, but you won't find a sprawling ledger that gives you the choice of twenty four different microbrews from Asheville, NC. Â The prices are in line with other bars in the area, and the service ranges from excellent to "someone should put out an Amber alert for my waiter, because I have not seen him in forty five minutes". Â
With all that said, why am I rating Grendel's four stars? Â Why did I have to talk myself out of rating it a perfect five? Â Why did I walk two miles in the middle of Hurricane Sandy to get to Grendel's on a weekday afternoon? Â I'm not sure its appeal is quantifiable, or at the very least, the reason I like Grendel's is difficult to describe. Â
The short answer is that the people inside Grendel's, from the owners down to the very last person at the very last table, are fascinating and remarkable. Â A lot of other reviews note that Grendel's is a college bar, but that seems off the mark. Â I'm hard pressed to think of another college bar that not only refuses to serve watered down beer like Bug Light, but also has defiant signage stating their intention never to do so. Â There is similar signage at the bar imploring no one in particular to charge the George Bush administration with war crimes. Â There is not a single TV on the premises. Â It is named after a murderous troll from a 11th century Scandinavian poem. Â If none of this reads like a college bar, that's because it's not. Â The people who are describing it as such are probably associating the worn down tabletops and wobbly chairs with memories of their college experience. Â
More accurately, Grendel's could be described as a post-college bar, a place where people go after work to escape the pretension that surrounds them every day and a place where the level of discourse far outpaces that of the average dive bar. Â It's a place where no-one seems to give a shit about the score of the Red Sox game, but is mostly devoid of hipsters. Â It's a place where a guy in a beret taught me a card trick during a snow storm. Â It's a real place with real people, and most nights thats enough for me.
You can almost miss this place, which may be what the locals want. Place isn't huge and may be hard to get a table..Vibe was pretty chill, dim lighting and low key. Looked a good place to chat and get a bite.
Happy hour meal specials from 5:30-7pm on Weekdays- half price food with a $3 minimum drink purchase per person. Cream of spinach soup was good.
Cheap food, college pub but not in an obnoxious way. There were some older people there as well.
Stick to typical pub fare and get some drinks (and extra food..portions arent huge) and you'll enjoy it.
Decent selection of beers, but a little pricey. Â Service is slow, and the food is merely OK. Â A bit small, so you may be out of luck if you're trying to grab some food. Â There are tons of spots in Harvard Square you could get into quicker that have better food. Â Mainly a place to get a couple drinks.
Review Source:Another Harvard Square classic. Â Great beer selection, pretty spartan burger and potato chips, popular with students. Â Good place to go with a group of friends and take over a big table, but note it can be tough to get a seat. Â You probably won't spend a lot of money here either.
Remember, though, that this is ultimately a college bar. Â Go in with the appropriate expectations and you should have a pretty good experience.
Grendels was ok. Â It wasn't amazing, but wasn't bad either.
Came for lunch on Sunday as I was in town for a show at A.R.T.
Definitely a college spot. Â Cheap food, cheap drinks. Â
Beers and cocktails were very reasonable. Â I was amused by the Big Girl Mimosa (16 ounces of mimosa served in a pint glass). Yes, a classy place.
Service was pretty attentive and friendly.
My real issue is that the portions were frankly small. I understand that the food is cheap to begin with, but my french dip left me hungry. Â Fine if you don't serve anything fried, but if you are giving me a side of chips give me a sandwich that will fill me up more than a snack wrap at Mcdonalds.
That said, the french dip was tasty. The creamy tomato soap I also had was a bit much, for me, but that may have just been my taste.
I did appreciate that it is super vegetarian friendly (but also had meat dishes for carnivore friends), and very sustainable. They compost, and recycle, etc.
Anyway not a bad option in Cambridge, but definitely not the best. Would probably be a better spot to come for drinks and apps than a meal.
Grendel's is an underground, appropriately dark and divey pub in Harvard Square.
I came here with a group of 8 on a Monday around 9:30pm. Our waitress was ornery as hell. She took an immediately dislike for everyone, couldn't remember what we'd ordered and then was annoyed when we didn't know she had to write the drinks order on a separate piece of paper (???). We ordered apps, entrees and beers. Lots of potential for a big tip, but she couldn't care less. She gave us the beers en masse, leaving us to figure out which amber colored liquids were ours.
My chicken skewers were bleh, but I liked the fresh celery sticks and blue cheese dressing, so I asked for more and got charged $1 along with receiving a lecture from the chef via our waitress The Lovely Helga. The chicken quesadilla was also incredibly bland.
At Harvard Square prices, I expect better fare, even if it's from a pub I have to go downstairs for.
I can see how Grendel's would be a beloved place for college students. Cheap food and hearty atmosphere.
We were directed here by a random person on the street who thought we were completely lost when she saw me holding up my iPhone maps app. She claimed the food here was "very very good", but I disagree.
It really is half-price food from 5-7:30 every night with a purchase of a $3 beverage. But, you get what you pay for. Portions were small and the food just didn't taste very good. The barbecue chicken pizza (regular price $10) is about 10 inches in diameter. Thin crust and not much else to it. The tomato basil bisque was way too salty. The spinach pie, or spanikopita, (regular price $8) tasted pretty good but came with a healthy heaping of rice pilaf that was bland. A good portion of their menu was vegetarian, unlike most pub menus, which are twenty kinds of burgers and fried foods.
Grendel's is kind of hidden underground. So you walk down some stairs and open a large, heavy door. Inside is a warm, yellow atmosphere full of people laughing and talking. The bouncer checks your ID and then you seat yourself. But, it is terribly crowded. There is very little room to walk between the tables. t's great if you want to pre-game or something but not if you want to have an actual conversation with someone sitting across the table. You can sit at the wraparound bar, at 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, or 6-person tables, or at a couple of the high-top tables in the back. Maybe because I have been out of college for a few years so it was a bit of a shock, but the clientele was very... collegiate.
I paid $22 for 2 entrees, 2 soups, and a beer at half-price. That's not bad, but I wouldn't come back at full-price.
I'm indifferent towards Grendel's. Â If someone wanted to go, I'd go with them, but I probably wouldn't choose to come here on my own.
The food is okay - slightly better than most pub food. Â And the menu has good variety, with lots of salads, sandwiches, and entrees beyond your standard wings & fried food.
The restaurant is small and cramped, but it's a pub, so what do you expect? Â The food is cheap and everything is half price from 5-7:30PM weeknights!
Let me make it clear - I love Grendel's. Not because their drinks are the fanciest or the food the best in the Square, but because it's the perfect combination of inexpensive drinks, good hearty cheap food, and a laid-back bar atmosphere. Come here for lunch, dinner, or a drink to start your night out and you won't be disappointed. In the winter, my go-to drink is the spiked apple cider (oddly, it's hard to find warm alcoholic drinks in Harvard Square), but in the warmer months, I default to a drink I was introduced to by Grendel's - Kanye's Workout Plan - a crisp, refreshing blend of cucumber vodka, soda, and lime. I've had all types of food from Grendel's, but have been most pleased with their wraps.
Review Source:Pleasantly surprised by the price and quality of the restaurant. As a graduate student I try to maximize my dollar, and this surely felt like they were not overcharging for a yummy plate of nachos and a strong IPA. My friend ordered a second round of cole slaw because 'it was the best he ever had'. A must go in Harvard Square!
Review Source:A- for the food, C+ for the unpleasant waiting period.
But realistically, the best reason to go here is the half-priced food from 5-7:30p. Bless ol' Harold and Sue for coming up with a solid business plan that guaranteed a constant stream of hungry Harvard folk. We got two drinks each and split the mussels appetizer, a small caesar salad, the portobello reuben, and the natural disaster turkey burger. Everything besides the salad (which was just OK) was mouthwateringly wonderful. Portobello reuben? Slap me purple and call me eggplant, I'm sold. The natural disaster comes with melted swiss cheese, avocado slices, chutney, and chipotle spread. Pure omnoms.
Waiting to get to that glorious meal though? Super hellish after a long day at the office. No matter where you stand, you're in the way. The hungrier you get, the more sure you are that everyone sitting at a table is laughing at you and staying extra time just to keep you from sitting down. The bartender may or may not forget about you. And no, four people cannot sit at one of the designated five-people-or-more tables.
I'm feeling hangry all over again just thinking about it.
You know those bars you go to and get real drunk at and somehow you walk out with a huge bill and you feel positive you only got 5 drinks but somehow you were charged for 10? Well not here. It's quite the opposite. I'll buy like 5 cocktails and somehow my bill always seems like they've knocked off a drink or two. You can feel confident that you will get a fair bill for exactly what you bought and not a cent more.
I love their food. It is eclectic and somewhat exotic comfort food. Their menu is made up of a variety of comfort food, typical bar food, mediterranean and vegetarian fare. Try their Salvadoran veggies and tofu over rice. It is so good. I get it every time. Either that or their noodles. Who doesn't love noodles and butter? It is one of their side dishes. Yeah I know it is pretty simple but sometimes you want to keep it simple. Can't say I am a fan of their gorgonzola sauce though. Try their chicken wings too. They are like smoked, they taste like they are straight off a bbq. Great portions and great prices.
The staff is great. The bartenders are so friendly, always seem so happy to see you.
The owner is really sweet too.
This place is charming and fun.
I used to enjoy coming here for a quick bite before seeing a film (alas, we've lost that pleasure, too, in Harvard Sq.) or for the half price appetizers at Happy Hour, but never again.
On a sunny day last summer, I opted to take advantage of the outdoor dining area and was appalled at both the food and the service. First of all, the waiter cavalierly cleaned the table with a spray bottle (not water) and the spray hit my face and clothes. I decided to let it go and not say anything. I ordered a spinach salad with nuts and feta, and was assured this would be a decent size for an entree with plenty of spinach. At $9 or $10 for a lunchtime salad special, I expected a reasonably sized salad. What I got was a few leaves of spinach laden with feta and nuts and dressing. Before I could say anything, the waiter disappeared. I had to get my check from someone else.
Although I've never had high expectations of the food at Grendals, it was decent and friendly, what I expected of a longstanding neighborhood anchor. What Grendels has become, Â unfortunately, is a Harvard Sq. tourist trap. RIP, Grendels as you used to be.
What a fun find! While visiting Cambridge, we needed to grab a quick bite to eat before getting back on the road. A Yelp search brought up Grendel's, and with the appeal of 1/2 priced food items during Happy Hour, we decided to duck inside.
I appreciate that this place doesn't take itself too seriously, especially given its location. We grabbed two spots at the bar and scanned an impressive list of beers and drinks. I was tempted to get a spiked apple cider when I got a whiff of the simmering brew, but I opted for the CBC Pumpkin ale (awesome, btw). The bf and I ordered mussels, wings and a salad to share. The price of each dish already made the meal worthwhile, but when the food actually showed up, I was even more impressed. The wings were tasty and sizable (I hate tiny, meatless wings), the bowl of mussels was piled high, and the salad had generous amounts of avocado, chicken and cheese. If we didn't have to drive, I know we would have stayed longer - certainly for more beer but also to perhaps order more food once appetites reappeared.
I hope to return to Grendel's to sample some of their entrees. In the meantime, give this place a try - it offers a great atmosphere after a long day at work.
I made a trip to Grendel's the two times I visited Boston and was pleased to find that they served Absinthe cocktails(!) Â So...light that sugar cube and let me down that absinthe!! Â
I love the "underground" feeling of the bar. Â It definitely feels like a hangout spot for Grendel from Beowulf (heh, literary nerd reference).
Friendly service, tasty bar food, and fun drinks. Â The first time I went it was fairly crowded and dimly lit. Â The second time, the bar was more casual, well lit, and less crowded. Â A little inconsistent if I say so myself, but overall not a bad spot to grab a drink.
I love Grendel's for a number of reasons.
-Relaxed, chill, divey atmosphere
-good crowd, not packed with yuppies
-bar food that is a step above just the typical sports bar nachos and wings, while also still having the typical nachos and wings (they also have things like a hummus plate and mediterranean salad)
-half priced menu weekdays during happy hour inside
-indoor and outdoor seating
-awesome bartenders and servers!!!
Grendel's is one of my go-to lunchtime spots in Harvard Square. First of all, it's crazy cheap. Like, eat-a-whole-meal-for-less-than-five-bucks cheap. The food isn't breaking down culinary barriers or anything, but it is definitely tasty. The sandwiches are especially good -- my favorites are the Grendel (roast beef with boursin cheese) and the French dip. Everything comes out super quickly; I don't think I've ever waited longer than 10 minutes for my food to arrive. I never have to worry that I won't make it back to the office in time when I come to Grendel's.
The service is solid. Grendel's isn't the kind of place where your waiter is going to fawn over you and make tons of idle chatter, but every server I've had has been pleasant and accommodating. I once asked for steamed veggies (not on the menu) instead of the standard potato chips with my sandwich, and the server didn't even bat an eye. I wasn't charged extra either, which was a nice surprise. If you're pressed for time and are looking for cheap eats in the square, give Grendel's a chance.
This is a bar and based on what our meal was like, you should just go there to enjoy the liquor..not the food or ambiance. It's a BAR. We were sucked in by the people sitting outside (upper street side) who we thought were eating food from Grendel's. We went down a narrow lil entry and entered a packed bar. Found an ittty bitty lil table and the three of us hunched  around it.
Waited, waited and waited some more for someone to acknowledge that we were sitting there (5 small seating areas around us). There seemed to be what appeared to be a waiter or two flitting in and out our our area. FINALLY, came took drink order and was again gone for an eternity. SUM=Slow service.
Food: We went with bar food traditionals Burger/Fries - Wings/Side Caesar salad, turkey sand/chips.
Burger over cooked, dry, flavorless, way too small for the HUGE arse bun and lettuce (which is usually used to dress up a food tray).
WINGS...Who get wings wrong??? There were 10 puny baby wings that were so overcooked/burnt/dry. I wish I had taken a picture. They were dry rub seasoned, and you were given a tablespoon size container of hot sauce/blue cheese..WHO the HELL gets wings wrong in a bar???
Caesar Salad- huge leaves of lettuce, (warm lettuce), sprinkling of parmesan and I think there was a drop of dressing.
The two stars come from my husband's turkey sandwich. Now, either I was just so hungry and desperate for something to taste good, or it actually tasted good.
Overpriced, underwhelming experience...
I never even noticed this place because I'd see Upstairs on the Square above it and think, "Maybe one day I'll be able to splash that much dough on a meal."
Finally a friend pointed out its existence to me, and we went. Lots of college students, and a very eclectic menu of diverse items. The food was okay, but quite decent if you factored in the low price, and the portions aren't stingy. I see why it appeals to students.
We amused ourselves by reading the history of Grendel's Den, which is printed on the menu. I had not known it had such a storied legal past. We also talked about Beowulf and tried to find a reference to it on the menu but failed.
Come here if you're hungry but poor.
Half-price happy hour, that's the only reason we went there.
If you don't drink, or if you only drink water while dining then this might be a little tricky for you. In order to get the half-off deal, you must get a $3 drink. But since my boo wanted to give it a try, I got a bottle of "botanically brewed" lemonade ($4) as recommended by the server. It was nothing more than a bottle of convoluted, alcohol-tasting lemon "juice".
Spinach Pie: due to the lack of description on the menu, the three of us debated for a while whether it would be a spinach pizza, a spinach quiche, or a spinach sphere. And when the waitress was ready to take our order 15 minutes later, the mystery was solved: Spinach pie = Spanakopita.
To be exact it was a square of spanakopita slightly larger than my palm and thicker than the length of my pinky. The filling was really pasty, as the spinach was inseparable from the cheese (feta and ricotta?). The phyllo dough... so hard to cut since it was quite stale. The rice pilaf was flavorless, if it were seasoned at all. Ultimately, this dish brought me back to elementary school days, as it tasted like some reheated cafeteria food.
California burger: the only ingredient that was good on that burger was the guacamole. Enough said.
If the food is not good, it is not good no matter how cheap it is. What matters is whether you get this blissful feeling after eating a meal. And I certainly didn't get that from eating their food.
Sigh.
It is with a heavy heart that I revise my formerly glowing review of Grendel's Den.
Years ago, when a friend first asked me if I wanted to go to Grendel's, I thought she said "grundel's." (For those of you not in the know, urban dictionary has a concise definition that is a mere google search away).
However, "grundel" is a rather suitable way to describe this place, or at least, the service we received there yesterday.
A group of friends and I met in Harvard Square. We couldn't decide where to go, but I convinced them to head to here. Cheap food! The siren song of cheap drinks! Outdoor seating! What's not to love?
I'll tell ya what's not to love: Hidden fees, nasty servers who dress like they invaded Mayim Bialik's closet in 1995, and public shaming if you failed to read the fine print on a box two tables over.
Our dinner was filled wit more unprovoked crazy than a Bravo reality show.
Anything we asked for- a refill, a recommendation on what she thought was good, a bit of dressing for a salad since they'd obviously forgotten to mix it in-was met with terrifyingly passive agressive white knuckle rage. She was such a bitch during our meal that we decided to skip the dessert and drinks we were planning on having there.
When our bill came, we paid with 2 credit cards and some cash, writing out the amounts for each card after we were met with a full on verbal assault when we just asked to pay separately. She took it and went inside. We breathed a collective sigh of relief, planning where we'd go next.
We thought that our hell was over, but it was just beginning.
She came back to our table, slammed our money/card down, and informed us that any bills paid with a combination of cash and credit were subject to a 20% fee. "Um, where does it say that? I'm looking at the menu and it says that policy only applies to parties splitting the bill on 4 credit cards." Our server, clearly irritated and annoyed by our ignorance, said "It's clearly stated on the box." The box? She picks up the box that holds the salt and pepper from the table next to ours and points to the policy, her voice dripping with exasperation. She even did a Vanna White style "hold it near my face, plaster on a fake smile, and point" move before swooping in front of all of us to drive her point home.
I picked up the box at our table, rotated it so that she could see all sides, and pointed out that there was NOTHING on our box and we hadn't known about this policy. Were we supposed to ask our surrounding tables to review their boxes? If it was such a problem, why didn't she say anything when she picked up the pile of cash and the credit cards?
She didn't apologize, or acknowledge that it was her mistake to assume that we had known about this hidden fee- instead, she snatched up our bill, and loudly declared while stomping down the stairs, "Oh, ok- you don't want to leave a 20% gratuity? That's FINE."
First of all, we were planning on leaving 20%, even though our server had acted like a rotting butthole. We're classy like that. We had factored that into the amounts we asked her to run on our cards though she obviously didn't deserve even the standard 10% you leave for appallingly bad service.
When she came back, I asked to speak to her manager.
"The bartender is sort of the manager, you can go talk to him if you have a problem." She smirked, and walked off.
In ANY restaurant, if you ask to speak to a manager, it is customary that they come to your table to see what the problem is. We were so disgusted by the service, and thoroughly convinced that the real manager wasn't even on the premises, hence the grundel-esque behavior, that we left.
My friend called later, asked to speak to the manager, explained the situation, and got attitude about how busy they were before being hung up on. No apologies, nothing. FYI, they were not busy. We were surrounded by empty tables when we asked to speak to her boss.
That is not how you run a business. That is not how you treat paying customers, especially ones who are polite and thank you even though you're acting like a hatchet wound.
It felt like we had wandered into some over-privileged 13 year old's house and demanded that she fan us with giant peacock feathers and hand feed us peeled grapes. I didn't interrupt her at home and ask her for a personal favor- I was asking her to do her job while she was at work. No attitude necessary. Either come to work and do your job or don't come to work at all. It's that simple.
I am thoroughly horrified by the unparalleled nastiness and immature behavior we witnessed at this restaurant. Their food may be cheap, but so are their servers.
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