I hate being that Yelper that gives a bad review because of the customer service, but *sigh* here goes.
I went here because I wanted to treat my friend out for her birthday and also because I purchased a Travelzoo deal for here. I read through the reviews of this place, and saw the not so stellar reviews along with the positive reviews, so I thought, hey why not. And when I looked at the cocktail menu online I thought that it had a wide selection of cocktails, so it would be a nice place to get drinks. Furthermore, for a summer night, I thought it would be cool to eat outside in the patio (which wasn't open for dining anyway since it was raining).
Since I read reviews and expected the food wasn't going to blow me away, I gave the food a chance. I liked the polenta/poached egg appetizer (a bit overpriced, compared to Russell House Tavern's, but I guess the polenta adds $4 somehow). My salmon was pretty delicious, and I like the parsley sauce it was swimming in. The complimentary bread was also pretty delicious, but too perfectly shaped for me to believe they baked it themselves. For drinks, I ordered the Sugar Plum Fairy, which tasted too strong of vodka - I don't know, I guess I felt the flavors didn't mix well and all I could taste was vodka. All in all, I was going to give this place 3 stars.
Why the two stars?
Let me preface this by saying, I understand that waiters/waitresses rely on their tips. I am also very well aware that if I buy a deal through an external website, I am supposed to tip on the amount before the deal is applied. Well, I thought I had done that. I looked at the subtotal of my bill, and calculated the amount of tip from there.
What I didn't enjoy was my waitress coming back to our table after I had signed the check, interrupting me and my friend only to loudly 'whisper', "Just so you know for next time, when you purchase a deal from Travelzoo or any other site like that, you're supposed to tip on the subtotal before the deal is applied." My friend and I were very perplexed -- I'd sworn I had done exactly that. In retrospect, I realized that the subtotal I looked at was just for the food, and didn't realize that the drink total was separated from the food total. So yes, it was my fault, but after having a STRONG cocktail, did she really expect me to think correctly?
Honestly, I think that's pretty bad service etiquette, and I don't think there will be a next time.
This place was fantastic! The server was very prompt and warned us that a couple of the entrees were on the verge of being sold out for the evening. I wanted the steak frittes which were one of the limited meals. My server asked for a backup choice and then actually jogged over to the computer to put it in for me. I did end up with the steak which was phenomenal! It was honestly the best steak I have had in a long time. I ordered it with truffle fries and they were equally fantastic. My date and I shared a crab cake which was LOADED with crab. He ordered the potato gnocchi and that was also yummy. To finish we had the chocolate espresso cake. I would definitely get it again, so good! The wine/beer were $5 and up, great deal.
Review Source:I have had the pleasure to dine here a handful of times and every single time, I come away having experienced a food coma causing experience, further deepened by the top notch personable staff I or we are provided. Adelle, my waitress several times now---your consistency, table after table as we view...is pure down to earth people-skill magic. Can't imagine NuBar without you.
What you won't get [other Cambridge and Boston restaurants take note...]...is any frozen re-heated food here. Everything ordered, is made fresh.
Whether its a partaking of an entree of tender duck, seared scallops, lamb appetizer or extra whipped creamy cannoli, NuBar's special long-time chef shows the pride to plate every element with artistically beautiful presentation. Every part of the dining experience, was rolled out as quick as can be.
With mouth watering luxurious sauces that leave you happily sedated, to the fresh to die for vegetables that are never just filling in [as sadly oh so many a restaurant world-wide have done...]...no drop in diner or hotel staying client, should feel any less pampered than we have been.
The chef even came out to greet me, so I could personally thank him. That's 5-Star.
Whether bringing family, colleagues, a first date, family, classmates, or, a group you just want to relax in the cozy fireplace warmed California lodge-like ambiance, NuBar is a must dine at place. Come..be seduced!
I came here for dinner the other night with my boyfriend. The atmosphere is upscale and it was cozy with a couple of fireplaces. Â The food was quite good. We split the braised short rib appetizer, which was delicious. The meat was so tender, you didn't even need a knife. Â He had the steak frites, which he liked, and I had the gnocchi which was so yummy. Â It came with a bunch of roasted veggies in a light creamy sauce. Very filling, but very good. Â We didn't get any, but the cocktails looked good. Â I'd probably come back for drinks/apps, but the prices are a bit steep otherwise. Plus, you have to factor in parking ($10 validated).
Review Source:The food ranged from great to terribly disappointing. Great: polenta app, scallops entree. Pretty good: crab cake appetizer (full of crab and not breadcrumbs! A rarity these days.) Terrible: the sour meze dips plate. It tasted as if half of the dips went rotten. They were sour and inedible.
We would have set it back if not for the fact the waitress disappeared after she took our order until we tracked her down for the check. The gentlemen than ran our food, refilled our waters and cleared our table were wonderful though.
Like the settings and location. Convenient near Harvard square. It's not loud and quite a romantic settings. The food is sub par or par at best. Grilled shrimp was ok. The scallops were good. Their pork with risotto tasted bland.
It's great place to chat and grab a drink. Would not recommend eating there though.
We had dinner at Nubar with friends about a month ago. I'm always looking for new spots in Cambridge that are not outrageously expensive, but have good interesting food and a good atmosphere. Nubar fit the bill. It was a surprise b/c it's in a hotel - The Sheraton Commander. But the food was interesting, very good tasting, the service was good. And we had an good enough bottle of wine. I'd say it's a good general weekend dining spot in Harvard Sq.
Review Source:Show me a fancy hotel restaurant and all I see is a watering hole. So, this review is for the bar only.
I discovered it online but had never heard of it previously, and had no idea where it was. "What? A Harvard Square bar we haven't been drunk in?" We liked the looks of the cocktail list, and weren't disappointed. Things I liked:
Nubar Rouge: Â Lillet Rouge, Fruitlab Hibiscus Liqueur, Cava. Â $11
Flower Power: Â G'vine Gin, Fruitlab Hibiscus, Lemon, Agave. $11
Basil and Lime Gimlet: Triple 8 Gale Force Gin, Fresh Basil, Fresh Lime Juice. Â $10 Â
Ruby Sidecar: Â Hennessey VS, Solerno BloodOrange Liqueur, Fresh Lemon, Ruby Red Grapefruit. $11
Unlike other bars that want to capitalize on the craft cocktail trend but do not make good craft cocktails, Nubar's are flavorful, well-mixed, and reasonably priced.
It's surprisingly well-appointed, with its fireplace and glowing bar. In fact, the restaurant is nicer than the hotel. It's certainly an odd place for a restaurant and bar that's trying to be upscale. Let's face it, no one in the world says, "I feel like having a nice dinner. Why don't we go to the Sheraton?"
That's probably why it's almost always empty, except for hotel patrons. Also, it's in that weird no-man's land between Harvard and Porter, where there's nothing else to do. I'm glad that it's quiet, though. I'll probably never eat here, but I'm happy to have found a peaceful place to enjoy a decent drink away from the Harvard Square fray.
Nubar is the restaurant located in the Sheraton Commander Hotel just a short walk from the Harvard Square T. Â Alternatively, they offer parking validation for the lot right beside the restaurant - $10 for 3 hours.
We made reservations because the voucher we were going to use required it. Â Unfortunately for them though, it didn't look like we needed one that night.
Service was pleasantly provided by a gentleman with a heavy accent, alongside a few other folk helping with the dishes and such.
Under his advisement, we ordered the Grilled Shrimp Tostada, Crispy Corn Tortilla, Charred Tomatillo and Mild Green Chili Salsa, Cilantro, Lime, Crema 12 in addition to the Lamb Merguez and Eggplant Cigar Harrisa, Yogurt, Roasted Cauliflower and Pomegranate Salad 12, both with the spicy sauce specially requested to be on the side.
I was a bit underwhelmed by the portion of the appetizers for the price, feeling that by hitting the double digit mark that expectations were higher than were delivered. Â While the tortilla was nice and crisp, the shrimp arrived cool to the touch. Â The flavors were good, but the dish all too quickly gone. Â The lamb cigars on the other hand were warm and crisp and more flavorful a dish, with the roasted cauliflower a lovely addition in taste and contrast of texture.
We ended up selecting seafood entrees that evening.  The Pan Seared Diver Scallops, Celery Root Puree, Beech Mushroom Sauce, Leeks  25 and the Pan Fried Sunburst Trout, Kale Slow-Cooked with Ham, Sugar Pumpkin, Pecan Sage Brown Butter  22.  While the vegetables served alongside the protein at this establishment was a decent sized portion, unlike many another restaurant that prices their entrees in the twenties, my dining companion had voiced his disappointment in his count of the scallops - 1, 2, 3, 4.  Yes, they were nicely seared on one side, tender, and tasty, but if only the portion was not so meager.  The trout on the other hand was a much more acceptable a portion, with crisp skin, and a generous scattering of nuts.  It, however, was unfortunately a bit on the salty side.
For my sweet ending, I selected the Lemon Panna Cotta Mixed Berry Compote, Almond Cornmeal Cookies  8.  A good choice - it had the melty mouthfeel that I look for, except for that odd milky colored layer on top that had a higher gelatin ratio, with a texture that hinted at that of jello blox.  For an ice cream option, they serve Christina's Ice Cream with Fresh Berries  8.
The bathroom is found across the hotel's lobby, past the front desk and the elevator. Â Helpful staff pointed out the way.
I'm rounding this review up to four stars because they called me to let me know that my friend had left something behind that night. Â And when he emailed them about it with his address, they sent it off to him post-haste, much to his great relief.
From the website, it seemed to be a cute and romantic restaurant, so we tried for our anniversary dinner. Â I had the duck and my husband had the salmon. Â The food was not bad, but I wouldn't pay the price for the small portion of the food. Â I'm glad I bought a Groupon for this. Â I might give it another try with a Groupon deal.
Review Source:As a Christmas orphan I needed to figure out somewhere to go for a nice Christmas dinner. After doing some pretty extensive searching on <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fopentable.com&s=897c359bd752b4f5407d5ea86453c82be2d1913c8d0b51b18d81fc58f52a6497" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://opentable.com</a>, I made a reservation and dragged my roommate to dinner with me.
The staff was really courteous and called me to let me know that they would only have a limited menu, featuring appetizers, sandwiches and flatbreads for Christmas dinner and I definitely appreciated that gesture.
When we showed up it was pretty empty, but the fireplace was crackling, it smelled great and I could see that there was a human behind the bar, so I was pretty stoked.
I got the garden salad with blue cheese and walnuts as a starter. Pretty basic, but still tasty. Vijay got the lamb cigars. He said he thought they were small for the price but delish.
For dinner I got the Tallegio Polenta with a breaded poached egg with wilted greens. Holy melt in my damn mouth, Batman. (I plan on going back for this dish alone). V got a burger and he described it as "the perfect burger".
We obviously got martinis, mine with Bombay Sapphire, his with Hendricks. His was nice and dirty and mine could have been a liiiiiittle drier, but I'm sort of a stickler for a dry martini. I should probably just start order glasses of gin.
Anyway, it was overall a really lovely dinner, with good food, good service and good company. I will definitely be back to try the full menu. They have duck, so I don't really have a choice :)
Happy Holidays, ya'll!
Nubar is a very trendy restaurant with a touch of romantic feel and sits at a great location, however, the service and food dont meet the expectation of it's high price tag. The bright side is, they have everything they need to become successful, they just have to do the quality control.
Before going further with my review, I want to point out that my expectation for a restaurant varies base on the price tag on the menu. I dont expect a perfectly prepared steak with nice plating when the meal costs $10, similarly, when the plate runs $20 or more each, I expect the food to be prefect, and service to be good.
I love the interior decoration, I really mean "love". The place is very clean and has a simplicity feel to the design. A very nice fire place on the wall, with few sofa around it. I could see myself sitting there with a glass of wine. This is a prefect place for romantic dinner or meeting a long time friend for a glass of wine.
The service was a mix bag, the hostess and the waitress were very polite, but the hostess was caught sitting at the bar talking to her co-worker when we walked into the restaurant. Â Also when the place got busy, our emptied plates were left on the table for extended period of time. To be fair, the waitress came over and apologize for the slow service.
The foods were alright. It didn't match the high price tag.
Appetizers: My grilfriend and I had the Grilled Shrimp Tostada ($12). The portion was fairly small, 4 shrimps on a small piece of tostada chip. The shtrimps had too much seasons, but the smell of grill was a postie.  The tostada lacks any favor and was soaking wet (because the dressing and vegetable). It fell apart in my hand. Entrees: I had the Duck Breast, and my girlfriend had the Pat's Littleneck Clam Roast. The Duck Breast was flavorful, but again, very wet and lacked the "roast" favor.  Farro has the right texture but over power by the taste of butter.  After tasting the  Littleneck Clam Roast, it  was actually not bad. I like that way tomato and wine were used to bring out the freshness of littleneck clam, but it had the same problem was my dishes. It looks almost too watery.
In conclusion, I would give this place a second chance, but some works are needed to match that price tag.
How many ways can a restaurant ruin your dinner? Â Let me count the ways.
1. Â Bringing out the wrong order. Â TWICE. Â Due to food allergies and dietary limitations, I asked for the grilled chicken sandwich, plain without cheese and bacon. Â Not too hard, right? Â The chicken sandwich came with pesto sauce. Â Strike one. Â Cheese. Â Want me to get violently ill right in the middle of the restaurant? Â I think not! Â The second time, the chicken came with bacon and mayo. Â Unfortunately I can't eat either. Â The third version came out after all the plates of my five friends were already cleared. Â Strike three! Â Then, when I went to eat the leftover chicken the next day, it was a burnt rubbery piece of poultry. Â Strike four! Â Poor chicken.
2. Â Service. Â At a supposedly nice restaurant, the wait staff should bring out the food at the same time and know which patron ordered which dish. Â "Auctioning" the food should not be acceptable at those prices.
3. Â Manager. Â Do any guests want to see the manager yelling at her staff and flailing her arms in the middle of the restaurant floor? Again, I think not! Â
4. Â After effects. Â Two of my friends had major GI issues after dining here. Â That definitely ruined the second part of the night.
I have so many issues with this place and absolutely no reason to recommend dining at Nubar. Â Hopefully the food at the next "welcome back" party won't make the person want to go away again.
Recently dined at Nubar for the first time with my husband, it was a perfect date night! I love the decor and ambiance, the service was great, and the food was the best part.
We had the Maine crab cake appetizer and the lamb/eggplant cigar, both were excellent, full of flavor. The Nubar burger was good, though not spectacular - needed something on the inside for some oomph, maybe a special sauce. Regardless it was very good for what it is, not your average burger and my husband liked it. I had the duck with farro and brussel sprouts and it was amazing, best duck ever! The Erath pinot noir was perfectly paired with our meal at their recommendation. There were many other things on the menu that I would go back just to try, very unique menu, not typical. Â
The lemon Panna Cotta was delicious and a perfect finish to my meal. My husband had Christina's ice cream and insisted it was the best blackberry ice he has ever had - now we have to visit Christina's too.
I thought the prices are decent, I think it is below average for a Boston area restaurant of this caliber. Our suburban restaurant of choice (no names) has slightly lower prices but the food isn't nearly as good. Oh, and they have the best tasting water I've had at a restaurant, ever.
I would come back here and would recommend it to anyone I know for a delicious meal in Cambridge.
We found a Groupon deal, so my hubby and I decided to try Nubar out. Â
It does have very nice decor. However, the table we were seated at was not very intimate. Â We were closed in by other tables on each side and rather far apart from one another. Â Also, the college-aged girls beside us decided to sit on the booth beside me at the end of their meal, meaning that I was closer to them and heard much more of their conversation than really necessary.
The food was good; I enjoyed the chicken although it was a little dry. Â The duck was very tender and automatically served medium-rare. Â Both entrees were nice sized portions and had a good blend of flavors. We also got the truffle fries, which were delicious, and a chocolate espresso torta, which was just as decadent as we expected.
We also each got a beer on draft; each reasonably priced at $5.
The server was polite but service was incredibly slow. We waited for a very long time to have our plates cleared, get dessert menus, order dessert, ask for the check, get the check, and pay. Â We wanted to meet up with friends, so the 45+ minute delay at the end was a bit frustrating, although they were busy. Still, it felt unnecessarily slow.
All in all, I will never return, since the resulting $80 check would not have been worth it. However, with the Groupon deal, it was a great deal.
Lovely meal, refreshing cocktails, and attentive service. We especially enjoyed the meze plate appetizer! Only minor complaint is that they charge the same price for non-alcoholic "mocktails" as they do for the traditional version (which at $10 is a bit much and rather lame) but overall a very nice dining experience. We will be coming back!
Review Source:My fiance and I ordered squid in a garbanzo beans sauce as appetizer, which was ok.
I had duck breast with french fries and corn fritters, which was also ok, not disappointed but not great either.
My fiance had the trout with rainbow chard and corn fritters, with a buttermilk chive sauce. She loved it.
The food is all very filling and ordering an appetizer was too much. Ambiance is a plus.
Drinks sound good on the menu, but don't really taste that good.
All in all ok, but very pricey for what it is. We tried it with a Groupon because it's 2 blocks from our house, and it was fine with the discount, but we wouldn't pay full price.
Nubar's sophisticated and simple dishes popped from their menu, luring a small group of us in for restaurant week.
Set a bit back from the more central, bustling area of Harvard Square (but still easily walkable from the t station)... if you head towards the giant Sheraton sign in Harvard Square and you'll find Nubar nestled in with it.
We all but gasped after stepping down the stairs inside...it's absolutely gorgeous inside! Swanky, even!
The food was very, very good. Everything tasted very fresh and was filling in a not-heavy way. From the restaurant week menu, I had:
-Sweet corn arepa with different color cherry tomatoes! (Very fresh tasting, light appetizer with great taste and texture)
-Summer vegetable risotto (I love risotto, very fresh veggies!)
-Peach melba for dessert, which featured very juicy peaches in a cocktail glass with ice cream in the center.
Plus, co-incident was the social hour special... $5 for 2 glasses of 2oz wine for a mini taste. One of the wines was straight up the best wine I've ever tasted. Wish I could remember. It was a red near the top of the social hour menu... good luck!
Service wasn't bad, but I can't issue a glowing review. Really, it seems like the service could be upped a notch to the level of the decor and food. Our table bottle of water was empty and one of our party had depleted her wine but it took our server a while to come by.
Seems like this restaurant could be great given the great restaurant week options and decor. Surprised it isn't the talk of the town already. Quickly glancing at the regular menu, maybe it's because the options don't pull you in like the restaurant week menu did for me... so maybe a refresh is in order with whomever came up with the RWM. Â I'll be in to check it out for myself, but I was impressed so far.
We have been meaning to try Nubar for awhile and are glad that we finally did! Nubar is a hidden gem a short walk from the bustling Harvard Square. The service was first class. Our server was friendly, knowledgeable and provided excellent recommendations. The food exceeded our expectations. My wife declared that her scallops were the best she ever had. I had the exquisite Pat's Littleneck Clam Roast. The appetizers (Fresh squid and Taleggio Polenta) were terrific and the wine list extensive yet affordable. The bar has an interesting selection of mixed drinks.
While Nubar was the perfect spot for a dinner for two we noted that there are several seating areas for large groups. Next time we plan to bring along our friends!
Nubar, a newly remodeled restaurant in Sheraton Commander, serves new American cuisine. According to its website, it emphasizes a comfortable bar and dining experience. The restaurant is named after the hotel's owner Edward Nubar Guleserian, whose family has owned and operated the hotel and restaurant for three generations.
After we made our selection, the waitress brought a bread basket with three different types of warm, toasted bread. I really like the olive bread. The savory black olives enhanced the warm, moist, and chewy interior of the bread. Whereas the olive bread had hint of savoriness, the cranberry bread, which had ample amounts of dried cranberries embedded throughout, was sweet and tangy. Again, the inside of the bread was so warm and chewy. I could honestly get full just on the appetizer bread.
My friend and I ordered the Meze Plate ($11) to share. The appetizer was basically a long grilled flatbread cut into six slices with five different dips placed in between the flatbreads.The Herbed Ricotta was a little too thick and rich for my liking. The Lentil and Bulgur dip needed a bit more seasoning. My favorite was probably the Olive Salad dip! The salty, savory olives balanced out the warm flatbread really nicely. Eggplant Salsa and Pickled Peppers. I am a huge fan of eggplant (my second favorite vegetable after butternut squash!), so the salsa was inevitably delicious. I expected the pickled peppers to be slightly spicy because I thought it had jalepeno, but it was very mild.
Besides the dips, I also loved the flatbread! It was grilled to perfection with beautiful panini/grill marks on the outside, and just thick enough to have something to chew. Here, the thickness is the key because if it's too thick, the flatbread tastes too doughy, and if it's too thin, you don't get the texture.
We couldn't finish the appetizer because we were too full from the appetizer bread already. Besides, our main entree came as we were eating the appetizer and we didn't want to completely ruin our appetite from being too full.
I was really debating between two menus: Potato Gnocchi or Pat's Littleneck Clam Roast (Toasted angel hair pasta, baby shrimp, garlic, white wine, olive oil). In the end, I chose the Potato Gnocchi ($19) with absolutely no regret whatsoever.
The gnocchi was accompanied by chanterelles, roasted fall vegetables, fresh herbs, and piave cheese. I asked to be light on the cheese, and certainly they just put a little shaved cheese on top that I could easily take out. I wished I had known that they sprinkled pine nuts on top because then I would have asked it to be taken off...
The dish looked very healthy and fresh, probably because of the colorful vegetables and fresh spinach. The gnocchi served in the dining hall is often DRENCHED in oil, but that was not the case for this entree!
The potato gnocchi was so good! I loved that it was pan-fried on the outside for the right amount of crispiness without being too rough on the edges. I don't like gnocchis that are mushy all throughout, so this was perfect! I almost felt like I was eating salad because of the greens and the roasted vegetables. I love root vegetables (squash, sweet potato, turnips, etc.) and the dish sure wasn't stingy on providing that! The grilled mini onions were roasted to golden perfection.
My friend was choosing between the Duck Breast and the Grilled Organic Salmon (Lentils, Horseradish and Glazed Root Vegetables), and the waitress, without hesitance, recommended the Duck Breast ($27)
The slices of duck breast was roasted with Caramelized Heirloom Apples, and served with Red Cabbage and Confit Potatoes.I would have never guessed something as savory and juicy as duck breast would go with sweet caramelized heirloom apples! The visual presentation of the dish could be improved because the sauce at the bottom looked a bit messy.The duck breast was so juicy and tender, according to my friend. Unfortunately, I don't eat duck because it's usually too fatty (just like pork). I especially loved the red cabbage, which, like the caramelized apple, tasted sweet. It almost had the texture and the sweetness of cranberry sauce. Now that I think back, the dish reminded me of a Thanksgiving meal! The duck is like the turkey, the red cabbage & apple is like the cranberry, and the potato is like mashed potato/stuffing!
I made reservations for 3 on a Sunday afternoon, and thought nothing of it. Then, I got a call the next day telling me that I was all set even though they initially thought there was a problem, and that they potentially wouldn't have been able to accomodate / seat us. Okay...??? Thanks for letting me know, I guess...
Once we got to Nubar, I was dazzled by the impressive layout--the fireplace, the lounge seating, the long bar--it was all fabulously swanky! I have to note, though, that the restaurant was bustling but not at all full... so I'm not sure why I got that call the day before, telling me that they thought they wouldn't have been able to seat us.
Since the weather was so nice out, I opted to sit outside, which was all right. There were a few tables out there in the shade of their patio... which is RIGHT next to the hotel entrance, which was a little awkward, since we were seated at the table closest to the doors, which included sitting next to a few hotel signs. Anyway... we were seated, and they just assumed that we were going to go the Sunday brunch buffet route. I was met with a bit of resistance when I asked for the menu... Imagine an outdoor space, a waiter, and a customer. W: "There's really not that much on the menu, very limited." Me: "That's fine." W: "It's really small, the menu." Me: "No, really, that's fine."
The menu WAS indeed limited, but it was fine because we were there for lunch and not breakfast (though the buffet did look tasty, according to one of our party who saw the spread). I ended up ordering the pulled pork sandwich, which was massive, and pretty delish. The fries were okay, but the ketchup was weird... I know it's a strange thing to comment on, but it really was rather bizarre. Thick and goopy and more like a jelly spread than a ketchup... and I've had a LOT of ketchup (being a tomato lover will do that to you). Everyone else's food looked good, and they said it was, and I trust them since they ate it all (grilled chicken sandwich, duck confit flatbread).
The meal was actually VERY decently priced, and I wouldn't mind trying Nubar again for a different meal (Sunday brunch, perhaps?) and/or a drink at their fabulous bar, but the first impression it made wasn't exactly a stellar one... I guess it's good that I'm a softie for hotel bars/restaurants.
A few of my friends and I purchased a Groupon for this restaurant some time ago and came here on April 7th to use it up.
The deal was pretty simple. 3 course meal for 4 people for a set price - I think it was $90. The service was terribly slow. Instead of bringing us water like most restaurants would do, they just left the bottle on our table for us, which is no trouble and sometimes better since we know when we will be done with it. But, alas, it didn't work out quite so well, as the bottle was empty for awhile and no one has come to refill it.
The meals took a very long time to come out. For appetizers, we ordered the crab cake, which was only 1, served with asparagus and tangerines. We also got the Calamari, which came with grilled bread sticks and chick peas in a soup base, a margherita flatbread and a sausage and basil flatbread. Out of these, the calmari was pretty tasty, and the sausage and basil had flavor. The other two dishes were bland and just didn't do it for us.
For entree, we ordered:
Salmon - served on a bed of vegetables in a cream based sauce. The size was ok. It wasn't big but was a bit tiny. It couldn't have been more than 4 oz. I suppose that's correct portion in accordance with regular diets.
pan fried scallops - served on a bed of diference veggies, which also included mushrooms and potatoes.
Steak frites - medium rare with a side of watercress and fries. it was a weird mix to say the least. The watrcress was bitter and obviously served cold as it's supposed to be a salad but there was no dressing for it. the fries were pretty good but we didn't finish it.
Duck - was served on a bed of corn based veggie, exactly what, couldn't remember but do recall it tasted very good. It had the most flavor but unfortunatley, the duc didn't.
While the food was somewhat ok, we all thought it was way over priced for portion size and not worth the regular price but with the Groupon, it was defiitely a better deal.
For Dessert:
Strawberry pound cake,
cheese, fried fruits and nuts
Chocolate espresso bean torta
Flan/gelatin and cookie
While the food was so-so, the service was slow, the ambiance was nice. The noise level was good where you can carry a conversation and don't have to yell across the table.
I think one of the only reasons we had so much fun that night was because of the company we were with, otherwise, it would have been hard to pass the time since we were there for over 2 hours, just for dinner.
As others have said, Nubar has cool music, a chic but relaxed vibe, and above-average food. We both got drinks and flatbreads, while saving room for coffee and dessert. We ordered two flatbreads to share: the sausage / ricotta / spinach and the duck confit / mushroom. My wife didn't care for the duck flatbread, saying the meat was "too gamey." I loved it, though it was so rich I couldn't finish it. The sausage / ricotta was perfect ... and with flatbread, of course, eating the crust is the best part, and theirs didn't disappoint.
My wife liked her Shiraz and I ordered the Rapscallion Harvard Lager, which I enjoyed.
Dessert was the best part of our meal, though. Chocolate espresso bean torta. I could have eaten it all by myself it was so good ... but alas, we shared. And it was the perfect ending to a nice evening out.
(btw, we felt good about everything we ate knowing it was mostly sourced locally and über fresh)
Thanks to the <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsavored.com&s=4cbe40e0bc2355678afe4bcf67744319baaf200fe173e4098f8caaf14ef71d5c" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://savored.com</a> website I was able to dine at this ridiculously swanky hotel restaurant at 40% off reg price, which was awesome because those balloon prices certainly would've made me lose my appetite otherwise!
The atmosphere is mindblowingly chic, decked out with gorgeous plush couches, a sexy fireplace and super artsy pictures. Needless to say if you wanted to feel Charlotte /Samantha/Miranda/Carrie-ish this would certainly be the place to go.
The menu isn't extensive but its certainly interesting, I decided on the roasted duck with red cabbage while my boyfriend (in typical guy-fashion) opted for the pulled pork sandwich with fries.
Though both were fairly simple dishes, they both tasted absolutely delightful! My duck was cooked to perfection, it wasn't all the greasy and fatty tasting like many other restaurants. My boyfriends sandwich was surprisingly huge and the pork was seasoned to perfection.
I definitely enjoyed my experience here and I would even give a second though to coming here again even without the discount! That speaks volumes for a natural born cheapskate like me!
My fiance and I were pleasantly surprised with Nubar. The food was a solid 3-4 stars, the ambience is cool and classic and the service was very good. We only had the simple greens salad for an appetizer, which might have been a little too simple (just mixed greens) for $7. My fiance had the salmon which was preparared and presented well. I satisfied a craving for scallops with their excellent scallop dish.
Our server was having a hard time keeping up with her workload, but acknowledged her challenges (very rare) and got the manager to comp a round of drinks (even more rare). Maybe it's the buzz from the free drinks, but I think we'll be back for more!
I was there for a work luncheon, so my experience was somewhat constrained - no cocktails, formal social behavior, etc. It was a Monday afternoon, so the place was practically deserted. Our waitress was very nice and very solicitous. One of my fellow diners had the clam chowder, which looked perfect - creamy and thick, with a little bit of bacon sprinkled on top. I had the bacon and gruyere flatbread, and it was a mixed experience. On the one hand, in case you can't tell, I love bacon, and the carmelized onions were very nice. On the other hand, the flatbread was waaay crispy, making it pretty difficult to eat in polite company. My advice would be to stay away from this option unless you're with someone you can be kind of messy with.
I'd say the real star of the show was the general ambiance. The decor is on the swanky side, but not too fussy - very urban chic. As far as I could tell, they were playing albums on the sound system, so I got to hear a lot of Alabama Shakes, one of my favorite new bands. I would definitely like to come back here for a second look with friends.
For food, I would give it 3 stars. But because of the nice ambiance, I'm giving it the extra star.
I came here through a Groupon 3-course meal deal, and I am not sure if I would come back here for the food, otherwise. It's a hotel restaurant, so it's standard hotel restaurant quality: not horrible but also not stellar.
For the appetizer, I ordered the Serrano Ham plate, which I thought was pretty good. The mixture of flavors - vinaigrette dressing, fried almonds, manchego cheese, and ham - went well together. And then for the entree, I got the Grilled Steak Frites. The steak wasn't particularly memorable. Even though I ordered it rare, it wasn't as succulent as I would have hoped it would be. Perhaps I should have ordered the Duck Breast plate, instead. The menu description for it is: " Pan Roasted with Caramelized Heirloom Apples, Red Cabbage, and Confit Potatoes." ::mouth-watering:: Next time, I suppose.....that is if another Groupon deal pops up. And lastly, for dessert, I ordered the lemon panna cotta, which was a good way to top off the meal. Overall, it was a good meal, but as I mentioned before, it wasn't anything spectacular.
The restaurant itself has a very modern vibe to it that intermixes lounge areas and dining areas. Too bad it's a little out of the way. A place like this would be a hit if it was right next to the T, and perhaps this place is popular late-night lounge. I left around 9:30p, so I didn't get to stay long enough to find out. I wouldn't mind coming back here after dinner time to check out the scene.
I've never eaten here, but I frequent the bar from time to time and am never disappointed.
The first time I walked into Nubar I was a little scared. The place looked weirdly fancy. The bar is a large slab of backlit crazy. Luckily, the bartenders are super friendly and don't give off any sort of pretentious vibe.
The cocktail list at this place boasts a nice selection of both classic and more modern bevies, but they've pretty much got anything you could want so don't be afraid to just have them make you a drink.
Really enjoyed this place. Beautiful dining area and bar. Makes you feel good just walking in! If this place was in the South End, there would be a line of S-Class Mercedes' at the valet stand filled with mink-wearing people from Wellesley. Since it's not, no problems getting reservations or finding a place in the bar/lounge.
Started with the Taleggio Polenta and it was fantastic. Had the Giannone Farms Chicken Breast  as the entree and experienced similar results. Delicious and filling bird if not just slightly overcooked. Accompanying veggies also up to the task.
Only a couple of small blemishes. Service was good, but there were a few instances where we had empty wine glasses, which was a little surprising given that the restaurant wasn't full. Similarly, wasn't offered a drink while waiting in the lounge seating area and when seated at the bar after dinner we were ignored after the first round. Funny since we were the only ones sitting there right in front of the 2 bartenders. They seemed to be busy counting/organizing bottles. How about do that before/after hours? Nice guys though.
Valet parking is easy and right at the entrance of the restaurant. Costs $10 when validated. Worth it.
Despite the hassle of driving through Harvard Square, I would certainly come back. Looking forward to it.
Like everyone else has said I came here with a groupon for the 3 course meal wtih my family. 4 of us got the 3 course meal. I got to try a bite out of everyones dish which raised this review to a 4.
Overall the food was great.
Apps - Crab Cake, Shrimp, and Clam Chowder were all good.
I loved the twist of putting little neck clams into the clam chowder which is different then the typical new england clam chowder. and the bacon gave it a nice touch.
Main course - Steak, Scallops, and Duck were great. The Littleneck pasta was okay at best which is sadly the one i ordered. The steak had great seasoning and a different taste then the usual steak and fries you order at newer restaurants which made it stand out in a good way. They gave like 7 or 8 scallops while most nice places give you 4 in a diamond shape which never fills a person up. And the duck was simply amazing. My mom ordered it since it was the most expensive thing and with the groupon made it the same price as everything else. It was moist and had a great flavor to it and if I were to go again, would definitely order this.
The thing that prevents me from giving it a 5 stars was my own entree. Clams, Bacon, and Angel Hair was  the focus of the dish and I thought it sounded great. When I got it I noticed the lack of any sauce. The pasta also looked thinker then the angle hair I've eaten before and was more like normal spaghetti.  They even torched the top to be fancy.. but it just gave me crunchy noodles with no sauce which was worse then trying to dip it in the bacon+clam flavored water on the bottom of the plan.  I felt like they ordered too many ingredients for the clam chowder and threw the clams and bacon on a plate with pasta to get rid of it. When I asked the waiter if he like this pasta dish better or the fish before ordering, he recommended this dish.. Either he doesnt have taste buds or the fish is terrible.
After a bit of a rough start, I ended up being incredibly pleased by Nubar.
My fiance and I had a Groupon for the restaurant and made reservations to go one Friday night. Â They called me that week - I believe it was Wednesday - to let me know that they actually could not honor our reservation as their dining room would not be open for the evening. Â I wasn't happy, and told them, but as we had a Groupon, we decided we were definitely going to go in the future anyway.
We finally went last night. Â When we walked in and gave our name for the reservation, they recognized it and showed us to our table. Â The hostess then apologized for our past bad experience with booking and said that they wanted to offer us free champagne to compensate. Â Lovely! Â That really would have been enough - I was already impressed that they had made the effort to track my reservation and acknowledge their mistake - but they also brought us a small shrimp dish on the house between courses and after dinner the restaurant manager came by to check on us and to apologize again for our experience. Â Given that we all make mistakes and I believe we should be judged by how we deal with them, I ended up being quite impressed by Nubar and would certainly recommend them to a friend.
Since this is a restaurant review, I should also mention that the food was great. Â I got the squid appetizer, Pat's littleneck clam roast, and the panna cotta; my fiance got the margherita flatbread, the steak frites, and the apples. Â The portion size for everything was very good - neither of us could finish - and the food was delicious. Â I would personally recommend the clam roast, which had a great blend of tastes and textures.
We came here on a 3-course meal for 2 Groupon, and the restaurant was great, but the intro left a bit to be desired. Â The hostess apparently had met some long-lost friend and was having a full-on conversation for the first 5 minutes of our entrance. Â We eventually went over to the bar to find out if we could be seated before the convo died, and we got taken to a table. Â
The service the rest of the night was way better, and our waitress was amazing on the recommendations of what to eat. Â The portion sizes were pretty big -- we had some flatbreads, this great scallop dish, and a lamb pasta that was good. Â The atmosphere was also pretty hip; a private party was in full swing by the bar, and we made a mental note to reserve the place for a future birthday. Â
Overall, the food was really good, a bit on the salty side for some of the dishes, but a solid meal. Â And the ambiance was cool inside a beautiful hotel (which you get the full view of when you head to the restrooms). Â
We'll be back. Â Great find out in Cambridge.
If I based this review on just the food this would be a 5, hands down. The food was delicious and filling. Everything cooked to perfection.
Alas, when rating a restaurant more than just the food goes into the experience.
The service here is awful. The waiters are bumbling, you see them every 45 minutes so it's impossible to get drinks mid meal, and the greeter has autism or something. They seem to take too many reservations for peak periods so they are over full during dinner hours.
My friend had purchased a BuyWithMe deal for Nubar (that friend being fellow Yelper David C, as you might guess from his review), and that's how I wound up having dinner here last weekend. Â And, also echoing his review, there were some parts of the meal that were good, but many that were forgettable.
We got the polenta as an appetizer. Â It wasn't bad, but the bottom was burnt and I've definitely had better. Â The poached egg that came with it was good though.
Next, we ordered two flatbreads. Â One was topped with caramelized onion and bacon, and it was good but definitely overshadowed by the duck confit flatbread we had also ordered, which was spectacular.
The gnocchi entree that my friend and I split was less satisfying. Â I liked the gnocchi themselves. Â They were decent, but the assortment of vegetables - butternut squash, onions, etc - didn't really work for me (therefore, I didn't eat very many of them).
The one thing I really liked at Nubar besides the flatbread was the decor of the place. Â It's very trendy and modern. Â However, the food didn't impress me enough that I would go out of my way to come here again.
Had BuyWithMe not featured a $25 for $55 deal, I probably would have never tried Nubar on my own (heck, I probably wouldn't have even bought the deal if it were the regular $25 for $50--those extra five bucks seemed awfully enticing at the time), but in the end, I'm kind of glad I did.
My friend and I enjoyed all the dishes we had to a certain extent, but only one, the duck confit flatbread, really blew us away. Topped with mushrooms, manchego, and a generous smattering of juicy, tender duck meat, the flatbread was wonderfully earthy and rich. The bacon and gruyere flatbread with caramelized onions was yummy as well, although the bacon was rather tough. Both flatbreads were nicely crisped and sliced into triangular wedges perfect for sharing.
I wouldn't really recommend the polenta appetizer despite the waitress' proclamation that it's "the best in town." That girl needs to get out more. My friend and I decided to split the gnocchi with roasted butternut squash, shallots, pine nuts and cipollini onions for an entree. The ingredients were certainly drool-worthy, but they didn't really come together to form a cohesive dish.
If I were to return to Nubar, it would probably just be for drinks and flatbread. Dining at Nubar definitely isn't a revelatory experience, but it's a beautiful space that I wouldn't mind spending a few hours in with friends and nosh.
I stopped in here to seek refuge from fundraiser for bit. Â The bar is fitted with large flat screen TV's and pricy bottles of spirits above the bar. As to be expected the prices are a little steep so I stuck with with the starters section of the menu.
The bartenders were nice, though the guy nearest me was giving them a hard time. Â I cannot not stand when people talk down to the person serving them. Â Swanky bars are rife with this kind behavior. Â But I don't care how much money you have, don't be a jerk.
I ordered a bowl of clam chowder. Â It came with bread and was topped bacon and three clams still in the shell, in the center of the bowl. Â I enjoyed the chowder, it was very good. Â I would come back here, to have the chowder again. It is a memorable dish.
I've walked past this place a couple times since they opened and decided to check it out tonight (a Friday night). Â It is a nice big open bar with lots of space and a 'lounge-y' type atmosphere. Â It does seem to missing the secret sauce that is going to make a place that people want to go and hang out at. Â A lounge needs to be a bit darker with a bit louder slightly too cool music. Â These are easy changes. Â I guess the biggest thing we noticed was that the business center for the hotel is bascially in the lounge. Â Kind of a (very) weird set up. Â The decor is prepackaged 'trendy' (complete with fancy contemporary fireplace), but is attractive.
The drinks were super tasty. Â We sat at a high top bar table and the service was very attentive at first. Â However once we were done with our food and finished our drinks we must have sat there for 30 minutes until finally I went to the bar to get our check. Â Good start - bad finish.
We ordered two appetizers: the crab cake which was fantastic; and the lobster arancini which was flavorless with a weird texture and seemed to be missing anything resembling lobster. Â We didn't get an entree, but split a chicken sandwich which I thought was really good but my better half thought was not so good. Â Go figure.
A great place to come for a casual drink and an app if you don't want to get jostled by crowds at any of the other bars/lounges in Hvd Square. Â Try it while it lasts because based on how empty it was on a Friday night, it won't be here for long.
Tucked into a spacious corner of the Sheraton Commander, Nubar is the standard mix of expensive design and rich clientele trying to do "trendy". Compared to a number of hotel bars I've frequented, Nubar manages to accommodate both the more "experienced" and sombre drinker, as well as the younger and less affluent bar hopper. This seems to be a direct consequence of occupying a location that straddles Harvard's student population and bourgeois Cambridge.
The biggest surprise for me was how affordable the drinks and menu were. Martinis were ~$11, bodied wines were $8 per glass, and there was a wide array of bar snacks and entrees between $10 and $20.
I had the caramelized onion, bacon and gruyere flatbread ($11) and a glass of Malbec ($8), while my late-dinner companion had their mezze plate ($12) and a light Pinot Noir ($7). Sitting at the bar, as opposed to the enormous and all-encompassing booths (which seemed popular with the older crowd), we were served quickly and professionally by a couple of knowledgeable bartenders. There were only a handful of other people sitting at the bar, and despite being a Friday night, the rest of the bar was quite sparse too.
The food wasn't amazing, it wasn't terrible either. My flatbread was a relatively good size, and everything was cooked appropriately, it just wasn't particularly memorable. The mezze plate was a little better, but had more dipping implements than actual mezze items. My Malbec was yummy, as was the Pinot Noir.
Despite the non-memorable food, I had a very pleasant evening. It's so nice to find a bar that isn't crowded on a Friday night, and my dinner companion and I were able to talk for hours without disturbance. If you fancy a swanky drink at non-swanky prices, head to Nubar: don't expect mind-blowing food, do sit at the neon yellow bar (see pictures) and don't feel rushed to leave.
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