Reasonably priced drinks, large beer selection (I don't know about the wine, I think they have a big selection too).
The food is very good. I tried the burger and loved it, I also recommend the handcut fries if you just want a snack with your beer.
I especially like this place because during the summer it has outdoor sitting in the sun :)
Add a cold beer and it is a good day.
If I give Shay's a horrible review does that mean you won't go?
Because... yeah. I like it that much... and for as much as I like you, I want this to stay a hidden gem.
This is that little quiet dive bar with people from Cambridge.
This is that little chill joint with a surprisingly decent draft selection.
The food is pretty typical for a little bar... but you know, that's enough for me.
Again, I like you. I just like the ability to cruise into Shay's and find an easy place to perch for a while more than how much I like you. I mean, you can check it out if you'd like... just remember, it's mine.
The worst thing about this place is the fact that they only  have one bathroom stall for each men and women. The best thing about this place is everything else. Starting with the staff, the Dave's (one is David actually) behind the bar are fantastic, keep your glasses full, and remember your face the next time you come in. That alone is invaluable to me. The outdoor seating plan is perfect for summer/fall nights when you want to people watch outside or get a breath of fresh air/ cigarette smoke. Then, when you get tired of the hot/cold/cigarettes/college kids, you can go inside for some awesome decor and cozy atmosphere.
Hooks under the bar for purses- an under-rated plus.
The food is fantastic. I highly recommend the brie plate or the hummus plate. They are both mini food-gasms. Seriously, I started going there JUST for the hummus and cheese and reasonably priced house wine (under $30 a bottle!).
There are plenty of great places to go to in Harvard square, but this is one you don't want to miss. Trust me.
Thanks for reading!
A quiet place to come for lunch; would make a good study spot. The term "wine bar" is overreaching, I think, since the wine menu is only about a dozen options, but a solid food menu and beer selection make pub appropriate. The Malbec I had ($6) was pretty good. It was slightly past its prime, but it ended up being a perfect compliment to the star of this show: the fries were hunks of delicious potatoes that were some of the most delicious I've ever had.
Review Source:There's nothing else quite like this in Harvard Square. There's a decent selection of wine -- and what's more, you're not made to feel like you're crazy for not ordering beer (though they've got plenty of that, too). The burgers are really good, too, if you're hungry!
But what sets this place apart is that it has a bit of character. As Harvard Square slowly devolves into one giant Starbucks, it's the Shay's that keep it what it is. It's atmospheric, almost with a dive bar feel to it.
Oh, and if the weather's nice, it's a great place to sit outside -- if you can get a seat!
A little hole in the wall... some may call it a dive... I call it a hidden gem!
This is my go-to place in Harvard Sq. It's chill, has a small outdoor patio, and their burgers are good, and cheap... with very tasty hand cut fries.
Service is usually on the slow side but that's never bothered me... it's all worth the wait.
If you're wandering around Harvard Square & find yourself in need (or want) of a drink, Shays is a mighty fine option.
Unpretentious, warm & inviting is how I'd describe the service & atmosphere (I enjoy sitting at the bar). Decent selection of beers on tap & outside patio seating if/when weather permits.
Special bonus points for playing really cool tunes when I've been in there.
Perhaps I should have paid more attention to the fact that his place bills itself as a pub and WINE BAR... special emphasis on the wine.
Their draft beer selection is heavy on the IPAs. Fine if you like IPAs, but if not, there's not much else to choose from. And the bartender got surly on me when I asked for additional information to help me decide between bottled selections. I'm not asking because I know nothing about beer (although I could understand why you would assume that since I'm female). I'm asking because i know what I like and I want you to help me decide what will best suit my tastes. And even if I DID know nothing, I would think it would be worth your time to help me decide on something I'll end up liking. You know, chat with me a bit. Light or dark? What do YOU think is really good? Throw me a bone here!
In my quest for a great place to get beers in Harvard Square, I'm going to keep looking. It's a shame, because Shay's has a garden-level patio that is fabulous for kicking back and people-watching on sunshiny days.
For some reason I've had several first dates here in the last two years. Maybe it's the men I choose, but I would have never thought of coming here on my own. Fast forward one year and I find myself here once again, on a Friday night, meeting someone new.
I'm thinking it's the non-threatening vibes. I'm thinking it's just easy atmosphere while still managing to be somewhat quaint. I'm thinking, it's really hard to date someone that is a Yelper...(and a judgmental one at that!) But according to about 10 different people, I need to be a YES girl. So I said yes, met up and I had fun at Shays.
Upon walking in, the bouncer was reading Dave Eggers. I immediately begun chatting him up about the book and learned that oh, this place is kinda cool! I found my date, or maybe he found me and I ordered some wine. The selection is really good for such a small place and they have an equally vast beer selection. Happily holding my Shiraz we went over to a booth area and chatted away for several hours.
Although, the one annoying thing is the noise levels. The music, which was really good and ranging from Bon Iver to the Grizzy Bears...was so loud at some points I was literally screaming to be able to be heard. Maybe Shays is intentionally doing this so date's just have to be up in each others faces to speak into each others ears (which was done several times)
Either way, I was charmed. Not so much by my date, but by Cambridge's local little dive-y pub. I'll be back to sit on that porch in the Summer!
Incredible selection of vegetarian delights. The houmous platter was  certainly cool and refreshing this incredibly hot and steamy friday evening. Fresh cut vegetables, onions, tomatoes, cucmbers and sprouts. Fresh pita served withou utensils to Scoop the houmousy glop. OuTdoor tables and friendly, efficient service.
Houmous was lemony and thick, full of Beany substance. Large beer selection
I had a great Shays experience - had never even heard of the place but went to meet a friend there. I happen to love chips and salsa, so I was totally thrilled to see that it was their side instead of french fries (which are available if you want them). Also, bonus points because they gave me extra salsa. The food was good too, and the prices really quite decent for Harvard Square.
I also happened to be waiting for my friend when the earthquake struck this week. I'd ordered myself a glass of wine (I was really early, so figured might as well enjoy my wait) so when everything started shaking, I looked at my wine concerned that I had unwittingly drank too much. Let's be honest here, that's much more likely than an earthquake in Boston.
But, bonus points again for letting me sit on the patio nursing my glass of wine for an hour without asking me to order anything. A great summer spot!
HOW did I not know about this place until last week (well actually HOW did I not go to this place until last week). Â Me and the boyfriend went here on a sunday night, and got a table (GREAT outdoor area) before it got too busy ... fully intended to get food (more on the nachos later) and we literally had way too much fun ordering random beers and black and tans (or a black velvets mmmmm magners/Guinness) to think about food.
All the booze is really well priced (aka we got sufficiently lit and the bill wasn't horrible). ANY any place that has MAGNERS on my tap is my new favorite place. Â I also fully intend on having a WINE only night here so I can try every single thing on the wine menu.
We eventually ordered nachos, decided that 1/2 nachos would be enough to allow us to keep drinking .... so when i say 1/2 nachos i mean a plate full of freaking awesome nachos (I am tempted to order the full nachos just to compare size). Â As the boyfriend pointed out (and I am sure to the delight of ALL) someone must have done the cheese and chips in LAYERS because the cheese wasn't just on the top leaving a bunch of plain chips on the bottom, nacho genius.
I think we must have say in the corner table for about 3 hours. During which time we smoked a packed of a cigarettes (WHERE can you do that any more???) And watched random people wander in and out of the entrance/stone wall that apparently you can be served beer at.
In conclusion, I am assuming this place is more crowded on a Saturday/Friday night (meaning I won't be able to have that lovely table again) but this place provided for a perfect little sunday night.
Excellent outdoor seating with nice massive umbrellas is considerably much better than the dark interior with a handful of seats.
Tap selection: Boddington's, Guinness, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, and some other huge craft names; a couple of dozen bottles out there with nothing terribly unique.
Appears like an excellent place to catch a beer and people watch, or beat the heat with a nice pint.
I can't believe that in all my years of living in this god awful city that I have yet to stumble upon this sweet joint. Maybe it always turned me off since the sheer volume of Crimsons strewn about the patio is enough to make me want to vomit, but I guess I should have learned by now to get over that in this neighborhood. Still, you don't get that feel at Charlie's and they're sort of the same type of place, only now Charlie's has that awesome beer garden and Shay's... well, it may just be the only haven left that allows you to smoke on their patio!
Still, the food is pretty good and the beer is cold and if you happen to be here when it's packed with internationals, close your eyes for a moment and just take things in; you can feel as though you're in Europe, even if only for that brief, but satisfying, moment.
Shay's is one of my recent Harvard Square crushes. I feel drawn to its ultra laid backed, oh-so cool atmosphere and slight air of mystery.
Down a few stairs, the small interior has low ceilings, and dim lighting. Â There's no loud music to interrupt free flowing conversation. It's a pretty relaxed crowd, and it's easy enough to stand to the side and just catch up with old friends without being bothered. People are also friendly if you're looking to make new friends, or hear a random stranger's life story. Outside the seating area is comfortable and offers up an interesting view of Harvard Square.
Shay's is definitely a wine bar. They have an extensive wine list, and are never surprised when my group orders entire bottles while only standing at the bar. They just continuously line them up in cool marble ice buckets. The bartenders are friendly and fast, and never act put out. Shay's has that little found combination that makes it a place that I am comfortable at on a date, or with a group of my gals talking and laughing in the corner.
All the time I spend in Harvard Square, and I feel like I'm just getting to know this place. But I think we're going to be good friends.
Excellent watering hole in the middle of Harvard Square. Â We went there during the Head of the Charles race, so it was busier than heck. Â They had a special menu for food and it was obvious they were busier than a one-armed paper hanger. Â Still, the staff was friendly and efficient and we had a super time.
Their beer selections are outstanding. Â From Abita, all the way from New Orleans, to several Maine microbrews, to Guinness on tap. Â Awesome beers.
Their outside seating is outstanding for people watching and enjoying the wonderful sights of Harvard Square.
This is hands down my favorite bar in Harvard Square. Having lived in Venice Beach and NYC before moving to Cambridge, Shay's reminds of of the faux grungy bars that I loved in my former homes.
Beer or Wine, no hard alcohol. Simple and to the point, I like it.
Greasy food. Simple and to the point.
Cozy Atmosphere in the bottom of a building.
Outdoor seating is the highlight if you're there in the spring or summer.. Only 4 or 5 tables, so they're tough to get but totally worth it.
Only bad thing is that this is definitely not a good date place... Not a very romantic atmosphere :)
RUDE RUDE RUDE Shays, you suck. Any place that has the nerve to be mean to someone on their birthday deserves 1 star...
And I do have to say that I am pretty shocked to see that this place as a 4 star average review...BUT for my experience, there is no way I would ever have given it more than 1 star.
We walk in and they have a small front patio which is nice for the harvard square area, and we sit down, and it is my 25th bday so of course I am a little birthday tipsy and i was loudly talking about how it was my birthday and how happy i was and joked about seeing if i could get a free drink with my friends...WHEN the meanest rudest waitress of all time bursts in and pops my happiness bubble  with the sharpest of needles when she says, "Honey, at Shays you get NOTHING for free on birthday. We simply don't care" And then she whipped her pony tail back around as she walked into the bar.
RUDE RUDE RUDE! Bars should be excited for people to come there on their birthdays because that usually means a higher bill! And then after this! Our meanie pants waitress brought me flat cider!! FLAT! Flatter than apple juice and I don't even know how that is possible. And when I asked her to take it back to exchange it for a beer, she rolled her eyes! Even if it wasn't my birthday, no one deserves a flat hard cider. Â And there are even other reviews on here that say they got flat beers!! Any real bar shouldn't be serving flat beverages, so maybe Shay needs some new servers and new management...
Ughhhhh it makes me mad I wasted 40 minutes of my birthday at this place and money on a drink that should have been free for my birthday....
Got love for dive bars and pub grub? Locals with dreads sipping craft brews, college kids smoking cool on the patio, Harvard grads chowing down on burgers and house-made fries, waxing poetic about their glory days on the Crimson Chess Team?
Alright so I made that last part up. But that's the Shay's vibe. A collective of Cambridge characters, gathered together under one roof (or on one sweet al fresco concrete) eating simple food, sipping on suds from a sweet selection. Everyone just chillin.
Packed at 8pm on a Thursday night, a table is hard to find and the service, though friendly, is Sunday-morning-stroller slow. But don't let that deter you from stopping into Shay's. Come when you've got no agenda, a few friends to tag along and an empty belly. The portions are cheap and generous. For $8 you can gorge on a few pounds of nachos and wash them down with a Brooklyn Pennant Ale or a Black Fly Stout.
Lemme act smart for a second. If you can visualize a Venn diagram, where circle A = dive bar, circle B Â = great pub grub, and circle C = quintessential local spot, Shay's is that sweet spot called the intersection, where all the spots overlap. Yes, after stuffing myself here and downing a few beers, I consider that example smart.
Good stuff! Sit outside, drink a nice glass of wine for $5-6 or a pint of beer for $5, munch on a tasty burger - I went last night with a friend and even on a cool spring night with temperatures in the upper 50s, it was a great place to hang out.
Prices could be dive-bar-ier, I guess, but for the location -- it's a bargain.
Probably cooler if you smoke -- if you're sitting outside, be sure you don't mind being around smokers.
I have been here before, and I have liked it. This last time really was very sad.
I would like to start by saying that I really like the location, and the patio, and since I'm only 5'6", I don't feel wicked claustrophobic in there with the pipes so low you could knock yourself out if you weren't careful. I like most of the beers they have on tap, and feel comfortable choosing many of the wines knowing odds are in my favor to like them. Later in the night it seems to be cool with the bouncer to bring food in with you too - a tradition I like to have with going to pubs.
This past time, the waitress seemed like it was the first time she had ever worked a bar. We waited and waited for-ever for her to show, and then she was not incredibly nice when she did. I was hugely disappointed with her.
When our food finally came - the grilled cheese was a HUGE disappointment, I could make a better sangwich any day of the week. The fries turned up about 20 minutes later, they were cold, but even more disappointing than that, they were UNDERcooked?! After all that waiting? Also they give you like 4.5 fries to a serving.
The bouncer tried to card me every time I went to smoke a cigarette, which was difficult as I had left my bag with the non-smokers at our table every time, argh... Focus. Meh, I'll probably be back. I just hope it's a better time.
I had a pint of what Brendan Behan called "me mudder's milk" some onion soup and chicken wings. It wasn't crowded. I liked the vibe the food was decent.
Lame review I know many others said it better:
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Greg F
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/shays-pub-and-wine-bar-cambridge#hrid:GgNMhDYFWP0Kt5DF2NTuhA">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a>
"They never did anything but I still remember it." The "deets" on "Rick" and Greg's Aunt from London
Kirs P
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/shays-pub-and-wine-bar-cambridge#hrid:j5fG1qV5liB0T63_wwPjsw">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a>
"I actually prefer Shay's in the winter months." sitting outside is way over rated.
Bill H
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/shays-pub-and-wine-bar-cambridge#hrid:WGA0piq4pUI1nonDaoLXdA">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a>
Cautions it's not safe for "tallies".
Scott B
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/shays-pub-and-wine-bar-cambridge#hrid:LedVDcnSyQsIOpyhdorvHQ">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a>
"For refund, insert baby here ----" Likes the bathroom graffiti and the PBR
Tyler B
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/shays-pub-and-wine-bar-cambridge#hrid:XRyyL9l6RQJY0sgGyXjzaA">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a>
Likes written directions to bathroom (it's not the kitchen) and the wine.
Kerri O
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/shays-pub-and-wine-bar-cambridge#hrid:ApEmfSa_1ngxq3CjQW-B_w">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a>
"It's that sort of place."
Peter A
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/shays-pub-and-wine-bar-cambridge#hrid:JUI2y68y3L-LHfDYvmw9gw">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a>
"The only bar in Harvard Square that matters"
Greg M
<a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz/shays-pub-and-wine-bar-cambridge#hrid:HvJCOVn2fWK-E8dx9EUJ5w">http://www.yelp.com/biz/…</a>
"True story: I saw a lady piss herself at Shay's."
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Ok I had two pints.
"For refund, insert baby here ----"
It says this on the condom machine in the bathroom... Funny, I know.
If I was to walk into a corner pub in London... this is what I imagine I'd see. Â Shay's eminates that old-fashioned pub essence, while offering a modern experience. Â
The bartenders were attentive and friendly. Â The eclectic mix of folk and alternative music was satisfying, and the patrons were atypical of Harvard Square. Â
Things I've heard: Â The outdoor seating makes this place even better (imagine 6 Stars). Â And, the burgers are awesome (I'll have to give them a try next time).
Things I know: Â I'll be back, and next time I'm getting the PBR in a bottle... that's a rarety.
Oh, Shay's. Â You delicious dive bar. Â Shay's usually isn't crowded, except on particularly gorgeous nights out on the patio. Â Otherwise, there are a handful of patrons sipping on beer or wine. Â I can't really find fault with the place; Â the only thing that comes close is the bar's subterranean location. Â There are pipes that stick out from the ceiling, causing anyone taller than 6'4" to duck occasionally. Â That's fairly annoying.
Prices are reasonable, bartenders are helpful, and the crowd isn't too collegey/vomity. Â Gotta love it.
Is it bad that this place makes me want Pabst, even though it's a "pub and wine bar" with an extensive wine and beer list, and even though I love good beer? It just brings out the side of me that wants to sit outside, drink beer til I drop, and not spend a fortune on it. I've swaggered out of here many times...
Come for the beer! Stay for the wine! Fight for a table! And those burgers smell good, plus there's pretty good veggie ones for us vegematarians. Seriously, if you can get a seat on that patio, snag it and stay for the night. From what I remember (...) it's a whole lotta hazy fun.
I really like this place actually. Â You wouldn't really expect it to be anything fantastic honestly...but it's cozy, the service is great, and the food isn't bad at all...it's a great "lets have a beer and have a casual chat" place...
I'd say overall, it's definitely worth your time:)
Shay's is a great place to go with one or two people, but definitely not a big group. It's a very small place. The people that work there are awesome. They play great music. Like really really great music. (I heard M.I.A. there!). One thing I didn't like is how long it takes for them to clear away dirty dishes (mainly beer glasses). There were a bunch of them lined up along the wall last time i was there. It's also a good place to hang out for smokers. Their outdoor seating is small but cute. The bouncer is always polite which is a nice change from the regular bouncer experience.
update 3/6/08
I went over there yesterday and had the cheeseburger. it was awesome. Really awesome. Definitely go here if you like a good cheeseburger. The service was excellent, and they were playing tom waits.
I have been here a bunch of times and pondered the Boddington's poster above the bar: yes, Boddington's is creamy. Â Scoop it.
Echoing another review: this is a place where people exude a vibe of wanting to have fun. Â The outdoor seating is fun, and the indoor space is small enough to encourage intimate chats and new conversations. Â Both areas are made more cool by being set below sidewalk level.
This is a good place to chat with the staff, take a friend, just come and chill, strike a conversation with a 30something townie.
Lets not kid ourselves. Â Shay's is a 'dive bar.' Â Now, I've actually heard of the Franklin Cafe referred to as a 'dive bar' (with $22 entrees I think that is categorically impossible) but this is just a lie. Â Take it from someone who grew up in the Midwest. Â Shay's is a NICE 'dive bar.' Â The telltale signs?
1) There is a gas pipe that is EXACTLY 6' 1" off the floor running across the entire bar (careful if you haven't been there in a while, because they put new tiles in, which raises the floor, thereby slightly lowering the bar. Â Ha... lowering the bar... thats kind of funny)
2) There are instructions at the bar and on this site describing where the bathroom is and specifically mentioning that it IS NOT the kitchen.
3) The flood of people on the unstable patio. Â I was once hit on by a rather homely 40 year old woman and her friends who were smoking Newport's. Â Not the typical clientele, but it happened.
So... why should you go to Shay's? Â AWESOME WINE! Â Seriously. Â Its the only 'dive bar' I know of that has decent stemware. Â They also have a great selection of half bottles. Â "Keep 'em coming!" I always yell. Â Oh - grab the warm Brie plate for late night munching.
Shay's is a fabulous little bar. Â Nothing pretentious. Â Nothing fancy. Â And they have cider, a non beer drinker's best friend. Â Shay's is one of those places I always forget about until I see the line outside Grendel's- it will be completely empty at that point, while people are trying to cram into the Den. Â I can sit down, have a pint, and have a great time with the group of folks I came with. Â
Although it does have the fabulous outside seating, I actually prefer Shay's in the winter months. Â Less people and it's quite cozy and comfortable inside. Â The only thing that would make Shay's better is if it were just a little further off Harvard Square so as to not attract 1) Tourists and 2) Morons.
What is it that us Brits like so much about Shay's? Does the pub style remind of me British pubs? No, not really - it's too dark and small, more of an Irish bar. Is the beer and food selection very British? No, again not really - just typical Boston pub stuff. So what can it be?
Well, I think it's two or three things... Firstly, as Rina says, it's laid back and this is what we like in British pubs, somewhere to go relax and spend the day without needing to make anything special out of it. And secondly as many of the rest of the reviewers here point out, it has the huge draw of outdoor seating and us Brits really miss being able to drink on the streets when we're here in the USA. Nothing beats an afternoon relaxing with beers by the sidewalk and watching the world go by whilst you put the world to right with your conversation.
And the third draw? It's just where Brits go, so more will follow. I noticed this one afternoon in November when it dawned upon me that along with my two visitors from London, all the other strangers around us were also British. Turned out one of these strangers had even got into a fight with my visitor when they were at school together. An awkward but surprising coincidence indeed.
Again, another place where I wish we could give half stars...
Loses points on size, and because on my first visit there our waitress was certifiable.
Gains points on pretty much everything else. Great prices, very tasty food (we usually split the nachos and the hummus plate), good location, has a nice patio. And very chill for Havard Square.
Shay's and Charlie's are easily the best Harvard Square has to offer. What Shay's lacks in hard liquor and mixed drinks, they make up for in decent pub food. Try the turkey sandwich, which is one of the best you'll find anywhere. Since they don't serve the hard stuff, they make up for it with a beer and wine selection that offers plenty of variety and definitely appeals to the more refined boozehound. And if you've got friends that smoke, they'll love you for bringing them here when they take their drinks out on the patio.
Insider tip: No one cares which restroom you walk into. Just pee and be done with it, instead of dancing around like a schmuck outside of the opposing gender's identical restroom.
This is one of the few places where you don't have to tell them what a black velvet is (it's on the menu!). However, they are really stingy on the Guiness and really heavy on the cider. The bartenders/waitstaff are friendly and always seem to remember you.
The worst part about this bar is that parking in front of it is for only one hour. By then, I'm usually too lit to even care. Apparently, I don't like money.
Bathrooms are in the back and they are NOT in the kitchen. Rather they're the two doors, one on the left and one on the right (I'm really bad at finding bathrooms but good at finding kitchens).
Some newspaper took a picture of my boyfriend and I casually conversing [the topic was cutting up the photographer and making soup of him and using his bones as a xylophone] when we went there recently and didn't use it for the story. Instead they use this vanilla couple that was near us. I blame it on the sun! Boo!!
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