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Cambridge Brewing Company
Categories: Food Breweries Restaurants American (Traditional) Breweries, American (Traditional) [Edit]
1 Kendall SqCambridge, MA 02139
Neighborhood: Kendall Square/MIT
(617) 494-1994
- Nearest Transit:
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Hampshire St @ Cardinal Medeiros Ave (85, CT2)
Hampshire St @ Broadway (85, CT2)
Broadway @ Hampshire St (64, 68)
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Al G. said: "In the Belmont/Watertown area, I would have to say that Magnolia Wine Co. is one of the better wine shops in the area. The owner/manager Jay knows his stuff and seems to have personally travelled through most regions of France and…" read more »
331 reviews for Cambridge Brewing Company
Review Highlights
"Next up is the Tall Tale Pale Ale, easily one of the best..."
(in 12 reviews)
"Great beer, great service and great atmosphere."
(in 28 reviews)
"My favorite is the Charles River Porter."
(in 12 reviews)
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331 reviews in English
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Review from Tim G.
Braintree, MA
1/25/2012 1 Check-in Here
These guys are local legends, and started way back in 1989. They've got a brewpub right in Kendall Square in an old mill building of sorts. The brewpub itself is mostly solid-looking wood furniture and brick walls, as a proper pub should be. Quirky art pieces accent the bar and dining area: bold murals, wire sculptured hands grasping giant brews, and stained glass depictions of foaming pints. They brew a wide range of styles and influences, and I can't think of a bad one I've ever had. The outdoor seating option in the summer is nice, but on this winter day, we were glad for the shelter and heat inside. We snagged several samples; they don't offer an official sampler or flight, but you can put together your own with 4oz samples for $2 each. My lady friend and I chose five apiece, and between the two of us, covered most of the menu.
We also ordered lunch, which was excellent. More importantly, the beers were excellent, and enough to elicit a mild buzz, preparation enough for the cold that lurked outside.
I have never had a bad CBC beer. Go there. -
Review from Paul M.
1/22/2012
How is it that a place that makes great, locally sourced, seasonally rotating food and pairs it with amazing, adventurous house brewed craft beers.has been in my neighborhood all these years but I just realized it just months ago??
True to its name, CBC brews up its own selection of year-round and seasonal beers. True to the city it calls home, CBC's products, like other Cantabridgians (yes, that's what you call someone from Cambridge), they are often complex, cerebral, fun, and often odd and off-beat. I'm not sure, but they're probably also registered democrats (not saying that's good or bad, just if beers could choose a party affiliation...). I've had a whole mess of pretty cutting edge or otherwise unheard of beers here. They serve them in individal glasses, pitchers and the mythical beer towers that have gone extinct over in Boston and its burbs (Yes, Allston/Brighton IS in Boston). The more the merrier, but I think you need at least 2 people at a table per pitcher or 4 per tower. Why don't you do it? It's actually fairly cheap for their high quality suds (in a pitcher you're looking at around $4 to $6.50 per beer depending on the selection and I guarantee they'll be better than what you get for the same price out of just about any other tap in a 20 mile radius). Oh and don't be afraid to ask for a sample before you try out that 3-year barrel aged sour cherry barley wine or other concoction that sounds funky but maybe a little too funky for your liking- they'll be happy to bring you one on the house. Hell, I've seen 'em basically do free tasting flights for people, but I'm not that grubby.
But don't let the name fool you! While the beer often takes center stage for me it does in fact share the spot light! The food is always great (I really like their pizzas), and usually reasonably priced for what you get; especially at lunch. The food, like the beer, is also usually on the more interesting side (I even had beer flavored ice cream here, what??) and blends flavors and ingredients I haven't had elsewhere.
I kind of think of this place as the restaurant/beer tap cousin of Christina's Ice Cream- very Cambridge, very good, very odd flavor/ingredient choices that some how just work darn it. So do yourselves a favor and don't sleep on CBC like I had and head there. It's basically on the Red Line, you've no excuses.
Parenthetical Count For This Review ("PCFTR") 6...wait...make that 7. -
Review from Josephine L.
Boston, MA
1/9/2012
I'm the wrong clientele for this place. I'll drink beer if there's nothing else available, but it would never ever be my first choice. So I can't vouch for the selection or quality, but I'm told by more passionate friends that CBC's is good.
The food is slightly-elevated, almost-gourmet pub fare with items like flatbread pizzas and pot roast and beer-battered chicken. I had the margherita, which was hot and gooey and delicious. I also tried the duck confit pizza and was not as impressed with that (plus it was kind of cold). The buffalo chicken tenders weren't as spicy as I would have liked, but they had a nice little crunch to them.
Service was good overall and the waiters are all cute in an indie hipster kind of way. There's a lot of space, so you can easily come in on an off night with a ton of people and be seated right away. -
Review from Anthony P.
Latham, NY
2/9/2012
Wish I lived closer went 2 times lunch and dinner. The Blunderbuss was fantastic my fave barleywine to date. Staff thanks Kyle gave good suggestions for food/beer pairing. Also, a great item was dessert a Charles River Porter with a hot brownie/vanilla ice cream. looking forward to coming in again next time I visit Boston.
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Review from Dan T.
Somerville, MA
1/31/2012
If you make your own quality beer, and you allow it to inspire your food, it's tough to go wrong.
Also, they support locals, and that matters to me. Not only with their own menu, but on a public scale, strengthening the beer community with connections and experience. I'm impressed w/how they conduct themselves.
No matter the season, this is a great place to stop after work to get a satisfying drink and a bite. Summer brews in outdoor seating are fantastic for people watching and soaking up the environment, but the indoors seems to be laid out to transform to the feel of the season...along with their beer and food menus. -
Review from Eric F.
12/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Pre-dinner beer tasting? Okay!
CBC turned out to be a most convenient stop before moving onto The Blue Room...right next door. For a moment I thought it was the wrong place since it looked much more like a restaurant than a brewery at first glance, but the signs confirmed it and we were seated right away. Our waitress was an absolute sweetheart and knew the beers well as I went through and ordered a flight of the entire lineup. Which brings me to the 3 stars...
Sad to say, the beers across the board were sub-par with the exception of the Valley Girl IPA. The Amber had less flavor than any of Anheuser-Busch's offerings and the YouEnjoyMyStout was easily the worst beer I've had in years (sourness in an Imperial Stout...blech). Still, CBC is a nice spot to hang out with a group and I'll def be back to try the food - saw a number of dishes being served around me and they looked very tasty =D -
Review from Alison D.
Updated - 1/25/2012 1 photo
I've been back a few more times since my last review - including for beer-unch. Cheesy name, but I like it. All the beers I have ever tried have been excellent, and same goes for the food. The food is locally sourced and well, the beer is brewed on the spot. If you drink and eat, you will like it here.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/15/2010
I've been here a few times and had great food and great beer. My husband also brings home a growler… Read more »
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Review from Jason J.
Medford, MA
1/11/2012
Ehhhh. As a huge beer nerd, places like CBC should be Valhalla for me. Unfortunately, I have only had one or two beers that I truly would enjoy drinking more than once here. That said, their seasonal pumpkin ale is quite delicious. Most of their other beers seem to be fairly safe bets for the general beer-consuming public but are otherwise uninspiring. Likewise for the food.
Listed in: Breweries!
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Review from brian c.
Woburn, MA
1/20/2012
Cambridge Brewing Company is in the Kendall Square Complex.
The inside is nice. You can see all of the brewing equipment and they have booths in the back as well. The servers are friendly and very knowledgable on the beers that they serve.
The food is reasonably priced and tasty. I recommend the burger and the pulled pork sandwich.
The beers are fantastic. They have 4 house beers and rotating taps of sesonal brews. The Darkest Night and Charles River Porter are both awesome.
I will easily come back again. Great place! -
Review from Alexandra S.
Watertown, MA
Updated - 1/2/2012
CBC now serves fish with ID! What that means is you can trace your fish back to where and when it was caught. Who know fish could have ID?
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/6/2011
Though their beers aren't always amazing, their food can really be off the charts. Tonight they had… Read more »
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Review from C a K.
Thornton, CO
9/30/2011
Great American Beer Festival, Denver CO, September 29, 2011. 450 brewers and over 2,000 beers. Yep, that's right - over 2,000 beers from all over the country. Hope you Massachusetts folks appreciate your brewers cause people were lined 5 deep to try CBC's beers at GABF for the 4 hours I volunteered. And now I know why.
Raves about all five samplers but flat out grins about Arquebus and Banryu Ichi - sake infused beer. Also constant requests for Able IPA and Mind Left Body. Past years enthusiasts at GABF wanted the Great Pumpkin Ale and Sgt. Pepper.
Will and Megan - top notch people and brewers. Took the time to visit with other brewers and enthusiasts while pouring, judging and generally going full bore to allow the volunteers to sample some of the other brewskis.
GABF and CBC - good times and great beer! -
Review from Josh W.
Somerville, MA
10/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Some solid brews, some......liquid? I don't know. Gas maybe?
The Porter and Amber are good beers. The Golden is not. Man I really hated that golden.
I ate "lightly". The hushpuppies are somewhere between adequate and good. If we were dealing with a ratings scale of 1-50, I would score them somewhere in the 34 vicinity. -
Review from Lindsey R.
Boston, MA
11/22/2011
Some friends and family came to visit from out of state, so I was looking for a place to grab some decently priced dinner that had a little something to please everyone.
After seeing reviews of the great beer, good fish n chips, a nice atmosphere, and service, I decided to give it a try.
We got nachos and beer to start. My sister loved the flower child beer, and the house Regatta brew I got was also delicious. However, the nachos were soggy and nothing I couldn't make better myself at home.
Basically everyone at the table got fish n chips. 3 out of 4 said they were tasteless, super greasy, and not worth the calories while one enjoyed it. I got the half chicken, and it was bland. The mashed potatoes were also tasteless. Only good thing about the dish was the greens!
The waiter was nice and offered my sister an alternate dish, so they were at least sympathetic. My only complaint was they took FOREVER to get the beer.
If I return, it'll be for the "beer tower" which is 100oz of beer to share among the table. They did have delicious beer.
If you come here, make sure you've already had something to eat! -
Review from Ed M.
Updated - 10/17/2011
Well things have certainly improved over here. The local and seasonal food focus was great and the beers were nice. They tell you where ingredients are coming from (pumpkins from Wilsons Farm in Lexington for example) and the food was much nicer this time around.
The service is still underwhelming, the place was near empty on a weeknight yet our waiter seemed miserable and disappeared for a good chunk of time, right when we needed to get in touch with him about something missing from one of our orders (one of the two things the entree came with, not special orders or anything).
We enjoyed it a lot this time around and would probably make it back much more often now.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/14/2008
Beer brewed there makes for a cool concept but if all the beer was good and not complete hit or… Read more »
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Review from Jon G.
Quincy, MA
10/21/2011
I love CBC's Great Pumpkin Ale; I have for years. It's the reason I was so excited to try their Wilson spiced pumpkin porter, and their Belgian-style pumpkin beer.
It's the reason my buddy and I decided to brave a torrential downpour and haul ourselves over here through the muck.
But, as has happened before, we got there, and they were out of their own beer. Out of the porter. Out of the Belgian one. I mean, c'mon, did you honestly think people wouldn't like them? That we're all here for the food or something? (We were not. It's average.)
If you had asked me that night, I'd have given them one star, but I've cooled down a bit. And their beer, WHEN IT'S AVAILABLE, is fantastic.
But if you're looking forward to trying a particular brew, call ahead. (Their website is no help -- it said "available today on draft," which was clearly not the case.) -
Review from Beans B.
Brighton, MA
Updated - 9/5/2011
Went over for the first time in a while and happened to hit brunch. Very pleasantly surprised. Someone at CBC must have been listening to us vegetarians bitch about lack of menu options. On both the lunch and brunch menus there were creative and tempting items. I actually had a hard time choosing. I ended up getting a frittata off the brunch menu which knocked my socks off. Mmmmm pesto, tomato and fresh mozarella, topped with greens and a little vinaigrette... I'm making myself hungry!
Generously portioned and reasonably priced mimosas too.
All in all a very nice time chilling on the patio.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/4/2011
Excellent beers, however they need more vegetarian options on their menu! I almost always get the… Read more »
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Review from Kate S.
Belmont, MA
10/29/2011
This is our go to restaurant at the moment! And every time we've been it's been fantastic!!
The beer is always great, although if you're looking for something light you may have a tough time. Most of their beers are pretty heavy and failrly hoppy, but I like hoppy beers so I'm ok with that!
The food is also a winner. We've never had a bad meal here. I've learned to try their seasonal specials and I've not been disappointed. If you see fried chicken on the menu in the summertime you'll kick yourself if you don't try it. It was out of this world! And recently I tried their Spaetzle without knowing exactly what it was (it's thinly pounded, breaded, pan fried pork- BTW) and was so glad I did! The only thing I didn't love here was the pizza but they can't all be winners, right?
Will definitely go back! Again, and again and again... -
Review from Dorota M.
Brookline, MA
10/26/2011
We love going to CBC - their craft beers are the best! Their upscale pub food is wondeful - we love the gourmet pizzas, the duck sausage, the serrano ham bruschettas. We brought a friend who is a finicky eater and he licked the plate clean - the lambshank was to die for indeed!
Great beer, wonderful food, great value, good atmosphere, good service. -
Review from Amanda S.
Brooklyn, NY
12/20/2011
I used to have a blast going here with my friends. I didn't really like beer at the time so I've actually never had any of their beer, but I have eaten there and certainly watched people drink there. Its a great place for huge groups of people, but there's also a full bar for individuals or couples.
My friends were always a fan of their beer tower. I'm not sure how much beer is in this thing, but definitely upwards of 8-10 full glasses. Its this giant tube of beer they bring out to the table with a tap at the bottom. It can get messy, but its fun to have at the table. They also have growlers for purchase which are reasonably priced too.
All the food I've had has been amazing. I can remember having a lamb with gnocchi dinner special that was sooooo good. The pizzas have all been amazing and the appetizers. The calamari is amazing. Its panfried so its super light, but still crispy. It isn't expensive, but its not cheap either.
The place always seems super alive and everyone seems to be having a blast. The service and food are fantastic and there's tons of beer. What's not to like? -
Review from Kelly O.
9/19/2011
Towers of delicious home-brewed beer for a reasonable price? Yes, please!
Really liked their pumpkin ale, and the patio was lovely and not too crowded at 3 PM on a Sunday. The white bean dip we got to munch on while enjoying our beer tower was pretty tasty as well. Service was spotty at times, it took someone a long time to eventually come up to us, but our waiter was somewhat attentive after that (although we did not get water nor napkins/utensils for our food, a big oversight).
Love their commitment to locally sourced, in season ingredients... their beer dinner next weekend on a farm sounds amaaaaazing... -
Review from Kathleen F.
Somerville, MA
8/17/2011
I got invited to check out CBC with some friends and was pretty pumped to check it out. I went in expecting great beer, but probably some pretty awful bar food, but I was definitely wrong.
The beer selection was great, and the waitress was very knowledgeable about the beers which was awesome. The food was amazing, and just what I was craving after a long day at work. For apps we had the nachos and the white bean dip, the nachos were great, could have been a little cheesier, but nevertheless very good. The white bean dip was nice and garlicky, so if you are a garlic lover it's a great choice!
For dinner I tried the eggplant stacker with a side of greens. The greens were lightly dressed and very fresh, and the eggplant had just the right amount of cheese and flavor. It also had some nice juicy tomatoes on top which I liked.
Another recommendation would be the salt and vinegar fries! My friend ordered a side of them and they were delish! Can't wait to come back here and try out some new dishes and beers, great ambiance and great service. A solid 4 star experience. -
Review from Teresa T.
11/27/2011
When it comes to the CBC, the beer is what drives me back. Solid and priced reasonably. The food is mediocre though I like to pair my beer with a burger and start off with the nachos. Nachos are piles high and the burger is made well - juicy meat though not to the point where everything comes falling out of the burger. The CBC is a staple for a low key atmosphere to throw some back with friends. Service is nice.
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Review from Greg J.
Cambridge, MA
10/16/2011
These guys are outstanding.
Went here for dinner on my 21st. The food was consistently good, with solid portions for the price. The beer was outstanding. Tried the Great Pumpkin Ale, their stout, and their pale ale; all superlative. The pumpkin was smoother and a little less sweet than you get at most places, with great (and locally-grown!) pumpkin flavor.
Because it was my 21st, they gave me my first pint and a second bottle of the pumpkin for free. Definitely coming back with my friends. -
Review from Dheeraz G.
Boston, MA
12/16/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Let me start by saying the bartender was awesome. Big man IPA is a fab pale, I did taste the Cerise Cassee n it's kind of sour but You Enjoy My Stout is the fav at 11%.. Overall a fab place.
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Review from Dawn E.
6/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
This was a meal the fueled debauchery of genuine *epic* proportions. Whatever you've heard about this night, it's probably true. Let's just say the Outcome was better than expected, and then some.
So, for that, I'm grateful. Without these calories I'd have most certainly been carried away by EMTs in a pool of my own sweat and tears.
So we sit down and wait a good clip for the wait, who doesn't even take the time to notice us and just says "hello gentlemen." Um. Listen. Hi. BOOBS here. Yeah. I call him on it and he says he was only paying attention to the fellow I was with. Fine. I get it.
I went with a cask brew IPA and the pickled brined fried chicken and waffle. The chicken did not disappoint. It was quite exceptional although there were two small pieces of it and, for the price point, *that* was disappointing. I mean, I know it's not a bucket of extra crispy (which you could get for less), but, you know, mayeb 3 pieces of chicken would have been nice. Especially given the calories I needed for the afore mentioned debauchery that was about to ensue. I also had a taste of the burger and some fries, both good. And my beer was great, not exceptional (I'm a craft beer snob so ignore this part), but still great.
I think maybe we saw our waiter one more time throughout our meal and we had to ask someone else to give us silverware.
I'll probably be back though, because it was good debauchery fuel.Listed in: The Champion List, Please Your Palate - Save the…
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Review from Dave M.
Cambridge, MA
11/30/2011
Excellent beer, great food, and perfect atmosphere. Whether you want lunch, dinner, or just something to snack on while having some drinks, CBC has become my top choice in the area. Try The Wallet (dinner time only)!
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Review from Lisa R.
Cambridge, MA
11/30/2011
Living very close to the Kendall Square complex, we are big fans of CBC and visit a few times a month. The atmosphere is great--clean, cozy, comfortable, and not pretentious. The menu is seasonal, so with the exception of staples, there are lots of things changing season-to-season (in addition, of course, to a rotating selection of beers). Service is no-frills, but good. Really can't complain--and have been here many, many times.
For appetizers, the hush puppies (seasonal this fall) are pretty delish, but am not a fan of the ricotta/pear brushetta (would be so much better with a goat cheese). Buffalo bites are very hot, so not for those who prefer something more mild!! The wallet sandwich is super delicious, and the fish and chips are a standard favorite. We've also had some excellent specials, the shining star of which was a four cheese pizza with fried egg. Don't forget a whoppie pie for dessert--make that a "big ass whoopie pie!" (Try to catch a pumpkin one on special some nights!)
Even the growlers have become a big hit for bringing CBC home on holidays and to parties. -
Review from Eric R.
West Boylston, MA
I really love this place for both lunch, and after work drinks. The food is solid, and they occasionally have really great lunch specials. Not in the vein of "giant burger for a dollar" but in the vein of "shrimp scampi so good it has no business coming from a brewpub's kitchen"
The variety of beers is the reason most go, and I have yet to have a single bad one. I tried too... I'll go in, and order the highest alcohol content beer just to see if it sucks. Hasn't yet. I highly suggest the cask, whatever type of beer is in it, it's awesome. Natural carbonation leaves a much smoother and less bubbly beer, and since it's a little warmer then the chilled kegs, you can actually get the different tastes of the different ingredients.
I love this place dearly, and everyone in it. I will say one thing though... on the days they are actively brewing, it smells like the inside of a gym sock at the end of a season where it wasn't washed once. It only takes a few minutes for your nose to adjust to it, but it can be really off putting at first.
A small price to pay for the most delicious beers I've found in a long, long time. -
Review from Karen R.
Malden, MA
1/7/2012
Great appetizer, lousy meal and service. Pork loin was dry, corn cakes were burnt and fish and chips were tasteless and fishless
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Review from Ben J.
Watertown, MA
10/26/2011
I went here with some friends last summer and had a bad experience with the service.
I got a satisfying reply to the e-mail I sent to the manager of Cambridge Brewing that makes me think that they had an off night. So, I was willing to give them another shot.
I went back this past weekend with some out of town friends who love microbrews. We had a great time and all the problems from my first review seem to have been fixed. I think they did a good job and the managers were sincere in their email that they knew what they had to do to improve. I would go back.Comment from Phil B. of Cambridge Brewing Company 7/4/2011
Ben, I wanted to apologize for what sounds like a completely… More » -
Review from Xtine B.
Dayton, OH
4/18/2011
I really just wanted to see a bit of the brewery and do some tasting so I bypassed the menu entirely. When I explained why I was there to my waitress, she was so nice and accomodating I almost wanted to pack her up and bring her home with me! She brought me some water and some bread so I could cleanse between beers, ahh, what a sweetie. :)
I had to get back to the flat and make a dish for a pot luck so I couldn't stay as long as I would have liked. That being the case I settled for sampling only 5 from their pretty impressive list.
Cambridge Amber: Tilted more toward the sweet end, this still had pretty good over all balance and was really good for a low alcohol (4% abv) beer. I think with would be great with light summer dinners or maybe a pitcher on the porch on a warm evening.
Charles River Porter: I didn't like it. I found it needlessly heavy and bitter. I don't say that just because it's a porter..... I'm a Guinness girl. I normally like beer that's like stew in a bottle but this was difficult to finish if was so harsh. I do, however, think it would be a great beer to add to chocolate, like a cake as the espresso notes in it were quite powerful.
Project Venus: Great nose! Very floral, way yummy and the background of the beer is very interesting, being a creation of several female brewmeister in colaboration.
Sgt Pepper: Wow! I would never have thought that a little pepper in the kettle would have produced such a wonderful result! Bright and lively, this one was my absolute favorite. Very crisp, nice balance and the pepper gives it a lovely punch.
Valley Girl: I found this a bit too hoppy for my taste but Sgt Pepper is a really hard act to follow.
I did end up ordering a dessert at the end because I wanted some chocolate to help me finish off that porter. Was told by my lovely server they recommended porter with the Big Ass Whoopie Pie. Sounded good to me, bring it on. It arrived, much bigger than I expected. Seriously, someone is supposed to eat all that after dinner? The really confusing part is that they recommended it with the porter but brought it out with a little glass of milk. What the hell was I supposed to do with that?? *shrugs* -
Review from Adam C.
7/18/2011
A lot of reviews have bashed the food at CBC. I can't speak to it recently because I never tried it again after having one of the most dry and flavorless pizzas of my life a couple years back. The atmosphere on the inside also kind of sucks. I think my grandma has those chairs in her dining room. On the other hand, I like it out on the patio. This may, sadly, be the closest thing to a beergarden that Boston has to offer. As others have pointed out the service can sometimes be hit or miss.
But all that aside, the real reason to come is for good quality local brewing, and CBC mostly hits the mark. I don't usually bother but the house beers, particularly the amber, are pretty good versions of those styles. The real stars are their limited and seasonal releases. If you ever see the imperial stout "youenjoymystout", get it immediately. It's seriously as good or better than some of the truly mega-hyped IRS'es like Dark Lord and Abyss. I think their barleywines are also solid, as are some of their sours, particularly "Rose de Cambrinus".
CBC also throws some great special events which I wholeheartedly recommend. We went to pumpkinfest this past fall and had a great time (just be sure to get there ridiculously early). So despite a shocking lack of competition in the genre, CBC is almost definitely the best brewpub in the Boston area. -
Review from Marianne C.
Butler, OH
7/13/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Contrary to local belief, the Charles River Porter is NOT made with sludge from the Charles River!
Visited here twice while in Cambridge and both times I had the Charles River Porter. I also had an amber ale, which I liked.
The food was meh, but the beer is pretty good. When I asked the waiter about the pulled pork sandwich, he hesitated...that never inspires confidence. He did suggest I get extra sauce for the sandwich, which was a good suggestion. I didn't eat it as a sandwich - too messy - so I just used my fork. The meat was good, but nothing overwhelmingly awesome.
My second visit I had the chicken tenders with the buffalo wing sauce, and they were a bit hot, but palatable.
So, overall, good place for a few beers if you want to sit outdoors, but find a better meal elsewhere. -
Review from Caro d.
7/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Solid brewery. My friends brought me hear and sold it to me as a chill, well-lit, well-staffed microbrewery where the staff is friendly and the music is low.
There's no loud music to distract from making fun of your male friend's painted toe nails, and enough light to be able to see that they are painted red, white and blue, in that order "because that's how the country votes".
Clearly, there is enough beer to encourage ridiculousness (see above).
Outdoor drinking is also a possibility, although not one we explored since the bartender kept us entertained and even let us sample a bunch of stuff before having to commit to a full glass of a single brew. -
Review from Steve S.
Orlando, FL
5/29/2011
This place totally gets the idea of good food and good beer. Everything I had (beer and food) was excellent and expertly served.
It is hard to describe but you should order the Poitine. It is the description of comfort food. Shout to Ben for the great service. -
Review from Ian S.
Cambridge, MA
11/9/2011
This is a review for the food, not the beer. I've eaten there twice, once I got the BBQ Burger(BBQ sauce, cheddar, bacon) and the other time their cuban sandwich.
Both managed to be remarkably flavorless and bland. How one makes a flavorless BBQ-bacon-cheese burger I don't know, but they managed. The cuban had much better bread, but the pork wasn't good, was too thin, there was way too much cheese, and the cheese wasn't that great. I got the Cuban because the waitress recommended it and the burgers, so if I've had two of CBC's best, I'm very sad.
That being said, their beer is very strong. I haven't had any beers there that weren't good, and some have been exceptional. But the food is average enough that I have to rate them on that, since that dominated my experience. -
Review from John K.
Arlington, MA
7/25/2011
Food tasted great, but I'm not sure how attentive they are to allergies--it made me feel sick. Perhaps I should be thankful the portions were small.
I was there Sunday. At first I ordered the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. (CBC) Burger and asked the server to omit the bun and the cheese since I'm allergic to wheat and milk.
I was rather hungry, so I thought I should order the $21 steak tips instead of the $11 burger. The steak-tips dinner was extremely tasty, cooked just right (medium rare) and looked great, but was rather puny. A couple guys at the next table got burgers, which were served with more fries. So much for paying more for a greater quantity of food!
About an hour later I started feeling dizzy and sick to my stomach. I ended up lying down for a while, but was able to drive home after a while. It was the kind of nausea I experience after consuming milk products. I have to wonder if the steak tips were marinated in milk and the server was simply inattentive to my allergies. -
Review from Tamar A.
Updated - 3/8/2011 2 Check-ins Here
So you know how I loved this place before? Then I tried their perfection-inspired, crispy-on-the-outside, juicy-on-the-inside brine-pickled fried chicken and the greatest--and, as a person who just can't get on the kale train, I mean GREATEST--garlic-sauteed collard greens that ever there was. Then I tried them again. Then my boyfriend took measures to defend his plate from my fork's sneak attacks.
He always wins our entree-ordering face-offs, and it's getting annoying.Listed in: One (with) Kendall Square
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/7/2011
Hey, this place is fantastic! Who knew?
Oh. Everyone but me, apparently.
If you're not in the mood… Read more »
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Review from Aubrey W.
Cambridge, MA
5/24/2011
We come here probably about once a month, either for dinner or drinks. We live fairly close by and it's a fun place to grab a bite or try some great local beer. I'm looking forward to trying the Beerrunch, the menu looks fabulous.
The food and beer are consistently good, but the place can get very loud and crowded, especially for dinner on the weekends (to be expected, I guess). I really appreciate the effort that they put into sourcing local, sustainable ingredients and giving their provenance on the menu. In my experience, the staff is really friendly and knowledgeable- recently my parents were in town and we sat outside because they had their Lab puppy with them and our waitress brought her a bowl of water and some treats.
I'm a big fan of how the menu changes seasonally, but they also keep some favorites on all the time (fish & chips, poutine). I haven't tried the poutine, actually, but I once saw two men sitting nearby eat THREE orders of it. The pizzas are a great value and always have creative seasonal toppings.
As for the beer, they have a good stable of standbys- balanced and satisfying (esp. the Regatta Golden and Tall Tale Pale Ale) and there are always 6-10 seasonals that are diverse and fun. They offer growlers and bombers as well, for takeout. -
Review from matt k.
Salem, MA
5/9/2011
I went here for the 22nd anniversary of the brewpub. Even though I love their beer, my experience was not something I would want to repeat.
Night one: showed up to order a beer and a bratwurst from the grill. The beer was great, but the bratwurst was mediocre. My wife called to say she was stuck in traffic and so we switched plans to go the next night instead.
Night two: since we didn't have a sitter for this night, we brought my two-year-old. Big mistake! Way too loud inside for a little kid, even way in back, far away from the bar and the speakers. My daughter's irritation was compounded when our server spilled a beer on the two of us :( They took a big discount off the bill, which I appreciated along with the staff accommodating our request to sit in a quieter area. But this place stays in the "beers after work" category.
