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Categories: American (Traditional), Burgers [Edit]
Neighborhood: Harvard SquareHarvard (Red)
Mon-Sat. 11:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
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woah WHAT!? VIAGRA BURGER!? ... that's too hard to resist, what the heck is that... oh damn, thats good. mmmm... Bleu cheese and bacon... and crispy veggies.
Haha I love this place, I always take guests there whenever we're in the area. Great Burgers (medium is always good), Chill atmosphere and tons of conversation starters available (aka woah, check out that moose head) Their milkshakes are also great (peppermint was really good, coffee was too sweet for me) and their onion rings are great if you like the nice thin ones you find at a fair. The only thing is that if you want the whole shabang with fries its a bit more expensive. Think a little cheaper than Red Robins.
Oh yeah, btw CASH ONLY
I've been here several times in my life. Maybe more than several! Today was my first visit in something like 5 years. I sat down with 5 friends and ordered a burger with fries. Which burger? Well, it was called the Facebook, for some reason, although it could have been called the burger with BBQ sauce and cole slaw.
This was an OK combination, and the burger tasted great. The accompanying french fries were french fries.
The highlight of our experience was the visit to our table of a guy in a Bartley's warmup jacket who was urging us to try his grandma's tomato sauce. Was he Mr. Bartley? He said he was! I asked at the cash register whether this was really The Mr. Bartley, the guy who started the business. Or was he just the current occupant of the warmup jacket? The answer: yes indeed, this was The Founder, the original Mr. Bartley. So I actually got to meet him.
Next I'd like to meet Dr. Pepper.
I came here after eating lunch elsewhere so I wasn't particularly hungry. However, a few things stood out on the menu:
1.) Clam Chowder soup.
2.) Sweet Potato Fries.
Okay, so I've definitely had better clam chowder before...on the West Coast, I'm thinking probably in Monterey. Perhaps there are better places to get this kind of stuff on the East Coast. I ordered a cup of this and it was on the salty side. Rawr.
As for the sweet potato fries, they were fine when they came out fresh. After a while of them sitting there, they were on the soggyish side. So I would probably suggest cooking them for longer so that they are on the crispy side when they get cold.
I also grabbed from fries from someone else's plate. Surprised much? Well, yes, I grab from other people's plates...with permission of course. So these were onion ring fries. They were pretty good. Crispy and not too onion-y.
Minus one star for not having a public restroom. Is this even legal?
P.S. Think twice before naming your burgers. The people you name them after may be vegetarian/vegan. That is why I was surprised to see a Natalie Portman burger. She would be offended. Shame on you, Mr. Bartley.
*SPECIAL - Bartley's is going to be on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives tonight at 10:00 P.M.*
What's with the bad reviews?
Bartley's is amazing!
I'm a vegetarian, so I love that I can eat anything here (as long as I remove the bacon).
I almost always get onion rings, rather than fries, and I love the delicious, thin rings.
There's not much more to say that hasn't been said already, but when our burgers came out today, my friend said that the bun was toasted perfectly. He then, of course, proceeded to smash it down because it was so tall, but for some reason, it tasted much better today than it normally does, and I've never had a qualm with the food here before.
Of course it's crowded; it's an institution in Harvard Square.
Despite the other reviews, I've also never had bad service here before, either.
After all the hype I really wanted to love this place.
I went on the early side. I got take out- Skip Gates (teriyaki w/pineapple) and onion rings. Burger was good and cooked as I wanted. Wasn't thrilled with the onion rings though I can't say what would have made them better.
Raspberry Lime Rickey was good.
Overall I wasn't wowed but I will come back. Want to try a burger that has cheese, the sweet potato fries and a frappe
Hmm. Extremely large selection of burgers with slight variations. You can sub any variation with a veggie or turkey burger though, so that's a plus. And they have sweet potato fries! The "most popular" raspberry lime rickey was like a shirley temple with a squeeze of lime, not anything to write home about. Laid back atmosphere, pretty decent prices. Cash only!! I had the Drew Faust. Good size, garlic mayo was a nice touch. I might go back, it's low maintenance and cheapish. Maybe I'll try a famous frappe next time...
I have been fascinated with this place ever since I walked by it over the summer. I finally gave it a go yesterday, and while it was good, I wouldn't say it was the best burger I've ever had. What I do like is the casual laid back atmosphere and the fact that they have a huge menu with tons of fun burger combinations all with fun names. I tried the Tom Brady burger. It's defining feature was that it comes with guacamole on it. Now, while I know that I enjoyed it, I can't seem to remember much about it other than it being very messy and hard to eat. The fact that I can't remember how delicious my burger was, leads me to believe that it wasn't all that memorable. Also, I noticed that none of our burgers were cooked as we had specified, so If you don't like your burger with any pink, I'd make that clear to them.
My sweet potato fries were good, but my group was not wowed by the onion rings. I also tried the Raspberry Lime Ricky which was tasty and fresh. Unfortunately I had no room for dessert, but would love to come back for one of their frappes! They look and sound delicious.
Burgers are excellently cooked to a bright red medium with a very crispy outer crust. The patty was very juicy and full of flavor. I ordered a Tom Brady, but there wasn't enough guacamole to make a difference. The burger as a whole can be eaten without unhinging your jaw. Fries are meh.
Cash only. Don't come here to be pampered. Eat the burger and shut up.
Scale of 1-10 (multiple visits):
10 Food
7 Service
9 Atmosphere
8 Value
Cash only!!! And they're so busy they can't spend much time on you so if you're high maintenance, stay away. But if you're not, you're in for a treat of aMAZing burgers.
Thick, short, and round... one bite into this patty is like three bites into a regular sized patty. I decided to get the Keith Lockhart burger which seems to closely resemble a Reuben sandwich containing sauerkraut, Russian dressing, and Swiss cheese. Boy oh boy, even cooked medium I felt that it was quite juicy. It might've been better medium rare though.
Next time I would have to copycat the bf and get the Michelle Obama. Although it seems more simple with just a cajun patty and blue cheese among the regular toppings, the cajun spices make all the difference. I kept wanting to eat more and more of it.
I like how efficient they are. While you're standing in line, you can order your food so that when you're seated, it won't be that much longer. The tables are seriously as close as they can get so I wouldn't recommend coming here if you have a lot of stuff. I hear good things about the onion rings but I didn't feel like upgrading so I stuck with the normal fries. On the menu, it seems like you have to order fries with the burgers but you really don't have to. It's a trick for you to spend more money and get fat.
Harvard Square. Somehow in my first trip to Boston I didn't even make it North of the Charles River Basin. I mean, it's seemingly such a small City. It's America's Walking City. Ok, maybe my lack of exploration had something to do with my Tony Soprano look-alike Father hobbling around with a bum leg and a head cold in 18 degree weather.
This trip, wouldn't be held back. I triangulated the City in my head by traveling the Blue, Red and Green T lines all day every day...accepting that even in America's Walking City, public transportation is a big help.
I came out of T hibernation my first night with the cock-eyed optimism of someone well aware of Harvard's history as the first University in America...well positioned in every sense to seek out the best that this historic behemoth had to offer.
My combination of Yelp Research and democracy among friends led me to Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage:
And here you go...
These a good burgers. Each one is themed, taking the name of a celebrity or prominent American figure. The Ted Kennedy is popular amongst Yelpers.
I flirted with a Michelle Obama and even a Kevin Garnett before I pussed out gave the Ted Kennedy a fair chance. It was a very good burger...nothing all that special but very, really nice and good. Alright?
Burger places all over claim greatness...we can't make love to them all.
the real downer with Mr. Bartley's is that it feels more like a Theme Park Ride than a dinner. You wait in line...always! They are nice people and they feel bad so they do a nice job of aleviating the long wait by taking everyone's order while they wait in line.
2 things: 1) I don't know about you, but I like to sit down and enjoy sitting down while I soak in the place and relax a bit before order...it's order under pressure. 2) THEME PARK comparison: you've waited in line and now your ride/burger is a 2 minute quick thrill that ends all too quickly. Again with the rushing...I want to savor my burger...I felt rushed. Lot's of pressure. Whether it was in mind mind or legitimate pressure, I certainly felt the need to get the fuck out of dodge and make way for the next hungry mob who already had a burger order in the the kitchen.
The home made root beer and raspberry lime drink were both sublime!
The fries were just whatever. Not bad. Not memorable.
Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage is in Harvard Square. Harvard Square is where Harvard is. Harvard started in the 17th Century. Mr. Bartley's Burger Palace has a sign reading "since 1968" or some year close to that. What is my point with all these disjointed statements? Only this! (ahhhhhh-ahhhhhhhhh-ahhhhhhhh...This is double pain sound proof glass!)...NO...my real point is that Harvard Square has the infrastructure in place indicative of one of the most historic neighborhoods with a sustained energy for well over 3 Centuries, but frankly the current energy is not present. If Mr. Bartley's is the best they can throw at me, I'm soured and hung from the neck...the bottom has dropped out. Mr. Bartley's is a thrill ride for the mindless extrospection that plagues the dead weight masses of this country.
Seek out more. You'll find that Mr. Bartley's is but a mere dollop of sugar in your daily black coffee. The fact that this is the situation presented by Harvard Square is a sad reality.
Cool place if you are into burgers.... what's more, they've got themed burgers. Bill Gates/Obama/Hillary Clinton/Sarah Palin...
So, a perfect place to impress your date by discussing some politics with her over burgers and coke.
Just kidding. Don't try that. It might backfire.
But the place does have good burgers.
We came at 7:30 pm on a Wednesday night and we were a fairly large party of six and we got a table as soon as we walked in the door, but I think that is fairly unusual as there was a wait after we were seated. It's crowded but the atmosphere is great.
I had what was essentially a ruban sandwich, but what made it awesome is they will make any of their burgers with a veggieburger. The fries were just ok, but the veggie burger was really good.
I'm giving them four stars based on the veggie burger alone. They really should serve beer. That is what could have made this better, but everyone at the table seemed to enjoy their burgers and it is pretty inexpensive. Everyone left happy and with full bellies. I recommend trying it at least once.
So I am the 369th person to write a review for Mr. Bartley's Burgers in Cambridge.
Well, it was an interseting experience to say the least. I read a handful of reviews here on Yelp and figured 3-4 stars with a LOT of reviews must be a good place, and I was right on that point.
When we arrived at Bartley's there were a good 10-15 people in front of us outside the restaurant. Everybody in front of us had a menu and we were quickly given one as well. There were a number of employees outside taking orders and keeping the line moving.
Once we ordered, we waited another 10 minutes before we were wisked into the small restaurant. We ordered the onion rings as an appetizer, and while they were tasty, they definately weren't the best we ever had.
We waited another 10-15 minutes AFTER we were done with our appetizer (maybe upwards of 20 minutes, not totally sure) to get our food. I ordered a Michelle Obama (heh heh, hot and spicy the menu says. I wish they had a Condi Rice, but I digress), my wife ordered a wrap. We both really liked our food. The burger was cooked well and the sauce they used was REALLY good. A nice tangy taste.
Two burgers, an appetizer, no drinks set us back about $30 and 70 minutes of our time. A little pricey, but not bad for the area.
this restaurant reminded me that I'm truly a sucker for all the "Best of boston" awards and "wall street journal's one of the best burgers in america" awards.
It's way too crowded. The space is way too small and the table barely fits my dish. You gotta wait forever get seated and once you do, you have to wait like 40min to get your food.
I ordered Tom's brady's burger and i replaced my fries with sweet potato fries. First, the fries were just warm and not that sweet. My friend ordered the famous "onion rings" and i now know that it's famous for being warm onion rings. When I don't get to eat HOT fries and rings....i get very angry and upset. Bartley's def. pushed all the wrong buttons.
I also got my burger done medium and it came slightly burnt. Since when was medium burger well done??
It's way too pricey for the burgers and I just don't see myself going back here again. I remember coming here two years ago before I started yelping. I didn't remember the taste so I decided to go here with my friend. Now I know why i didn't remember...because it WASN'T GOOD.
Honestly? How can you NOT love Bartley's? My family owned a camera store in Harvard Square for a number of years, so I grew up eating here, and actually know Mr. Bartley rather well. Come for the food, stay for the food.
Bartley's is a cramped and tiny little joint with an awful table layout and plastic patio chairs--that's only part of its charm. Don't be surprised if you and your date are sitting at a four person table with two other people on a date ("I'm sorry...I know you're in the middle of wooing this young lady, but can you pass the mustard?"). Long lines out the door are typical on the typical nights, but as long as your party isn't too too huge, the waitstaff does a good job shuffling people in and out so the wait isn't unbelievable.
The food, what can I say? With so many burgers to choose from, and all titled in witty satirical humor, as I said before, how can you NOT love it? I love the Barack Obama (I believe the caption says, "No experience necessary.") It's a fantastic feta cheeseburger that just completely entices me every time. I'm not going to list all the other burgers I love for fear of running out of room. Also, the cooks are good at serving up your burger just they way you asked for it.
What to drink? LIME RICKEY. No question, just do it. They make them fresh there and it shows. The sweet and tangy beverage goes surprisingly well with any burger plate.
French fries? Shut up. ONION RINGS. Bartley's onion rings are simply divine, and the best I've ever had (and I'm a huge onion ring guy). In fact, when the family camera store was open, one of my uncles had to move out to San Fransisco, but he made us package up packs of Bartley's onion rings on ice and ship over night, no joke. If you're not into onion rings, the sweet potato fries are also a pleasant differentiation from the regular fry.
I think I've said enough. If I go on, my body will regret it when I try to turn my left hand into a Steve Jobs on my stove top.
Definitely not vegetarian friendly. My girlfriend and I ordered vegetarian style burgers for both the Michelle Obama (cajun spice coated patty with blue cheese) and Drew Faust (veggie patty with feta cheese, red peppers, red onions and garlic mayo) and were pretty disappointed. A veggie patty of any burger is a real disappointment. I know it's difficult having a great vegetarian option but if you've already perfected one patty, I would love to see another patty attempted as well. The veggie patty is charged just as much as a regular patty which I've also tried and is worth the money. ~$9 is just not worth it for a vegetarian burger and fries.
I admit, their onion rings and Raspberry Lime Rickey's are pretty damn awesome. When I tried the regular burger, I was a bit underwhelmed as well. How could these burgers be the best burgers in Boston when I pay $10 for 4 bites and some fries. Maybe I'm just being cheap but I expected mind-opening burgers.
I love the name-plate burgers and their clever ideas but I just expected more. Also, it's cash-only so one's only option is to bring cash or use the ATM in the back. The ATM charges $2 for service charge. AGHHHH. At least the menu is fun to read.
The onion rings are DELICIOUS.
The burgers are very tasty, but kind of expensive.
I've had the baked mac and cheese, which was really just plain old mac and cheese. It was certainly classic, but not worth the money it cost. I mixed in some onion rings to give it more flavor and that was very very very tasty.
The set up is kind of overwhelming--it's very hard to have a conversation and it's kind of weird to sit right next to total strangers too.
My friend took me here when I came to see her on vacation.
DEfuckingLICIOUS!
This place was ridiculous, all the shit on the walls, and crazy names of food was awesome, great atmosphere.
I also had my very first Frappe here, and it was delicious and I approve.
I would come back to this place again and again and each time proceed to bust a fucking nut in my pants.
Horrid, Horrid Service with Disgusting Food.
I went here and was served a half cooked burger, a half eaten pickle and the floors were filthy.
The waitress rolled her eyes at me when I tried to send the burger back and the owner threatened to throw me out and told me not to come back.
It was a strange way to treat customers, and it was the kind of experience that would ruin a perfectly good day.
Whether you are on vacation, just visiting Boston or a tourist of some kind - I promise you this sort of treatment is not the best that Boston has to offer.
went here with a few friends right before they were closing. i think this timing was good, because we were able to get a table right away.
the burgers are named after local celebs, which is fun but also forced me to cringe when i ordered the "mitt romney." the burger was really, really good. the caesar salad i got on the side... not so much -- but it's probably not fair to expect a burger place to do a great job at salads.
the friends i was with also both enjoyed their burgers. and one of them had an oreo frappe, which was also delish.
unfortunately, the service was pretty bad which knocks a star off.
Second time around. Another 5 stars. It really doesn't get any better than this.
This time I got a chance to try the homemade root beer. Goes great with the "Ted Kennedy and fries".
I was just in Boston for my first time this past weekend and I was directed to this joint by a… Read more »
Burgers are curiously important little critters. Deliciously and unapologetically American in every sense of the word, we're justified in demanding that if you're going to slowly murder us with those delightfully sinful flavorbombs, well dammit, you're going to need to do it right. Especially if you're hitting us up for $10 while you're at it.
For all of the gusto their reputation carries with it, I fail to really understand why anyone would ever be in love with Mr. Bartley's. A look at the name -- and the menu -- would indicate that the folks at the Burger Cottage take their dishes seriously, that they've devoted their time and effort to doing burgers and doing them right. They don't, though, and that's a shame. Have we strayed so far from our red-blooded roots that we don't recognize a half-cocked menu full of boring burgers when it's staring us in the face?
The burger's served up at Mr. Bartley's have three things wrong with them: they're too small, they're too sloppy (yes, this is possible), and the buns are really weak.
The size. Someone below compared them to burger-slider hybrids, and I'd definitely agree with that sentiment. When at a "burger cottage," one should really not expect to receive such an admittedly responsible portion. I'd like a burger that functions as a meal unto itself, not one that takes fries and a shake to tilt my gastrointestinal scale towards "full." The fries and the shake should be gluttonous, not necessary.
The sloppiness. The burgers here are definitely juicy, and for that, I will give them credit. But some combination of the size (they're just too small to hold substantial toppings) and that same juiciness combines to create for an experience that's less decadent and more frustrating. It's a fight to keep the whole thing together -- you'll have onions running this way, tomatoes running that way, and pineapples flopping out onto your plate. Juicy and drippy is good. The feeling that your burger is melting is not.
The buns. The sloppiness is owed partially to this. They're just so... boring. And they're too delicate. If you have a burger that's overly saucy, the sauce and burger juice will absolutely conspire to disintegrate your bun. This needn't be the case at other burger joints; can't we get a thicker, heartier bun, one that can withstand a little bit of abuse and not wind up in a watery pool on the plate?
I'm not trying to be overly whiny here, but when a restaurant holds itself in such high regard, I'm going to expect great things. Mr. Bartley's is not great things. Their burgers are closer to upscale fast food fare, and the menu isn't nearly as diverse as it seems: most of the "different" burgers just swap out one cheese or one sauce with another, and maybe add some bacon, too. There's nothing actually original happening there. The fries are good, and yes, the frappes are totally delicious, but it's harder to make a bad frappe than it is to make a good one.
The food's really not worth the visit, and it's DEFINITELY not worth the price. It's just not. I look forward to seeing how Guy Fieri puffs the place up on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
The food itself is delicious. I ordered the Ted Kennedy, and it was YuMS! After visiting worse burger joints, I'm scared of ordering medium rare (even though I prefer it), so I stuck to medium. It was really good here, and next time I come, I'll probably be brave enough to order medium rare. Stuffing, clam chowder, and mashed potatoes were delicious too. If you ask me about the onion rings though...I'd say they are uber bland. I don't like them, but I know some people who might.
However yummy the food is, keep in mind that the place is TINY. I came in during a lull, but I can't imagine coming here when it's super busy and everyone's waiting on tables! Eating such a big meal in a small place is quite disconcerting. The meals also take awhile to come out, so be prepared for a good half an hour wait.
Overall, I'd come back if I were in the area. If not, there's always Five Guys.
A distinct smell envelops the south side of Harvard Square.
It is the smell of ancient burger fat charring and it is Mr. Bartley's own.
The menu is clever, but the burger falls short of the hype. That they only accept cash is an annoyance. My 8 ball of an 10 dollar rare burger was charred, and the sweet potato fries were crunchy chips.
Unfortunately, the bad taste filled my mouth long before the first bite of food. The restaurant is stuffy and unpleasant, the kitschy garbage on the walls is TGIF poseur-chic, and the staff is insufferable.
Let me start off with, I love the atmosphere and the burgers here - hence I thought to bring a couple out of town guests to this wonderful little joint. One guest was a meat-loving specimen, while the other a vegetarian - so we were pretty excited to see that they had vegetarian patties. Yet, when the vegetarian burger came out, it was pitiful!!! It looked like something from the freezer aisle - really Mr. Bartley?! I know that MEAT burgers are your specialty, but how could you even put something so sub-par on the menu!??!
Sit right down, picnic style. Kids screaming, parents scolding. Waitresses buzzing about so swiftly you'd think they were on skates. Counter service a la Happy Days, friendly faces and huge glasses of Coca-Cola.
More burger varieties than you could ever eat...in a month. Less seats available in the summer than at Fenway during a Yankees/Sox game. But just the right amount of dollars for a juicy-ass Cajun burger, suffocating under a mountain of melted bleu cheese stuffed between a toasted bun with heaping pile of sweet potato fries. The first lady should be proud that this feisty burger bears her name.
I could leave the line and the wait behind, for a meal quicker eaten elsewhere. And the cash-only deal is a drag, but for the best burgers around, you make sacrifices.
Once in a great while, when the occasion warrants, I get my juicy burger fix here. The ambiance is just like the menu: good humor, great beef burgers, great service and alwys something to look at.
This is an institution for a reason.
A must visit whether you are a tourist or a local.
Noisy, crowded, cramped. Not exactly the best place to talk for an hour or two, but my friend and I managed it nonetheless. To make up for this, the food was absolutely delicious. Their menu mostly consists of various types of burgers, all with particular names (which they keep topical and up-to-date; we saw a "Professor Skip Gates" burger, for instance). My medium "Joe Biden" was a bit rarer than I might have liked, but was no less delicious and gigantic, while my friend really enjoyed her "American Idol." The regular fries were delicious, but the oonion rings were the stars. Cut thin, like an awesome blossom but in ring shape, they had a satisfying crunch and taste. Their homemade rootbeer was tasty, and their raspberry lime rickey really hit the spot.
A bit of a trouble at the end; they are cash only and my friend didn't realize that beforehand. Cut to her running to an atm and back (though they have one in the back, it's close enough to the real banks). The cashier was long-suffering and politely waited for my friend to return, no fuss no worries. Much appreciated! If I want a $10, juicy burger, this is where I'll go.
I am been a fan of Bartley's over the years, and then I stopped going for years. Yes it is a fixture in Harvard Square and it has its charms. The problem is the buns, they melt-down from the add-ons. I ended up holding my burger by the burger itself. The onion rings lacked the crunch that I remember. The burgers themselves were perfect to order.
It's hard for me to rate this because I want to separate the burger from the rest of the place.
I'll start off with the burger. HOLY CRAP THAT'S ONE DAMN GOOD BURGER. I'm on a burger quest, and the Joe Biden is well up there as one of the best burgers I've ever had. It's basically a fancier western bacon cheeseburger from Carls, but the patty is flavorful, juicy, and not to mention 1 inch thick. I did notice that it was slightly small for a burger, almost like a slider-burger hybrid. Still, it was delicious. I would LOVE to come back here and try some of their other burgers.
The problem is the rest of the place. Something went wrong with those sweet potato fries because they were limp, soggy, and flimsy. Quite possibly the grossest fries ever. My raspberry lime rickey was ok, reminded me of a Sonic cherry limeade knockoff which I would've preferred. And the location...I feel bad for complaining but the place is SO TINY, and we were cramped in the corner outside where birds and children kept passing by...both of which annoy me.
I'm just going to do it the mathematical way:
Burger: 5 stars
Everything else: 1 star
Average: 3 stars
It may be wrong to start a review by saying that one of the best parts of this place is seeing Mr. Bartley, himself, but I can't deny that this is a draw for me. Mr. B usually graces the place on weekends, where he pushes the frappes like your local street thug pushes drugs on kids. And, I usually order one (but I've stopped doing drugs).
The burgers...finally. Juicy enough for meat drippings to embarrass you in front of the people who are practically sitting on your lap (this place is wall-to-wall people when crowded); large enough to make you regret the frappe; and they satisfy that burger craving once and for all. I say, don't waste time on the fries.
This is a fun place. I like reading the silly bumper stickers on the wall and have to give a thumbs up to the random girl power references on the wall in the back.
Mr. Bartley's has a lot of history and a ridiculous menu. The variety is impressive if not overwhelming. I really liked the free-for-all condiments, especially the onions! yuuum.
The cafeteria seating is interesting too.
What I DON'T like is the price, especially for what you get.
I have been to many a burger place that has claimed to be the best burger in the nation. This place, although it was really creative in naming it's foods and burgers and eclectic in its use of ingredients, I would have to say that the end result is a itsy bitsy teeny tiny lump of a cheeseburger.
Definitely NOT the best.
The size reminded me of a standard cheeseburger you would find wrapped in paper from McDonalds.
It's messy and not well put together. It so sad that all the nice, creative and cute ingredients just plop out...it's just such a disappointment when it gets plopped down in front of you.
I mean it's a good burger when you develop the strategy to put it together long enough to stuff into your mouth, but it's so much work.
Bottom line-it's just lazy here.
The cashiers are rude, and the interaction between all the servers, hostess, cooks, busboys is just so hostile that it's hard to have a conversation.
Another thing that just got to me was that they only take cash. I won't knock down stars for the lack of a card machine at a vendor cart or a tiny establishment, but this place claims to have been here since the 1960's. It's always packed. So I know they aren't struggling.
Times are a changing and so should they. It's no longer up and coming technology to have a credit card system.
Also, they are charging $10 for a burger, it's not like the majority of their orders are ever less than $11 so the service charges are minuscule compared to how much they are making per meal.
No happy with the overall experience.
I give them one star for creativity and one star for the cool condiment set up.
I'm definitely not going back to this place.
The burger was juicy and delicious. A bit disappointed with the bland onion rings though after all the hype about them. It was pretty crowded when I went so the service was slow but it was still good and it seems like it's always like that anyway. I'd say avoid if there's a line outside though. Unless you're absolutely dying for a good burger.
Even though I was just here a week ago, I promised my boyfriend I would take him for the experience. Unfortunately, I now must subtract 2 stars from my original review.
I got the same burger just because I liked it so much last time, but this one was no where near as good! It was too crispy on the outside to the point where it was almost burnt, there was quite a bit less blue cheese dressing making it a bit dry, and the Cajun seasoning that I liked so much was only put in a tiny spot in the middle. So overall my burger was just not as good!
I gave them the benefit of the doubt last time because I got fries instead of their famous onion rings. So this time I went with the onion rings. They had NO flavor. I mean it's like they took an onion put some flour on it and fried it. Didn't even taste like they added any salt and pepper because they had no seasoning at all.
I also ate inside this time to get the full experience, and it was pretty cramped sitting at a long table elbow to elbow with people I've never met. At least outside you get your own table.
Also I noticed Guy Fieri signs and signatures dated from just a few weeks ago. So evidently there is a very good chance that this place is going to show up on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives--like it even needs the publicity! It's going to be even more crowded if it does show up on there, and I most likely won't venture back to wait a long time for a mediocre experience again.
I'm not a burger connoisseur, but I think this may be the best burger I've ever eaten. I really… Read more »
My friend and I were wandering around Harvard Square and we popped in because it looked crowded. Oh boy! It was crowded. The restaurant is pretty small considering how packed it gets. The tables are really close together and you share condiments and napkins with strangers. That can be good or bad. The burgers were great. I had the Joe Biden (which was hard to order since I'm a die hard Republican) but it was super tasty. My friend had the stimulus package and her food was great as well. Definitely a lot of options and if you don't like cow then there are other options as well. Come hungry and come ready to lick your fingers. It's that good!
I have to admit that I haven't been here in a very long time. Mostly because of the fact that they don't serve alcohol (no beer = no 5 stars when rating a burger joint). The burgers here are great, and who wouldn't love a double decker burger made out of 1 inch thick patties, slathered in BBQ sauce, and Melted cheddar??? no one! that's who!
The Bottom line is that Bartley's is a Harvard Square Staple. If you're in the area, you have to give it a go. You'll go home happy.
PS: I hear the milk shakes are great. I'd get chocolate if I were you.
The best burgers in town. They also make a great lime rickey and onion rings. The last time I was there, I got the Kevin Garnett burger and it was absolutely delicious. A juicy, perfectly cooked burger with a nice homemade salsa, chili, Monterey Jack cheese, and sour cream. I opted for the onion rings rather than the fries, and wasn't disappointed (not that the fries are bad, either).
I think if you want burgers and fries and that sort of stuff, Bartley's is the best place to go. I feel this place is a bit underrated on here at 3 and 1/2 stars, I'm surprised it's not at least a 4. I was going to give it 5 stars anyway, but seeing how low they're currently rated, I'm really glad to give them 5 stars and hopefully contribute to them getting a higher rating.
Before there were fancy burger bars offering a zillion different toppings, there was Mr Bartley's offering a zillion different toppings. I've been eating burgers here my entire adult life. They are good meat, they cook them accurately (med-rare in my case). Sometimes I order a fancy side (love the skinny onion rings, myself) sometimes I just get the burger (with cheapo potato chips included). I don't expect beer & wine because I know they don't serve it. There are plenty of places in Harvard Sq that do, but they aren't Mr Bs. I know I have to pay cash. At some point they removed some bric-a-brac or a little table and stuck in an ATM. I feel that was an unnecessary concession. But it's their place, they can do what they like.
You can use the bathroom at the hotel nearby, or go up Quincy St to the Carpenter Center. There's a nice bathroom in there.
I happen to be a huge fan of long communal tables. I am disappointed if I do NOT get to eat at the long communal table. I often come here alone for that reason. It's always a sociological fun time, everyone from mom and dad from out of town to high-class Harvard profs reading books with long words in them.
My only disappointment here was trying to get a hot cup of tea once. It isn't hot. Don't know why, because it's not hard to have boiling hot water. I've had their coffee, and that's hot. The tea at Mr. B's isn't even as hot as tap water. Oh well. Nothing's perfect.
Bartley's gets the win from me just for this: It is the only place I have found where I could say, "This burger is better than any burger I have ever made for myself."
There are plenty of places I have gone and had a burger, but this is the only place I go to to have a burger. I want a burger? I go to Bartley's.
Yes, it is often crowded and can have a queue out along the sidewalk. I find, however, that if you decided to go there solo you can often squeeze in to one of the seats at the counter. Counter seats give you a nice view of the grill, pretty direct service and a glimpse into the mysteries of how the drink orders are managed. The service is good, plus the girl behind the counter will pretend not to notice if I can't resist inhaling my burger.
Personal favorite burger: I used to be called the "Tony Blair" (which I would get medium rare, so ordering one had a nice rhythm to it), which was a burger with cheddar cheese and grilled onions. Eventually Blair was gone and the equivalent was a Cheddar (John) Edwards. Cheddaredwards has a nice ramble to it too. I forget what the current name is, but it is still great.
Midnight Madness Buffet!
Neighborhood: Allston/Brighton
Happy Hour & Midnight Madness
Neighborhood: Back Bay
Somerville, MA
Category: Burgers
Neighborhood: East Boston
Category: Burgers
Neighborhood: Harvard Square
Category: Burgers
Neighborhood: Harvard Square
Category: American (Traditional)
Neighborhood: Harvard Square
Category: Pizza
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