Redline fills the niche between Grendel's (friendly and lowkey) and Noir (expensive poseur). The bar is sophisticated in an unthreatening way, and drinks are remarkably reasonable, topping out at $8 for premium cocktails. Generous martinis are a very decent $7. Redline is usually crowded at night, especially after 1, when it picks up barflys from other local establishments. Despite its size, Redline has room both for lounge lizards and a small dancefloor complete with weekend DJs. Crowds notwithstanding, table service is quick and friendly, so grab a back table if you can. The kitchen specializes in fast, low-prep grill and pasta dishes at the same price point as other Harvard Square establishments attempting to win the sophisticated crowd. Lunch is usually less than $10, and dinner is pricier (appetizers $6-12, entrees $13-20, desserts $7-10). The substantial meat or pasta dishes are a pleasant surprise, proving that this bar and restaurant can indeed both fill your stomach with meat and potatoes and satisfy your jones for drinks and dancing. Sister establishment to Grafton Street and Temple Bar.

Om is a Harvard Square restaurant headed by New York and Providence chef Rachel Klein, who was named Best New Chef by Boston magazine in 2006. Chef Klein challenges her customers with innovative recipes and fresh and funky ingredients. Try Om for a shot of Zen in your dining experience. This place featuresover-the-top Zen luxury decor, a wall-ter fall, fancypants cocktails, and a whimisical bar menu. There are 2 floors to this place, the 1st floor is the dance floor which is pretty small. The 2nd floor is more of just a lounge. They only have single bathrooms, so the lines can be quite long, even for guys. However, don't get stuck in line - there are two sets of bathrooms, one upstairs and one downstairs. Deb Klein is no longer the chef and the cuisine last time I was there was disappointing and ordinary. The drinks are still good if you don't mind the NYC prices.

TVs are spread over three levels, and live music is featured on the weekends. Perfect pints of Guinness, usually delivered by friendly Irish waitresses, prove popular. cozy bar with old Boston knick-knacks that makes it feel like your grandmother's attic...surprisingly diverse (and good!) menu for a bar...get there early before the crowd takes over for the popular Fri and Sat night dance parties. Caters to students, frat boys, the "meat market" of women who are obviously trying to get drunk and picked up on, and the great many 20-something dudes with collared shirts (sleeves rolled up!) and too much hair gel.

Small cozy pub with an excellent selection of beers and a small patio where smoking and dogs are allowed! The sunken cobblestone patio of Shays is the place to while away a warm night with a group of friends and a pint or two. Inside, crumbling brick walls, exposed piping, and a laid-back crowd give this pub a cozy, lived-in feel. All drafts $4, bottles $3-5.50. Excellent appetizers range from the standard (nachos $5.75) to the distinctive (baked brie $5). All appetizers $3 after 6pm. Sandwiches, burgers, salads, and other pub fare ($3-6) available until 10pm.

In the basement of “Upstairs on the Square” sits another one of those ‘Harvard' bars, Grendel's, a mountain-town pub shoehorned into contemporary Cambridge. Most nights of the week Grendel's is filled with a lively mix of locals, grads, undergrads, and the occasional professor, who all huddle around cozy, dimly-lit tables for an atmosphere that's more low-key than anything its nearby competitors can provide. Compared to the nearly perpetual happy hours at Grendel's, other bars seem downright melancholy. The crowded red-bricked basement interior, faux-Tuscan tiled tables, and small plates make for a medieval dining hall meets college pub experience. The menu is a motley mix of cuisines, from cheeseburgers and pizza ($5.50) to falafel. Everything is half-price with min. beverage purchase of $3 daily 5-7:30pm and Su-Th 9-11:30pm. Express lunch specials M-F go for only $3.95. A wonderful way to round off the weekend, “The Sunday Seven” menu features 7 items at $1 each, again with $3 min. beverage purchase. Youngsters, beware: they frequently don't admit those under 21 after 5pm (especially F and Sa), so call ahead. Entrees $5-8. The beers on tap are an excellent variety of microbrews and imports (no “Bud” here, but at $4/pint Paulaner Hefeweizen has risen as a crowd favorite). The Grendel's Happy Hour offers half-price menu items with min. $3 drinks (daily 5-7:30pm and Su-Th 9-11:30pm). Cheap, tasty food and a warm-fuzzy-glo atmosphere make Grendel's a convenient budget locale for those who like to munch while they imbibe. This section contains information from Harvard Student Agencies' Unofficial Guide to Life at Harvard.

A reincarnation of the famed brunch spot UpStairs at the Pudding, UpStairs on the Square is divided into 2 main lounges. Both overlooking Withrop Square, the more casual Monday Club Bar downstairs and the sophisticatedly hushed Soiree Room upstairs are glittering and whimsical creations right out of a fairy-tale. Upstairs, nothing comes cheap: even appetizers run $12-15. Delectable menu options include rabbit two ways ($30) and Maine scallops ($28). The chocolate soufflé cake ($10) borders on a religious experience. The Monday Bar serves more traditional and wallet-friendly fare (in addition to some big screen TVs), though it's true that you get what you pay for. They both share the same pastry chef, though, so don't forget dessert downstairs. UpStairs complements its thesis-length wine list with a wide range of beers ($5.50+) and cocktails ($9.50+). Reservations are highly recommended. Afternoon tea: served from 3 til 5 pm, Thursday to Saturday and consists of a tea of your choice plus savories and sweets. As of May 2007 it costs $25 (add $7 for a glass of bubbly). The tea is poured from antique silver teapots and the food, served on a three-tiered silver stand, is a break from the norm with alternative breads like focaccia featuring highly and a prominent role for bacon-wrapped dates ('devils on horseback'). Interestingly, for $18 you can instead get a peppermint afternoon tea - mint tea, mint chocolate, mint parfait and mint brownie. Go here to impress a date. It'll make you look cultured without making making you feel stuffed up. Tea treats rotate on different days, which is nice. They are also flexible with changing the food to leave out something you don't like, say if you want more sweets than savouries or go vegetarian. This section contains information from Harvard Student Agencies' Unofficial Guide to Life at Harvard.

With its glittering vinyl and fake wood paneling, Charlie's is like a 1987 Chrysler LeBaron with a glove compartment full of cheeseburgers. Order a sweet Boston Ale with the $5 double burger special, and you'll enjoy all four food groups: meat, ketchup, fries, and beer. The upstairs, with a jukebox and multiple TV sets tracking Boston sports scores, has a great atmosphere for a casual drink or snack with roommates. No cover. Charlie's is a welcome change from the late-night Tommy's routine: the kitchen's open until last call, and the wait staff is generally friendlier. 16 beers on tap. Entrees $4-10. Beginning in the summer of 2008, Charlie's now has an official beer garden in the front of the joint stocked with 16 different kinds of beers on tap, a bar menu, and plenty of seating to take in all the local color and for people watching. Best of Boston Phoenix 2009 This section contains information from Harvard Student Agencies' Unofficial Guide to Life at Harvard.

“An unusual place for good things to eat,” claims Leo and co. The “unusual” probably refers not to how this old and unobtrusive Square establishment has managed to stick around, but rather to the beatnik 50s diner vibe permeating Leo's Place. Beyond the seats at the big picture window, complete with larger-than-life paintings of burgers and fries, you can sit at the counter that extends around the whole restaurant while perusing the pictures of past customers (including Ben Affleck and Matt Damon). From omelettes ($5+) to typical hot plates of pastrami or tuna melts ($7), all good things are served with fries and salad on the side. Dining hall closed for break? Satisfy your brunch cravings without breaking the bank; a basic fried egg sandwich starts at $2. This section contains information from Harvard Student Agencies' Unofficial Guide to Life at Harvard.

Despite the fancy Cantabrigian clientele (including the mistress of munch herself, Dame Julia Child), Henrietta's Table exudes a friendly and relaxed atmosphere well suited to its simple, delicious New England cuisine. Meals begin with the best bread you've ever had, an incredible cranberry-walnut concoction ($16 in Henrietta's mini-store). The menu sticks to the country kitchen basics (meatloaf, fish, pork chops, chicken), all prepared with the freshest of seasonal ingredients. Mix and match from a selection of side dishes ($4.50), including golden, griddle-cooked hash browns. But don't forget to save room for dessert ($7), especially the acclaimed chocolate bread pudding. Good wine list and a separate full bar, as well as patio seating. Also the best and most expensive brunch ($39) in Harvard Square. Entrees $13-17, specials $22-28. Su-Th dinner special 2 courses for $24, 3 courses $30, including sides. Children under 5 eat for free and ages 6-12 get half off! This section contains information from Harvard Student Agencies' Unofficial Guide to Life at Harvard.

Much touted Rialto deserves all the praise it receives. The elegant and comfortable decor of the most luxurious of the Charles Hotel's 3 restaurants belies Rialto's radiant and ever-evolving menu, reflecting the chefs' seasonal and geographical inspirations. Appetizers such as the light but satisfying chilled asparagus soup and salad ($12) and cod fritters ($14) prepare the palate for the more stimulating Tuscan fish stew ($28) and tender braised rabbit leg ($32). Reasonably-sized entrees make way for imaginative desserts like the macadamia nut and expresso tart ($9) and the hot chocolate cream with fresh mint ($9), both of which become almost cloying when coupled with any of the sumptuous after-dinner cordials and liquours. Everything at Rialto is spectacular, but you have to be willing to pay for it, and you have to get in first; call early as reservations are limited. $1 Oysters every Monday night! This section contains information from Harvard Student Agencies' Unofficial Guide to Life at Harvard.