For an "insiders" look at how Harvard Square in Cambridge, Massachusetts feels, frolics and feeds itself, Casablanca restaurant and bar is the place to go. Casablanca, which celebrated its 30th anniversary last year, is a casual, neighborhood "joint" that has grown to near-legendary status. Students and their professors, writers and their subjects, musicians and their muses all congregate at 40 Brattle Street. Casablanca offers a relaxed drinking environment with a bit more flair than other restaurants. If the exotic, Moroccan-inspired decor doesn't already remind you of the Academy Award-winning movie, then the gigantic wall mural of Bergman and Bogart probably will. Visit Casablanca and enjoy a glass of merlot with friends at one of the intimate tables. Is it the mildly exotic atmosphere? The enticing Mediterranean cuisine? The chance to tipple at the bar elbow-to-elbow with a nuclear physicist, a poet, or the next Kanye West? Who knows?

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.

Prepare for an evening of culinary pampering at Harvest, one of the most upscale establishments in Harvard Square. With excellent service, a spacious interior, and an outdoor patio that manages to stay open until the early fall with the aid of heaters, Harvest aims to keep your body comfortable and then, when you're not looking, hit you over the head with its inventive, mouth-watering cuisine. But like all good things (and some illegal drugs), you'll be paying a hefty price for an experience that will leave you pleasantly euphoric, but not necessarily stuffed. With modestly-sized entrees that fall within the $24-33 dollar price range, your best bet would be to opt for Harvest's 3 course prix-fixe ($48/$60 with wine), a perfect sampling of the restaurant's culinary concoctions. The menu changes weekly, so the oyster stew you loved so much last time might have been replaced by the equally delicious salmon in lobster bouillon; however, with a consistent variety of gourmet seafood, pasta, and vegetarian options in addition to their 2 featured steaks, even the most discriminating connoisseurs will go home happy. Desserts ($8-9) range from the velvety vanilla bean creme brulée to the tangy key lime napoleon. Brunch ($33 prix-fixe) offered every Su. 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.

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.

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.

Art deco modern meets old country home in Sandrine's warm, dim dining room couched in the rich aromas that waft in from an open kitchen. This cozy, upscale, impress-your-date eatery has stood the test of time as a steadfast competitor in the changing world of pricey Harvard Square dining. Appetizers, like the crabmeat in avocado halves with grapefruit, reflect Sandrine's Alsatian focus, and although some of the entrees lack the same extraordinary flair and culinary excellence, you'll probably be too caught up in the romantic ambiance (no Harvard experience is complete without a pre-formal dinner date at Sandrine's) to notice. The spendthrift can also enjoy Sandrine's for a much less expensive lunch. Entrees $16-29. This section contains information from Harvard Student Agencies' Unofficial Guide to Life at Harvard.

Named after a famed cobblestone street in Dublin's Temple bar area, Grafton Street has been a Harvard Square favorite since 1996. This local institution combines the homey warmth of an Irish pub with a modern feel and an inventive New American menu by Executive Chef Dan Pogue. The bar offers an array of draught beers, and numerous signature cocktails dreamt up by Grafton's mixology team. The bar crowd trends toward the upscale; a sleek windowed facade permits passersby to gaze in on the many martini-sippers. Revelers at the lively bar can enjoy a late-night menu which adds taste and elegance to the usual pub fare, with artistic appetizers like Maine Crab Cakes with chipotle remoulade and sweet pesto sauce ($10.25), creative sandwiches ($8-$13.95), and thin-crust pizzas ($8-9.50). Live DJs play a variety of music on Thursday, Friday, and each Saturday, DJs Red Foxx and Mistaker blend a fun selection of upscale disco, funk, soul, and party classics. Lunch & dinner blend the classic comfort foods of Ireland's pubs with modern takes on American dishes. Favorites include the duck confit and the beef ragu. Grafton can be booked for private parties, and offers 3 different menus from passed hors d’oeuvres to a sit down dinner for such occasions. Sister restaurant to Temple Bar and Redline.