For such a popular Rock nightclub, who knew that the food could be amazing? One of the top places one must go to before leaving Boston. Opened as a Lebanese restaurant in 1970, the Middle East spans three storefronts filled with throngs of patch-covered jackets and wallet chains who come to enjoy a provocative symbiosis of sensuous Middle-eastern cuisine (falafel sandwiches $3.75), belly-dancing (W), and cutting-edge modern American rock and punk acts. Featuring live bands every night, the Middle East is a major landmark on any tour of Boston's alternative music scene, with no less than 3 separate stages. Local and regional bands, including Harvard's own, play in the small upstairs area, while larger names grace the more spacious downstairs. Music ranges from ska to hip-hop, but leans in favor of experimental acts testing the limits of what can be called music. Good selection of foreign and domestic beers (bottles $3.50). Cover $8-10 upstairs, $12-25 downstairs. Check the website for a full list of musical acts. The restaurant area features acoustic performances and folk music and never charges a cover. The two eating areas inside the club provide delicious and affordable middle eastern food. For fancier edibles, check out ZuZu which is a part of the Middle East complex but has its own distinct personality. This section contains information from Harvard Student Agencies' Unofficial Guide to Life at Harvard.

The name says it all: a restaurant dedicated to only 4 burgers. This Central Square newbie serves up regular cheeseburgers, veggie burger, turkey burger, or a salmon burger round out the list. This is also a green restaurant and outdoor dining is coming soon! They also offer catering, and a handy online ordering tool: http://fourburgers1.dineblast.com/Default.aspx. They offer free fries during snow too! Brilliant.

Cambridge Common is a fitting name for this casual restaurant/bar. Always busy, the popular pub serves up comfort food in mammoth proportions, sometimes sacrificing quality for quantity. Beyond the predictable fare of burgers, sandwiches, and quesadillas, Cambridge Common offers some surprisingly creative dishes such as “portobella pretending to be a burger,” with marinated red peppers, gorgonzola and spinach ($7). All menu items are reasonably priced ($5-13) and family friendly. Appetizers and desserts are their specialty, and favorites such as chili cheese nachos ($6) and their deluxe ice cream sandwich ($10) should not be overlooked. If you want to make a night of it, head for the bar to indulge in the 24 beers on tap. The self-proclaimed “beer geeks” at Cambridge Common offer a great rotating beer list, including delicious microbrews like Magic Hat and local lagers from the Cambridge Brewing Company (pint $2.50-4). Local musicians and artists perform nightly downstairs in the hip and ambient Lizard Lounge (Open M-W, Su 7pm-midnight, Th-Sa 7pm-1am). This section contains information from Harvard Student Agencies' Unofficial Guide to Life at Harvard.

Fast food where everything is made from fresh ingredients, tastes good, and is actually good for you? We were dubious, too, but B. Good's healthy array of high-quality burgers (both veggie and the real deal), crispy baked fries, and low-fat shakes accomplishes all that and more. Freshmen can munch on low-fat and reduced-calorie versions of fast-food favorites without worrying about that ominous 15. The Southwestern veggie, with fresh avocado and cilantro, is tasty enough to make you forget beef, but those still missing Mickey D's will be satisfied with the home-ground West-side burger on a whole wheat bun. In all its non-artery-clogging glory, B.Good brings a much-needed alternative to Harvard's traditional late-night eats. Burgers around $5, with fries and drink $7-7.50. Subscribe to the monthly newsletter for free burgers, smoothies, or fries. Also at 131 Dartmouth St. (617-424-5252), near the Back Bay T-stop. This section contains information from Harvard Student Agencies' Unofficial Guide to Life at Harvard.

Thanks to its location in the One Kendall Square courtyard, this comfortable restaurant attracts area tecchies for lunch and after-work drinks. The bar area hosts live music (most weekends), and friendly waitresses deliver a steady stream of Guinness. Come summertime, open tables on the breezy outdoor patio can be hard to come by. While not technically a sports bar (it has two average-sized TVs), this is one of the few area hangouts that reliably broadcasts British soccer matches. For a simple date, Kendall Square-style, combine dinner here with a foreign film at the nearby Kendall Square cinema.