Favorite classic underground old Harvard square pub. Hasn't changed in over 30 years. Old school H
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Emilie DUVALLET
A nice little pub to have a drink with friends and a bite. I am sure I will go back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Kit D.
Came here with my girlfriend for a quick mid-week dinner and left feeling satisfied and impressed! The eatery is small, and has a dark-cottage like feel. We sat ourselves and were served promptly. I ordered the chicken quesadilla, which was very juicy and jam-packed with minced pieces of fajita vegetables. It was delicious and cheesy. Every ingredient was very fresh and of good quality. It came with a side of cheesy refried beans, which were incredible! They were so good I'd honestly order them on their own. Wow! My girlfriend reported that her Bahn Mi sandwich was good, but a little on the hotter side. If you're a spice lover like me, though, that is a perk! Overall, we had a great dinner at Shay's and will definitely be back!
Abigail M.
Shay's is a beautiful Harvard Square gem that is seemingly full of a regular local crowd. I loved the instant feeling of being welcomed, and a sense of comfort radiated through the entire building. My girlfriend and I seated ourselves and were instantly welcomed and served with drinks, and we loved getting our waiter's insight on the menu as we ordered a chicken quesadilla and a banh mi sandwich. The chicken quesadilla came with cheesy rice, beans, and pico de gallo. It was extremely satiating and gave us a great variety! The banh mi was spicy, but super filling, tasty, and colorful. It came with chips and salsa, which was an interesting side choice, but was worth it -- definitely go with chips and salsa at Shay's! I liked the banh mi, but I'd go with something the smallest bit less spicy next time around. We loved the variety, filling options, and the fast service, and will definitely be back. You can't go wrong by picking Shay's!
Yannick
Friendly Pub with good beer and a great atmosphere!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Aaron L.
Great small bar, sat inside during winter. Enjoyed a well poured black &tan and the hot dog(pictured) hot dog wel worth 10$ very loaded, and on a baguette. Bartender and waiter were very helpful nice and checked in with us often. People smoking outside, bathrooms ok, only one sports TV. :)
Robert Joseph Fanning
Really pleasant bartenders. Solid, no-fuss wine offering and decent craft beer offering. Competitively priced for Cambridge. I have not tried the food.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Alvin Ihsani
Student oriented watering hole, but the patio is a good time for
Food: 5
Cai Davis (Max)
One of my favorite bars in Cambridge. They have a pretty good drink selection and the bartenders are very friendly. Not many cheap drink selections but the prices are on par with other local spots. They also have great outdoor seating with heat lamps which is nice for the colder months.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Ashley P.
Solid pub with friendly staff. Attracts older students from nearby which contributes to the chill vibes Shay's already has. A lovely oasis to catch a drink, meet a friend, read a book, or sit outside and enjoy some wine. A Harvard square staple!
This is a good place to hang with friends and people watching.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Nachos with Cheese
Steph H
Def a dive, but still a great place to end up at the end of a night out if you want to sit outside and watch people.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Nicolai Cauchy
One of the longest standing pubs in Harvard Square, Shays is a typical sports bar often packed with students or conference-goers. It does not pretend to be more than that, and it fills its role very well. There's a great outdoor seating area, the staff is friendly, and the burgers are on the better side of burgers, all for normal prices (surprising in this part of town).
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Katie Hamilton
Cute local pub, perfect for a drink after touring Harvard.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Scott Kincannon
Sean (or Shaun?) was a killer bartender! He helped our group of 7 +1 baby without any hesitation. Super patient and accomodating to us dining, while also handling a full bar. Hats off!
Favorite classic underground old Harvard square pub. Hasn't changed in over 30 years. Old school H
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
A nice little pub to have a drink with friends and a bite. I am sure I will go back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Came here with my girlfriend for a quick mid-week dinner and left feeling satisfied and impressed! The eatery is small, and has a dark-cottage like feel. We sat ourselves and were served promptly. I ordered the chicken quesadilla, which was very juicy and jam-packed with minced pieces of fajita vegetables. It was delicious and cheesy. Every ingredient was very fresh and of good quality. It came with a side of cheesy refried beans, which were incredible! They were so good I'd honestly order them on their own. Wow! My girlfriend reported that her Bahn Mi sandwich was good, but a little on the hotter side. If you're a spice lover like me, though, that is a perk! Overall, we had a great dinner at Shay's and will definitely be back!
Shay's is a beautiful Harvard Square gem that is seemingly full of a regular local crowd. I loved the instant feeling of being welcomed, and a sense of comfort radiated through the entire building. My girlfriend and I seated ourselves and were instantly welcomed and served with drinks, and we loved getting our waiter's insight on the menu as we ordered a chicken quesadilla and a banh mi sandwich. The chicken quesadilla came with cheesy rice, beans, and pico de gallo. It was extremely satiating and gave us a great variety! The banh mi was spicy, but super filling, tasty, and colorful. It came with chips and salsa, which was an interesting side choice, but was worth it -- definitely go with chips and salsa at Shay's! I liked the banh mi, but I'd go with something the smallest bit less spicy next time around. We loved the variety, filling options, and the fast service, and will definitely be back. You can't go wrong by picking Shay's!
Friendly Pub with good beer and a great atmosphere!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great small bar, sat inside during winter. Enjoyed a well poured black &tan and the hot dog(pictured) hot dog wel worth 10$ very loaded, and on a baguette. Bartender and waiter were very helpful nice and checked in with us often. People smoking outside, bathrooms ok, only one sports TV. :)
Really pleasant bartenders. Solid, no-fuss wine offering and decent craft beer offering. Competitively priced for Cambridge. I have not tried the food.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Student oriented watering hole, but the patio is a good time for
Food: 5
One of my favorite bars in Cambridge. They have a pretty good drink selection and the bartenders are very friendly. Not many cheap drink selections but the prices are on par with other local spots. They also have great outdoor seating with heat lamps which is nice for the colder months.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Solid pub with friendly staff. Attracts older students from nearby which contributes to the chill vibes Shay's already has. A lovely oasis to catch a drink, meet a friend, read a book, or sit outside and enjoy some wine. A Harvard square staple!
Restaurantji Recommends
This is a good place to hang with friends and people watching.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Nachos with Cheese
Def a dive, but still a great place to end up at the end of a night out if you want to sit outside and watch people.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
One of the longest standing pubs in Harvard Square, Shays is a typical sports bar often packed with students or conference-goers. It does not pretend to be more than that, and it fills its role very well. There's a great outdoor seating area, the staff is friendly, and the burgers are on the better side of burgers, all for normal prices (surprising in this part of town).
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Cute local pub, perfect for a drink after touring Harvard.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Sean (or Shaun?) was a killer bartender! He helped our group of 7 +1 baby without any hesitation. Super patient and accomodating to us dining, while also handling a full bar. Hats off!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5