Atasca - Permanently Closed

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1. J

   Jess

   New England

   4 reviews

   4.0

   4 reviews

   Dined on March 27, 2016

   overall4food5service2ambience3

   Food was of high quality, though a rather limited selection. I came for brunch and was surprised to be handed a menu that clearly said "Dinner Menu" on the top. I guess they serve dinner for every meal? The ambiance had the feel of an insular neighborhood hangout. The waiters and staff hugged and laughed loudly with certain groups of patrons who were clearly frequent diners, while treating my party, who had never been there before, with a certain coldness, like we were outsiders. Kind of strange from the perspective of potentially winning over new loyal frequenters... maybe that's just part of the culture. In any case, good food experience, strange service experience.

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2. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   New England

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on March 26, 2016

   overall5food5service5ambience5

   Our waiter, John, was very friendly and attentive. The food was excellent and very tasty.

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3. c

   crimson

   New England

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on March 15, 2016

   overall5food5service4ambience4

   Excellent service. Knowledge staff, great wines to pair with the wonderful examples of Portuguese cuisine.

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4. C

   Catherinev

   New England

   2 reviews

   vip
   4.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on March 10, 2016

   overall4food4service5ambience5

   Ordered the lunch special on the reccomendation of my friend. Was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the food. Soup and fish with salad. Perfect amount of food for lunch. Great service too.

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5. l

   lahela

   New York Area

   19 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   19 reviews

   Dined on March 5, 2016

   overall5food5service5ambience5

   From the addictive fresh, hot potato chips to the bean salad and roasted (on the bone!) swordfish to the paella and flan it was a delicious dinner. The place was buzzing but the service never lagged or presented complications. All in all a great, fun evening.

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6. E

   Eliza

   New England

   7 reviews

   4.0

   7 reviews

   Dined on March 3, 2016

   overall4food3service4ambience4

   Atasca is tucked away on one of the more quiet corners of Kendall Square, within easy walking distance of the subway. There's plenty of parking nearby too. On a weeknight, it was nice a quiet in there. I had reservations but they weren't necessary. Our waiter was very attentive, almost too attentive, but brought out our wine and food as soon as it was ready. The wine list is very good and reasonably priced, especially for Boston. There is a good variety of Portuguese and South American wines with many options by the glass. The waiter's recommendations were spot on. We had the crab cakes and bean salad as appetizers and both were excellent. For dinner, my friend ordered the Caladeirada de Peixe (seasonal fish with roasted tomatoes and veggies) which was very good. I tried the grilled salted cod and it wasn't my liking. There was way too much oil on the plate, enough to coat everything too generously. That was the only negative of meal, though. Desert was good with a huge portion that was too much for two people. They have a small selection of port and brandy that made for an approachable after-dinner drink. All in all it was a positive experience.

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7. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   New England

   3 reviews

   3.0

   3 reviews

   Dined on February 29, 2016

   overall3food3service2ambience2

   It was ok for lunch but I would not host a dinner here

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8. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   New England

   1 review

   4.0

   1 review

   Dined on February 19, 2016

   overall4food5service4ambience5

   The food was amazing as it always have been. Visit last week for a 3 year anniversary with my lovely lady and we always have a great time. Joe, the owner is a great guy... our main waiter was a little bit in a rush but he settle down towards the end. The second waitress was very helpful when my lady spilled her wine. (+1 for the waitress).

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9. D

   Dave

   New England

   52 reviews

   vip
   5.0

   52 reviews

   Dined on February 17, 2016

   overall5food5service5ambience4

   We had reservations for 6 people. We arrived and our table was immediately available. The waiter was new, but was very attentive and passionate about the meals. We ordered a mixed appetizer and some mussels. They were both very tasty. 3 of us ordered the lobster special, which was outstanding. The other dinners had seafood, and were not disappointed. Every commented that they enjoyed their dinner. The cost with drinks, dessert and espresso was very reasonable. This is a great find that I will return to in the future.

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10. A

    Anthony

    Atlanta

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on February 14, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Went here for Valentine's Day and my GF and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The crab cake appetizer was delicious, and everything seemed very authentic Portuguese. I highly recommend the Capirinha to drink. Great ambience and perfect for a date. Service was excellent

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11. S

    Superluminal

    New England

    17 reviews

    4.0

    17 reviews

    Dined on February 14, 2016

    overall4food5service4ambience4

    What a splendid place with attentive service. The menu is wide ranging and gives tremendous exposure to Portuguese food in Cambridge. Favorited: we will return.

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12. d

    daveback

    New England

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on February 12, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience4

    Pork tenderloin with garlic&mustard sauce was outrageously decadent!

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13. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New England

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on January 21, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Elegant surroundings and sound levels appropriate for dinner conversations. Our party of three met for a business dinner. I picked Atasca over a nearby "vibrant" restaurant recommended by our host. Our waiter helped us manage the menu with excellent choices and wine pairings. Two of us chose to create a meal with selections of starter dishes. My colleague chose to start with SARDINHAS GRELHADAS. He received a generous portion of large fish. They were characteristically flaky with a mild sardine flavor. Excellent preparation. I chose LULAS Á ALHO. I was delighted by both preparation and flavor. Our companion chose PASTÉIS DE CARANGUEIJO and enthusiastically reported the crab cakes exceeded his expectation. He followed with PERNA DE CARNEIRO receiving a generous portion of lamb chops, perfectly prepared and balanced by side dishes. We both chose CAMARÁO COM QUEIJO DE CABRA, an outstanding dish balancing the flavors of shrimp and goat cheese baked in a casserole of tomatoes, herbs and jalopeno peppers. We enjoyed our visit and were especially pleased with the wonderful attention and advise of our waiter/host.

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14. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New England

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 19, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Atasca is a cozy and comfy little piece of Portuguese beauty located right in MA's Cambridge or "Little Portugal" as I like to call it. I decided to take my girlfriend there for our 3 year anniversary. Patrons will find the atmosphere quiet, warm, and welcoming upon entry. The staff is very friendly and enthusiastic about their food and spirits. Very appropriate for a classy and quiet dinner. As someone that is half-Portuguese and is familiar with the cuisine I think of seafood, red meat cooked with wine, good hot vegetables, and good wine. I was able to experience the first 3 only because I had Sagres, a Portuguese beer for my drink which was delicious. Our server was a quick and always on the move and did a fantastic job serving my girlfriend and I. For starters we had the SALADA DE POLVO (octopus salad) and the LULAS FRITAS COM PIMENTOS (fried squid with hot peppers). Both were utterly wonderful. I've had octopus a few times, but this was the best octopus I ever had. The fried squid was pretty simple, but delicious nonetheless. For the main course I had BIFE ATASCA COM OVO A CAVALO which is a steak with a fried egg on top. It came with thin sliced fried potatoes. It was a powerhouse of a dish. Hearty, filling, and utterly delicious. My girlfriend got their seafood special, an entire fish grilled. I had a bite and it was tender and flavorful. For dessert, I got the custard flan that was made with port wine and lemon. I don't remember exactly what my girlfriend got but rest assured it was delicious. The desserts were small sized, enjoyable, flavorful and did not overwhelm us. If you are in Cambridge or want a great taste of quality Portuguese cuisine, Atasca is a must.

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15. JJ

    JJJJ

    New England

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on January 16, 2016

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    My husband and I have been to Atasca several times now, each time we've ordered something different. We will keep coming back - the menu is diverse and everything coming out of the kitchen has been a home-run for the foodies that we are. We've been there for both lunches and dinners.

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16. S

    Schnugelli72

    New England

    25 reviews

    3.0

    25 reviews

    Dined on January 9, 2016

    overall3food4service3ambience4

    It was nice to have grilled sardines! We also took the 2 specials, and they were very tasty. The wine was very good too. Atmosphere is fine, it does have some of the "authentic Portugese", but it also has a lot of the "current Kendall". It has limited kids meal choices. Our waiter seemed a little bit overwhelmed, but the hostess helped and got everything back in track. Unfortunately we couldn't use the outdoor dining, as we're in Winter - but will go back for it!

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17. b

    bgourmand

    New England

    321 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    321 reviews

    Dined on December 13, 2015

    overall4food4service4ambience4

    We were a table of 10, but they managed to serve us without problems - not an easy task! I always go to Atasca after concerts at the Dante Alighieri Society across the street. A nice little restaurant with a cozy atmosphere and good Portuguese food, especially seafood.

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18. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 10, 2015

    overall4food4service4ambience3

    Nice place; short beer list, but interesting cocktails and good food.

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19. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New England

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on December 3, 2015

    overall5food5service4ambience5

    The atmosphere of a comfortable neighborhood restaurant with good food and wine. A very pleasurable meal.

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20. r

    regulareaterouter

    New England

    31 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    31 reviews

    Dined on November 14, 2015

    overall4food4service3ambience4

    Great food and nice servers. Couldn't get a water refill the whole night. Either they kept forgetting or just no one has ever needed more water there before.

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21. KK

    KathyK

    New England

    44 reviews

    4.0

    44 reviews

    Dined on November 14, 2015

    overall4food4service5ambience5

    The Portuguese menu items are quite delicious -- especially enjoyed Cataplana and the Bachalau (dried cod, but prepared to be very moist and richly flavorful). Great appetizers as well, especially the shrimp/goat cheese item. The room has a Mediterranean feel, well appointed and comfortable without pretension. It's the sort of place where you can hear each other talk in conversation, with a gentle hum of diners in the room. Service was very attentive and ready to attend to any need. Wine list was good enough, if not remarkable. Parking may be challenging at times, so plan ahead. Occasional celebrity spotting.

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22. GC

    GuyC

    New York Area

    32 reviews

    3.0

    32 reviews

    Dined on November 13, 2015

    overall3food3service4ambience3

    Food was OK, expected a bit more flavor and spice. Service polite and friendly. Place was very quiet the night we dined there.

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23. ME

    MikeE

    New York Area

    11 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on November 9, 2015

    overall4food4service5ambience4

    Great for a business lunch

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24. B

    Bford

    New York Area

    21 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    21 reviews

    Dined on November 6, 2015

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    Excellent family-run Portuguese, best of Cambridge and very good in Portugal too! Specializes in sea food. Atmospheric, in spite of office-building location. Right near Kendall theaters. Great prices for quality ingredients and preparation.

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25. K

    Kingodisco

    New England

    3 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 4, 2015

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    I had lunch here with my boss. The atmosphere is quite charming, quiet and authentic. Food was great. Will try fish next time.

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26. F

    Fabulous

    New England

    3 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on October 12, 2015

    overall5food5service4ambience5

    We've been to Atasca before and it's never a disappointment. We had a new waiter this time who handled our large party capably and answered all of our questions thoroughly. Portuguese food is not typically vegetarian friendly but Atasca makes a lovely vegan friendly grilled and sauteed vegetable and rice dish that is outstanding meaning that this vegetarian can eat there happily with her Portuguese in-laws whenever they visit. It's also a great place for a relaxed meal. They never hurry you out the door. It's an almost European feeling and it's nice. The decor is lovely, the staff always helpful, and the food is top notch. Our favorite Portuguese place in Cambridge.

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27. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 8, 2015

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    If you've never tried Portuguese food before, you are missing out! You cannot go wrong with ANY of the appetizers, especially the shrimp with the spicy sauce and the octopus. The steak alfacinha is a classic as well as the bacalhau com natas! Love this place!!!

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28. R

    Redkelly

    New England

    29 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    29 reviews

    Dined on October 3, 2015

    overall5food5service5ambience4

    An excellent dining experience in all aspects service food management everybody was more than accommodating

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29. F

    Francine

    New England

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 2, 2015

    overall4food4service4ambience4

    we enjoyed as much the food as we did like the service. we recommend it !

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30. P

    Pinzimonio

    New England

    15 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    15 reviews

    Dined on September 7, 2015

    overall4food5service3ambience1

    what a really terrible decision to renovate the patio. The old patio was by far the best patio in the whole Boston area... I felt like in a piazza in Europe with grapes and a fountain and privacy and everything you need to a relaxing dinner. And now I feel like I am in the middle of a street with cars and lots of noise coming through from the AC units on top of the buildings across. I used to come all the time all summer long for that old patio. Never again unfortunately with the new patio... all the ambiance is gone...

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31. G

    Gowiththeflow

    New England

    3 reviews

    3.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on September 7, 2015

    overall3food3service1ambience3

    Comfortable and friendly, not expensive, nice meal before or after a movie at the Kendall. Service is friendly but no one ever seems to be in the dining room which can certainly be problematic if you would like another glass of wine or spill a glass as happened at our table and no one on the staff noticed as we spent several minutes cleaning it up. (And they were practically empty.) The food is about what you would expect at this price. Solid, almost interesting. This is a go to place for me... I wish their act was a bit more together.

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32. r

    rarachan

    New England

    23 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    23 reviews

    Dined on August 29, 2015

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    My first visit to a Portuguese restaurant and I loved it. My bf greatly enjoyed his seafood and my chicken was delicious. The staff was very friendly and provided excellent service. This place is a must try!

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33. FE

    FoodExtraordinaire

    New England

    40 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    40 reviews

    Dined on August 15, 2015

    overall5food4service4ambience5

    Very good food & drink offerings....very authentic.

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34. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New York Area

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 3, 2015

    overall2food1service2ambience3

    The menu read as if the dishes were going to be great, traditionally prepared Portuguese gems. Not! The bread was shameful. They obviously took short-cuts in the prep of the Paella. The clams in green sauce were a bit rubbery. Server was way too talkative in the beginning..and then kind of forgot about us. All-around Bummer.

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35. JT

    JohnnyTea

    New England

    6 reviews

    2.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on July 25, 2015

    overall2food2service4ambience3

    I've eaten there many times and generally like it. But this last time, Saturday, we ordered seafood stew that was completely mundane and disappointing. Filled with calamari and a red sauce that could have come from a can. Not sure I'll ever go back.

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36. C

    Caviar

    New England

    11 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on July 18, 2015

    overall4food3service4ambience4

    Good service, nice spot, my girlfriends fish was overdone - mine was better but not awesome - just good. Good wine values.

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37. d

    dmiller204

    New England

    48 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    48 reviews

    Dined on July 17, 2015

    overall3food4service3ambience3

    Nicely located in Kendall Sq. We sat outdoors in the very nice patio separated from street by fence and grape vine. We were however advised this is all to be ripped out next week. Do not know what will replace it... Food was very well prepared and tasty and I assume a fair representation of Portuguese dishes. All in our party were satisfied. Service was ok and price per quality seemed reasonable

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38. GF

    GreatFood

    New England

    13 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on July 11, 2015

    overall4food4service4ambience3

    We ate at Atasca with two other couples and it was terrific. It was a first time for everyone in the party and we all left feeling really good about the experience and looking forward to returning. The grilled sardines were terrific. Our friends had the crabcakes (said they were ok - could use more crab) and the grilled veggies were yummy. My husband and I each ordered the CALDEIRADA DE PEIXE - a variety of fresh seasonal fish (salmon along with a white flaky fish) with roasted tomatoes, onions, white wine, herbs and potatoes. It was delicious - not heavy, generous portion and very tasty. Our friends had the BACALHAU DE CEBOLADA - dry salt cod with caramelized onions and peppers, surrounded by Atasca fried potatoes (excellent). The service was terrific. The manager came over a few times to see how we were doing. We will definitely be going back! Also, the prices are very reasonable. Thanks!

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39. KW

    KaranW

    Richmond

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on July 11, 2015

    overall5food5service5ambience5

    We went to Atasca to relive the Portuguese vibe from our five year stay in the Azores Islands. We found the flavors of Atasca reminiscent of days gone by and the atmosphere very cultural s though in a Portuguese friend's home. The staff was warm and gracious, and treated us as though we were in their home. Maria and Olivia attended tour every need and given we were a party of 8, that was quite a feat. Bravo Atasca, for your authenticity, your welcoming staff, and great food~

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40. t

    toko

    New York Area

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on July 6, 2015

    overall4food4service4ambience4

    A true gem in Cambridge compared to other overrated restaurants. The best cod fish in town. I strongly recommend it. I will keep coming ...

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