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Alden and Harlow

4.6
4.6
4177 Reviews
$30 and under
American
Top Tags:
Located at 40 Brattle Street in Harvard Square, Alden & Harlow serves thoughtfully sourced, honest American food in a subterranean, modern and comfortable space. Replicating the style of cooking he does for family and friends in his home kitchen, Chef Michael Scelfo prepares humble, unpretentious food that honors tradition of place in its quality. It's how he connects with anyone who joins them at their table.

While reservations are strongly suggested, we also save a portion of the dining room and bar for walk-ins in the event that your request cannot be accommodated. So please, come on in!

Parties of more than 8, please call to make a reservation.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 166 times today
Experiences are available.

Additional information

  • Dining style

    Casual Dining

  • Cuisines

    American, Gastro Pub, Tapas / Small Plates

  • Hours of operation

    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:30 am–2:30 pm Late Night Thu–Sat 11:00 am–12:30 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–11:00 pm

  • Phone number

    (617) 864-2100

  • Website

    http://www.aldenharlow.com/

  • Payment options

    AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Dress code

    Casual Dress

  • Executive chef

    Michael Scelfo

  • Private party contact

    Jen Fields: (617) 864-2100

  • Location

    40 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

  • Neighborhood

    Harvard Square

  • Cross street

    Mt Auburn Street

  • Parking details

    University Place Garage at 124 Mt. Auburn St offers a discounted rate with validation.

  • Public transit

    Alden and Harlow is accessible via the Harvard Square MBTA Red Line T stop.

  • Additional

    Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

Experiences

  • Late Night Menu at the Alden & Harlow Bar

    Multiple dates available
    Join us at the bar for late night snacks and drinks.

  • Alden & Harlow Five Course Wine Pairing Menu

    $110.00 per person

    Multiple dates available
    We are pleased to introduce a special five-course wine dinner featuring a curated selection of Alden & Harlow favorites served alongside inspired pairings from our team.

Popular dishes

What 4,177 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.1Value

Noise • Moderate

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  1. PD

    PatrickD

    Baltimore

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 1 day ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great food and drinks. Service was quick and friendly. Would love to go back.
  2. KW

    KWSoCal

    Las Vegas

    29 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    29 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    overall4food4service4ambience3
    Food is very good and creative. We did the wine pairing dinner and really enjoyed the wine pairings. Server was personable and knowledgeable. The flaw was the pacing of the meal, which did not allow us to enjoy the experience. Often the next course was on the road able before we had finished the food or wine of the prior course. We did enjoy it and the server did his best, but it wasn’t the experience I would have expected for the price.
  3. M

    Margie

    New England

    20 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    20 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Charming decor and vibe. The only problem is that the tables are very close together and thre is a tendency towards large groups of friends, which makes the noise level quite high. The food is delicious. Best kale salad I ever had! Also best homemade potato chips (with the burger). Very interesting dishes: the smoked chicken raviolo was an amazing combo.
  4. S

    Sistina

    New England

    7 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined 5 days ago

    overall5food5service3ambience4
    The food is great--all kinds of interesting small plates. And the burger is fantastic. Love their orange wine.
  5. RA

    RAB1

    New England

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined 7 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Incredibly creative but accessible dishes. Love that is all meant to be shared
  6. u

    urbdine

    New England

    18 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    18 reviews

    Dined on January 21, 2023

    overall3food4service2ambience2
    Food was interesting and came out hot but no server ware for shareable plates- kind of gross- noise level was loud, service was friendly but mostly absent, large parties took up most of restaurant, blocking our table, prices were high for what the food was and very small portions
  7. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 21, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Alden and Harlow is a great food experience. High-end creative food is offered as shared dishes (but not small plates!) to enjoy as a group or 2. It is fun and not stuffy. The service is excellent. Highly recommend! It is not quiet, so expect an energetic environment. Try new things!
  8. T

    Tedi

    San Francisco

    10 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on January 21, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience4
    Going to ART & celebrating 74th birthday
  9. AV

    AdrianaV

    Tahoe

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 21, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    Original brunch menu. Tasty food. Made with care, good and fresh material. The place is very comfortable, nice vibes
  10. M

    patrickM

    New England

    5 reviews

    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on January 21, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Visiting with old friends
  11. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New England

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 21, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience5
    It was an amazing experience to taste some delicious food from Chef Scelfo. We started with Patata Bravas (the aioli was savory), grilled focaccia bread (must try, the smokey butter makes it unique), burrata was creamy and perfectly paired with the corn bread. Then we tried the carrot bolognese which had delicious flavors and the secret burger (with the fried cheese) gave a very unique taste. We finished off with the bread pudding with vanilla ice cream (ice cream was the best, perfectly sweet and creamy, probably one of the best vanilla ice cream I must have had). Definitely recommend to adding this restaurant to your bucket list. Alden and Harlow thank you so much for hosting us tonight! Cheer🍻
  12. F

    Frank

    Chicago

    44 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    44 reviews

    Dined on January 20, 2023

    overall4food4service3ambience4
    So glad we made a reso last night! Service felt rushed, but everyone for the most part was pleasant. Broccoli dish was divine - interesting sweet dip. Brussel Sprouts were nice and crispy. Had a great oil that was perfect for dipping the butter focasia in. Onion dip w/ chips was the biggest surprise. Bluefin felt luxurious. Orange panna cotta was a nice simple dessert. Probably could've done w/o the apple dessert.
  13. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New England

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 16, 2023

    overall5food4service2ambience2
    It was okay. Service was slow. Hard to get a drink. Good food. Very tight tables
  14. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    15 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    15 reviews

    Dined on January 16, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    It was our wedding anniversary, the food was great and the service was wonderful our server Kristen did a great job.
  15. S

    Suze

    New England

    6 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on January 16, 2023

    overall5food5service3ambience5
    Had a wonderful meal! All of the food is great as always. The brocolli, Brussels and patatas bravas are always a favourite.
  16. SL

    StephanieL

    New England

    9 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on January 15, 2023

    overall3food3service3ambience3
    The restaurant opens at 5pm- we were there at 4:50pm and they had us stand outside in a snowstorm for 15 minutes. I thought it was unprofessional to not open the hallway space as we waited. Then the waitress gave us menus but not the menu for the 5 courses we initially came for, we had to ask. 3 out of 5 people in our table decided to go for the 5-course menu yet only even numbered items started coming out such as 4 tuna strips or 2 burrata so we asked and were told they were portioning it family style. It made absolutely no sense as we are each paying $110. If their logic was right- if a fourth person in our table wanted to do it, we would have gotten zero additional food but we would have paid an extra $110- talk about stupid. The manager made it right by giving us odd numbered portions from then on- honestly you can skip this restaurant- food was fine, drinks were fine, atmosphere was loud- and service was fine. We are certainly not coming back.
  17. CK

    CK111

    Greensboro

    49 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    49 reviews

    Dined on January 15, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Great spot near Harvard Yard with inventive cocktails and a delicious menu of reinvented favorites. Perfect spot for brunch or dinner.
  18. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    New England

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 15, 2023

    overall4food5service3ambience5
    Extremely good food and loved the ambiance and decor. However, we were overcharged for my wine, when I brought this to the waitress’s attention she adjusted by taking of $2 when it was advertised as even less and then proceeded to run the card without asking. disappointed in the service.
  19. NC

    NicoleC

    New England

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on January 15, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Birthday celebration!
  20. BB

    BarbaraB

    New York Area

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 15, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Wonderful food and amazing waitress
  21. KN

    KevN

    New England

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 15, 2023

    overall2food5service2ambience3
    We had a reservation at 7pm but had to wait until 7:40 to be seated. There was no place inside to stand so all the waiters kept telling us to move out of the way. Once we got seated we had to ask for the waiter to come and take our order. The manager only said sorry once. I wouldn't recommend it. I would just go somewhere else.
  22. J

    Jackiehavingfun

    New England

    14 reviews

    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on January 14, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We celebrated our anniversary! What an amazing place, people, food, ambiance.
  23. c

    catoes

    New England

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 14, 2023

    overall2food1service3ambience5
    Unapproachable, difficult menu. Chef trying too hard to be “creative”. Menu choices spare and odd. Food arrived at 3 different times for our party of 5 so we either couldn’t eat together or if we waited, the food would get cold. Portions of salmon possibly 2oz. for $26.00. Nice, friendly ambience. Comfortable, good lighting. Maybe go here for a drink and eat dinner elsewhere.
  24. K

    Karenh

    New England

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 12, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Food and service are always fantastic. Cocktails are amazing.
  25. TG

    TomG

    New England

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on January 12, 2023

    overall5food4service5ambience4
    Always great service. Excellent cocktails, very nice wine selection. Love the small plates. Lots to sample.
  26. BF

    BenF

    New York Area

    7 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on January 12, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The best and most fun restaurant in Boston. Most creative and delicious food- unique ingredients and flavor combinations - all executed flawlessly. You can tell that every server has tasted every item on the menu - so just let them direct you on what to get - you won't be disappointed.
  27. KH

    KateH

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 12, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    This place is a must in Cambridge, incredible sharing plates, fun vibe, beautiful space and exceptional service. It is my top choice for personal and business meals. Book a 7 pm rez so you can get one of the burgers :)
  28. SS

    SeemaS

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 11, 2023

    overall3food3service4ambience4
    Usually very good but perhaps something was off the night we went. Not a fan of the nuggets. Should stick to the vegetable classics.
  29. GB

    GatorBull

    Orlando

    2 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on January 10, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Had several people tell me that this was the spot for dinner before a show and they were not wrong. Perfect portions and opportunity to try multiple things on the menu. Everything was wonderful and we look forward to returning to check out more!
  30. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 8, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience5
    The ONLY issue was that they allowed me to make a 2:30 reservation (to be fair it was on a Sunday) and when we walked in they said their kitchen closes in 15 minutes. We were quickly escorted to our table and quickly got our order together. They did NOT rush the food out though, and the rest of the experience was desirable. I just wish we had avoided that first bit of awkwardness. I had a party of 6 including my folks, and no one likes to be rushed.
  31. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 8, 2023

    overall5food5service4ambience4
    Good food and service, very loud and dark inside . They need better lighting and acoustic absorption.
  32. TG

    TGRB

    New England

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 8, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Food, service, and presentation was excellent. Our server was very knowledgeable and answered our questions.
  33. t

    tkbalt

    New England

    63 reviews

    5.0

    63 reviews

    Dined on January 8, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We hadn't been to Alden and Harlow in a couple of years, and we thought it was better than we remembered it. The chicken fried rabbit is a really interesting take on chicken wings done with rabbit.
  34. AK

    ArleneK

    New England

    4 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on January 8, 2023

    overall4food4service3ambience3
    Went for dinner to celebrate my daughter’s birthday. Dined several times prior but never on a Saturday night. Very disappointing service. Bar drinks were unacceptably slow. No mention of my daughter’s birthday. Had to track down the server for the check. Food was good, as always, but prices are ridiculous for the small portions.
  35. D

    Didi

    New England

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on January 7, 2023

    overall4food5service5ambience4
    People packed too close together. Other restaurants are more mindful of the spread of germs that we are plagued with these days. Might think twice about going back while infections are still relatively high. Otherwise I LOVE the food, service and ambience.
  36. g

    gasman

    New England

    82 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    82 reviews

    Dined on January 7, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Service,ambiance, food all outstanding. This is a lively restaurant with food that has obviously been carefully thought out and nicely presented. Many wonderful vegetarian options, but also great fish, chicken, meat options
  37. I

    Indy

    New England

    12 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on January 7, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience4
    Great place for brunch. Loved the cauliflower caesar, egg sandwich and the eggs benedict. The service was terrific. Unfortunately, they do not serve espresso or lattes, which would have made the brunch even better.
  38. GF

    GreatFoodandAtmosphere

    New York Area

    14 reviews

    5.0

    14 reviews

    Dined on January 7, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Food is amazing as always. Excellent and delicious vegetarian options. Service was really great - very fast and very attentive. A fun night out.
  39. c

    cheryl

    New England

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 6, 2023

    overall1food1service4ambience1
    I've been waiting a long time to try the Special burger. It was chewy, tough, overcooked. Nothing special about it except how bad it was. Even though I knew it was a tapas menu, the salmon was unreasonably small. It was about 2" x 2" and then it came with two huge pieces of bread and a dish of ratatouille. I thought we had mistakenly ordered a bread appetizer. Given that the dish was $26, it was stunningly stingy. The appetizers we ordered were not as bad as the burger and salmon: focaccia, kale, patatas bravas were serviceable. We cannot recommend this restaurant for the food. The only good aspect was the service: our waitperson was attentive.
  40. OT

    OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on January 6, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Alden and Harlow

Safety precautions

  • Cleaning & sanitizing

    • Surfaces sanitized between seatings
    • Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
    • Sealed or wrapped utensils used
    • Common areas deep-cleaned daily
    • Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers

  • Physical distancing

    • Limited number of seated diners
    • Distancing maintained in common areas
    • Extra space between tables

  • Protective equipment

    • Waitstaff wear masks
    • Diners must wear masks unless eating or drinking

  • Screening

    • Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

Alden and Harlow offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (617) 864-2100.

Alden and Harlow is rated 4.6 stars by 4177 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 166 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Alden and Harlow

40 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138

Additional information

  • Cross street

    Mt Auburn Street

  • Neighborhood

    Harvard Square

  • Hours of operation

    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:30 am–2:30 pm Late Night Thu–Sat 11:00 am–12:30 pm Dinner Daily 5:00 pm–11:00 pm

  • Cuisines

    American, Gastro Pub, Tapas / Small Plates

  • Dining style

    Casual Dining

  • Dress code

    Casual Dress

  • Parking details

    University Place Garage at 124 Mt. Auburn St offers a discounted rate with validation.

  • Public transit

    Alden and Harlow is accessible via the Harvard Square MBTA Red Line T stop.

  • Payment options

    AMEX, Discover, MasterCard, Visa

  • Executive chef

    Michael Scelfo

  • Additional

    Beer, Chef's Table, Cocktails, Full Bar, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

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