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The Dial, Cambridge, MA

The Dial

4.1
4.1
386 Reviews
$30 and under
American
Top Tags:
Sophisticated yet laid-back, The Dial is a bustling restaurant and bar serving global cuisine with a distinctly local flair. Step out onto the patio when the temperature rises or organize a gathering in our private dining room.

Make a reservation

2 people
10:30 PM
Booked 6 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Global, International
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:00 am–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (617) 349-2967
  • Website
    http://thedialcentralsq.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Justin Urso
  • Private party facilities
    The Dial’s vibrant event spaces range from a communal patio, private dining room ,to an open-concept lobby designed for, social gatherings, corporate parties, and any occasion in between. Offering eclectic food and beverage programs with seasonal ingredients, our events team will work with you to create a custom menu that will wow your guests.
  • Location
    907 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02139
  • Neighborhood
    Cambridge
  • Cross street
    Mass Ave
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Public transit
    Few minute walk from 'Central' T-stop on the Red Line.
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 386 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.1
4.1 based on recent ratings
  • 4.1Food
  • 4.1Service
  • 4.4Ambience
  • 3.9Value

Noise • Moderate

386 Reviews

  1. Kdiner

    Greater Boston

    4 reviews

    4.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 10, 2023

    overall4food5service4ambience4
    Great dinner for two at The Dial. We were seated in the bar area, which was pretty noisy, but nice. Seating was clean and comfortable. It took a little longer than I would have liked for our waitperson to check in with us on several occasions, but she was very pleasant and recommended a drink. Food arrived promptly; we enjoyed the Brussels sprouts, cauliflower pakoras (tomato tamarind chutney was so good!), and lamb merguez sliders. Will be back.

    Is this helpful?

  2. daniellep

    New York Area

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 14, 2023

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    The appetizers and main meals were great! There were not a ton of vegetarian main meal options, however. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the service was good.

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  3. eatlocal

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 10, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience4
    Highly recommend checking out The Dial. Food is excellent and suggest getting multiple dishes and sharing them all. Highly recommend the Mezze plate and the Bucatini Carbonara.

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  4. TonyT

    Greater Boston

    13 reviews

    5.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on October 6, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The Dial has the best outdoor dining area around. Drinks, food, and vibe are all excellent.

    Is this helpful?

  5. OpenTable Diner

    Greater Boston

    2 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on September 9, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience5
    Great service! The staff was excellent, especially Kiersten, who took great care of us!

    Is this helpful?

  6. BillC

    Greater Boston

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 8, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    This was our first time at The Dial and we all loved it. The service was great, back porch was quiet and airy, food was very good (I love that the portions were not overwhelming). I highly recommend

    Is this helpful?

  7. OpenTable Diner

    Greater Boston

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on September 3, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great vibes, super fun.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Linnaya

    Greater Boston

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 3, 2023

    overall3food3service3ambience3
    The outdoor patio is cute and fun. There was a dj spinning some tunes. It wasn’t exactly a dance party but still had a fun vibe. The food was only average for what we paid. There were complications with the bill.

    Is this helpful?

  9. RM622

    Greater Boston

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on August 28, 2023

    overall3food3service2ambience2
    We had booked a reservation on the patio but when we arrived, there was a party happening on the patio: DJ playing super loud, people dancing, no one seemed to be really dining out there. It would have been great to get a heads-up so we knew it wouldn't be the best spot to catch up with out friends over dinner. We moved inside but the only spots left were high-tops, which weren't super comfortable but we didn't really have a choice. The hostess barely looked up when we came in and seemed annoyed that we asked to move inside. I used to come here a lot and sit at the bar and always had great service and great rapport with our servers but last night everyone just seemed really miserable. Not sure if it was from dealing with the patio outside but the vibe was just really weird.

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  10. Jessica

    Greater Boston

    8 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on August 20, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience4
    Great food and drinks and wonderful patio with live music on Sunday evenings in the summer!

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  11. boop

    Philadelphia

    5 reviews

    3.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on August 20, 2023

    overall3food3service1ambience5
    Not bad, not great. Service was odd - it seemed like no one was sure which server was assigned to our table, and took a long time to put an order in. Food was good, but portions very small for the price. Drinks were excellent.

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  12. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 19, 2023

    overall2food4service1ambience5
    The hostess was not welcoming and that should have been a hint, I told her it was my daughter's birthday and maybe a candle on dessert or something would be nice , I also made it known in the reservation notes at the time of booking, it never happened. Upon leaving I mentioned it to the server , I was disappointed she was still disinterested and mentioned that it must have been the kitchen, never apologized, as I was leaving I mentioned it again to someone who looked like the manager. She listened and went off maybe to investigate still no apology. I was hoping to celebrate with my daughter who I have not seen in years, my bad I choose the wrong place to do that.

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  13. McPie

    Greater Boston

    5 reviews

    1.0

    5 reviews

    Dined on August 12, 2023

    overall1food1service1ambience4
    One of the worst dining experiences every. Every plate was bland or poorly constructed. When we voiced our discomfort with waitress who was barley paying attention to us. She copped an attitude. Then at bill time we politely complained again about food quality and she fell to the ground and starting crying. Also, roof top was kinda boring. Horrible experience, will never return. Save yourself.

    Is this helpful?

  14. Elizabeth

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 11, 2023

    overall3food3service2ambience4
    The appetizers had a great flavor, but could have been crispier. The main was only ok. The dessert was also decent. The service was very slow even though no one was there. The dine out Boston menu was not worth the price.

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  15. RachelS

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 8, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Lovely patio, great service, interesting drinks!!!

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  16. Jodhinna

    Greater Boston

    6 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on July 7, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The Dial with its rotating menu, always keeps it interesting. The food is always fresh and the cocktails are always amazing.

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  17. DrBeth

    Greater Boston

    9 reviews

    3.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on June 27, 2023

    overall3food3service5ambience5
    Disappointing choice in vegetarian food. Website menu has numerous offerings but these were not available when I went for dinner.

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  18. 2mangoesahead

    Greater Boston

    11 reviews

    4.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on June 19, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience4
    I was sorry you didn't have the Ginger Beer anymore, but actually I really liked your lemon mocktail. It's probably better than ginger beer for summer or at least as good as.

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  19. BouduB

    Washington DC

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on June 18, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Sat outside in the patio with two two year olds, four adults for six total for a ten o'clock Sunday brunch. Set up was great, staff were friendly and attentive. Egg sammy was better than one you normally get, coffee was good and everyone else enjoyed their meal. It has a brunch option for everyone.

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  20. Sonic

    Greater Boston

    9 reviews

    4.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on June 16, 2023

    overall4food5service4ambience4
    Excellent food. Nice outdoor patio with retractable roof to protect in sudden rain. Perfect. Never saw that anywhere else

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  21. Heycyn

    New York Area

    15 reviews

    5.0

    15 reviews

    Dined on June 10, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience3
    Stunning food! Wait service was exceptional. Fantastic atmosphere. Go!!!♥️

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  22. MicheleneJ

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 2, 2023

    overall2food2service2ambience5
    The menu selection is very limited, the food was bland, but the ambience was very nice. I had a reservation for 10 people at 9 pm & the website had 1 more beside that time that was an hour later. I received a called from one of the staff 20 minutes before the reservation time asking me to order ahead because the kitchen would be closing at 9:30. I respectfully told her I couldn’t make no order over the phone for 10 people & it was to celebrate my daughter’s graduation. Only 6 of us actually came & When we walked in the greeter had a very tense unwelcoming facial & demeanor & even replied saying “what” with a frown on her face when we asked questions. The waiter approached us 15 minutes later for our order & told us the same thing about the last call for the kitchen. She never showed up to our table asking if we needed anything else or if we were satisfied with our food. We called her over & she replied very rudely to one of my guess that didn’t like the texture of the lamb burger. She replied saying “well, the kitchen’s closed”. I would never go back but I assume other people have received better treatment than what we experienced.

    The DialResponded on June 3, 2023

    Hi Michelene- This review comes as a huge surprise to both myself and the manager who was here on the night that you dined. We certainly would never call and expect a table to pre-order for their reservation and absolutely do not close early when we have reservations that have yet to be sat. We will be following up with our team and also reaching out to connect with you via the email address on your accounts so that I could hear more about your experience and find a way to make this right.

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  23. Jaykay

    Munich

    24 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    24 reviews

    Dined on June 1, 2023

    overall4food5service4ambience4
    Food and drinks are consistently good

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  24. MoniD

    New York Area

    2 reviews

    4.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 27, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience5
    Management - Staff up! My friend and I had a great experience on Friday at the Blue Owl. We were able to sit outside, and due to the great weather, it was busy! I'm not sure if they had quite enough servers and bartenders for the rush. I don't mind waiting a little while, but all of the tables around us were waiting for servers to come over. And since the bar was backed up, 2 middle aged men lashed out at their poor server for another table getting drinks before them. They asked for the manager and then just left instead. We felt bad for the girl serving them. It's unfortunate to have to put your waitstaff in situations like this -- just one more bartender and one more server would really make a difference. The view was great, food was awesome (especially the empanadas) and cocktails were fabulous, too. Just give the staff the tools they need to provide the best experience and you'll be set.

    The DialResponded on June 3, 2023

    Hi Moni! We have definitely been doing our best to get staffed up and support our staff as best we can. On this particular day we were short staffed due to a staff member not feeling well. Out of an abundance of caution and for the safety of both our guests and staff we encourage our staff to stay home if they are feeling under the weather, but finding someone to take their place at the last minute is a challenge. We hope you understand and look forward to you joining us another time. Cheers

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  25. TonyT

    Greater Boston

    13 reviews

    5.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on May 26, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Creative food and drink selection. Great service and vibe. Favorite neighborhood spot.

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  26. Rose1234

    Greater Boston

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 21, 2023

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    The food was SO good. Even better than previous times I’ve been. Service could have been a little more attentive but perhaps a short staffing issue.

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  27. KyrahR

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 14, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Our server was very nice and the food was prompt. Everything was perfect for Mother’s Day.

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  28. SethB

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 13, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience3
    Good mix of brunch foods to enjoy. We'll be back again -

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  29. mk10cambridge

    Greater Boston

    18 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    18 reviews

    Dined on May 9, 2023

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    Eclectic menu. Delicious food. Friendly sweet wait staff but the food came out slowly.

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  30. QuincyDiner

    Greater Boston

    98 reviews

    vip
    3.0

    98 reviews

    Dined on May 6, 2023

    overall3food3service4ambience4
    There was really nothing wrong with this place. The location, in the same building as Toscaninni's in Central Square, is probably the best thing about it. The service was okay, if a little negligent. The menu had a certain international flaire, if lacking any particular focus or theme. The food was competently prepared, if rather heavy on the salt. I can't really think of any reason to go there ever again.

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  31. P4bl0

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 6, 2023

    overall3food2service2ambience5
    The food was hit or miss, we had the pappadelle and the roasted chicken which were too bland for our tongue. The jepak and the burger were top notch.

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  32. user789

    1 review

    1.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 29, 2023

    overall1food2service1ambience1
    was told i had reservations for blue owl but turned out to be the dial ? service was inconsistent and too long

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  33. ShomitS

    Greater Boston

    3 reviews

    3.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on April 28, 2023

    overall3food4service2ambience4
    They were understaffed and had one server for the entire place. They were super nice and the server was fantastic, it just took a while to get our order taken

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  34. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 25, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I was at home and chilling watching phantom gourmet and this restaurant caught my attention and saw something that I wanted to try on the menu and which I did and it was amazing taste and quality of food was over a 10 for everything about that restaurant and the staff is amazing and super friendly and would recommend this for anybody looking for something new and also offers outdoor dinning !!!! Cocktails are superb. Best one to recommend that I tried tonight 04/25/23 was called my blueberry nights really amazing. Went there for my birthday with family great spot for !!!

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  35. Shannon

    Raleigh

    38 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    38 reviews

    Dined on April 23, 2023

    overall5food4service5ambience5
    Great service !!

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  36. Andrea

    Greater Boston

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on April 23, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Really delicious brunch with a beautiful ambiance and great service!

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  37. FaithM

    Greater Boston

    6 reviews

    5.0

    6 reviews

    Dined on April 23, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Service was great. Food was awesome! Try the beef tartare. Drinks were off the chain. Total plug!!!

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  38. Neuroscientist

    Greater Boston

    34 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    34 reviews

    Dined on April 22, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience5
    Went out to dinner with our friends. The menu is moderate in size but with a good variety of choices ranging from vegetarian to fish to different types of meat. My wife and I had "Peruvian Chicken" with salad, french fries and I also ordered snow peas. The chicken was good but not with the full taste of classic peruvian cooking. The french fries were described as their specialty - they were good but average in taste. The snow peas were spicy and good but also mixed with a cream that was a bit fatty for my taste. Our friends has some delicious shrimp and a vegetarian VEGETABLE JAPCHAE with rice noodles that was quite good. The dessert was a semolina cake with a rhubarb sauce, but the sauce was just several dabs on the side; the cake was good but not superb.

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  39. PaulP

    Greater Boston

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 19, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience4
    Fun place, great small plates. Very loud so probably not great for a romantic dinner but perfect for being with friends.

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  40. Denny

    Exclusive

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined on April 15, 2023

    overall2food2service3ambience5
    My group dined on the rooftop patio. The venue is beautiful, very relaxed and informal, with a great view of the surrounding area. The service and the food leave much to be desired, however. Our waiter was attentive at first, but as time went on, we started noticing that we had to ask for water refills, and had to request silverware TWICE when our non-finger-food appetizers arrived without it. Speaking of appetizers, the pot-stickers were surprisingly bland, even with the savory sauce. The wings and truffle fries were tasty, but when we ordered the burger for an entrees (the burger comes with no sides, btw) it was a rather underwhelming experience. If you're looking for a nice view and atmosphere, the Blue Owl has it. If you're looking for a good food/service experience, I do not recommend.

    The DialResponded on April 22, 2023

    Hi Denny, Thanks for your review- we are still hiring and training new staff for the summer, April is historically crummy in Boston, however the unseasonably warm weather caught us unprepared. We hope you understand that this is not the level of service we intend to provide, but were doing the best we could with what we had at the time. Hopefully you visit us another time and get the experience you were hoping for.

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Safety precautions

  • Cleaning & sanitizing

    • Surfaces sanitized between seatings
    • Digital, disposable or sanitized menu provided
    • Common areas deep-cleaned daily

  • Physical distancing

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

  • Screening

    • Sick staff prohibited in the workplace
    • Staff is vaccinated

FAQs

You can order delivery directly from The Dial using the Order Online button. The Dial also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (617) 349-2967.

The Dial is rated 4.1 stars by 386 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
10:30 PM
Booked 6 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for The Dial

907 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02139

Dining areas

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Mass Ave
  • Neighborhood
    Cambridge
  • Hours of operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 10:00 am–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–11:00 pm Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Global, International
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Street Parking
  • Public transit
    Few minute walk from 'Central' T-stop on the Red Line.
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Justin Urso
  • Additional
    Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Website
    http://thedialcentralsq.com/
  • Phone number
    (617) 349-2967
  • Private party facilities
    The Dial’s vibrant event spaces range from a communal patio, private dining room ,to an open-concept lobby designed for, social gatherings, corporate parties, and any occasion in between. Offering eclectic food and beverage programs with seasonal ingredients, our events team will work with you to create a custom menu that will wow your guests.
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