Grendel's Den

Three years have passed since some of these reviews were written and... it seems nothing has changed. This was possibly the worst dinner I have ever had. Everything was bad: the dressing was gritty and tasteless, the pita was smashed, limp, and low quality, the vegetables were cooked to smithereens and tasteless, and the tofu was spiced with what I believe was paprika, which clashed with everything else on the plate and left the inside of the tofu completely tasteless. Oh, and the spinach pie was like something defrosted from a school cafeteria. I was actually looking around at other patrons to see if I was the only one having this bizarre experience. The atmosphere is cute and the location is great, but I have never had such notably bad food in a public establishment. more

Don't know where are the hate is coming from below. I went here with my friends a few months ago. I had some good cocktails and really good nachos. Not at all expensive either. And I hear they're getting green certified, which is awesome. Definitely going back again soon. more

It the 21st century and this doorman is Cartman off SouthPark as the Hall Monitor with the ID's, which is cool until he gazes at your girls breasts rubs against them, and wonders why you give him a look... Then he just grabs his Guiness, which apparently is OK to drink when bouncing in Cambridge ....{tool} Downstairs the crap continues as the waitress are to cool-for-school and slow. We didn't finish our food because it tasted old and was cool instead of warm We will def. not come back and would rec u do not go with your friends or classmates.... they will be MAD at you! Pros: Great free poor_whoooo hard drinks Cons: Stalker Doorman / need attention NOW!!!! more

The door man with a dark beard an glasses checks ID and will not let you in if your girl is hot UNLESS she shows him some incentive!!!! I about knocked due OUT. He literally wanted to see my girl's breasts or we were not getting in.... When I asked to see the manager he said he was the manager and that he is tied in with the Cambridge Police...""That's how we roll,"" is what he said. After this debacle we needed to meet some friends down in Grendel's after a LOT of DRAMA. They had finished some wings and dips so we left. The next day for class!!! They were all sick!!!! Come on!! it is 2009, we have standards for food prep, etc, etc.!!!! Pros: Great liqour Cons: The door man drinks and makes sexual advances at my wife?!?! more

The Palateers believe that the expression ?It?s, like,?..? is extremely overused in American vernacular. Two usages of this expression especially irk us. The first is when one says, ?It?s, like, colder than a witch?s teat outside?; a person should actually say, ?It is colder than a witch?s teat outside?. The danger arises in the second usage, when the user of the aforesaid expression indicates a connection which is plagiaristic. For example, ?That painting you completed is like a Vincent Van Gough?; when in actuality, it is an exact replica of ?Starry Night?. The Palateers enjoy using this phrase only in a sarcastic manner. A good example of this is ?Grendel?s Den is like a good restaurant?, when actually it is a horrible restaurant.\r \r We uncovered a scandal at Grendel?s Den, which immediately tarnished our view of the establishment. It all began when we were perusing the beer menu and came upon a drink named ?Grendel?s Ale?. The Palateers are always a fan of a new brew (which sounded like a unique microbrew), and when we overheard a nearby server described it, as ?like a Sam Adams? our interest was particularly piqued. However, when we enquired with our own server about the beer, we were shocked and amazed to discover that Grendel?s Ale wasn?t ?like? Sam Adams?.it was Sam Adams. The deception we felt was as painful as the food was bad, and the rest of the meal was a slippery slope to dissatisfaction.\r \r The portion of salmon they served in the seafood platter was miniscule. The accompanying scallops and shrimp were overcooked to the point of tasting like boiled squid (think fishy flavored rubber bands). The mashed potatoes were lumpy and flavorless. The meat was overcooked and slightly burnt. The beef stew was mediocre. The spinach pie was small and over salted. They even messed up the rice.\r \r Just as in Beowulf, where Grendel is envisioned as a repulsive and disturbing monster, Grendel?s Den is best to be avoided. google ""palateers"" for additional reviews\r more

Wow, I was amazed how bad the food was. Really, really, really bad. Even if you put in the qualifier that it is Pub food...it is really, really bad Pub Food. The location is nice. The outdoor dining is wonderful on a beautiful day. Usually, people are hanging out listening to music in the little park area. The service was ok. To be honest, I felt bad for the waiter. As soon as he brought out the food, he started to hide out. The ""medium rare"" burger came out overcooked. But even funnier, it came out in two parts. The caesar salads came out wilted because they were served on hot plates (right out of the wash). At least they were washed, right? I can not say the same for the celery that came with the buffalo wings. It was covered in dirt. The buffalo wings were ok. Edible...but not great. My wife tried the fondue...it was bland almost bordering on tasteless...which was served with sliced up hamburger rolls. If the food wasn't so bad...this would be a good place. Great location, outdoor dining, etc....but really lousy food! Pros: Good Location, Outside Dining, Good Selection of Beers Cons: Awful Food...even for Pub Food, it's really bad Pub Food more

I used to go to Grendel?s in 2004 and 2005 for a good, cheap happy hour menu with good food. There was one older, pinched looking, very rude waitress, but the value was good so I didn?t mind. I recently went back a few times and it seems the business is slipping. The food is low quality ? the spinach and artichoke dip is dry, like it came from a package and then sat out, and the chips they gave with it were like the small shards that remain at the end of the bag. I had three glasses of the sangria and ended up very? hydrated. It?s basically just a pitcher of ice with a little reddish juice thrown in for good measure. And ? that older rude waitress is still there, even more bitter and hateful than she was in 2004. Although still cheap, Grendel?s is not a good value. I recommend Border Cafe as a similar, but more positive experience. Pros: Outside seating Cons: Crappy food, weak sangria more

I've been to Grendel's several times and each experience has been worst than the last. Just recently, I went to a mostly empty Grendel's with a few friends to celebrate a birthday. As soon as we arrived, the waitress was chilly, to say the least. She was extremely rude in ordering drinks and our night ended with her yelling and cursing at us after one of us made a casual comment about the 20% required gratuity. I understand that she may have been having a rough day, but this was really the latest of several separate instances of sub-par service I have seen at Grendel's. Don't be misled by the seemingly relaxed atmosphere; the servers are incredibly uptight. I would not recommend Grendel's to anyone. Go to Charlie's around the corner and save yourself the grief. Cons: The worst service I have seen anywhere. more

I was visiting Harvard from Los Angeles. A big group of us, all graduate students from all over the country, went to Grendel's. The place is comfy and welcoming, so we all sat down in a corner at the tables. The mojito I ordered from the bar was great. After we sat down, an older woman with grey hair who was our waitress came over and started yelling at everyone that she needed to get through. Now, the bar was NOT crowded, but she continued to tell people she needed to get through. At one point, she shoved my classmate out of the way as he walked down the stairs. She kicked my chair on purpose several times to try to get me out of the way, even though there was plenty of room to walk through. I have never met such an angry, bitter woman, and I refused to order a drink from her. A bar like that should have been a great, fun experience, but her disposition ruined it for everyone. I have no idea how she still works there, because I saw that many other customers were upset. I would never return there because of her poor attitude. Pros: Good mojitos, nice ambience Cons: terrible attitiude of server more

As a visitor to the Boston area, this was a great experience. We went here on the first night of our trip & it was exactly what we were expecting-- dive bar, college crowd, ancient building. This place wasn't college ""crazy"", just a very low key crowd. The food was good & prices were great. Definately recommend visting Grendel's Den. Pros: Ambiance more

Always a crowd in there. Cheap food, cheap beer, can't go wrong if that's what you're looking for. Staff very down to earth, almost too down to earth, (smoking out front, wearing street clothes etc.) They've been around for a while so they're doing something right. Good happy hour spot, 1/2 price food when you spend 10 bucks on drinks or something. Patio is cool spot to people watch and drink. The food is nothing special but not terrible. I'd recommend this place, just know what you are getting. Pros: underground, patio, cheap food and drink Cons: a little dirty, smoking staff, food quality more

For the budget conscience - this is the best place to go for great food at extremely reasonable prices. The atmosphere is a great college hangout kind of place. If you want a more ""proper"" attire - the outside dining is just as good. Portions are not too large (just the right size) and great tasting. Highly recommend. Got it on a recommendation from a TV show and so far she hasn't been wrong yet! Pros: great food for the value Cons: finding it in Cambridge if you are not familar with the area more

Grendel's Den has a great atmosphere for drinks but I do not reccomend the food. Grendel's Den half price menu might lure you in but the food is unfortunately below average. Between me and the individuals I dined with we ordered a burger, salad, turkey sandwich, and artichoke dip, among many other things. No one was satisfied with their meal, however, everyone was pleased with their drinks. Want to go to Grendel's Den? Stick with the drinks and skip the food. Pros: Drinks, Atmosphere Cons: Food, Crowded more

Grendel's is such a great place to get together with friends for a drink after work or to relax at on the weekends. They have awesome happy hour specials (check their website), so as long as you order a few drinks, you get a good deal on food. Try the spinach artichoke and crab dip. It is the best! Their sandwiches are excellent as are most of the appetizers. Sometimes I will just order several apps for a meal. They have quality pasta dishes as well. My main gripe with Grendel's is that they do not serve French fries! What is a hamburger and a beer without fries? Grendel's management people, please, invest in a fryer! I love the place though, so I keep going back. But fries, please, fries! Also, do not get the fondue. It's not that great. Pros: atmosphere, location, inexpensive Cons: no French fries, crowded more

What can I say? I love this place. I really do not want more people to go there because it interferes with my chances of getting a seat, but I also wish them excellent business, so they change nothing and are always in thriving business. To the management. Do not change the menu, the interior, the prices. It all works beautifully. Just ever so slight increase for inflation. One observation. I never recognize recurring staff. Sometimes this makes them a little slow, but the newness makes them extra attentive. Pros: Tremendous atmosphere, Unbelievable value, Pleasant company Cons: Hard to get seat, Staff turnover more

Grendel's is one of the few places i know in the Boston area which is consistently a great place to go. Great cheap drinks, always good music, and fun people that go there make a great atmosphere. They have some sort of happy-hour food deals that are really cheap too. Always a perfect place to hang with friends. Pros: Inexpensive, Good music more

A nice combination of price and quality. Portions are generous without going overboard. Service is friendly and quick. The outside patio is nice on a warm day, except that it is located on a busy walkway. I highly recommend it as a place to take friends for a great lunch or dinner at a great price. Pros: price, quality, service Cons: parking more

Just the perfect stop in Harvard Square - Fondue, Sangria, Hummus! Delicious and VERY inexpensive! Pros: Inexpensive, Delicious, Comfortable more