CambridgeSide

Shopping mall · Cambridge

CambridgeSide

Shopping mall · Cambridge

2

100 Cambridgeside Pl, Cambridge, MA 02141

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Highlights

Brand-name stores, modern food court with a bar, waterfront access  

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100 Cambridgeside Pl, Cambridge, MA 02141 Get directions

cambridgeside.com
@CambridgeSide

$$

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100 Cambridgeside Pl, Cambridge, MA 02141 Get directions

+1 617 621 8668
cambridgeside.com
@CambridgeSide
𝕏
@CSRaceSeries

$$

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Aug 18, 2025

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@eater

The Biggest Boston Restaurant and Bar Openings, October 2024 - Eater Boston

"The CambridgeSide mall in East Cambridge has unveiled a swanky new food court in the mall, CanalSide, with over a dozen food vendors including fast-casual favorites Sapporo Ramen, Anoush’ella, and Chilacates. There’s also a cool new bar in the middle of the space, C-Side Bar, and it’s run by the award-winning folks behind Boston hot spots Birds of Paradise and Blossom Bar." - Erika Adams

https://boston.eater.com/2024/11/6/24288058/boston-restaurant-openings-october-2024
View Postcard for CambridgeSide
@eater

Boston’s Hottest New Cocktail Spot Just Opened in a Mall Food Court - Eater Boston

"C-Side Bar is a new bar located at CanalSide, the renovated food court inside the CambridgeSide mall in East Cambridge. It is launched by Ran Duan, Jon Rosse, and Brahm Callahan, who have extensive experience in the bar and hospitality industry. The bar serves all the alcoholic drinks in the space and features a cocktail menu inspired by ‘90s mall nostalgia, with playful drinks like the Miami Vice and Fruit Salad Negroni. Callahan also curated a wine menu ranging from affordable glasses to expensive bottles. C-Side Bar targets biotech workers and residents in nearby luxury developments, offering a sophisticated drinking experience in a mall setting." - Erika Adams

https://boston.eater.com/2024/10/28/24281782/c-side-bar-opening-cambridge-side-mall
View Postcard for CambridgeSide

Samina Quraishi

Google
Covenient. Located near Lechmere T station.Close to a free Eezee ride bus stop. Good food court a number of good brands. Not very crowded on week days. Weekends are busy

Rohit Shah

Google
Nice food hall few good food choices. Food portions were good. Pesto pasta & ramen noodles were delicious. Lots of places to sit and enjoy. Walking distance from MBTA train station.

YUDELKA

Google
Barely any stores left. Food hall won't reopen for a while. A lot teens everywhere on bikes. TJ maxx and Cheesecake factory are good.

quincy davis

Google
Had some time to kill before dinner with my family, and we decided to go shopping. Ended up buying a pair of shoes and to my surprise there was no sales tax! Then, we stopped by the food court for a snack and saw a boat pull up doing scenic tours and serving adult beverages!

Khun Sirisuda

Google
We visited Science Museum Boston in the morning but no car park so we came here instead. It’s clean, close and cheap. Recommended!!

Sarah Ikerd

Google
Fun place to shop in Cambridge/Kendall! There are also some popular restaurants there. Night heron sighting seen here in the photos. 😆 The Galeria area connects with the Charles via canals so there are some boat tours that leave from here too. It’s generally a great walking area that connects with the Esplanade.

Peter J

Google
There's not much to do around here. This mall doesn't have sufficient food courts such as takeouts for lunch or dinner. Only one restroom is available and the upper floors are not open to the public. Fortunately I was from outta town and won't come back

Fatcatter

Google
Decent mall with a great Cheesecake Factory location and a nice park along the Lechmere Canal outside.
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Michael C.

Yelp
Best mall in Boston. I'm born and raised in Boston and you can think of this mall being in Boston. It's a stone throws away from The Museum of Science as well as the Lechmere stop on the end of the green line (lechmere used to be a store formally known to this area) The grounds to the mall are fabulous, with lush grass to take an afternoon nap and admire the humongous water fountain. This is your basic Simon mall of Boston that's more practical than the Copley mall (who pays $5,000 for underwear or 10,000 for a watch!?)

Rob M.

Yelp
The food options are interesting and the decor is modern. However, they are playing Christmas music non-stop on Halloween. Too early. Please fix.
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Mr. J.

Yelp
This mall was at its peak from about 1991 until 2006. Since 2006, it had been declining gradualy. The awful layer of white paint applied in 2017 was one of the largest modifications and mistakes. Next, Macy's and Best Buy were eliminated. Despite having a superior appearance than comparable malls like Square One, the mall inside appears depressing. Many unknown shops. TJ Max was also moved to a different area of the shopping center. The third floor is also gone LOL. Oh and the bathroom still has that funky smell it did 34 years ago.
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John W.

Yelp
It might be the curse of the American mall but you can definitely tell it has fallen from the wayside. The crowds, on a WEEKEND, was sparse at best. It is a bit of a shame because this mall is cheaper than the next one over which would be the Prudential. A number of big stores are gone and they are making room for residential and Smartlabs. The employees barely care and every store I went into was too short staffed. It has definitely fell from the wayside from when I used to come here. The hustle and bustle is gone and there is an over arching air of impending doom. Perhaps with the new innovation lab coming in, it will reinvigorate things? Lets hope so!

Annette M.

Yelp
This is very sad. There was a time when this mall had a lot going on--three floors of great shops and lots of foot traffic. A decent food court and always a couple of good restaurants. Some horrible entity came along a few years ago and has basically destroyed our entire neighborhood---including the mall. Go in there now--it reminds me of years back when I drove through the south---depressed towns and strip malls empty of any commerce at all. That's what this mall is now--a total joke--and they keep putting up signs saying--"GREAT THINGS COMING!!" Who are they kidding?

Allen B.

Yelp
I can't say it better than Annette who posted: "That's what this mall is now--a total joke--and they keep putting up signs saying--"GREAT THINGS COMING!!" Who are they kidding?" But still I'll try: This mall was a big part of my life from its inception in the late 80s until it started its death spiral a few years ago. No more large anchor stores (Lechmere Sales, Best Buy, Sears, Macy's), less than half the total stores there used to be, no bookstore for years now, no more food court; one wonders how long it will be until The Cheesecake Facory is also gone. Along with "Great Things Coming" they're posting "We're Shaking Things Up!" These claims are enough to make a cat laugh. I suppose its a good example of a famous economist's definition of capitalism: "A process of creative destruction". Cambridgeside is a good example of the destruction part.
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M M.

Yelp
Lost cause. Not worthy of being called a mall. Most definitely not a Boston mall. So sad compared to what it use to be. Square One Mall is way better. I won't waste my time at Cambridge mall ever again..
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Bruce K.

Yelp
Definitely a higher-end shopping experience at Cambridgeside. Bright, well-lit, lots of glass and the open area between the catwalks makes for a really nice space. The mall is on three levels and so you can easily make your way in a spiral from bottom to top. There are elevators and escalators. Big food court. Good security presence. In my two hours here, I saw two different security officers walking around.
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Jeremy S.

Yelp
The Cambridgeside galleria is a bit outdated and in desperate need of renovation. This place has a ton of stores and a neat little food court but the lacks high end stores and parking is a bit of a pain in the neck. That being said, once you walk outside, the fountains and rice access is absolutely amazing for a leisure stroll and/or to grab a quick meal. Overall, the mall itself is meh, but the surrounding area makes it worth a visit. Legit- Great location Fountains Surrounding area Best Buy Meh- Outdated In need of some TLC Parking stinks

Aditya P.

Yelp
We were at the food court of this mall with our 5 yr old and 2 yr old and had just finished having food. Our children were hanging out watching the big posters within like 10 feet from us. A security person approached and warned us that they are supposed to be seated all the time. We were shocked because there were other kids walking and running around too. And I've never seen a food court where the liberty of kids is so restricted. And there weren't any signs to forewarn us either. We felt discriminated and left the place immediately.
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Lena F.

Yelp
Terrible should close nothing in this mall! All the best big stores have closed. This isn't a mall. Also the food is always the same once only four. Shut down
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Maurice C.

Yelp
Sort of your average, functional, somewhat upscale mall. It's clean and it works. I've been coming here since the early 90s and have noticed all of the changes and how it's been updated. Pretty much all of the original/big anchors and featured attractions have left. When I first started coming to the mall, the Sports Museum of New England was a pretty big attraction. Now it's in the TD Garden. Lechmere was the first to go back in 1997. Filene's in 2006. Sears in 2018 and Macy's in 2020. Best Buy came in 1998 and is the last real anchor. TJ Maxx replaced Borders in 2012 and is a big space next to Best Buy and technically counts as an anchor, although it's only one floor sort of tucked away in the corner. There's a huge Cheesecake Factory which is the "anchor" of the restaurant options. A smaller, but still sizeable World of Beer is across from it. As far as the smaller food and drink options goes, Gong Cha, the Taiwanese bubble tea chain, is the best of the bunch. There's a food court with some chains such as Chipotle, Burger King, Taco Bell, Dunkin' Donuts and Panda Express as well as other food options including different Asian food options, cheesesteaks and Mediterranean. There was a Starbucks outside of the food court close to the Cheesecake Factory but it appears to no longer be open. As far as electronics goes, you've got the Apple Store, the aforementioned Best Buy, GameStop, T-Mobile and AT&T. For clothing, you've got Guess, H&M, Old Navy, American Eagle, Superdry, Vans and Laced. For shoes, you've got Foot Locker, Skechers, Aldo and Olympia Sports. As far as transportation goes, it's easiest to access from the Green Line of the MBTA and the Route 69 bus. Currently, you have to take the Green Line to North Station and then a free shuttle bus takes you from there to Lechmere Station and then there's a short walk where you can just follow everyone else if you don't know where the mall is. The 69 bus route goes between Harvard Square and Lechmere Station. There used to be a free shuttle bus that went from the Kendall Square Red Line station directly to the mall, but it is no longer in operation. The mall has a smaller size and scope since the entire 3rd floor is no longer accessible. There were some plans that were approved for office space and residential units that were approved before COVID-19, but they seem to have indefinitely been put on hold and perhaps may not come to fruition, at least not for quite some time.
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R A.

Yelp
The mall is under construction and the majority of shops are closed. Then when you leave you'll have to pay $3 in parking for the time it took you to walk inside, see most of the place is closed, and then walk out. Was a good mall before, and I'm sure it will be good again when they're done, but wouldn't bother right now, especially if they're not going to give free parking.
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Aasawari N.

Yelp
This is actually a pretty nice mall. 3 stories, nicely decorated for the holidays! A Santa... who doesn't love a mall with a Santa? They've arranged a shuttle from the MIT coop building to help bring up commuters from MIT/Kendall - this is pretty neat! I think the $ parking is a pain point for people but there's that shuttle to help with the commute if you need to. There's a pretty good variety of stores for shoe shopping, electronics, household goods and clothing and much more. Really can't complain. It's a nice mall. Edit: ALSO I didn't even talk about the food court, I totally forgot! Imo the food court was pretty varied, and they have this place which I believe is called Chiang Mai Thai, that has the best tofu (spicy!) that I have ever had at a food court joint. YUM.
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Pamela M.

Yelp
The food here is unimpressive. Stopped by here for a lunch meeting at the recommendation of the local person that I was having lunch with. We shared the empanadas as an appetizer. The crust was nice and flaky and, sadly, that will be about the only compliment that I have. The filling was fine, nothing to write home (or write) about. One of my favorite things are the ever unpopular beet. I appreciate you! So, of course I ordered the beet salad. I've had much better beer salads back home in the Midwest. There just wasn't enough flavor to it. What was at least a little unique was the "paste" at the bottom of the arugula salad, think hummus or white bean. Other than that nothing that would give me reason to promote or order again - this coming from a beet lover. Also ordered a bowl of the New England clam chowder. Let me tell you I've had much better NECC in Mil-friggin-Waukee. And something that they made me do that I almost never, ever do (because I have the great privilege to dine at such fantastic restaurants) is to reach for the salt & pepper on the table in an attempt to add some sort of flavor to this soup. First off, one shouldn't even need salt and pepper on the table, let alone to have to reach for it. The potatoes seemed a bit under, although less egregious than the flavor. The potions sizes were strange, as my colleague across the table ordered a cup versus my bowl and yet they came out in a similar sized dish. There's always room for improvement (for all of us) whether or or they decide to improve is another question.
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Sammy M.

Yelp
Kind of disappointed because they closed off there third level. The best stores were up there and am quite disappointed with the mall.
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Sepideh K.

Yelp
Nice shopping mall with beautiful waterfront scenery.. the only problem is the rate of parking which is high. I wish it was free for the customers who make purchase from shops inside the mall.
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Graham P.

Yelp
This place gets points for being the only solid indoor shopping mall aside from the prudential center in city. Your basic set of mid level stores, fairly useful. Downside if you drive is they charge per hour for parking. Upside for public transit is its easy to access from green line and orange line
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AL K.

Yelp
Nice location for this mall. Hotel Sonesta and Marlowe shares their parking area.Has a food court with nice choices.Has access to the Charles river tour and is close to the Lechmere green line T station. Good selection of merchants.Anchor restaurants include PF CHangs,Cheesecake Factory and CPK.Complimentary shuttle to Kendall square runs every 20 mins.
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Allie S.

Yelp
Decent mall close enough not to have to head into Boston or the suburbs if looking to do some quick shopping. I do agree the mall feels outdated and it reminded me of malls during my teenage years. You find the usual clothes chains and restaurant chains in the food court. I wish there were more higher end shop but that's just a personal preference. This mall is inconvenient if you don't bring a car as parking is expensive both in the garage or if you opt to park on the street.

Matthew B.

Yelp
I ordered a burrito and they over salted all of the food. I was looking for a healthier option, guess I was wrong. They seemed unhappy so it makes sense the food was salty, I had to throw half the burrito out. Chipotle is hit or miss now, too bad.
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Holly B.

Yelp
I haven't been here in years, I think probably over 5 years and it has improved. They typical mall stores are still there: Gap, Old Navy, AE, Macy's and Sears but they also have just added a Forever 21. It's not huge but a decent size and nice staff. They have a decent food court and also good chain restaurants like PF Changs, Cheesecake Factory, California Pizza Kitchen. I now life in the area so this will def become "my mall" of choice. PS - the best part is that it wasn't crowded. I don't think people know about the new stores yet!
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Anthony C.

Yelp
Extremely underwhelming. The stores in this mall are so small. They're like micro-versions of stores you'll see in NYC. Also, the customer service in most of the stores is dreadful. I was not greeted in any store I entered. The only time anyone spoke to me is when I purchased something... Welcome to Boston, I guess...
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Quoc L.

Yelp
I wasn't here for very long & there wasn't anything spectacular enough to merit a review EXCEPT... the food court was romantic. WHAAAAT? There's an outdoor section that actually surrounds a huge body of water. I thought it was the most ironic thing I've ever come across in a mall, it was worth a mention. Also, I can't stop laughing at the idea of dining under the moonlight by the water... eating Taco Bell. Maybe Sarku Japan, if you're feeling Asian.
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Christopher T.

Yelp
Very urban, made a mistake coming here. Did not feel safe, fights in food court, no healthy options for lunch. Service at the stores I visited was horrible. I'll stay at the Copley Place.
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Julia F.

Yelp
When snowmageddon hits? Where do you turn? The mall!!!?? Maybe, only if you can't find any parking on the streets. If you are a Cambridge resident (and have the parking sticker to prove it) you can park here during a snow emergency/parking ban. For FREEE-ZEEE! That's right. Gratis, no money changing hands. It's pissah. I've taken advantage of it numerous times! Just remember to get your car within 2 hours of the parking ban being lifted, otherwise you will def. pay for your tardiness. The mall as a whole is a strange mix of ever-changing little storefronts, and big box stores that have swallowed up much of the business, with the shiny, flashy less expensive things they sell. This place is usually not all that busy, sometimes (only REALLY when you get near the holidays, or when it's a tax-free weekend) it's a shit show, but it's usually bearable.
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Victoria H.

Yelp
Cheaper option than the Pru or Newbury Street without much the charm. It's a regular strip mall that's quite a walk from the Kendall stop on the red line. It wasn't until we finished shopping that we realized there's a free shuttle directly to and from the mall. Nothing to write home about on this mall. It's got cheaper options like TJMaxx, Old Navy, H&M.... But it's a plain old strip mall. The building is old and cramped, a bit less majestic than the posted pics showed. Worse part? You walk all the way from the red line and barely any seats inside the mall to rest your feet. Sigh.
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Jenna C.

Yelp
While in Bestbuy they towed my car. Don't bother this place has no heart. I returned the computer I bought just on principal. Shame on you CSG. Would have been nice to page me while I was shopping. I was the only one here, shopping in a blizzard. Shame on you.
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Lisa G.

Yelp
No salesperson is ever available when you need them. This has happened more than once and it's quite annoying. Taking my business elsewhere.
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Meghan M.

Yelp
Decent mall but definitely one more typical of the 'burbs instead of the city. I go here for a few reasons... #1 - Sephora #2 - Cheap parking and accessability. You'll pay 5 times as much going to the Pru. #3 - It's never overly crowded. I wasn't impressed but I wasn't disappointed. Then again, I really am not a mall connoisseur.
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Kaitlin M.

Yelp
Appreciate the garage here, but a mall is a mall is a mall. It's like going back in time to the 90s when you step in. Restaurants are all chains, typical shops, apple store and a sephora which were why I was dropping by. A little confusing to find your way around, but they have maps posted all around, so not too bad. Parking prices aren't bad, and you can get validated at the big restaurants.
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John S.

Yelp
I'm a sucker for a good mall, and this is a good mall. You can find street parking if you look. The food court is good. The department stores are big. What else do you need from a mall, really?
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Ellie W.

Yelp
I recall one poignant conversation a few friends and I had about Cambridgeside one time. Friend 1: "What's a 'ghetto mall'?" Friend 2: "Cambridgeside." Ok, it's not THAT bad, but it doesn't quite qualify as a fantastic shopping experience either. An iffy store selection and an apparent safehaven for all the teenyboppers in the metro Boston area.
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Meredith A.

Yelp
At first I thought I would be safe from the scourge of after work shopping when I started working next to this mall! I thought it was mainly for teens. But there are a lot of good stores here! Pandora, Express, Banana Republic, to name a few. Plus there is a CVS and a Starbucks, so lots of handy places. My new after work fun stop in my way home! Sorry , bank account!
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Donald P.

Yelp
Nice little mall in East Cambridge. Not exactly walking distance from the Residence Inn we were staying at, but we walked anyway (30 mins). After walking there, then walking through the mall, and walking more to other stores, we decided we didn't want to walk back. Cambridgeside Galleria has lots of big retailers you'd expect in a mall including a food court. What I especially enjoyed was the pre-Halloween event they did. The mall was packed with kids in Halloween costumes going store-to-store instead of door-to-door for their trick-or-treating! It was really kind of cool! I don't think that the malls in Northern Virginia do that.
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Em B.

Yelp
I love this mall. It's my go-to everytime I need anything, for a trip, for a date, a fun afternoon, or even if I have to run in at closing and grab a couple necessities. The food court is huge and has a ton of space with tables and seats. They have every option of every type of food you'd want. my favorites are Au Bon Pain, Taco Bell, and Chicken Now. They have sushi too. There's also The Cheesecake Factory. There are a ton of kiosks with cell phone providers (Sprint, T-Mobile, and Verizon. AT&T has a store). The best stores here are Best Buy, TJ Maxx, Love Culture, Macy's, Express, H&M, Victoria's Secret, Francescas, Sephora, Apple Store, Arden B, Charlotte Russe, and Wet Seal. Love Culture, VS, Arden B, Sephora, and Macy's are the best. Extremely accesible by T. If only they were open just one hour later than their normal closing time, it would be 5 stars.
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Joshua S.

Yelp
Awesome mall had a great time here:) love all the stores they have great to have a shopping experience :) love how the hotel was inside this mall and easily accessible
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Alex T.

Yelp
Me and my girlfriend don't go to the CambridgeSide Galleria very often, but when John our manager wanted to leave the office for a break to pick up some presents for his children, this mall was a good place. We knew he would find everything he needed and we will pick up some new shoes from Aldo and grab some food after that. The trip was a success, even I found for my son a new winter jacket from T.J.Maxx.I'm happy we came here today!

Joannah S.

Yelp
I went there 2 years ago and will never go back. It's a ghetto crowded mall filled with ignorant trashy people. It's like a Walmart on steroids! I didn't end up buying anything because the stores are crappy and didn't feel safe carrying bags out to the car. Do yourself a favor and skip this junk place!
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Young P.

Yelp
This mall has pretty much everything that you need when shopping. The mall itself is kept very clean, food court has some of the heavy fast food players like Taco Bell, Burger King, and Chipotle, and you can find street parking around the area. Definitely a good place to visit if you are around the area!
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Dan R.

Yelp
For a small space, this mall does a great job of squeezing in a ton of shops. The mall itself is well maintained and they have a lot of great stores you would find in bigger malls. The bathrooms here were clean and the food court had a great selection of dining options. The only minor critique of this store is that the parking can be difficult. It is a bit expensive, but if you come after 6am you can sometimes find free street parking. In the end we enjoyed shopping here and will come back in the future!
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Stephanie H.

Yelp
I've shopped at this mall over the last couple of months sporadically, however my experience today has promoted this nasty review. In some ways, I don't mind this mall, but my experience at Forever 21 did me in. Honestly there are some decent stores in this mall. JCrew is really nice and so is Club Monaco and the ladies at Sephora are usually helpful. I had a good experience at Teavana with a couple of young employees who GENUINELY worked hard and gave me some insightful tips on brewing tea. Even a man at the Best Buy was quite helpful and delivered service you'd expect. In some stores however, you will encounter a lack of professionalism. The first time I came here, I was shopping for sheets in the Macy's Home store and was disappointed to find half open duvet bags strewn all over the floor and the demo beds looking as if someone had recently sprung up from a nap. Does anyone care that this area looks like crap?? But today was my breaking point. I walked into the Forever 21 and bought just 2 small items. I waited in line at the register. Behind the register were 2 employees. Employee 1, a female slowly ringing up the clothes and, employee 2, a young man, the "head cashier" standing behind the counter. He was playing with lip glosses, attempting to strike up conversation with female 1 and generally after watching him for 15 minutes, it was clear he wasn't accomplishing very much at all. He had a smirk on his face though and was acting completely unprofessional. Employee 1, the female, I kid you not took 15 MINUTES to ring up a single customer who I swear had no more than 7 items. The line really wasn't long at all, she just took FOREVER. All the while, the line got LONGER because of this yet neither employee 1 or stagnant airhead employee 2 opted to open a second register, much less address the line and apologize for the slow service. Unsure I even wanted to wait this long for 2 items, the lady behind me finally fed up with how long this was taking, politely asks the young "head cashier" if he can open a second register. She's not happy either that she's already waited 20 minutes in line for 1 single TSHIRT. Employee 2's reaction was appalling and represents the worst kind of customer service in this country - apathy and arrogance. He doesn't say sorry or anything remotely respectful to this woman. He smirks arrogantly and drags himself over to one of the empty registers and looks at it. He smirks some more, mumbles something and vaguely says "well I don't know if I can open it." We're all staring at him, the "head cashier" according to his name tag wondering WHY NOT. Unfortunately, this was a massive inconvenience to him, seeming as he was obviously busy doing nothing at all. Begrudgingly he opens up the second register to ring the lady up behind me as I move on to female employee 1 to ring me up. Meanwhile, the girl ringing me up has the disposition of someone barely functioning cracked out on meth. It's clear that neither one of these two young employees working here today have a single clue how to 1) act professional 2) give a shit about other people's time. I don't know how these 2 have jobs in this country, though they certainly don't take much pride in them. But I can tell you this, I'm never shopping at this Forever 21 again.
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Kimberly A.

Yelp
This is a very cool mall. The wings to the mall are pretty small but it also has a third floor so that really does make up for that. They have Sears, Macy's and TJ Maxx for department stores and then they have most of the smaller chain stores that you will find in just about every mall such as Sephora, Victoria's Secret, Express, Banana Republic and such. I also like that this mall has a CVS because most of the malls that I go to these days don't have that store and I like to have a CVS in a mall. They have a great food court with plenty of seating and many options such as Chicken Now and Panda Express. The parking isn't the greatest but if you take the Red Line to Kendall Square/MIT you can hop on a free shuttle van that the mall has to get people to the mall and it will bring you right to the front door of the mall. Just make sure on your return trip you get back to the pickup spot before 8 PM because that's when they stop running the shuttle service. In the back of the mall outside the food court you'll find a great little walking area and a big fountain which is pretty nice. They have a Cheesecake Factory and PF Chang's if you're looking for a dining experience other than the food court. They are doing some renovations there so some of the escalators are out of service for now but there is a whole other set of escalators at the opposite side of the mall. I heard that the renovations should be done by the end of September so it won't be much longer. Overall I had a nice experience and I will definitely go back in the next week or two.
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Alexandra M.

Yelp
I kind of hate this mall, everything seems so packed in but it has a lot of stuff in one place....I guess that's just two sides of the same coin.
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Steve J.

Yelp
I'm taken aback by the bitching and moaning of some of these reviews. What are you looking for exactly? It's a mall in the city. If you want gargantuan, you're not going to find that in the city. If you want the walls lined in velvet, you're going to need to visit Beverly Hills. Issues I've seen at malls in cities: dirty; dingy; poor lighting; mostly bargain stores mixed with higher priced but cheap street clothes; shady characters roaming the halls; parking lots where cars are stolen. NONE of these is true for the Cambridgeside Galleria. You'll find good lighting; regular cheerful mall decoration for various holidays; a clean space; a clientele that's as varied as most decent cities (lots of young people, mostly not hoodlums; families; urban professionals - there are lots of tech companies in the area). It's a few blocks from the Green Line; there's a free shuttle from Kendall on the Red Line. The parking lot is good enough that lots of professionals park there while working in the office buildings in the vicinity. It has the standard mall stores: Gap; Banana Republic; Old Navy; A&F; A&E; Timberland; Sears; Olympia Sports; Gamestop; Cheesecake Factory; food court; all the wireless carriers, etc. It also has a pretty decent Best Buy, an Apple Store, and a Starbucks. If you don't like malls at all, don't visit. If you used to hang with your friends in a mall as a kid, and every mall now just doesn't rate the same since you are no longer a kid - don't go to malls. If you're depressed because you can't afford to buy stuff, and go to malls anyway to make yourself feel better except that it doesn't really help - stop torturing yourself and get therapy. Can't stand how materialistic the country has gotten - I can understand that, I can sympathize, don't go to a mall. If you're looking for a clean and safe mall with a good mix of retail and food somewhere around Boston - especially if you live in Cambridge/Somerville/Medford/Malden - this is a pretty good place to shop.
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..amy ..

Yelp
Little do you realize that the nightmare corpse city of R'lyeh is buried beneath the Cambridgeside Galleria. Its darkness rises like a putrid smoke, filling the air with a sense of malice and nightmare. I have seen the shadow image of Cthulhu and his massive horde play across the wall of screens in Best Buy; if you raise the surround-sound volume, you can hear the calamitous chanting, "Nyarlathotep, Shub-Niggurath, Ithaqua..." They are coming. They will seize control of your electronics and play sounds that will drive all other senses from your mind and plunge you into a dark, horrifying nightmare. There are copies of the Necronomicon in Borders. Open them at your own risk; many a man has lost his sanity perusing the pages of this terrible text. The coffee you drink in the cafe may be your last, and the Elder Gods will devour your soul like the dry scone you pick at on the plate in front of you. In the dark corners of the dressing rooms at H&M, Old Navy, Abercrombie...I have seen the places where the lines blur, where one might catch a glimpse into the cells of the captive Old Ones. They are enormous and full of rage, waiting to revel once more in the cosmos of the mall. They are large enough that they may consume the entirety of the Galleria, and all who shop inside... The city R'lyeh may lie dormant now, but it will rise and Azeroth will again hold court from his throne in J.Crew! You have been warned; to approach this place is to approach a place of impending catastrophe! Do you understand what I am saying? Do you understand that the end is upon us? TAKE REFUGE AT THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY WHILE YOU STILL CAN! Let me pray that, if I do not survive this review, my executors may put caution before audacity and see that it meets no other eye.
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Pete S.

Yelp
Useful information, off the top of my head: * I once ate nine different kinds of free samples of chicken here. Holds you over if you don't want to eat a meal here. There are better restaurants outside the mall, along First Street. * The stores are ok. The hawkers at the kiosks can be a little obnoxious. Be sure to use the free internet at the Apple Store. * Sadly, neither Sears nor Best Buy can be relied upon anymore for catching the score of a baseball game in progress, as they now tune all the TVs to a proprietary video loop. * The shuttle to Kendall can run on an erratic schedule, despite what the sign says (at least it no longer stops running for an hour and a half in the afternoon for lunch), but thankfully the mall is half a block from Lechmere Station, where you can get the Green Line and buses to nearly every part of Cambridge and Somerville. Kendall is only a 10-to-15-minute walk, too. * They should have a way to access the first floor of Sears through the first floor of the mall. Currently, you have to go through the second flor and go back down. * The Registry of Motor Vehicles here, while only an "express" location with a limited number of services, is faster and friendlier than a lot of the larger ones. * Finding one's way from one part of the parking garage to another requires an understanding of non-Euclidean geometry, which I lack. I am not completely sure they're all connected, in fact. Do yourself a favor and just go back out the way you came in. * If you drive during off hours you can usually park free on Charles Street or adjacent blocks. * This is one of probably not very many malls you can take a cruise to. Boats depart and arrive in the industrial-canal-turned-landscape-feature at the food court end. That's all I can think of right now. It's like any other mall, otherwise. It sells what malls sell, to people who like that kind of stuff. In a city with all our options, it's almost unconscionable to shop here, but sometimes I do it anyway. The outside is a really tacky design, with the fake windows and the flags.
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Matthew L.

Yelp
You do not hear too much about this mall and now I can see why. The place is in a horrible location of Cambridge, tucked away between the Boston Science Museum and Somerville/Everett on a side street near Kendall Square. You would never even know it was there aside form the huge signs on the side of the building. The problem with this place is the way it is set up. The parking garage underneath the mall charges a fee to park for no reason and the levels of the mall are a disorganized mess, with Best Buy on the bottom and Macys on the top with no floor markings in the elevators. Plus the elevators in all four corners of the mall were temporarily broken leaving only two main elevators in the middle of the mall for access to the 3 floors unless you want to go searching inside the anchor stores. The levels are an array of okay stores but the place was empty and this was a Saturday!! Even the anchor stores were set up strange, angled to one side. I understand we are in the city and space is tight but then don't bother building a mall in this area!! Also, walking through this mall are some pretty shady and unsavory characters. I am not sure if this is because of it's proximity to these urban cities or what but I saw some customers that shocked me. I am not sure if I would ever return to this mall, since there are so many other good malls in the area with the same stores within driving distance why go here? I would think twice before shopping at this place!
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T E.

Yelp
I saw a security guard fall off a SEGWAY here. How can I not give this place 4 stars? some other things about it that are good: 1. If you're cold then head to the 'Magnolia' section of Best Buy where the massive LCDs pump out enough heat to make the place a sauna. 2. They have some weird water tube massage thing that is almost as funny as watching someone on a SEGWAY 3. The ground floor has the highest concentration of Cellular Phone-related businesses in the world. FACT!