Charlie's Kitchen

"Charlie’s Kitchen has been a fixture of Harvard Square for more than 70 years. This casual divey bar and restaurant dishes out bar food like hot dogs and wings as well as entrees running the gamut from chicken alfredo to chicken tikka masala. In the summer their outdoor beer garden hits just the right spot." - Celina Colby, Annie Harrigan

"The double cheeseburger Charlie’s is famous for is unpretentiousness — flat patties topped with American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and pickles. It’s served with perfect shoestring french fries, and is best eaten with a cold beer or several." - Celina Colby, Eater Staff

"As you’ll come to find out if you haven’t already, the “square” in Harvard Square is basically a traffic island with a subway station. So if you’re looking to hang out outside, you’ll probably want to look elsewhere. Head to Charlie’s Kitchen, a punk bar/diner/beer garden that has an awesome sunken patio with fire pits, and which will be the first place you head to on that sneak-attack 60-degree afternoon in early March that tricks you into thinking winter’s over. It’s a bar food menu, but a pretty good one, with a cheesy burger you’ll like if you’re into cheesy burgers." - dan secatore

"On the first 60 degree day in March, you’re going to find yourself heading to the beer garden at Charlie’s Kitchen. Of course, it’s probably going to snow again two days later, but that’s OK, because Charlie’s is great inside, too. The first floor is a greasy spoon diner, the second floor is a kinda grungy punk bar, and there’s live music every Monday night. " - dan secatore

"At Harvard Square standby Charlie’s Kitchen, go for the double cheeseburger and stay for the cheap oysters and sizable beer garden. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner daily, staying open until midnight Thursday through Saturday." - Rachel Leah Blumenthal