Middle East Restaurant and Club

My wife and I came in from Connecticut for a show on Thursday night. We got to the restaurant around 7:00, we had no problem getting seated right away. Our waiter was Alex. He assured us we had plenty of time to eat before the 8:00 upstairs show. He was very friendly and patient while he described what some of the menu items were to us. Once we finished eating the line started forming to enter the show. The doors opened and the line moved quickly. All of the staff are friendly and helpful. Inside the room there is a small stage in front and a bar in the back with a good beer and liquor selection. When the room was full it was difficult to navigate through the patrons to get to the bar. We saw Sir Woman perform. It was electric, the energy was palpable. What a great intimate space to enjoy a talented artist!

Great venue. Good was delicious and cheap, almost as good as it was fast. Took less than 5 minutes to get the kebab dinner to the table. Wait staff was really friendly and got us in and out of there before the doors opened next door for our show.

love this place! I have recently been going to the Middle East much more in the last couple months. They host some great hardcore and metal shows. Would highly recommend going to xmortis if you're into goth/industrial music. make sure you have earplugs though. cocktails were much cheaper than I expected ($11 for a Negroni including $2 tip). If you look young make sure you bring the right kind of id because I saw somebody in front of me in line get denied entry for having the wrong id :(

⸻ If you’re Latino, I strongly recommend you avoid this place. The waiter – a white man wearing boots – acted like I didn’t even exist. I waited for several minutes to place my order, and he just walked right past me. Then, when a white American customer arrived, he served them immediately. I was so shocked that I didn’t even know how to react. This happened at around 7:30 PM on a Tuesday. Horrible experience. I left feeling extremely uncomfortable and unwelcome.

Honestly a really cozy and just nice venue, I just loved the vibe so much.

Best spot in Cambridge. The food is solid and there's always a show or event going on.

I’ve attended countless hardcore / metal gigs across various Middle East venues and have never been disappointed! The staff members are professional and courteous, sets are always punctual and another big positive is the fact that they don’t use Ticketmaster / livenation for bookings! Long live Middle East \,,/

Great food and friendly service. Portions are large, all food comes with Harrisa sauce on the side so if you have children or someone who doesn’t tolerate spicy food be sure to inform the waiter. Most of dishes are Halal apart from burgers and stake! Their outdoor sitting is small but cozy!

It's got a good beat and you can dance to it. As a young man 30 years ago, I saw lots of great bands. Now as an adult, I can't stand this crazy music you teenagers listen to, but I still go to the Middle East and etc. for food, drinks, service, and atmosphere. Expect to pay $40 per person

This review is solely for the music venue, not food. Please come out and support this venue which puts on many local/small bands that work their behind off to make music. The prices are reasonable and it is important to support venues of this size. And bartenders are friendly!

I realize I'm missing part of the experience from this restaurant by ordering for takeout, but I still enjoyed the food and have some positive notes to mention. However, it should be noted that this restaurant is also a bar and music venue, so there may be additional details about the actual location that I will miss. For delivery, I ordered the Middle East Burger with onion rings. I didn't ask for/pay for cheese, but it came with cheese so that was a nice plus. As for the food itself: Middle East Burger - I don't think there is anything unique about this burger that makes it from the "Middle East" (no unique seasonings/preparation), but instead it's just a burger from the restaurant "Middle East." Still, it was pretty tasty. The patty itself was large and meaty - and the bun was sturdy and also oversized compared to other burgers I've had before. They gave a lot of pickles and not a lot of lettuce, which was a little strange but not necessarily a bad thing. The meat tasted like it was seasoned well, and again the portion size was a big plus. It wasn't anything over the top and it wasn't the most amazing burger ever, but it was definitely a solid and filling burger that I'd order again. Onion Rings - These were above-average for sure. Even when delivered, they were extremely crunchy and not oily at all. The onion itself tasted sweet and flavorful, and each onion ring was a real pleasure. I'd definitely recommend choosing these over fries, and they don't even cost anything extra! All in all, I give this place a 4/5 because although the food wasn't the best I've ever had, it is still a really solid burger with great onion rings. The price ($15) was also very reasonable, and I'd definitely come back here again!

I've been here for a few shows and never have any issues. Have come early for set up and had dinner too of the hummus plate and it was really good.

Im at 18 years lived in the Boston area, and never been to the Middle East. Heck even as I walked in, I guess I was at a point in the night where they were converting over to night club mode. Funny thing is didn't even go in for the entertainment, didnt even put two and two together that folks were waiting outside in the other entrance for a band. I was tired and just wanted some Lebanese food. So restaurant wasn't really packed. Had the chicken kebob dinner side of tahini, and the flavors were spot on, chicken kabob was done just right, black beans were fresh, and finally another place where the tahini is not watered down! It's surprising how many places serve watered down tahini, but not this place! Sorry all forgot the picture of that. I had the opportunity though to meet the owner, what a nice guy! Got some homemade Baklava, was a great end

I was severely disappointed. This bar refused to serve myself and my friend (both adult women), for appearing "young." They then escorted us to two additional establishment doors (while still in possession of my friend's identification), to tell bouncers not to grant her entry for "false ID." Middle East staff continued to say they were "almost 100% sure it was fake" (while this is a valid, state-granted drivers license). They did not attempt to use an ID scanner. While we are glad to appear so youthful, we were very disappointed in the staff's choices. At the very least, please use an actual ID scanner. In addition to this, it is wrong to take anyone's identification off of the premises.

Went to a rave here last night. Energy was great. Super packed and fun. Will probably return.

I love this place. It is not the newest and nor is it fancy, but if you want great service and very delicious food, this is the place. Especially if you go to one of the shows. I had the grape leaves and my friend had the falafel burger, both meals were amazing. Prices for food and drink are reasonable as well. The shows are fun and prices for tickets are around $30, and the venues have a full bar. I have been coming here off and on for many years and have always had the best time.

I had so much fun. From the cool security at the door to the patrons inside. I had the pleasure of chatting it up with Remmi, he is one of the security guards there. Such an insightful and kind person, he kept me company outside as I smoked because I was out there alone. The DJ definitely created a vibe, he was playing all the songs that get you hype. New and old school, he for sure catered to all demographics. He and his partner were both super chill. The establishment is pretty clean, there is only one bathroom, so it is obviously shared. You would think that it would be messy or dirty, but it isn't. There is plenty of dancing space and booths to accommodate large groups. The only bad experience I had here was at the bar. I went to get a drink and there was only one person ahead of me. I let the bartender know I needed her after, she acknowledged me then for some reason took care of everyone else that walked up to the bar after me. I tried getting her attention because she served 4 ladies that had just walked up to the bar and asked the guy next to me to buy his drink to let them cut, then proceeded to attend to everyone else after her. I was left wondering what the disconnect was which is the saddest part of all this is. I can understand a busy bar, but if you can serve ppl that walked up after me then there should be no reason I should have to wait. I absolutely hate having to wonder if race played any part in this but unfortunately that was the feeling I was left with. The security personnel here look serious as fudge but are down to earth. I saw one of them picking up stuff from the empty tables, helping clean up. That was awesome cause I love to see those types of things, everyone helping. I went on a Saturday, there was no cover charge. The demographic is great. The music: Old school with New school and everything in between Free parking in the lots behind the stores. Free after 8 pm

Cool vibe. Lots of eclectic folks there -- somewhere everyone fits in. Good live music too. Funny staff as well. If you don't have plans and you want to see where the night leads you this is a good place to start. Good for solo dolo or with a close friend. Big groups probably not as fun. It's more of a low-key vibe.

i went to the middle east for a show on wednesday night. i normally love going to the middle east and their shows are so fun, but on wednesday night, i saw one of the lead band members (i dont remember his name or band) stage dive a girl. she was maybe 5 feet and he was definitely over 6ft. when that happened, i saw her crying and her boyfriend get angry (as i also would be). the middle east did nothing and the man never apologized or anything. it was so disappointing because i expected better from the metal community and the middle east to treat their audience better. they should have kept her safe i saw them escort her out. no one did anything. i am no longer going to any of their shows because of this. if you want to be in a safe, secure place, the middle east is not where you should go.

Met friends here for dinner by accident, thinking that "Middle East Restaurant" was just a description as we were looking for the place next door. We got past that quickly enough with good service and flavorful good food. Imported Lebanese and "Palestinian" beers I'd never had before were very nice to see and went well with our meal. We started off with a combination plate that included hummus and tabouli. Both were very good. The hummus was smooth and rich flavor. The tabouli was crunchy and delicious. Another plate of grape leaves were delicious. Nicely assembled and bite size. Yum. For main course, I chose the lamb kebab plate which came with grilled vegetables, a big portion of rice pilaf and a small salad. The lamb was cooked nicely and tender. All meat. Yum. Great service and very delicious. I can see returning here again.

***3.5 stars*** most experienced runners go for pasta or pizza or some other form of "high" carb meal the evening before a race or long run. me, not so much. the eve of the annual boston marathon, i decided that i wanted medi food, partially b/c this was a source of comfort for me - pita bread, hummus, skewered chicken & salmon, om nom nom! not surprisingly, i ordered a combo dish with a wild salmon & chicken skewer over a bed of rice, black beans, and green salad ($15.98). hubby ordered a beef shawarma rollup w/french fries ($11.97), and we shared a small plate of olives ($3.98) the portions were quite generous for the price, but we both felt that the taste fell a bit flat. both the chicken skewer & salmon lacked flavor, and were a bit on the dry side. i'm not a huge spice/sauce person, but i was left wanting some on my dish. the service was pretty good since we had the waitress most to ourselves, given that we came for a very early dinner (around 1600?) and the restaurant was rather empty. great location, near mit & harvard, next to the central t station.

I'm pretty annoyed with how this place treats its customers. I went here recently to see a show. Some friends of mine were in the opening band for a live show and I drove an hour and a half from another state to Cambridge to see my friends perform. Driving in Boston, as you can imagine, is no trivial thing. You have to have the patience of a saint. It was a very long, stressful drive, compounded by the fact that parking in Cambridge is next to impossible. By the time I arrived, I had missed half my friend's set due to traffic and a closed parking garage in Cambridge that forced me to look for parking for a half hour. After all the effort made to finally get to the Middle East, when I arrived and tried to pay for a ticket with my credit card - I was turned down. It had to be cash - they said. For the record, the tickets were FORTY dollars. If a venue is going to ask people to pay THAT much money to see a band, they should accept credit cards. This isn't open mic night at a local pub where you pay 5 measly bucks to get in. Middle East is a rock venue that has concerts regularly and suddenly acting like credit cards don't exist in 2022 is just insane. It just so happened I didn't have enough money in my debit account at the time to make a $40 (plus fees) withdrawal, so I thought relying on my credit card until my check cleared was a no-brainer. I did not anticipate the chaos that would ensue over trying to pay with my credit card to get in. I had to call a friend I was meeting there and she withdrew money from her bank account and I paid her back using Venmo. Needless to say, I missed my friend's show because of this needless BS. Middle East could have accepted my credit card. What it's all about at the end of the day is greed on their part - plain and simple.

This was my first time here. My husband and I drove up from Connecticut to see a concert. It was a band from London England. This place totally reminded me of an old pub/bar in England. I can't say I tried the food but it smelled delicious. The bartender was super busy but still managed to get our drinks. Employees seemed low key. Loved how raw/punk the bar was. Really just made me feel like I was an old pub in London!

This review is for their nightclub downstairs. Came here for one of their Friday night events. Pros: -the bathrooms are kept fairly clean and are well stocked with toilet paper, soap, paper towels, etc. -there are two bars downstairs and bartenders are super friendly and helpful -the dancefloor isn't the biggest, but it's pretty long so it can fit a decent amount of people -the bar has water pitchers and lots of paper cups so you don't have to wait to get a bartender's attention if you just want some water -coat check accepts credit card payments, and it's $3 to check a coat Cons: -there were random people hanging out on the stage with the DJ the whole time. They weren't talking to the DJ but were talking to each other. I thought that was pretty weird -the drink cups are these small flimsy plastic cups. A simple drink like a tequila sunrise is $8, which is pretty normal for a club in the area but the cup sizes here are much smaller. The drink also wasn't very strong-- I could barely taste or feel the alcohol. I would come back again if there is another event I'm interested in attending.

Went for a hosted event; the bouncers seemed on some sort of power trip, ended up harassing and touching my girlfriend; would rate 0/5... I genuinely hope they switch the bouncer detail or go out of business. aside from that, the actual space was dirty, nicely lit but run down, very average place

Horrible Bouncers kicked me out after we paid to host event. Under 21 but repped x on hand old dude in bathroom yelled at me and kicked me out for washing hands.

This is not where you go for authentic Middle Eastern cuisine, but this is definitely where you go for live music in an intimate setting! The venue is simple, if not downright bare. But you can walk up to the stage and literally feel the sweat drip off of your favorite artist onto your forehead. Everyone has to experience live music at least once, at this place.

The service was outstanding so I wish I could give 5 stars however the food was meh. My falafel wrap was stale tasting and dry. The lettuce in it tasted a little wilted and the falafel was a little dry as well. My partner had a well done burger with fries and stated his burger could have been seasoned a little better. It was a nice atmosphere though!

Absolutely completely appalled by this place that I've held dear to my heart for the last 15 years. I've been going to shows at the Middle East as long as I can remember. So I was super excited when they had an ALL AGES show with a punk rock band my daughter listens to. She's 10 and this was her first time going to see live music. My husband and I get a beer after we get there and the nicest bartender ever offers my daughter a Shirley temple for free and says he loves seeing the little ones at these shows. We're obviously super excited to feel welcomed cuz I was a little nervous bringing her there for the first time. Not even 10 mins later some person who works there comes up to us accusing us of giving our child alcohol cuz apparently someone said they saw us give our child a "red drink." Well, yes, we gave our daughter the Shirley temple she was given at the bar. I've been bartending for 20 years and never in my life would I EVER approach a customer with such accusations before first talking to staff to see if anyone served people with a child a red drink that had alcohol in it. There are ways to deal with this appropriately and this was handled absolutely wrong. Now not only will I never be back but you've tainted every good experience I had before this by accusing me of giving my LITERAL child alcohol just cuz someone saw her drink a red drink. Every parent and human with half a brain knows kids drink Shirley temples. Maybe don't make shows all ages if your going to treat people who bring someone young like shit for doing absolutely nothing wrong. All ages means ALL AGES and she just wanted to drink a soda and dance w her parents. You ruined her first concert cuz she was embarrassed and felt uncomfortable after that totally unnecessary conversation that could have been avoided by simply asking the very nice bartender what he gave us to drink. Bunch of pretentious snobs. If anyone is considering bringing their kid to an all ages show there maybe reconsider so you don't end up embarrassed and having your whole time ruined.

How does this place even exist in 2022? 1) I am visiting from out of town and am known as a very shy and polite person, it takes a lot of disrespect to break me down and this place managed to succeed at that. Each and every person I interacted with I approached with curiosity and a smile and they responded both rude and cold to me, behaving as though I was a burden to them, when I simply asked for assistance to find the music venue I had purchased a ticket for. When I confirmed that someone would approach me if I took a seat, I watched my clock for almost 20 min waiting for someone in a bar that was sparsely packed for someone to approach me. There was no clear indication that the person worked at the bar so I could not tell if they were an employee or a creep given I am a visitor and alone in the city, and the sarcasm and attitude they gave me when I asked to confirm my safety was truly not necessary on top of the previous 3 staff members who had already been cold and rude to me. The server also had ZERO clue for how things worked in the back area where the live music venue took place and seemed almost defensive about it. I felt like I was getting gaslit by every person there - literally nobody seemed to know what was going on except maybe the first staff person I bumped into (who also behaved incredulous that I was asking for assistance to confirm I was in the right place.) 2) Feeling unsafe: I didn't tip well, not sure how anyone would have the audacity to expect that after all the above. It's my money I work hard for, and I have every right not to share with people who have not treated me with some minimal level of service or dignity. The server pursued me to where I was waiting to enter the music venue and called me out on this in front of other staff and customers. I'm a skinny 5'6" - this server was a man twice my size. How exactly could I get out of that situation if I felt unsafe? At this point it was confirmed to me that the staff would not be supportive of me or do anything to keep me safe. When I entered the venue I chose to hover near the security person. 2) Cultural appropriation: The most egregious insult is that all the above is packaged into a place called "the Middle East", with a menu of "middle eastern" dishes that taste like they came out of a can with zero seasoning but cost 2-3x as much as buying the canned version from a corner store. Not one person of middle eastern heritage seen eating there or among the staff. The only middle eastern thing about this place are the orientalist motifs in the signage. How is a town full of extremely educated people get away with such a racist and culturally appropriative way to draw in customers?? Sad that I got fooled, if you're coming for a music performance eat elsewhere and then go straight to the back for your music event. My advice to the owner: if your restaurant and bar are meant to be a front to the music venue, ditch the racism and rebrand as just that, call yourself "House of Rock" or something more catchy and appropriate and just serve basic bar food (which can include middle eastern dishes if you still need it to). There are plenty of examples out there to inspire you with out you capitalizing on many people's culture. And I say this as a middle eastern person who just came in looking extremely forward to enjoying some heritage food before seeing a live performance. The staff is clearly underpaid and unmotivated so I can't blame them for subpar service, but do note that they also represent your business. How this place can ever dare to be on Boston's list of top live music offerings is an ironic and tragic joke I will be warning friends and colleagues about if they ever go to Boston or Cambridge.

This shithole pulled Ghostface not even an hour into his show and charged us 30$ to be in their dungeon. Never ever see a show at Middle East. Thank God this was only my first show there but it's for sure my last. The best thing you can do with anything middle east related is never go there.

My review is based on the brunch experience. I used to go to Zuzu but today they were closed early for a private event. I was guided to go to the next door restaurant and realized that they have the similar brunch menu and shared the same kitchen. My favorite dish here is the biscuits and gravy with scramble eggs and house fries. Perfect taste, generous portion, and affordable price. I look forward to come here for lunch all the time. The guy here who manages here is so friendly and nice. Most of the time, this place (as well as Zuzu) is quite empty despite the great food here. I hope my review will be helpful for others who are looking for a great brunch place around this area :-)

It is one of the popular places along Mass Ave between Central sq and MIT, especially during dinner time and when there is live music. There's often long lines outside waiting to get in the night club for the performance. I have been here a few times for lunch. The service was typically quick and the price was good. Having tried all the lunch plates, I like all the kebabs and the lamb shank, and am not so much into the kibby.

Known as a legendary night club/concert venue by the most, it has become our family's Sunday brunch spot in pre-COVID times. I haven't seen that balance of price and quality anywhere in town. We came many times with our family friends, and while the kids enjoyed their waffles and pancakes I used to order what I remember as the best lamb shank in town, or even the best I've ever tried. Their menu is a mix of American diner staples and middle-eastern dishes (as the name suggests), so you can't go wrong with the food, especially if you want a healthier/less carb-intense option. On top of that, there was a guy with an electric piano who played some oldies, and the kids used to dance to it. Perfection! Staff and other guests also always been friendly and accommodating, even if the kids got too loud. Hope they re-open soon!

Cannot speak for the food as I have never tried it for the restaurant side. However, the music venue side of this place is lovely. The sound is quite good downstairs while upstairs is decent. Every show I have been to here has been great and the staff has been very relaxed. I am always excited to see a band announce that they will be playing here.

great live music every night. small corner bar is usually free, downstairs has almost 600 capacity and some premiere electronic acts. I love every site I've seen. One of the last Independently run music venues in Boston. and jeez my dad had his bachelor party here. what like 35 years ago

I truly wish I could give this place 0 stars. Attended for a show and found an incredible amount of issues with this place. First of all, door staff were lovely but no-one was checking id's for guest list - anyone could use your name - and nobody checked bags walking in. With how many instances there's been of bad things happening at concerts, checking bags is crucial to making sure those people don't slip through security checks. There's no policy about leaving and returning, which again is dangerous. Anyone could bring anything into the venue and nobody would know because security don't check it. Security within the main part of the venue isn't any better. Two people who are wholly unqualified for the job stood near the stage but didn't do their jobs. First was a guy, no older than 23, on a power trip. Rolled his eyes whenever the tour manager caught crowd surfers but did nothing to help. When he didn't get his way, after yelling at people in the immediate area for a while, he stormed off and didn't return for at least 20 minutes leaving the stage unmanned. Despite there being a line on the floor, fans started to move further up the ramp to side stage and again the tour manager had to do their job. A woman took the first guys place, though she wasn't any better. Didn't help anyone, someone fainted and the tour manager helped her out - venue security just watched as he walked by. The first security guy came back and the two stood out of the way, one even sitting on a chair, using their phones the rest of the night. There is a severe lack of care and responsibility from this venue and it's not a place I'd ever want to attend again. Update: It's come to light that because of how terrible he security was, a number of girls were sexually harassed at this same show by an individual. Security were too busy on their phones to notice or care, the safety of those who visit should be of the upmost importance and clearly the the Middle East this isn't the case.

The food in the restaurant upstairs is amazing. I sometimes just come here for food. Serving size is generous. Club is not bad either. They have themed nights few times a year that I really like. Went to their 90s night few months ago and it was fun.

The employees at this venue are incredibly disrespectful. MY TOES FROOZE BECAUSE THEY LEFT ME IN LINE FOR SO LONG AND I AM ON MY WAY TO URGENT CARE RIGHT NOW. I waited for two hours and all they did was yell at me with a blow horn for my "poor club etiquette". BULL they have POOR ETIQUETTE. Shame on you absolutely SHAME ON YOU MIDDLE EAST CLUB. Please do not come here. I am begging you

This review is for the dessert I had. They had very good baklava! Very interest crowd on the weekends. They have a lot of live bands.

We rented out the downstairs but when we showed up they decided it was appropriate to let 1 person in per minute. Hundreds of people waiting outside in the freezing cold. At the end of the night they had let in 50 people and everyone ubered home. Never come here. And definitely never rent it out. Worst run business I've ever seen.

One restaurant, two dining spaces (ZuZu stands between), and a formal outdoor dining area separated from the public sidewalk with relatively permanent fencing. The first entrance is located right on the corner of Mass Ave and Brookline St, and the 2nd is down the block just a bit, towards the river. The room was brighly colored though not brightly lit, and cheerfully decorated with artwork on the walls, yet the furniture looked a bit worn. I did however like the convenient touch of the hooks on the walls - I used mine to hold my bag. Service was casual yet friendly. I appreciated that it was proactively pointed out to me that the red sauce on my plate was spicy, as was the toasted seasoned pita that came in a basket. I hesitantly used both, however, when I found that my dish - the Kibby Labanieh $13 (Kibby - layers of lamb & beef, cracked wheat and seasonings - served with rice pilaf and topped with garlic yogurt sauce) to be a tad bland. The crisp flavorful pita chips and a touch of the red sauce did wonders for the meal, which was basically a rather large piece of meatloaf. A baggy of fresh pita triangles came with, but that just ended up coming home with me since I had made do with the pita crisps. I wonder if I'd have preferred the Pumpkin Kibby Labanieh $11. I'd be willing to give this place another try - perhaps for the Pumpkin Kibby Labanieh or one of their affordable sandwich selections. *** 8/2013 visit *** I took a seat in the dining space that is located on the corner. Windows were open so it was a bit windy. The concert space is in the basement, so it was kind of noisy. While Oldies played through the speaker, I could also feel/hear a drum beat from below. Service was quite nice. Food a bit lacking, however. The Homemade Veggie Burger $6 sounded tempting as the server named a number of veggies as well as the ubiquitous beans. He said it could be rather dry, however, suggesting that I add cheese ($1 surcharge), but I inquired about the hummus instead, which he was able to give me a side portion of for $1. Adding onion rings for $1.50 and there was my meal. A basket of pita - both fresh triangles and toasted & seasoned pieces - showed up on my table, and my water was refilled several times through the evening. The burger arrived with a slice of tomato, a few pieces of onion and some lettuce on the side. I layered it on my burger and spackled it on with the hummus. The vegetable patty was good sized with appetizing looking grill marks, however it was all soft and mushy with no textural contrast, which made it not very satisfying or interesting. The fries were acceptable, the onion rings a bit on the overcooked side, but preferred of the two sides, as the crispness provided the necessary contrast to my meal that was so lacking in the burger. Baklava was $3 for 3 pieces. The server offered to mix the regular (pistachio based) and chocolate on the same plate, which was much appreciated. They were good, but not overly gooey like my fave of this layered treat. Perhaps I'll try the chicken Shawarma next time, even though I have been informed that they don't have a spit out back, but rather the chicken is cut up and grilled.

This place is just not the move if you're trying to have a good time with friends and it is dangerous. We came to the nightclub and got "escorted out" when trying to get drinks and forgot to get wristbands, and this is even after a friends of mine got pushed around by one of their patrons. So like a SANE person, I went up to grab a wristband and one of the staff proceeded to treat me and all of my friends incredibly rude. Coming to someone with respect and getting met with disrespect is bottom line not okay. Every staff I interacted with had a terrible demeanor and honestly felt extremely uncomfortable. With my coat downstairs and all, i was unable to go down to get it without an escort, as if I would even want to stay after such disrespect? The staff are absolutely disrespectful, the interaction was highly unnecessary. Would never come back because honestly NOT worth it anyways. There are better places right down the same street! Would love to see where they are at in 5 years.

Awesome staff and quick turnaround for a drink. Food was yummy ordered the falafel & kafta kebab...fresh, flavorful and Delicious w/spicey sauce. Mixed drinks were served in a "kid friendly" plastic cup $7.50

I went to the downstairs floor to see a show. It's a nice sized venue and the bar staff was nice. My one and only complaint is the (weed) smoke. Some venues don't play games with regards to smoking anything in their establishment. It was a lot of smoke in there and it almost caused me to bail out early. Otherwise, I recommend the Middle East for seeing a good live show.

I had a show at the corner stage, great sounding room! Awesome staff and crowd! Good amount of people for a Monday night! Great food also! Will definitely play there again!

This review is for the nightclub experience. My friend and I booked tickets to come here to see a band perform. When we purchased our tickets, we were informed via email that the performance started at 8pm. When we arrived, we found out that our band actually started at 11:30pm!!! At first, I thought this was a communication error by the third party vendor, but I quickly realized that this is some kind of scam to get you there early! Because on our tickets, I noticed that dinner was 25% off with your tickets for the concert. AND we arrived at 8pm on the nose and the restaurant was empty. After we found out that our band didn't start until 11:30, we went back upstairs and the restaurant was full of people who had just sat down. HMM! Seems to me like the Middle East gets you there early so that you have time to kill and then gives you a discount on food so that you will stay there and eat dinner. What a sneaky scam! I was annoyed by this sneakiness, so I left to go to another bar for a drink and then came back in time for the show. I can't financially support a place that tricks you into spending more money there. Finally, when I was carded to get into the 18+ venue, the bouncer bent my card all types of ways and stared at it intently for way too long. It was just offensive and rude. I can drink legally and this show was 18+. There was no reason to scrutinize my card and act like I'm not of age.

01/01/2020- tonight (at about 12:30) I decided to go to the restroom while at the Middle East. I identify as non-binary, while also accepting that I pass as femme/female. The line for the "womens" restroom was 5+ people long, while the "men's" restroom line consisted of 1 other femme-leaning individual (for a 3 maybe + Stall restroom). I decided, after seeing other femmes doing so, to use the "mens" but as I exited the restroom I was confronted by a security person at the venue, who informed me that I was to exit the building. I asked why, and was told that I broke the law by using the incorrect bathroom. I pleaded that my coat, with my id and money, plus my friends with my phone, were inside and was told that it did not matter- I broke the law and that was that. I was then forcibly moved outside, while requesting that I be able to reach my friends and being told that "it didn't matter", "I made my own choices" and other bullshit. Eventually I was able to secure my personal belongings, but not with any help of the Middle East. The security was extremely aggressive and it was a terrible experience, which seems to be a theme.

A must to if visiting Cambridge, most residents in the Cambridgeport area agree that an evening spent at The Middle East is time well spent. Pretty much one of the "icons" of Cambridge.

I was a part of an event that had rented out this venue. I waited patiently for two hours. The only words that left my mouth the entire wait time to people at Middle East were "please" "I'm sorry" and "I'm not trying to push." Despite my unending patience I was lectured on my etiquette and nobody was let into the venue. We never experienced the inside of this venue but the way they treated people waiting in line told us everything we needed to know about this venue.

I ended up eating here with a friend for a late dinner...and it was definitely an experience I won't be forgetting soon. The place is a little run down, but I think that adds to its charm. Downstairs there's seating for diners as well as a bar. Upstairs there's a stage and a great space to listen to bands--featuring both relatively unknown groups and popular musicians. Because it was a Friday night, the downstairs seating area was a little too noisy for our conversation. We still really enjoyed the chill and moody ambience. Our waiter was super friendly and patient with our questions. I ended up ordering the cous cous, and while the cuisine didn't blow me away, it was definitely flavorful and enjoyable. The best part of the night was going upstairs and listening to the amazing music! The bands playing that night were all full of energy and mingled among the audience. The space upstairs is very dark and attic-like, which made for a totally immersive musical experience. I loved the variety in the musical styles being featured: from rock to indie to experimental sets. I did wish that there was a bit more dancing because everyone was pretty much just standing there and watching--but maybe this was just the nature of the music/crowd that night. Overall, this was definitely a new and interesting way to kick off a weekend night, and I'd recommend Middle East to anyone looking for an alternative music scene.

I really like the restaurant! Honestly, I avoided it for a long time because I mostly knew of it as a nightclub and didn't realize they also had a good restaurant, but I'm very glad that I finally tried the restaurant part. The food is delicious and the prices are pretty reasonable. We were also served very quickly. The selection of vegetarian options was exceptional. I had the pumpkin kibby and really enjoyed it. I look forward to coming back and trying more items!

Simple place, they give pita bread and dip for starters but it's cold.. And not so so great. The food is good 3.5/5 but I don't think I'll be back because nothing sparked out in particular.

Rico S here. My favorite restaurant of any kind. The Sater family are beautiful people and pay attention to detail and quality. No Middle East place that's close. My grandparents are from Damascus...and lived two blocks from me in West Roxbury growing up. Plus it's the coolest place to eat and catch music in Boston!! By far. And the toilets are clean!!! I should mention that Joseph and Nabil are good friends of mine...

I've been to the Middle East 3 times on MOBD Gay night, tonight I was kicked out by one of the bouncers accused of doing drugs in the men's room.. which I don't do drugs at all. I told him to prove that I was doing something wrong and he didn't have an answer for me .. this was my last time for sure to this place .. they're obviously homophobic, not gay friendly at all.. DO NOT GO TO THIS PLACE !! The people that work there are very much against gays they shouldn't be hosting gay nights, cause to throw someone out because I've been to the bathroom more than once in short period of time when I'm drinking beer and pee pretty often then accuse me of doing drugs it's just ridiculous .. Never going back to this shit hole !

**this review is for my food/drinks experience** I came here yesterday to grab a drink and a bite to eat. I ordered a Raspberry-Lime Ricky and a grilled cheese sandwich with tomatoes. The dish came with a side of really delicious fries- they were the perfect combination of crispy and soft! The sandwich was quite underwhelming, however- and it wasn't because of the simplicity of the meal itself- but the quality of it. The bread was dry and a bit burnt and the cheese wasn't fully melted. It just seemed hastily made and I didn't think it was worth the price ($6). My drink, however, was really tasty. I'm a huge fan of the drinks here at the Middle East- they're so innovative! If I ever stopped by again, it'd be for a show (I really do love this place as a venue) or for a drink. The ambience of the restaurant was very nice and the music they played overhead was so jammy, which made it really hard to sit still! I loved the decor- such as the upside down chairs adorning the walls across from where I was sitting and the plants by the window. I noticed that the place itself is a bit dirty (there were still some leftover food on the floor by the booth I was in). The waiter was super nice, friendly, and personable, which was a plus!

A few friends and I drove into Cambridge from New York to see Freezepop and Symbion Project perform here the other week. Downstairs is a medium-sized space with plenty of dance floor and a small stage in the back, but unnecessary rails along the sides and steps that people in the crowd kept tripping over. Sound system wasn't bad, either - the music actually carried pretty well all the way to the restrooms on the other side of the basement. On the first floor, there was also a live funk/jam/brass group while a Grateful Dead cover band was playing upstairs. The young man letting people in was pretty rude to my friend, and said something along the lines of "Would you want me to come to YOUR job and tell you how to do it?!" when we didn't know that we needed a different wristband to watch the other performers. Side note, I never fail to be impressed by how cheap drinks are in the state of Massachusetts as a whole.