Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage
Hamburger restaurant · Cambridge ·
Burgers, frappes, kitschy decor, celebrity memorabilia, political humor
Burgers, frappes, kitschy decor, celebrity memorabilia, political humor
"The menu constantly changes at Mr. Bartley’s - not because it’s a seasonal place that tells you the name of the farmer that picked your kale, but because the burgers at this greasy spoon place are given jokey topical names. So if you’re looking for a throwback to the dirty, quirky Harvard Square of the ’70s - or if you only eat burgers named after Celtics' players - this is your place." - dan secatore
"Mr. Bartley’s, which has been around for so long that it probably went to Woodstock, is the greasy college burger joint that all other greasy college burger joints aspire to. The burger selection is massive, the menu is filled with topical political humor, and the place is worn-in like your pair of jeans with the outline of a cell phone in the front pocket. It doesn’t have a bathroom and it doesn’t have beer, but other than those minor inconveniences, it’s just about perfect." - dan secatore
"Mr. Bartley’s is a burger experience - a throw-back Harvard Square place with political humor on the menu, seats allegedly graced by Johnny Cash and Al Pacino, and what we’re convinced is pot smoke that’s been lingering there since 1972. There are over 30 burgers on the menu, and most of them frequently change their name (we’ve had the fried egg and bacon burger when it was called the Howard Schultz, the RuPaul, and the Caitlynn Jenner). When you’re at a greasy, sloppy place like this, you need a greasy, sloppy burger, and that’s the Triple D, a giant mess of a double cheeseburger with bacon, barbecue sauce, and fried onions that was blessed buy and then named after the god of clogged arteries and bowling shirts himself, Guy Fieri." - dan secatore
"In Harvard Square I learned that this legendary burger joint, opened in 1960 when Joan and Joe Bartley transformed the Harvard Spa convenience store into a burger restaurant that also sold paper goods, is now for sale for $475,000. Owner Bill Bartley, 60, told Eater the decision to sell wasn’t precipitated by the coronavirus pandemic but by his desire to leave the restaurant business before he turns 70—he’s worked in the business for 46 years, doesn’t love the business side, and describes himself as a great line cook and a carnival barker who wants his last day to be cooking on the line. He says he won’t sell to anyone unwilling to continue operating the restaurant as Mr. Bartley’s because his staff is “super important” and he hopes to find a buyer who can ensure job security for his younger employees; over the years the menu grew to more than a dozen decadent burgers, and Bartley calls it “such an iconic space” and expects a buyer to appear quickly." - Terrence Doyle
"A legendary Harvard Square burger joint that opened in 1960 is now on the market; owner Bill Bartley said the decision to sell wasn’t driven by the coronavirus but by his desire to exit the restaurant business before he gets too old, noting he’s been working there for 46 years and doesn’t want to still be doing it at 70." - Eater Staff