Noir

Excellent bar that we used a couple of times while at the Charles Hotel. Excellent selection of drinks, phenomenal service, nice seating and even great selection of small bites.

For a bar in a hotel, their food was surprisingly good. Henrietta’s was already closed and we didn’t want to leave the hotel on a staycation so we tried out the food at Noir and were pleasantly surprised. The blistered tomato flatbread was an explosion of flavors. Their chocolate cake was equally good. We also got some olives, cod cake and tofu buns, which again were pretty decent. We’re not usually a hotel restaurant/bar person but this one we’d gladly keep making exceptions for.

Decent cocktail bar for Cambridge. There are some unique cocktails with trendy techniques like butter washed gin. There are some beers on tap. It’s crowded on Friday nights. You can wait or just be ignored for quite some time. There is some overflow seating inside the hotel but outside the bar. Edit, to respond to owner: We knew we needed to place orders at the bar. The issue was that members of my party reported standing at the bar, making eye contact with the bartender, watching the bartender take several orders and make several drinks for roughly 15 minutes. I hope that adds clarity to the review.

My only critique for Noir is that they should greatly reduce the amount of ice in their cocktails and not be so light on the alcohol. I will not be going back because of the cocktails. The foods I had are not in the choices below so i can’t recommend specific ones but they were very good.

5 stars for the atmosphere and service! Wish the non-alcoholic cocktails list would have been longer, but they can make classics (non-alcoholic) on request. My Negroni was delicious!

Love this place what a great time I had with friends! It is a place you would want to go and enjoy yourself. Great place to take a date! Kind staff, friendly service and more!

I am posting this for the purpose of female safety. I came to this bar for the first time to meet a date. The man near the door greeted me and asked me if I would like a table when I arrived. I had never been there and explained that I was meeting someone but I wasn’t sure if (in the distance) that was the man I was meeting. The staff proceeded to ask me again if I would like a table so I let him know I would just pop in and confirm or immediately leave. I went up to his table and finally he acknowledged me. My date ordered us two lemonades and we proceeded to talk. About an hour into it a staff member came up to the table under the pretense of “Do we need anything,” and my date said urgently “Remember what I told you ok?” The staff shook his head in agreement and said “Yes yes.” Shortly after, the door guy came with the announcement that our table was already reserved and that we had to leave. My issue here is that the staff was either paid off by the guy to assist this man in moving a woman to a new location or at the worst already knew him as a regular and were in on this routine. Because this “yes yes” plan was odd. Sure the table may have been reserved, but when have you experienced this? I did not drink much of the lemonade because when I saw the off behavior I became alarmed that maybe the drink had something in it. And I didn’t trust it nor anything else. In truth the bar looks nice, the food looked good (even though I didn’t have an opportunity to try it). Looks like a fun place for friends and I heard good things about it being a cozy date spot. But I didn’t like the staff interaction with this guy. So I felt I should just post a warning to anyone else going on a first date here. My date claimed he hadn’t been there in years but it appeared to me like the staff knew him well. And I don’t believe he was a good man. Not that it’s their job to babysit me or anyone else. However one would think if they saw “off” behavior or “odd” requests that they wouldn’t accommodate. My brother was a bartender for years and he wouldn’t allow people to treat women like a commodity or sell drinks to people he saw were looking to exploit women. He saw the men laughing and heard the plots men made. So for the Harvard girls or anyone else coming here on a date, just be careful. Looks like a great place, but drink slow and make sure you are not being drugged. I was very concerned for my well being once I saw we were getting kicked out and the staff was accommodating some secret request made ahead of time. I know the area well and ended the date. But you just never know what you’re dealing with. My guess is the guy did it on purpose to force a new location since he admitted he had a history of being a player like it was an asset. As you can imagine, he committed date suicide when he chose to brag about that. Be safe ladies! I would have called the bar about this but I didn’t think anyone would care. I however do care about people and felt it was important to share this experience. Hopefully it’s a one-off.

Decent bar in the Charles hotel.But I felt the drinks are a bit pricey for what it has to offer.

It had been a long while since I went to Noir, and I forgot how small it is on the inside. There are 6-8 tables inside with a few seats at the bar, and it's definitely a cozy spot. They have a pretty extensive menu for bar food, and the food comes out super quickly. I ordered a beet salad and a glass of wine, and both were out within 5-7 minutes. Service was also very prompt and friendly.

I visited Noir tonight with my partner for the pop-up Maccabee bar during Hanukkah. The bar was bustling upon arrival, adorned with festive Hanukkah decor, capturing an upscale yet lively atmosphere befitting the Charles Hotel. With limited seating, my partner sat on a stool at the bar while I stood next to her, eagerly anticipating the experience. The bartender's friendly demeanor set the tone as we explored the special Maccabee menu. Opted for the "oy, wat a night," an Ethiopian-inspired mule with tequila, mezcal, berbere honey, lime, and ginger beer. It delivered the smoky and spicy kick I anticipated, living up to its description. To complement the drinks, we ordered a dozen oysters. Unfortunately, our excitement took a nosedive when one oyster turned out to be spoiled, leaving my partner with an unpleasant aftertaste. The disappointment lingered, making it impossible to enjoy the remaining oysters with peace of mind. Looking back, I wished I had sent them back. Upon checking-in on Yelp, a $1.50/oyster offer popped up. Unfortunately, the manager did not honor it. While the offer wasn't a significant discount given the $2 price per oyster, the lack of acknowledgment left a sour note. In good conscience, I find it hard to wholeheartedly recommend Noir after this experience. I sincerely hope they take steps to improve their quality control and customer service. I love the Maccabee bar pop-up, though, and I hope they'll take it back to the Backbar in Somerville or somewhere else next time.

Terrible experience here. Although the bartenders executed the Chanukah pop up cocktail recipes well, the place left much to be desired. It was crowded, and people were lingering a while at tables and at the bar. There was no bathroom there- only one in the hotel, on another level. The manager not only did not honor a Yelp check in offer, but was condescending about it. But worst of all, we were served an oyster that had gone bad. Top most disgusting food experience. Thankfully, only briefly tasted it (awful, fecal), and did not eat it.

A nice hotel bar, friendly service, ok selection of drinks. Nothing outstanding and a good choice if you're in there area looking for a quiet and convenient place to have a meetup. Note the space is downstairs and bathrooms are up a double flight of stairs. Good spot for medium sized groups (like 6-10).

Good drinks here and the selection is more than enough. Quiet enough to have conversations with your friends or date. Haven't tried the food but there is defined good beer and drinks.

My friends and I tried out this bar since we were looking for a chill place to do some catching up. The tables were a bit close together, but I didn't find it too loud. Drinks were okay, my one friend who does not drink appreciated their mocktail selection. Apps were okay, decent options our various dietary restrictions. Overall, I think it's a good place for a small group or maybe a date, but I was not expecting it to be a super exciting experience.

Stopped by for a drink with a friend after dining elsewhere. We ordered the espresso martini and White Russian. The espresso martini was not good because the coffee tasted stale, old. The White Russian was better. Ambience is dark. It was a Friday night and it mostly empty. Vibe might feel better when there's more people and energy in the room, otherwise it felt like a somber lounge.

For a hotel bar so centrally located in Harvard Square and has the potential for being superb, I thought it was quite small and crowded and loud. The hotel lobby itself is quite nice but I thought the bar had limited seating and the tables were so close together that everyone in the room was pretty much shouting across the table to be heard. The drinks are fine and although I didnt sample their food, I assume it's on par. I just don't think I would go back bc of how "cozy" it felt and with the noise level, I was exhausted by the end of the night.

Went here for Paint Nite and had a great time. Painted the city of Boston at night and had a great guide.

Decent bar on the edge of Harvard. Just got drinks since the food menu is a lil all over the place but the bartenders are fun and humored my requests for their favorite drinks. Good place to watch the Celtics game but a ritzy hotel crowd for sure

Great drinks, great service, better than average food. We went here because of a promotion so it was a very windy and rainy Monday night and the only patrons appeared to be guests at the hotel. The interior of the hotel is beautiful and the bar is very swanky. I like that they have a corner booth because it was date night. The service is next level-- like a $$$-$$$$ restaurant. The drinks were very good and appropriately strong. The food was the only area of improvement needed: the lamb meatballs were a bit cold and not fresh-- they looked like they had been sitting out and microwaved. However the lobster bisque, croque monsieur, and creme brûlée were all five-star. They have outdoor seating, but we sat inside due to the mini hurricane. Will definitely be visiting again!

Nice spot, very active for a small lounge attached to a hotel by comparison to other hotel bars I've visited. Certainly a solid option for chatting over drinks.

Review #1017 Great cocktails. The two times I was here, the place was not full but was still very loud. The first time I was here for a Wednesday night, some people were hovering near the bar, and the host told us there was a speed dating event going on and a large area is sectioned off for them. My friend and I decided to go upstairs to Benedetto instead. The second time I was there was a Friday evening. It was not busy at 9 PM, until like 10:30 PM-ish. A large group (15 - 20) of elder folks came to party! Well, it was the Harvard Alumni weekend, and I guessed that they were staying at the hotel. Well, I was almost done with my Friday evening around then, so me leaving as they were just getting here they made me feel old!! I cannot remember if they had background music, but it was not comfortable to hold conversations. The service was good since it was not crazy busy. They do have an extensive specialty cocktail menu to choose from. There is no bathroom inside, and you have to use the hotel bathroom upstairs. It is clean and fancy paper towels available to dry your hands. I am in no rush to return here. Actually, I'd much prefer the open bar upstairs at Benedetto because it is better lit and you don't feel crammed.

Love the ambiance of Noir Bar. It's dark and intimate and they have old Noir films projecting on the walls. Had the Black Dahlia cocktail - delicious and generous with blackberries - followed by a couple glasses of red wine. For bites, Noir Bar offers $1 oysters from Tuesday - Sunday starting at 5PM which was a pleasant surprise (because in Boston oyster specials are usually limited to one night a week and/or only available from 4-6) so I opted for half a dozen; they kindly serve your oysters with not just lemon but also lime wedges. My friend ordered the Three Italian cheeses, preserves, baguette. The cheeses were delicious especially the one drizzled in honey; the preserves were so delicious as well and not overpowering in flavor. We also split the Housemade veal meatballs, tomato basil sauce, sliced baguette. Highly recommend - tender meatballs and the bread on the side was a great touch for absorbing any leftover sauce. Overall, I enjoyed the space, the food, and the drinks - would definitely come back again for drinks with friends - it looks like when the weather is nice they might offer outdoor seating as well!

Happily it remains open , sometimes happily by loyal tasteful regulars, dining indoors outdoors or both while shifting positions enjoying independent mobility and meeting new and old friends and tasty filling menu delicacies despite the. Temperature outdoors . Staff are friendly knowledgeable supportive like family : fun, helpful , happy , talkative friendly - hooray! Like Chicago, et al : my kind of town! I'll be back! Byron

Refused to honor Yelp check in offer of $1.50 oysters. Waiter said "we're not affiliated with Yelp"

Why did I go? Stopped by this place looking for a craft cocktail when I was visiting Cambridge. Order: Slightly Honorable, which tastes a lot like a lemon drop. It's Citron, elderflower and pear nectar served in a chilled martini glass. Price: $12, which I think is slightly overpriced for the quality. Environment: Attached to the Charles Hotel, it is a nice, dark and intimate atmosphere. They also have a large outdoor patio with heaters, which is great for larger groups. They have a projector inside displaying the game. Service: Service was fine. Don't expect personalized service as we had three different people wait on us for our one drink. Return? Probably not. It was fine, but with so many other options around, I would probably only return if I stayed at the Charles Hotel.

Noir is located inside the Charles Hotel so you're bound to get an older crowd here even though it's right by Harvard. We came after a nearby dinner Friday night since it was voted the best hotel bar in Best of Boston 2016. The atmosphere is definitely upscale without being too bougie and pretentious. The cocktails we got were pretty good as well. Can't say how food is, but for a nice drink it is a decent place. Just didn't really stand out as extremely amazing in my opinion.

Came here to celebrate a friend's birthday this summer and sat in a patio table with a group of 6. That's where the good part of the evening ended. Coz then our waitress arrived and we got the worst service of our life. Drinks were mediocre, food was terrible. Our waitress kept throwing stuff from one end of the table to others (making a lame joke about her small "alligator hands"). The evening only went downhill from there, and is still a sore joke amongst all of us. Disappointed to find a 20% tip included in the bill despite the horrid service. Would give negative stars if I could. Do NOT recommend.

Solid 4.5 stars. One of the best lounge/bar experiences I have had in Cambridge in a while! I came to Noir with a friend a few weeks ago, and was immediately able to find two seats at the bar. The ambiance was great, the oyster special was a steal, and I really liked the crispness of my digestif (after dinner) cocktail! Perhaps what notched it up for me was the service. The bartender (I wish I'd gotten her name - she was fantastic) quickly shared menus and was extremely responsive. She was extremely helpful in choosing a drink that fit my palate for the soiree, let me taste the liquor before she used it, and re-mixed my drink when I made a face (accidentally!) after tasting what was too sweet for my taste. It's a cozy, classy spot that's centrally located yet still tucked away. Can't wait to go back.

We stopped by on our way to the airport. The service was friendly and responsive and the cocktails were out of this world. I look forward to my next visit.

3.5 stars* DISCLAIMER: THEY NO LONGER HAVE $1 OYSTERS...even though if you Check-in on Yelp it says so. They are $1.50 each. Apparently, it was a mistake which they chose not to honor. Also, $15 minimum per person BEFORE Oysters...and 20% automatic tip for groups of 6+. Yesterday (Sunday), my friends and I were on the hunt for dollar oysters and ended up at Noir. Inside, it is very dark and sexy. My friend said it had a strip club feel which I can agree with. Haha. We opted to sit outside since it was nice out and their patio was in the shade. For drinks, my friend got beers and I got the Blood Money (twist on the Moscow Mule with blood orange). The Blood Money was really delicious and you could taste the ginger and hint of blood orange. My friends beers/ciders were served in the can or bottle which was strange given the vibe of Noir. They didn't give glasses for them and the beers were not as cold as they could be. All 5 of my friends agreed on that. At ~$8 a pop, you would hop for something really cold. For food, we ordered: 1. Chicken wings with chipotle honey BBQ, sesame seeds, scallions. 2. Three Italian cheeses, preserves, baguette. 3. Chicken liver pâté with pickled peppercorns, pistachios, house pickles, melba toast. 4. Housemade veal meatballs, tomato basil sauce, sliced baguette. 5. Mojo pulled chicken, avocado, and cabbage slaw in a wrap. 6. OYSTERS! Respectively,... 1. The wings were quite delicious. Basically an upscale BBQ chicken wing that was saucy and tender. 2. The cheeses were delicious and the baguette was as expected. The 3 cheeses we had were: midnight moon goat's milk cheese, gorgonzola, and ??? (I will edit with the name of the last one later). One was very similar to a semi sharp cheddar, the goat's milk cheese was pungent but soft and delectable, and the gorgonzola (loooks like bleu cheese) was pungent as well and creamy. 3. The chicken liver pate portion was MASSIVE. The melba toast served with it was perfect. Hard pieces of square shaped bread. The pate was salty and spreadable but it was a thicker kind of paste. 4. The veal meatballs were flavorful and we collected the rest of the sauce with the baguettes. They were a tad overcooked but not too bad. I still enjoyed it. 5. My friend got the chicken sandwich which came with potato chips, he really liked that and it looked delicious. 6. For 5 of us, we ordered 80 oysters which came with the cocktail sauce and lemons/limes. Limes were strange. I wish they had horseradish for that hot kick or tabasco sauce. I am not sure what kind of oysters they were but they were a small/medium size. Not incredibly meaty but not teeny. Though, for $1.50, they could do better. Service... The service was decent. The gentleman we had was new (overheard him talking). For someone new, he wasn't too bad though he didn't check on us once we received the first round of food and there was some delay cleaning off the empty plates. He didn't seem very enthusiastic to serve us but maybe that is how I perceived it. Also, we had only ordered 50 oysters first to start and then another 30 (all they had left). He cleared off the plates from the first set of oysters along with the utensils. He didn't give us more cocktail sauces or replacement utensils. He did give us extra melba toast when I asked for it since the pate portion was relatively big to the amount of toast we had. Overall, the experience here was decent. Would I come back? Unlikely.

Visited tonight for 25 minutes, sat outside. We're given drink menus and waters and then waited for ever for anyone to take a drinks order. The waiting staff were inexplicably attentive to the guy sat near us who needed an ashtray and an explanation of what a meatball is - he received three separate visits from different members of staff while we were just completely ignored. We finally gave up and just left and I looked back to see the waiter shrugging in confusion - perhaps next time he could consider taking drinks orders from all the customers?

Nice bar for a late drink in Harvard Square. Staff seems to have some snobby Newbury Street attitude, which seems out of place in Cambridge. Nevertheless, service was attentive and efficient. They even insisted on replacing the drink that I knocked over. My verdict: I'd go back, but I wouldn't get out of my way to get there.

This was my first time in Noir that wasn't part of an event where we had the place to ourselves. For events, I think Noir has it on the ball, but just a group out, they are lacking. Service is friendly but slow and forgetful and drinks are quite pricey. This would be a great place for a quite date with a new love, but not for a night out on the town with your friends.

Pathetic service, very disappointed with the waitress called Danielle. As the 20% tip was included in the bill she was very unprofessional and the service she gave was very bad. She kept on throwing stuff like bill. She threw the bill and gave it to us. She threw the mats. The food was also not good. Would never suggest this place especially because of the service we got.

They didn't make us sit at the bar for happy hour! Yay! I get the privilege of being at a table on a chair without paying exorbitant dinner prices at the Charles Hotel! Love the Happy Hour Menu, hate the $6 minimum drink purchase you have to make in order to get it. That means either two sodas or a $13 cocktail. And I, being the spendthrift alcoholic, opted for the cocktail. Yeah, bad decision-making! I actually don't regret it. I got the LA Confidential and it was one of the best cocktails I've had in the city. Totally my kind of drink: fruity, slightly sweet, sugared rim, pretty yellow color. Mmm....Refreshing. The actual food is good and arrives fast. They know how to handle their HH crowd. I tried all the sandwiches and they're all fantastic (nicely toasted, melted cheese kind of sandwiches), the strawberries and cream snack is a steal and the salad with apple slices (forget the name) is delicious. Best of all, the prices all range from $1 - 5. Hey, wait a minute! Their Happy Hour menu is called 5-4-3-2-1! What a coincidence!

Our big group ventured out for drinks. It didn't seem as though they could keep up or knew what was happening which was a bummer. Their drinks are strong but for $13 a piece you would hope so. I was looking for a sweet fruity drink and tried the L.A. Confidential. It was good and I'd order it again but I also want to try the Naughty O'pear. I heard the Last Word was a strong slow sipper and I tasted the Stardust which was also strong but more sour with the lemon than I cared for. The room was cozy and would have been good for a small intimate group or a date. The place was humming earlier with a private party and I am assuming they had arranged and staffed that in comparison to our group of 15-20. I've heard about the 5-4-3-2-1 so I'll need to go back and hit that on the right night.

We were walked to our parking spot in the garage. How sweet! The guy told us not to drink too much, cause if we stayed overnight at the hotel, we'd be towed. It was reserved parking. Right next to the elevator. Pissah. We walked in and hovered over a table as a large group split up and left for the night. It was desperately close to the time that the kitchen closed. My friend got a (not dirty, vodka) Harry, and I got something called the *something* O'pear. It tasted like honey. I was jealous of the blue cheese stuffed olives in my friend's drink, and after a short butt break, we were back at it again. She ordered the aruluga salad, which was SO TASTY, I was offered a bite, which is nice, cause I probably would have taken one anyways... It looked so fresh and good! I got a Dirty Harry, which got me sufficiently drunk, and she had another non dirty one. Ooooh, la-lah. Drinks. The bill was not too high, considering the locale, the atmosphere, I thought we were in for a shocker. Not so much. I like the cute little booths, and the whole decor of the place is really very nice. I think it's a good place for us to go back and eat more stuff. Maybe a girls night out? Oh yes. I'll be back. The only strange thing was when all of a sudden the old school videos stopped being projected on the wall... Eminem started to be blasted. Really? It was all sexy and dark, now it's confusing and dark...

I find super hard to find speakeasies in Boston, and this one is definitely a great option. Noir is a hotel bar, very quiet, low lights and great bartenders. Good for a date or have a low key night with a group of friends. Sitting at the bar you can interact with the staff and also other people around. I like it a lot.

This bar has a film noir theme, which (aside from the names of the cocktails) means that it's small and dark and there are old movies projected in grainy black-and-white in one corner. Good music, though the music seemed a bit at odds with the decoration. The drinks are very good. The food was good, but not as good as I'd expect, given the price. The service was lackluster. To be fair, it was very crowded that night, the bar was host to an event that probably should have reserved the whole venue. So perhaps if I'd been there on a less crowded night, they'd end up with a more positive review.

Noir is somewhat of a disappointment. I've had a couple of trips there and although the first was rather mediocre, mostly due to a very inexperience and incompetent bar staff, my second one last night was much better albeit inconsistent. Located just a short walk from Harvard Square, in the lower level of the Charles Hotel, under both Henrietta's Table and Jody Adam's Rialto, the bar itself is rather small. It is also dark, with a modern look to it, which itself isn't bad. I do somewhat feel that they've put more efforts into the décor of the place than into quality control. Whether on my first or second trip there, the drinks have been extremely inconsistent - some of the cocktails even tasted extremely weird, having some umami-like flavors which were unexpected. One of such culprits is their Matinee. Although I can't pull up the ingredient list from their outdated website, I was expecting some bold flavors from the rye base and instead tasted curry powder - curry wasn't one of the ingredients in there though and after just two tiny sips, I couldn't finish it. A real shame. Other cocktails I had there were decent, such as the Toronto which features Rye whiskey, fernet branca, simple syrup, orange zest and angostura bitters. But while decent, $12 for it is a bit steep, especially since I could have a much better drink at... Drink for cheaper. In many ways, I feel like while the bar's location, décor and atmosphere is great, it somewhat feels pretentious that they'd charge that much for a poorly executed cocktail. Sure, maybe if the staff was well seasoned, then maybe, just maybe, you could pull it off but unfortunately I didn't feel like it was the case after much observation. Sadly for them, there's some strong competition in the area, such as Russell House Tavern and their very own Aaron Butler who's a master of his craft and could mix this staff under the bar. And because of such, I'll probably skip Noir and head there instead for some drinks in the area. On the upside their cocktail list is seasonal which is a plus, and one of the reasons why they are keeping three stars in my review - They have some interesting ingredients that they mix with, including some Belle de Brillet (a pear liqueur), egg whites, pom pomegranate juice and even some Ruby Port.

This is only a review for drinks, I've never ordered food before. I've been to Noir twice and enjoyed myself both times. They have a nice cocktail menu with one page of house drinks and one of classics. I wasn't in too boozy a mood so I opted for the prosecco with a dash of chambord and I was a happy camper. That's a favorite drink of mine so it would be hard to disappoint. Other members of my group were similarly happy. One thing I really like is that the bar never seems to get too crowded. It's a trendy, dark little spot that's great for a small group who actually want to chat or maybe a date night. I wouldn't come here if you're looking for a hopping bar scene where you'll meet dozens of people. Disclaimer, they are in the Charles Hotel so you do get some random hotel guests which can make for an odd crowd. They do include the tip in the bill so be sure to read what you're paying for before you sign.

The bartender was awesome and made me a speciality drink based on The Berning on the menu. The atmosphere was quiet and calm and the room was rather dark which we wanted. I really loved the area of town, way less transits than the city. I strongly recommend this place if you want relaxed.

This bar is truly weak if you are looking for bespoke cocktails. I suppose it's a decent place to go if you're staying in the hotel and looking to stumble "home", but man. Huge chunks of ice from a hard shake floating on a drink that should be stirred, that kind of thing. And one waitress for the entire place? She was nice but this place is not small, nobody could reasonably handle that kind of traffic by themselves. It was so bad that bartenders were coming out to the tables to take orders. Good atmosphere, nice interior feel, but please please please get a new bar manager and someone to design a better cocktail menu. This great location is begging for it!

Cozy, chic, regular-friendly spot with a killer happy hour menu & cocktail list... plus, an out-door patio! I've frequented this place more times than I can count and I'll have to say it's a different creature from start to finish. On opening, it's suits. It's quieter, with a few work meetings going on. Late afternoon, early evening picks up with the happy hour crowd and can be fairly busy. There isn't a host/hostess so don't be shy about hopping to a table yourself if you see one available. There's a slight lull, which can be nice, come post-dinner and the rest of the night varies according to the day, local events, local clientele, and literally how the wind blows (the weather). Having the latest liquor license in the Harvard Square area, it's "last-call" reputation holds true. In contrast to the opening of the black velvet curtains, during last call (2am) you'll find anyone and everyone in droves here. Word to the wise: if you plan on making last call here for a few drinks, try to make it before 1:15 to prevent having to wait too long. As you can imagine, people are thirsty at this point in the evening!

Noir was voted the best hotel bar in Best of Boston 2016. The atmosphere is definitely upscale and trendy. I really like the elegant interior design with a cool, darkish red hue. Love the corner with movie projection on the wall. The whole place gives a classy but not pretentious kind of feel. I came here in the beginning of my first year at GSD. It is right next to the Kennedy School and inside the Charles Hotel. The cocktail drinks are tasty and it is a nice place to get to know new friends because the environment is nice yet calm enough for you to want to discuss some interesting topics and stay a while so you won't waste this beautiful setting.

Rounding a 4.5 star review up-- the food, ambiance, and drinks were all stellar! Had a wonderful 21st birthday celebration here on a Friday night (Whispering City was A+). Can affirm that the turkey sandwich was amazing, but all of the food overall was delicious and very affordable (contrary to how expensive Noir's exterior may appear). Great for a classy night, whether you're in the pre or post game stage in the night. Will be coming back soon to explore more of their drink menu and try some of their $1 oysters! *Service was a bit slow even when the space was fairly empty, with a third of our table receiving their food well after everyone else had finished their meal, so a deduction of half a star there.*

Pretty good place! Quiet and lovely atmosphere, not too noisy even at Saturday evening. Located closed to Harvard Square so it's pretty convenient!

Nice enough location. Didnt eat so cant comment in the food selection.Coctail selection was interesting but the coctail I got (black dahlia)was -OK and the second one was bleugh ( la vie en rose)And Definately a concept bar they have noir movies playing on a project or so that was interesting. The only reason it's 4 stars is because the service was exceptional.

Nice atmosphere. Love the corner with movie projection on the wall. Drinks are great and strong enough. Love the honey bee cocktail and the one featuring coffee. The missing one star is for the waitress who gave us check before we wanted to order more. (And we did) It's just not polite.

Has gone way downhill unfortunately. Was once a great place for cocktails and had always provided adequate service but this is not the case anymore. You actually need to track down the wait staff to get service. Cocktail selection is pedestrian at best. Forget about sitting outside as everyone is ignored (and they play horrible old disco music). They benefit from built-in clientele from the hotel and aspire to nothing more. Look elsewhere. . .

Only reviewing the bar......and only been there once (so I'm hoping there's better bartenders that I missed out on). Went there at 6p on a Saturday. Came with high hopes, left with a sour taste in my mouth....literally. My drink of choice: whiskey sour...... 1st problem: Whiskey = Jack Daniels (WTF??? In a sour??? Without asking???) 2nd problem: no measuring of contents, attempted a count but shorted it...led to next problem..... 3rd problem: All lemon juice (atleast that was fresh) w/splash of Tennessee Whiskey.....no sugar 4th problem: Major heart burn (probably from my lemon juice w/ a splash of jack....just sayin') Watched the bartenders work behind the bar (having been a mixologists myself, I was interested).....they're better suited for a club rather than a bar purporting to have nice cocktails that cost $9+. Shook drinks that should have been stirred (ex: Martini), couldn't count pours properly, couldn't pour drinks properly when making multiple drinks (had to constantly repour), and generally sucked....atleast they refilled our water constantly. Get a new bar manager, revamp your cocktail list and then give me a call when you're ready to make proper cocktails.

Noir may be noisy, overpriced and often crowded, but you kind of would expect that considering it's trying to be Harvard Square's 'premium' destination. What it does offer are late hours, a wonderfully sexy ambience and good cocktails with an imaginative film noir theme. It's been said before that this is a great place for a date - with comfortable elegant booths that encourage intimacy - but really this is more a place to 'end up' if a date has gone well. It could be difficult to start a date here with the lack of lighting and the noise, but it's perfectly suited to the after-dinner drink and maybe a desert too. Disclaimer - I promised a sugar-addicted date I would remove one star from my rating as they didn't serve cake. She even shouted 'cake cake' repeatedly at the waitress but to no avail.

What has never failed to impress me at Noir is their low rate of staff turnover. How frequently is it that you go to a bar maybe 10 times a year and see familiar faces each of those times? If the familiar faces make a great cocktail, I keep coming back for more. Noir hasn't failed me yet, and I've tried a heckuva lot of cocktails here. Recently I've been on a kick of their crave-worthy dirty martini, aptly named a "Dirty Harry." Delightful. Does the trick. The atmosphere is also fun, with some space to lounge and an outdoor area. In the summertime, it's a great patio for a mojito. Not to be overlooked, the music is always on the poppy side of hip and at a level that is grooveable but also allows you to speak. This is a difficult balance, and I've never been there on an occasion where it has been otherwise. If I had my way, I'd expand their menu. I think there were lighter and more creative options at some time, but now it seems to be a standard menu of pizzas, sandwiches and starters. I've not had a bad meal here ever, but I also like options. Any bar with 7 different single-malt scotches must agree on that point, too. Regardless, because of location and quality of booze, I'm always sucked back in here, where a familiar face is always around to pour me a nice one. Cheers to that.

as far as spots to go and mack a date, noir is up there at the top... Its open till 2a and the drinks are fantastic. I also tend to end up there if I'm hanging out with my degenerate friends on Monday or Tuesday nights cuz we usually will get kicked out of the bars in central square. One time I went there with a couple friends on one of these nights and we we're drinking Old Fashions at the bar... So to get to the bathroom you gotta go into the Charles Hotel and up the stars past Henirettas Table... It was holiday season and they had this huge gingerbread house set up complete with a Marzapan (sp?) pig... Well my friend took one look at that pig and started pocketing candy. The security gaurd got really pissed off, but ended up blaming the wrong person for the crime... That was a stupid night, but the pig was pretty tasty... Oh yeah, order the kabobs son....

Noir is such a welcome contribution to the Harvard Square scene that it's hard to capture in a Yelp review the qualities that it so wonderfully brings to the neighborhood. Noir leaves behind the kitsch and fluff of the area and instead offers clients (at the hotel and beyond) an intimate, calming, and truly elegant option for drinks. I've been on several occasions to this spot, and very much enjoy the bar, tastefully illuminated in an otherwise very dark room. Awesome! I stuck with a classic--Gin & Tonic, but did see some pretty interesting cocktails on the list. Service was appropriately thoughtful and responsive. Really, I don't know how this spot could be improved--generally excellent! Looking forward to having a drink next time I'm in town.

Noir makes a synesthete such as myself so very, very happy. Like dark purples edging into bold blues in slow, deliberate, delicious swirls. The ambiance is near perfect; it's sultry meets edgy. Think of the most naturally sexy person you know, who emanates such by a simple smile or way she or he walks, or puts themselves together. No, she or he does not necessarily work at - or frequent - Noir, but the same kind of allure runs rampant there, it nearly bursts at the seams. Both the food and the drinks are equally delicious, but not equally pricey. Drinks are more expensive than you'll find competitively, while the food can get up in price, but many food specials and happy hours can aid in bringing your dining totals down to something easily affordable, leaving you more money to spend on super-pricey drinks. You know, if that is something you want. If you have the opportunity to experience Noir, do not pass that up! And there is so much to enjoy that I think it will take you at least a few trips in order to really do it all.

You have to know what to order. Honestly, I would skip the grilled chicken flatbread (not a taste upgrade on Uno's...sorry, I said it). But the smoked turkey sandwich is awesome...and worth $11. And the cheesecake dessert is decent (and affordably priced). Go there! Kitchen closes at 11pm...so you can go at 10pm and still get great food.