The Red House Review

The Red House in Harvard Square

It wasn't that long ago when you really had to scour the websites and ads to find a good bargain on a quality meal out at a local restaurant. No more. As the Boston Globe reported on it's front page yesterday in an article entitled "Table For None", restaurants are facing the double whammy of a souring economy and a series of winter storms conspiring to keep diners who would normally go out at home.

If those same diners looked around a bit they might just discover that it's sometimes easier to eat out for less! When was the last time you had a great lunch out in a fine restaurant for five dollars? And the food was amazingly good!

We stopped in last week at The Red House in Harvard Square and did just that. The interior here as a real tavern like feel, all wood and subdued lighting, the center front room dominated by a large bar area. The back room, however, is quite bright and cheery, filled with light from a very large skylight.

We started with a basket of great focaccia and some quality extra virgin olive oil. The menu included a soup and salad combo, vegetable ravioli, a ham and Gruyere sandwich with potato salad, linguine with bolognese sauce, a fried oyster po boy sandwich and several other choices. So it was not just a two or three item option. We opted for the linguine, perfectly cooked, made fresh (you can always tell) and dressed with a rich, meaty sauce. Everything, however, looked good and there was not an empty seat in the place.


The Red House advertises an unbelievable bargain.

The service was prompt and efficient, the food great and the price unbeatable. We were not served a king size portion, of course, but you can barely get a small sandwich at a local take out for this kind of money. After leaving we sauntered about a bit and found other restaurants offering similar deals. So, get over to Harvard Square for lunch and take advantage of these offers.

The Red House
98 Winthrop Street
Cambridge, MA 02138
617.576.0605