Casablanca Restaurant
(617) 876-0999
40 Brattle St
Cambridge,
MA
02138
42.3744
-71.122
Neighborhood: West Cambridge
What People Are Saying About Casablanca Restaurant
The Editor
Eric Grossman
Citysearch
The Scene
This subterranean restaurant and lounge has lived nine lives since opening in the mid-1950s, and it currently provides the neighborhood's intelligentsia with a suitably smart place to hang out. Whether eating in the relaxed, red-walled dining room or drinking in the upbeat, high-ceilinged lounge, a colorful crowd of academics make themselves at home, as do proficient, black-clad servers. The bar, with its vividly colorful murals, is a great spot for a specialty cocktail or a late-night snack.
The Food
Casablanca's Mediterranean- and Middle Eastern-tinged menu is as varied and eclectic as the films showed at the neighboring Brattle Theatre. A salad with cornmeal-fried calamari, baby arugula, cherry tomatoes, pickled red onions and orange aioli presents an adventurous contrast in flavors and textures, while a seared striped bass with lemon buerre blanc and black trumpet risotto takes the tongue on a wild ride. Ouzo-scented olive oil cake with toasted almonds, honey crème fraiche is but one of the comforting desserts worth indulging.
User Reviews
equity6
July 23, 2007
Four of us dined here on July 21st and had a wonderful meal. The dining room itself is below street level, but the lighting and artwork make up for the lack of a view. Very creative cocktails here! We had the Basil Martinis, made with Hendricks Gin and infused with fresh basil which were among the best cocktails we've had in a long time. Food is also creative - several interesting salds and tapas to start including golden beet salad, and serrano ham. We had mostly fish and seafood entrees and my diver scallops were great with frisee and other accompaniments like grilled escarole. Service is very good. Prices are in line with the quality. Location is right near Harvard Square
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zoechance
December 12, 2006
The only part of Casablanca that takes reservations is the restaurant, but the decor is like a bad hotel, service is poor, and they have a $17 food minimum per person. (This means 2 tapas per person, which is a lot of food - more than my girls and I could eat.) Wait for the lounge instead, hope for one of the cozy basket tables, but be satisfied with a loud table in the middle of the happy chaos. No food minimum, much better ambience, and better service. On the bright side, tapas and cocktails are excellent in either section of Casablanca. We *loved* the grilled portobello. We also enjoyed the Turkish mezze plate, grilled pear, hummus (not pureed - a novel experience), and artichoke crepe. The Moroccan mule cocktail was iffy, but I should have known it from the description. Our spacy waitress took FOREVER to take our drink & food orders, and both the drinks and tapas took a long time to arrive, so bring some interesting friends and relax.
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experiencer
December 18, 2005
I was very much looking forward to my dinner with friends at Casablanca. However, the experience was much less than desirable. The atmosphere was nothing special although I did appreciate the coat rack near the entrance. My husband's pork loin was average and my stuffed artichokes were lower than average. We finished with the apple tart which, again, was average. I am usually pretty happy with average meals but not when I'm paying $25-29 a plate. If you're thinking about dining at Casablanca, I would recommend trying somewhere else as there are many other great restaurants in Harvard Square.
read full reviewThe Details on Casablanca Restaurant
Save Money:
Eschew pricey entrees in favor of affordable tapas plates (an assortment of Turkish spreads provides great value and is ideal for sharing).
Know Before You Go:
The same menu is served in the dining room and lounge areas, but if you choose to sit in the former, you'll pay a $17 food minimum per table.
Parking:
On busy weekends, the restaurant's validation offer is the best bet: a $6-$8 fee for the nearby University Place or Charles Hotel garages.
The Extras:
As the restaurant celebrates its 30th birthday in 2008, anyone turning 30 during the year can come in, show ID, and receive a free lunch or dinner entree.
Category:
Payment Methods:
American Express, Cash, Discover, Visa, Diners Club, MasterCard
Restaurant Special Features:
Local Favorite, Late Night Dining, Date Spot, Romantic Dining, Brunch, Hidden Find, Historic Setting, Theater District Dining, People Watching, Business Dining, Family Style Dining, Group Dining, Dine At The Bar, Bar Scene
Cuisine:
Greek, Eclectic & International, Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, Traditional American, Vegetarian
Smoking Permitted:
No
