Harvard University
- Nightlife

The Roxy

The Roxy’s multi-leveled, old-fashioned interior design provides an interesting atmosphere to catch Top 40 dance and techno beats. Roxy–goers tend to be stereotypical clubbers. T-shirts and tennis shoes are strictly forbidden. Thursday, Friday (18-and-over), and Saturday (21-and-over) have a $10-$15 cover charge.

Club Nicole

Generally 21-and-up, Club Nicole is upscale and trendy, but very small. As such, if you want to get in to check out the candlelit Euro-techno ambiance, be sure you’re dressed fashionably. Events include Asian Night and International Night. Cover is $15.

Aria

Velvet couches, red plush, and young sophisticates all make up the cosmopolitan ambiance of Aria. Three well-stocked bars serve as a nice break from the non-stop house and techno music that pervades throughout the dance floor and front lounge area. You must be 21 or older to get in on Saturdays, and be willing to cough up the $15-$20 cover.

Redline Bar and Grill

Redline caters mainly to juniors and seniors, as well as Harvard grad students, but have been known not to card underage patrons terribly hard. Drinks are expensive and the atmosphere is loud and fun, until after midnight when the bar fills to capacity and moving through the crowd becomes quite a hassle.

Phoenix Landing

An Irish bar by day and a dance floor by night, the Phoenix nightlife gets into full swing around 10; the bar plays everything from house to ‘80s music, depending on the night.

Shay’s

A perfect summer spot to have a sandwich and beer outside while you watch the crowd stroll by on JFK.

Regattabar

Great for a first date or for any jazz lover, the Regattabar serves smooth drinks to go along with its smooth jazz sounds.

John Harvard’s Brew House

An undergraduate hangout for well-priced, tasty food. On Mondays, JH’s attracts a large crowd with its half-off appetizer special. On the weekend, Harvard’s never gets too crowded, mainly because its drinks are significantly more expensive and its bar area is significantly smaller than other Cambridge bars.

Daedalus

This classy bar is a great place to start the night with since its capacity of 65 and closing time of 1 a.m. means it gets crowded easily and closes early. Drinks are moderately priced for Cambridge, while their food tends to be well-worth the added expense.

Cambridge Common

Containing a subsidiary lounge called the Lizard Lounge, Cambridge Common is a trendy little bar and restaurant offering 24 draft beers.

Hong Kong

Can anything beat a night of scorpion bowls? And if you’ve had too many of ’em, there are plenty of beers to wash everything down. The Hong Kong can be the haven of underage bar goers, though recently they have begun to crack down hard on fake IDs.

Grendel’s Den

Grendel’s attracts a much smaller crowd than its Cambridge counterparts and often its patrons love it because they can escape the crowd, while still enjoying good drinks and a great atmosphere. Grendel’s tends to be more rustic than other bars in the area and largely features tables, instead of standing room like many other bars. Drinks are cheaper than nearly every bar in Cambridge. The below-ground bar also offers one of the best happy hours in the area (daily, 5 p.m.–7:30 p.m. and Sunday-Thursday 9 p.m.–11:30 p.m.), with $3 drinks and half-price food.

Club Passim

Though Club Passim serves no alcohol, they do serve a variety of Middle Eastern salads, sandwiches, and entrees, all for a fair price. Each night, the spot also plays host to different musical performers. Tuesday night is open mic night, while other nights feature impromptu performances or poetry readings. This cultural icon is where Joan Baez and Bob Dylan first met and played together.