The Red House

Our waitress was fantastic but the gentleman «hosting» was a super rude to us and to others throughout the night about outdoor dining being for full service dinner only. I get it but the way he said it to everyone was pompous A.F. Oysters were also pretty disappointing as they weren’t cleaned well and came with no mignonette. Cute atmosphere and again, waitress was a total sweetheart, but otherwise unimpressed.

Friendly service and a nice beer selection, but the oysters were so terribly prepared that I would literally have preferred to take them back to my hotel and shuck them myself. Smashed shells, no liquid at all remaining, not cold, and not served on ice. I’m the kind of guy that can eat three dozen oysters no problem, and I couldn’t even finish a dozen here. The oysters tasted fresh, and the price is amazing, but it’s not worth it unless they can improve the quality control.

Mediocre food quality.
Lobster Rigatoni. overcooked lobster, didn’t taste especially fresh, made of spare/​undesirable parts of the lobster.
Same applies to the Lobster Carbonara.
Both used store bought generic pasta.
Expensive pricing, ~$ 15 – 17 for a half portion, ~$ 29 for a full portion.
Water. not well cooled/​iced. It was a hot day and the water was not refreshing at all.
Oysters. taste was just okay. Nothing amazing. Not well shucked/​prepared. Large bits of shell/​sand on the oyster meat itself.
Now here’s the kicker. I got food poisoning after eating here.
Really wouldn’t recommend it. Overall. expensive pricing for mediocre food, I wouldn’t even say it is of «average» quality. And yeah, food poisoning.

This review is long overdue. I love this place! Where it’s located, the ambiance, the food. However, I feel the reason they are not getting excellent reviews is probably due to their oysters. They just need to get rid of the oysters and this place would be a hit! The manager/​owner needs to realize that the oysters they are serving are horrible. Not chucked right, never fresh and I legit once had a little sea worm on my plate. Even with that oyster horror, I’ll still come here for drinks and food. Excellent location and the food is amazing! Get rid of the Oysters or get better quality and charge more. It’s simple!

Experiences here seem to be very mixed.
I thought the oysters, food, outdoor seating area, and location were all up to par.
Not the best I’ve had… But no complaints across the board.

Very disappointed with the restaurant. I had Lobster ravioli which was soaked in cream and the lobster obviously frozen not fresh. My spring roll appetizer was literally dripping wet. My wife had Lobster Tacos with again frozen lobster. Really unappetizing all around. The drink was a stingy pour. Bright spot was the quick service. However when I commented on my ravioli the waiter said «oh yeah I don’t recommend that dish». Plus was also the 22 oz draft beer. Wish I could be more positive on this one.

DOLLAR OYSTERS all day. and 50 CENT oysters during happy hour.
They only source one kind of dollar oyster here. They’re good if you can get past the small pieces of shell you might find as you slurp up.
They have a decent variety of beer and wine, which go well with the oysters and probably make up their profits from the oysters.
The service is hit or miss but last time was TERRIBLE. The gentleman (maybe the owner?) seating people gave us a grunt before pointing to us that oysters and beer were at the bar only. It lalso took about 40 minutes for them to shuck 12 oysters and we were pretty much done with our beers before they came out.
SO… Come for cheap oysters. Don’t expect much. You might get frustrated… but dollar oysters.

Lobster stew and lobster tacos have a lot of lobster! And oysters are fresh and tasty — $ 1 each

I had the artichoke linguine which was good. My friends had the lamb chops and the pork tenderloin which were both very satisfying. The «buffalo brussel sprouts» left something to be desired (not much brussel sprout flavour left). The ambience was nice with the open fire. Prices are on the expensive side.

Eight of us popped in here for dinner on a weeknight. It is located on a nice side street in Cambridge free from cars and a pleasant 15 minute walk from the Sheraton. We were seated in one of the back rooms. Space was tight back there but manageable.
I was flipping between the lobster tacos and lobster fra diavolo deciding upon the latter which is lobster and linguine with a spicy red sauce. I mistakenly thought the lobster meat would be removed and mixed in with the sauce. I knew that was not the case when they handed me a bib and lobster cracker. The dish was huge with a cracked lobster on the bottom with the linguine piled on top. I managed to dig out and eat most of the lobster and maybe half of the pasta. I enjoyed the meal but was stuffed at this point and skipped dessert.
Service was decent throughout the meal but several times my water glass was empty with no server in sight.

Red House never disappoints.
There’s the fire in winter. A real fireplace, with real logs and, lemme say, nothing feels better on a rainy snowy bitter cold day than tucking into the Red House and finding a seat near the hearth. It doesn’t matter what you order. It’s always good.
There’s the deck in summer, beer and a kale salad, a friend and conversation. It’s lively with energy, Harvard and cobblestones, buskers and lovers, but not exposed. It feels cool. (Watch out for the sun, though. This is a southern exposure.)
There’s the fifty-​cent oyster. I could offer qualifications — only before six p.m. — shucked by the busboy or dishwasher, clearly on-​the-​job training so you’ll have to navigate shells shards and grit, but it’s not like finding a shoelace in the linguine. Oysters make pearls from grit.
Did I say fifty-​cent oysters? This is worth repeating. A limit of a dozen at the loss-​leader price — you can’t buy them at this price from the fishmonger — before they go to a dollar per and then stay there. But at four bits or more, they bring a liveliness to the place because everybody’s happy, everybody loves a deal, everybody is sucking on life with glee.
The drinks are solid. Only a few beers on tap but there’s always something good. The servers are enthusiastic and willing, like young lovers wanting to prove themselves. And the cocktails are sturdy, serviceable, and I don’t mean this in a bad way. They’re like a great pair of shoes, something you could wear all day and then the next without complaint. My last trip there? A dozen oysters and a sazerac. Total bill? $ 13.
I hate to post a five star review. Next time, when I’m weary and wanting, looking for sustenance, a seat at the bar, it might be you in my seat.
At least say hello.

My husband came here for the oyster deal and I tagged along. I judt love the cozy fireplace they have, so homey. We came during lunch time, I thought I could get away with the lobster cabonara in appetizer size. I was so wrong, I finished it way faster than I should have and still want more. My brain and stomach dont communicate well. I sometimes order food only to eat half of it and have to try to make the leftover taste good. I love to make cabonara at home and I can tell this cabonara is perfect. The egg just enough to cover the noodle and the noodle just glisters. The price is good too.

Came here for 50cent oyster! For the price I would say it was of recent quality (but kinda sandy). The scallop appetizer was salty, but we absolutely love their Beer!

Go there for lunch ! Although the restaurant is minutes from Harvard Square noise, the street is peaceful and the restaurant style original, looks like a fisherman’s shed. The sea food is good and you can expect nice service.
Also great for 10 – 15 group gatherings as you can book a little room at the front of the restaurant where you dive in a cosy atmosphere specially during winter. Make sure to have cash with you if you are going there as a group as they are not big fan of processing 14 different cards…

soso good. The salmon fillet, lobster risotto, and the lobster chowda was amazing. very ambience. much tasty.

Had lunch yesterday, excellent food and service. Lobster Chowda was to die for…
Great selections of craft draft beers. Shrimp appetizer special during day was a real deal and treat.

There’s a lot to like the Red House, but my last visit left sour taste in my mouth. I had been a few times for drinks on the patio, or in the bar next to the fire, and the cheap oysters automatically net them a few stars.
However, I last went for Valentine’s Day dinner, and was very underwhelmed.
First, they changed the prefix menu from the time of my reservation, which is fairly annoying because they require a credit card to make a reservation and would have charged me had I cancelled without 24 hours notice. The whole reason we made a reservation was because of the enticing menu options. To change them while having strict reservation change policies for your customers seems hypocritical.
Second, the waiter «abrupt» when we pointed out the menu had changed. No apologies, just a «what you see is what we have» attitude.
Third, and most importantly, the food was not very good. Almost all the options were fish-​based (which they had not been when we made our reservation), and the few things I found and picked were rather bland and overall not great.
Tl;Dr: go here for drinks or oysters on the patio (nice day) or by the fire in the bar (cold night), but give it a hard pass when it comes to an actual sit-​down dinner.

One star, because I got food poisoning… I was up all night, and it was extremely unpleasant. This was roughly a year and a half ago, hopefully things have improved since then. Aside from that, there was sand in our salad– apparently the greens weren’t washed thoroughly.

I have only ever had cocktails and snacks from the raw bar, but each time has been great. The place itself is tiny, so I’d recommend making a reservation. Staff is polite and friendly.
Outdoor area is cute, so I prefer to visit here in the summer.

Came here before a show at the ART. it’s a cute little restaurant with a nice aesthetic and it’s located in a great spot right near Harvard Square. We wanted to sit in the bar area where there is a cozy fireplace that’s perfect for a rainy and snowy nights in Boston but unfortunately it was packed so we sat in the rear dining area which was still very well decorated and cozy.
everything on the menu looked really good, I got the beef risotto, which I believe was a special that night, and my friends got the lobster tacos and the house made pasta. everyone enjoyed their meals however I will say that the portions were a bit small for the price. Still a very delicious meal though. Our waiter was very attentive and all of our food was brought to us in a timely manner.
Definitely a good place to grab a few drinks at the bar or bring someone out to a cozy dinner!

Oysters are cheap but not that fresh. Entrées are delicious

I came here during happy hours (tues-​sun from noon-​6pm). My friend and I got cocktails and a dozen oysters each (Note: the first dozen oysters are 2 for $ 1, after that they are $ 1 each still a great deal). I’m not a huge fan of raw oysters but these were very fresh and really good! I will definitely be coming back for more oysters!

Probably my favorite restaurant in Harvard Square. Definitely on the pricier side but the pasta dishes are delicious. I love the ambiance of the interior room with the dome glass ceiling. The mushroom phyllo appetizer was crispy and flavorful. I ordered the 5-​spice Roasted Duck Breast and my friend got the Lobster Risotto. The duck was very tender and juicy. We would both come here again!

We came here for dinner on a Thursday night. We ordered the one-​dollar oysters for appetizer, and salmon and meatloaf for entrees. The oysters were not that fresh and they were sandy as well. We were joking about getting a diarrhea afterwards. Not the best oysters I have ever had. I would NOT order the oysters again even though they were a dollar each. The meatloaf entrée was lackluster/​ordinary, nothing to rave about. The only saving grace was the bacon that was wrapped on the outside of the meatloaf. But even with the bacon I still thought the meatloaf was ok. The salmon, however, was delicious. Seasoned to perfection, melted in my mouth, and tasted fresh. I would definitely order the salmon entrée again!
For both of the entrees, the vegetable sides were cooked pretty well and seasoned just right. Nothing too soggy or bland or too salty. ⁴⁄₅ stars for the sides.
–The service was good ⁴⁄₅ stars.
–The ambiance of the restaurant was great — this would be the kind of restaurants that you would want to take your date to ;) ⁴⁄₅ stars.
–The food was ok (though I would say the salmon was especially great) ³⁄₅ stars.
–Overall, I would give it a 3.4 stars, which rounds down to a 3 stars because Unilocal doesn’t do fraction of a star.

This review is just for Saturday happy hour …
12 – 6 You get 2 for $ 1 oysters! Yum Yum Yum! We got some beers too. (Apparently it’s illegal in Boston/​Massachusetts to have happy hour on drinks).
I liked the space. We sat inside, because it was chilly — but the outside area is really cute. It’s close to Harvard. Definitely worth a short visit!
Side note: The women’s toilet is set up oddly high. It’s on a weird pedestal. So strange! My feet didn’t touch the floor.

I found this place walking around Harvard Common about 7 years ago. I liked the outdoor atmosphere & it had decent reviews. I celebrated an anniversary here. The hostess was curt when we requested a certain table. The service was a bit hostile. It reminded us of New York at the time. We ignored the high prices because the food was so good.
Subsequent visits proved to be as tough as the first one. An empty dining area never guaranteed good service.
I went there today. Stood at the hostess stand for a while. I tried to make myself known but was blown off. Once the hostess came she didn’t come to me, she motioned for me to come inside. My companion was starting to become agitated because we had only 45 minutes. It was awkward for no real reason.
The Red House has recently started offering a dozen oysters for $ 6. The best deal in town, as far as I know. They bring it to you on a plate w/​o ice. The oysters are not cleaned. The cocktail sauce comes with plenty of horseradish considering there is only a half ounce. I used my water glass to clean off the sludge. The oysters are plump & tasty but the grit & lack of condiment is disappointing. The fact that the .50 oyster only applies to the first dozen, if you get 2 dozen you pay $ 1 an oyster ad nauseum. That doesn’t sit well with me.
They have recently installed an outside bar with draft beer. I was pleased that they had local brews. But when I asked for a recommendation our server asked if I liked IPAs. I said no. He said; you won’t like them then. Why would a bar stock only one type of beer on draft? Well, one was a Porter but is that really a choice? Makes no sense to me.
It’s a great location. Smack dab in Harvard Square & on bus & T lines. A decent place to go if the beer garden at Charlie’s Kitchen is full but I have a sneaking suspicion that that’s not what the owners of Red House are looking for.
I dunno, a place that can charge $ 33 for a Chicken Lobster gives you a wooden fork with your oysters, I don’t care how frugal they are, isn’t thinking big picture.
There are better places.

The happy hour oyster is one of the reason why I want to try this place. They have $ 0.50 oyster for the 1 doz. which is sound like an amazing deal.
As my boyfriend and I walking in to the restaurant, the porch and entrance to the inside of the restaurant were separated, that fine, but we didn’t see the sign to help guide us, so it was confusing.
When we were in the restaurant, the waiter and waitresses look like they were on drug, lazy and didn’t look well groom. When were were trying to ask down question about the menu, our waiter always cut me off without letting me finish my question. That’s kind of rude!
Because the oysters were not fresh, I got stomach ache after an hour.
The sangria was bad, taste terrible. No fruits in the sangria, nothing beside a dried slice of orange from yesterday (maybe).
Not so much a good place to enjoy your day off!!!

Having been to the Red House on multiple occasions, I can say with confidence that it is just meh.
When you go in you realize that it is quite literally built into a house — the inside has a really cozy, old time-​y New England vibe to it. My favorite area is definitely the bar area, which has a crackling fireplace that’s especially nice in the winter.
They have the ridiculous oyster special — 50 cents a pop between noon and 6pm — which is how most people find out about this place. You definitely know they’re cheap, though — they’re shucked pretty poorly, with shell fragments all over the place, and the shells are for some reason pretty dirty. Quite a few of the poor little suckers get pretty mangled in the shucking process too. But for 50 cents there’s not much to complain about.
The rest of the menu is alright — nothing egregious but nothing really inspiring either. They have a good selection of lobster dishes when it’s in season, but at pretty steep prices. Their drinks menu is pretty good, however.
Solid joint if you want to hang out with some friends and grab a drink and oysters.

2 and a half stars
We stopped in for the $ 6 dozen raw oyster deal. They were okay but there was sand in a few and she’ll in another. You get what you pay for I suppose.
The server was very friendly and nice and we had no wait around 5pm on a Thursday.