Great food and friendly service. Portions are large, all food comes with Harrisa sauce on the side so if you have children or someone who doesn’t tolerate spicy food be sure to inform the waiter. Most of dishes are Halal apart from burgers and stake! Their outdoor sitting is small but cozy!

Hands down, one of the best places to see live music on this scale. Way better sound and line of sight to the stage than most of em.

Im from Pittsburgh and I traveled 12 hours to see Merkules. It was a blast. I totally loved my experience there that I wanna come back. Thanks guys for the great time

Very cool location right in downtown Cambridge close to a bunch of other bars. Upstairs is a casual, hip middle eastern restaurant with a really reasonably priced menu, good food with a good selection of vegetarian options and a full bar. Downstairs is a great little venue with live music and another full bar!

Delicious platters and good service.

Awesome, small basement. Perfect venue for meeting the artists you love to listen to. Inexpensive tickets, standing room only.

Met the chef outside who makes all the delicious middle eastern dishes they serve. Seemed like a nice guy. Of course, he wanted a cigarette, and I was happy to oblige him. What was his name?

This was my first time at the Middle East. It was a cool place to see a group I had been hoping to see. There were a few really drunk people there who continued to get served after spilling their beer everywhere, but that didnt ruin the night.

Wow, incredible food and incredible service. We had a last minute change of plans and they were able to quickly accommodate our group of 18. Travis and Rob took great care of us and the food was great. You’ve got to try the harissa paste and any dishes with the yogurt sauce!

This is a great venue for concerts!Its intimate and nostalgic. With an atmosphere that reads early 80s- mid 90s.The beer on tap will please both the brand buyer and the Crafted connoisseur.They stay booked and busy and are located off public transportation!I would definitely attend many concerts at this venue. I recently went to see the Talking Kweli Summer tour Dont ask where Im standing got see your faves and get closer than any venue in town!

Food was not that good honestly, like this is supposed to be middle eastern food why are you putting black beans with it? Lol. Meat didn’t taste very nice.

Looks like a dive bar but serves middle eastern food. It used to be a great place for cheap eats but they recently changed their prices. They have decent food and options. You can find better options close by.

Food was good, venue was AMAZING, staff were a bit stressed but very nice. Cant wait for another show here!

Great venue for live music. Good food and beer. An institution in Cambridge for.many years. Ive been coming here for.nearly 25 years

I liked it the Chicken Kebab could have been more flavorful but I have had worse so I would definitely reccomend it. Ate the lunch plate with salad and beans ( they were floured and nicely cooked ). Would recommend it.

A classic lunch spot for me. I come for the vegetarian options. Seating is comfortable. Food is flavorful, and theres often an enjoyable live music performance while you eat.

Great ambience - setting complete with relaxing music and comfy chairs to sink into. The staff was very welcoming and we ate medium steak. He then recommended putting it in this bread too, which brings out the great flavorful burst!

Great little club. This was my second time visiting for a concert. Its got a very intimate feel to it. Its easy to find, plenty of parking nearby. Its clean, overall a great stop.

1st time coming here for a doobie show,being from NH the drive wasnt too bad.it i a one way in and out when tryig to find the place so be prepared. i showed up after 8pm which made it so i could park right on the side of the building without needing to pay or get lost . show was in a side area and it was interesting. i wouldnt mind coming here again in the future.

Cute night club with great food! We watched a concert after eating and both were amazing. Setting is small and intimate so we felt as if we were at a private concert. Highly recommend.

Amazing restaurant, good food and great staff. The salmon was exceptional and worth it. Would go back. I have been here a few times for lunch. The service was typically quick and the price was good. Having tried all the lunch plates, I like all the kebabs and the lamb shank, and am not so much into the kibby.

Great place for a quick and tasty middle eastern bite. It has many floors and hosts many concerts and events.Ive only been there for dinner so far, its not expensive and the food portions are good.Service was great.I suggest you get the cold appetizers, a salad, their shawarma sandwich and a meat platter.. and share it with your friends :)

Absolutely incredible!! First of all the staff is great. We were a very difficult party with a preteen and twin toddlers. The staff was completely unphased with the screaming, throwing and dumping water in my lap The food is incredible and well priced, plus the portions are more than generous. The venues are awesome and I cant wait to come back again sans children to check out their nightlife. Absolutely recommend this business.

Went to see a show in the basement and that area is a really great venue. Drinks are average priced and the atmosphere is great. There is even a tiered section off to the left that allowed great viewing of the performance. Would definitely recommend

Love this venue. Although Ive found out recently its being sold. Hopefully whoever buys it continues with the music

I cannot find any fault with the Middle East from my experience. We enjoyed the talented musicians, funky hip-hop blues, friendly young crowd, fresh beer, fine service, and lively neighborhood. We did not try the food.

I came from Pittsburgh to see Blackmilk. It was everything I wanted out of an intimate concert and more. He was so personal and vocal with the crowd it was amazing it felt like I was just with a group of friends than seeing a band. The venue was a little hot , stuffy, and it was quite small. But honestly I couldnt have imagined the concert working in any other setting.Not to mention I was so impressed with the band being dedicated enough to stay to meet and greet with almost every person in the crowd. Im sure they were the last to leave the club. Looking forward to seeing them again ASAP! The band was the icing on the cake I cant wait to see them play live again!

This place is a tragedy waiting to happen. It is way too small, no fresh air or fans in this stink hole.

The food here is so great! You really cant go wrong with what you choose. Its fresh and flavorful.

Saw the Aristocrats with the Travis Larson Band. The sound was great, and the energy in the club was electric. Its a great place to see a show.

It is a pretty good venue, I have been to shows both in the downstairs and upstairs. One they should do is improve the sound systems, the house PA systems are getting really old and should be replaced with modern great sounding equipment. Both shows I went to had pretty terrible sound and not because they werent mixed well.

I was looking for a place to see some live music while visiting Boston. I came across The Middle East. I checked out the reviews. I was pleased with what I saw. A quick trip across the bridge and we were there. We had a nice and reasonably priced dinner. Then it was onto the Upstairs for our concert. It was a small crowd and a small venue and that was exactly what I wanted. Up close and personal with each of the bands. Loved it.

Amazing place to hangout in Cambridge. Please dont shut it down :(

I accidentally walked into a live music show and spent the next 3 hours drinking, dancing badly, and arguing about Star Wars with my friend and the waiter. 10/10 new years, would highly recommend for the casual atmosphere and the occasional live music especially.

Great place, thought not the BEST acoustics...

I went to the downstairs floor to see a show. Its a nice sized venue and the bar staff was nice. My one and only complaint is the (weed) smoke. Some venues dont play games with regards to smoking anything in their establishment. It was a lot of smoke in there and it almost caused me to bail out early.

Solid venue - been here a few times for shows. Good prices on beer but its kind of a fire trap with one way in and out. I like the divey feel tho

Venue was pretty nice. Had a great time when Heize was performing.

GREAT place to see bands bring the house down! Came here to see Alien Weaponry in the Upstairs stage. Not as big a venue as the Downstairs, but still big enough to get a mosh pit going. Its a bit confusing for a first-timer to find where you have to go to get your ticket, but just ask and someone will help you. Also, plan ahead to find parking. It eases up a bit after 6 pm, but you still might have to walk a few blocks.

Went here to see my friend play live. Middle East has sections of its venue. I was in the corner venue; great little spot for intimate live performances. The drinks were really good and mixed well; I ordered Jameson-Gingers and had no problems.Seating is also great, but if youre going there for a performance, they clear part of the floor to stand or dance. Theres still places to sit and plenty of space to dance with your friends as it wasnt super crowded. Definitely recommend for a night out. The atmosphere is what youd expect; right on the corner of Mass Ave; great people watching.They have a great-looking menu which I havent tried just yet. Overall, drinks, sound and service were excellent. Only reason I havent presented 5 stars yet is because I havent tried their food!

The broth was rich and flavorful. I would come back to try all the different noodles on the menu.

Great cheap food in an old and austere room. Awesome service and general staff. It was a very hipster vibe, suitable for Central Square. I had lamb shank with couscous, which was amazing. The multiple music venues (we went for an event) are fun and lively. God bless the owner for his many years of friendly service the the community.

Fun venue, lots of great acts come through here.

The sound system is ok, but the lighting there is awful whoever placed the LED light bar behind the stage blinds everyone else. If you go on the raised left side you can get a better view. Saw earth gang

Better efforts to keep the basement breathable and cool when its a full house but otherwise, great experience!

Saw Kasbo perform here several months ago. Cant speak to their food as I was Downstairs in the nightclub area for the concert, but the drinks were what you expect when youre going to see a show (standard but gets the job done!).Love the atmosphere in the basement, not too crowded, easily accessible coat check/bathrooms, and you can enjoy the show from many vantage points- even towards the back, away from the stage. Uniquely intimate AND big atmosphere at the same time. Highly recommend if an artist you like is playing here! Also reasonably priced tickets.

Its a great environment! I frequent the place on Tuesday nights for the comedy open mic, but theyre almost always hosting events in one of their multiple stages, if not one at each stage simultaneously. The beer and food choices are decent as well. Check the place out if youve got the night off and no plans, i bet theyll have something going on!

Got the msaah, the eggppant/chickpea stew with rice. It was good and I enjoyed it, the place got really crowded starting at 8pm. I would probably get the wrap next time though

The Lamb Shank was bomb!

Great place to see a show!

Friendly staff (Amanda, our waitress was awesome!!), cute venue, good food. Ive food restrictions and they were very understanding and accommodating. It was a wonderful evening out.

Um....Yum. If you like Middle Eastern cuisine then I highly recommend this place. I consider it slightly pricy. Great local spot, access to the nightclub for music or comedy. Great waitress (Thanks, Ava!)

Review is for Sonia. As you might assume, this place is kind of grungy. But so fun!!! Came here for a sold out show and while it was really packed, it wasnt unreasonably so. Kudos for putting out a self-serve water station. Coat check was not too painful. No big lines out the door. Good sound system. I dont know. I kind of liked it.

Very accomodating staff. I didnt want to be a bother about my issues with standing for long periods of time and they were very friendly about making sure I had a chair and was comfortable enough to enjoy the performance.

Great acts, good food reasonably priced. Parking nearby which is validated.

I ate at the ground level restaurant, so my review has nothing to do with the nightclub aspect of this establishment. I ordered the beef couscous. While the meat was cooked very well, all I could taste was vinegar. It was like the whole plate was drenched in vinegar. To add to my distaste of the meal the music played over the speaker was very loud and was at times profane. This was not live music being played from the nightclub, but was hand selected music from the staff. It was very unprofessional. I will not be patronizing this establishment again.

I enjoyed the shows and the bartenders are so friendly!

Live local bads, standup comedy, belly dancing, trivia, local artists shows, down-to-earth, super chill atmosphere. This has been my favorite haunt forever.

Someone always there who listens other people talks and ends up announcing own opinion. I like the place and owners I hate a lot of people that go there

Played a matinee show today. The sound in the venue was excellent! Lionel, who books the rooms, was so great to work with. Food was great too! Cant wait to get back.

Great memories. Have come here some great bands

Attended a great show downstairs. Free water for the crowd at the bar. Enforced no vaping or smoking. This rule was enforced, multiple people were pulled out of the crowd. Good to see them enforcing what they say. Was never too hot or too cold as they had the AC blasting the crowd in intervals. Great experience.

Went for dinner. Food pretty average at best. Go for a show!

Awesome concert venue, great food, friendly staff. Loved it!

This is for the basement live music part of the place. Sound was excellent. Kind of limited frills but good for a show. Bars and some seating is available. Felt a little claustrophobic WRT to emergency exit options. Good place for music, I would go back.

Great venue to enjoy live music. Crowd is never rowdy and your guaranteed to meet some amazing people.

Super dope spot. Came for a few battle rap events & its been a good experience each time.

This place is a zoo on Saturday nights. Plastic cups = high class. Bartender sticks his fingers in the cups to pull them off the stack. Dj played jams.

I came by to see a concert at the Upstairs, and it was a great small venue. Plenty to do nearby, and the bar is good. Would definitely come back to see another show.

Played a show there on Friday August 9th. Had fun. Professional staff. Good atmosphere.

Everything about this place is cool: food, atmosphere, music. Everything. I make it a point to visit each time Im in the Boston area. Seen Cracker there a bunch of times.

Fun selection of bars and music stages.

Saw Chris renzema in the upstairs, awesome concert and great venue

This place is an institution- and well worth visiting based on the sheer coolness of that. It’s as funky as central square can get. Service is laid back and friendly, the food is not fancy but well made and clearly described. They don’t really ever change the menu. At night the corner part of the restaurant may or may not have live music or dance - check the calendar. The section in the middle of the block is generally a non-entertainment spot w the same menu if the first spot is too loud.

We went in at 11.30am for brunch. We were the first customers of n the restaurant so it was not crowded. We got the food we ordered within 20 min but the service was poor. No napkins, nobody coming to check in with you. Servers were sitting in a corner and just chatting. I ordered a drink with them food. I was done with my brunch, ordered the cheque took out the card and was then informed that the drink I ordered couldnt be made since they were out of mint!

Wanted to kick me out for tipping over a water bottle. Better places to go.

The food here is sub par. The drinks are great. The staff is great. The live music is great. But the food really leaves something to be desired. Even for middle eastern diner food you could put a little more effort into things. It’s 2018.

Loved this venue! Very fun and intimate.

Awesome karaoke night at Middle east! Definitely recommend checking it out!

Drove almost 6hrs round trip, for my absolute favorite band. First time at this venue, but its DEFINITELY not my last. Extremely friendly staff, bartenders, security, etc. For a death metal show, the sound was on point. Re-entry is always a plus for us smokers. Im a big guy, and can get sweaty quickly when inside smaller venues, but amazingly enough, they had a decent AC unit that kept the air flowing nice and cool. Plenty of space and seating throughout, for those who enjoy watching from a distance. That also meant there was ample area for the crazy ones who mosh, without having to worry about someone flying into you. I think Ive made my point. I dont write reviews, but after some sub-par experiences at other venues, I feel its worth the time writing this, as I prepare back to Maine. Cant recomend enough, will be back soon.

We saw snow tha product tonight and the sound and the energy that goes through that place is amazing. Kudos.

The Middle East is an awesome small venue for killer shows. I havent been to the restaurant hooked to the front of this place but it always seems busy and has additional outdoor patio space to dine at as well. There are many other great restaurants on the same street. Definitely a great venue to attend. Crowds are always awesome and I look forward to knowing that the band I want to see is playing here instead of other places.

This place was amazing!!!!! We went to a show. The location and ambiance was perfect. Their falafel and their lentil soup were both so delicious.

Good food, good service.

Amazing staff working the events here. I attended a show in the nightclub last night, and it was pretty hot in there. My girlfriend stood too long in one place and passed out, and the staff working was there in less than 5 seconds. They were extremely professional and courteous, and offered her free sodas/water after. Even checking in on her throughout the rest of the show. It was much appreciated and we will definitely be back! You can come here assured you and your friends will be safe no matter what!!PS the sound in the nightclub is great.

I havent been inside it yet, so its hard to give a more definitive review.

Fun place for a concert..relaxed atmosphere

THE BEST and I don’t say that lightly

Went to a show (upstairs) for the first time. The guy working the box office was super helpful and friendly and guided me to the right place. I had my name on the list because a friend knew a band member and even that was seamless to get my ticket. Very small upstairs venue, but set up nicely. Pit in the middle with the bar on one side and merch on the other. Drink prices were as youd expect at a concert. I love how close you are to the stage even if you stand at the very back. Definitely want to return for another show soon.

Ive gone here for a few concerts, both for their basement and upstairs venue. The concerts are always nice and small, great support to the little guys! Ive had some unpleasant experiences with one of the workers but everyone else there is very kind, I wont let that one worker taint my view on this place. I plan to return again when another artist is playing there!

Authentic Middle Eastern cuisine. Great food good prices. Definite hipster flavor in the heart of Cambridge. Two concert venues featuring lots of new artists and seasoned acts. Dinner specials with show tickets.

This review is for middle east upstairs.Wonderful time! Small space with plenty of sound and bar service. Easy in and out.

Freaking awesome real deal food! Cool staff, will stop again if in the area. Good price, good martini!!!

Yo s*** was banana Shunn went to see Ghostface Killah and Wu-Tang and Tragedy Kadafi... The Staff treated me like a King...

The food I had was excellent. And my watress service to my wife and I was the best we had had in years. Very personal and fast service with a great smile.

Amazing food & atmosphere. My boyfriends band played upstairs, great venue and great restaurant. Sometimes figuring out which entrance to go in is slightly confusing, but once you figure out the layout its fine.

Say a PRAYER for me - think I am FINALLY going to find my NEW BAND & get PAID for my talents !!!The food I ALWAYS ENJOYED YET the music VENUES are spacious clean & FUN LOVING & cant wait to get paid for my talents & preform with HOLISTIC MUSICIANS like me !!!THANK YOU OWNER - NABIL SATER for keeping the Boston/ Cambridge (both former OLD HER- STORIC CITIES ) MUSIC SCENE VIBRANT & FANTASTIC !!!

Had a great time. The bartender was really sweet.

Absolutely fantastic food, lamb was cooked perfectly, amazing done rice, beans and tomato sauce. Great place to see a show too, wonderful atmosphere and always a good crowd

Great food, great service. Also awesome music at night but today we only had lunch there.