Mr. Bartley’s began in 1960’s across the Harvard courtyard serving up delicious burgers. Since then it has become a Harvard Square institution attracting visitors from around the world. They have won several awards and have been featured in various publications. Some have gone as far to say that they serve the best burgers in the United States.
There is obviously lots of hype over this place, so, when CanuckGirl and I visited Harvard, we needed a taste of it. Around noon on a Monday, there was a line going all the way outside. An old man (who may or may not be Mr. Bartley) gave us menus as we waited in line and took our older. He really hustled everyone in line and we felt that it was quite rude as the menu is quite extensive. We also found it very weird how you had to put down your order before you even got a table. When we did get a table, the server asked us for what we wanted to order. CanuckGirl and I were so confused, so we said we gave our order outside. There seems to be a bit of a coordination issue right from the beginning.
The inside is indeed busy and all the walls have different posters, pictures, and other wacky items. Most of the people who were eating here are tourists (just like us).
Guy Fieri also featured them on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. He always leave his signature logo on the walls of restaurants he visits.
Mr. Bartley’s Famous Bottled Root Beer ($1.95) Can you believe they make their own root beer?
Fresh Lemonade ($2.99) is one of their specialties. It was sour and sweet. It comes in a very large cup, so it does take a bit of effort to drink it all. It’s probably because I am not a huge fan of lemonade.
The iPhone Burger ($12.45) has boursin cheese, grilled mushrooms & onions. It comes with a side of sweet potato fries. You are able to choose how you would like your burger done! CanuckGirl decided to have her burger medium rare. It was spot on! The sweet potato fries were delicious too.
The Guy Fieri Burger ($10.15) has Muenster cheese, tomato, lettuce, red onion, and russian dressing. It comes with french fries and a pickle. There’s nothing too amazing about it. I got my burger medium well done. The fries tasted alright. I did enjoy their patties!
Overall, their specialty burgers are what lures most tourists, but whats interesting is that their regular type of burgers are way cheaper. I would recommend you to stick with their regular menu. Their burgers are definitely good, but I would not say it’s the best .
Words of Wisdom:
- Lines long at peak hours, but seats become available quite quickly
- Service is quite mediocre
- Around $10 – $15 for lunch
We Rate Mr. Bartley’s: 
Address:
1246 Massachusetts Ave
Cambridge, MA
Website:
http://www.mrbartley.com/
