Algiers Coffee House
| Address: | 40 Brattle St #3, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA |
| Phone: | +1 617-492-1557 |
| Site: | harvardsquare.com |
| Rating: | 3.8 |
| Working: | 8AM–12AM 8AM–12AM 8AM–12AM 8AM–12AM 8AM–12AM 8AM–12AM 8AM–12AM |
Location
Photos 36
Reviews 16
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Dimitrios D
Algiers Coffee House is a strange, but somewhat pleasant place. Is it a cafe? An Algerian restaurant? Im not really sure. The decor is unique and somewhat Arabic, yet also has the vibe of a student hangout. I had the Algerian mint tea and a spinach pie with yogurt for a snack. The tea was fine, as was the spinach pie. I also tried their hummus and it was bland, watery, and pretty poor. I sat outside on the rooftop patio, which was by far the best part about this place. Its small, but nice to get fresh air and eat outside. Service was slow and the waitress never ended up bringing the check, so my party and I had to go downstairs to pay. Overall, its a decent place and I would come back for a tea and maybe a snack.
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Alyssa Ackerman
I love the atmosphere in this cafe. Tall ceilings and a nice stairway up to a second floor. A few outdoor seat options upstairs which is great for a nice day. Lots of books, mirrors, and fun decorations. They have a pretty big selection of breakfast and lunch offerings (Ive never had dinner but they might offer that). Lots of teas and coffees. The service can be slow... its not so much slow as unhurried... which I actually find alright. The staff is mellow and friendly. They wont bother you. There are outlets scattered throughout. Great place to work or read, to meet friends, grab a coffee, or mediterranean breakfast.
CA
Cait Riggs
Im ambivalent about Algiers. The food is pretty good, but maybe a little overpriced for the quality (pita seemed store bought and was served pretty dried out one time). Service is very slow even compared to other busy cafes/restaurants. But the space is interesting and so is the menu (mint and turkish coffees, tabbouleh plates, etc). Im not sure if people working on laptops get the same or worse service since service seems pretty slow to begin with. Since this place can get very crowded, Id advise buying more than a coffee if youre staying for awhile. It couldnt hurt.
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A Private User
Sunday morning breakfast. We were one of two couples in the cafe waiting to eat. We ordered two cafe lattes, a bagel and a waffle for $23. The lattes were ok except they gave us cappuccinos, no big deal. We then waited around 25 minutes for the food. What arrived was a cold, stale, toasted bagel. A block of cream cheese on the side looked like it had been sitting outside a fridge for too long. The pancake was at least warm and tasted ok, however the sliced fruit on top of the pancake was already going brown. Would not recommend and certainly not go back.
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Joshua Berk
The aura + crowd is pleasantly Bohemian (yet somewhat snobbish), tiny tables are cramped, bathrooms are dirty, and the retro-fitted Arabic décor is awkwardly incongruous with the buildings colonial heritage, with assorted boxes and cleaning materials haphazardly strewn about (or piled up, like an attic). No (free or paid) Wi-Fi is a disappointment. Recommendation: attend during off-peak hours to read a book on the Sunny roof-top patio, overlooking Brattle Street. Highlights: Mint Tea, Lamb Kebab Sandwich, Baba Ganouj, Hummus, Mocha Arabica.
CA
Cara Terez
This place has recently improved. Let me explain: in High school I came here a lot and trained myself to be patient when the server would forget I was there after asking for the check. But I kept coming back. I loved the space. This past year [8 years after I first frequented the place] I’ve noticed that the staff was more attentive, while still being chill. It’s nice. I still love the lentil soup and hummus plate. I still love bringing friends here for the first time and seeing their faces when we go upstairs. The space is special
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Jonathan Kaufman Scher
I heard good things about this place and it looked nice when my girlfriend and I stepped in from the cold on a Friday,15 minutes before closing for some tea. We were dismissed by a server with, "Were closing. Were only serving tea to go." This, despite the presence of multiple tables of customers that were settled-in and going nowhere soon. So we left and went to Starbucks around the corner. It was packed and happy to have us. They even gave us the code to the bathroom.
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Sean Laurence
Theres just something about Algiers that says "comfy". It could be the warm greeting that you get from the owner or the staff when you walk in. It could be the beautiful design and atmosphere. It could be the amazing smell of coffee and delicious food cooking. Or all of these things combined! Ive been here many times and never had a bad meal or drink. They have a small rooftop patio that overlooks Harvard Square. Try and get a seat out there if you can. Its awesome!
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Lindsey Reynolds
My experience with the customer service when I called was very rude. The lady who answered the phone advised she did not have time for me as she was busy and hung up. When I attempted to call back, it was obvious someone was picking up the phone and then hanging up immediately. I would never expect that rudeness and lack of hospitality for just calling a restaurant. She did not even inquire as to why I was calling. I would never eat here going forward.
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A Private User
I adore this place -- one of the first places I ever visited in Cambridge, and really special. Beautiful interior, decorative and filled with algerian trinkets -- I love the mocha arabica coffee, but this place is worth it just for the atmosphere. high carved wooden ceiling, copper countertops -- its been around since the late 1960s, so it holds a special place in the hearts of cambridgians, and is an institution of sorts.
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Tristan Pease
Beautiful, unique location provides a great view of the Square from upstairs. Great decor, solid food. I used to stop here all the time for turkish and baba ghannouj when I lived in the area. Since I left, this is the 1 place I always think of when I get a weekend back in our fair city - fortunately the creep of gentrification hasnt managed to push this gem out! No visit is complete without Algiers.
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The Swag McSwiggle Śhøw
Went there and they didnt take credit card. Didnt say anything until after the meal. I didnt have cash. It reminded me of the time I was financially raped by Bernie Madoff. I had just recovered 12% of my life savings (its all I was gonna get) and suddenly I was bent over a table and "raped" again. Man. It was worse than being molested by my old priest.
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A Private User
The Italian sodas come in a clever glass that magically keeps things proportioned after several top-offs with the bottle of seltzer provided. Great atmosphere upstairs; food-wise, I recommend the combination plate if youre with company but neither of you is very hungry. The kebabs have varied from excellent to dried out over a half dozen visits.
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Justin Argonaut
I have frequented this place for 25 years and loved it. In recent years horrifying customer service from rude young girls that directly insult customers- definitely not. Until they take customer service seriously, fire and rehire, I will not return.
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David Grigorian
Algiers is a small and cozy cafe. They have an interesting variety of coffees and teas. Also, they serve sandwiches and desserts. This is a great place to study or spend time with friends. I highly recommend this gem in Harvard Square.
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A Private User
Algiers interior is simply breathtaking. They serve, albeit slowly, decent coffees and teas and assorted sandwiches. But the real reason I continue to visit Algiers is to sit upstairs and pretend Im somewhere exotic and very far away.
