Bar Enza — Restaurant in Cambridge

We went for a 7:30pm reservation to celebrate a special day and unfortunately it was anything but that. We had Bar Enza saved on our list for a special occasion because of the raving reviews and rec’s- which makes it extra disappointing to be writing this one.

Regarding the service, we were left unattended for massive gaps of time, sitting with empty drinks and being confused. After finishing our appetizers our plates were cleared and there was a long wait between that and the pasta we ordered to split. We were there until 9:15pm waiting for bread, salad, and 1 pasta, and the check which also took forever because there was no one to ask for it. In total we were served by 5 different waitresses, which made the service feel impersonal.

The food was maybe the biggest disappointment. The Enza Salad is $18 and it is quite literally leafy greens, asparagus, and shaved parm. Nothing else. The bread basket was $10 and was mainly a giant piece of paper thin lavash cracker. We ordered the lasagna pinwheel with oxtail meatballs as a main to split. The pinwheel lasagna noodles were incredibly dry, there was no cheese or sauce inside them, and the meatballs were off in terms of texture and taste. We were perplexed how this was even considered lasagna if it’s just crumbled beef wrapped around a dry, semi burnt noodle.

We are super confused what TikTok and Instagram influencers are talking about when they rave about this place. I don’t think we will be giving it...

[Edit: after our disappointing first visit, Bar Enza contacted us and went above and beyond to make it up to us. They invited us to visit them again and we had a completely different experience. Except for the giant meatball with which I’m still not convinced, everything else was spotless. The service was great but more importantly the food was very good. The fried calamari were the best I’ve ever had, the white clam linguine was out of this world. The atmosphere was nice and not too loud despite the fact it was on a Thursday night. Overall a very nice experience!]

I really wanted to like this place. I followed it on Instagram, read the piece in the Globe, booked a table for the opening night. We arrived, the place is nice although extremely loud. We were glad to get a table outside although the patio is nothing special. Our waitress was very nice. But everything else was so disappointing: the cocktails were not good and arrived long after the food. The mascarpone dip was too thick and tasted like cream cheese given the lack of spices. The garlic knots were too greasy but didn’t taste like garlic. The tomato on the bruschetta tasted like a bare canned tomato with no seasoning. The pasta was less good than the ragù I make at home. If some hiccups came no doubt from the fact it was opening night (eg the late cocktails), I doubt the tastelessness of the food has anything to do with it. Again, I was so excited about this place but I...

Have been a handful of times. Always perfection. Pastas, of course, are excellent, (seasonal so right now the scampi and lobster pastas - WOWWWWW) but the entrees and salads are typically flawless as well. Proteins cooked to perfection. Sides a highlight. Minor details on the plates - so interesting and impressive. Who would go on about salads? Me. Real Caesar ( a rarity ) and their own house salad that's loaded with deliciousness. That cheese! Truly, a highlight. Cocktails are always fantastic. They get Italian, but it's also more than Italian food. Menu changes and is always a happy surprise.

Room is beautiful and the vibe is great. There's a huge front windowed dining room / event space, great outdoor patio- always busy - with Heaters, plants and curtains. Bar seats are plentiful. Bar high tops are yet another seating option. Something for everyone. Only complaint is with the hotel - it is so dated looking. Time for a design overhaul, Charles. This should the the Liberty Hotel of Harvard Sq.

This is one of *those places where I eat something insanely good, and I want the dish again, immediately - it's THAT good. You'll want to go back...