McCarthy’s — Restaurant in Cambridge

Had a wonderful evening at McCarthys last week. I was a regular when it was Christopher's, but I was blown away by the change of ownership. For a start. The vegan menu is to die for. There's so much choice there and great portions. My wife Martha has been a vegan from way back, and even she was taken aback by the variety on offer. Our server Harry , a vegan himself recommended the eggplant pizza- great shout. Martha had the generous warming lentil stew. If only there were more places lik this in Harvard Square, where we were staying. The future of eating out is vegan , and McCarthys are way ahead the pack in this respect. The atmosphere is welcoming and laid back. I have to confess to having a few pints of the black stuff, straight from the auld country- well it is an irish house ! That set me up lovely for the night and then the traditional music just added the magic. The quality of the musicianship was outstanding, there just so much young talent in Boston these days, and they were super welcoming. That was our first time going ,since the bar opened, but with trad music nightly every evening at 7pm and a menu like this, I'm going to be a regular. I give...

McCarthy’s is already a gem.

They poured the perfect Guinness and had incredible traditional music. It’s clear this place is going to become a mainstay for local musicians. That’s a huge deal—Boston needs more spots like this to keep the trad scene thriving, and McCarthy’s is an amazing addition alongside staples like the Burren and the Bebop.

The space itself is beautiful. The outside is inviting, and the vibe inside is warm and relaxed. I ended up having both breakfast and dinner there, and both meals were fantastic.

For breakfast, I grabbed the avocado toast, which was absolutely packed—huge portion, fresh ingredients, and it genuinely kept me full all day. I came back in the evening for the haddock: perfectly cooked on mashed potatoes with spinach and shrimp. It came out fast and tasted amazing.

And the best part? I bumped into so many friends—it felt like everyone was there.

It’s new, sure, but for opening day? They crushed it.

Highly recommend stopping by—especially if you’re not a dweeb,...

I have high hopes for this place... Reading the other reviews; I don't believe that the paint smell was an issue - They poured a lot of money into the remodel and it looks great, and I don't think it'll smell like paint for very long.

It was PACKED! Downstairs (as well as Toad) and the upstairs was busy as well. The staff did their best to keep up. I honestly don't recall seeing any security inside, but that may have changed later in the evening (I hope!)...

I will say that I agree with the comment about the live music earlier in the night. Great musicians, but not what I was expecting. True, there can only be one Pat Carroll - but I was expecting a livelier atmosphere. And there were long breaks between songs... It just felt off.

Porter Square is a great area, and McCarthy's could be a staple of the...