• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About Me
  • Travel
  • Recipes
  • Michelin
  • Subscribe
  • Taiwanese

Tiny Urban Kitchen

menu icon
go to homepage
  • About Me
  • Travel
  • Recipes
  • Michelin
  • Subscribe
  • Taiwanese
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • About Me
    • Travel
    • Recipes
    • Michelin
    • Subscribe
    • Taiwanese
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    • Ecriture Hong Kong
      Unexpectedly Closed: Écriture Hong Kong (2 Michelin Stars)
    • 凹糟管 Aozao Restaurant
      Aozao Guan 凹糟館 - Modern Yunnan Cuisine in Kunming, China
    • Kunming China
      Two Days in Kunming Yunnan China
    • Xishuangbanna Yunnan China
      Xishuangbanna: Hani Minority Food
    • Gaozhuang Night Market Xishuangbanna 告莊夜市
    • Xishuangbanna Yunnan China
      Xishuangbanna - Dai Cuisine & Culture
    • Restaurant 摩 Mora, Hong Kong - Vicky Lau
      Restaurant Mora 摩 Hong Kong by Vicky Lau
    • Guilin Yangshuo China
      Guilin Yangshuo Food + Lodging Report
    • Guilin Yangshuo China
      Guilin & Yangshuo China Trip Report
    • Hangzhou West Lake China
      Hangzhou China Trip Report
    • Wild Mushroom Hot Pot Yunnan
      Poisonous(?) Mushroom Hot Pot in Yunnan
    • jian Shui Yunnan China
      Foreigners Navigating Post-Pandemic Travel in China During Chinese New Year
    Home » US Travel » Boston » Cambridge » Harvard Square

    Published: Aug 4, 2010 · Modified: Oct 28, 2014 by Jennifer Che

    Bartley's Burgers

    _MG_3873
    You can't visit Harvard Square without trying a burger at Bartley's. This iconic hamburger place has been grilling up burgers in this same location since 1960. Mr. Bartley himself is 78 years old and still works there sometimes. There is always a line out the door on weekends, and for good reason! After trying so many burgers in Boston, I still consider Bartley's one of my all-time favorites. Here are the reasons why.
    _MG_3865
    1. The Menu is Irreverently Hilarious
    The menu stays very current and lightly but equally makes fun of all. Choose from "The Viagra" (a blue cheese burger),  The "Ted Kennedy" (a plump, liberal amount of burger), or the "Deval Patrick" (will tax your tastebuds - includes japalenos, jack cheese, and salsa). Many of the burgers are named after local politicians, sports stars, or other people that just happen to be in the news at the time. For example, some more recent additions include burgers named after Harvard Professor Skip Gates, Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown, and US Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan.
    Bartley's mushrooms onions cheeseburger
    THE AMERICAN IDOL
    (even Simon would love this) topped w/ bacon cheese, grilled mushrooms & onions, w/ fries) $9.99

    2. The Burgers Are Freakin' Amazing
    Let's start with the meat. I think a 7 oz burger is the perfect size. It's just big enough that it's filling yet not so monstrous that  I can't finish the entire thing. It's also super thick (East Coast style), which means the outside can be beautifully crispy while the inside stays juicy and moist. I also love the taste of the beef. I have no idea what grade or type of beef they use, but it has a fantastic beefy flavor that I just love.
    _MG_3846-2

    THE YUPPIE BURGER
    with boursin cheese, bacon, and french fries $9.49
    3. A Huge Variety of Fun "Toppings"
    The burgers change frequently, although many of the classics also stick around. They use many sorts of unusual ingredients, such as boursin cheese (pictured above in the Yuppie Burger), guacamole (see Tom Brady burger below), jalapenos, sauerkraut, and pineapples - not to mention most regular ingredients such as other cheeses, grilled onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, lettuce, and on and on and on.
    You can customize your burgers too, and the staff is quite skilled at picking the closest "preset" burger that you need to modify.
    _MG_3846
    4. Delicious Sides
    You have to try their sweet potato fries. They are absolutely amazing. They come out hot, crispy, yet still moist on the inside, lightly dusted with a sprinkle of salt. I found them quite addictive, probably because of that perfect combination of sweet + salty. Their onion rings are also really really good. Bryan loves onion rings and always orders that as his side.
    _MG_3844
    5. The Lime Rickeys and Shakes
    I usually hate drinks that are too sweet, but I found this lime rickey to be perfect. It's basically soda water, fresh squeezed limes, simple syrup, and ice. Absolutely refreshing! They are also known for their frappes (milkshakes for those of you who don't understand Bostonian English), although I have never tried one.

    Bartley's guacamole burger (Tom Brady)
    THE TOM BRADY
    (Ladies, make a pass at this) w/ cheddar, guacamole, lettuce, tomato, red onions, and fries $9.95
    _MG_3840
    6. The Vibe
    The decor of the place is super unique, and it really looks like it has not changed a bit since it opened in 1960. The walls are adorned with all sorts of fun knick knacks, like random road signs, funny posters, and even a random bust of Elvis. It looks like a crazy college dorm room on steroids! The tables are cramped closely together, and you can see the cooks making the hamburgers right there.
    Bartley's Burgers Cooks


    _MG_3850
    THE JOE BIDEN
    (Hair Club For Men Member & VP) Bacon cheese & BBQ sauce, w/ french fries $9.50

    Really, this is just a fun place to go. Yes, it's touristy (it calls itself a Harvard landmark, after all), and yes there are long lines out the door. But it's so worth it! It's such a fun, festive place and the burgers are really, really good.

    Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage
    1246 Massachusetts Ave
    Cambridge, MA 02138
    Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage on Urbanspoon

    ©2009-2014 Tiny Urban Kitchen
    All Rights Reserved

    More Cambridge

    • Jen's Top Restaurants to visit in Boston - 2023 Update
    • Farewell Bergamot
    • Urban Hearth Cambridge - Cafe by day, Supper Club by night
    • (Partial) Solar Eclipse Fun! Solar Eclipse 2017

    Recent Posts

    • Unexpectedly Closed: Écriture Hong Kong (2 Michelin Stars) October 10, 2023
    • Aozao Guan 凹糟館 - Modern Yunnan Cuisine in Kunming, China October 8, 2023
    • Two Days in Kunming Yunnan China October 7, 2023
    • Xishuangbanna: Hani Minority Food September 10, 2023
    • Gaozhuang Night Market Xishuangbanna 告莊夜市 September 7, 2023
    • Xishuangbanna - Dai Cuisine & Culture September 4, 2023
    • Restaurant Mora 摩 Hong Kong by Vicky Lau August 31, 2023
    • Guilin Yangshuo Food + Lodging Report August 26, 2023

    Primary Sidebar

    Jennifer Che Tiny Urban Kitchen
    Jennifer Che Tiny Urban Kitchen

    Hi, my name's Jen and welcome to my cooking, eating, and travel site! I am an expat who moved from Boston to Hong Kong 5 years ago. Born and raised in Ohio to Taiwanese immigrant parents, I am a chemistry nerd, patent attorney by day, blogger by night, church musician on weekends, and food enthusiast always. Feel free to explore away, maybe starting with the Recipe Index or one of the travel pages! I hope you enjoy this site!

    More about me →

    logo
    Food Advertisements by

    Explore

    • Recipe
    • Restaurant
    • US Travel
    • World Travel

    Popular Posts

    • jian Shui Yunnan China
      Jian Shui Yunnan Trip Report
    • I'm Featured in the South China Morning Post! (SCMP)
    • Restaurant Table Paris France
      Restaurant Table Bruno Verjus Paris
    • Impronte Bergamo Italy
      Impronte Bergamo Italy

    Recipes

    • Appetizer
    • Snacks
    • Meat
    • Vegetables
    • Soup
    • Salad
    • Seafood
    • Noodles

    Recently Traveled

    • Hong Kong
    • France
    • Belgium
    • Boston
    • California
    • United Kingdom
    • Germany
    • Spain

    Support Us

    Recognition


    Featured on the front page
    of the FOOD Section: 2015

    Best Food Blog Awards:
    Restaurant & Dining 2012
    logo
    Food Advertisements by

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • About Me
    • My Equipment
    • In the Press
    • Project Food Blog
    • Privacy Policy

    Eating Guides!

    Eating & Travel Guides
    Trip Reports
    "Kawaii" (Cute Foods)
    Around the World

    • Pinterest
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Twitter
    • LinkedIn
    • YouTube
    • Mail
    • RSS Feed

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Shop at Amazon

    Copyright © 2022 Tiny Urban Kitchen