Central Square

I will always treasure my experiences at the old Wendy’s (now every suburbanite’s favorite, Chipotle, yawn), so I figure here is as good a place as any to reflect on my times there. First of all, the Wendy’s was enormous, so even though there were signs everywhere encouraging people not to loiter, there were always at least 10 people who would hang out all day. It was a mecca for all the various bums and riffraff to hang out as well. One time I was there and a 20-​something white dude walks in doing the dope fiend lean (stopping, and ever so slowly bending over until he looks like he’s about to fall flat on his face, at which point he would suddenly jerk back and resume walking). It took him about 10 minutes to walk from the door to the utensils area, where he got a spoon to eat the pint of ice cream he was carrying in a plastic bag. It took him another 10 minutes to walk out, at which point a table of older black gentlemen who hung out there regularly burst out laughing and one yelled, «HE WAS TO’ UP FROM THE FLO’ UP!!!» You won’t get that kind of comedy at Chipotle. Thank you and goodnight.

Home of Cantab Lounge, H Mart, Supreme Liquors, two boxing gyms, Middle East, Brookline Café, Central Kitchen, Phoenix Landing Bar, Plenty of Banks an ATMs, a 7 – 11, a couple hardware stores on both ends, Bike Shops, Hubway station, dedicated bike lanes, many hair salons, barber shops, a Micky Dees, Salvation Army Headquarters, dance studio, A local Theatre group, Chepos records, Dunkin Donuts, several fitness clubs, Indian restaurants, a Police Station, T Stop, Starbuck, Star Market, Several Sushi Spots, a Vegetarian Deli, and soon to be 24 hour Clove, and many more… Parking options on back streets are convenient.
Central Square has it all.

Groan. I’m so tired of all these Unilocal reviews that make any place with any kind of a homeless population whatsoever to be a post-​apocalyptic wasteland where death lurks on every corner. Maybe I’m just thick-​skinned, but I’ve never had any kind of a problem here. No, Central’s not as clean as Harvard… but it ISN’T Harvard (and honestly, I’m more terrified of getting run over by packs of tourists or wayward undergrads in Harvard than I am of anything in Central). It’s a typical urban business district with a mix of different shops and restaurants, many of which have a distinctly local edge. I live in Cambridgeport so Central is my T stop and my shopping area. I haven’t tried the famous Toscanini’s yet, but I go to Shalimar regularly for Indian groceries and am looking forward to checking out Pandemonium Books, the Miracle of Science, River Gods, etc. etc.
I’ll repeat what I said in my review of the oft-​maligned Lexington Market in Baltimore: if you’re afraid of poor people, racial minorities, crowds, and brusque urbanites, perhaps large East Coast cities are not for you, my dear.
I AM knocking off a star because of the weird inbound/​outbound arrangements of the Central T station. What’s up with that?

Central Square-​I lived here in around 1980. Striking architectural history-​a 1930’s neo-​grec police station with spear-​shaped bars over its windows, rowhouses of brick and leprous brownstone with carved hands holding wreaths over the windows, and a fabulous Gothic church. The area is cursed by trucks and through traffic down Prospect Street. A great student neighborhood especially if you’re young optimistic, a bit of a romantic and not fazed by the sight of the city’s walking wounded. The Cambridgeport area is a great moderate rent bohemia, with eclectic architecture and proximity to the riverfront park and walking access to Boston via the B.U. Bridge.

From a Newbie to Boston perspective… Yes…anywhere abound with vegan and Indian restaurants is my place. Take me to your leader. To be continued…

Without formal psychiatric training, I would argue that Central Square has a split personality issue. Sometimes it is appallingly rude, shocking and even scary. At other times it is welcoming, joyful and blissfully cool. Kind of like some of my old boyfriends.
The odds are that you will be asked for money, cigarettes or food as you stroll through Central Square, and those odds increase as the day rolls into the night. I have never felt frightened here, but I do not make eye contact when someone tells me I look hot or they need help because they lost their wallet and T pass. I just keep going. But if you are into seeing arrests being made, hang out here and you’ll be satisfied.
And if you are trying to quit smoking? This is a great place to give away your unwanted cigarettes. It seems every other person in Central Square wants one.
If you take the T, chances are that when you swipe your Charlie Card, you will have someone trailing your backside and almost hanging onto you in order to skip paying the fare. This drives me crazy. I have never seen more people skipping their fare than I have at this station. And if you use the elevator to go up or down, it stinks beyond anything, so hold your breath.
So, onto the cool stuff. Are you hungry? All kinds of stellar restaurants tug for your allegiance in Central Square, including personal favorites Central Kitchen, Life Alive, Veggie Galaxy and Thelonious Monkfish. A few blocks away from the T stop, you can find other winners, including Bondir, Craigie on Main, Salts, Oleana, Green Street, Cuchi Cuchi, Area Four and Catalyst. Other options include Toscanini’s, Mary Chung, Rangzen, and The River Gods.
Many of the restaurants offer sidewalk dining during good weather, which is always appreciated. And the farmers market in the summer is just fantastic. (It’s in the lot behind the alleyway with the cool graffiti art.)
There’s a chocolate factory nearby, just down the street on the way to MIT, that spews out the most delicious chocolate smells ever. It’s so luscious that you just want to drink the air up.
There’s not a ton of good shopping here, with a couple of exceptions. Two of the best art stores (my favorite is Artist and Craftsman Supplies) and two really decent thrift shops are located in Central Square. And stop in at Harvest for groceries and wine on the way home.
Walk up the street in one direction and you’ll get to Harvard. Go the other way and you’ll get to MIT. Walk down Prospect Street, past the Whole Foods, and you’ll get to Inman Square. Central Square really is Central.
I’m here a lot and am a big fan of Central Square. I hope you appreciate this very unique part of town, split personality and all.

Been here a few times, during various points of the day and night and week but never for drinking, always for eating. The food’s been good or great, and the drinks I have gotten have been mostly great. Pretty clean – I wonder where all the bums went? Or maybe I’ve just learned to not see them that much.

If Boston’s the hub of the solar system then Central’s the hub of the SOULar system: this incandescent fireball at the confluence of Mass Ave, Prospect, Western and River is the spiritual center of all that’s best about this metro area.
It hasn’t been flattened and cyborg-​resurrected by the capitalist whirlwind of creative destruction. (Cough, Kendall.)
It hasn’t been historically-​preserved to the ironic point where only horrible Gaps and Starbucks can afford its real estate. (Cough, Harvard.)
It artfully conceals its parking lots. (Cough, Porter.)
It’s the crown of Cambridgeport. Or the glittering glass slipper of that whole undefined mid-​Cambridge area.

Honestly, the star rating system doesn’t really work in this case. Two extremes: great shops, food, and a lot cheaper in all respects than Harvard Square. I find that folks who work in this neighborhood to be generally a good bunch… and fewer snobby students.
But it’s also filthy and disgusting, filled with disgusting bums, beggars, crazy people, drug dealers, spit, piss, and garbage. Under no circumstances should toddlers ever be brought to Central Square. It’s simply too filthy.
Sigh.

i like bums, and central square is a good place to find them. some have wheel chairs, and some ask you things like «can you buzz me down». Not sure what that means, but it’s pretty sweet.
the road signs here are pretty lax. it’s really common to turn left when it particularly says NO LEFTS, but only the pedestrians crossing the street seem to mind.
It’s a good mix of business and pleasure, and by pleasure i am referring again to the bums. call me maybe, but it’s a place i can call home!

This is my favorite T station because it has bathrooms on the platform. You read that right — ON THE PLATFORM! This means you can enter when you hear the announcement that the train is «now approaching,» do your business, and get out of there in time to get on the train (washing your hands and everything)! Try it sometime. It’s really fun.
I have to subtract a star because it can be confusing to figure out which entrance to the station you are supposed to use. You’ve gotta know which side of the street to be on, to go in the direction you want to go. (North side for outbound, south side for inbound.) And it can be hard to find the right entrance if you want to add money to your card — several (most?) of the entrances are Charlie Card only with no machines. But, the multiple entrances along Mass. Ave. also make it more likely that there will be one close to you when it’s time to get on the T — so we’re right back at four stars, yes we are.

My go-​to place for live music, co-​op shopping, and happy hour apetizers. Great collection of bars and a few interesting shops.

Central Square is A-​Ok. It has a great mix of great pubs and places to eat. I even saw a place that sells chicken kabobs and hookahs at the same location. That being said Central Square also has unsavory elements like plenty of wasted homeless and your random sketchy characters. It’s worth checking out.

CENTRAL SQUARE — In a radical mid-​year turn of events that delighted some and sorely disappointed others, Laura «Wha Happen» K tore herself away from CannoliFest 2K11, hopped on BIG RED and relocated from the tourist-​ridden streetz of the North End (Peace Out Pauly!) to join the Unilocalers and sidewalk-​writhers of Central Square.*
New fiscal year; new adventures; new interwebz connection after 3 weeks without.
MISS ME!!!
*It is important to note that, in some cases, these two groups are not mutually exclusive.

Central Square station boasts excellent cell phone reception, timely trains, and a public restroom. Despite all of this, am still only going to give it three stars due to the fact it smells of vagabond urine (one would think the public restroom would help with this issue. One would be wrong.)
Little known fact for the ladies in skirts– The entrance staircase is actually a super strong wind tunnel making it the number one place in all of Massachusetts to pull off a fantastic Marilyn Monroe impression.
Don’t say I never told you anything useful.

It’s central square it’s where you’ll see the same people asking for money daily, although in different clothes everytime. See the die hard football fans queueing up at 8am for a big match outside of the Phoenix Landing. See the hipsters heading to either the Middle East or TT the Bears to catch a show. And see the endless masses of people waiting for the bus.
There’s a reason Central square doesn’t feature in films about Boston.

Poor Central Sq. No matter what happens, it will always be a squalid hot pot of homeless people waiting for shelters to open and hipsters waiting for clubs to open.
No stores to speak of, so the couple that are there suffer.
But there is really, truly great food all over the place, and there is really, truly, nowhere better to go see indie rock. You just have to accept that it is what it is, and keep a hand on your wallet.

Central Square, I give you three stars. I don’t want to give you any more, but not because I’m a stingy bastard. More stars means you’ve lost your spark, and have become sterile, and you’ll end up like Harvard Square or, even worse, Kendall (nothing personal, Kendall. You just have the personality of moist bread).
No, Central, you’re solidly three stars. There are a couple of places where you class up, like Rendezous, Central Kitchen, and Craigie on Main.
You’ve got live music in ZuZu, Middle East, and Cantab. Enormous Room, Phoenix Landing, and Middlesex have the dancing bit covered, even though that’s not really my thing.
You’ve got everything I need within walking distance: Shaw’s, dueling liquor stores, dry cleaners, red line access, theater, trivia, and plenty of other fun neighborhood/​non-​chain stores and restaurants (Toscanini’s and Café Luna standout here).
If that were all, you’d probably get a fourth star. But Central is a place where I feel like I can either dress to the nines or get freshman drunk – either way, there’s a place for me. There are homeless panhandlers outside of every convenience store and fast food joint. The ATM stalls reek of urine. And the Walgreens is probably the sketchiest Walgreens I’ve ever seen.
Like I said, I don’t want you to change. I think you’re perfect as the ugly-​hipster duckling you are.

Someone asked me the other day what I liked so much about Central Square. «The reason I ask,» he said, «is because I’ve found that Central is really hit or miss. EIther you love it or you hate it. And clearly… clearly you love it.»
It was really the first time that I actually took the time to really think it through. I mean, I always knew I liked Central. Many of my favorite restaurants are within walking distance of one another (Tavern in the Square, Rendezvous, Green Street, Garden at the Cellar), there are many super fun bars to visit (Tavern again, People’s Republik, Phoenix Landing, The Field), I can see live music and then eat ice cream until I explode (Middle East and Toscaninis, respectively; and please note that you can reverse the order of that and it works just as well), and there is one of the best sports bars in New England right there at your disposal (Phoenix Landing again).
When I’m ready to dance, I have what seems like endless choices depending on how much or how late I want to dance (Enormous Room, ZuZu, Middle East again, and of course, in line outside of ZuZu). When I want to take food out on the way home, there are many options I can choose from that aren’t going to give me a heart attack at 40 or make me broke (Picante, the sushi section of Whole Foods). If I want to get some aspirin or a magazine, there’s two drugstores and two 7−11s all within two blocks of one another. (Excessive, but convenience is fabulous when excessive!) And Central is on the Red Line, which is the cleanest, most functional, and speedy train line of them all.
Yeah, I guess if I reeeeeally have to think about it, I suppose… I suppose I am pretty smitten with Central Square.
And yes, of course there are times where I wish that the lady who lives on the bench across from Picante would finally stop yelling at everyone, and I would really dig it if the folks around town would learn how to actually use trash cans (and not for drum practice.) I would be thrilled if the peeps who congregate in front of the bus stop all the time would ACTUALLY TAKE THE BUS instead of just standing around and having an all-​day chat and waiting for people to come out of the liquor store right behind them in the hopes that they will get a swig or a treat.
And I think that I will always be in awe of the people I have (until now) secretly named The University of McGillicudy Medical Students, who are outside having the best time ever at 8:00 a.m. or earlier, already (or still) drunk — and who are in the same exact place when I get home from work, already (or still) drunk. Oh, Central.
But even though I know that my love for Central seems obvious to me, I was surprised to learn that it was obvious to others. So I asked what gave it away.
He chuckled. «You are always smiling. When I see you, you are always smiling.»
And then he took a huge swig of a drink in a brown bag. «And every time I see you, it’s when you get off the Central T stop and start invading my living space!!»
Oh, did I trip over your shopping cart full of booze and blankets?
«But I forgive you for that, you love my home.»

Central Square is the opposite of Cheers. Rather than a place where everyone knows your name, instead you recognize the faces of the eclectic individuals that comprise Central Square. Theres the guy with the felt hat and the flower patch on it, the woman who constantly yells at her man, the people who appear normal, but there’s just something slightly off about them, in a rough, potentially scary low voice «Can aaaanyone spare some chaaaaange???» oh wait, he’s in Park Street.
Anyway, the above, and many others, are reasons you HAVE to walk from The Miracle of Science all the way to Cambridge City Hall along Mass Ave to get a taste of the personality of Central Square. But to fully understand and appreciate Central Square, you MUST be a resident.
Lately, I consider Central Square my baby. I’ve seen it grow and advance and I love the newly constructed theater (to come!), the park at the Y of Main and Mass, the cafes, restaurants, hippies, my old office building, lunch, dinner, many stores to explore like JAX, the battle of the Art Stores, Hubba Hubba, Venus, and more.
From morning to late night, Central Square has something to offer people of all backgrounds and demographics. Everyone is welcome!