Greasy Spoons

Among other things, Harvard Square is the home of nearly a half dozen full-fledged "greasy spoons"--low-budget, fast food places. The food in these establishments is generally cheap, and you usually get what you pay for. The decor in most is hokey and the scene raunchy, but when you are going out of your mind for something to eat at some weird hour of the day, or, if you are just plain sick of eating dining hall food, keep them in mind.

Everyone winds up in one or more of these places sooner or later anyway, so:

Tommy's Lunch, 49 Mount Auburn St. Tommy Stefanian, the big guy with the cigar who'll tell you to get your feet off the tables, has been on that block across from Quincy House for nearly 20 years selling dogs and burgers and his big seller, the cheese-steak sub. Probably the biggest single redeeming feature of Tommy's is that it is open until 2 a.m. and they make up take-outs up to almost the last minute. Tommy serves a standard line of sandwiches and drinks, and occasionally some Greek specialities--the stuffed grape leaves are a great buy. For a lot of people, Tommy's is a place to hang out (just like in high school)--to play pinball and see the folks.

Elsie's, 71a Mount Auburn St. If one of your parents went to Harvard or Radcliffe then you've probably heard about Elsie's. The menu is again basically standard but leans toward the delicatessen side and at mealtimes it's SRO. It's really the classic of its type in the Square and for some reason seems to have a special place in the memories of alumni. The food is good and the prices are "competitive" if you don't mind standing.

The 24 Restaurant, 24 Holyoke St. Despite the name, the menu states their hours as 7 a.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 7 a.m. through 4 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. This is the greasiest of them all, but they make pizza and they stay open late. It's almost always empty during the day and packed after about 9 p.m. There is a jukebox and pinball. The 24 is a gonzo haven, and if the waitresses don't get combat pay, they should.

The Tastee Restaurant, in Harvard Square. The Tastee Restaurant is crammed in between The Wusthaus and the liquor store in the very heart of Harvard Square. However, the locale only makes the Tastee easier to overlook. Superficially, this spot seems the cleanest of all the greasy-spoon joints in this town, but it is also the smallest, with only a dozen seats around a counter. The Tastee has its regulars, but as it fronts the Square, it generally caters to an older and non-Harvard clientele. The food is good and reasonably-priced, and the close quarters lead to inevitable conversation among patrons.

Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage, 1246 Mass Ave, Bartley's has all the trappings of a typical Square greasy spoon--sticky table-tops, and the like--but with a difference: good food. Bartley's raises greasy-spoondom to an art form. Its hamburgers are easily the best in Cambridge and come in an exotic assortment, including, for instance, four different flavors of cheese for cheeseburgers. You have to pay, of course, for what you get, so the 30 or so varieties of burgers all cost more than a dollar. There are also a series of sandwiches with names like "Harvard Special" and "Radcliffe Special," as well as more topical items like the "Watergate Salad." But if you go to Bartley's you should stick to the burgers. The fried onion rings are terrific but the portion they serve is huge and expensive, so should be shared by two or three people.

Mr. Bartley's Burger Cottage, 1246 Mass Ave, Bartley's has all the trappings of a typical Square greasy spoon--sticky table-tops, and the like--but with a difference: good food. Bartley's raises greasy-spoondom to an art form. Its hamburgers are easily the best in Cambridge and come in an exotic assortment, including, for instance, four different flavors of cheese for cheeseburgers. You have to pay, of course, for what you get, so the 30 or so varieties of burgers all cost more than a dollar. There are also a series of sandwiches with names like "Harvard Special" and "Radcliffe Special," as well as more topical items like the "Watergate Salad." But if you go to Bartley's you should stick to the burgers. The fried onion rings are terrific but the portion they serve is huge and expensive, so should be shared by two or three people.