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Oak Bistro
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Oak Bistro

About Oak Bistro

Oak Bistro is a welcoming Cambridge destination where thoughtful hospitality meets a polished, memorable dining experience. Located at 1287 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139, this restaurant has earned an impressive 4.70 out of 5 rating from 565 reviews, reflecting the consistent quality and care guests have come to expect.

Whether you are stopping in for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, or dessert, Oak Bistro offers a warm setting that feels equally suited to a relaxed solo meal, a casual outing with friends, or a special evening planned around great food and conversation.

The menu and atmosphere are designed to satisfy a wide range of tastes and occasions. Guests can enjoy outdoor seating, dine-in service, takeaway, kerbside pickup, and delivery, making it easy to choose the dining style that works best for the moment.

Oak Bistro is known for fast service, great cocktails, an excellent wine list, and a focus on local specialty dishes that bring a distinct sense of place to the table.

From alcohol, beer, and cocktails to coffee, comfort food, healthy options, late-night fare, and small plates, the selection offers both variety and quality, creating a dining experience that feels flexible, inviting, and genuinely satisfying.

What makes Oak Bistro especially appealing is the way it blends comfort with sophistication. The setting is described as casual, cozy, romantic, trendy, and upmarket, giving guests the freedom to enjoy everything from an easy lunch to a refined dinner reservation.

With a bar on site, table service, gender-neutral toilets, and restrooms available, the space is designed for convenience as well as comfort. Accessibility is also a clear priority, with a wheelchair-accessible entrance, seating, and toilet, helping ensure more guests can enjoy the experience with ease and confidence.

Reservations are accepted, and brunch and dinner reservations are recommended for those planning ahead, especially during busy hours. Payment is simple and convenient, with credit cards, debit cards, and NFC mobile payments accepted.

For anyone looking for a Bistro in Cambridge that combines excellent food, attentive service, and a setting that feels both inviting and elevated, Oak Bistro stands out as a place worth returning to again and again. Call +1 617-714-4696 to plan your visit and experience it for yourself.

★★★★★ 4.70 rating (565 reviews)
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Guest Reviews
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Independent Reviews
Oak Bistro interior
Est. Local Favorite

A Taste of Tradition

Welcome to a place where great food meets warm hospitality. We believe dining is more than just a meal - it's an experience to be savored and shared.

Our kitchen is dedicated to creating dishes that bring people together, using recipes that honor tradition while embracing innovation.

  • Fresh Daily Specials
  • Private Dining Available
  • Catering Services
  • Takeout & Delivery

Guest Reviews

Hear from our valued guests

Ana Caroline Araujo

Ana Caroline Araujo

year ago

A Must-Visit Spot! I absolutely loved this restaurant! The atmosphere is super cool, perfect for a romantic date or a fun night out with friends. The drinks are fantastic, not only delicious but also beautifully presented. And the food? Wow. Every dish I ordered was simply amazing. The standout for me was definitely the croquettes, please do yourself a favor and try them! Hands down the best I’ve ever had. All the other dishes were just as impressive: incredibly flavorful, well-portioned, and beautifully plated. And I can’t forget to mention the attentive and friendly service. Bruna, our waitress, was absolutely wonderful, truly top-notch. I’ll definitely be coming back!

BWS Travel

BWS Travel

2 months ago

- I loved their wings and brussel sprouts; half chicken was also tasty - really pleasant atmosphere that is calm - the service was excellent

Amadeus Scaramelli

Amadeus Scaramelli

2 months ago

I don't usually write reviews, or critiques about the restaurant industry because, I belong to it, and have worked in it, for almost 30 years. However, tonight, I had the best experience, from beginning to end. My server Claire, was incredibly amazing, very attentive, friendly, with a great knowledge of the menu and wines. I had vegetable risotto, which was excellently prepared, and well-balanced, allowing you, to savor all the flavors. It was paired with a good orange wine. Claire, also recommended the special Mother's Day desserts, and I chose the orange pudding with ice cream (the best dessert I've ever had). It was incredibly flavorful, delicate, with a perfect balance of sweetness, and garnished with fresh strawberries. 6 stars for this great bistro! I will definitely come back with my family and friends.

Jiayu Wu

Jiayu Wu

8 months ago

Had a wonderful birthday dinner here🎂 Great food, warm atmosphere and welcoming service. We enjoyed every dishes we ordered. Oyster is buttery and crispy, very good appetizer. Octopus was smoky, juicy, and tender, roasted and flavored perfectly. It was the best octopus we’ve had around Boston. A bite of spinach, octopus, potato, dipped with cream was such a feast. Cornbread was creamy, sweet and warm. A bit too fulfilling as the appetizer though. Cheese board is well curated, seasonal and fresh. We enjoyed all three cheese. The pecans were very crispy, went really well with the soft cheese. For the mains, we had roasted chicken and pappardelle braised short rib ragu. The chicken is very tender, with smoky and crispy skin. The Pappardelle is cheesy and well flavored. The portions were large, compared with the price. We left really full and satisfied. I also enjoyed the cocktail, named autumn harvest. It is whisky based, with some nuts. Very earthy, alcoholic. They also write the names on the card for every reservation , which is pretty lovely. And we got lot of birthday wishes and complimentary desert.

L H

L H

year ago

I genuinely feel like I haven't had a meal like this, start to finish, in a restaurant for so long. The food is phenomenal! The service is great and the restaurant is very cute. We started with the cornbread and the artichoke cakes. The corn bread and accompaniments were very good. It was moist, sweet, savory. The artichoke cakes. SO. GOOD. They came with a bit of arugula and tartar sauce. It was just the most amazing bite of food. I got the peach caprese for my main, and my partner got the pappardelle with slow cooked beef. Both were excellent. The peach caprese same with burrata and arugula. The peaches were either grilled or roasted, I'm not sure, but so good. It was just missing a bit of bread to soak up the drippings. The pasta was perfectly cooked and seasoned. The beef was so soft and flavorful. Generous cheese! Again, just a bit of bread for the end of the plate would've been nice... Because licking the plates are probably frowned down upon! The Brazilian banana beignets were good. Just lightly banana flavored, not over powering at all. The caramel sauce was perfect for the beignets. The beignets are a bit dense like a pretzel (I really liked them though), just to keep in mind.

Maiara Alban

Maiara Alban

7 months ago

My favorite place in the Boston area! I have been here in different occasions, for dinner with clients, for lunch with friends, just for a drink and I just had dinner with my kids, every time a great experience, from the atmosphere to the food. Love this place! I finally found a place the servers THE perfect risotto (receipt changes with the seasons but the title of the best of Boston doesn’t) 🫶🏼 t

Nicholas Matthew Williams

Nicholas Matthew Williams

5 months ago

Oak Bistro was a great host for my family’s Valentine’s Day lunch. The food was great - especially enjoyed the taste and presentation of the Tuna. Our drinks were also well done. Thanks to Colleen H for taking good care of us.

Sydney Tullai

Sydney Tullai

4 months ago

The Oak Bistro team is the kindest! My best friend and I went for dinner and drinks and the atmosphere is absolutely unmatched. We waited no more than a minute before the bartender brought us water and menus and our drinks then quickly followed. The food came out steaming, flavorful, and fresh; you could really taste the farm-to-table difference! We shared the Potato Pave and each enjoyed the French Onion Soup, both of which I highly recommend. What really stood out, though, was how effortlessly everything came together. From the warm, inviting decor to the attentiveness of the staff, it felt like such a thoughtfully curated experience from start to finish. It’s the kind of place where you can actually relax, catch up, and lose track of time without ever feeling rushed. We ended up lingering long after our plates were cleared, just soaking it all in. Overall, this was a lovely destination for a girls night that I can’t wait to return to!

Diana Y

Diana Y

6 months ago

Cozy bistro in Cambridge. I’ve been craving for their thousands layer potato since last visit! The table setting was so sweet and welcoming. We liked every plate we ordered. The presentation was beautiful and the flavors were top notch. One thing they might improve is that the pasta was a little heavy to my taste.

Lauren McNeil

Lauren McNeil

month ago

We had a group of eight visiting from across the US and Europe for a corporate dinner, and every dish was a hit with our entire group. The food was fresh, delicious and there were many unique items to try. A special shoutout to our waitress, Anita, who was absolutely fabulous. She patiently answered all of our menu questions and gave outstanding recommendations. We trusted her to choose the appetizers for the table, and they were perfect. She also provided detailed entrée suggestions tailored to each guest's preferences, and every recommendation was spot on. The food was fantastic, the service was 10/10, and the overall experience exceeded our expectations. We will definitely be back!

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Oak Bistro

Business Features

Highlights & Amenities

Accessibility

  • Wheelchair-accessible entrance
  • Wheelchair-accessible seating
  • Wheelchair-accessible toilet

Service options

  • Outdoor seating
  • Kerbside pickup
  • Takeaway
  • Dine-in
  • Delivery

Highlights

  • Fast service
  • Great cocktails
  • Great wine list
  • Serves local specialty

Popular for

  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Solo dining

Offerings

  • Alcohol
  • Beer
  • Cocktails
  • Coffee
  • Comfort food
  • Healthy options
  • Late-night food
  • Small plates
  • Spirits
  • Vegan options
  • Vegetarian options
  • Wine

Dining options

  • Breakfast
  • Brunch
  • Lunch
  • Dinner
  • Dessert
  • Seating
  • Table service

Amenities

  • Bar on site
  • Gender-neutral toilets
  • Restroom

Atmosphere

  • Casual
  • Cozy
  • Romantic
  • Trendy
  • Upmarket

Crowd

  • Family friendly
  • Groups
  • LGBTQ+ friendly
  • Tourists
  • Transgender safe space

Planning

  • Brunch reservations recommended
  • Dinner reservations recommended
  • Accepts reservations

Payments

  • Credit cards
  • Debit cards
  • NFC mobile payments

Children

  • Good for kids
  • High chairs
  • Kids' menu

Parking

  • Free street parking
  • Paid street parking
  • Somewhat difficult to find a space

Visit Us

We look forward to welcoming you. Make a reservation or stop by - walk-ins welcome!

Location

1287 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States

Reservations

+1 617-714-4696

Hours

Closed · Sunday 11 AM-2 AM
Tuesday 11 AM-2 AM
Wednesday 11 AM-2 AM
Thursday 11 AM-2 AM
Friday 11 AM-2 AM
Saturday 11 AM-2 AM
Sunday 11 AM-2 AM
Monday 11 AM-2 AM
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