Okay, so Harvard Square isn’t what it once was; most things aren’t, of course, and every generation reminisces about the good old days. My Harvard Square of 25 years ago is long gone but not too hard to find, it’s still lingering on even among all the new chains stores. New Englanders cling to what once was, we’re a fiercely loyal lot. The Harvard Square of my youth exuded ambiance in abundance. It was, and still is to a lesser degree, a crossroad of uniqueness. You’ve got your intellectuals, punks at “The Pit”, chess players, street musicians, hippies, yuppies, homeless, rich & famous, conservatives, liberals, and I swear I’ve seen Jesus. It’s still eclectic yet less eccentric than it once was. The gentrification of Harvard Square has seen the departure of old favorite stores and restaurants and the addition of yawn inducing chains. Like many areas of Massachusetts, Cambridge was formerly a largely working class neighborhood that’s been taken over by wealthy yuppies and the addition of one too many Starbucks. There are a few welcome additions—the restaurant Fire & Ice is great fun. But the real spirit of Harvard Square can be found in long standing local favorites like Bartley's Burger Cottage or Algiers Coffee House.

I used to smoke. I had this place at #2 on the Most Likely Place someone will try to bum a smoke off of you Billboard Chart.... behind only the Quincy Center MBTA Station.

A clusterfuck of awesome shops, restaurants, and small theatres, located next to one of the best universities in the world. This place is bustling with East Coast earnestness. There’s so much to do that you can come here once a week for years and still miss out on stuff. I used to come here every other week to eat something. Burdick’s Chocolates and Finale Desserterie are particularly awesome.

Hah-vad was my rival (okay, the bastards didn't accept me). . .so part of me will always spit on the ground in the presence of a proud alum. . .however-

One cannot (even me) deny the charm of Harvard Square/Cambridge area. . .I've heard the whispers and complaints of conceit and arrogance- but I've experienced the same amount elsewhere in neighborhoods that bordered schools with far less to brag about (Georgetown students can be serious offenders of this). . .

Easy to find a nice place to eat, shop, or get a drink. . .wonderful atmosphere.

I love harvard square. Its got such a feel to it that cant be explained. There is lots of shopping and restaurants, but my favorite about this area is the people watching. You will see every type of person walking around this area night/day. Very clean, and next to Harvard's campus. Beautiful!

The ultimate urban square and college hangout. Beats anything that Ohio State or U. Michigan has in the way of gathering places by far. It's fun year around. ...Cy

A great place to hang out. Great shopping, food, and plain old ambiance. Whenever I have friends in town, they all want to go there, and we inevitably have a great time. Check out John Harvard's on Dunster Street for some great microbrew beer.

Interesting yet id rather be watching a sox yankees game at fenway.

My favorite place in Boston/Cambridge. Great food, interesting people, outstanding bookstores (some of the best in the country), and overall nice atmosphere. There is a high concentration of unique specialty stores that makes for great gift shopping.

If you want to have a fun time shopping and have a big selection of stores, go here!

Oh my god did you see the street performer with the skateboard doing all those amazing tricks? He was so funny! I loved his show so much I gave him $5. There was also a guy walking on a rope, crazy. Can you imagine if every place had all these street performers? What a wonderful world. Oh and there were also some punk kids too.

Harvard Square is a nice way to spend a day in the Boston area. The architecture is beautiful, and I still get chills walking thru the campus of Harvard. Harvard Square has alot of shopping and the night life is enjoyable.. be sure to check out the original House of Blues.... like no other !!

Harvard Square and Cambridge has a very comfortable feel to it. The buildings are very classical looking and there is plenty of nice green space. Walking around Harvard is nice and if you are in Boston, it's worth the trip across the Charles River.

You can not only see a beautiful view of the river or lake or whatever that body of water is out there, but you can grab a bite to eat and shop around Harvard Square. It is extremly hard to get parking, but most people walk there anyways, so join in on the fun, and if you're willing to eat a 2 pound tuna sandwich that you WILL enjoy, youn will love Harvard Square.

Worth a look. All of Cambridge has that old school Academia feel that is simultanously comfortable and conceited.