1. Beat Brasserie
8.1
13 Brattle St, Cambridge, MA
Jazz and Blues Venue · Harvard Square · 91 tips and reviews
Jackiez Gonzalez: Great ambiance, live music every night (& no cover!), amazing food. A little more $$$ for a regular hangout place but a night of cocktails and apps (tuna spring roll!!) is a great one indeed.
Nick Nick: Awesome place to check out some live jazz and sip on a high end cocktail. Or a mocktail.
Yera Ha: Awesome spot. Live jazz, great drinks, plenty of seating, cool atmosphere for a fun night out. Also, try the lamb nachos!
OurStage: An original dive that's not too dive-y. No stage, but an area next to the bar hosts some of the best live music you'll find. Treat Her Right (pre-Morphine) filmed a video here (I Think She Likes Me).
Sarah Brown: Nice chill place. Great live music!
Cat Verlicco: Small, intimate Irish pub with good food and great live music
5. Club Passim
8.3
47 Palmer St (Brattle St), Cambridge, MA
Music Venue · Harvard Square · 22 tips and reviews
CityRover Media: Be sure to check out Passim any night of the week for great live music. They’ve been hosting live music, poetry and art shows 7 days a week for fifty years, so they know about quality entertainment. Read more.
Christian Rodriguez: Great small, intimate music venue. Catch some local high quality, moderately priced shows with good food to boot.
Matt Scutchfield: Great performances, really cramped and slow service, but really good food. Don't get the large portion...it's HUGE and impossible to finish (and I eat tons!)
8. Atwood’s Tavern
8.6
877 Cambridge St (Willow), Cambridge, MA
Comfort Food Restaurant · East Cambridge · 65 tips and reviews
Jeremy Krantz: They have an amazing patio, good food and a decent, rotating craft beer selection. Oh and good live music too.
Emily Taintor: There is a really beautiful patio out back! Come when it's nice out so you get to enjoy it. Also great live music, great beer list. All around awesome place.
Cian Mac Mahon: Entrance fee on a Friday night, but made up for by a live band.
9. Toad
7.4
1920 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA
Rock Club · Porter Square · 23 tips and reviews
Carmella McCormack: Live music, no cover! Grab a beer, sing along, and tip your barman/woman well!
Mazda: An intimate space filled with great live music and welcoming patrons.
Joe Sinkevich: Hipster spot but good small spot for free live music.
13. ImprovBoston
8.4
40 Prospect St (Mass Ave & Bishop Allen Dr), Cambridge, MA
Comedy Club · 32 tips and reviews
Julio Ricardo Varela: Go to ImprovBoston tonight within the next hour and see me perform
Melissa B.: The earlier show is usually not as funny as the later ones (I think the performers tone it down a bit because the crowd is usually a bit younger.) The later shows always have more laughs!
Jack McNamara: If a man named Brian Donnelly approaches you, protect your loved ones and contact the police immediately.