This place has over 230 reviews so I have very little to ad that hasn't already been said. Been there many times and always love to see local business as such strive, especially one that has been around since 1919 like this one. It's full of history and they stay close to it. Their menu has a bit of history and that's a neat thing that should stay close to them as they continue on. The service is quick. The food is well priced and plentiful. I pretty much always get the same thing: a reuben no toasted white bread (I don't like rye. Don't judge me. Shut up.) - Comes with a pickle spear and coleslaw - pretty standard. The place gets packed for brunch on Sundays and you'll most likely have to wait in line despite the fact that the place is huge. It's worth it though. Their menu is extensive and covers every range of American food you can think of, including wings and even Jewish specialities like knishes and such. They have not one but two parking lots, one small one near the back entrance and one a half a block further which is a lot bigger. Oh and did I mention they have takeout? And a lot of cakes you can buy by the slice? Anything from cheesecake, carrot cake and red velvet? If you want tradition, good value and a reliable meal, this is the place!
(4)
rose n.
I love S&S. Head over heels, love this place. I went here for a late lunch on a Saturday and the place was packed. Most of the other reviews cover it nicely but I love the cute little families, college students, and academic looking sorts. Our waitress was older and kind of cranky but she was very polite when she spoke and brought our food out on time. One problem was that she forgot my BF's beer, but they had Sam Light so he was happy. The restaurant is nice and clean (as are the bathrooms) and they have cute photos of 1920s and 1930s Inman Square. We started with onion rings which were homemade and super thick and crispy. I ordered a cheese pizza and I got a caesar salad and delicious little challah roll beforehand. I was full pretty much before my meal came. The BF got a monte cristo which he loved. He had it here with one of his buddies and I was worried it wouldn't fill him up. It did, which never happens with this kid! It was full of meat and came with yummy fries. I only could eat a piece of my pizza but the cheese was soooo good. It was a delicious deep dish with a nice blend of cheese, and I got leftovers to take home for dinner. For only $8, it was a pretty sweet dinner with salad, roll, and pizza. It was under $35 with tip total which is about how much I would pay to go to a terrible chain like Chili's. I would much rather give S&S my business!!!
(5)
G S.
Absolutely, without a doubt, the worst costumer service I've ever experienced; was chased out after an hour by increasingly threatening confrontations with foul-tempered townie waitstaff/supervisors. Apparently an hour is too long to spend eating breakfast at this hole on a Saturday morning ... even when only 2 or 3 parties were waiting for tables as I left. Food is a slightly less antiseptic, slightly more 'homestyle' than a Denny's. My advice: stay away. There are so many other options in Cambridge / Somerville to waste even one meal in this place. (to be fair, this was in 2006, so perhaps things have improved, but I seriously doubt it)
(1)
Greg C.
I live up the street from S&S and have eaten there numerous times, both dine-in and take-out. Honestly, the take-out is the ONLY reason this place gets a second star. The food here is good, when you can finally flag down a server to take your order and if you can wait the 30 or so minutes it takes to make the food. I suppose I should qualify "food" - I mean breakfast. I think I've had other meals here once or twice, but I can't really remember anything about them. Anyway, the service in this place just plain sucks. Some of the servers are nice-ish, but don't go thirsty, cause you'll be lucky to get even one refill of your coffee or water. I really wish I knew what this place was like back in the days of Ma Edelstein, cause I think she'd be rolling over in her grave now if she saw the way patrons were treated there. My advice is call ahead to order your food, then just go to the deli counter and pay with a card (to avoid walking from the deli to the register and back to the deli, which can be a pain if the place is jammed). Even the lady who is usually working the deli when go to pick up my food always seems like my mere presence is annoying her, and she appears to be one of the management/owners! I don't get it. I just don't understand how a restaurant like this thrives with such shitty, shitty service. Oh right, there is a general lack of dinner-type restaurants in the Boston area. I will say that one neat thing about the place is all the old school photos of Inman Square on the walls. But I probably only find that interesting cause I live there.
(2)
Amanda G.
Great fantastic brunch, although not so great when I'm so hungover it just comes back up (oops). Eggs benedict is my fave. Huge place, but packed weekend morns. Went for lunch one time, but different vibe - felt like a nicer Friendly's. Local lunch crowd is interesting though. As usual, the inman mix of people is lovely - your yuppees, locals, and poor kids.
(4)
Matt K.
If some lower end but dependable commercial restaurant chain was to get a little drink and decide to "experiment" with a local neighborhood eatery, in nine months time you would get the S&S. The menu is varied and has a good selection for different taste. Steaks and eggs can be found for breakfast and staples like steak tips are represented and done fairly, but not usually something you'll crave or use as the high mark all other meals are compared to. The staff is one of the reasons I go here. While most restaurants I go to are staffed by cute perky coeds, the S&S dares to be different by utilizing a collection of femme fatales who could pass for my 50 year old mother. Almost always sweet, but not above giving problem customers some attitude. One of my first times there my waitress actually came up to my table told us that her shift was almost over, we were her last customers of the night and asked if she could just give us our bill halfway through dinner so she could go home. If any other waitress at another place had asked that I would have been insulted and never returned, but since our waitress asked politely and had a sweet face we of course took our check early. I just realized I didn't really give a idea of what the food there is really like. If you have ever eaten at a Denny's, IHOP, or a Village Inn, then you have eaten at the S&S. Everything is slightly under seasoned, but has a bit of homey quality. It's great for when your having a bad day, or maybe are treating a hang over on a Sunday morning. In a world of molecular gastronomy and "fusion" cook styles, sometimes it's nice to just have access to an old staple
(3)
Danny L.
This place was never anything amazing, but it seems to get a little worse each time I go. I've lived in Inman Square for the last 5 years. I always thought of S&S as the kind of place you go when you need breakfast and nothing else is serving, or it's sunday afternoon, you've exhausted the other options in the area for the week, and you just want a sandwich or something. The food is never amazing, but consistently decent. Until they started hiking up the prices. I expect some price increase over time but they started skimping on a few things. I notice this most on weekends during breakfast time, when they're at their absolute busiest. I've made 2 egg omelettes at home that are twice the size of their "three egg omelette". If you look at all the options, like 8 out of their 10 specialty omelettes include onions, and when it comes out, it's like a big pile of onions wrapped with a thin egg crepe-like-thing with some other stuff mixed in. I ordered one without onions once, it was the saddest thing I'd ever seen. Each time we go now, whether it's due to the extremely rude and hostile owner who usually seats people as if their ruining her day by walking in, or feeling shortchanged by what we ordered, we say "OK, that's the last time we're going there." but sometimes, you just want breakfast in the evening without hiking out to Ball Square or IHOP in Harvard. Last time in, we got there around 9:20. Took a little while to get a server, but she was very polite. We ordered drinks, and got our food order in by 9:30pm. They close at 10. Place was still busy, and they start flashing lights at 9:35 like it's last call and then they cut half the lights off and start stacking chairs up right next to all our tables. I never felt so rushed out of a restaurant. We ate, tried to leave, and had to get someone to unlock the doors on the Cambridge street side. It was 10:05, and there was still at least 8 tables still seated. They wanted us to leave on the Hampshire street side and walk around the block to go home because they didn't feel like getting a key! Eventually they opened it and let us out, and as we walked home, we said "That's it, that's the last time we're going there..." No, for real this time.
(1)
Kimberlee B.
LOVE S&S. We have been using their catering service option and they are consistent, well priced and innovative. The food is great. No week is the same. Their selection is expansive with great fresh fish one night and chicken parm and pasta the next. Their desserts are even better than the food. These people do not mess around. Their cupcakes are some of the best in Boston. I recommend the chocolate bottom, peanut butter frosted (yum)! Just learned that their sister restaurant is Ryles and I can't wait to check that out too!
(5)
Lauren H.
Stick to the wings. The breakfast was a huge disappointment. Homes fries, if that's what you want to call them were colorless, ice cold and had onions in them. The Florentine Benedict was OK but again, onions?? Thats a first. Half my plate was onions and nothing else. On top of it, I couldn't help notice that an older, blonde waitress who was complaining about her tables to other staff members moments after walking away from their tables. Good thing she didn't wait on me. I won't return for breakfast but will get wings for take out.
(1)
Kris M.
Eaten here twice now, and both times it's been absolutely delicious. First time was my first free day in Boston, having just gotten here the evening before. Was wandering around Inman looking for a place to have lunch and found S & S. Aside from the hostess looking utterly bored and possibly slightly disgusted the entire time I was there, the service was more than decent. It was also the first time I heard an authentic Boston accent: When I ordered a pastrami and cheese, the waitress exclaimed, in a thick Boston accent, "Oh, yah gonnah love it, I had the pastrahmi eahlieah and it's wicked awesome." In my head I was going, wow, people actually do talk like that here! Accent aside, she was right - pastrami and havarti dill on grilled ciabatta was delicious. Later that week, my mom and I visited for dinner. Again, the bored/disgusted hostess showed us to our seats, and a lovely older gentleman waiter came to take our orders. Mom says he reminds her of Quilleran, from the Lillian Jackson Braun series of novels (The Cat Who...) We splurged a bit, salmon for mom and a full rack of ribs for me. In addition to the portion size being huge, the food was quite delicious, literally enough to make two meals out of (we had our leftovers for dinner the next night, not needing to add anything extra!). Prices here are consistent across the board, for lunch or dinner most things are around $9-11. My full rack of ribs was $15, and while not the best ribs I've had they were certainly not bad and great for the price. Someday I want to actually buy something from their deli, which looks impressive and authentic. Would recommend the place to any visitors with less adventuresome palates (such as parents).
(4)
Andrea M.
In my mind, these are the mixed positives of S&S: 1. They're open late, comparatively (Punjabi Dhaba is open later, and has better food). 2. They have matzoh ball soup (I reserve this for craving emergencies only, since it's only so-so and has noodles in it). 3. They can accommodate many different tastes of food (just not deliciously), so it's a good place to go with a fussy group. 4. You can get breakfast anytime of day. 5. They can do large groups (but not consistently at *all* times of day). That said, even though I live around the corner from S&S, I don't go there much. It's just not all that great. For the most part, my experience with the service has been good, and the food is serviceable, but not fantastic, and certainly not worth their prices. And the accoustics in the dining room are awful, so when it gets loud, it's *really* loud; often, that kid crying on the other side of the dining rooms sounds like it's right next to you. :\ It's definitely not on my list of go-to places in my neighborhood. And it sounds like they *were* good, once upon a time. ::sigh::
(2)
Jeffrey L.
I like a traditional Bacon, Eggs, Homefries, and toast breakfast and feel it is a good way to compare one restaurant to another. I was underwhelmed with my breakfast this morning... Eggs - Cooked to my liking - over easy Bacon - Two thin and less than crispy sheets of bacon paper Homefries - Kinda mushy but ok Toast - Toasted and delicious... with a rock hard side of butter Although this breakfast did not exactly satisfy my breakfast craving I am willing to give this place another shot... The service was friendly, the dishes were clean, and the deli looks tasty.
(3)
Benjamin S.
Several weeks ago, I had a lovely dinner here with my parents and brother, with a standout potato knish and prodigious quantities of starch. In retrospect, though, most of the aforementioned loveliness can be attributed to the company: the sandwiches and other foods, while passable all, weren't anything to write bubbe about. With company over last weekend, I thought I'd give it a second shot for carry-out bagels and cream-cheese at the rather parsimoniously stocked deli counter. With no line and barely anyone else in the restaurant, it took me twelve minutes to order twelve bagels and cream cheese. (Can some math whiz help me out here?) Those twelve laborious minutes do not take into account the three minutes I spent with the cashier on the other side of the deli, who couldn't be bothered to look up from the register, or nay, even respond with anything but an indifferent grunt to repeated "thank-yous." The bagels? Stale. The cream cheese? Gummy. And while it's not my fight to pick, the gentleman in front of me was told that he needed to wait for the other member of his party of two to arrive before he could be seated -- in spite of the half-empty restaurant. I came in with high hopes, thinking that I might have a deli in the mold of Toronto's superlative United Bankers. Host du bie mir an avleh!
(3)
Larissa C.
I get brunch here about once a month, and it's always amazing. They serve both brunch and lunch, so you can choose from a fantastic variety of food. Also, the portions are to die for, you will never leave this place still feeling hungry. Be prepared, however, on Sunday you will wait in line for a seat (I go around 2 to avoid this but I am a late brunch-er). Enjoy!
(5)
Tom D.
Wow. 185 reviews of this place already. Oh well, I'll still add my two cents. LOVE this place! Definitely one of the places I've missed ever since moving up to Lowell. Thankfully, I spent New Year's Eve in Boston, so it was a perfect excuse to stop in for a Thursday brunch with some friends. We arrived early and got a number, even though our party wasn't all there yet. Their policy is to only seat complete parties, which given how busy they are, I can totally understand. They've added a PA system since the last time I visited, so there's no way you'll miss your number being called. After our whole party arrived, I notified the hostess and it was a short (though it felt like eternity given how hungry we were) 15 minute wait for a table. Our server was friendly and humorous. The place was packed, so our food was a little slow to come out, but she kept on bringing the waters and sodas while we waited. A couple people I was with ordered mimosas and bloody marys. Both were tasty and in generous tall glasses. For my meal, I had the portabella mushroom omelette with a side of home fries and a bagel. Delicious! I love the side of fresh fruit they give you. Where are they getting such plump blackberries this time of year? You definitely get your money's worth at this place. I highly recommend it. They do have a small parking lot, but I've rarely been able to get a space in there. But, God bless Cambridge, if you go on Sunday, you can park in any spot on the street for free, including resident-only areas. If only Boston did that!
(5)
E K.
I wanted to have a breakfast catered for my clients on Friday but I was sick of ordered the same thing from Panera (my clients were as well!). I came accross S&S and gave them a try. The 10 person spread they delivered was incredible. Rather than a tote, they delivered a pot of coffee, which helped it last so much longer. Rather than the usual breakfast sandwich platter, I ordered trays of scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausages etc: the essentials for a solid breakfast that you'd actually want to eat in the office. Everything was set up in buffet trays which always looks nicer to me. I loved that everything on the menu was customizable and they called me twice to confirm my order and put my mind at ease. Everything was delivered on time and tasted great. I highly recommend this place for your event or for personal menu. Oh, and the red velvet pancakes are TO DIE FOR.
(4)
Shukry L.
Well, this place is terrible. I've never seen such disinterested waitresses in an establishment. I ordered fish and chips, and apparently Boston Scrod is disgusting compared to cod. I once had a friend fart in my mouth and it tasted better than this horseshit. The chicken was burnt and uncuttable. The waitresses was so rude to our friends, basically kicking them out. And I'm pretty sure they're racist. We showed up and and there was a black family waiting, and we were seated immediately. And they don't even have malt vinegar.
(1)
Joshua L.
Sort of old-school diner ambiance. Prices are pretty good, with a few strange outliers. If it were just for the food, decor, prices, and location, they'd be an easy 3, and probably 4 stars. The problem is, I have never once gotten good service here. 20 minutes sitting with menus and nobody takes our order. Water and coffee NEVER refilled (I've had to get up and find our server to ask, as they never stop by the tables unless they're bringing your order). We're in our mid-20s, younger than most of their clientele, so maybe they expect a bad tip, and don't bother? I just don't understand how a place with such consistently bad service stays in business, given how many good and reasonably-priced restaurants there are in the area.
(2)
Abbey B.
The only thing I get here is the Greek wrap, and I'm obsessed with Greek salad. I've heard breakfast is good. But really, most of it's nothing special. They've got a lot on the menu, I'll give them that.
(2)
Liz K.
Bad catering service. The Catering manager is not very pleasant. We used to order constantly from there with different accounts and she would charge the wrong account. I have never dined in the resturaunt, however If i wanted to I wouldn't be able to find a parking spot. FERSHTINKINER!!!!! (yiddish)
(1)
JeNnIfEr S.
Overall, I enjoy going to the S & S Restaurant Deli. Clam Chowder, Burgers, Tuna Melt, Buffalo Wings, Eggs and Corn Beef Hash.... Those are pretty much my staples at this place. I have deviated from my standard food selections from time to time- with not much success. Stick to the basics and you'll do fine!
(3)
Esther Z.
The best thing about S & S is the variety. The free parking lot is the second best! You can come here and enjoy just about everything - pizza? check. eggs benedict? check. blood mary? check. hummus and pita? check. Everyone can come here and have something decent - now what's not to love?
(4)
Omoniyi A.
Ok, S&S, whats with the not taking reservations? Im not even going to bother to write about the awesomeness of the food, or the generous portions and super extensive brunch menu. I means, its a given, we all appreciate brunch here is awesome. And thats part of the problem. EVERYONE comes here for brunch, people probably drive to Mass from other states to come here for brunch. And you dont take reservations!? Come on! To be fair though, the wait is never too ridiculous, i think its been like 25 minutes, so if you come earlier than you want to eat you might be set. Its just, to me, a bad policy. But its def not one thats hampering business!
(4)
Maryann S.
I am orignally from lawnguyland and when I moved to this 'hood I was so excited to see that I could get breakfast or lunch at a "real live deli". hmpft. The first time I went there I was severely disappointed because the sammies seemed like pale versions of the real thing and everything was more expensive than it should be for the level of quality. I gave it a second shot after re-adjusting my expectations (you live in Cambridge now - they don't have "real" delis. Deal with it), but I was just as disappointed. Because it is the only place of its kind in the area it is jam packed all weekend long and there is always a ridiculous wait. If I'm out to get my brekkie on over the weekend, it is prolly because I am hung over (so what? don't judge) and the servers are rude and slow. If you want more water or coffee just forget it. You are dreaming. Be prepared to be ignored and have at least some of your order forgotten. I know, I know, it's crowded but it's ALWAYS crowded on weekends - that can't be an excuse for poor service and mediocre food. Go to the down the road a bit to Cambridge Coffee shop (if you want a quick egg sammy for practically no money) or go to Atwoods for brunch.
(1)
Courtney H.
I am extremely puzzled by all the negative reviews. I love this place. The eggs copenhagen are amazing, as is the vegetable quiche. I like that their breakfast menu is more brunch than breakfast, and that you can order breakfast items all day. The service isn't kiss-your-butt, but that's not what I care about when I eat here. I care about the food. I'm very picky about homefries, and theirs are yummy. The fruit cup is a nice touch. Also, in one of the bad reviews, someone complained about not being able to order anything small for kids, but that isn't true. One of my breakfast companions had two little kids, and she was able to order just two pancakes for the little one and a chicken finger platter for the older one (which wasn't even available for adults yet).
(5)
Cara P.
It is pretty hard to fuck up French toast. I have been to SnS twice and although my French toast was good. ...and I emphasize just good....I don't feel I can give my entire experience more than three stars. The place was ridiculously packed and our service was super, super slow. I also had to send back silverware because it was dirty. I am not one of "those" people at restaurants. I usually eat my food, even if it isn't quite up to par and chalk it up to a bad experience. Also I am a sweet junkie or in other words, pig, so anything drenched in maple syrup is pretty much perfectly gourmet in my book. Or should I say "perfect and gourmet"...either way. It'll get 'er done for me. The other time I ordered the bagel and lox with Matzo Ball soup. Hoping that SnS would live up to its "legacy" as authentic "deli" eats and I would be able to close my eyes and transport myself back to New York a few years back when I had the freshest lox in the world literally jump into my throat. Park the DeLorean. It ain't happenin. Although the portions are huge, it did not conjure up warm and fuzzy feelings inside nor qualify for Jewish eats. Shame on you SnS......just because you have a deli counter don't try and pull the wool over my eyes. Your prices and menu might say New York, but your salty lox and bland Matzo Soup are ALL Innman. The Doc agrees!
(3)
Kristen V.
I live close to S&S making it difficult to stop myself from going there for breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays. Quick service, perfectly cooked food, never-ending cups of coffee, awesome bagels and a fruit cup with every meal! Even my mother liked it... my mother!
(5)
Gracie B.
You want to like them, you pretend they are better than they are - but they aren't and that is a sad little fact. I believe they once were as great as all their self promoting publicity says they still are. And, they do have a LOT more personalized attention to regulars than a place like Denny's.. They still feel like a "neighborhood place" and I think they make the locals feel pretty good most of the time. (i.e. - remembering little details about each person's preferences) But the food is exactly as described by everyone else on Yelp. It's kind of bland and not too healthy. Everything feels like it comes covered in creams and glazes. A lot of their dishes have a TV-dinner feel to them. There are some exceptions on the menu, but in the end it's just not an appetizing spot for me. It has been a last resort on several occasions. I wish they would re-invest in themselves. They could turn it around by including some healthier menu items and warming up the decor. I'm hoping they do because at this rate I'm not sure how much longer they can last. I'd hate to see this old local business disappear. I'd still go here over IHOP ANY day!
(3)
S. M. S.
First time back to S&S in about a year but was craving real Pastrami and real deli potato salad. What a disappointment! Pastrami was rubbery, salty and tasted like it came out of a Sysco plastic bag. Cole slaw was definitely out of a container, KFC is better. And--they were out of potato salad. Looks like Zaftig's is the only game in town now. Steer clear of S&S if you have any deli standards.
(1)
Melissa M.
Any place that serves breakfast all day is a good place in my book. They have a lot of things to choose from here. I think this is the type of place that you can go to with a craving from a bagel and lox to steak and eggs and they'll have it. They will make it for you and you will enjoy it. I did order a breakfast sandwich at 9pm (after having a hankering for one all day), it didn't truly deliver as I requested it to be scrambled, and it was 2 fried eggs and a lump o cheese with 3 sausage links atop. (I know, this is NOT on my diet). But, I was hungry. The english muffin was good though. I'll will absolutely give S&S another chance and will recommend them to anyone who wants honest to goodness food.
(4)
Janak S.
The pizza at this place is criminally bad! It was disgusting to even look at and it was even worse to eat =( Another time I had the Grilled Cheese and Tomato sandwich on some kind-of interesting bread. The bread was darkly colored and had a very interesting taste to it (Marble? Rye?). The sandwich was quite nice. The chairs were comfortable and they have their own parking lot, so you never have to worry about not having a seat =) Had the Chocolate Lava Divine for dessert and that was quite tasty! =)
(3)
Scott F.
OK, I'm conflicted. The S&S was a staple of my nice-jewish-boy youth. I salivate at the thought of strolling in on a Sunday morning for a lovely bagel 'n' lox (chive cheese, capers, and onions please....). Problem is, they've slid a bit over the years. The waitstaff ranges from exceptional to occasional, and the food (excluding the salmon hash...) is all over the place. Still a good bet, but thanks for the memories.....
(3)
Ron N.
First time back after years away and am just delighted that it is as good as ever! Food is great, value is great. Service is friendly. And the nostalgia from eating here in our student days is wonderful.
(5)
Bre M.
Went for the first time yesterday for lunch. Had the reuben, subbed fries for chips. It was a great reuben and there are not too many of those around. The service was fantastic. My girlfriend and I hadn't seen it each other in months, so we gabbed for a while. The server could not have been more accommodating. Will certainly go back to try some items on the brunch menu. It's a great lunch spot for sure!
(4)
H T.
(^o^) the fattymonster in me wanted some french toast. OoOo french toast (O.O;) the fattymonster wanted some french toast stuffed with cream cheese and bath it in warm maple syrup O! O! O! (X_X) restraining the temptation, the fattymonster backed off (^_^;) because fattymonster had a LARGE cup of ice cream w/o any breakfast or lunch (^_-) fattymonster naughty- (*^.^*) but fattymonster happy ......... one note- fattymonster was unsatisfied with the flimsy, pricy "thick cut" french toast, average mimosa and long wait. grrr...ouchy. (=x_x=) It wasn't good... ......... (2.5 Stars)
(2)
Tom E.
I came here on a Saturday lunch with Hana T and CK. Parked the car in their lot, took a number, waited in line for ages, yada, yada, yada... We ordered a bunch of typical brunch stuff - eggs, bagels, matzo ball soup, mimosa, french toast, bacon, yada, yada, yada... Parking was good, matzo ball soup was good but everything else was disappointing - waiting, eggs, decor, seats, atmosphere, yada, yada, yada... Afterwards I took the two girls back to my house, and, you know, yada, yada, yada... (ok, not really)
(2)
John H.
Went for breakfast and had the french eggs. Food and service are good but parking can be tough.
(4)
Aaron B.
Aside from decent sized portions, there's not a whole lot thats great I can say about this place. I've been there mostly for brunch and always just find it really ok. I've also gotten a corned-beef sandwich from here and I've got a pretty high standard for Jewish deli corned beef. Can't say I was thrilled. It was kinda tasteless and had an ok portion of meat. When I think corned-beef sandwich from a deli, I want that thing packed to the roof. I want meat sweats. Not here.
(2)
ILLAN K.
I was excited to have a deli/breakfast joint in my neighbourhood and even convinced myself that it was a great place the first few times I went there. then I remembered that breakfast joints are better the greasier they are and the dirtier they are. I'd rather eat a $3 breakfast at Brookline Lunch than a $13 breakfast at S & S. Seriously - it's really expensive for a couple of eggs and some home fries.
(2)
Julianne M.
I found the wait staff very nice and friendly, even though we looked like drowned rats after a Saturday run in the rain. They usually don't seat you unless your whole party is there, but they took pity on us and gave us a seat. Brunch was ok - nothing spectacular and a little overpriced. I won't go out of my way to eat here.
(3)
Ellen N.
This restaurant is a a step up from your average dinner / deli experience. However, I would have to agree with my fellow yelpers assessment of the service. After arriving, the hostess began to show my boyfriend and I to our seats, she then turned to us and said "never mind" and walked away. Hmmm I guess that means we will show ourselves to the waiting area? I quickly forgot my initial bad impression when the "waiting area" turned out to be a very nice deli. More on that later. I originally went seeking out a late brunch, and instead opted for a burger. The burger was good, the roles that Burger was served on were even better! I continued to be underwhelmed by the service, but it wasn't terrible enough for me to regret coming. I ended my experience in the bakery. I bought a bunch of sugar cookies covered in white chocolate's very good decision indeed! Overall I rate this establishment a B+, Although the fact that they have two FREE parking lots might push them up to an A.
(3)
Mckenzie Y.
Food is decent, not amazing. Price is a little bit more than I would expect for the quality. But it delivers as a morning after hangover nurser!
(2)
Ligaya T.
From the back of the S&S Menu: Since 1919 We've Served 64 million cups of coffee 36 million fresh eggs 10 million turkey sandwiches 18 million half sour pickles And 3.4 million bagels and lox with 79 trillion mgs of sodium. Their lox is so damn salty that I had an iodine headache afterwards. Luckily I had pulpy OJ to keep me from keeling over. Their latkes (potato pancakes) are deep fried, their passion fruit smoothie is more like an icee with whipped cream on top. Service is surly and slow. But after eating at so many 'hip' restaurants catered to our demographic it's really nice to be around families and folks of different ages.
(3)
Leighann F.
At this point in time with my S&S experiences, I really can't say that I have too much to complain about. My breakfast plate more than I could finish, the freshly squeezed orange juice was absolutely delicious and the service was okay. If i had a full agenda for the day or was in some sort of rush, the service could have been a problem. It was a little slow, but somehow that doesn't matter when all you have ahead of you is a day of gallivanting around in the sunshine without much to do. To me, S&S is great because it is local. But upon walking in and checking out the decor, the menu and the service, it seems to be like any other diner-type place in the area. As one of the oldest restaurants in the area, it leaves me to wonder about how their menu has changed or what it is that has made them able to stick around through the ups and downs of the finicky restaurant business. Maybe it has something to do with their deli? Or just a solid local following? Whatever it is, they're here for a reason. The deli deserves a try, which I'll get to eventually, and this will definitely end up being my breakfast spot when I'm in the In man area.
(3)
pete g.
Should a deli be allowed to fuck up a Reuben? The S&S and I disagree.
(2)
Jason C.
The food is ok for what you are paying. Most items are a little bland. So many better brunch options in the area. Their sandwiches and bakery are pretty good. Great place for children. If crowded, go to the bar. Better and faster service.
(2)
Danielle W.
An old neighborhood deli-turned yuppy hang-out serving EXCELLENT comfort food (S&S wings! meatloaf! juicy burgers!), great drinks (wide variety of beers on draft! martinis! decent wine list!), delectable desserts! (chocolate cake! fruit tarts! ice cream! oh my!) . The only quasi-bummer are the frumpy grumpies they've got serving your food. Truly, borderline hemorhoiddal lemon-suckers, at best. But, it's really no bother, because they are prompt and accurate. Perhaps a hefty boinking will rid them of the biatch-ness. But, I suppose that's none of my business.
(4)
Orly M.
The food here is good. I really like the 1/2 BBQ Chicken and the Turkey Dinner Special and Lasagna Special when they have it. Seriously, what are you people doing ordering Jewish food here? Any deli that serves pork probably won't have decent Jewish food. This is faux Jewish like Zaftigs. If you want the real deal, go to Ruben's or have my grandma make you some matzoh ball soup. I'll make you some latkes if you want. Go to the S&S and stick to "American" food and your tummy will be warm and happy.
(4)
Lauren V.
S & S Deli was delicious. My boyfriend and I wavered on what to order and finally decided to split the cheeseburger club and the reuben. They both looked tasty but upon further inspection, the cheeseburger club was slathered in mayo (disgusting!) so I stuck to the reuben. The menu didn't mention any mayo so that was disappointing. Mayo is repulsive. Anyways, the reuben was really good and I scarfed it down pretty damn quickly. The meat wasn't stringy like it can sometimes be. Extra points for that. Apparently, this is a great place for breakfast on the weekend so I will definitely be back. The service was quick and the waiter and busser were attentive and polite.
(4)
Tessa C.
I used to love going here as a student, but my last visit was awful. S&S has a great selection of brunch fare - sandwiches, eggs, pancakes, french toast, and quiche. The side fruit salad was moldy and in edible. Service was slow as well. Location is nice in Inman Sq, but parking is challenging. There are two small parking lots on Cambridge St. Otherwise, you are left to fend for yourself.
(2)
Meredith K.
The lines can be very long here, but if you hit this place on a Saturday or Sunday you just may get lucky and sit down pretty quickly. Overall I think they have all the breakfast standards and a few specialties that I specifically really like. My favorites are the Bavarian French Toast - it's French toast stuffed with cream cheese and strawberry jelly - yum! And the Latkes (potato pancakes to some of you) with sour cream or applesauce. I don't eat eggs (unless cooked in food and I can't taste them - like the french toast is). So it's always a bit difficult to find breakfast places that over something other than eggs - which is why I like S&S lots of choices for me.
(3)
Terry S.
I am pretty much into this place. Albeit the confusing interior decor and "chain-restaurant-style" seating, this place makes a pretty decent breakfast. The prices are on par for what you would expect out of pretty common ingredients and the created food definitely fills you up. Seems like they should step up the homestyle feeling by changing the insides up a bit and, you know.. sometimes that changes the way food actually tastes. The brain is weird. Expect a decent wait time for weekend post-boozing breakfasts... sometimes better to show up after noon and slide right on in.
(4)
Joe R.
Eat here pretty often, too often now that I think of it, never anything exotic, but if you want some old standards, turkey dinner, great burgers, generous sized deli sandwiches, S & S never fails. Agree with the other comments, it's a family place, not going to impress a date with the menu or the decor, but I've never had a bad meal. My wife loves having breakfast available all day, all of the breakfast dishes are great, again nothing too innovative (or innovative at all for that matter), but if you just want french toast or an eggs bene, you'll be happy.
(4)
Andrea K.
I enjoy going to S&S Deli just because its laid back and they dont rush you at all so you can just relax and eat your food. I typically go for lunch/dinner but I have tried their breakfast before and it is alright it has more of a jewish (i believe) type of things for breakfast but you can get your basic eggs and home fries as well, my favorite for breakfast is a mushroom and onion omelet. YUM. Favorite dinner dishes would be pastrami sandwich, tuna sandwich, turkey club (no tomatos), baked haddock is very fresh and juicy, oh and their buffalo wings are to boot! I always have to get them there and definitely satisfies my cravings for buffalo wings and they are boneless so that is another plus in my book. Their herb chicken also is very good with the rice, the chicken is very well seasoned and juicy inside. They have plenty of parking in their own parking lot (remember to get a token if the gate bar is down!) and there is on street parking as well. The service is quick and straight to the point with a lot of menu options as well. This is a regular deli place for me and I enjoy it every time.
(4)
Emjay M.
Ok, I am 42 years old. My brother is 47. My mom used to go to the S&S when she was pregnant for my brother. So my opinion of the S&S is one formed over many, many years of patronage. This place used to be the place to go to when my family lived in Cambridge and we had a little extra cash and wanted to splurge. That was during the 1970's. Back then the S&S wasn't so yuppified and stuck up. I can't say the same for the place these days. I was just there the other day for lunch. I have never in my life had a more disrespectful, rude waiter. It was the only time in my entire life I have not left a tip at a restaurant. The waiter practically threw the dishes at my 80 year old father and I and acted put out when my father asked for cream for his coffee. The entire time we were eating I could see and hear our waiter ranting and raving, screaming, and throwing things up at the counter over something that was obviously making him mad that had happened to him that day. No offense, but, buddy, don't take it out on your customers !!! That isolated incident being the last straw for me with the S&S....here are my biggest complaints about this place and why I have decided not to eat here anymore. 1) Their menu sucks. They took off all of the great dishes that made this place great. Why, why, why did you remove the French Dip, Turkey Classic, and London Broil dinner from your menu ? I will never understand it. I used to loooooove the french dip on a the soft croissant. It was delicious. I would even put up with your rude staff if it meant I could enjoy one of those sandwiches again !!! 2) For all of the years my family and I have gone to the S&S, my elderly parents never even get so much as a "how are you" when they walk in the door. This place, from the owner down have no respect for loyal customers. They act like your are lucky to be there. Personally they don't have to kiss my butt at 42 years old, but it would go a long with me if they paid extra attention to my elderly parents who have been loyal customers for decades. I am done with the S&S. I would rather get a cheaper lunch somewhere else where they appreciate their customers.
(1)
Will E.
A solid deli in the heart of Inman. I'm from the Boston area but I lived in NYC for a while so I hope I won't sound like a New York snob when I say that by NYC standards, this would only be a 3. However, in the Boston area there is a serious lack of delis and this place fits the bill. I've been there a few times. The meals were good but not spectacular. This morning I was there for a new year's brunch and everyone was pretty happy with the food. I got the Eggs Copenhagen which is like Eggs Benedict but with smoked salmon. Very good. Little heavy. My wife got the blueberry pancakes and liked them. The other folks we were with liked their meals. Plus we got to the restaurant at 10am and beat the crowds. By the time we left at 11am there was quite a line. Anyway, if you're in the mood for a deli sandwich or a bagel with some smoked fish, this is the place. Two disappointments: they were out of smoked whitefish today, which is pretty sad for a deli. And they don't seem to have chopped chicken liver on the menu - also kind of sad. But overall a 4 because they are there doing the deli thing.
(4)
James J.
Hot food, warm atmosphere, but cold service. They seem to treat groups of locals better than generic student wandering through. Also pricey as diner food goes.
(3)
Betsy K.
They get three stars for one thing (or groups of things) only: their breakfast fish platters. Smoked salmon, whitefish, etc... We go there for that only. They are excellent and a value. Lot's of veggies, egg, fish. The missing stars are for the simple fact that every other thing I have had there is not very good. The omelettes always come out cold. The latkes are too eggy or matzo-y. And service...one time the waiter spilled three bloody mary's on my huz , himself, and our friend Dan. He said "No big deal, I just live across the street I can go change my shirt". And that is what he did. He left us, with most of our party looking like Carrie on prom night. When he finally came back-we had to ask for more drinks and he charged us for all of them-even the spilled! We were pretty hysterical over it as it was unbelievable. Or we were hysterical because we were still drunk. Not sure.
(3)
Vanessa C.
I should start by saying this review & rating is ONLY for the breakfast (& soup). I'm a big fan of anything with the lox here - the eggs copenhagen are delicious. although I agree that the bagels are not so great, they are about the size of your face so if you're hungry, you'll at least get your moneys worth. opt for the lox platter with rye toast instead of the bagel. a side of fruit is served with every meal. the portions of quiche are mammoth & the french eggs are outstanding. for a splurge, I LOVE their stuffed french toast. and their croissant french toast. basically, everything they do with french toast is totally yummie! I can never finish everything on my plate & almost always after eating here I'm ready for a nap (not so great for weekend productivity!) the other thing that swayed my five star rating is the matzo ball soup! so so delicious - great flavor & a giant bowl of it! even when the line is through the door I've never had to wait more than 15 minutes. the desserts in the deli case always look enticing but I've yet to try them. I have only eaten dinner here once & it was really disappointing. so my overall rating would be a three and a half. still, I'm compelled to give it five stars because it really is one of my favorite places for breakfast ever.
(4)
Sandra M.
This is diner quality food with bistro quality prices. Nothing is kosher, it is marketed slightly as a jewish deli but I would consider some of their menus to be jewish-inspired. They fail at authenticity.
(2)
Nay M.
This place is pretty good at best. I have come here for brunch and I like that they add fresh fruit to your plate. Other than that, I can't say that I have found a dish worth remarking the few times I have been (a friend of mine is a devout S&S fan). One thing that I will recommend is the Bloody Mary - yum. I am spoiled, however, because as long as there is a Zaftig's, nothing will compare.
(3)
Jenna C.
I just came here for a take-out bagel for breakfast. The service was quick and the cashiers were friendly. Plus I got a bagel AND an iced coffee for less than $4... which is practically unheard of now.
(4)
Candi S.
Yes, every once in a while we cave and get some of the microwaved soup or soggy breakfast or the delicous iggys bagels here. The food and atmosphere really isn't that good. The staff, on the otherhand is really amazing. They are always super sweet and informative.
(2)
Sara G.
You know, everyone was RAVING about this place. I jumped on the good vibe train and went in with happy thoughts. Since I am not a Sheep, I have to be honest. It wasn't rave-able. I ordered a Ruben. The sandwich had barely any flavor. Perhaps I don't understand the 1/2 sour pickle. But this is the Home of the Brave and Land of the Free, so I don't have to understand the 1/2 sour pickle. It mostly tasted like an accident. The waitress acted like she was displeased with our general presence. perhaps that was because of our large work group. no one can be too sure. If i had to pay for this experience I would have been more upset, fortunately, lunch was on the company. Bottom line, if you're craving a Ruben, don't go here. if you're craving a real pickle, don't bother. They probably have other food that is good and that would make me feel all happy and toasty, but, I won't be going back. I do not enjoy being treated poorly by wait staff or lack luster food.
(2)
l. a.
the menu is extensive, the food is good, but the service is slow. if you're looking to head to a deli for lunch or brunch, then i would definitely check out s&s. tip: there are two FREE parking lots behind S&S. this is great if you have a car.
(3)
Hagan B.
I've been there for breakfast a few times an it's heavenly. I have to say, I've only had two items on the menu (the filet and eggs benedict and the lox bagel) but both were exemplary. The Filet was cooked to a perfect medium rare both times and the lox bagel platter didn't leave me wanting any more salmon. The waiter we had both times had an air of superiority, but his service was great regardless. We didn't have to wait long for a table either time. You MUST get the potato pancakes when you come here. Trust me, just order them on the side if no one in your party is interested in the breakfasts that come with them. You'll be impressed.
(4)
Julia S.
S&S is what you would expect from a longstanding deli; the prices are, well, pricey, but the food (especially the meat) is high quality. I went here recently for breakfast and their bagel & lox platter was well worth the trip....reminds me of the fancy breakfast/brunch spread my mom prepares for guests. You'd be hard-pressed to find lox this good at another cafe or restaurant. And the service was good, almost obsessive.
(4)
Sean E.
Eggs. I like eggs. I like them fried, scrambled, poached, omelets, hard boiled, soft-boiled, over-easy, over-hard, sunny-side up, as part of a sandwich, or with my salad, as breakfast, brunch, lunch or even diner -- I like eggs. And I'm hard pressed to find any place that does them better than S&S. I know what you're thinking, what's so hard about eggs -- how do you make normal scrabbled eggs special? I'm not even sure. Maybe it's in the egg, the technique, secret ingredients? I can't be positive, but they are indeed special. They even have a special way of doing omelets that makes it kind of like a burrito made out of egg instead of a tortilla. And the French Egg dish is fit for a king. Their other dishes are good too. Or so I've heard anyway. I can't really cross my heart on that because I've only come here for breakfast/brunch to get one of their numerous egg dishes. But I can tell you definitively that they do make a mean bloody mary.
(4)
reese w.
Ok, so this place is kinda cool, but I also think it's a little expensive for what you get. Eh... They give you a lot of food, but I'm not sure that I really WANT that much of that food. For me it's a little too salty, but maybe other people like that. Yeah... I'm all anti-salt like that. Spicy or sour please not too much salt. You know, maybe if I ate more salt, I would quit having such low blood pressure. Hmm... maybe I DO need more salt. Maybe I need to come eat here more often then!!
(3)
buckminster f.
This review is based on the lemon cake that I had there tonight. Ick. $5 a slice for something that tastes like it came straight out of a box and with plasticky icing? Next time, I'll pick up something at 1369 or Rosie's, and if those two places are closed, at the convenient store.
(2)
Georgia Y.
S & S is the kind of place that encourages STRONG emotions. Most people I know either love it or hate it. I don't think it really deserves that treatment. To me, the S & S is boring. I'll go there for food, especially if it's breakfasty food, but I'm pretty indifferent to this place - I'll never suggest it, and I'll really only pop in if I'm in Inman Square and nothing else appeals. I used to hate coming here for weekend brunch, because the line was so long. So that's that: breakfasty foods here are perfectly fine, the waitstaff is fine, the S & S is fine. What's all the shouting (out of love OR hate) about?
(3)
Arun C.
The place made a good first impression because they had tall glasses of fresh oj and very tasty brunch options. I got the Copenhagen egg breakfast and loved it: poached eggs, lox, new potatoes...I'm getting hungry thinking about it. It didn't take long to get a table at about 11am Sunday, but parking was tricky. They have additional parking just down the road from the small one in front of the restaurant.
(4)
James M.
Living right around the corner, I've been to S&S probably a dozen times in past year. Not because it's good--it isn't--but because it offers such a silly variety of food. If I want pancakes at 2pm or a cheeseburger club sandwich for breakfast, I can get it. They've got everything from sandwiches, to breakfast food, to seafood dishes. That being said, none of it tastes that good. It's definitely passable, but not worth anything near what they charge. You'll find a much better burger (for right around the same price) across the street at the Druid. You can get better sandwiches (again, at a similar price point) at All-Star. S&S has little going for it other than its size and variety. Also, they have the worst service in Inman, hands down. Worse than Bukowski, which is pretty damn bad. The wait staff is almost completely composed of 50 or 60 year old men and women who are as attentive and caring as you'd expect a 15 year old to be. They really don't give two tugs about good service. Again, I've waited almost a year to write this review to see if the bad service was an exception, but, unfortunately, it seems to be the rule.
(2)
Gino T.
I really enjoy coming to this deli. I have to say that during the lunch hour the clientele seems a bit..... "old school" but that doesn't take away from the food. I had the Focaccia lunch special, great price and very delicious. Grilled chicken club, perfect. Had the turtle cheese cake, best I've had in Cambridge. Try this place if you enjoy deli style dining , casual, laid back, and breakfast all dang day! It's little bit pricier than say Zoe's but a lot nicer.
(4)
Roni E.
My boyfriend had introduced me to this place about a month and a half ago. As soon as we walked in it was like sardines in a can. I didn't really understand why because the place looked huge and takes up about 3 buildings. They do have a large restaurant with plenty of seating. However, this place does get packed on the weekends for brunch and with good reason. Their food is spectacular and was well worth the wait. The best part it was cheap too! I have never eaten so much food in my life for so little. I would definitely like to go a little earlier though next time to see if I can beat that mid-morning crowd and be a lil early bird.
(4)
Caitlin C.
Now, my roommate had been telling me about the merits of S&S for several months now and this past Sunday we finally went. Well, actually, we intended to go to Friendly Toast, but the wait was totally Unfriendly, so we headed over to Inman to cure our post-night-of-Bacchanalian-revelry hunger. Ok, so our waitress was not particularly attentive, but that did not detract from the superb brunch we were presented with. After much deliberation, I finally choose the French Eggs (scrambled eggs piled onto a crispy croissant, accompanied by home fries and fruit). The home fries were absolutely out of this world! I would gladly have eaten two more helpings. Also, I can't wait to go back to sample their bagels and latkes. Yum!
(4)
Benjamin B.
S&S sucks. Seriously, I'm pretty sure this place is just a Denny's or Eatin Park gussied up a bit and disguised as a reasonable restaurant. With all the options available in Cambridge, heck Inman square, there is no reason to ever eat here.
(1)
Brian M.
S&S is the place to go in Central / Inman when you want your food needs met without any hoopla or drama - you're hungry and maybe a little tired, not feeling adventurous, you just want a good feed. The food is consistently good - I've been coming here regularly for a year and a half and in that time I've had exactly one duff meal - an off-day I guess. The service is generally good, although they do have one or two servers that are distinctly lacking in sunny bonhomie, but I guess that's about average. It's not exciting, it's not cool, but the food is great, the menu is broad and the drinks are cold (I love places that serve beer in chilled glasses). Everything is good, especially the bagels, the club sandwiches and the mixed drinks. One thing to be aware of; they take their 'seating for full parties only' policy VERY seriously. They can be quite abrupt if you even ask about squeezing a latecomer in. It's fair enough I suppose; the volume of people (esp. on Sunday mornings) would make it unworkable otherwise. Just be aware, they won't make an exception, even for you...
(4)
D S.
I came here for brunch and it was a cute restaurant but nothing outstanding. I ordered Belgan waffles ($8.95) and recieved a decent serving. The place was packed, however.. the line sure went on. A nice place to stumble upon but not so much to plan ahead to visit.
(3)
Al A.
Bad service (slow and inattentive). Bad food. Not really a diner anymore. Expensive for the quality you get. I have no idea how this place is still in business in such a competitive restaurant hub.
(2)
Rachel P.
I miss S&S sooo much! This is such a good diner. My sister lived down the street from S&S and we would go there, get take out, delivery etc all the time! I love their wraps: greek is sooo good. They always give fries and a side of fruit too. They have been around forever!!!
(5)
Madison S.
I love jewish delis. Sometimes I just want to go somewhere quiet with good food(healthy, consistent, simple food). Waitstaff are either really nice or a bit abrupt. I wouldn't order the fish and chips again. Breakfast/Brunch menu is great.
(5)
Meaghan S.
My mom grew up in Cambridge and remembers this restaurant fondly. She used to take me here from time to time when I was a kid and even then I wasn't impressed. I don't know exactly what it is, but the S & S has never really done it for me. The food is just not good, and if I want old people chow I definitely prefer Jimmy's Steer House in Arlington. I was told "Try the brunch!" and I did. And it was pretty lackluster. In fact I've eaten at S &S probably 20 times in my 27 years and I do not remember ONE outstanding thing about it. From the Bickfordsesque decor to the bland-ass food, I never find myself thinking about this place when I want a meal.
(3)
Jocelyn C.
This is by far the most genuine deli (and diner) that I've been to outside of NYC. When I moved to Boston, the only thing I really missed was the ability to get a real deli-style sandwich that didn't cost a month's pay, or be able to eat breakfast past 11am. S & S fulfills both of those desires. I also love the pictures surrounding the restaurant of old-time Cambridge, so you get excellent food and a little history lesson of the neighborhood at the same time! If you eat here, you will NOT be disappointed.
(5)
Jon R.
Meh. The food is ok. The service is pretty bad. Everyone goes nuts over the latkes, but I've had better. The menu has a lot of variety, but it would be great if they didn't pride themselves on the fact that they do absolutely no substitutions whatsoever. Which is fine, if you're a fancy restaurant. Or even a mid-range restaurant. But come on, you're a freaking deli. Some of your sandwiches come with fruit, others with chips, others with fries, and others with a pickle. Just give me a damn choice and charge me extra if it costs more. But come on, you can't bring me a single kosher dill spear instead of a fruit cup with my sandwich? Because of your "No Substitutions" policy? Get over yourself. If you get take-out, S&S is fine. But I wouldn't bother to eat here.
(2)
michael l.
This place is generally overrated. I mean its like diner food so it's likely what you would expect. I do enjoy a simple roast beef sandwhich on a bulky roll when i go there. The breakfast though just doesn't cut it. I do better with eggs at home, hungover and all.
(2)
Jimmie L.
I never thought about having appetizers with breakfast or brunch until I ate at S & S. A bowl of their matzo ball soup is just the thing to start your day out healthy (physically and emotionally). I haven't had a meal there that I didn't like. My wife on occasion gets eggs benedict when we go out, and always asks for the sauce on the side, and it seems like EVERY time she gets it at S & S they don't help her out. Otherwise, a bowl of soup and some salmon hash....perfecto !
(4)
Michael W.
The same fateful trip that introduced me to Bartely's, Red Sox baseball and pesky's poll, also brought me to the S&S about 16 years ago. I have been coming back year after after year with my family and even more now that I live here. Its a great place to meet people for brunch and not get lost in the Boston mess... Usual wait time on a Saturday or Sunday can be at most 25mins to as little as, give us two seconds to set the table. When looking for parking check the lot first and then good luck, I always have some kind of success, even if it means walking a block or four... They offer different menus at different times, the full lunch or dinner menu has tons of dishes ranging from just a sandwich to a whole section of clubs to actual full dinners. I have heard the chicken is good... I usually start off with their matzo ball soup, which is a huge bowl that comes out very hot and just awesome. The soup has a great flavor, veggies are not mush and has a good amount of chicken in it... much better than other places.... u know what I am talking about, read my other reviews... The turkey club is always awesome and is my fall back sandwich here... I recently had the stuffed crab and potato pancake which is topped with a poached egg and hollandaise sauce. It was very tasty, I added a side of lox, which was exactly what i was looking for. Their bagels are good, and sometimes, when feeling indecisive, I just get the lox plate and bagel and is always satisfying... There are many options here, and as i said before, just be careful of what time you go, there are several menus during the day, and some are more limited than others... This place is just so much better than its kinda counterpart Zaftigs... People, there is nothing scary about crossing the river, Cambridge is fun, and exciting... do it... its ok... i wont tell any one...
(5)
Gwen K.
Service: slow but friendly. Coffee: drinkable, but definitely needed cream and sugar. Food: tasty, creamy, salty, copious, rich. (Exception: bagels. Dense, bready, not worth the stomach space they take up.) Overall experience: pleasant, comforting, not for those in a hurry.
(4)
Ashlee C.
Bordering on just OK to don't even bother. While the S&S has a huge menu that likely has something to please everybody, nothing stands out and it is all just mediocre. In addition, the offerings are quite expensive for what actually hits the table. $9 for a cheeseburger and french fries is a little excessive, and The Druid serves a $9 burger and hand cut fries that blows this out of the water. I can't think of one good thing about the S&S other than the fact that they serve beer.
(2)
Erica E.
This is on the top of our list for local brunch places. They make THE best french toast around. It is eggy and fluffy, it's perfect! There is usually a wait on the weekend, but it's never too long. They serve brunch all day, every day which is somewhat of a rarity. It's a fun place to go in the evening when you're in the mood for cocktails AND breakfast food. They also are willing to substitute hash browns or fries for the meat that come with any of the breakfast entrees. Overall, a great local breakfast place!
(4)
Nick B.
I've been here for every meal, but really it's the brunch that sets S&S apart. So filling, that you can probably make it your only meal of the day (Omolette, Home Fries, Fruit Cup, AND a Bagel?? Brace yourself.). Now in it's 87th year, S&S is truly an Inman Square institution. Pig out among the photographs of the restaurant throughout the ages and be thankful that you live in a place like Boston that is so steeped in History. Just be prepared to wait on a Sunday morning. Dinner is also good, though the atmosphere is what I have affectionately termed "Take Grandma to Dinner Night." That said, Grandma can be pretty amusing if she thinks her Irish coffee isn't strong enough.
(4)
Jamie S.
The boneless S & S wings are TO DIE FOR. I taste them and reminisce back to my childhood. Cambridge has a lot to offer when it comes to great food. Try the deli, stop by and pick up some food on your way home from work. The family style is great. I can never leave S & S without a slice of the chocolate peanut butter pie, (warning, very filling and addicting!), all the desserts are homemade and satisfying. Why the missing star? The food is so good, yet the service is blah. Take it for what it is, and savor the food!
(4)
John F.
Scene: Sunday morning/afternoon. You had quite the night with your friends, most of which you don't remember. The turbo button in your brain is firmly in the 'off' position. Your friends feel approximately the same way. You need to regroup, and piece together what happened. And you need food in a bad way. But where to go? The answer is, of course, the S&S Restaurant Deli. In all seriousness, though, S&S offers some great food, whether or not you're hungover. The omelettes are really the main draw; I'm a huge fan of a somewhat modified English omelette. I've never touched the lunch menu, because I just cannot pull myself away from these breakfasts. Definitely a place to check out.
(4)
J R.
So I will start by saying as a disclaimer that I've a vegetarian, and realize there is some bias here as I am reviewing a deli. But as S & S makes an effort to include a variety of vegetarian options for both brunch and dinner, I feel they've opened the door here. I've eating here several times, and while I've never had a "bad" meal or "bad" service, I've also never been particularly impressed. The wraps are tasty enough I guess, but not very interesting. Brunch is filling, but nothing I couldn't make myself with a few slices of cheese and a couple of eggs. Coffee is cheap diner quality and the carpets always seem covered in other people's food scraps. I know it's an Inman institution, so go if you want, but don't expect to be wowed.
(2)
Scoobie U.
My husband and I were walking around, looking for a breakfast place. They serve breakfast here all day! The price was extremely good for what we got, the breakfast plates are definitely filling. I can see why this place has been in business for so long! The decor was a little on the older side, but that didn't take away from the meal. From the outside we were expecting a more restaurant feel, however it was more like a diner.
(5)
Mike M.
I have come here a number of times. Three times for breakfast, twice for lunch, and twice for dinner. Every single time I have eaten here has been enjoyable and pleasant, but nothing striking or out of the ordinary. If you have ever eaten at New Jersey diner, the experience is similar. It's not exactly the nicest place in the world, but you know what to expect when it comes out of the kitchen, and that is quality. The servers come around, crack some jokes, take your order and leave you alone. My favorite thing to eat here are the burgers because they taste fresh, and are always plentiful and filling. Prices here are moderate. Being an ex deli man it seems to me that their deli is very clean and well kept so I would recommend it also, which is why I gave S&S 4 stars instead of three.
(4)
Mats K.
I do enjoy S&S, though maybe not as much as I used to. Its usually a nice place to go for brunch after a night out on the town. The portions are pretty large, the prices pretty decent and the atmosphere nice enough. They serve a decent combination of American and Jewish breakfast dishes usually with a bagel, cream cheese and a fruit bowl on the side, which should be enough to fill pretty much anyone up. Be prepared to wait on a Sunday morning though, as the place fills up very quickly!
(4)
Dachary C.
The S&S is one of my favorite places to eat. Period. However, if you're one of those nosy types who wants a few more details, I shall do my best to satisfy your curiosity: They have separate breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner menus. They have daily specials. They are one of a few restaurants in Cambridge open until 11 on Weekdays and 12 on the weekends, which, in my opinion, gives it major points. Their menu is full of yummy, traditional staples. Their sandwiches are great, their entrees are great, their breakfast items are great, their appetizers are great, their soups are great... do we sense a theme here? Good stuff. Check out their website for menus. Parking in Inman Square is always a challenge, and dining at the S&S is no exception. They have two parking lots, as well as access to meter parking on Hampshire and Cambridge Streets, but finding a spot can be hit-and-miss during peak times. Sunday brunch waiting time is generally 15-25 minutes. I dine-in by myself, with a date, and with a large group (10+) frequently. I also get take out frequently, and have even had the S&S cater work functions. The food is very consistent in quality. For the number of times I've dined-in, I've had very few service problems - sometimes slow service with the group of 10+ late at night, and once a surly waitress, but generally it's a pleasant experience. However, one big complaint is that S&S is notorious for running out of their daily specials. Another nice point: the S&S comes complete with bakery and deli. The deli selection is better at a place like Whole Foods, but if you're in the neighborhood of the S&S, it's a convenient stop. And the cookies, cookie bars, pies, and cakes available from the bakery are always fantastic. Ordering and picking up take-out is quick and easy - I've never had an experience when it wasn't ready within 10-15 minutes. The website lists the S&S Restaurant and Deli as 'A Cambridge tradition since 1919.' Check it out and you'll see why people return again and again.
(5)
Crystal G.
Husband and I went here for breakfast today. Meal was decent..we both got omelets and they were pretty good. Not too eggy, but full of fillings. I'm giving it three stars though, for two reasons: a) it was a little overpriced for its location, drab Dennys'/ Friendlys-like atmosphere, and food quality (-1 star), and b) horrible service (-2 stars). The woman (who I can't call a hostess) who seated us didn't say a word, and placed us in a far corner although most of the restaurant was empty. This sucked even more when we got the slowest waitress in the place. She walked out at a annoyingly slow pace, bringing 1 drink at a time (who does that?!?), never refilled our "bottomless" cups of coffee (at breakfast!), wasn't sure what kind of tea they had, messed up our check, and when I asked for napkins, she just grabbed some from under nearby cutlery. Despite what the menu pronounces, this place is not "a find". I
(2)
JJ G.
I think this might be a place that you get into a groove on, go once a week, always order the same thing and then it's hard to explain to anyone why you like it. Of course, there is the advantage of plenty of space and high chairs for those of us who are burden with wee people. And it's a great place to go with multiple generations (e.g. grandma and grandpa want to have dinner with the kids) cuz it's a something for everyone joint, but if you are looking for a real deli, like a NY style place, this is sadly going to pale. Still and all, I like it; my kids like it; my husband likes it; my parents like it, and that's enough for this family
(4)
Heather H.
S&S is a great brunch spot with good mimosas (after noon on Sundays, but earlier on Saturdays) and tasty brunch options. I've enjoyed everything I've ordered from quiche to omelets to waffles. Some of their prices are a little steep, but I think the food is good enough and I never feel rushed. Wait staff can range from calling you hon to being a little surly, but I've never had a truly bad experience. Their catering is fantastic. I've enjoyed lunches from them several times at work functions and never been disappointed.
(4)
Rod B.
I love popping into S&S for brunch, or some wings. Top tip: If you're in a rush, sit at the bar. The service is much faster there than the table service.
(4)
Dorothy C.
Service at lunchtime was slow, and the coffee old. BUT the chatham salad rocks my world - raspberry vinaigrette on mixed greens with blue cheese and candied pecans... fried pita wedges decorate the edge. yummy. Also recommended: Monte Cristo Sandwich [=french-toast sweet with salty deli meats...], S&S Boneless Wings [=sweet & hot], Carrot Cake [=divine cream cheese icing], & matzo ball soup [superior to the chicken soup, b/c it has fewer onions & celery pieces, and one big ol' matzo ball].
(4)
C.M. M.
Ok for the food - our service was less than acceptable but it was a busy place.
(3)
Rylan H.
This place is really hit or miss. Sometimes it's a nice place to go to get a "decent" meal. Sometimes you go when there are 5 people in the restaurant, and the service is still slow and you almost seem to bother them. I really wish this could be a rock star deli b/c we need one in Inman.
(2)
Jonathan G.
This place gives me the creeps, kind of like a creepy retirement home. The place is always too quiet, with faint Al Jolson covers playing on the speakers, and the octagenarian staff is the slowest ever. Ok, maybe that was a low blow, but seriously this place has unbelievably slow service. Everytime I have been there, there has been almost no line, yet the hostess seems to make me wait 5 minutes before acknowledging me. Then, during the interim between sitting and seeing my waitress, I have grown a handsome beard. The food arrives fairly quickly, but after I eat it comes the "waiting for the check" purgatory. FINALLY that comes, and I emerge out of the restaurant asking what month it is. Slow service...that's all I am really trying to say. Tasty turkey and dill havarti triple decker, though. Gotta give them that. Their reuben is a little "eh", so it doesn't make up for it.
(3)
Julie A.
I used to be in Inman a lot for work and play and S& S saved me every time. There isn't (or at least wasn't) much of a selection for lunch around there. S&S has a very big menu so I could eat a totally different meal from them 5 days a week. I will say that the BLT quickly became a favorite though. The veggie burgers were pretty good, fries good, prices good. The breakfasts are also amazing, and never had a bad one. Yeah, they have free parking, but I have never gotten a space there. It's also a very greasy restaurant. do not go here if you are on a diet. but it's AWESOME to go to when you have a hangover. I want to give the food and service 3.5 stars but the selection is a 5 star rating, so 4 seems like a good place to end up. Good place!!!
(4)
Linda S.
The only reason the S&S gets 3 stars is because of their Canadian burgers -- the combination of Canadian bacon, Munster cheese & sirloin is perfect and they rarely screw it up. If it weren't for the Canadian burger & that it is 2 blocks from where I live I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here. The last time we ate here (a few days ago) our waitress was very friendly & personable. That's a + since every other time we go there the waitstaff isn't very friendly but rather cranky.
(3)
Marie R.
Breakfast is so yummy!! I would say I am a fan of the food for sure. But I agree with everyone else that the wait staff leaves something to be desired. Go here for the food (breakfast is my only experience) and expect bad service so you won't be disappointed. I had the most amazing breakfast EVER in their Croissant French toast! OMG!!! I could eat that EVERY morning.
(4)
Alexis L.
I have been to S&S plenty of times. Each time, the owners have seated my party and I, usually family..always with kindness..They made me feel as though I was their long lost granddaughter, if I was Jewish of course (teehee). But anyways, the food is standard and homey. The hummus plate is a great appetizer, or even an entree in my case. Also, their chicken wings, matzo ball soup and chicken soup are yummy and comforting too. My family celebrated a few anniversaries and Mother's days there, all of which we ordered brunch at..and they turned out delicious. Definitely a family place...relaxed and cozy. Perfect for a quick, relaxing bite before an Indie flick in Kendall Sq.! The only reason I won't give more stars is because I got a dirty mug once..but they replaced it. lol.
(3)
Liz L.
Oh man o man! After discovering this yummy yummy yummy restaurant, i was extremely happy. For some reason I have been unable to find restaurants that aren't trendy overpriced ethnic restaurants or cheap greasy restaurants. But this place is AWESOME. Their breakfast is so awesome. They know how to make an omelet. And they know to make some homefry potatos. Waiting to be seated, even when the restaurant isnt full, can take a bit long and I'm not sure why... and also some of the staff isn't as quick with refills or exactly super friendly. But I really dont care... because the food, aroma, cleanliness and selection of food is so great.
(5)
Doris K.
We finally decided to try S&S after several years of avoiding the place because I thought that they only served cold sandwiches. I was wrong. This place is great. Their menu is partically 4-5 pages long with breakfast foods, sandwiches, tons of seafood, and other entrees. Their drink prices are so reasonable - $6 for a good glass of wine! The hubby had a roast beef and cheddar cheese sandwich while I had the potato crusted salmon. His was much better than mine. Although mine was fine, it just had a lot more potato than salmon, like a 2:0.5 ratio. The best thing about the entree dinner was the dessert! Amazing red velvet cake! If you don't come from anything else then come for the dessert.
(4)
Christine L.
Today was my first time, and I wasn't that impressed. The amount of food was just right (I got the French toast with cream and strawberries, a fruit cup and sausage) but the fruit was warm, the waiter never came over to see how we were doing or refill our water glasses, and service in general was slow. The French toast was yummy but overall, for the price, I'm probably not going to go back.
(2)
M M.
We order delivery for lunch meetings. Good food with fast delivery. When you request the paper goods, you usually get a disposable "tablecloth" that really classes up lunchtime.
(4)
Jeannie C.
French onion soup, Cobb Salad...you can't find any place better. The art on the outside of the building...the giant poster of the founder...and the whole atmosphere is great. The coffee isn't the best. The wait staff is classic deli. I love the S&S for food that is well prepared; consistent and nourishing in that "taking care of yourself" kind of way.
(5)
Julia F.
My last experience was the worst one I've had at S&S. Other than that, I have always loved this place. Total staple in our family for brunches. The wait is always really long. But totally worth it once the food gets to the table.
(3)
J N.
I really want to like S&S. It's convenient to get to (even has its own parking lot!), always has seating available, and the food seems like it should be good. But I've been there three times in two months at different times of the day (weekend brunch, weekday lunch, and weekday dinner) and my experiences have all been bad. Servers are always incredibly rude. The bathroom is always dirty. There is no kids menu (who wants to pay $10 for pancakes for a three-year old!?). And maybe I'm ordering the wrong things, but none of the food I've had is good. The last straw for me was this weekend for Saturday brunch. We ordered coffee cake for our table of three to share. It never came, and we didn't see our server for the 25 minutes between the time we ordered, to the time he delivered our entrees, so we never got our coffee cake. The potatoes with my eggs benedict were not just warm or lukewarm, but cold. Gross. My husband had an entree that came with fruit that was about three days past it's prime. And the salmon hash just looked disgusting, not to mention the strange aftertaste. This is the last time we will waste our money here. Like I said, I really want to like this place, but just keep having bad experiences. I know that S&S prides itself on being a family owned and operated, but I think it's probably time to shake it up a bit and consider new management.
(1)
Patrick N.
If your craving a trip to the past S&S is the place to go. They are the definition of old school in a good way. Everything is made in house. I try to go for brunch on the weekends as much as possible. The corned beef hash is amazing. All the bread products are freshly baked and they usually arrive warm. I have never left this place hungry as the portions are very large. The wait for a table usually takes less then 10 minutes. Once your seated the service is always friendly and quick. For a blast from the past that will cure a hangover S&S is always a safe bet.
(4)
Michael C.
It's a decent deli, but wasn't quite satisfying. If you really want to get your deli experience on, go to Zaftig's in Brookline instead.
(2)
Mary R.
Loved the atmosphere, disliked my food. It has the feel of a diner you'd find in NY or NJ, something MA is seriously lacking, but unfortunately the food wasn't that great, although maybe I should have stayed with the basics. I ordered the spinach quiche, which came with a side salad. The salad had way too much dressing, but was otherwise a good size. The quiche was greasy. It just wasn't good. We had the S&S wings as an appetizer, which were good, but not something I'd race back to have again. Maybe I'll try a basic diner meal next time.
(3)
Erin B.
I USED to really like this place. But recently, my experiences there haven't been mainly on the "poor" side. The food IS "comforting", and it's still good for Sunday brunch or when you're "recovering" from partying the night before.. As a matter of fact, it was a Sunday ritual for some friends and I for quite some time. Their wait staff are STILL very attentive and friendly. I used to joke that they had their tables bugged or something. :P My main problem, however is that the menu is WAY overpriced for what you receive. If the prices were adjusted, I'd consider going back. That is why S&S has lost a star since my initial review. Otherwise, it's a cozy and relaxed place to eat.
(3)
Sarah G.
Ehh...1/2 a star for being so close to my hungover, lazy self on Sundays. Food is not great, but brunch is definitely the best option if you go. Maryann S. is right - if you go expecting a great pastrami on rye a la NY deli, you will be disappointed. My mother came up to visit from L.I. and the tongue and pastrami sandwich was so small ("I can fit all this meat on one slice of rye! Are they kidding me with this sandwich?") and dry that it not only ruined her day, but her entire perception of Boston-area cuisine. I also don't like that their draft beers come in 10 ounce glasses, but cost more than the 12 ounce bottles on the menu. However, if you want to stuff yourself with fat and carbs after a bender, S&S is the place to go. Actually, you can go to Ryles too, as they have the same menu and you can watch the servers wheel carts of bagels across the street from one to the other during brunch. They have the best red velvet cake I've found in the area, and the pieces are huge.
(3)
D M.
I am giving the S&S four stars instead of five because the service in the last six months has been hit or miss. I would estimate we go there on average once every two weeks, sometimes with family and sometimes with friends, so the service clearly doesn't bother us that much. I like going to the S&S for the good variety of foods, excellent breakfasts, and bottomless cups of cheap coffee. I would highly recommend any of the omelettes, my favorite being the garden omelette or the brunch omelette, though I get mine bacon free. The portions are huge, so it's good if you go there while you're really hungry. They have good monster sandwiches, and the salads are awesome......definitely more substance to them them most other places, which is good and bad. Nothing on the menu is really light, unless you get a fruit plate. If you're in the mood for breakfast, this is the place to go any time of day. One warning: the bagels are made in the morning, so they do tend to get kinda shitty by the afternoon if you're like me and like breakfast for dinner.
(4)
Fionna L.
I see that this place is getting a lot of not-so-good reviews, so let me just say this. I've been coming here since I was a wee one, and yes, some of the food is pretty blah, BUT! The S&S has the best gardenburger I've ever had, and I've had a few.. Also the boneless buffalo wings are amazing, just be prepared to be getting the sauce off your hands and face (and arms??) for hours. The wait on Sunday is hardly worth it so come any other day of the week and you'll be fine.
(4)
Jen L.
Good neighborhood place for weekend brunch. What I like: smoked whitefish, Nova omelet, and Eggs Oscar. What I love: cheap brunch drinks (as in, around $6 - not bad) Things I don't like: the latkes are dry, which does somewhat inhibit my enjoyment of Eggs Oscar since that is part of the order but I'm pretty much over it.
(3)
jylcat R.
I've been to S&S a few times over the past five years or so, and it's gone seriously downhill. I'd been a few times for brunch maybe 2-5 years ago, and had FANTASTIC salmon hash, and pancakes that were reasonably delicious. I would have given it 3-4 stars in the past, however I went there for dinner one recent Saturday and it was, in a word: HORRIBLE. The food was just okay, not as good as I remembered it. A friend got the matzo soup and that was good. The chicken wings had good sauce but it was weirdly sweet and goopy. I had blueberry pancakes which were just all right., but the syrup was the worst. A very very fake plasticky-tasting syrup a la IHOP. BLECK. The service stood out as the worst. The worst service I've had at S&S... in fact, one of the worst I've had ever. EVER. That's kind of surprising right? I'm not exaggerating. We were seated right next to the bussing station... and every time anyone went to put anything there, they THREW it down, SLAMMING dishes every few minutes about a foot from our heads. And our server... was mean. Just mean. He was obviously overworked and they were understaffed, but jeez. I was afraid to ask him for anything, because when we did ask for something necessary like mustard for the pastrami sandwich or, you know... water.... he would snap "hold on", run to another table, throw some food at them, come back and say "what?". He yelled at the bus boy right in front of us. So rude. We didn't even finish eating, just left halfway through dinner (paid of course, but even the guy at the register was a jerk). I'm really disappointed. This wasn't even kitchy soup-nazi type nastiness, just unpleasant service that made me determined never to come back.
(1)
Kevin M.
I've been going here since I was 4 years old, maybe younger... holds lots of nostalgia for me. Their brunch is great, as are their sandwiches/desserts... If you are there for lunch/dinner try the boneless s&S wings... they are amazing!
(4)
Bene K.
No matter the time or day, the service and good quality and taste of the food at S&S has always been excellent!! The definitely deserved 5 Stars and hopefully I'll make it over there sooner than later. You can get delicious sandwhiches--lunch -brunch and don't forget Breakfast!! Also, try the drink menu--pretty tasty.!! You will NOT be dissapointed!!!
(5)
Wade L.
I've been here a few times now, always for brunch and always on the weekend. Not only have I never waited terribly long, I've never found it as disappointing as other reviewers. One thing is probably that I showed up somewhat early, but I don't think that 9:30 or 10 AM on Sunday is exactly beating the breakfast rush. Still, we didn't wait a minute for our table for 4. The food is consistently good and what sets S & S apart from lesser breakfast places are the following: 1. kickass hollandaise sauce that doesn't use Lemon like a blunt object, bashing in the flavor. 2. equally kickass fresh fruit that doesn't taste like like tin cans like oh-so-many-breakfast joints. 3. cooks who understand that homefries are not supposed to be deep-fried, greasy piles of brown crusty stuff, but actual potatoes that are cooked correctly. I'll keep going to S & S every time I'm in town.
(4)
Melissa W.
Great for brunch - chill, local diner/family restaurant feel, but with better acoustics, nice windows, and fab quiche. So-so for dinner. The dinner was overpriced and bland, but not bad. I was impressed with the coleslaw. Not impressed with the avocado puree from a ziploc pouch that passed for "avocado" on my turkey sandwich. In fact the whole sandwich was kinda "ehh". Luckily they serve breakfast all day. I would recommend sticking to that menu.
(3)
stacey l.
I like this place, but it's more of a fall back for me. It has great variety and quick service, but I feel like it's too big to have that authentic Jewish Deli feel. It's more like a diner kicked up a notch, and that doesn't warrant the prices they charge for their meals. I've had worse and I've had better...this place is consistently OK.
(3)
Jennifer D.
Both stars for the very sweet waitress who served us. People are nice here, but the food is really not good. We are visiting from out of town, and one of my sons said it reminded him of the dining room at my 91 year-old grandma's nursing home. Too true. Bland, boring, really not good food. The only seasoning you could taste in any dish was salt, salt and more salt. Plus quite expensive, given the quality. And they were out of 50% of what we ordered the first time around. My kids didn't even like the desserts here...they had a "chemical" taste like they were made out of a box. It seems this place is a family tradition for many, but if it's not already your family tradition, you can probably skip it.
(2)
Kim L.
Breakfast here. AMAZING! If you're here on a weekend, there's gunna be a wait. But it is worth it. I had the BEST quiche Lorraine I've ever eaten. Thinking about it makes my mouth water. The portions are huge, and you can order regular or strawberry mimosas with your brunch....need I say more. I can't wait to go back for dinner sometime. I went back for dinner. Meh. Not bad, but breakfast is by far superior here.
(4)
Annie P.
S&S wings S&S matzo ball soup S&S omelettes w/ bagel and cream cheese S&S triple deckers S&S buffalo chicken sandwich S&S iced tea AHHHHHHHH. greatness. perfection of clean diner food. Take some major time out of your schedule though. This isn't a quick paced place even though it seems like it. Sitting at the bar doesnt help either. I do like watching Oprah with the bartender though. haha. This week I had the Corned Beef Hash with Scrambled Eggs (not Poached eggs like on menu) and Havarti on top. It was baked and hearty. Too much food.. but I asked for it right? I like those cut out stickers of neighborhood people on the windows. Sunday morning lines seem never ending.. but it ends... and it's fun to look over the menu with pals and strangers and decide what to get...plus it';s usually worth the wait. Who on earth runs that kitchen? Anybody been in there? I don;t get how they do it so well for so many people.
(4)
Stephanie H.
I went here for lunch yesterday, for the first time. I liked the atmosphere for the most part. It was kind of a noisy place and hard to here people you were seated with. Our waitress was attentive and friendly and gave us prompt service. I had the turkey club that came with a pickle spear and a bag of Cape Cod chips. I liked the sandwich, it was huge. The chips were good as was the pickle spear. I left stuffed. My sister ordered the veggie quiche and it was huge and came with fresh fruit (didn't look quite fresh but the touch was nice) and toast and hash browns. Huge portions for a decent price. Mine was 8.95 and hers was 9.95. I would go back for sure. The wait was not as bad as I first thought it would be.
(3)
Nicole M.
I don't get the hype. So many of my friends rave about this place and start drooling at the mere mention of it, but I've eaten here a handful of times and still don't get it. I just don't like the food. Nor do I like the atmosphere. It feels like a glorified IHOP with a longer line. There are much better places around here for brunch!
(1)
Shiksa H.
You cannot go wrong with any of their sandwiches. It's a decent place with kids and Mac and Cheese is approved by my Six year old who eats same thing wherever we go. But prepare to wait a little since they are busy and parking is a challenge unless the lot is open.
(4)
Ro G.
Great food! Big portions. We had the lox and bagel (tons of lox), the potato pancakes (some of the best I've had!) And a vegetarian breakfast sandwich, to go. The atmosphere seems nice though, we'll be dining in soon. Only downside is our iced coffee was a little meh, but thumbs way up otherwise.
(5)
Maryn H.
This place is great. It's a laid back deli in Cambridge that serves HUGE portions. A good place to go for brunch on Sunday when you're hungover from the night before. The waitstaff is sassy, but that's what makes this place endearing. Their cobb salad is my favorite. It's comparable to Zaftig's, just without all the flash.
(3)
D. C.
I'd give it a 3.5 if there was a choice. I love their half sour pickles!!!! If you want a good family friendly restaurant, this place is it. There's pictures of the "grandma" everywhere, which kinda creeps me out. Their reuben was great and their matzo ball soup was good too. Caesar salad was over dressed, so I'd ask for the dressing on the side next time. I don't know why I ordered pizza one time, but I didn't like the cornmeal crust. It tasted like a frozen pizza, but maybe thats just me. Overall, I like this place and they're open late so thats a big plus.
(4)
Liz D.
I've only been here for brunch but it's my favorite brunch place in the area. The omelets are great and they always give you fresh fruit. The service is some times rushed but I've never had them make mistakes. I can never seem to find the restrooms though!
(4)
greta C.
I'm surprised this place is still open. Not only because the board of health should close it down, but the food has gone down hill since I started going there ten years ago. Yuck.
(1)
Leif H.
A wide selection of food offered in a restaurant with a cozy sprawling floor plan. My date and I tried their hummus appetizer, which was good, portioning was weak however for the $5 dollar price tag. The entrees we both ordered came with two generous plates of salad with warm dill rolls. Our drinks arrived promptly before our meals and our server was attentive yet not over bearing. The prices tend to be a bit steap for what one would normally expect from a deli styled joint; however when you consider that they are located in trendy (pricey) Inman Square it makes sense.
(3)
S. C.
I've been there a few times for breakfast. The first time I went there, I expected to pay over $30 for my meal. It was that good. It was even better when I realized I only had to pay about $15. I am a simple person. No matter where I go for breakfast, I would skip the menu and order eggs, sausages, toast, and home fries. I have been to many places and I have to say, S&S is the best.
(5)
Aretha B.
I will make this review simple S&S Pros: tuna melt on herbed foccacia with red onion THE COLESLAW ROCKS - seriously good pickles good omeletts eggs benedict fresh OJ S&S WINGS are the best friggin wings I've ever had. So sweet, nice heat... with cool blue cheese and celery. AH! so good... matzoh ball soup decent, pleasant service S&S Cons: only log cabin corn syrup for pancakes, no real maple syrup? wtf kind of new england breakfast restaurant doesn't offer maple syrup? Seriously - that disturbs me. Overall, good restaurant to fill you up. Nothing too fancy or imaginative, but quality ingredients for sure. I like the sesame bagles.
(4)
Alicia Y.
Lukewarm = my feelings about S&S, and very possibly the temperature of your drink when it's brought to your table. S&S is a place where my family often winds up when they visit because it's good for seating groups and has a parking lot (albeit a teeny, tiny one), but if I did not keep getting taken there as a part of family outings I would not seek it out on my own. For one, I can never make up my mind about what to order because their menu is absurdly large. I'm all for having options, but I feel like they spread themselves a bit too thin in trying to cover so many different types of food. I also have the problem of wondering if anything I order will be terribly worth eating: the food here is okay, but there's nothing memorable whatsoever about it. I know that I had a burger once... that was fine. The French toast... was fine. The Caesar salad... boringly fine. There's just nothing interesting about it to me. When I find myself thinking, "Hmm, I kind of wish I was at KFC right now, at least I know that chicken has flavor" when I am eating at a sit-down restaurant, something is very wrong, no?
(2)
Melissa W.
I love this place! I work across the street and often stop in for lunch at least once a week... my favorite is the turkey club. I had an opportunity to go in for brunch yesterday and had the eggs benedict. It was probably the best benedict I've had in a LONG time! Service was great as well.
(5)
Diane D.
I've never been to S&S for anything other than weekend brunch, and let me just say, that for that alone, it is awesome. With several friends living in the Inman area, the S&S is a personal favorite stop for a little weekend pre-shopping or post-hangover eggs florentine and home fries. Esepcially for the price, which really isn't bad. If it were closer to Brighton, I'd probably go more often to sample more from the big menu and try some other things like matzo ball soup. But for now, I'll stick with recommending the breakfast food!
(4)
Eric S.
First of all, my opinion may be skewed because of my perceptions of the place when I first ate there (when I was 4 or 5). I've always been sort-of creeped out by the lady that's painted everywhere in the restaurant. The food is nothing to brag about, but it's by no means bad. Everything seems clean and presented nicely. Wait staff-eh...they have been slow or have disappeared, but they always get the job done. Portions sometimes seem below expected size. I'll give them a pat on the back for providing so much space; the place is huge! Parking is confusing...so beware. PS: Pickles are good.
(3)
Jessica E.
A very middle of the road breakfast experience. I live in the area, and there is a definite dearth of breakfast options in this area of Cambridge. The restaurant is cavernous and well-staffed. It also has a deli up front where you can grab sandwiches, cake, cookies, deli style stuff. The interior is bland. It reminds me of a Perkins- a Midwest chain of Denny's type places. They could do a lot more to make it more interesting looking, but I don't think that is a priority. The menu on their website has the wrong prices. For breakfast items, everything is $10. Good selection of omelets. Fresh squeezed orange juice. Large plates of food- everything comes with home fries, a chunky bagel, and a fruit bowl. It's a very busy joint, and it is filled with lots and lots of old people. I won't hate too much though, because the food was plentiful, there was no wait, and no item on my plate disappointed me. It just wasn't all new age spices and interesting ingredients or fancy whatever... the kind of stuff we Yelpers tend to O over. But hey, maybe that's okay.
(3)
Stefanie G.
My mom loves S and S, so I have to go a lot, but I haven't drunk the proverbial Kool-Aid. The food is solid, but it is a little expensive and I hate the atmosphere. The salmon hash is dry but the regular hash is great. The reuben is also very good. I prefer the atmosphere of my other breakfast haunts, but I don't mind going here with mum on Saturday or Sunday morning, especially if it is early (before 9:30) and there is no wait. Followed by a cappuccino at the 1369.
(3)
kyle c.
i came here for breakfast on a saturday morning with a friend of mine. the omelettes were amazing, i got the portobello one, assuming it would just be filled with mushrooms and was pleasantly surprised to find the egg mixed with pesto and filled with not just mushrooms but tomatos, onions and mozzarella cheese. the homefries were great, and they let me substitute an extra fruit cup instead of toast at no extra charge. my friend got a havarti dill omelette, which he said was also delicious. the omelette menu seems pretty innovative, everything looked great. service was average, no qualms with it, and my mimosa was a bit champagne heavy. overall a great breakfast experience, will definitely go there again.
(4)
Layla P.
When I met my friend here they said "This DOES look like your kind of place" Why would they say that? Because there's BREAD and they serve breakfast all day. I asked the waitress which of the 3 french toasts (plus another that was on special) was the favorite. She suggested the croissant cinnamon french toast - and it was great! Nice crispy yet moist texture, cinnamon, sugar and butter oozing out of it and warm syrup to drizzle on top. You can substitute their comfy potatoes cooked with onion instead of bacon or ham and it also comes with a little side of fruit. The omelets were also good - no brown-ness on the outside (which I hate!). And they have FRESH squeezed orange juice yum! There's lot of potential here and I must return - for the other french toast dishes, but also for their hummus sandwich, soups and breads. There's take out lunch and dinner too.
(4)
Scott M.
I don't understand why this place only gets 3.5 stars average. So it's not a cool decor little brunch spot full of hipsters... so what. You get a table fairly quickly even on very busy days, it has awesome history, classic service and consistently decent food. It is our staple brunch spot. The croissant french toast is amazing, the eggs benedict are good, the poached salmon is delicious as are the homefries. Thumbs up - keep it up for another 90 years.
(5)
Tina C.
My regular brunch place. I order Eggs Copenhagen every time (poached eggs, sauteed onions, and smoked salmon on an english muffin) with the hollandaise on the side. Comes with fabulous potatoes (not quite hashbrowns or homefries, better!!) and a cup of fresh fruit. Love it. Been once for dinner and it was o.k. Service varies from waiter to waiter. I've come across a couple who were not good at all, and a few who were just great.
(4)
Katie K.
I have only been here once, and all I can say is it's nothing special. The service was OK, not excellent and the food was pretty good but that's all. Nothing spectacular going on here. I heard such great things from friends of mine about this place but it didn't live up to it's ego AT ALL!! Also the wait was really long for the food. Not bad, I'd go back if I was in the area, but wouldn't go out of my way for it.
(2)
Gabe M.
Quite a good place to grab some breakfast. Portion's are large, so its good idea to split with someone. Good service and good location at Inman Square.
(4)
Joel R.
This place is great any time of day. It is the closest thing I've been able to find that's close to a NY diner or deli. The sandwiches are good and so are the breakfasts. My whole family loves this place...
(4)
Larisa A.
What do I do? I eat at the S&S all the time. All the time, you say? Well, okay, a lot. It's close to home so we end up there at least once a week. Sunday or Saturday brunch is a favorite, and if you go there often enough you get a feeling for when the "slow" windows are. No, I'm not going to tell you when they are. Because I love the S&S and I don't want you going there and making it busier. In fact, maybe I should change this to 1 star and say how horrible it was! Yeah, actually, I bet that's what all those other people who gave it one star have done already. They secretly love the S&S as well and are just trying to keep the brunch lines down. But not me. Oh no, I'm too honest for all that. What do I love at the S&S? Omelettes. Corned beef hash & poached eggs (w/ a side of hollandaise for extra heart-attack love). The turkey dinner special (when they have it). Scallops & steak tips. I hear they have sandwiches, too, but I don't go for sandwiches. Why only 4 stars? The food is good & reliable, but I have had one or two omelettes come out a little browner than I'd like. The service is generally terse-but-polite, which is fine since I'd rather not have some obsequious turd take my order anyway. But it would be kind of nice if the servers we get ALL THE TIME would acknowledge that we're regulars. But maybe you need to go there every single day to be considered a "regular". And that might be a bit too much for me.
(4)
Melissa B.
Come here for breakfast (it's served all day). I've been coming here for the better part of a decade & have always found their breakfast to be much better than their offerings for lunch or dinner. I grew up on a dairy farm so I know fresh eggs when I see 'em; S & S uses some of the freshest around. It makes all of the difference. They'll cook them however you prefer (poached is my favorite) & you can get them with bacon, ham or sausage. For omelette lovers, they have about 10 different kinds of omelettes with every filling imaginable. The pancakes are great as well (mmmm....blueberries) and their homemade corned beef hash is out of this world (it's certainly not that crap that comes in a can). Every breakfast comes with a bagel & cream cheese & a bowl of fresh fruit. Get it with some of their fresh squeezed OJ, some bottomless cups of coffee or a cappuccino and you've got yourself a fine meal. This is easily one of my favorite spots for breakfast, but be warned, it can be a bit of zoo for Sunday brunch, and the staff can be rough around the edges.
(5)
Photon S.
S&S was pleased as punch when 14 of us showed up with practically no notice last night. Their menu is epic, making decision-making quite difficult. However, their strawberry mimosa was fantastic and the latkes are terrific. The food here could generally be a little better, but the triple layer sandwiches, the hummus plates for the vegans, and the various pastramis make this an excellent place to head with a mob or late at night. Bonus points for S&S being one of the few places open late on Sunday.
(4)
Beth F.
The story tells it. A family business with good quality comfort food. You either love or hate the S&S. I like to go there and get something that makes me feel good - oh say for instance...french toast or chicken soup. Maybe a salad. The trick is to ignore the bratty kids running around..but it's all part of the deal.
(4)
Nick S.
Totally dig this place - on the surface it's nothing special, but taking a look closer it is special - a throwback Jewish style family establishment. Long-time servers are pleasant, my food was great - lox plate (other dishes looked excellent), and you can tell the neighborhood really embraces it - lots of families enjoying themselves, happy people blissfully noshing. I look forward to the next time I can go, and will bring a friend or two to share the experience.
(4)
Emma D.
I have no problem with S+S, but I could never figure out why people are obsessed. It's very decent deli food and good for brunch/breakfast. But honestly, it's a place that I usually have a serious craving for. If you want entertainment stop by on a random weekday afternoon. We did and ran into the phantom gourmet and tables full of old folks. The dinner food is definitely geared towards the tastes of the elderly. I encourage you to try it out (especially breakfast food or sandwiches), but for goodness sake don't wait in line or travel vast distances for it!!!
(3)
Dottie D.
the s&s is solid. but, i wouldn't say that the s&s is good. i know people love it but i just don't. it's solid and i know i can get a decent omelete here but really, is that worth more than three stars? not in my yelping rubrick! the s&s has an outdated menu. there's nothing new and exciting there. i mean, that's fine and you know you can get some eggs, some bacon, a stack of pancakes, toast, etc. but, there's nothing amazing about the s&s. their food is decent and not too pricey so it's one of those places in my book that you can go and get some fine food that you know is reliable but doesn't thrill you. service is mostly fine... i was there on friday and our waitress was awesome but the kitchen was not. there were only one or two other people in the place but it took forever to get the food and when it did come, the order was wrong. our waitress was very nice about correcting this and when it was right it was fine but that's just it. if i want fine, i can make some eggs at home. anyway- i think the s&s is reliable but for me, that's only worth three stars at most, and one star is for having a decent parking situation (unless you come during the height of rush hour on the weekend and then the parking sucks there, too).
(3)
Amy K.
It is generally hard to find a place serving breakfast foods that I can eat. As a vegetarian and one who cannot stand the smell or taste of eggs I am often left ordering a bagel with cream cheese at Au Bon Pain. I dislike most waffles and pancakes (too dry and too sweet). However, here at S&S I can get by looking like every other normal Joe (or Jill), enjoying his or her breakfast without requesting something the cooks have never heard of. That is why S&S gets four stars in my book. And of course because my SO can order some huge egg and meat or fish dish and it makes us both happy.
(4)
Christopher W.
Now here is a place that deserves a diamond for food and a star for service. I prefacing anything this way set up for a fairly unpleasant review. When I first moved to the Boston area in the fall of 2000, I resided in Harvard Square. My best friend and I met up every Sunday for brunch to catch up on life. It was GREAT! However, as he now resides in Spain 10 months out of the year and I in North Andover, it has been tough keeping up this tradition. On a wonderful Sunday morning, I revisited a past favorite place to eat Sunday brunch. We met up with a mutual coupled friend of ours to show them a few more places to savor while he's away basking in the sun of Southern Spain for the next 10 months. We were seated rather quickly which I presumed would mean another stellar visit to an old stomping ground of mine. To my dismay, as our party of four were seated, our server, decided to drop our menus on the table and announce she would be back in a minute. Thus began one of the most horrid experiences I have ever had in a restaurant. Although the food was EXCELLENT and the conversation intuitive to the days agenda, our server just couldn't get passed or over that hump. To her defense, she frequented the table and inquired, while moving, if everything was ok, she just couldn't deliver the service which I had grown accustom. In the end she blew the lid off my rather lasses faire attitude by screwing up written directions. Disappointed, I left only a 15% tip and spoke with one of the co-owners about such disturbing service. I assured him that, although I will return (one bad visit won't deter me, my memories are very fond) service such as I received undermines the quality, taste and memories of his establishment.
(1)
Von S.
I really like this place and never had a bad meal here. Let me correct that, I've never had a bad brunch or lunch here; couldn't honestly tell you about dinner but I'm sure it's not too shabby. The S&S is a quintessential neighborhood eatery with a good selection of food options, from your typical diner breakfast (steak and eggs) to the normal deli staples (turkey club, rueben sandwiches). It's a place you'd go to if you live around the area (it's too much of a hassle if you have to drive to get here) and don't want to think too much about what to eat on weekend afternoons. Prices are standard ($10-$15), I suppose, but for a cheapskate like myself, it's a bit pricey. The portions and quality, however, are well worth the price. I see the complaints about it not being a real jewish deli--- I don't know why these people expect the S&S to be a beacon of kosherdom --- it doesn't unfairly markets itself as such. To these folks, I ask, "Do you go to Burger King or Dairy Queen expecting to dine with royalties in a robe of ermine and sapphires?" For crying out loud. My favorite dish is the corned beef hash with poached eggs. Love it. The salmon hash with eggs isn't too bad but does anyone out there feel right eating salmon with eggs for brunch? The knockwurst, hot pastrami, and swiss cheese triple decker is a good kind of monstrosity. Pancakes are all delish. Further, they serve nearly every dish with a small ramekin of assorted fruits which helps refresh your palate in between bites. And it goes without saying that I love their strawberry mimosa--drinking champagne in the late morning always makes me feel a bit decadent. Free coffee refills here is a plus too. Get there before noon-- that's when the rest of the neighborhood realizes they don't have to look far to get wholesome heavy tasty brunch food.
(4)
Quinn C.
S & S is a delicious treat that I look forward to every time I'm visiting the Boston area. There are tons of cookies and cakes and goodies like that, and a wonderful brunch. Their home fries kind of leave something to be desired, but other than that, I've always left full and smiling.
(3)
Jules M.
For the most part, S&S can be a good experience with good food reasonably priced. There's a wide assortment of beer and the hard liquor drinks are decent also. The service time and server attitude, unfortunately, can vary widely. Service is usually slow if it's busy, so I avoid the place during rush times. But even if you go during a slow time, if the wait staff isn't attentive, it can get frustrating because they can disappear and it can be hard to get service. If you go there enough, you'll know which wait staff give the best service.
(4)
Jesse M.
I was raised on this food since I grew up 3 blocks from the restaurant. The food is always good, though I seem to order the same thing almost every time I go. The service can leave something to be desired, some of the wait staff are top notch and some are just waiting until their next smoke break, but like a junkie I always return. Great bagels too.
(4)
Jim C.
I go there almost every Sunday morning that I am home. The buffet omelet is the best and after eating it you are set for the day. If you haven't gone there, go and prepare for a good experience. You should try the peach belini....Its really good.
(5)
Frank S.
This was the worst service experience I have had in a long time. Food was good, but the level of unfriendliness was simply unacceptable. Will never go there again.
(1)
Liza H.
Great deli food. Wonderful sandwiches, latkes and breakfasts. Latkes served with sour cream and apple sauce. The service can be slow which breaks my heart when I am starvin marvin
(3)
Jeremy S.
Solid breakfast and deli food. Maztoh ball soup is great. They also have fresh OJ and real maple syrup the two hallmarks of any great diner.
(3)
Kelly N Z R.
No vegan options, vegetarian options limited to omelettes, pancakes, blintzes (which isn't a bad limitation, I must say). Though it tries to pass itself off as a Jewish deli, it clearly ain't-- they serve meat (including pork) and milk.
(3)
Christina and Jaime F.
I had the triple decker turkey and havarti which was excellent, but my friends had brunch...I think next time I'll have the Belgian Waffle. YUM!!!!
(4)
jack p.
I try not to write negative reviews, but I just had breakfast at this place, ordered the pumpkin and spice pancakes, and could taste neither pumpkin nor spice. They were spongy and tasteless. On the whole, the food was just extremely generic and not really worth it. Try Mass Ave Restaurant instead. The upside here is that the service was great. Doesn't make a meal though.
(2)
Gil G.
Rude waitress. Food took FOREVER, and it was just "eh" when it finally came.
(2)
Lalin A.
Had a sunday brunch there. One of the richest American breakfasts you can find in town (for the price)! Had the two eggs-bacon, bagel-cream cheese and coffee. What a good combination. Was overall a satisfying experience.
(4)
Kristine M.
I like this place, especially for brunch. Good breakfast, good bagel/lox platter, and yummy knishes. I have to agree though, the people they hire to wait tables there are a bunch of jerks, which is a definitely turn off.
(4)
Shine B.
I had a pretty bad time at S&S today. It BOTHERS me that they don't have a kids menu and they don't have any option to get just one pancake for a 2 year old. All of their pancake plates are 9 dollars (which I think is really expensive for Inman Square - we're not on 5th Avenue in NYC mind you) and they only give you three medium sized cakes, so its hard to share. Today I requested a blueberry pancake plate, and asked that one of the pancakes be made "plain". This wasn't possible I was told. Bull sh**. This really makes me mad. They see I have a young child with me and intentially want to 1)rip me off and 2)waste food. They are officially off my list because of this lack of flexibility and respect for my money.
(1)
Huan z.
This restrurant deserves no star at all. But I have to pick at least one star other wise Yelp won't let me submit this review. on well. They have terrible service. My friend and I got stomch ache after eatten the irfood and had to use the bathroom after. Will never try there again!
(1)
Eric C.
Simply awful. I've been to this place around 5 times over the past 3 years, mostly when I'm with a group of people who want to go. The food and service is consistently bad. Last time I was there, the bagel tasted like one of those plastic wrapped bagels in airline food, the hash browns were like mashed potatoes soaked in grease with some brown food coloring, the omelette tasted like it came from a cheap chain hotel restaurant, and the OJ seemed to be from concentrate. The service was even worse. Our waiter was downright rude. He literally slammed our drinks down on the table, causing them to spill somewhat. Then my girlfriend asked for more syrup and he audibly gasped, made a face, threw his hands up and walked away without saying a word. After that, he proceeded to get into an argument with the busboys about the tip left by the people at the table next to us. My guess is this place was good 70 years ago, and current owners are riding on that name.
(1)
Ani G.
This place is pretty mediocre. It has 2 things going for it: an extensive menu (so if you have a large and picky party, probably everyone will find SOMETHING that they will eat) and free parking. The food is okay, but not stellar, and not cheap either, for what you get. I've been here several times for weekend brunch and have been consistently underwhelmed. The service is pretty inattentive. Do not expect to get drink refills (or your check, for that matter) unless you flag someone down.
(2)
Mags L.
s&s or zaftigs? i'm always confused about which place people are talking about because they're pretty much the same place to me. one is north of the river, one is south. my sentiment for both are the same. breakfast is pretty good. lunch - whatevs. not good, not bad.
(3)
Paul M.
This review comes with a caveat. The 4 stars I gave this place rate it in comparison to other Boston area delis. On its own this is a strong 3 star, but its not fair to compare a deli to restaurant. The wait is long, expect to wait in line for at least 15min on sunday. If you like a HUGE brunch on the cheap side this is the place. I have never been able to finish my plate. You get a bagel(really damn big bagel) with cream cheese, fruit and homefries as a side with brunch. The food is definitely on the heavy side.
(4)
Katy T.
It's not gourmet food, but it most certainly is comfort food. I really like their varied menu, although the smell of fried fish can be a bit nauseating. The air conditioning in the summer can be very overpowering to the point of visible shivering, but it's what it is. We love the cheese blintzes, the ruben, the corned beef, and the french onion soup. It's the perfect place to go for comfort food!
(3)
Netta L.
Yeah, the food is mostly good. How hard is service with a smile? The people here are consistently rude. RUDE! We go because it's the easiest place to park and the kids are always happy to have a bagel or $9.00 pancakes (note to S & S: a children's menu with smaller portions would be appreciated)
(2)
Stephanie ..
Potato pancakes and waitresses that call you "sweetie" and "hun".
(4)
ELLIS D.
Sadly in order to rate a restaurant you have to give it a star. S & S doesn't deserve one from my experience. We had the waitress from hell she was just down right nasty. We were a table of 7 and were treated as if we were a bus load of little old ladies sitting down for hot water and lemon. I don't think I have ever disliked a server as much as her. No one enjoyed the food. Having traveled all night the night before I wasn't into a big breakfast so I had the fruit and a bagel and cream cheese. Sarah Lee makes better bagels and my honey dew and cantaloupe couldn't have tasted more Green. Plain ole disgusting.The worst was the cream cheese, slathered in a plastic cup with brown streaks in it. When I asked for another she gave plenty of attitude and brought over another brown streaked cream cheese. I warn you all do not visit S&S unless it is to use their toilet!
(1)
Laura E.
Used to go to S&S when I lived in Inman Sq years ago. I am glad I stopped going. Went yesterday for a late lunch and was disappointed from the minute we walked in. No one greeted us and we waited patiently at the sign that says PLEASE WAIT TO BE SEATED. I finally went to the cash register and was told to go back and wait. Got seated, viewed the menu and ordered. I'd ordered a Ruben, but with a Gardenburger rather than meat. About 20 minutes later the server came over and said they didn't have any more Gardenburger's left. So, I told him use a Potato Pancake (it is delicious that way) instead. He looked at me and said, "EWw. Weird." I certainly don't go out to eat to be judged. The kicker of all this... the entire time we were there - they were vacuuming the rug while people were eating. It was gross and really annoying. I complained to the manager and he really didn't seem to care. It was pathetic and disgusting.
(1)
courtney d.
Ive come here so many times at a ridiculously late hour looking for french toast. I love all of their food, but the fact that they serve specific breakfast items at meal times other than (breakfast) completely earns my patronage. The sandwiches are always good and I know some that swear by their seafood. The service has always been great and while you wait, you can look at the ancient menus on the wall from when they first opened and omelettes were like a quarter.
(4)
Steve N.
the manager waved me off my intended purchase of the whole smoked whitefish in the case. he told me to come back tomorrow for a fresh one. i did, and it was.
(3)
Daphne M.
I have made quite a few trips to S&S, and while it's not your classic New York-style Jewish deli that I'd been hoping it was, it's still pretty damn good. The cheese blintzes are enough to make me come back time and again - they are out of this world delicious! It's all very homey and satisfying food, and I guess I haven't found much of that in Boston, so it's worth the price to me, even though it isn't cheap. The potato knish, coffee cake, and egg salad (my other favorites) are all delicious as well. I definitely need to try the french toast! I haven't been wild about their bagels, but I think it's not that they're poorly made, but that I always come there late in the afternoon when they're just not fresh enough anymore. The place is frequently packed and the service could be a little more efficient, but I still enjoy it quite a lot.
(4)
Chris B.
In my opinion, S&S has always been a standard brunch place to fall back on even though it can be a bit of an annoying commute to get there from Charlestown (slow drivers on broadway, etc...). The food has always been consistently good and while the bartender during brunch is abrupt and less pleasant than i would like on a Sunday morning, i would return at least 2-3 times a month. Today was the last time i will see the S&S Deli. I finally let the rudeness get on my nerves and i won't be returning. It's too bad, really, because i am a polite, patient, and understanding patron of bars and restaurants. I've worked as a bartender and waiter, and have probably held every job a restaurant has to offer so i get the stress and i show my appreciation by tipping well. I've always noticed, however, that the good servers/bartenders understand that a pleasant demeanor even under the most stressful of circumstances will 9 times out of 10 earn a better than 18-20% tip. This morning after sitting at the bar for 15 minutes with my wife and trying to get the bartender's attention by asking for water and coffees (not shouting it out, mind you, just trying to take advantage of her being at my end of a full bar) with a "excuse me", "may we have" and "please" i was snapped at rudely with a "it's really busy" in a tone suggesting i should have noticed. Then she slams two waters onto the bar, slowly walks to get the coffee pot and one mug (which wasn't even for my wife or me!) fills everyone's coffees and provides a nice hot cup to the person next to me. I'm all set...needless to say, we left. My only other option was to sit through the attitude, have it take forever to get meals, and leave angrier than i was without leaving a tip (which i have never done). Goodbye S&S! The great restaurants flourish because the food is good but the service is great even when they are at their busiest...not sure what your secret is but the latter of the two is missing.
(1)
Nic S.
Why is this place not 5 stars? I've been coming here for 2 and a half years. Its so good I keep coming back. Its my default place to go when I want to go out and not cook. The Chicken Florentine is the best chicken sandwich I've ever had. Its $10 bucks, and it worth it. Their French Onion Soup is about $5.50, and it is also the best I've ever had. The wait staff is surly, but that just adds to the charm. Its a wonderful place. Its a wood-paneled Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, only without the magic/tubes. Dessert is also really good! Mud Pie is about $5 bucks, and is fantastic.
(5)
Karina B.
I cannot get enough of this place!!!! The food is so amazing and homey not to mention all the portion sizes are HUGE. The service is always spectacular. I recommend any of omelets for brunch they come with fruit salad, home fries, and a bagel ( I always get the lox spread), I've also had the nova scotia pizza here, the salads, and the chicken sandwich and I can't begin to tell you how great all of it is! The place is huge but also gets packed especially during brunch hours! I love this place so much though and always try to bring anyone there!
(5)
Caitlin B.
Food is so-so; always have a hard time deciding what to settle on. Service is so-so; with exception to Gretchen, who is an absolute gem. I only return because of a relative that insists on dining here when we go out to eat. My main qualm with S&S is that the dining room and bar area are pretty filthy. I've seen a mouse in the dining room more than once, and the gnat/fruit fly situation is absolutely disgusting. Don't believe me? Check out the wall at the end of the bar. There are so many flies stuck to the wallpaper that it's become some kind off weird fly cemetery. I had to touch the wall to make sure that it wasn't just sticky fly-paper disguised as wallpaper. There's a lot of competition in Inman Square and surrounding communities. S&S can get on par with other establishments in the area if they improve the quality of the food (fresh not frozen), change-up the dinner menu, and take better care to maintain cleanliness.
(3)
Kim G.
You WANT this place to be great - But its not. It's adequate. It's ok. It's... FOOD. But it is NOT great. If you want great - The Neighborhood is 5/10 minutes away (in Somerville) Zaftigs in Brookline Deluxe Town Diner in Watertown All 3 are TERRIFIC!!! The last time I gave S&S a shot was last week. Wanted to order a piece of quiche to go from the counter. Even though the girl working there SAW ME, she continued talking to her other employee friend until I had to interrupt and ask if I could order. Then, because I am assuming she was so engaged (still) in her private conversation I realized when I got home she gave me the wrong kind and I had to drive ALL THE WAY BACK. To add insult to injury, when I finally got to eat it, it was hard as a ROCK on top. I mean, it got a little softer after a microwaved the crap out of it but before that I literally could NOT stick a plastic fork in it. Solid. (Weird, right?) The other thing that I don't (other than the fact that the food is just ok) is that there is no kids menu. I mean, really? You want me to order my toddlers a $16.95 entree for dinner? No thanks.
(2)
Al N.
Pro: this place has its own parking lot. Well known in this area for breakfast. Con: I think it is a little overrated. Breakfast is a little overpriced even though coffee is free.
(3)
Yvonne P.
I'm a Boston native who moved to New York years ago but this is still my favorite place for wings! The sauce they use is perfect! This review is overdue but S&S will always be my go to for lunch in Cambridge. The pastrami sandwich is also a must have!
(5)
Mike B.
Went for breakfast. The food was good but the service was horrible. The waiter seemed surprised that we gave a normal tip. Go in with low expectations for service and you'll be fine.
(3)
Stephen C.
Excellent sandwiches. Been there forever! Just good old fashioned comfort food. Recommended for anyone who loves those deli delights!
(4)
Chi B.
Great spot. Looks like they've been here for ages. Great breakfast menu. Very friendly and good service. I sat inside but looks like they have outdoor seating as well.
(5)
Neary D.
I just completed brunch with my family and we were looking forward to a nice experience for my sisters birthday. Instead we had a waitress (Melissa - thin blonde hair) that was rude and had a bad attitude. To set the context of this email : - we were a table of 12 (8 adults and 4 toddlers) - the toddlers were moving the sugar packets from one container to another pretending that they were tickets Melissa upon seeing this stated to our faces in a very rude tone "Now I can't use the sugars and have to restock them". 4 of the adults at the table have worked in the food and beverage industry. Rule #1: don't make these types of comments in front of the customer. She then proceeded to complain about us within earshot of us to her co-workers. Rule #2: don't complain about the customers where the customers can hear you. My sister in law and I after paying the check went to voice our dissatisfaction with the service to the manager. The manager was very frazzled and busy and while she listened to us, I'm not sure she actually heard us. Rule #3: pretend to listen and hear the customer while they are voicing their concerns. What is truly sad about the whole experience is that the food is good and we were having a good time with our family and because our waitress was sour and rude during our whole dining experience we will never return and will never recommend your establishment to anyone. We will actually discourage our friends from it since we all have toddlers. I don't know if this message will get any responses back from anyone but we feel better that we are posting this message because hopefully this will help make someone else's experience who have toddlers better than ours.
(1)
Richard H.
This place is huge, everything on the breakfast menu seems to come with a bagel, and despite plenty of other brunch options in the area, S & S checks all of the boxes of a decent diner with historical charm. I plan to return for lunch to try the widely-lauded pastrami sandwich. The wait system for a table is confusing, with no list, just some finger pointing around the room "two - three - group of six - another two" and all of your party must be present to be seated. On a Saturday morning, we were seated right away and promptly served ice water. As with most diners, there was a bottomless cup of coffee, though it took a few waves to get a refill. I ordered the "Brunch Omelette" - a special of bacon, spinach, Monterrey jack cheese, tomato, and pesto. The pesto was blended into the eggs, a nice touch. It was served with not-too-greasy home fries, a bagel with cream cheese, and a cup of fruit. Overall, a good, satisfying breakfast, especially to catch up with a friend. Service was satisfactory and our plates arrived quickly - though they should definitely have someone running around and topping off coffees. I'll be back to try the pastrami!
(3)
Dennis M.
There catering manager is a heartless joke. While trying to formalize a post funeral reception, I was laughed at and told it was going to be a drunk fest. For whatever reason this pub considers themselves the only show in town. Let's be clear, this gum snapping, Flo wannabe new the reason for our inquiry, yet lacked any compassion. Any business done here would be a direct slap in the face to any Military Veteran, Father, Husband and dedicated public servant. AVOID AVOID AVOID
(1)
David C.
The service is a joke, the food is over priced, the food is mediocre, and small portioned. All 5 people in my party were unhappy with our meals--mine in particular (the $17 ribs) came with 6 small pieces and only celery as a side. There are 10 better restaurants in a 2 block radius. DO NOT COME HERE, SAVE YOUR MONEY.
(1)
Melissa B.
I was looking for a hearty dinner salad and the Chicken Salad Bowl hit the spot. The salad is pretty large and it comes with both crispy pitas, which I love, and a regular pita. The veggies were all very fresh and crisp. What really sold me was how delicious the chicken salad was. It is made in house with thick chunks of chicken. I already know I will be craving that plate again soon.
(5)
Gilbert L.
The ingredients used make this place taste amazing!
(4)
Monica T.
Good food and so many options!!! My quiche was overly full of cheese. Diner style atmosphere. My sister said The potatoes are awesome!! I stopped by and picked up some cake slices for my birthday and they were deliciousssss!
(4)
Matt A.
Awful service, incompetent at takeout and generally unpleasant. Gave them a few chances and it's not worth it.
(1)
David F.
If you ever get takeout here you MUST check it before you pay. I ordered a sandwich. They didn't toast the bread as I had ordered. The didn't switch the lethal French fries for coleslaw as I had ordered. The food was average at best. For these prices I expected more meat on the club sandwich.
(2)
Butch M.
I HAVE BEEN GOING TO THE S&S SINCE 1977. NEVER AGAIN! At 8 AM last Mother's Day, while this restaurant was almost completely empty, the woman in charge, sitting on her very ample posterior, had a whole line of people lined up in the Deli section and refused them seats "until their other parties arrived". One of those in line was an elderly and apparently arthritic woman. REASON: "we have a lot of people coming in today, different rules for Mother's Day." Well, all those other people were not there, almost no one was being served, and nearly everyone was standing uncomfortably in line because of this chickens**t rule - that had nothing to do with the actual situation in that empty restaurant. The laughing, arrogant, and self-satisfied attitude of the woman enforcing this rule said everything. IT IS CERTAINLY NO LONGER ABOUT THE CUSTOMERS AT THE S&S. I LEFT. THAT WILL BE MY LAST VISIT TO THE S&S AFTER NEARLY 40 YEARS. I went elsewhere for brunch in Cambridge and was completely happy with the setting for a meeting with an old friend. No need to put up with insufferable attitudes.
(1)
Adrienne B.
When I was a kid, we used to eat here all the time, and I only remember loving it. I recently returned as an adult and wasn't that impressed. I haven't had anything but brunch here- which is a pretty good- but not amazing. I got catering from S&S to my workplace last year for a party and it ws pretty good too- but I just can't give it more than 3 stars because I don't ever find myself yearning to go. Since its a classic I would say try it- but you might not return.
(3)
Thomas M.
This place is pretty good, wide variety of menu choices, breakfast all day, bottles of wine that won't kill your wallet, etc...French fries and pickles are wicked good. Service is okay, food comes out fast.
(3)
J Q.
Everyone has a bad day- but this waitress was having a REALLY bad day. The overall service was poor, at best. Not one of the staff seemed friendly or even happy to be there. That says something to me. As for the food- mediocre to poor. The eggs Benedict were runny and not cooked properly. I actually left feeling like it may have unsettled my stomach. In all fairness, after having eggs Benedict at Masa on Tremont, it is hard to go anywhere else. Despite the comparison- these were just bad. If all you want are large portions, this place is for you, but if you want good service, and quality food- don't waste your money or time at S & S Deli. The people who speak highly of this place are not interested in the food; they like that it has been a part of the community for so long. My feeling is- it is time for S&S to do a better job or move on so a new quality place can move in.
(1)
Elvis K.
My favorite place to have a great breakfast! Food is fresh, hearty and has lots of flavor. The French Eggs are my favorite, home fries are tasty - along with other items on the menu. Place can get a little dirty - people wait an hour or more for a seat, so turn over and time to clean up after customers seems lax. MOST servers are friendly, attentive and quick. Cost of the food is on the higher end, but I think worth the $. I always make an effort to stop by here when visiting the Bay State.
(4)
Lauren H.
I've always thought that Boston was severely lacking in delis. The New York City kind. This place comes close. I went for Sunday brunch, and the place was packed, so be ready to wait, but not for too terribly long. They have a fairly comprehensive brunch menu, lots of great Jewish delicatessen fare (lox, bagels, corned beef, etc), coffee, and even a bar. The food was pretty good. Not too fancy, but tasty. What I liked most was the dessert case full of pies and cakes--just like an NYC diner.
(3)
Jeanette D.
A friend who lived here 8 years ago requested a brunch meet-up at S&S in Inman Square. I was admittedly curious about this place due to their ownership of 2 parking lots! Parking was a breeze, and our wait was relatively short... but the dining experience fell a bit flat. The service: Our waitress was nice, friendly with a touch of sass. Unfortunately, she had a booger hanging from her nose for the duration of the meal. My boyfriend was absolutely terrified that it would end up in his beer. Eww. The menu: A bit overwhelming. At the time we dined, it was brunch and lunch, so we had over 8 pages of options at our fingertips. I can see how this can be a good thing, but it actually turned us off. Also, we ended up feeling like some of the descriptions were misleading, such as the peach-granola pancakes... Sounds awesome, but it's actually regular pancakes with some canned peach slices and a scoop of granola served over-top. Eh. The food: Besides not quite fitting the description the food was okay. I had croissant French toast, which sounded amazing, but they fell prey to the too eggy French toast tendency. The home fries were tasty and seasoned just right and they did serve a nice fruit mixture on the side of breakfast dishes. Bottom line: I'd rather do Zaftigs for this type of feel. I wonder how S&S does as well as it does and keeps those parking lots filled???
(2)
Jason A.
My first thought as I stepped into this place. Why did I wait so long to come here?!?! I was instantly transported to that foodie heaven Pike's Market in Seattle. I loved the menu's variety and all the fresh seafood! It took me longer to decide on what to eat than to actually eat it. First off, the clam chowder is phenomenal!!! Can I say that again? Phe-nom-enal! I'm picky about clam chowder so I tend to avoid but this time around. I was glad I didn't. It was thick, chunky tasty goodness. I don't even like sourdough but I ate some of the bread bowl because it was soaked with chowder. Chowdah! My friends and I even got unintentional entertainment by this local singer with the propensity for loud music. I'll have to give him credit for his music taste but dang, I like to have a conversation with my friends not mime to them. Food was fresh and cooked well. Service was quick. Prices were reasonable. The perfect dinning experience! Now where's my lobster tail.......
(5)
Purvi R.
Gosh, I really wish I could just find one place that makes really good eggs. Is that too much to ask of a place reputed for its brunch? I guess it was too much to ask of S&S. This place does not make good eggs. In fact it makes really bad eggs. So overcooked that the bf had to send his back (and he is the least complainy person about food...ever), and I even considered sending mine back but didn't in an effort to just get the hell out of there so I didn't have to keep staring at my plate of rubber. The pickles are good though! errr.... note: Service was nice, and fast. Lots of families with cute babies to distract you from your bad food.
(2)
Matheus C.
I have a little rule of thumb when it comes to dining. If your waitor or waitress is old enough to collect social security, you're pesos would be better spent elsewhere. The exception of course being a diner. Geriatric waitstaff thrive in trailor-like atmospheres, with there being no stairs and shorter kitchen-to-table distances. I could go on and on about why I've adopted this little eating maxim, but just take my word for it. S&S is wall-to-wall with waitors and waitresses with names like Dick, Helen, and Phyllis. And inconsequently, the service is what brings this place down. For whatever reason, my Dad loves this place so I've been dragged here enough times to notice that the service sucking isn't an isolated incident, but a pattern. For instance, we had this waitor one time that messed up a breakfast side. He was a sketchy looking old man. I concluded that he must have been a cat-burglar or some kind of deceptive airline steward that stole luggage or something because he had an olive-oil voice and thin moustache. So he brought us a bagel instead of toast. No biggie. But when we brought it to his attention he took the bagel back and brought back an English muffin. Then we never saw him again. Another time I went with the old man, we had some warship waitress named Sandy or Barb or something who used to fight bears for sporting purposes. We ordered some buffalo wings and chatted about who would inheret Uncle Oscar's shaving cream factory. You see in his will, he divided the company up 50/50 between me and my brother. However, my brother is a reckless business man, and both me and my father agreed he could destroy the worth of the shaving company with his precarious business habits. We concluded the best way to ensure the profitability of the company remains stable is for him to sign over his share of the company and we would have to enduce such an act by infiltrating his dreams. In any event, by the time we wrapped this conversation up, we were being served our entrees. My dad asked where the buffalo wings were and the waitress responded by saying we didn't order any. I claimed we did, and she apologized but insisted that we didn't. Well, fine, whatever lady. I've got bigger things to worry about like business settlements, but this is a nuisance. There are some really good things about S&S. The deli meat is superb, and they have good chocolate cake. Also, to my knowledge, there has never been a murder-suicide there which is also comforting. And its not like I would kick and scream if someone suggests we grab some stomach fuel there. The food isn't bad, but it certainly isn't good enough to offset the service. So if you're like me, and are annoyed by poor service, you may want to find another spot to discuss business ventures over brunch.
(2)
Michael G.
Hey again! Yup, this is a great stand-by. Decent omelets, decent home fries. Good bagels and cream cheese - the chive is particularly good. Good onion soup - though they don't always cook the cheese enough. There's almost always space to sit - though the booths are a bit small. I mean, I'm a big guy - over 6 feet tall, but they are still a bit tight. Parking is usually pretty easy. The staff is efficient and friendly, but not obnoxiously friendly. The bakery section is good. The white-chocolate Florentine cookies are dynamite. A little sweeter than I usually go for, but delicious. They butterscotch cookie is great, too. I'm not a big chocolate fan, but my best friend loves their chocolate cookies - particularly the pecan cookie with the chocolate dollop on top. Try the salmon club if you like salmon and brie. It's oddly delicious. And they have nice, dry tuna. I hate drippy wet tuna, and this stuff fits the bill. Great on a bagle with red onion and lettuce. Mmmm. Oh! And they have those crispy french fries with the reconstituted potato on the outside. They're my favorite kind of chain-food french fry. YUM! Enjoy!
(4)
Wayne W.
You call this a deli? It's okay for a sandwich if you're desperate, and nothing else is open, but Katz's it ain't. The long lines jamming the sidewalk outside on Sunday mornings never fail to make me shake my head in disbelief. Oh, yeah -- the half-sours are okay.
(2)
Amanda L.
It's no secret that Boston and the surrounding neighborhoods are no NYC when it comes to two things: Delis and bagels. Having not enjoyed the pleasure of NYC bagels (those frozen ones that you can get at the grocery store don't count) and their fine delis, I have to settle for S&S. Located on the fairly busy section of Cambridge St. in Inman square, S&S is a better option than All Star Sandwich bar, in my opinion. Slightly less expensive and with a lot more options, S&S is a comfort when you want a good ol' sandwich without the oh-so-hip-I'm-better-than-you vibe that you can get at All Star. Their regular run of the mill sandwiches are fairly cheap (around $5.00) and they come with a sour pickle. For a few more dollars you can get a specialty sandwich for around $10.00 which does seem like a lot, but you get a bag of chips, a sour pickle and some coleslaw. The handful of times that I have been here have not been disappointing. I've only gotten take-out so I can't tell you much about the service, but the take out counter have always been pleasant. My sandwiches always taste fresh and they are actually pretty big which make them worth the sometimes higher pricing. I've not tried the knishes or the potato pancakes, but they display the knishes in a display case, so there is a chance they are not as fresh as they could be. The sour pickles taste too cucumbery to me, but they are nice and crunchy, which is a plus. I also enjoy their coleslaw, which has a slight vinegary taste to is, and it isn't loaded with tons of mayo like so many other slaws. While certainly not the best restaurant on the block, S&S serves its purpose. I assume if a native NYCer comes in here he or she will be sorely saddened, for I can tell it does not hold up to some of the Jewish deli's in NYC. But for good ol' Somerville, it'll have to do.
(3)
Aditya M.
The food is always good, but the service is horrible everytime... It feels like I'm bothering them when I come into the place..
(3)
Elizabeth P.
S&S is your old-fashioned Jewish deli (it's been around since the end of World War I!), and they seem to be doing a pretty good job of keeping things authentic. We came for brunch last weekend, and thought that everything was solidly good, with the exception of the service. Ambiance: The interior is perfectly acceptable, if nothing to really write home about. Essentially, it feels like an old Jewish deli should: a bit dated inside, but clean, with lots of memorabilia about the history of the place on the walls. The history student in me appreciated this touch--it was fun to see the old menus, photos, and statistics about how many eggs and cups of coffee S&S has served since it's been in operation! Service: Our server was clearly competent and experienced, but was managing way too many tables. My food was accidentally served to another table, which meant that by the time it arrived it was lukewarm and everyone else at my table had been hungrily staring at their plates for several minutes. In addition, there was a bit too much multi-tasking: our waitress took our orders as she was clearing a table to one side of ours and then took the orders of the table on the other side of ours as she was delivering our food. I understand that the restaurant is busy on weekends, but it really seemed like they could use another server or two. Menu: The food was tasty. As you'd expect, the brunch and lunch menus are quite large and consist of everything from omelets, quiches, pancakes, and french toast to steak, fish & chips, burgers, wraps, and sandwiches. There's something for everyone, and a nice mix of traditional options (chopped liver, lox on a bagel, smoked whitefish, pastrami, etc.) and more creative dishes (particularly when it comes to the daily specials). Food: After being highly tempted by the bagel & lox, I ordered the English omelet (cheddar, bacon, onions, and tomatoes), which I liked, but didn't love. I would have liked to have had some more cheese in the omelet, and in retrospect, a lot of the other dishes on the menu sound much more intriguing. There's always next time, I suppose! I preferred my bf's dish, the Quiche Lorraine. The crust was a bit too thick, but the quiche was nonetheless delicious: the bacon was crispier than the bacon in my omelet and there was plenty of cheddar. Both of our dishes came with a fruit cup of actual fresh fruit, tasty not-greasy home fries, and the option of bagel or toast (go for the bagel... it's a pretty good one!). My other dining companion ordered the Cobb Salad, which he proclaimed tasty, although it was so big, he ended up being a bit overwhelmed by it! That's definitely a trend here. Based on what we ordered and what I saw coming out of the kitchen for other tables, I'd describe the portions as very generous.
(3)
Brandon V.
I've been going to the S&S for almost a decade and have always loved it. It's a constant, consistent staple of living in Cambridge. It's convenient location near Inman Square makes it a great spot to meet people that isn't near the much busier Central or Haravard Squares for lunch. Creative and edgy they are not, but this is what makes it a plus. You can always count on them to deliver for you. Their Buffalo wings are some of the best in the Boston area. If you want to know what wings actually taste like in Buffalo, this is a good example. A nice surprise. They have a HUGE menu and you can order most any deli item from it. They have the usual daily specials as well. Their ingredients are usually fresh. Prepare to wait in line for brunch on the weekend, but they do have nice, late brunch hours. The staff is gruff, but they generally do a good job and I have come to appreciate their no nonsense approach to the job.
(4)
Tarah H.
S&S is one of those places I wanted to love. Kosher style right around the corner from the man's new digs? Matzo ball soup at my beck and call along side knishes, lox and pickles? Oy gavelt it would have made my heart plotz. Unfortunately, the matzo balls are grainy, the soup too salty, the latkes too crispy, the rest of the food mediocre and the staff - odd at best. I once requested a potato knish and was met with "you don't want the beef?" Did the waitress just.... yes. she just questioned my order. She then proceeded to not bring my soup and a few other things that made me wonder if I was not her favorite customer at the table. Sure I'll go back when I want comfort food and want it near by. But I'll still schlep to Brookline for any real cravings for the good stuff.
(3)
Laura G.
Coming to Boston I realized I was going to have to do a lot of things (i.e. heavy lifting) myself since I was leaving my loving father and two brothers at home back in the Nati. Somehow I managed to scrap up a couple awesome guy friends since I've been up here that I just had to treat to lunch after they spent four hours moving a new bed and TV into my apartment for me. As soon as I saw this place I had visions of Crackle Barrel and Bob Evans dancing in my head, so clearly we had to dine here. I treated the boys and myself to beer, my Blue Moon was ice cold and served with an orange. I settled on the salmon kabobs for lunch, hoping the servings would be ridiculously big. Boy, was I right! I'm that girl who always cleans her plate completely and I couldn't get through it! The salmon and vegetables were grilled like my mom would do (huge plus) and the rice was really good as well. Instead of coleslaw I was able to substitute for the veggie of the day, corn on the cob. My friends enjoyed their food as well. Cheesecake was the finishing touch and I went into a food coma about 20 minutes later. My country bumpkin parents would love this place!
(4)
Hubert H.
I just had some takeout tea and bagels here a while back, in the middle of being in a rush. The service was quick and I got what I needed in fair time. Will try to sit down next time.
(4)
Patricia L.
Quick late lunch yesterday: Service was fast, wines are reasonably priced, a few appetizers were satisfying and yummy, but... a potato knish should never, ever, be reheated in the microwave, that's simply a capital sin; and they are guilty!
(3)
Scott B.
I have been a fan of S&S since I was a little kid. My friends and I needed a good breakfast to start New Years day before heading to the Winter Classic at Fenway. So we decided on the best there is. We got there and got to our seats and ordered a round of Strawberry Mimosa's. MAN were they delicious. I had the french toast which was phenomenal as always. The bacon was cooked perfectly and how can you go wrong with a cup of fresh fruit to round it all off. S&S is a great start to any day. Especially with friends.
(5)
Maxim L.
DISCLAIMER: My two-star review is based on a particularly bad experience I had with service. Based on the food alone, I would give S&S four stars for good (albeit inconsistent), old fashioned, diner style favorites. Why two stars, then? At the end of my meal, which cost approximately $14, I paid the waitress with a fifty dollar bill. This is very unusual because I almost never carry anything greater than twenties. I had just spent two weeks working in Bangor, Maine, which doesn't have a branch of citizens bank, my only bank. This forced me to cash my paycheck at Walmart and either collect a few fifties, or have a wallet bursting with cash. I chose fifties, so now I was unloading one of the last ones on my S&S waitress. As a former cashier and waiter, I had the good sense to say "fifty dollars" as I paid her and confirm one last time that it was indeed a gold colored fifty dollar bill. Two minutes later the waitress comes back with six dollars change and immediately walks away. I call her back again and remind her that I paid fifty dollars. She immediately agrees and walks over to the cashier and spends two minutes talking to him while I start to get really pissed off. She comes back and tells me that the cashier insists i paid twenty. I storm over there and threaten to call the police. He grins at me and shows me that there are no fifties in the register as proof that I'm nuts. Long story, short, I blew my top and the waitress talked to the manager, who ordered the cashier to give me proper change. Since the manager had the good sense to trust me over that snake at the register I continue to eat at S&S today. Just be careful with your money and pay with small bills or credit. This is a very high volume business with no camera over the register (!), so it's easy to make your money disappear if you are not paying very close attention.
(2)
Ryan S.
My hamburger was boiled, the last time I had that was in my middle school cafeteria. Gross.
(2)
Jenna P.
Brunch is really good and a good price. Bloody Mary's are very good and cheap ($5.95).
(4)
Kate S.
If you are looking for food in Inman at 11 PM on Tuesday, go here. Otherwise, eh. This place is really very so-so. Sandwiches are okay, nothing to write home about. Most of their salads are of the old-school iceberg lettuce type. Their bagels are a disgrace to the Jewish deli tradition. All in all, not that impressive with the one exception of their matzoh ball soup which is pretty darn tasty.
(3)
Melanie M.
I cannot state how much I enjoy S and S enough! They have excellent food and excellent customer service! The salads are delicious as well as most everything else on the menu. They can get crowded on the weekends because of their yummy breakfasts but there are usually seats at the decent sized bar! The desserts are worth a try as well!
(4)
claudia g.
This place is really not so good. The service sucks (it takes forever and they are not very nice here), the food is was below average for a deli. This is definitely not New York (or Boca Raton, for that matter). I can't imagine how it has stayed open for so long. Then again, I don't know of many other delis in Boston/Cambridge. (Really, only Zaftig's in Brookline comes to mind, but that's kind of far and still not great.) The food is also pretty expensive especially considering the really mediocre quality. It also feels more like a big chain than an independent deli in here. I try to avoid coming here other than for a dozen bagles even though I live a few blocks away.
(2)
Laura M.
The S & S is so yummy. My friends took me here one night and now we always go. They have the best boneless S&S wings defiantly recommend those for an appetizer. Its defiantly not a fancy place, but its comfortable. It almost has a diner feel to me, but it is so much bigger. Enjoy!
(5)
Khalid S.
Been there couple times. First time was for breakfast which was delicious and filling. I had the Garden omelet which came with fruits and bagel. Very nice breakfast for a reasonable price. And today I had their cheesecake which was great as well.
(3)
Michael L.
i just moved to the area. I really like S and S. You can get pretty good good for a pretty reasonable price and its good. I have the salmon and it's awesome!! only 12 bucks or so!!
(4)
Carrie S.
After coming in on a red-eye, I got a take-out sandwich and a cup of soup, the turkey, ham and cheese triple decker on light rye and the chicken noodle. Highlights: Friendly, quick service for takeout, cucumber-y pickle still with enough vinegar to cut through the mayo, GREAT coleslaw and I'm not usually a big cabbage person, decent sandwich with good bread, does have parking for those not-in-the-neighborhood. Lowlights: Asked twice for bread toasted and it wasn't, chicken noodle very so-so, a little on the expensive side for a sandwich.
(3)
Eli G.
After missing East Coast Grill brunch by 10 minutes, I headed across the street to S & S. I used to go here with my family all the time, but for some reason they stopped going and I haven't been since high-school. Not much has changed and it's comforting that they still have the wholesome family atmosphere, unfortunately the food didn't really impress me. It's party my fault for ordering a dish with crab meat in it (not a good choice for brunch), but the Bearnaise sauce had zero flavor. Next time I'll hit S & S for lunch and maybe a potato knish.
(3)
Joanne B.
S&S is a great place for breakfast and lunch. The soups are great. They are very dear to my heart. I recently brought a bowl of the Italian Wedding soup to my mom while she was in a local hospital. She still swears that this was the turning point for her successful recovery! The salads are great, I especially love the the Wild Maine salad. Check this place out if you are in the Inman Square area.
(5)
M. Deloris D.
S&S serves up reliable brunch on the regular. In fact they serve up a damn good brunch with mimosa's and bloody mary's. For brunch it should get five stars. The brunch selection is spectacular and if there were no wait, S&S would be the clinic I frequent to cure my hangovers and their latkes topped with lox and sour cream, washed down with a bloody mary would be my medicine of choice. Some complain about the service, but when lights are dancing, I don't really want a bouncy server cheering the specials at my table. I'm content in being just as surly as the server when I have a request. Besides, there's parking at S&S and that alone should earn a star in Inman. That said, my problem with S&S is that their lunch and dinner menus don't have the same oomph that the brunch menu does, the selections are ho hum. For a place with such an extensive and taste tempting brunch menu this is not acceptable. This, I can not forgive, and for this reason, I give S&S three stars.
(3)
n w.
If I could give it zero stars, I would. Negative stars even. Maybe I chose the wrong thing to order from S+S but it shouldn't have been this horrible. The lemon chicken I ordered was covered in so much gravy I could barely make out that it was chicken underneath. The lemon flavor was indescribably gross. And on top of all that, the waitress' finger was in the gravy when she brought out the food! :( I asked for another plate to fish my chix out and thought it would be better w/o all that gravy, nope. Sigh. Maybe next time I should stick with the sandwiches...they're a deli after all...but unfortunately I don't think there'll be a next time.
(1)
Andrea D.
I usually go here for Sunday brunch. They do have a pretty good selection of breakfast choices and I'm a lover of their omelets. They give you large portions and I can usually only eat about half of the meal. The omelet comes with a bagel and cream cheese, a fruit cup and home fries, which is a lot of food for a girl! The bar doesn't serve cocktails until 11, so no mimosas before then! I must say that the lines here on a Sunday can be pretty ridiculous. I've had days where I've waited upwards of an hour for a table. That can be pretty annoying as you stand there holding a ticket stub and they're calling off numbers, while you're hungover and in need of some food! I come here pretty much since it's right down the street and it's a decent priced meal. I've also been here a few times for lunch/dinner and they have a good salad/sandwich menu. I've never been too dissappointed with my choices and would come back again.
(3)
Hamish M.
What a load of tripe....This place had, without doubt the slowest service, and the food was even worse. If you're into tasteless, super bland food, then this is the place for you. So much so that our one and only time there even the soft drinks were flat too...tasty? no chance. The bbq drowned chicken was clearly boiled for 24 hrs prior to it's dip in the bbq sauce, then dumped on a plate. The fish was just as bad - the odd thing was, that on the menu, it never mentioned bbq sauce on the fish, and lo and behold it was drowned in the stuff too. The best part of the restaurant was the exit door, back to sanity. Needless to say a quick stop to the ice cream store down the road would have satisfied my pallette for a fraction of the price. Sadly I had to give this one star...shame, what a waste of a star.
(1)
Lauren C.
I've only been here twice, and had 2 different experiences, but I would still say overall its pretty great. The first time we had a great waiter, great food, the quiche lorraine is delectable...second time I thought the waiter was a little snippy, and I didn't particularly like what I ordered (one of the omelets) but everyone else had great food, especially the belgian waffles. They do have really great bagels and cream cheese...their breakfasts are really nice, with a good amount of food (with my omelet I got the bagel and cream cheese, homefries and fresh fruit). Even on Sunday when they are the most busy we didn't have to wait very long for a table. I'd like to go again and try lunch!
(4)
Ruth P.
Okay, I just wrote a review for this place and yelp deleted it. (Nish, I blame this entirely on you). So anyhow... I wasn't too impressed with this place. As a non-meat eater (I'll do anything vegetarian and the occasional seafood dish) the options didn't make me drool. I ordered a fish dish which was decent but nothing to write home about. I can't remember exactly what the bill came to, but I left feeling like I really hadn't gotten my money's worth in this rather generic restaurant.
(3)
Josh F.
A long-time favorite in Inman Square. Large and varied menu featuring steaks, seafood and deli sandwiches. Breakfast is served all day. Reasonaby priced ($10 average per plate) especially considering the huge portions they serve. For a restaurant with a Jewish/German heritage, I do wish they had more ethnic dishes. The potato pancakes are excellent. If you're vegetarian, you should think twice about going to a place with "deli" in the name.
(4)
Daniel B.
S&S is pretty much the default when I am just hungry and don't want any trouble, or when I feel in the mood for some good brunch. The breadth of foods available in each of the menus is impressive. A couple times I found the food to be less than great. Once was when it seemed extremely busy and another time was late night. However, most of the time the food is average to very good.
(4)
Joanna S.
came here for desserts after a concert at the lily pad (across the street) the dessert was great the waitress was not. it took her over 15 mins to get us the fruit salad. highly recommend this place as a family restaurant. very kid friendly.
(3)
Sean H.
Their Sunday brunch is fantastic, but their monte cristo sandwich is to die for!
(4)
L S.
I have had a lot of experience with this Deli and I don't like it. The service there is terrible! And the food is pricey yet not that good. I think the desserts and the S&S wings are yummy, but everything else is mediocre.
(3)
Jessica H.
Okay, I like the S&S. Their food ain't bad! The meat is always fresh and delicious and I absolutely love the S&S wings. HOWEVER, the service is awful and the prices are through the roof. If you feel like spending a ton of money on a pretty good sandwich and some wings, go here!
(3)
Sarah E.
The food is really good here, but the staff is extremely rude and unfriendly. I have only ever done take out here, but they have made me feel like its an incredible inconvenience to expect them to do their job. I would never want to stay and eat there, but will still continue to order out from them, because I love their breakfast menu.
(3)
Jen M.
I love the S & S! The food is so delicious, the staff is so attentive, kind and down to earth, and the atmosphere is everything that I love about Cambridge. The prices are great, and the portions are perfect! They give you more than you would probably make for yourself, but they don't overwhelm you with too much food either!
(4)
An-Chian K.
The food at the S & S is totally awesome! The service isn't the greatest but the food more than makes up for it. I love their breakfast foods, their sandwiches are yummy, & the S & S Wings totally rock. The desserts are delicious and their half sour pickles are fabulous. One of the biggest bonuses is that they have free parking lot a couple of doors down from the restaurant. A big plus in the always busy Inman Square area.
(5)
Paul B.
May be a bit pricey, and the menu can be a bit overwhelming, but the sandwiches. Oh my are they tasty! The pastrami is killer.
(4)
Melba L.
S & S a must every time we visit family in Boston and we just had a great lunch there. Works for lunch, brunch or a quick grab of tasty bits from the deli. Parking can be a challenge, but they do have a small lot. Chicken liver, knishes and corned beef Reuben are stand outs.
(4)
Amanda D.
This is a review for service and management only. I've been coming to the S&S with my family since I was child. Despite the usually pleasant visits of my past, my recent experience was bad enough for me not to return in the future. My husband and I visited for brunch and the dining room was nearly empty. We waited to be sat. We stood directly in front of 3 employees, but were completely ignored. We had to interrupt their conversation to be sat. They actually seemed visibly annoyed that they had to help us! An employee asked a manager (in front of us) where to seat us and was told "the bar." After he led us past the sparsely seated dining room into the bar area, I was met with loud TVs featuring sports--not what I had in mind for brunch. I asked if we could move to the main dining room. The host fumbled trying to find us a spot, offering instead to seat us in another back room. I asked him (again) if we could sit in the main dining room at one of the MANY open booths. He left us standing in a hallway holding menus while he looked (?) at the dining room. Finally, after essentially arguing our way into the main room, he sat us at a tiny table (not the booth I'd asked for multiple times). We were very awkwardly sandwiched right in between 2 other occupied tables in a nearly empty room. We were also right at the edge of the room by the door. After this very strange experience we felt completely unwelcome and decided to go elsewhere. In short: Rude and unwelcoming service. Will not return.
(1)
Ali M.
If you go here - get the chicken wings with S&S sauce, you won't be disapointed! Also, the knockworst/pastrami club sandwich was to die for! I could only eat half and had the second half at 10am the next morning, delicious!
(4)
Gabi R.
Food: got the eggs Oscar and the eggs Maryland. Both were delicious- -the Oscar came on a crispy potato cake that was deliciously spiced and divine with the accompanying perfectly poached egg, and hollandais. Loved the asparagus touch - straight out of Italy -the Maryland was mounted on shrimp and crab cakes. -I loved the fact that in both cases, the eggs were mounted on something other than bread. That freed up room for a bagel...as S&S has the best bagels I've found in Boston :) Service: a little slow to bring food, but very quick to take orders, check water glasses. Also, just super sweet people with big smiles all around Ambience: homey feel of a Midwest diner, which I LOVED. Great spot for a cozy winter morning brunch with the bf. Can't wait to go back!
(5)
Janis C.
Ohhhhhhhhhh sad. Daniel R was our server, bless his heart. :/ Took forever to order, then to get served, then received a well done burger instead of a medium rare burger, and I couldn't even send it back to the kitchen because enough time had elapsed since the server last visited us that were done with dinner by the time he finally came back to check on us. And then I told him the burger was well done, and I got a sorry, but no offers to rectify the situation. I'm probably not coming back. .... But, well, at least the fries were decent. AND HE DIDNT REFILL OUR WATER WHAT THE
(1)
Mitch D.
I don't know where they get them from, but S&S has the best bagels and cream cheese in Cambridge, hands down. And for that I am grateful. Somehow the takeout counter staff have also worked a place in my heart...I don't know, maybe it's just the bagels having their way with my emotions.
(5)
Noa C.
Coming from NY and NJ, finding a decent bagel in the Boston area is hard, if not impossible. S&S comes really really close to a great bagel! They have a nice crust, chew and dense crumb. They aren't just bagel-shaped bread. Their pastrami is also wonderful. And they are the perfect replica of a typical NJ diner! Complete with breakfast served anytime!
(5)
Bob P.
We used to go to brunch at the S&S way back in the '80s and '90s. It was a special place to get brunch, and a bit of a social thing because you were going to spend half an hour or more, waiting in a line that stretched out the door and down the sidewalk. The food was worth waiting for. So when our kids wanted a good brunch place we thought it would be a special thing to drive all the way into Cambridge and go to the S&S. We were disappointed. Our first clue was the absence of that line. But then little things started adding up: the rather uninterested attitude of the waitress, the cheap opaque ketchup bottles that allow them to forget to keep them filled up, the rather unforgivable lack of real maple syrup, even on request. The home fries were undercooked, lacking even a slight hint of browned crust and with almost raw onions mixed in; the corned beef hash was flavorless. We searched for positive things to write here: the fresh squeezed orange juice was good, and the omelet was ok, if a bit under seasoned. It wasn't even busy enough to cut them some slack for being rushed. Nothing (other than the home fries) was actually bad, but if we wanted mediocre we could stay home and let me cook. I guess time has moved on and the days of the S&S being special are in the past.
(2)
Court S.
I have always been a fan of the S&S wings for YEARS- but now I'm a vegetarian (10 months and counting) so I've found a new obsession. My mom's former boss hosted a retirement gathering for her here and it was great. The menu consisted of stuffed mushrooms (THESE WERE THE BEST I'VE EVER HAD). The stuffing was tremendous and the mushrooms were plump yet tender. We also had vegeterian and chicken kabobs- the veggie ones had a glazed sweet sauce on them that my mouth is still watering from, and rice and salad were great too. The service was extremely friendly and when I asked about the stuffed mushrooms, I was told that they are only offered on the catering menu for private parties. So I made sure I took home the leftovers so I could bring them in for lunch the next day. SO GOOD!
(5)
Francesca M.
I went there just one time but i loved it so much! It was during my first week in US and i really enjoyed my first real american breakfast! I surely recommend it to everybody!
(5)
Em A.
The food is good but not spectacular and the service is THE WORST. But in the end, I'll never stop going to S&S. It's oh so convenient. It's right there, always with tables available, so easy. I'll admit, 100% of my visits have been weekend mornings and for 50% of those visits I've either been hammered or getting there*. Those times, I LOVE this place (4 Star!). It's the sober times when I wonder about the real value of S&S (2 Star). *(I vacation in Cambridge often?...)
(3)
Christine J.
a diner. whatelse do ya want? mediocre everything. not bad not great either. service is below avg, the older ladies are efficient but no smiles or anything. lol. just go there to eat and leave, when your restaurants are too crowded or closed.
(3)
Nicole B.
I was here for brunch and had the most delicious blueberry pancakes. The blueberries were fresh and tart. I got a side of home fried potatoes which left something to be desired, however. More like a lumpy mess of potatoes than individually griddle-fried bits of goodness that I know and love from homefries. The atmosphere is typical American diner with nice-enough service and a line that moves deceivingly quick.
(4)
Christina H.
Great place if you are looking for a good old-fashioned, hearty brunch. Most dishes are about $10 each. The Bavarian French Toast was quite amazing, but a little too much cream cheese for me. The Corn Beef Hash was the best I've had (fresh meats from their deli I assume). I'm coming back to try the potato pancakes next time!
(3)
Jow O.
Been here multiple times now, classic Jewish deli. great food, great service, and they have their own parking lot. A new favorite spot of ours! open late on weeekends
(5)
Lindsay M.
I was so happy to finally find a place nearby for breakfast...then I ate here. Now lemme start by saying we tried this place three times, mostly because there was nowhere else close by and my friend from out of town wasn't big on traveling far for bfast. The first visit was mediocre, at least I was seated! However after that it took forever to get any service, the food was mediocre as well and trying to get the check in time for our appointments was next to impossible! But hey everyone has their off days right? So we went back a second time figuring that was the case! The second time I arrived first, and the host refused to seat me (in a barely quarter full restaurant) until our whole party arrived (honestly this was just rude, had they been super busy I would've understood but as I said they were a quarter full!) again the food was just mediocre. I mean it was good it just wasn't great (as in it just doesn't hit the spot with the pancake craving!) our service again was so-so at best, a few things we ordered were forgotten and never ended up being brought out (my eggs for instance never showed up, even when I asked the second time!) and we had to wait so long for the check, I had to leave because I was already 10 min late for my appointment waiting for the check (and we still hadn't been able to ASK for it at that point!) my friend ended up having to take care of it (bless her I bought her dinner later-elsewhere)! So why did we go back the third time? Gluttons for punishment? Honestly no, we were just that hungry and pressed for time it was either try S&S again or go hungry, and going hungry wasn't really an option as I was starving! Again they wouldn't seat us until we both arrived (and ps it's really awkward to stand in their deli part waiting like that because you're in the way of people waiting for tables and people shopping at the deli counter!) the food was again adequate but it definitely didn't stand out, I would say if S&S is your only option for food, go there, their prices are a bit steep for bfast, not sure on any other meals, the food is decent enough it doesn't taste bad and the service is really a hit or miss, but if you can go somewhere else, I definitely recommend that!
(2)
Vedic C.
My girlfriend and I had brunch on 6/20. The wait was long , the drinks weren't good ( Bloody Mary & orange juice) and the food was terrible.
(3)
Leah M.
S&S is exactly what you expect it to be. A family restaurant that serves diner food and takes you back to childhood. The food was fine, nothing mind blowing, but as good as I expected it to be. They have a decent sized menu with standards as well as a few more specialty dishes like white fish salad. Good easy place to get a standard breakfast.
(3)
Kiley S.
Great for brunch. A big fan of the classic eggs/home fries/bagle breakfast and turkey club. The burgers are so-so which is a shame. HUGE menu! Always our go-to spot in Inmann Square. No frills just good food. Great for large parties. Service has always been great! **PARKING LOT : which validates your spot for FREE! A huge plus/rarity in Cambridge!
(4)
Andrea B.
The S & S Restaurant has been open in Cambridge's Inman Square since 1919, so you know they've gotta be doing something right! I have nothing but admiration for this family-owned business that has been offering expansive menus for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and brunch for almost a century. I came here for a luncheon after a funeral on a Saturday, and it was packed. Everyone that we spoke to on the staff was exceptionally accommodating and friendly to our party of about 25, which is no easy feat, so for service S & S gets a hands-down five stars. You need over 30 in order to reserve a banquet room. The wait times between being seated, ordering, and actually receiving our meals were pretty long, but I found that I enjoyed perusing the menus. In between their edible offerings, you could find awesome old photos with captions showing the restaurant's storefront from various times over the past century. Those same photos adorn the walls throughout S & S. As I mentioned above, it did take a long time to get our orders in, but I did end up needing the majority of that time simply to decide what I wanted. We were given brunch and lunch menus to look at, and both of them were full of a variety of interesting options in addition to traditional staples. There was something on the menu to satisfy every palate, that's for sure. But here's the thing. S & S may do all kinds of food, but it doesn't do any one thing outstandingly well. I finally decided to get the eggs Oscar - poached eggs served on top of potato pancakes, with crab meat, asparagus, toast, and fruit. How can all of that not be good? And overall, it was. But my potato pancakes were burnt (anyone who knows me at all knows how much I don't like that!). And none of the fruit was fresh. The poached eggs were wonderful, though. I tried a few of my dining companions' meals, including a California wrap, a burger, and Buffalo chicken wings, and while all of them were fine, none of them stood out as anything special. So yes, you can come to S & S and order pretty much anything your heart desires, which is awesome. It'll be a satisfactory meal, but will it be the best meal you've ever had? Probably not.
(3)
Steve C.
Consistently good food. Amazing reuben, seriously, get the reuben. Don't screw around and order something you'll regret. Get the reuben and die happy knowing you got that checked off your list. Most of the sandwiches are pretty good. Service is a little slow at times. It took fifteen minutes to place an order the last time I came in. It is a little on the high-side for deli sandwiches, but worth it every once in a while.
(4)
Philip T.
S&S is terribly inconsistent with the quality of their food. You can order 2 poached eggs and one week be perfect while the other week be overcooked with pieces of shell embedded in it. Half your homefries will be cooked and the other half will be raw. Best thing you can do is eat half your meal and dump the rest of it.
(3)
Matt B.
S&S has been around for years and is an old favourite of the Doctoroff family. It was busy when we arrived around midday on a Friday. I has the sirloin steak tips with rice pilaf and fries, the portion was huge and I particularly enjoyed the fries. The others had breakfast. The service was fairly good and the total spend was only $45 for three of us including the tip.
(3)
Mary M.
Good take out breakfast sandwiches (hence why I gave 3 stars vs 2), but I do not recommend doing sit down breakfast here. The waitress was rude - at first I didn't even know she was taking our order because of how she went about it. Then she practically threw our coffee at us like a beer gets slid down a bar, and it got everywhere. Regarding the food, it was half decent minus the home fries - those were dry, cold, and inedible. Typical diner food yet more expensive.
(3)
Clysia M.
S&S is a great restaurant. Family oriented with plenty of searing. Food is great and service staff is very friendly. The food portions are generous and they offer a wide variety of breakfast lunch and dinner with creative menu options. Well worth the money spent each time.
(4)
Lisa S.
Awesome breakfast options! But this place gets five stars for their "S&S Wings," which are by far the best chicken wings I've ever had! They come glazed in the most addictive sweet & spicy sauce you can dream up. Because we love them so much, we'll get them as an appetizer even when we are there for breakfast! If you're in the Cambridge area... This place is a good call. And it also has a HUGE menu that even the pickiest eater can find something yummy!
(5)
Madhumita G.
We walked into S and S on a recommendation from a local who seemed to love the place. The decor of the restaurant was very welcoming and cute. However the food was mediocre. Our waitress was sweet but kept forgetting our order, brought the wrong food then when we corrected the order she forgot the bagels that come with the eggs. Overall a fairly forgettable experience!
(3)
Alexandra G.
Came here for brunch on a Saturday and loved the food. It was around 2pm and while there were people in the restaurant, we didn't have to wait for a table, even though we were a pretty large group. Among us, we ordered a couple of different omelets, blueberry pancakes, and Belgian waffles. I am not exaggerating when I say that everything that we tried was delicious. The reason I am giving this place 4 stars and not 5 is that I was told they only have 1 kind of milk for cappuccino/latte drinks (just whole milk) which I found to be pretty limiting. Also, after we had our brunch, I stopped by the deli side to buy some cookies and the woman behind the counter was not very friendly and not very helpful. She looked like she was annoyed with me for wanting to buy something.
(4)
Fred L.
I haven't been to S & S in about ten years, but paid a visit for lunch this week. My pastrami sandwich was perfect... the fries were the best... coleslaw was awesome. GREAT meal. Even the pickle was perfect! My friend, who is quite a picky eater (and I'm being kind!), ordered a corned beef and tongue sandwich. For the first time in years (seriously!) I thought he was going to explode from excitement. He loved EVERYTHING he ate (highly unusual), and actually hasn't stopped talking about S & S for the past 3 days. Just asked last night when were were going back! He bought a $30 tongue to go and has been eating it all week. He's been in heaven! Great service, great atmosphere, terrific food. Just as I remembered it to be.
(5)
Chris M.
One of my favorite places to eat in all of Boston. Comfortable, good service, food is good, a little expensive but not outrageous. A good middle of the week kind of place. Kid friendly too. I've eaten there maybe 100+ times.
(5)
Alyssa W.
I've been here twice and each time, it was just ok. Service wasnt amazing, we were seated in the bar area, so our waitress was the bartender, so sometimes it took her longer to help us that i'd like. She did her job and thats about it. Not very personable or anything. This is a family owned, no frills place. no more, no less. you get, what you get. I'd stick to the sandwhiches here, after all, it's a deli. but I didnt do that the first time. I got the special for that day, swordfish kabobs. lets just say what was supposed to be a light dinner was more like I ate the biggest burger ever. The cut of fish was so fatty it was like eating butter. Tasty, but oh. so. heavy. second time, pastrami melt. I with the bread was more toasted and the cheese more melted, but the pastrami was very lean and really tasty. I love their french fries. they are even better the next day after it's been toasted. And the whole set up is really awkward. If you enter at the back, it tells you to go to the front. We went to the front, no one from the bakery/deli side acknowledged us or even said, "someone should be right with you" instead we stood there not knowing if we were in the right place. Oh and if you buy from the bakery/deli side, the staff can't take cash, you have to walk over to the restaurant side to pay. yea, really weird system and you could end up literally chargin one cookie, $1.25...
(3)
Elizabth V.
Service is always the worst here. Getting take out was not greeted even with a hello or one moment please. Instead the manager waves her hands at me and tells me "you're gonna have to wait" after the lady working behind the counter said she didn't know what order was this and I said its mine. Sooo rude.
(3)
Doug G.
3 1/2 stars is a sham because this place is a local legend. Amazing Deli sandwiches for about 8 dollars. I am a pastrami fanatic and this place puts anywhere in greater Boston to shame. Also my go to brunch spot.
(5)
Bill Z.
One of my friends enjoys bringing her friends here, and now I know why. It's a fun place for brunch. You might not think so immediately if you drove there and have to deal with navigating into one of the cozy (but existing) parking lots, or if you have to wait for a table. That would be all the more reason to add a bloody mary, bellini or mamosa (all roughly $5.95) to your meal. Many people at our table ordered some version of eggs, such as eggs benedict. They were generally well-received, though there were a few comments that they would have preferred them slightly more cooked. I sampled the accompanying home fries. They were by far the blandest home fries - in presentation and taste - that I have ever had. You can't substitute quantity for quality in a case like this. I think if you cut down on the amount of fries, cooked them in real butter a little longer, and added some more paprika, it would have rescued them. Since it was the first day of autumn, I ordered something appropriate for the season, pumpkin spice pancakes. These were fantastic - perfectly cooked, a rich intense flavor, and filled with bite-sized pieces of chopped walnuts. I try to order pumpkin pancakes whenever they are available somewhere, and these were by far the best I have ever had in a restaurant. The pancakes were accompanied by a ramekin of fresh fruit and your choice of bacon or sausage. Coffee was plentiful; we were given a generous amount of creamers immediately. Even though the waitress was obviously busy, she refilled our cups frequently. Overall, the food was probably only slightly above average. But for me, there was something about the ambiance here which says, "This is the place to bring 'the gang' for a fun brunch."
(4)
Yvonne C.
The food here is actually very good and consistent. Lots of great options on the menu and you can have breakfast at all hours of the day- a huge bonus. Sadly I gave it a two because customer service is a disaster. We've been going to the S and S for about a year now and think of it is a "regular" place for us because the food is really decent. The mediocre service is something I tend to overlook, especially if the food comes out relatively quickly and there's no waiting around. Last night our experience was a disaster. We sat at the bar and the bartender didn't say hello for at least ten minutes, which was odd given that there were less than 5 people sitting at it. We finally ordered- okay, not too bad, I'm thinking. 10 minutes later we ask for bread and she says, "Sure." As in, Sure, we have bread but I will make absolutely zero effort to go and get you some. This is where I remind myself that maybe the bartender is having a bad day. Maybe her mom is sick. Maybe she has menstrual cramps. Maybe she's stressed out over finances. I try to make excuses for her. We ended up waiting almost 35 minutes for our appetizer (never mind the entrees) until we decided to walk out. So at this point I said, Maybe she just sucks at her job. Period. This was not the first time we received "eh" service, but it is the last because we don't plan to go there again.
(2)
Chris T.
This place has a huge menu, it's kind of a perfect place to go when you don't have any food at home but want a home cooked meal.
(4)
Jackie M.
When your boyfriend is standing in the middle of a busy Cambridge street, traffic all around, having snapped the handle off his mom's snow scraper, slowly beginning his transformation from Bruce Banner into the Incredible Hulk and is yelling (quite loudly), "Come on ... piece of ... goddammit ... fucking cunt of a car!!" Fists clenched, arms outstretched (this would be the part where his clothes begin to rip and he turns green) and then proceeds to kick slush and snow and dirt onto the car tires which are spinning, and spinning, and spinning (thanks to my artful gunning of the accelerator) and the car is going to nowheres-ville .... I'm not gonna lie, its kinda hot. This, after we had a delightful meal at the S&S ... part of the "this is where I used to go as a kid" tour of Boston. We walked in to the S&S on a Sunday at around 1 pm. It was crowded, but that was to be expected. We were given a raffle ticket with a number on it and told to stand in the deli area where I had ample time to ogle the cakes and pastries on display and think about which type I wanted to take home with me. Even though there were a lot of people waiting, the restaurant was fairly large and therefore, we waited for about 20 minutes. I felt like that was reasonable considering the day/time we were there. Since I am averse to brunch and brunch related food stuffs (at least when eating out) I was glad that the waitress gave us a regular lunch menu in conjunction with a brunch menu. I ordered the "Rachel" sandwich which consisted of: roast turkey, swiss cheese, russian dressing, and sauerkraut on marble rye. The sandwich came with coleslaw and I opted out of the potato chips and ordered fries instead (at the bf's request since he wanted fries and planned to eat mine). I think he ordered the chicken salad sandwich. Seeing as I'm 50% Jew and from New York, I do love me some rye bread ... oh, and the half sour pickles that we both got and which I ate (both). My sandwich was really good. The restaurant was clean and seemed to be run fairly efficiently. The servers seemed to be no nonsense and were congenial but in the business of turning over tables not impressing customers. Fine. I can respect that. I wasn't even put off by it. The S&S reminded me of some of the neighborhood diners I used to go to as a kid in Manhattan. Places which are hard to find nowadays because they've been replaced by chain restaurants. After the meal we went back to the deli counter and bought a piece of carrot cake and a piece of Boston cream pie. These were consumed later on that evening (post mom's-front wheel drive car-stuck-in-slushy-snowbank fiasco) and turned out to be quite delicious ... although almost unmanageable (even between 3 people) because the pieces we were given were so huge ... ...but who am I kidding? I always seem to manage where eating is concerned. Maybe not so much with front wheel drive in slushy snow. Whaddya gonna do?
(4)
Kristen M.
Tried for the first time today. Great service great food. I got the eggs Oscar it had two potato cakes topped with poached eggs and crab meat delicious!! Tried a bagel with LOX (salmon) a Jewish specialty which was really tasty and different ! Huge portions decent pricing I will certainly return!
(5)
Rebecca H.
I really love S & S, located in the heart of Inman Square, and frequented it often when I lived in East Cambridge. The S's in the name are a play on the Yiddish "ess" which means "eat" and what the restaurant claims the original owner would encourage of her customers "eat and eat." There is usually a line at peak brunch time but that's a sign of good food and it moves fairly quickly. Servings are generous. Eggs are nice and fresh, and of course the bagels are delish. I also recommend the matzoh ball soup.
(4)
Robert C.
Arrived in Boston and this is where I came for breakfast! Good choice! I wanted a somewhat Bostonian style breakfast and that us what I got! The food was great! I did not know what to expect but I enjoyed the crab and shrimp cakes! I recommend this place... Great comfort food! The service was great!
(4)
Bean C.
The wings are great! Loved the seafood casserole! We've been dining here for over 30 yrs. We've never had a bad meal here. The buffalo wings are comparable to the ones we get at Duff's in Buffalo! I love the S&S wings on the bone. Sweet, crunchy, with a little spice kick.
(5)
Julia D.
My dad grew up around the corner from here so I've gone here over the years when we visit his family. It's got a real old-timey feel. On this last trip I got an omelette that came with bagel, hash browns, and fruit. Delicious. They have a huge bakery and to-go area that definitely seems good too.
(4)
Day B.
Yes, the service is horrible...but that's why I ALWAYS ask to be in Sue's seating area. There are two Sues, and they are related funny enough, and they are wonderful and attentive. Which helps me to focus on the amazing brunch this place serves. Pancakes are great but the waffles are better, esp. with fruit and bacon. Mmmmmmm. Please give this place a chance.
(4)
Ryan L.
excellent breakfast food. lines are insane on weekends. also the service can be a little slow, ok a lot slow. As good as this place is foodwise, it still can't touch the Town Diner of Watertown.
(4)
Aaron S.
MMMM, S & S Deli, this place has by far the best breakfast in the greater Boston area...and they serve it all day long. It is a large place so the wait isn't usually very long if at all. Their omlettes are to die for, and they serve them up with bagels and cream cheese, potatoes and fruit salad. They really hook it up. The only bad thing about this place is that parking can be a bit of a pain in Inman Sq., though they now have two parking lots of their own.
(5)
Megan B.
Mmmmm, I love S&S. They have all the Polish specialties you could ever ask for (and plenty that you didn't ask for) as well as a whole lineup of amazing food. The serve breakfast all day, but I'm a big fan of their sandwiches. They even have parking!!!
(5)
Juliette V.
I really have wanted to like this place. It is a traditional deli reight around the corner from my house. But, I have found a only a few things on the menu worth getting. I have been disappointed with the service and the food on too many occasions. But that said, if you want a kinish in Cambridge, this is a good place to look.
(2)
Shandra S.
Came here with my sister and the food was really good. She got the eggs benedict, I got the pumpkin spice pancakes. She got a mimosa and I got a margarita. Neither had much alcohol. I wish I could rate the service separately from the food. Colleen was our waitress and she wasn't very personable at all. Not rude, just kinda blahhh. Anyway, my pancakes came with a choice of meat and I ordered the bacon. When they got to me I had 4 sausages. I normally don't complain bacon is a necessity. I politely mentioned that I asked for bacon (I don't mess with people who are handling my food)and she apologized and said she would bring over the bacob. Before it was ready she came over with an empty plate and a fork. She reached over my plate and took the sausages off of my plate. I've never had anything like that happen. Was she going to give it to someone else!? It was just weird. Once my plate is in front of me don't touch it until I'm done. I would go back, just not if she were involved in the experience.
(3)
Sarah R.
I can only speak for the wings, but they are so gooooood!! The S&S sauce is amazing.
(4)
Joe G.
Menu was huge. Place was really packed. Service was just ok, they were understaffed. Food wasn't great but it hit the spot. Next time I'll get the bagel deli sandwich
(3)
Lyndsey C.
A strong 4. Really enjoyed the expansive menu and everything we had was very good. Great selection and something for everyone. Pleasant staff, decently priced.
(4)
Jess M.
Mediocre breakfast and lunch. I'm not really a fan, but I have had worse.
(3)
Steve S.
I have eaten at S&S twice, once for brunch (on a Sunday) and once for dinner. I would not advise going here for dinner - the atmosphere reminded me of an old folks home. On Sunday for brunch, my party of 5 waited for over half an hour for a table after the hostess told us it would be 15 or 20 minutes. Waiting area was crowded and loud, general chaos. When it's your turn to be seated, your number is called out over an intercom (super classy) so you're forced to stand inside while waiting for your number to be called. Most of us ordered breakfast. The portion sizes were good, but my food came out lukewarm at best. I paid about $16 total for a coffee and an omelette with tax and tip. The waitress was nice and diligently refilled our coffees/waters. However, at one point, another member of the wait staff verbally berated our waitress (in full hearing range of costumers) - too complicated to get into here, but I felt extremely uncomfortable/sorry for our waitress. Can't remember the last time I witnessed something so unprofessional. I would not recommend this place and don't plan on going back if I can help it.
(2)
Michelle D.
An institution in Inman Square, my mother took us here when we were young and I still eat at this restaurant. I have very fond memories of this place. You can't go wrong with the potato pancakes or the Monte Christo sandwich. The salads are gigantic and really well thought out, not just some iceberg lettuce and a slice of tomato. The menu is enormous and everyone will be able to find something they like. A liquor license rounds out the experience. It can get extremely crowded for brunch on the weekends but while you wait you can go next door to Stellabella toys and bring out your inner child.
(5)
Christopher C.
I didn't know about this spot for the longest time but it's just a short walk from the central square t-stop and a perfect place to go for brunch on the weekends. Food is good and they have so many additions of everything...eggs benedict eggs Oscar I forget the rest but the list goes on. Also must say really like the corned beef here too. Most of the food is priced at around $10. Definitely give this a try there aren't too many places like it in the area
(4)
Deborah B.
The best wings you'll ever have!! S&S wings on the bone. Trust me, you will fall in love with them. Croissant French toast is delicious. The quiche is really good too. And the pizzas are individual size and really good too. Very casual setting. Desserts and amazing too.
(5)
Robin S.
Good food, horrible customer service. The restaurant cares more about making a buck than providing a welcoming atmosphere for its customers. The waiting system for a table is absurd even if you have a reservation. The management is by far one of the worst I have ever experienced and quite frankly speak to people in extremely nasty, rude and condescending tones. To think this is a family owned/run business is perplexing since it in no way creates a family friendly environment for customers, you know the people paying for a service and keeping their business running. I absolutely hate going there to dine in and will opt for takeout nine time out of ten simply because I want to have as little contact with their staff as possible. Even when ordering takeout however, they are abrupt on the phone and eager to hang up on you after order is placed. All around, this restaurant disappoints me every time. The staff, particularly manager, needs a major reality check and should learn how to treat people.
(1)
Trevor J.
I had the Eggs Maryland and it was delicious. The shrimp and crab cakes were fantastic, home fries perfectly seasoned, and the everything bagel was better than expected. I'll definitely be going back.
(5)
Ana R.
S&S gets a bum rap for being "nothing special" by jaded over-stimulated Cantabrigians, but I disagree! S&S is a solid deli, from brunch to lunch and all the way to dessert, there's nothing on the menu that isn't good and reliably so. Can't say that about every place in this area. Favorites are the classics. I recently had the BLT and it was huge and so yummy. The waitresses are lovely, and the prices are unbeaten.
(4)
Corey L.
I would give this place a 3.5, but will lean to a 4 b/c I've always had good experiences there. They have a huge selection, deli stuff, breakfast/brunch stuff, good dinner options, and pretty good desserts. I've never been blown away by the food, but I've never been disappointed in it either. Solid meals, just not leaving going "wow!" Good desserts. And so big that you rarely have to wait
(4)
Jeff S.
Going for the corn beef hash and poached eggs for lunch! So far, fast and friendly service. As expected, hash was delicious. Eggs cooked just right. Food is never a disappointment here. Always good!
(4)
Dan G.
We called several days before because we had 8 in our party. We went for brunch on a sunday and we were not seated when we all got there because not everyone in our party was there yet, no big deal. Once everyone had arrived, we were seated prompty. The service was great, our waitress was very nice, attentive and helpful. I received a semi-burnt bagel and she offered to replace it but I didnt care. Everyone in our party enjoyed their meals. We had corned beef hash which was delicious, the ratio of egg to corned beef was off since there was more corned beef than enough egg to cover everything. Blueberry pancakes I heard were good, bagel with smoked salmon and fresh fruit was good as were omlettes and french toast. Everyone I was with was glad we went there for an easy and tasty brunch! Parking was easy as there is street parking as well as a parking lot behind the restaurant. We all will be back!
(4)
Liz B.
We've been going to the S & S since before the restaurant renaissance in Inman Square. If we were hungry and near Cambridge to the S & S we went. After 100s of meals it remains our favorite local restaurant. Never a bad meal - which says a lot considering how many we've had there. The menu is varied enough that it's difficult to decide what to have. Some of our favorites include the omelettes (breakfast served all day), seafood, S & S Boneless Wings, the clam chowder (it's super but only served towards the end of the week I believe), and the sandwiches and wraps. There's plenty more on the menu but those are my tried and trues. You can check out the cookies and dessert offerings in the cases while you wait to be seated. The restaurant has grown over the years. There are plenty of comfortable booths - hurrah! and the blown up vintage photographs of the S & S and of Inman Square are fascinating and fun. We sat next to a view from Inman Square in 1967 the other day that looked like a movie still. Many on the wait staff have been here for years and the restaurant is family-run with everyone pitching in. In addition to the small lot out back there's an additional parking lot just a building or two away on Hampshire. Too many of the really good, classic non-chain restaurants in Massachusetts have closed. The S & S is a treasure and I'll opt to eat there any day over the latest trendy place or yet another uninspiring chain restaurant.
(5)
Brendan R.
Been here numerous times for both Breakfast and Lunch. Lots of seating here so you really don't have to wait for a table usually, at least in my experience. There are a lot of options to choose from on the menu and I can confidently say you can't go wrong with any selection. I've gotten waffles, I've gotten pancakes and I've even got breakfast sandwiches here. Every time i try something new, it makes my decision making that much harder next time I go co everything is so good! For lunch, I've tried some of their wraps which are always a go-to choice for my girlfriend and her sister. I went with the Boursin Burger last time which sounded really interesting and it was! I love that whenever you order a dish that it will either come with fresh fruit or cole slaw, such a nice added touch to every dish! All in all, I would say this is a very dependable place to be able to get in, get out, and get on with your day no problem. Great selection, great food, great prices and great service!
(4)
Bill O.
Not the best food but such a comfortable diner experience. The wait staff remind you of your mom, and the food makes you feel better after a long day. Great cookies at the counter too. I also love the beef knishes.
(4)
Chloe M.
S&S is one of those restaurants that you keep coming back to. The place is clean and friendly, and the food is great! We love the fries here, and we always come here specifically for them. Great hidden gem!
(5)
Juju W.
This restaurant is more like a 3.5 star. Since the service is good, I'm giving it a 4 star here. There's nothing impressive about the restaurant, but I appreciate that there's almost no wait. It's hard to find a no wait brunch place in Cambridge. Parking is free. Food is mediocre. They don't rush customers.
(4)
Jay C.
This famous landmark and institution hardly needs another review, but I feel as if I discovered something new. My kids were promised a cheese pizza, and my wife said lets try inside the S&S. What? Crazy! But, I did what I was told. Yes, they can do pizza to go. Ordered one for the kids to split and the wife. They said a 20 minute wait, but it was quicker. The bag felt fairly heavy. When it was time to eat we were surprized to find that garden salads come with pizza. For less than $10 each, it makes for a nice take-home pizza for one adult, or for two small kids. Wife does not like pizza too much, but she likes the S&S pizza. The S&S Deli... who would ever guess? What is even better -- they now accept credit cards!
(4)
Lisa T.
This diners been around for a really long time. Matzoh ball soup New York style amazing. Turkey club is really good it
(5)
Jessica S.
Came here for brunch, post-birthday celebration for a roommate. For a Sunday morning at 11:30am, it was pretty crowded (line to the door) but our group of 5 was seated in 5 minutes. Brunch menu has some awesome options (croissant french toast?!). The portions are pretty substantial-- all the egg dishes come with a bagel, home fries, and fruit--which makes the prices worth it. "Homey" atmosphere and lots of families with little kids running around... I would be up for trying S&S for lunch or dinner.
(4)
Michele H.
S&S--your strengths are in the sweets. Parisian French toast with fig jam and Brie, pumpkin pancakes, chocolate chunk scones. I've recently discovered your matzo ball soup, which was incredible the first time I tried it, and pretty good the second. Iggy's bagels with lox cream cheese can't be best. The fried matzo was greasy and disappointing, as are most eggy dishes here. Overall, a great place to indulge your sweet tooth.
(4)
Paula A.
I've been going to the S&S for years, I've had dozens of meals there & you truly can't go wrong. The ambiance is somewhat non-existent, the service is fine but not supper. I laughed at someone's comment about it being their great-aunt's favorite restaurant, b/c it was my grampy's favorite too. the old folks love S&S -- understandable since its been there since 1919. My most recent trip was for brunch, they had a special, 3 words that changed my life: RED VELVET PANCAKES (RVP). The person who came up with that idea should win some sort of award. There were raspberries & chocolate chips drizzled on top, just delicious. Full Disclosure: I didn't order them, but I helped myself to my guy's plate. I had the egg's benny, a personal fave & they were perfect. Next time my fingers will be crossed that the RVP's make it back on the menue.
(5)
Micah M.
S&S serves up standard deli fare in a cozy atmosphere with decent service. They have the best bagels in Cambridge, though the main competitors are Au Bon Pain and Dunkin Donuts. 3.5 stars.
(4)
Ladyjane S.
S&S is a staple and one of my favorite Cambridge institutions. Always reliable and consistent. A bad sinus infection brought me here on my last visit after a doc appt in Cambridge. I opted for the matzo ball soup, in desperate need of some healing powers. Man, did it deliver. The soup was perfect in every way. It was so good, I wished they had an option for a larger bowl of it. They are all about the comfort food here.
(4)
Qichen Z.
The Nova Scotia lox omelet was a little disappointing. I really like S&S for their amazing bagels (I really don't know what they do to make such amazing bagels, someone needs to hack into their recipe database), so I had high hopes for their brunch omelet dishes as well. It was only okay, the salmon wasn't the greatest, and the eggs were sort of cold when they arrived. The home fries were also kind of soggy, and the fruit bowl wasn't anything special. The only good part is that we got so much food for the price; couldn't really move for a good 15 minutes after finishing. Service is fast and friendly per usual. Wish the food was more consistent. Stick with the bagels if you want to play it safe.
(3)
Logan J.
i was looking for a new place to go to brunch with a friend that was in cambridge, and we decided to try this place not really knowing much about it. we werent disappointed with what we got here, but it wasnt anything memorable or special. this is a very typical deli...it could have been anywhere--dennys, country kitchen, etc. we both had pretty standard breakfast items, and we both thought they were very standard. they werent bad...but they werent too great. we left knowing that we ate...that was about all we remembered. i reiterate: nothing too special here.
(3)
Erica P.
S&S is your classic Jewish delicatessen with good food and surly waitresses. No seriously, I don't think I've ever seen a smile cross those lips. But I digress... When I lived in East Cambridge, S&S was THE place for brunch. My old stand-by was the Rachel (no Reuben for me, I hate corned beef) - the turkey was nice and moist, not that processed crap. The sauerkraut is fantastic, and the marble rye is amazing! On occasion, I would only eat half and take the other half home for lunch the next day: slightly soggy, but just as tasty. Generous portions, but the sandwiches come with chips instead of fries, so you have to pay extra if you want those crispy fries. The one major miss I had here was the Red Velvet cake. Totally underwhelming. The frosting wasn't real cream cheese frosting. I am a Red Velvet snob, so maybe that's why it wasn't to my liking, but meh. I kinda miss this place. Even if the waiter did spill coleslaw all over me last time I was there. If you're in the area, grab a beer at the Druid across the street, then come to S&S for some munchies!
(4)
Robert S.
I had a GREAT lunch here at the end of Jan 2013. They have primarily a deli-style menu with some eastern european specialties. I had a salmon club on marble rye that was out-of-this-world. It came with chips and a glass of ice water for about $8. The place was clean and the waitresses were kind. I will definitely go back.
(4)
Christina Z.
French onion soup - sweet sweet sweet, not salty like you're drinking an ocean, cheese that stretches for miles and miles Swordfish Kabobs, scrumptious, and fun spicy marinade. Thanks for the spicy-good rice pilaf. Caribbean Salad - go S&S, way to be inventive! The dressing is sublime, and the mangos and toasted coconut are fabulous. Winner: Mashed potatoes. Sour cream whipped into them. They are absolutely addictive. This place KNOWS comfort food. Only gripe: my shiraz was warm like bathwater. I like red wine on the room-temp side, but I didn't want it to lull me to sleep!
(5)
Paul C.
As ever the food was excellent at S&S. But the service left a bit to be desired. The waitress actually scolded me for reaching for a bowl of cold soup which she was delivering to the table on tip toe after she failed to even excuse herself as she reached in front of another customers face. 'You never reach to take something from the hand of a waitress' was her comment. Well in my book the customer is always right and who wants to go to a a restaurant where the help feels than have the right to scold a paying customer ! And we actually left a tip ! Bad form S&S, you really need to train your help !
(1)
Sean J.
I have only been here for brunch but if the meal I had was any indication of their dinner offerings then I would recommend them blindly. I got a huge western omelet with hash browns which was absolutely delicious. They also offer a wide selection of beers on tap during brunch, even on Sunday. There were only a few downsides to my experience, which will keep it from getting 5 stars. 1. Seating. You might have to wait a while before being served, especially at peak brunch hours. There are tons of old people and tourists coming in to eat. I went with my girlfriend, and while we didn't have to wait, we were crammed into a tiny table in the rear, which was in a very awkward situation. 2. The mimosas. 99.9% orange juice, .1% champagne. 3. The price. A little on the expensive side for a mid morning meal. They know that they are a very popular tourist spot and charge accordingly.
(3)
Steve K.
Want a plethora of breakfast choices? Want to drown yourself in fresh fruit, towering pancakes, thick french toast and piles of eggs, home fries, and bacon? Get your ass over to the S & S! I went here for breakfast recently and I can tell you right now, that there is no shortage of choices for your breakfasting needs. Not only do they carry all the traditionals, but they also have a ridiculous array of interesting food combinations. French toast stuffed with brie? Yes please... The price is moderate, the place is huge, and the staff is quick. I'll be keeping S & S in my sights for future breakfasts... no doubt about that.
(3)
Connie S.
Longtime Inman Square Jewish deli/diner. If you're looking for classic sandwiches and entrees in massive portions, and you have time to tolerate extremely leisurely-paced service, this is a solid bet. I was most impressed with - Seafood Casserole: they are not lying when they say the seafood is the finest quality available. Super fresh fish, scallops, shrimp lightly seasoned and baked with crumbs. It also comes with house-made Cole Slaw and fluffy Rice Pilaf that are both delish - Beef Knishes: the dough is chewier than I've had in knishes before, but very tasty, and served with gravy The Rachel (roast turkey, cheese, Russian dressing, sauerkraut on marble rye) was solid and I liked how they pan-fried the bread for extra toastiness. The Matzo Ball Soup was fine, but not all that hot by the time it got to the table. Downsides: - The service was noticeably slow, in bringing out appetizers and in paying the bill, which was a little perplexing because it wasn't all that crowded when we went for lunch on a weekday afternoon. - Wanted to pick up some non-cake baked goods from the pastries section after lunch, and there was only a sparse selection of mediocre-looking muffins and cookies (where were the challah, the rugelach, etc.?) Still, a good filler-upper for your Bubbe's food.
(3)
Matt I.
I feel a little embarassed that I've lived in Cambridge for years and hadn't been here until just a few weeks ago. Really solid diner food. The first time we stopped in because my gf had a cold and wanted Matzoh ball soup, and theirs passed muster from a native New Yorker. Reubens, etc. looked really good. Breakfast was outstanding IMO. Corned beef hash (they make their own corned beef!) was one of the best I've ever had. Blueberry pancakes were really good, tasted like fresh berries. Haven't had much of the non-breakfast food, but stuff going by to other tables looked like typical diner fare. Homemade desserts were excellent. The chocolate peanut butter pie was a standout (more PB than chocolate, which is good because I hate desserts like that when they go way overboard with the chocolate.) Service can be slow. Depends on the time of day and the staff you get.
(4)
Derek W.
I should have opted for some deli type meat, but i'm on a quest to taste every hamburger ever served in cambridge... This one was not good, I asked for it to be med rare, it came out well, appeared to be of the frozen variety. My eating partner ordered a roast beef sandwich of sorts, nice and rare, looked good. I had entree' envy for sure.... Place was dull, bar was nice, bartender well she was kinda whacky....
(2)
Dara S.
This is not a fine dining restaurant people. This is NY style diner at its best. I love it. Everything I have ever eaten is delicious. I get my turkey for sandwiches from their deli because they oven roast that sucker in house. You can't beat fresh turkey. There is something for everyone, their menu is huge! Also, they have breakfast everyday - and at any time. They have Iggy's bread brought in - and amazing bagels. They even have lox spread - YAY! Yes - there is a rope you wait behind to get sat. Yes the waiter / or waitress might seem busy and slightly surly. That is what diners are all about. If you don't like it - go back to the south end. xoxo. Dara
(5)
Gisela T.
This is a good place every now and then, but as of lately the customer service has not been what it has been in the last couple of years. Just today I ordered Potato skins without bacon and asked for extra chives its place and the woman told me it would be extra! I asked her why If I'm not getting bacon shouldn't I be able to have extra chives instead!!!! She told me that they add extra cheese in place of the bacon, adding chives will still cost extra. I just wish this place was as friendly and welcoming as it used to be. Other than that... Please try the S & S wings, they're the best ever!!!!
(3)
Emily D.
I've only been to S&S for brunch, but it has never disappointed. The service is generally friendly, and their breakfast choices are extensive. The omelets cooked carefully (never with a burnt crisp) and they have a great selection of less common cheeses (havarti dill, boursin, muenster). You also get a huge selection of bread/toast with an omelet, many of which are house-made. The 12 grain is excellent. Their croissant french toast was out of this world--if you're a fan of cinnamon sugar, you shouldn't pass this one up. Also, the option of breakfast all day is always a winner with me. There's also ample seating (a rarity in Cambridge) and the vibe inside is calm and homey.
(4)
Laura G.
This place is lame. It's the ugly stepchild of the Jewish Deli family. If you want a good Jewish deli, make the trek to Brookline and go to Zaftig's. I used to check this place out more times than I should have due to proximity to my old apartment. First time I went was for breakfast. The eggs were meh, the bacon was of the microwave variety and the orange juice was from concentrate yet still priced as though it was fresh OJ. Second time I needed a quick pit stop for lunch. The service was rude and they screwed up our entire order. They told me I could have a free meal on the house and to use so and so's name when ordering and that'd I'd be on a list. *eyebrow raise*. Skeptical alarm going off. Few weeks later I was too lazy to make dinner and my friend was sick so I thought laziness+matzo ball soup+free meal = me being somewhat productive for me and my friend. I call in the order and walk over to pick it up. I mention the "code name" as instructed and of course they have no idea what I was talking about. Annoyed that I was going to have to pay for the food I ordered I left vowing never to return. I get home, open the food and realize they had totally butchered my sandwich. It was covered in what I could only assume to be grey spinach and watery onions. I did not order either of these items on my sandwich. It was so watery and soggy in fact that the entire box was underwater and what once was the bun was no longer serving a purpose. I had to go back and have them fix it. Needless to say, the shitty service, even worse food have made it so I will never go to this place again. If you want food, do yourself a favor and walk across the street to City Girl Cafe.
(2)
Steph P.
Hey guys, this a diner. Service is quick, but not really with a smile. The waitress isn't about to ask you if you are enjoying your French Toast. But the food comes out fast and hot and the coffee cup stays filled. We ditched our hopes of the Friendly Toast after finding out about the hour long wait. No wait at S&S for a party of four at 10:30 on Sunday. The croissant french toast was light (as far as french toast goes) and didn't leave that super heavy feeling in the belly, but the ends were a little eggy. The rustic raisin and pecan french toast was yummy with warm raisins and toasted pecans with a fruit accompaniment. These both came with a choice of bacon or sausage. The quiche Lorraine had a LOT of cheese on top, which masked the other flavors in there. The lox benedict was overflowing with lox and the eggs were poached right. Portions are large, prices are right and I would for sure come back.
(3)
Kate L.
Some of the best bagels I've ever had. Great place to go if you want more breakfast than you can possibly ever eat. The food is incredible, so not only are the portions huge but the quality is high! Occasionally some of the staff has seemed a bit surly but my experience here has been positive generally. If you don't feel like sitting down you can get bagels to go. My friend is a fan of the lox spread, but you'll never get me near that stuff.
(4)
Jamie H.
my parents took me to S&S today for lunch, and it was great. the waitress was really friendly, the food was delicious, and it wasn't too expensive either. we started with 3 beef knishes and a bowl of the matzo ball soup. the knishs were definitely the star appetizer, light on the beef and the dough very moist - too often, a knish is just way too dry and i was happy that this was not the case here. the soup was flavorful but light, and they definitely know how to do a matzo ball! i do wish it came with more carrots, celery, and chicken. my dad got the reuben sandwich, which he finished before i could even try a bite, but he said it was fantastic and was happy to get extra russian dressing. my mom got the corned beef on rye, and i went with turkey on 7 grain. both were good, but pretty standard sandwiches. mine came with lettuce, tomato, and onion. however, the real highlight for me was the half-sour pickle. i have found the perfect deli pickle! we ordered some matzo ball soup to go, and the best part is you can get extra matzo balls for $1. we also got some chopped liver, but i haven't tried that yet. for an enjoyable, tasty lunch with my parents, this really hit the spot.
(4)
Manfred S.
Waiting 20 min to be seated for Easter Sunday brunch seemed reasonable. Cranky service is not. The food was edible and no one got sick. They claimed that the mimosas are made with fresh juicy and it is possible (but might not). Somewhat borderline, but at least gives you a light buzz. Recommendation --- okay if you have a big party and need booze. The place is big and has a liquor license. If you have cravings for a lot of good breakfast food with friendly service you are much better off at Ball Square Cafe.
(3)
Ess P.
I tried this restaurant out for breakfast after dozens of friends raving about it. When I first walked in I stood behind the rope that said "please stand here & wait to be seated." There were two waitstaff standing right by me chit-chatting, they looked at me but didn't budge. Finally about five minutes later, a group of people just walked in & went right into the dining area. I went up to the waitstaff & asked why haven't I been seated!? They said they didn't know I was waiting to be seated, even though I was clearly standing In the waiting line! He apologized. The food was actually good. I got french toast, egg/cheese omlet, & home fries. I have no complaints about the actual food - it was delicious. Before I could finish my food, I got up to use the ladies room. When I came back, THEY CLEARED MY TABLE! They threw away all my food! The waitress said the busboy made a mistake & apologized and offered to make my food again. I declined, I was completely turned off & the manager took care of the bill. The waitstaff just seemed sketchy. I doubt I'll ever go back.
(2)
Kza W.
the food was very good. as for the prices...ok not high not low. waiting time is not bad. interior, was homely. great place to bring anyone.
(4)
Jess L.
I got here at 10 for brunch, and I didn't even have to wait (though I think a couple minutes later, I would have had to). The menu is surprisingly diverse, with lots of egg options and other fun things, like bavarian french toast and salmon hash. The staff seems a bit rushed, but the food quality is great, and there was no pressure to leave. The deli looks very enticing too - will get something on the way out next time. I got the omelet special, which included pesto, monterey jack cheese, onions, spinach, and bacon. Amazing, and not too greasy! My mother got the whitefish, and she got a large hunk. The sides of fruit and toast/bagel are also enough to fill you for the rest of the afternoon...
(4)
Zinah A.
My family and I have been going to S&S for over 25 years. I brought all my nephews & nieces as kids....now they are grown and willing to split the check with Titi Zinah. S&S is home to us & to many. Many parties, mother's day & graduation celebration or just lunch date with mom. The food is always consistent you can't go wrong. Some favorites the S&S wings boneless some sweet & spicy simmered with honey & the crispy texture is perfect. My mom is a fan of their fish & chips always winner as I can grub from her plate. I love the brunch special they make outstanding omelets my favorite Lox omelet as well as eggs Benedict. Ad a bloody Mary and we are set for a delightful time at our second home S&S.
(5)
Shaina P.
Line out the door? Be sure to take a ticket as soon as you get inside! S&S's waiting system has improved to the point where you don't wait more than 30 minutes. Don't be discouraged by the huge line because the restaurant is enormous and typically well staffed... Reasons to love S&S: 1. Hot Pastrami on Rye with Swiss Cheese and Double Batter Fried French Fries (or whatever they want to call those crispy, greasy thangs). 2. Breakfast Sandwich with Fries instead of Breakfast Potatoes. 3. Chicken Parmesan. 4. HOMEADE corned beef hash. Sooo frigin' tasty (oven-baked crisp and blackened on the edges). Served with two lovely poached eggs on top. Mmmm! Other Tidbits: 1. Patrons born in 1919 still go here. 2. Style of the restaurant is dated (to what date, I'm not sure, but it's not current). 3. Not known for it culinary creativity, but more so for its "classic" deli sandwiches (pastrami, roast beef, reuben) and homestyle cooking (chicken soup, quiche, pot pie?, breakfast all day). 4. Catering by S&S is popular, but not the best in the area as of late. I used to love S&S. It was a place to go to with co-workers for holiday lunch. But now that I've familiarized myself with other restaurants in Inman Square (international cuisine, unique atmospheres, younger crowd), S&S's popularity has dwarfed compared to others'.
(3)
Lisa R.
This is a really great place to go for lunch on a weekend! My husband and I came here yesterday, because the All-Star Sandwich Bar was too packed, and we were not disappointed. He had the turkey club sandwich, and I had a turkey wrap with lettuce, tomato, and some kind of cranberry delicousness (I had them hold the cheese). The thing that impressed me was that they use REAL turkey, which is sliced nice and thin, It's not that processed crap you find in most places. My sandwich came with a nice fresh fruit cup and a bag of Cape Cod potato chips. The place kind of reminded me of a Bickford's, but I think this place was in business way before them. Back when I was a 16 year old kid I worked in a diner, and this place had that kind of feel to it. They had a humongous menu with ALL kinds of good stuff, so anyone can find something they like here. I highly recommend S & S!
(4)
Allison R.
My neighborhood lazy kid takeout spot earns three solid stars. Highlights include the pastrami and knockwurst(!) triple decker sandwich, decidedly above average cheeseburger, and the matzo ball soup. The knishes in the takeout case look pretty delish too. If you're dining in, you'll never wait for a seat since this place is huge, and the service will be pleasantly brought to you by your surrogate jewish aunt or uncle. Your glass of water will be small, though. My major gripes with this place? "Same place" taste, somewhat overpriced, and the fries don't rock my world. They're the kind of breaded, crispy-yet-soggy ones. Bonus points though, for the tasty monte cristo, the gooey boston cream pie, and the fact that a breakfast all day establishment is a mere five minute walk from my home. It's like they saw me coming.
(3)
Mike Z.
It was late Sunday night and there weren't that many restaurants opened, but luckily S & S didn't close til 10pm! My friend had wanted to come to this place because she had said that the food is very good and she usually frequented it for brunch. It was very hard to pick from the ginormous menu - I ended up ordering the corned beef with cow tongue triple decker sammy on dark rye - it was delicious! Definitely one of the better corned beef sammies I've had. There's a private parking lot and also plenty of street parking, so parking is not an issue. I will definitely come back to try out of the other items on the menu.
(4)
Emily D.
As I sit here eating my leftover S&S boneless wings smothered in their house S&S sauce from last night's dinner.. I'm so upset that I didn't leave more for myself. Holy Smokes these wings are mighty good!! I wanna lick the plate here at work.. but umm yeah.. a little inappropriate you think? My hubby and I were working late and needed to catch a quick dinner before our next engagement. We rushed into S&S not knowing too much of the place. But, I'm going to be honest.. I really came in because I saw all the cakes and pastries on display in the deli area. No Really, they all looked amazing!! We were seated quickly... and given our menus. "WHOAA!! wait a min? this is the menu?" -- "Yes ma'am it is." "Oh, ok." The menu is extensive. I'm talking about 4 or 5 pages of everything you can think of. The restaurant kind of reminds me of a better version of a denny's or ihop. They serve breakfast all day and they also have plenty of dinner and lunch options. You could probably have anything here. It took us a while to figure out what we wanted... which wasn't so great since we were on a time crunch. We skimmed through and I ordered the boneless wings covered in their S&S sauce. While the hubs ordered their grilled chicken sandwich also covered in their famous sauce. The food came out pretty quickly... the waitress on the other hand didn't seem too happy last night. She probably has a long day. But, we didn't let that bother us. We enjoyed our dinner and were out of there in 45 min. The prices were good.. the food was good...Not Bad Over all... next time.. I wanna stay and try dessert!!! Red Velvet Cake is calling my name!
(3)
amanda n.
My brothers and I have been semi-regulars here since we moved into the neighborhood in 2005. This is a great place to go if you like casual comfort, familiarity, and consistency. The food is fine -- nothing spectacular, but, again, consistent. The service staff is usually attentive and friendly. There is also a take-out counter that includes some good-looking desserts I've never tried. UPDATE 3/2/07 I had a really strange experience at the S&S last Saturday around 1PM. Since I wasn't very hungry, I ordered a cup of clam chowder. The server told me it's not served until 4PM. I said, "Are you sure?" a. It's on the menu that says lunch is served 11AM - ?? daily. and b. I can see people around me with matzo ball soup and another unidentified soup in a cup. Is clam chowder the only soup not served until 4? And why, then, is it on the menu? "If I go ask in the kitchen, they'll just tell me we don't serve it till 4." Since I didn't want anything else, our server apparently went to the kitchen and made a special request to the chef, who apparently obliged. Yes, I got what I ordered, but the whole experience was really weird because I was made to feel like I was putting them out or asking for some strange special order. He even asked, "Was it good?" when clearing our dishes. Weird. I usually feel at home at the S&S but this experience felt icky.
(3)
Melissa B.
The only time I go to the S&S is when my long-time girlfriend is in town with her husband and horribly behaved toddler. It's the only place that I figure I won't be embarrased by the snot-nosed kid scrambling around the floor for fries. Life's too short to waste calories here.
(1)
Karen M.
Used to go all the time when in Cambridge, now I am in the neighborhood less often, but I still can't find another restaurant that hits all the diner notes as well as this one. I had some friends from out of town, we wanted brunch with kids. Another time, a group wanted to meet somewhere after a Cambridge parade, also with kids. There are a million diners around so why do I keep coming back to S&S? *A waiting area with tables and deli things to look at and buy. Sunday brunch you have to wait everywhere, so why stand in a parking lot? *That said, they take reservations for parties over eight for Sunday brunch. *Next door to a toy store. In case the kids get restless--oh, all right, you can look in the toy store too! *Two small parking lots to take a little pressure off the Cambridge street parking. *The restaurant is big and roomy, so the lines tend to move fast. OK, enough about waiting. Once you get in: *Little cups of cream with the coffee for the kids to drink, play with. If you don't approve of this, well, go to a more elegant restaurant with proper creamers. And see how well the kids sit still without little cups of cream to drink. *There is a liquor license if the grownups feel like a Bloody Mary. *Service is always solid. I never have to ask for more coffee, more water, they just sense when I need it and they are right there before I even realized myself. *They serve the dinner menu as well as the brunch menu on Sunday. Some higher-end places only serve brunch on Sundays until dinner time. And some of us, by the time noon rolls around, are no longer interested in eggs and coffee. *The food is great, it is not high-end, for example, they have Log Cabin syrup, not real maple. But you definitely get what you pay for. They have good-sized but not obscene portions. *The steak is always cooked the way you ask in the steak and eggs. My eggs normandie with lox and hollandaise were excellent. The sunnyside eggs are just right, runny but not undercooked. The sausage got a thumbs up from the kids, it is link-style. And they have English muffins. Who would choose toast over English muffins? No gimmicks, but always reliable. Relax and enjoy a great diner.
(5)
Beantown S.
I cannot say better things about this place. I have been almost every weekend for over a year and I have yet to find something I don't like. Word of advice, don't leave without trying the S & S wings on the bone...oh dear lord!
(5)
Ann G.
I've been to S&S a few times now and have always enjoyed my meal. Today I spent many a minute waiting on the server. This seems to be the case at the restaurant, as time after time I've had to wait for the server to check in (if they every stop by) or take the check. Today our waitress didn't come back until it was time for the check! If you're ready to spend a few hours at the place, the food is good. I've had the french toast, french eggs, and a regular old egg dish (with toast, potatoes, and bacon). I don't like their potatoes much but the croissants and eggs are always good. Plus, I enjoy their drinks. All in all, the food is decent and there is often an open table. You will spend some time at the place so go on a day when you're feeling leisurely.
(3)
Ina C.
It's nothing spectacular, but at the same time, nothing here will disappoint. They offer all of the brunch/breakfast standards, and it's all for a very reasonable price. You can get I-need-to-unbutton-my-pants full here without paying over $10. I usually get the bagel and lox, and it comes with tons of toppings and mountains of lox. The omelets are huge, the fresh squeezed orange juice is very...fresh, and the service is usually pretty friendly. There's plenty of seating and hardly ever a wait, which makes this place a stressless brunch choice, especially compared to all the line-out-the-door brunch places around. It also reminds me of Fridays in college when we made our weekly trips ALLL the way out here from Boston College. :)
(3)
Kristine A.
I have heard so many things about this place that I finally went; totally glad I finally did too. I got these pumpkin & nut pancakes that were really delicious. Like I couldn't believe how good they were. I can't wait to go again & try their latkes.
(4)
Silas S.
Best Corned Beef Hash. Repeat Best Corned Beef Hash. I love the stuff so I am always looking for the best stuff that is not from a can. Other than that, don't be discouraged if there is a line as it moves pretty fast. I will be back for more
(5)
Samuel F.
Generally, the food is great and the service is attentive. Yes, for some of their offerings I have seen better, but others, like the bagel and lox platter, are fantastic. (My only complaint with that is perhaps they should provide two bagels to accommodate the vast array of fixings, far too much for a single sandwich.) Then again, it would have been hard for this place not to net four stars from me, since they're my most convenient choice for comfort food: Matzoh ball soup and deli sandwiches and breakfast all day and they're right near my house.
(4)
Chris B.
I went in with a group of four people yesterday morning and waited 15 minutes for a table - not bad at the height of Sunday brunch hour! Unfortunately we waited for another 15 sitting at our booth and no server even dropped by to say hello or "I'll be right with you". Nothing. We walked out and told the hostess what happened. "Oh, sorry", she said. One star because zero is not possible.
(1)
Deanna D.
Went back for a Veggie Quiche on Sun and was not very happy =( Way too much spinach, not creamy as the last time, and overall not as tasty. The line moved quickly but the service was also terribly slow and not very friendly this time around. So minus 1 star for no consistency.
(3)
EricaLynn J.
I have deducted one star off what would have been an easy five-star rating due to the massive amount of waiting one has to do one a weekend to get into this place. We're talking out the door, around the corner. And unfortunately, out the door you have a choice of a hardware store and a clothing store from where I've seen absolutely no one buy anything. So you're waiting. But they give you raffle number tickets as your waiting number... so your mind may wander to the circus or something. Or your childhood! Look, a clown!!... But the staff are really sweet and kind and they *want* you to sit down. They feel bad for you waiting there. They don't have the normal sinister grin that most staff do in places like these where the lines grow their *own* sub-lines and they Unionize and things get all nuts. When you hand in your number they congratulate you. I really only get the same few things when I visit because I LOVE these things and if I've waited for 40 minutes to sit down, I want to go with what I know. So, eggs florentine, eggs benedict, matzoh ball soup, corned beef hash... all quite good. I love the little fruit dish. It almost makes me believe I'm eating healthy. Hollandaise what?! I've heard some not-so-great things about some other menu options; I think a friend of mine ordered a Reuben that is still giving him nightmares... and another friend of mine had some not-so-nice things to say about her omelette (apparently she ordered a veggie omelette and mentioned she's a vegetarian so she would prefer no bacon with her meal... so instead they brought her ham.) But I have yet to be disappointed.....
(4)
Lynette S.
Huge menu!!!! The size of the menu reminds me of the Cheesecake Factory menu, only with simpler food, without the extra $$$$ and less impressive decor. But, in Cambridge, I think S & S has a great concept as it is an affordable alternative to all of the pricier (and also loveable) joints around that I frequent when in the mood to spend and dine... Food is great, nice portions. Some favorites: burgers (grrrrrreat!!!), soup, various chicken entress. Good for family dinners or groups,as they have a few large dining rooms. Desserts are good but pricey. Never had a wait at night. ******They have a few parking lots on Hampshire St. which is huge since Imnan Sq can be busy and parking is limited.
(4)
Tod K.
That was the most HORRIBLE brunch experience within 30 miles of the Boston area. Oh boy, where do I begin, the service was real bad. We had to call on the waiter 3 times until he noticed us. Now I understand you may be busy because it is a weekend brunch period but if you know that you will be busy you might as well staff a few more people. Then comes the actual food. My omelet was not put together right. They use egg beaters and the vegetables inside were undercooked. A lot of people recommend this place which is why I decided to go, but my foot is not stepping there again.
(1)
Harold S.
I had the corned beef hash with poached eggs. I can say the corned beef hash is the best I have ever had. The hash was lightly baked, so it was crispy on the outside. The wheat toast was a disappointment though as it was rubbery. The OJ was good, but the glass they used just came out of the wash so it was warm, making the OJ a bit warm as well. Overall, I had a good experience. I highly recommend their corned beef hash! And they have their own private parking lot, so you don't have to look for parking. The parking lot is on Hampshire Street. Very convenient!
(4)
Sam S.
I grew up down the street from been but haven't been in a while. I always enjoyed the eating breakfast/brunch. I know my parents never took me for any other meal so maybe my 4 stars is biased. this was a hotspot for when bobi and zaydee were in town!
(4)
Jess P.
Everything I get here tends to be a decent version of something that should be awesome in a really bad for you kind of way. That leaves me feeling kind of meh about the S&S, in an I'd go but only if someone invited me kind of way. The reubens are good but not great and the breakfast food is pretty unexciting, though fine. Knockwursts and beans were kind of off though. Deli should be comfort food to an excessive degree, and this place just doesn't get there for me, though it's clearly trying. B- for effort?
(3)
Julie N.
I wandered into this place to only use the bathroom after we found that City Girl Cafe was closed that morning. There was construction going around the back door so I honestly couldn't even tell you what I thought I was walking in to. A market perhaps? A nursing home? Whatever, I just needed to pee. I took a look around and ran back outside to get the boy and tell him to get in here and grab a table. It smelled delicious and all other plans were immediately thrown out the window. The hash was amazing. Second best hash we've ever found. I got an omelet and it was STUFFED oozing out of itself with goodness and it came with homefries and a big fat bagel with cream cheese. Breakfast kicked ass. We ventured back a month later for lunch and the havarti burger was ridiculously good, but there was almost too much cheese (and there's never such a thing as too much cheese). I got a turkey club and was shocked that it wasn't oversized, it was just a normal turkey club that almost seemed on the smaller side. My jeans thanked you for that. We got the hash again and it was as good as it was the first time. The waitstaff is a funny group of people, they're not friendly and they take their sweet ass time to get to you, but it's a place you almost expect that to happen, so it didn't matter. I'm so glad I stumbled into S&S, it's a great "Let's cure the hangover and get fat in the process" type of place that's perfect for a weekend brunch.
(4)
Stacy R.
A great place for a weekend breakfast/brunch in Inman Square. An order of pancakes is enormous & comes with way more syrup than you could ever want or need. The eggs benedict was great-- crispy english muffin, perfectly poached egg and loads of home fries. My only want was more hollandaise sauce. It wasn't a stingy amount, I just like to dip my home fries in it for the ultimate unhealthy treat. Hostess was a bit terse, but our waitress & her trainee were great. We'll definitely be back.
(4)
Chris H.
I've been here for breakfast a few times. It is about what you would expect for a deli like this. The staff is friendly, the menu is big but predictable, and the food is pretty good. It's always busy on weekend mornings but is a huge space so you won't have to wait long. I recommend the bagel and lox.
(3)
Molly F.
I went to S&S with a group of starving friends in the late afternoon a few Sundays ago, and we had a great time. Because we are gross, we ordered brunch plus two plates of wings. The wings were excellent; I particularly recommend the S&S sauce. For brunch, I had the French eggs with sausage, which came wrapped inside a croissant, plus--because, once I again, I am gross--a side of corned beef hash. Yum. As another reviewer mentioned, the length of the menu is overwhelming. For someone as indecisive as me, that poses a bit of a problem. But--unlike some have said--our waitress was really nice, and even bonded with one member of our party over the fact that they both played rugby.
(4)
C E.
I have eaten here three or four times since moving to Somerville a month and a half ago - coworkers and friends told me how great it was. I ate there once or twice without incident - the food was alright, the wait staff a little edgy but that's alright. It did have sort of an awkward feel to it. BUT THEN I had a friend over, and we decided to get take-out food. We got 2 BLT's, and each came with a pickle in aluminum foil. The pickles were completely rotten! It was so gross! I went back again recently, and got a pickle of unknown age right on my plate. It was completely unappetizing. I have this visual image in my head of this 5-gallon bucket filled with festering pickles in the corner of the kitchen, completely unsanitary. I find this to be repulsive and will not be returning to this restaurant.
(1)
Ryan M.
Old does not equal good. Rosebud, I'm looking at you, too. It's a really big greasy spoon that seems far more concerned with its advertising and wealth of parking than with the food or service. It's the most basic whatever breakfast/lunch you can imagine. Think Friendly's but without the Reese's Sundae that makes you forget that you just paid for cold cuts on toasted Wonder bread. It actually FEELS like a Friendly's, too. Nothing like a really old restaurant kept up to make it look and feel like a cookie-cutter franchise. I've only eaten breakfast/brunch here (three times), so their lunch may actually be delicious, but I don't think I'll be finding out. Nothing has ever been gross because they aim so low, but it's just not special. Now, I'm not saying there's no place for a greasy spoon. I gave the greasiest spoon 4 stars (Forest Hills Restaurant). The problem here is that the prices are the same as so many Boston/Cambridge breakfast/brunch spots that DO have real maple syrup at least AVAILABLE...that DO have jelly that doesn't appear on the table by the handful...that DO care about what they serve and strive for high quality and/or innovation. Go to the Friendly Toast, Druid, or Brookline Lunch to get something good for the same money or spend a couple bucks more for a real brunch treat at East Coast Grille (wowwo).
(2)
Glenn N.
I've tried it a few times because so many friends love this place, but I just don't see the appeal. It's like Perkins or Bob Evans got turned into a wax museum and jacked up the prices.
(2)
Michael G.
If this place was easily T Accessible, I would go every Sunday/Saturday for Brunch. Absolutely delicious for diner/deli food. Nice for those who do have a car and can get there without a lot of walking. S&S in Inman is definitely an institution in the area for breakfast/brunch, so be careful. it does get very busy and you may have to wait a few minutes. Like most people, I have never eaten dinner here. The service is the okay. It is usually busy and they have a lot going on. It is a process, but I am fine with that. I'm usually not in a hurry to get out of there.
(4)
John S.
I describe the S&S as a restaurant owned by that particular grandmother that doesn't think you're eating enough. The food is comfort and the portions are large. It's just like you're at your Nana's. That is, if you were one of two hundred grandkids. As an Inman Square resident, I am well-acquainted with the quirks and foibles of the place. There are many, so I'm going to share them in the most efficient way possible - a bulleted list! -The service isn't bad, per se. You just need to know what to expect. After you're seated, a waiter is going to ask you what you want to drink. By the time they get back with your root beer, if you don't know what you want to eat, you're in trouble. "Give me one more minute" translates into "give me five more minutes". They're busy, and it shows in their methodolical sweeps of the floor, so throwing off their timing results in waits. -They serve breakfast all day, so don't be afraid to order breakfast all day. The strength of a good deli like this is their consistent and wonderful omelettes, pancakes and french toast. Sure, you can get a delicious burger or some S&S wings (they're great) at 9 p.m. But if you want some poaches eggs, get them. -If you want to eat breakfast in the morning, show up early. They don't take reservations and the wait can be over an hour if you're there with a big party. The place opens at 7 a.m. during the week and 8 a.m. during the weekend. Get there when they open the door. -They don't have "bests". You're not going to get the best grilled chicken or triple decker sandwich here. You're not going to find your favorite quiche. But what you will get is very tasty food without variance. I've never had a bad meal here, but they don't have menu items that I would only come here for. -If you live in the area, the take out is very convenient. If the place is packed and you want a meal, the kitchen is extremely responsive to take out requests. I could call them as I get off the T in Central and my food would be ready by the time I walk to Inman. It's a fun trick. If you want breakfast in Inman Square, this is your place. You won't be blown away, but you will be very full.
(3)
Kathleen F.
At S&S you aren't going to find your typical trendy brunch experience. Instead you get a great atmosphere, very much a Jewish Diner vibe (and being from NY it makes me feel at home!), and a very filling and delish breakfast. Personal favorites of the BF and I have been: Quiche, Parisian French Toast, Steak and Eggs, and the smoked salmon platter if you are going for something a bit lighter. They also make a mean cappuccino (but don't ask for soy milk b/c they definitely don't do that!). Service is very fast as well and I kind of love the gruff no-nonsense waitresses it definitely adds to the experience! This is our go to when we're super hungry and just want a good classic breakfast.
(4)
Mike B.
Delicious deli. Very family friendly. Great servers, service can be a little slow during peak hours but other than that no problem. Their classic burger is amazing and their buffalo wings are top 5 in all of Boston.
(4)
Joshua M.
This place makes you think of the difference between the soulful and spiritual synagogues of Eastern Europe, where men prayed in wavering voices that recalled the ghosts of their ancestors, versus the clean suburban synagogue I went to growing up. Or think of some old Jews in southern Florida munching on the early bird special, then going home for a rousing episode of Jeopardy. The S & S is a pale impression of a Jewish deli, it's design evoking the Friendly's/Ihop/Applebees/Holiday Inn aesthetic. Basically, the Deli is an assimilated Jew, an assimilated Jew who assimilated in all the wrong ways and now represents something mind-numbing and void about American culture. Oh yeah...the food! It's OK and I actually think they have a really nice selection of French Toast options. The service ranges from sub-par to good. The huge selection is probably deceiving, since a lot of the items aren't worth getting. But there's a few "diamonds in the rough!" I liked the croissant french toast a lot.
(3)
L L.
Great place to take the kids. Wide variety on the menu. Diner food and a little up from there.
(4)
Kristen M.
YUM! The S&S is my go to breakfast/brunch joint. I typically get the "brunch eggs" which includes eggs, a choice of ham, bacon or sausage, toast, bagel or english muffin & fresh fruit! The portions are MORE than generous and you will literally be so full for the remainder of the day! Today, I tried the "croissant french toast" and it is absolutely my new favorite. The perfect blend of cinnamon and sugar atop light and fluffy french toast. The reason I only give 4 stars is because although the servers are friendly enough, they ALL seem to have amnesia! Very frustrating to have to wait 10 mins for a water refill :(. Otherwise, this place is the best. A must try!
(4)
Kate S.
Great food for the price!! It's a diner--without too much grease! Monte cristo is amazing because the meat is sooooo good. The only problems here are the long lines and the old staff. The waiters and waitresses work hard, they just look like they've been taken out of retirement and shouldn't be working as hard as they are! Fairly good fries too!
(4)
Wendy K.
I came here for the first time after hearing mixed reviews. The atmosphere was "eh," but doable, and we waited in a long line for a surprisingly short time. We sat down and I ordered a "large" apple juice (for whatever reason). The large apple juice was a normal-small sized apple juice and was maybe overpriced, but I guess I don't really care. I ordered a Rachel (a reuben with turkey instead of corned beef) which came with sauerkraut (which is what I like) instead of cole slaw (which I have seen at other restaurants) and it was very good. It was unfortunately not the best Rachel I have ever had, despite its $10+ price tag, and that is purely due to the uber-crispy toasted/grilled bread the sandwich came on, which also happened to be uber-greasy. When the bread is like that, it cuts my gums, and ya know, I just hate that. Otherwise, the service was very good despite the reviews I have read, and I didn't have to ask for a water refill at any time. I was mildly disturbed, however, by the fact that you must PAY EXTRA for tomatoeslettuceonions which ALWAYS comes with sandwiches and burgers. I will come for breakfast/brunch next time. Lastly, I am not a huge fan of pickles that aren't dill, and these weren't, but I can't judge a deli by it's pickle. The End.
(4)
Christopher M.
"My throat tastes like burning" "You should get soup" "ZOMG you're right! I wish there was a Jewish deli near me." *pulls out iPhone* "There is?* I didn't even need a menu, I knew what I wanted. Lemon tea with honey, a bowl of matzoh ball soup and a corned beef sandwich on light rye. The tea was liptons but the honey was quite good! I was impressed that a place in that price range served quality clover honey with their tea! The matzoh ball soup came replete with carrots and celery. Not really how I like my matzoh meal and chicken fat, but ok. The ball itself had a reat consistency but I found the taste to be a little flat. That being said I was stuffed up so it may be just fine. I'm giving tghem the benefit of the doubt on this. The sandwich was half the size I wanted but twice the size I expected. So I'd say it was about perfect, especially for 4.99! End result? A great jewish deli with solid food. Next time though, I'll see if I can get a double stuffed sammich. mmmmmmmmmmmm
(4)
Katelan Y.
This place has been here since my parents were in college and they still love going here. Great place for diner/deli food. Definitely have to recommend the S&S wings. They are addicting - crunchy, sweet and tangy. Reuben was good too.
(4)
SM H.
It's a nice spot to grab brunch of a late-ish night meal. They get really high marks for service - always had nice wait staff take care of me while I'm at the place, which gives it a lovely home-y vibe. The food is fine - there are certainly better brunch spots out there, but S&S certainly delivers on large portions and some filling food (I like the Salmon Hash)
(3)
Edwin O.
This place has been steadily declining over the past few years. On a regular day the food is mediocre, and at really busy times like Sunday brunch, it can be downright terrible. The same can be said for the service. And overpriced! Such a shame to see an institution like this go into decline. Just sad really. *sniff*
(2)
Amy B.
Dante would have classified the S&S under the Third Circle of Hell. The food is not fresh, just as the rains of Dante's hell lack any sort of refreshing quality. The service is beyond poor. The customer should be paid to eat here. Also, there is no speedy escape as paying the bill seems to take several hours. Unfortunately, I am unwillingly dragged here every few months because my daughter loves the soup. Having tasted it, I would suggesting visiting your local supermarket and purchasing a can of Progresso - pleasant Shaw's staff and getting exactly what you pay for in a timely fashion. Fancy that! Of course, you have to heat it up yourself...which takes all of two and a half minutes. The hostess forces you to stand in line - with no one else waiting in the line, there are several open tables and bored waitstaff stare at you. When you are finally herded to a table, grumpy waitstaff shows up 15 minutes later to take your drink order. After disappearing for another 15 minutes, you are allowed to place your food order. Boy, are they doing you a favor by allowing you to order anything! Forty five minutes later, you will be treated to cold, congealed Eggs Benedict served on hockey pucks (meant to resemble English muffins). The waitress will slam down your drinks and food, then practice the fine art of ensuring there is food in everyone's mouth so you cannot respond when checking to see if the customer is satisfied. You are allotted one drink per meal. That is all. Don't even try to catch the waitress's eye. You are not worthy enough to look at her! I know some folks really like this place. Some people like bad food and poor treatment. Some people are into S&M. I guess I don't fit into any of those categories. The only good thing about this place is the free parking lot. Hmm, free parking in a congested part of Cambridge...gotta lure the bait somehow...
(1)
Michelle L.
I've never been to the restaurant, just the deli area. So this review applies only to the deli counter and the products for sale there. I've heard the food in the restaurant half is mediocre and that service is slow, so I've just never been tempted to head over there. But: their bagels are fantastic. I've never had a New York bagel so some would say I'm not an expert on the matter, but it's one of the best I've ever had. Chewy and dense and, well, bagel-y. One of the best in all of Boston/Cambridge, and believe me, I've done my research. (I am also a huge fan of Bagel Rising, but that's neither here nor there.) I also tried a sticky bun, which was pretty yummy as well. If you come to S & S, why not head straight to the deli counter and get yourself a big bag of bagels. Maybe you'll have a better experience.
(4)
Melanie H.
S&S is a great go-to place in the Cambridge area. I have only been here for brunch, but have been satisfied both times. They have a very nice selection of omelettes and also have nice brunch specials (waffles, french toast, sausage and eggs). There are so many good options on the S&S brunch menu that it is difficult to decide on what to eat. I went here on a Sunday with 3 others around 11:00am and was seated right away. We were given quick service and our food came out quickly as well. The portions on the omelettes are huge. I got the lox omelette and split it with a friend- for $10.95 the omelette specials come with home fries, fresh fruit, a bagel, and the omelette. Plenty of food for two people. My other friend got the sticky bun, which they raved about. It looked delicious! Also, the bloody mary's and mimosa's looked amazing! I would definitely recommend S&S for a great brunch on a weekend.
(4)
Trudy L.
I am not sure what happened to the service of this restaurant over the years. I have been a loyal customer for over a decade and was saddened by the events that took place today. I had a friend and her teenage son meet me there for brunch today, while they waited the son was hungry so his mother ordered him an omelet, about an hour later I arrived. When I arrived I asked if we could please move to a booth, well this seemed to be an issue because I had to ask 2 servers and then a manager had to come over and explain the issue with changing seats. While she clearly explained what the issue would be regarding the changing of seats and I understood (thank you). It just seemed ridiculous. So seats changed my friends son decides to wrap up the remainder of his omelet to take home, the waiter comes and wraps it up for us very nice. As me and my friend were ordering our food her teenage son becomes hungry again and decides to finish his omelet. Well he opens it ans surprise he found hair in his food, his first instinct as a kid was to take the hair out of the food, which he did his mother asks the server is she would please throw it away, but the server says she is going to inform the manager. So we sit there and wait for at least 20 min and a supposedly manager (an older lady, has glasses, short brown hair usually sits in the back behind the main counter that holds all the pastries while I called to get the name of this person Amy informed me that she did not know which one I was talking about REALLY AMY so helpful and very rude over the phone THANK YOU AMY) comes over and informs us that they did not find the hair in the food. My friend explained to her that it was her son who found the hair and that he took it out, the manager informs us that he already ate most of it and not only that he should have left the hair in the food (which I can understand, but this was a kid reacting and not thinking about evidence that is needed). Mind you my friend had already spent about $30 feeding her son and then we spent another $50 so a total of $80 for all three of us. I was really surprised about how rude the supposedly manager was, not only did she make it seem like we were lying about the hair in the food but she also made it seem like we were trying to get a free meal. Not only did she embarrass us but she also humiliated us with these implications that all the other customers could here. Well by the end of this conversation our food arrived and we just decided to pack it up and leave. I am a foodie so I eat out very often and this by far the worst I have ever been treated. Even though most of the restaurants are high end I would expect good customer service, a friendly face, and an awesome meal, S&S had none of these and i will not be spending my money in that type of establishment. SO ALL BE WEARY. Thank you
(1)
Adrienne T.
It's been awhile since I've been to S&S. I will say that, as I recall, they have the absolute best wings in town. Yum-yum. I remember waiting in excessively long lines for brunch, which wasn't all that fab, I remember it being kind of loud, and I recall that the service wasn't that great. I had been warned about bad service, but I never found it bad, just sort of "unconcerned". I don't recall anything on the menu being out of this world exceptional, except the wings. Note: be sure to get the wings with the bone, the drumettes, NOT the tenders with no bones. For some odd reason, they really taste different.
(3)
Michael H.
The food was great. No complaints there. However, I have never had worse service at any restaurant in my life - and I am including fast food in that statement. Our server, Alfred, was a geriatric ass that was rude, inconsiderate, and paid almost no attention to our table. Our group, a party of 7, was seated at a booth. Alfred came over and lectured us for sitting at the wrong table (?) and was short and brusque even after we informed him this was where the hostess had seated us. He was angry, it turn ed out, because he had to go get us menus and silverware himself. When it came time to order, Alfred was impatient, pointing at each of us and demanding (not asking) "What do you want". When the food came, he walked up with 4 of the 7 dishes and yelled "Listen up!" and then started naming off our dishes (since he obviously was too old to remember who had ordered what). Throughout the entire meal, we only got refills on our water once, the only one of our party that had a drink (a diet coke) only got a single refill as well. Try this place, but if an old white man with bad teeth tries to serve you, ask for a different waiter. As someone who worked in restaurants for 6 years, I had never in my life stiffed someone until now. Go fuck yourself, Albert.
(1)
Tina D.
Really loved my pastrami on focaccia...breaded fries also hit the spot (that's a good thing)
(5)
Gloria L.
We love brunch! This place doesn't have the best food, but we do find ourselves back a couple of times a year -- their corned beef hash is pretty solid and I also really like their chive cream cheese. Their service depends on the server, but ranges from really good to just okay; today, the restaurant was half empty but it still took awhile for our server to come around to fill our waters. It helps that they have multiple parking lots, but sometimes the wait on the weekend can be ridiculous for what it is. We come back because we live so close.
(3)
Bill P.
We had dinner at S & S for the first time the other night after hearing numerous recommendations and it definitely lived up to expectations! I ordered the steak tips (which I would highly recommend) and my girlfriend had the chicken and broccoli pasta dish. Both were delicious and came with salads which were good too. The dinner menu was pretty extensive and had a good variety of options. After dinner we had a slice of ice cream sundae cheese cake which was excellent - you can see a number of their scrumptious desserts in the freezer when you first walk into the restaurant. When we ate there last night we didn't sit at the bar, but for those of you looking for a good bar to catch the game at I'd say it's worth a try. They have two big flat screen TVs and the bartender seemed to be very friendly and good-humored. The only reason I'm not giving this restaurant five stars is that the waiter could have been a little bit more attentive. He was super friendly, but once we had our meals he hardly every checked back on us and was a bit slow to realize we needed drink refills and whatnot. But still, it's a minor complaint. Long and diverse menu, friendly service, and delicious food - give this place a try!
(4)
Sarah C.
'Yay! I'm a fan.' I've always been a fan of S&S. It is a Cambridge breakfast staple. My Grandparents went there every Sunday for years decades ago. The wait-staff have all been there for AGES. It is CRAZY busy on Sundays. I usually always take public transit when I go because parking in Inman Square can be a trial. They've got the wait system down to a science on busy days and offer overflow to Ryles (decent Jazz brunch at Ryles on Sundays). They let you know what the wait is at Ryles and will send you there if you want. Great breakfast and lunch variety. Huge portions. They actually don't put fresh fruit on hot plates of food. They actually put sides of fruit in separate dishes unlike so many other breakfast places. PERFECT homefries. Well, I guess homefries are somewhat subjective.... these are my idea of perfect. Crispy/mushy potatoes pan seared with caramelized onions. I think due to their longevity they've got efficient service down pat. Sometimes the service is a little sterile but hey, if you've got your plate of food in front of you just the way you want in a timely manner, a full cup of coffee, and perhaps a mimosa plus good company... what more could you ask for?
(4)
Debra L.
I only had about 25 minutes to eat and get out the door to a mtg. So, when I was about to be seated I politely said "You know, I really only have about 30 minutes and I've never been here before - do you think that will enough time?" (This was my gentle way of letting her know I needed my service quickly without actually saying that.) She said it was no problem and she was on the ball! Took my order right away, brought me over my check right after my salad so I wouldn't have to ask for it etc. I think she liked that I was kind of in a hurry - she knew I was going to free up the table quicky. I guess I could have just gone to the deli counter and ordered something pre-made but I was in the mood for something more fresh. My salad was delicious: mixed greens, grilled chicken, blue cheese, dried cranberries, pecans with a crusty wheat roll. For what I was looking for that night, my experience at S&S was perfect. Given the other reviews, I think I'm lucky that I ordered something pretty simple and didn't have to deal with any lines.
(4)
Kristina D.
In almost two years of living within walking distance of S&S, I had never eaten its old-school deli goodness until this morning for brunch. The Mother's Day brunch crowd might be a tad different from the usual crowd, but I did appreciate the wide variety of clientele as compared to places that cater to hungover 20somethings. The menu also contains a huge variety of foods, so this review will likely get updated as I try more of them. Now, my ratings: -Bloody Mary (3 stars): pretty solid, but I would have liked more of a kick from horseradish, giant olives, tabasco, and lime juice. I have not yet found the elusive five-star Bloody Mary, but it will definitely have those qualities and perhaps also cucumber vodka. -Pecan sticky roll (5 stars): So adorbs. The roll part is sweet, light and croissanty--quite different than the typical dense cinnamon roll. I like putting butter all over the outer circumference of the roll and then fighting over division of the middle of the roll. -Continental omelette (4 stars): Included an omelette with Jarlsberg, mushrooms, and onions along with: a marble bagel & cream cheese, a tiny fruit cup, and home fries. In decreasing order of my liking: home fries, bagel + omelette, fruit cup. I like that they give a copious amount of whipped cream cheese.
(4)
Emily O.
This place has deviated from what it once intended to be: a Jewish-style deli with hearty portions and great bagels. Jewish, it is not. How do I know? The matzoh ball soup isn't made with schmaltz. When I asked about kosher meats for a friend of mine, a waitress stared at me like I was crazy and said "I don't think anything we have is kosher." All of these things would be forgivable if the food wasn't so unremarkable. Chopped liver? Too fatty tasting, and since when do tomatoes, onions, and lettuce come only as "extras?" French toast is alright, but nothing to go wild about. Burgers are O.K. I would stick to typical diner fare or visit Brookline for much better food.
(3)
John P.
Tasty, dependable brunch food. Inman Square already caters to a variety of tastes: good pub grub at Bukowski Tavern, good Indian at Punjabi Dhaba, good Mexican at Olecito, and so on. S&S wouldn't beat any of those in a straight up, Ali-vs-Wepner fight. S&S gets four stars by being open late, by serving good breakfast food round the clock, and by bringing a consistent diner atmosphere. You'll see all types here: young Cambridge couples with kids in strollers; massive families with all three generations dining at once; hipsters looking for a pre-bar brunch to soak up their alcohol. Protip: grilled cheese with tomato.
(4)
Ryan H.
I tried this place the other day for the first time and i have to say it's probably my favorite breakfast place in Boston. I tried the corned beef hash, the stuffed french toast and the potato pancakes. All of it was great! The service was as expected at a place like this. The corned beef hash had a great flavor and you can tell it was homemade. The poached eggs were a little overdone but the bagel was good. The French toast wasnt the best i've ever had but it was good enough and big enough that i would order it again. The potato pancakes were crispy and flavorful but there were only three. If i ordered these alone it wouldn't have been enough. Overall the experience was great and ill definitely be back. I can see how this place has been open for almost 90 years.
(4)
Ethan A.
My breakfast plate was more than enough food. Omelet, home fries, fruit cup, bagel and cream cheese for nine bucks. Unfortunately, nothing was good enough to want to try again. Omelet had a good mix of vegetables, but barely any cheese. Home fries had no flavor. Fruit cup was warm. Bagel was okay. The service was nice enough, though a bit slow. I wouldn't have minded a refill at some point. Still, it was cheap enough, and very plain. My fellow diner thought it was like the Ninety Nine, which is not a compliment. If it weren't just next door to the apartment, I would not consider ever going back.
(3)
Jonathan H.
I've found myself coming hear less over the years, but I still consider it a brunch standard and often come here when old Boston friends return. There is one dish that both me and T will flat out crave every 2-3 months: S&S's corned beef hash and eggs. This is not from a can folks and I'm pretty sure you can order this any time of day. Everything else is pretty good, my other staples include their Turkey Club, Stuffed Chicken Breast (a little taste of Thanksgiving), and Quiche Lorraine. Service has been varied, certain times they are very attentive, other times we're flat out ignored. I just usually avoid the crazy brunch crowds on the weekend and I'm pretty happy.
(3)
Peter P.
I've been going here on and off for years, I would have given it more stars, except the menu is hit or miss. The S&S wings or the S&S sandwich, are very good, the ruben on the other hand, is a complete disgrace for a jewish deli. breakfast I have found is always good. This is a great place to take people that like their food on the bland side, which is not an insult. You won't find anything spicy here, it was the perfect place to take my grandparents.
(3)
S K.
their brunch is delicious. portions are big. my favorites are: corned beef hash extra crispy with over easy eggs, monte cristo sandwich, grilled bagels, stuffed chicken, and croissant french toast. the omelettes are just okay. a lot of seating so you don't have to wait too long.
(4)
Melanie W.
I used to love going to S & S several years ago because of the wide selection of food and the delicious stuffed French toast served all day. However, the last time I went a few weeks ago left a lot to be desired. First off, no eating establishment should have carpet. Ever. This place has carpet that hasn't been cleaned in a while and smelled awful. Combined with the smell of stale beer from the bar, I was already put off. I ordered the half roasted chicken, which while plentiful, was tasteless. It was accompanied by rice pilaf and vegetables, which were not memorable. The chocolate peanut butter pie, however, saved the day and bumped the review to two stars. Rich and totally decadent, it was worth every last calorie. The service was very, very slow. It took a while to get our food and our waitress disappeared for long stretches of time. What a shame, maybe I'll go for take out, but I'm not sure I'll be back.
(2)
Peter P.
This review is only based on one lunchtime take out experience (ate at table in deli area), so take it FWIW. I order the Monte Cristo which comes with fries and fruit salad "and strawberries" as the menu says, for $9.95 - seemed like a bargain. The sandwich was cut in quarters and sort of smashed into the takeout box, it did not look appealing nor was it the size I imagined (kind of small). Upon trying to eat the Monte Cristo I found it some what slapped together, the meat wasn't very well distributed (sort of in a ball in the middle), with the bread being very soggy and perhaps undercooked (as it's egg-battered). By the time I got to the last quarter I found a hair wrapped around it, none too appealing either and that's when I called it quits. The fries were a generous portion and had that sort of crispy/battery outside, very tasty. Though after finding a hair in my food I was pretty much over the whole situation. To their credit the staff was very apologetic and quick to offer me a refund, plus a fresh batch of fries to take away. Alas, by the time I got home the fries were soggy - so note they do not travel well. The fruit cup was sort of lackluster - some cantaloupe, blueberries and literally about 3 sour grapes -- no strawberries as advertised either. To sum it up I've given S&S two stars, but I'm willing to give them one more try. Everyone messes up once in a while, and the customer service was good enough for me to believe I may need to upgrade their rating after a second trip. We shall see...
(2)
Mya T.
Really good chicken sandwich. Great location!
(4)
Lee T.
This is my Seinfeld "Restaurant." Yes, I'm a dork, but there's never been a bad meal here which says a lot considering the size of the menu! Beginners will go right for the deli sandwich. The hot pastrami is excellent. The turkey with havarti dill triple decker club is two meals. The specials have that "like mom used to make" quality. The matzoh ball soup is super filling. Any time of day, any time of year, S&S has got it goin' ON! I especially love coming here after work. I sit at the bar after 7pm. It's quiet, there's TVs, and usually quick service.
(5)
Lissy R.
This is one of my favorite places in the Boston/Cambridge area! It is consistently excellent for breakfast, brunch, and lunch! The menu is quite expansive. Be sure to save room for the chocolate cake!
(5)
Sarah D.
Great brunch place. Actually got here around 1130 on Saturday and it was very crowded but we were seated right away. Waiter came promptly, took our order promptly, and food came out within 15ish minutes. They give HUGE portions here, so if you're hungry definitely come here. I got an omelette, which comes with homefries, a bagel or english muffin or toast, and fresh fruit. (their homefries were actually better than I expected) Not all of the food was warm- I would say lukewarm. Definitely not hot.. but I guess it depends on your own experience. But good value for the price. It took a little bit longer for us to get the check because he was waiting on many tables. We actually got his attention for the check by standing up and putting our coats on. Might come here again if I'm not looking to go to a neighborhoody-cafe type place.
(4)
Brett H.
This is a really good place, especially if you have kids. I went there with my brother and his family including little Zoe and in Boston, there are few places we can take her without pissing a lot of people off. She's energetic. I had the french toast and it was solid. The food was good, the atmosphere was good and most importantly, they have their own parking!!!
(3)
Max B.
This restaurant is terrible. Walked into a half empty place, yet still had to wait for five minutes before being rudely seated. The food is bad, the service is worse. Steer clear.
(1)
Eating In The B.
Since I've eaten here twice in the past two weeks I figured I should actually post a review on it and share the wealth with others! This place has been open for 95 years which is absolutely incredible and is a central part of Inman Square. One of the first things I noticed upon getting there is every picture in the place is of Inman Square at different points in time and from different angles. It was really cool to see all of the history in the place (which includes a lifesized cardboard cutout of what I can only assume was the first waitress in the bakery - give me a break! I do enough reading for school, I'm not going to do research on who the blonde lady in the apron was). The food is what keeps me coming back beyond just the look though. I had the Croissant French Toast the first time I came which is basically just French toast with cinnamon and sugar. I described that as basic, but it's amazing. It comes with a bowl of fruit and your choice of bacon/sausage. I was in heaven to say the least. The second time I came back I had the "Breakfast Omelette" which was a special they were running (it says it's a special, but it was also there the first time I came so I'm guessing it's a fairly regular occurrence). It had pesto which intrigued/scared me and it turned out to be delicious. It also had more basic ingredients like ham, onions, tomatoes, etc, but the pesto is really what makes this unique. The omelette only costs $11 and also comes with a bagel, home fries and fruit so I'd say it's a pretty great deal since I wasn't hungry for the rest of the day.... If you're looking for a quick bite or a delicious baked good to go there's a separate bakery attached to the restaurant as well! eatinginthebean.wordpres…
(5)
Emily G.
Major disclaimer: I came here when the mandated shelter-in notice went out and we were all forced to stay indoors in Cambridge and Watertown. As much as I try to abide by the law, we had absolutely no food in my friends apartment and needed to have at least one meal for the day. Luckily S&S was the only place open within walking distance, so off we went... carefully. Note to self: stock up on canned stuff for the next apocalyptic nightmare or Marshall law. So, how on earth do you rate a restaurant under the most unusual circumstances? What do you forgive and what do you bake into a #-star rating? The environment in the restaurant was straight out of a horror movie: the place was virtually empty except for the bar, the TV was on and loud on CNN reports, the staff was quiet and annoyed to be there (I would be too if I was the only person in my town forced to go into work) and the mood... well, you can imagine. But- we were starving, we needed food, and S&S had it. So on with the review. I got the roasted half chicken with mashed potatoes and a side salad. I noticed that they had a bunch of interesting salad dressings so I also ordered a side of their coconut-lime-curry dressing on the side to use as a dipping sauce for the chicken. At $9.99, this meal was huge. The "side-salad" was not very side-looking and their balsamic dressing packed a punch and a made it a great start to my only meal of the day. The half chicken must have been a mutant animal, because the 4 pieces of chicken I got served were HUGE. The chicken was extremely juicy and the mound of mashed potatoes was creamy and comforting. Using the dipping sauce on the chicken made the mashed-potato-chicken-sauce combo a wining taste. I was completely stuffed after just getting through half of my meal and dinner roll. I took the rest of it to go and kept it as a backup for later since we didn't know when we could venture outside again. So there you go. What I ordered was absolutely 4 stars worthy and a really great price for the amount of food, the flavors and quality of it. Maybe there is more that could've been said about the service or environment or wait-time, but all those things weren't "standard" today, and I don't think it would have been fair for me to judge a place under these circumstances. I was grateful for food, and an escape from fake house arrest, at least for an hour.
(4)
Jennifer J.
We drive from Belmont for the S&S wings, potato skins and beef knishes ( if they have them). Delicious and a perfect takeout meal!
(4)
J R.
If you like your poached eggs with runny yolks, make sure you order it that way... Otherwise your eggs bene won't be what you expect.. This place is always great!
(4)
G G.
Went here when nearby places had huge lines. Decent food, quick service. I really enjoyed the matzoh ball soup and bagel and lox. Some of the items weren't as well received - the Salmon Hash was a bit under salted and bland. But overall a great brunch option.
(3)
Angela A.
Reliably mediocre, with some redeeming features. The Inman Square brunch market is a pretty high-octane adventure. Are you willing to wait on the sidewalk in freezing cold temps for a preciously-cooked gorgonzola/prosciutto/salted caramel tagine thingie? (OK, I mock City Girl Caffe', but they are quite tasty.) Or is your soul weak (slash, hungover), and are you just looking for anything resembling heated eggs with cheese, cooked by someone else? If so, the industrial brunch of S&S is probably fine. Don't get me wrong. Some things are great at S&S. For one, the fact that it's like Harry Potter's camp tent, and seems to expand beyond the limits of physics. Don't worry if you have a party of 5. You'll be seated in no time. Then, if you agree to sticking by conservative, can't-fail menu items (choc chip pancakes, lox bagel), you'll be rewarded with something tasty. If, like me, you pick a more adventurous breakfast special omelet (as I did, that one time), you'll regret it. (Seriously, it was so gross.) Most of the stuff I can get at S&S I could probably cook at home, for less money, and more to my taste. But sometimes, it's Sunday and you're lazy and you want an easy treat. S&S is just that: convenient, not great, always available.
(3)
Paulina B.
This has become a regular spot for my boyfriend and I on Sunday mornings for brunch. This diner/family style deli has a huge dining area that is always bustling. Even when the waiting area is packed with people, we never wait longer than 15 minutes for a table. I've had several things off the brunch menu, and I've loved every single one of them. The coffee is strong and tasty and the mimosas are made with fresh squeezed orange juice, which makes all the difference. I would definitely recommend this place for brunch - the meals are delicious and the servings are huge! I love some of their creative breakfast offerings, like Eggs Copenhagen and Eggs Benedict with Crab Cakes. Yummy!
(5)
Tyler A.
The corned beef sandwich is good, the key lime pie is good, wings are awesome, delivery speed was good. This was for lunch at work one day; I enjoyed it so I decided to go for breakfast the following weekend. Breakfast was meh, (croissant with ham and hash browns) the morning cocktail I got had a trace hint of alcohol, I basically paid $6 for a $3 glass of orange juice. The food was overpriced for what it was and the service was less than impressive. I will not be back. There are MANY other places that do it for less and better. Tradition is not indicative of quality.
(2)
Albert L.
I hate to write a bad review, but i had one of the worst restaurant experiences here. The only redeeming value was our sweet server. The food is terrible. Some of the worst I've had. I ordered the meatloaf, it tasted and looked like it was frozen and then reheated in a microwave. It was gray in color and tasted blander than cardboard. I don't remember what everyone else ate (went with the gf and 2 friends) but what I do remember were the portions were HUGE (and nothing else ordered looked too good). Who would want to eat that much bad food, i have no idea. I'm probably never coming back.
(2)
Daisy C.
S&S was more of a stand-out than just a solid option yesterday. I had to write about and preserve this meal because it truly left me content. S&S is a safe bet: the staff are generally courteous, the food is consistently tasty, and the wallet doesn't feel too sad after a visit. We weren't really planning to go there today but, after dismissing a few other options, S&S was decided upon since we were in the area and precious minutes of lunchtime were disappearing. Promptly seated, we had a very nice waitress for our meal. While some may consider both of those anomalies at S&S, I've come to talk about the shrimp and crab cakes lunch special. This dish really called out to me. I saw it on the specials board, I flipped through the entire menu (even the breakfast options, which I usually get) and saw nothing else I wanted...I was looking forward to something different. I opted for cole slaw as my side. The two cakes were moist and had a good amount of whole shrimp and crab meat. The crumb coating outside was crisp but not oily. There was a satisfying hot dip, kind of like a heated vinaigrette with small tomato pieces. The rice pilaf was just barely more mushy than al dente, but I don't mind this sort of thing and it was not overly salty. The cole slaw had nice crunch and wasn't too creamy. The meal was very filling, well worth $8.95. Right place, right time. An aligning of celestial bodies. For serious.
I thought this place was pretty good, with a decent selection of traditional deli items. It was pretty lively both times I was there, and the food was delicious and filling. Certainly a place worth checking out...
(4)
Stephanie P.
My sister and I stopped in here for a late breakfast on a Monday morning. At about 9am there was only one other table occupied in the establishment, but I'm sure they are more packed for lunch/dinner on weekdays. This place has been open for decades so they must be doing something right! They have a pretty extensive breakfast menu. Nothing unusual that jumps out at you, just classic, comfort breakfasts. My sister ordered an omelet with veggies and cheese which came with homefries and rye toast. Her omelet was very good but the homefries a little greasy. I ordered the french toast on egg bread. It wasn't as thick or crispy as I'd like but that didn't stop me from eating 3 slices... Decor is...well, it's boring. Their coffee was really good and service was prompt with the refills. $20 for two breakfasts and coffees.
(3)
Shieun M.
They've got the best sour pickles!
(5)
Sara M.
I used to live close to this place and walked here for a few brunches. Thankfully, there is also a parking lot if you have to drive. This place gets quite busy on the weekends so expect a wait even though it is large. It had your typical breakfast fare but with higher prices. I expected better quality food due to the hype but it was rather average. I felt the bagel and lox was good but I also have fond memories of this at home growing up. Good option for the area but I would drive farther for some kick-ass pancakes, like at Deluxe Town Diner.
(3)
Tamara W.
Went there with my aunt and sister a few weeks ago for the first time in years... exactly what I would have expected: -old, angry waitress who was visibly rude after we ordered swordfish skewers but instead she gave us a swordfish stake and we corrected her. She changed the order but was not particularly friendly about it. -Had to do the thing where we stood up and asked for the check because our waitress was so lazy and probably on a smoke break -Food was good (swordfish was good, salmon was good, salad was decent) etc. but unless you are obese or in a food eating contest you will not finish your meal... the portions scream FAT AMERICA. -Parking is hard in the area, you need to do meter unless you are a Cambridge Resident. Overall, not planning to go back anytime soon... slash, never.
(2)
Marnie S.
A poor review from me won't stop the busloads and busloads of tourists from stopping there every single day, so I feel I'm free to speak my mind. When I order a stack of chocolate chip raspberry pancakes, which are, by the way, marked up in price as a "sunday special," it's a little surprising to be given a stack of dry, crumbly plain wheat pancakes with -- I counted and photographed the evidence -- three raspberries and six chocolate chips scattered on top. Just as surprising as, say, being given zero coffee refills during an hour at the restaurant. Or water refills, which are sorely needed for those dry pancakes. My side of fruit was a cup full of green cantaloupe rinds. Okay, okay, it's just your standard Greek-joint-type breakfast place. But usually those places are redeemed by some sort of secret-goldmine wow factor (like, the best Omelettes on the eastern seaboard, or something), and S&S seems, in my opinion, to have none.
(1)
Michael C.
Honestly, I hate to give this place a 2 star review because I am so nostaligic about it, but I think that is part of its effect. S & S offers your standard but expansive american breakfast menu, has a small deli, a full bar, and can accomodate large parties (12 in our case). Unfortunately the food here has fallen off in terms of quality. On my last visit my eggs benedict were cooked all the way through, which could be forgiven. Another person in our group ordered an omlette that was so undercooked the cheese on the inside was unmelted. My advice, stick to pancakes and waffles when you come here.
(2)
Sarah G.
I can't believe how big this place is! I knew it had been a brunch staple since the early 1900's but having that much space in the Cambridge/Somerville area and having not one but TWO small parking lots, is just nuts. It is also nuts how quickly the line moves at this place for Sunday brunch! So definitely don't be discouraged! This place is one of those classic family owned restaurant/diner spots with a big menu that definitely has to has something on it for everyone. I got their salmon hash which was TONS of salmon (definitely not cheap on the amount of fish they use!) roasted with onions and spices and red potatoes with two poached eggs on top served with a little fruit cup and a bagel of course. It was $13 before tax and tip for that meal which kept me full until dinner for sure, BUT it was not the most amazing food I've ever had. Good, but not incredible, ya know? Matt J. got their eggs oscar which were served on potato pancakes and came also with fruit and bagel also for $13 and he like his stuff, but overall just thought it was a good brunch place, not an amazing brunch place. We did have to ask for water a few times, but they at least aren't the type of Sunday brunch place that rushes you when you are done eating, we even had to ask for our check :-)
(3)
Anna R.
S&S is the quintessential diner experience in Inman. It's like a Perkins with a liquor license. I always get: -bottomless coffee -quiche lorraine -mimosa The meal is big enough to last for 2 days--a bagel and cream cheese, fruit, amazing homefries, and a slab of quiche with bacon and swiss. Those fries are right out of someone's hangover-cure cookbook, and completely delicious. I'm not one for Bloody Mary's, but my roommate always loves his and comments that they are made with a lot of vodka. The service is hit or miss--sometimes coffee is not refilled very quickly. But overall, the amazing food and homey atmosphere trumps all of that. If my roommates and I have a Seinfeld-esque diner, S&S is totally it.
(5)
Jessica B.
Unfortunately, I don't quite get the appeal of S & S Restaurant Deli. I had a garden omelette without cheese and it was pretty average. It was huge, I will certainly give it that. I didn't think the coffee or my tomato juice was unusually good. Maybe I ordered wrong and should have gone for the Jew food. (I'm Jewish, I can say that.) The decor was pretty neutral. Comfortable booths, but I don't really remember anything standing out as nicer than a chain restaurant. Our waitress was sweet and called my husband "hon" and warmed up his coffee. Bottom line? Not bad. I would go again, but there are places I prefer.
(3)
Nicholas G.
This place might be a lot of things but a deli it is not. They should be embarrassed to serve the pastrami that they do (tastes like stop & shop pastrami). They forgot my fries and the draft beer was flat. Do your self a favor and walk across the street to all-star and get a real sandwich.
(2)
Stephanie L.
S&S is always a solid choice for brunch. There is nothing on the menu that is going to blow your mind, but also nothing that will arrive at your table and be a huge disappointment. They serve solid, consistent food with large portions at a great price. I've only been here for brunch, and have tried several of the offerings. The varieties of eggs benedict are all tasty, but again nothing really special or engaging. (Like, the reaction as it goes in your mouth is, "oh, breakfast food" not "oh my goodness, yo have to try a bite of this".) In fact, I don't think I've ever needed to have someone else try a bite of my food nor really needed to try someone else's dish here. The prices are fantastic for what you get. Breakfast cocktails (mimosas, bellinis, bloody mary's) are just $5.95 and a huge spread of food (really could be enough fo 2 people) is just $10-13. The ambiance here is pretty much non-existent, it is like a slightly more upscale Denny's, with tables and chairs instead of booths. But everything is clean and the service is prompt. There are also 2 parking lots, and I've always been able to find a spot for my car, even on busy weekend mornings.
(3)
Genevieve B.
Every true Cantabrigian knows about S&S! Especially the S&S wings (on the bone of course)! They make their own special sweet and tangy sauce, which they coat a heaping plate of their crispy wings in and deliver to your table piping hot! Oh, and you can't forget their homemade blue cheese! (Fat note: my mouth is salivating as I write this, lol) Anywho, if you're not into chicken or wings, they have a pretty extensive menu, from club sandwiches and burgers, to seafood and salad or breakfast options which they serve all day. I personally love their quiche Lorraine, the seafood casserole and their Chatham Salad. They also have a number of dessert options and everything on their menu is available for takeout.
(4)
Kim K.
Consistently good, fresh ingredients, fair prices. Take out is the way to go! Delicious sandwiches, amazingly creamy cole slaw which is my favorite go-to summer side. S&S, you are made of win.
(4)
Shane R.
the first place i went for food w jk after a red eye to boston. corn beef hash was better than many others ive had, but i wouldnt go out of my way to come here. not particularly great or memorable.
(3)
Kristine R.
Yess a yummy brunch place! Came here yesterday and had the croissant french toast. WOW! so tasty! It was a generous portion of about four pieces. It also came with fruit and three bacon strips. The french toast wasn't too sweet, which I liked. My friend ordered the raisin french toast which she liked. They are other options on the menu like omelettes, pancakes and waffles. Such an array of breakfast foods, it was a bit hard to decide. Service was lacking and the place itself reminds me of a Denny's. We luckily beat the rush and we were able to be seated right away. Once we left though, people were waiting in line. Great place for brunch and if you have a car they have a dedicated lot. I'm really starting to love Cambridge!
(4)
Thomas P.
Add this to the list of places that could be really great, but for sad service. (Great service will often make up for mediocre food, but less than good service is hard to overcome, even with the best food.) Sunday brunch at the bar, and I could see the service staff swimming in the weeds... If management would put enough support staff on duty, and actually direct service, they'd not only provide better service, they'd be able to serve more guests.
(2)
Reena S.
Awful. The eggs were soggy and the filling to egg ratio in the omelets was off. Pumpkin pancakes were good but rich so you could only eat one. Service was awful. We were brought to 3 different tables and the waiter couldn't remember anything we asked for. Not sure why this place has such great brunch reviews. It is not good
(1)
Edwin P.
Good food. Great service.
(4)
May L.
S & S is the only place in Inman Square that I don't like. You see - I really wanted to like it mainly because there's a lack of deli's in Cambridge. I wanted a good bagel. That's what I was excited about the day that I went. The bagel, however, wasn't good. It tasted the same as one of the frozen ones I take out of my freezer when I haven't gone grocery shopping and have nothing else to eat. That from a deli? Really? Obviously, we are not in NYC but still disappointing. The other major problems are the slow service and the expensive prices. Plan on staying there over an hour if you go. It's impossible to get the waitresses' attention. I was blown away when I paid $ 45 for two omelletes and one mimosa. Maybe we got a couple of juices but still - you can get the same kind of food at a cheap diner and if you're going to pay those kind of prices, find a place with a hip ambiance somewhere in Boston. It's still a mystery to me why there are so many senior citizens in the restauarant - it's literally a sea of white heads - given the prices. For a good diner go to Kelly's in Ball Square or if brunching in Inman, you're better off at City Girl or Trina's Starlite lounge.
(2)
Robert O.
I've been coming here for years and I've never had a bad experience. The menu of options is expansive. I've come under moods. Sometimes I'm in the mood for their Specials menu. Sometimes I'm in the mood for my favorites. I bring my family here for brunch on the weekends. I come in at least once a week for a late lunch/early dinner. I've recently discovered a guilty pleasure----there's a bartender who can make a HOLY kicking chocolate martini, like you've never experienced. Sometimes I come in just for one of their deserts. This place is an Inman Oasis---always here for you, and there are so many reasons to come. NEVER disappointed. The best staff ever.
(5)
Julia N.
Onion rings. Tuna salad sandwhich on marble rye. French onion soup. Or mazo ball soup here. Perfection. Not expensive. Nice service. Clean. Always good food. Slow service, especially on weekends.
(4)
J R.
I don't know if A-OK is an accurate assessment of my Easter dining experience at S&S but we had a good waitress so that made up for the food. I ordered the french toast with brie and fig preserves and Canadian bacon. I was sooooooo excited because my favorite breakfast spot (Sugar's in Roslindale Square) made this same dish and they recently closed. I was really disappointed when I got a plate of French toast with 2 slices of brie in between. It was like an unfinished grilled cheese sandwich. The preserves were good, bacon okay. My mom had a seafood casserole which she enjoyed and my daughter had the crabcakes in some type of watery corn and pepper garnish/dressing. She didn't eat it and ordered tartar sauce. All in all it wasn't the S&S of my youth. I hope they revisit their menu and look at how other diining establishments are making dishes. Next Easter I'll go back to making my own meal.
(3)
Steven D.
My fiancee has a mind of her own and is currently in S&S. Her waitress has been rude and as my fiancee eats her (none too special) bagel, the waitress is loudly complaining that her tips are too small and clearly expecting my fiancee to take teh hint and tip heavily. Rather than the waitress take the hint and not be obnoxious.
(1)
Mike O.
S&S has been a longtime favorite of mine dating back to my late teen years. It's been a reliable stop for breakfast/brunch when in that section of Cambridge and has always offered a plethora of menu options, including those consistent with most Jewish delis. More often than not, meals are executed to a satisfactory or above average standard, and done so with generous portion sizes and with fresh ingredients. S&S is a bit kitschy in the sense that it brings you to a place that you'd rarely expect to find in the quasi-hip Inman Square, one of dated charm that wreaks of a post Depression era and the decor to boot. I am willing to bet that some of the staff have been working there for about as long, and while that can be comforting, it can also cause service to be a bit slow sometimes since it does get packed on the weekends and becomes noticeably stalled. This may not be entirely their fault, nor the fault of the kitchen, but perhaps it's simply the nature of a bustling dining room, but do not come here expecting to get in and out quickly. One important note: they serve breakfast ALL DAY so if you're in need of some good grease before (or during) the area bars, keep this fact in mind, but do so before they close; 10pm on weekdays (Su-We), 11pm on weekends (Th-Sa).
(3)
c. wallace o.
Writing a review on S & S is like advocating for a change in the MBTA service. You know it's not really going to make a difference because they have a formula that works for enough people to be consistently frequented and profitable. And its a Cambridge Institution, so why change it now?! That being said I shall continue my futile writing exercise of the day. With S & S, what you see is basically what you get. Nothing is going to be surprisingly good or bad. The food is american comfort cuisine / ny diner. I had the chicken parmasean with pasta and a side salad. It was okay. My friends all got their 'famous' wings with the sweet and sour sauce. I tried them, they were okay. They had gross cycso foods french fries though as a side which was not okay in my book. Large portions. Friendly enough service. Its like they mastered the "Art of Mediocre", literally right down the middle, if for nothing else visit S & S and be a witness to this triumph of middle ground quality and service`balance. In terms of the ambiance, I agree with other reviews its a step above a denny's but barely. There are little signs of the longevity of the establishment and the Jewish American heritage sprinkled about (the walls, the menu, the counter, etc.) I'd summarize the food and ambiance of S & S as neighborhood diner meets touristy kitschy restaurant meets nursing home cafeteria.
(3)
Theresa F.
Okay, I enjoyed this sandwich shop a lot. You basically walk up to the counter and let them know what you'd like, they give you a ticket with the details of your order.. Meanwhile you can wait and look at the delicious display cases filled with all types of sinfully yummy pies and cookies and all that jazz (if you're into that)... I passed up on all that and just got a turkey sandwich with lots of veggies and provolone on a pita.. YUM. and their soup was also served very hot and I think it was made in store. I'd eat here again and I would take friends.
(3)
Leslie W.
Maybe because I'm a left coaster with a right brain kind of way of looking at customer service or maybe just because service on the east coast just is minimal, I had a hard time with my breakfast at S&S. Amy swooped me up from the airport and we set out for breakfast. The places that she wanted to try were closed, so we stumbled upon S&S. It was open, so we went in. (I'm always down to try a sit-down deli.) There were only a few people in the restaurant, which could mean that the food is bad or maybe it was just a slow morning. (More people started coming in, as we ate.) We sat at a table next to the window. It gave me an opportunity to do some people watching. Dark wood accents and furniture. Classic setting for a deli restaurant combo. There are the typical things that one would expect on a breakfast menu. I had decided that I wanted an omelet but I wasn't sure which one to get. I asked the waitress what was the special omelet for the day. She didn't know. That surprised me. I guess I'm just used to the servers learning the specials, when they come on shift. She came back and told us it was a sausage, tomato and onion omelet. Amy and I both ordered that. Rather than get bagels, we asked for toast. I asked for iced tea (of course) and Amy asked for coffee. We both asked for water. A few minutes later, the drinks arrived. A few minutes after that, the food arrived. (My drinks were both empty, at this point.) I tucked into my breakfast. The omelet was about 10 inches long and 4 inches wide. It had a delicate folded egg style wrapped around the filling. The sausage inside was absolutely delicious. The tomatoes didn't add much. Perhaps if they had used some cilantro or basil to set off the tomatoes, it would have been nicer. The potatoes were kinda mushy and had a strange orange sheen to them. They tasted like potatoes, but didn't look like much of anything. The wheat toast was excellent. Toasted to perfection, there were some sunflower seeds baked in and some oats on the crust. It had a delicious flavor and was a good complement to the omelet. My water glass was never refilled. I had to ask for more tea, twice. I'm a big drinker (of tea and water, that is) but these glasses were mostly filled with ice, so there isn't much room for liquid. It disappoints me to no end that a server doesn't recognize a glass is empty and should be refilled. She was pleasant and did what we requested, but that was it. She didn't check on us and we were her only table for most of the time we were there!
(3)
Ben R.
After a few more times at S&S I've come to the conclusion that they have a lot of stuff on the menu, but none of it is really all that great. I've added it to my list of "do not go here" restaurants. I'm not sure what happened, but it doesn't do it for me anymore.
(2)
Iannis R.
It's Sunday morning, the clock strikes nine I don't want to shlep all the way to Brookline For some decent latkes or a plate of corned beef Or else, corned beef hash (if you don't have no teef) Or other Yiddishkeit that may seem good Even if it really is fake Kosher food. The place is not perfect but is done pretty well But still nothing to make your Bubbe kvell.
(4)
Amelia M.
I went here for brunch once and ordered the eggs Copenhagen (poached eggs, lox, sauteed onions, hollandaise sauce, English muffin, with home fries and fruit salad). It was a big serving and extra delicious. I would love to take my relatives here next time they're in town -- it has a great "family meal" feel, and is a nice sunny space for any weekend brunch stop-in. I definitely recommend it if you're in need of a tasty "rise and shine" kind of vibe.
(4)
Dave S.
Corn beef hash is the best! Lox spread is a delicious bargain. Gotta get a Kosher dill, even for breakfast. Skip the home fries.
(4)
Emily G.
Fantastic bagels! Their chive cream cheese is also really good. Great service, fast for to go. And easily the same price as Dunkin Donuts. Looking forward to trying them for dinner soon!
(5)
Eric M.
More of a diner than a deli. It was satisfactory, but nothing to write home about.
(3)
April T.
This family must be doing something right. You don't stay in business for almost a century otherwise. Went for crowded Sunday brunch but still got seated within five minutes. Everything was yummy, especially their Eggs Copenhagen! The Hollandaise sauce was light and clean, one of the best I've ever tried. Decent prices and good service.
(4)
Chaya M.
The food is consistently great, but I have to give if two stars because the service is ALWAYS atrocious! I leave wondering why I put up with it. It's like the wait staff is trained to be rude and nasty.
(2)
Kelsey L.
S&S has some really good aspects. French toast, muffins on the grill and sausage are all really good. However, this place is a little overpriced for what you get. A side of a few slices of bacon was $2.50 I think. We get takeout brunch there once in awhile, but I wish there was a cheaper diner nearby. I recommend it if you don't mind the price. Their takeout is usually ready very quickly, which is nice. Be careful when you order breakfast foods on the weekend, they might try to charge you off the brunch menu, which is slightly more expensive than the breakfast menu for some items.
(3)
Cris E.
I've been coming here for over 20 years. I do agree with others that the breakfast is a little pricey but the omelets makes up for $$$. I really enjoy their burgers with the nice bulky buns and when I'm really Craving something heavy, I order their Ruben! Delicious! My all time favorite waiter at the s and s is Al, Aka, "butter". He's a character, great waiter plus his humor makes my food taste extra good!
(4)
Mike G.
We are just visiting the Cambridge area for a few days and stopped in here for breakfast. The service is wonderful, atmosphere is great and prices right on for a breakfast place. Although the waitress typed part of our order in wrong, she quickly brought out the right good. Again, service and food were great!
(4)
Eva K.
S&S is a notch above your run-of-the-mill breakfast place. Good place for breakfast on Saturdays - all the other restaurants in Inman tend to do Sunday brunch only. Unlike the other reviewers, I did not find the waitstaff to be rude. In fact, I found one of the waiters to be super-nice to my bf after said bf ordered a strawberry mimosa. What's up with that?!
(4)
Laura H.
I love S&S. I've eaten there dozens of times. I've taken all my friends and out of town guests. I could probably eat there every day. I didn't even like Hollandaise sauce before I discovered S&S, and now I eat Eggs Florentine every chance I get. In fact, I love S&S so much that I can't bring myself to eat brunch anywhere else. I've tried most of the brunch menu at one time or another. The hash browns are delicious, I could drink the Hollandaise sauce, and the mimosas are tasty, cold, and refreshing. The croissant french toast is amazing. Even the corned beef hash is pretty good, and I'm generally not a fan. With that said, a couple of things for those who haven't been there: 1. The Hot chocolate, while delicious, is roughly 85% whipped cream. If you don't mind paying $3.50 for whipped cream, knock yourself out. Otherwise, if you want to taste warm, chocolately goodness, ask them to hold it. 2. Parking is obnoxious during the peak times, which is pretty much any time Saturday. They added a lot down the street, which is nice, but they recently implemented a plan where you need a token to exit the lots. The problem? You can't see that the lot is full until after you pull in, and then you can't leave. So, you're left with the options of waiting for someone to leave, or parking illegally while you go in and get a token. What that means to me is that I'm better off taking the T. 3. The place is almost too popular for its own good. If you go during peak brunch times on the weekend, be prepared to wait about an hour for a table. Still, it's amazing and delicious and worth the wait. 4. It gets warm in there when it's crowded (which is most of the time). Wear layers.
(4)
Lana A.
Just okay, IMHO. Our waitstaff was not friendly or helpful. It seemed to take an overly long time to receive our orders. And then the food quality was just so-so. But maybe that's what the S and S stand for, I don't know. We've only been here once, so I gave it an okay rating on the basis of what our host had to say about past experiences which were better than ours.
(3)
Phil C.
I've only had their brunch here and it's been generally positive. I've tried their pancakes on a couple of occasions and they've been decent. I really liked the pumpkin pancake (good flavor and spice), which shows up as a special from time-to-time. The prices are above what a diner around here would charge, but the quality of the food is slightly higher than a plain-jane diner. It's a tad bit pricey for me but S&S isn't cost-prohibitive. I'll try their deli the next time around...
(3)
Kay S.
Like people mentioned, the food is kind of meh. Standard fare for breakfast -- I had the croissant french toast, which didn't taste any different from regular french toast. The fruit on the side was nice (not a lot of places in the area do that!), but 3/4 of it was cantaloupe....and this was a week after the cantaloupe scare. Not only a bit cheap of them, but there was no mention of "our cantaloupes don't come from Colorado" or anything like that. Coffee wasn't bad (though it was a bit weak), and they brought little milk packets if you didn't want half-and-half. I would have probably given 3 stars except for 3 reasons: Boston/Cambridge restaurants do brunch well -- probably the area's culinary forte. So for the same price of my french toast, fruit and coffee, I could have got an omelet, potatoes, coffee, juice and a baked good from Aquitiane, with a much nicer setting and better quality. The main thing S&S has going for it is that it's convenient for people around Inman and opens earlier than City Girl on the weekends (and has a better seating situation). I really wanted the pumpkin pancakes, but I just wanted to make sure there weren't any peanuts. I asked the waiter, and he freaked out, even after I explained that tree nuts are fine, and I only had a slight (not life-or-death) allergy (basically can eat anything 'made in a factory that processes peanuts'). He didn't let me order what I wanted because he said that the tree nuts could have been next to any peanuts (which they probably don't have during breakfast....if at all); under the same logic, wouldn't anything in the kitchen be unsafe? I know the restaurant has to watch its behind, but to not allow me to order what I want? Not cool. The other thing was that, when I checked my credit card statement later, I noticed that the final charge was higher than I put down including tip. I guess I could give the benefit of the doubt and say the waiter misread the number, but it gave him a $6 tip for breakfast for two. You think I tipped you 22%? Seriously? I would probably go back if a friend was hankering for comfort breakfast food, and I was too lazy to go past Inman, and City Girl was closed or had an uber-long wait.
(2)
Jennifer N.
A long time ago, Inman Square was a sad, sad place with few dining options. In that world, S&S was a beacon of hope. Fast forward many years, and Inman Square overflows with options, which is pretty amazing considering that half of the so-called square is taken up by that auto-body center. So why, why, why with all of these options do people still eat at the S&S? Yes, the portions are large. But, um, since when do large portions make something good? At best, S&S is mediocre diner food served in a somewhat depressing room. This place is *not* a deli (though they have that faux deli in the front), it's not some foodie delight, it's an old diner with extremely unexceptional food. The only thing good about this place is that it has parking. And Lakota cookies.
This review is specifically about catering. I used S&S for an office event. They have an extremely varied menu for hors d'oeuvres, and that made it easier to accommodate a crowd with vegetarians and some other folks with food restrictions. I was also really excited about their new online ordering system, which allowed me to put in somewhat detailed notes. It was really important that the cake I was ordering be completely blank and undecorated on top, and I wrote that in the notes and specified that we would be using a photo cake sticker on it. There were some hitches along the way. The online ordering system allowed me to order 20 pieces each of various maki, and then S&S called and told me I had to order a minimum of 36 pieces each. We made the adjustment. The day of the order, they called again to ask if I needed paper products. I said no. The order arrived on time, but when I opened the packages, there were paper products included. I made a note to make sure we weren't charged for them. Then I opened the cake and had a mild panic. It was decorated with great big frosting flowers. I awkwardly scraped off some of the decorations, cut the photo sticker into a different shape, and managed to cover the mess by decorating with fruit (all in the last 15 minutes before the event began). The cake, when it was cut into, turned out to be the wrong flavor. On top of that, it was somewhat dry. The other food (chicken satay, maki rolls) was mostly average, nothing to write home about. I was kind of disappointed by the pear, almond, and brie tartlets, though. They just didn't taste like much of anything except fat. I called S&S and was hurriedly dealt with by a caterer who said they would offer us a credit. I suppose I prefer a credit and no apology to an apology and no credit, but overall, I don't think I'm going to be in a hurry to hire S&S again as a caterer.
(2)
Lisa I.
If you like kicking it with the 60+ crowd, this is your place. We were probably the youngest people there by a margin of 40 years. It kind of reminded me of a Cracker Barrell. The menu was enormous, but the food was very mediocre and the atmosphere left a lot to be desired. We only came here because we were going next door to Ryles and were looking for a bite. Their house wings were good, but that's about it. Wouldn't go back.
(2)
Amy H.
I don't like this place as much as others do. I think it may be me. Their food is your traditional Jewish diner food. I have ordered the potato pancakes and the fried fish. Both were just ok. The service is also ok; usually slow because of the large quantity of people who flow through here. I'd rather eat somewhere else if I had the choice. And in Inman Square, luckily you do!
(3)
Katia M.
When I was a poor temp this place was a bit out of my price range for hangover brunch, but I've been here twice recently and gotten omelets with the bagel, home fries, and maybe a mimosa, and I have to say, it hits the spot. Good stuff.
(4)
Heather G.
S&S is not crush-worthy. It's less like that guy you've been trying to talk to/get to notice you for ever but he just doesn't seem interested...and more like that guy in your class or at your office that you hang out with because he's nice, he's there, and he's funny. S&S certainly makes me happy when I am there, having breakfast. However, if I'm being honest with myself, I never crave S&S. I don't desire to spend time with it like I would, say, Ball Square Cafe or Cafe Luna. I like him when he's around, but I don't think about him when he's gone. That's not to say he's a bad guy...er...restaurant. It's just that he'll never be my first-choice date for Sunday morning breakfast. That was a very long-winded way of saying this place is just fine. Sure, I could make most of the egg dishes at home, but this place is so cheap that I don't have to bother, when all I want is some damn eggs and potatoes. There are few places where I find breakfast to be a culinary adventure. S&S isn't one of them, but they're consistent. They're consistently consistent. They offer up some solid go-to's, and you can always correctly-guess what you'll be getting when you order off the breakfast menu. Scrambles, benedicts, egg sandwiches - all are straightforward. They taste like they're supposed to. The portions are generous, the prices are low. The waitstaff calls ya "hun", which i happen to love, but they don't come around much. This is great if you're looking to catch up over a leisurely plate of eggs with a friend (here's lookin' at you, Sheridan, my lovely), but not so great when you're looking to have your water glass or coffee refilled. When do I go to S&S? 1. When I am craving diner food but don't want to shlep out to Ball Square, 2. when Cafe Luna has a ridiculous 1+ hour wait, or 3. When I'm in the area, hungry, and it's breakfast time. Bottom line: Love ya when you're around, don't miss ya when you're not.
(3)
Josh S.
Before I begin I want to agree with Ryan M.'s observation of likening S&S to the atmosphere of Friendly's. In S&S's defense, I have been to many great delis in CT any NYC with a similar feel. Regardless, it doesn't make for a unique or overly inviting atmosphere. My review is based only on the one sandwich I ordered, but it is a deli staple; pastrami on rye. In a word, disappointing. First, for the $10 charged, I expected it to be topped sky high, like a true Jewish Deli should. Not here. Second, The pastrami was sliced paper thin and was way too salty. The pastrami I know and love is thick cut and never by a machine, with the blackened end pieces (which are treasure troves of flavor) poking out the sides of the rye. Third, I asked for mustard. I only assumed the kitchen could handle that since you cant have pastrami on rye without mustard (bot sides of the bread, please). Instead, what I got was a bottle of mustard for me to spread myself. If you cant get mustard on your sandwich, then good luck with special orders. I may return for their breakfast, but never for their sandwiches.
(2)
Matt M.
The S&S is right up the street from my parents, so whenever I'm visiting, I end up stopping by. I really want to like the S&S more than I do, but the food never meets my expectations. On this visit, I had great service but it couldn't make up for the fact that the fruit tasted like it had gone (or was about to go) bad. The rest of the breakfast was ok but nothing special at all. It's a fine place to meet friends, but I would not recommend S&S based on the food alone. In a word, it's "average."
(2)
J C.
Awesome place for brunch! The food is good and the prices are fair. I've never had a bad meal here. Also their burgers are really good too and don't forget the famous S&S Wings! Great place to bring friends from out of town --can't go wrong!
(4)
Melissa S.
I lived in Inman Square for a decade and S&S was the fallback for when we didn't feel like cooking. Consistently good food, good service. And I particularly like they're homemade corned beef hash with poached eggs on top. Yum. Also, the potato pancakes are off the hook.
(4)
Joanna A.
I pretty much only come here for breakfast.. and its really good. my faves so far are the blitzes which they make with cream cheese filling, not lump cottage cheesey filling. And the stuffed french toast is fantastic too. I also like the omelettes. And the little fruit salads that come on the side are surprisingly fresh and tasty. We've had slow service here in the past but i swear its getting better...
(4)
David C.
The service is a joke, the food is over priced, the food is mediocre, and small portioned. All 5 people in my party were unhappy with our meals--mine in particular (the $17 ribs) came with 6 small pieces and only celery as a side. There are 10 better restaurants in a 2 block radius. DO NOT COME HERE, SAVE YOUR MONEY.
(1)
Matt A.
Awful service, incompetent at takeout and generally unpleasant. Gave them a few chances and it's not worth it.
(1)
David F.
If you ever get takeout here you MUST check it before you pay. I ordered a sandwich. They didn't toast the bread as I had ordered. The didn't switch the lethal French fries for coleslaw as I had ordered. The food was average at best. For these prices I expected more meat on the club sandwich.
(2)
Nic S.
Why is this place not 5 stars? I've been coming here for 2 and a half years. Its so good I keep coming back. Its my default place to go when I want to go out and not cook. The Chicken Florentine is the best chicken sandwich I've ever had. Its $10 bucks, and it worth it. Their French Onion Soup is about $5.50, and it is also the best I've ever had. The wait staff is surly, but that just adds to the charm. Its a wonderful place. Its a wood-paneled Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, only without the magic/tubes. Dessert is also really good! Mud Pie is about $5 bucks, and is fantastic.
(5)
Karina B.
I cannot get enough of this place!!!! The food is so amazing and homey not to mention all the portion sizes are HUGE. The service is always spectacular. I recommend any of omelets for brunch they come with fruit salad, home fries, and a bagel ( I always get the lox spread), I've also had the nova scotia pizza here, the salads, and the chicken sandwich and I can't begin to tell you how great all of it is! The place is huge but also gets packed especially during brunch hours! I love this place so much though and always try to bring anyone there!
(5)
Caitlin B.
Food is so-so; always have a hard time deciding what to settle on. Service is so-so; with exception to Gretchen, who is an absolute gem. I only return because of a relative that insists on dining here when we go out to eat. My main qualm with S&S is that the dining room and bar area are pretty filthy. I've seen a mouse in the dining room more than once, and the gnat/fruit fly situation is absolutely disgusting. Don't believe me? Check out the wall at the end of the bar. There are so many flies stuck to the wallpaper that it's become some kind off weird fly cemetery. I had to touch the wall to make sure that it wasn't just sticky fly-paper disguised as wallpaper. There's a lot of competition in Inman Square and surrounding communities. S&S can get on par with other establishments in the area if they improve the quality of the food (fresh not frozen), change-up the dinner menu, and take better care to maintain cleanliness.
(3)
Kim G.
You WANT this place to be great - But its not. It's adequate. It's ok. It's... FOOD. But it is NOT great. If you want great - The Neighborhood is 5/10 minutes away (in Somerville) Zaftigs in Brookline Deluxe Town Diner in Watertown All 3 are TERRIFIC!!! The last time I gave S&S a shot was last week. Wanted to order a piece of quiche to go from the counter. Even though the girl working there SAW ME, she continued talking to her other employee friend until I had to interrupt and ask if I could order. Then, because I am assuming she was so engaged (still) in her private conversation I realized when I got home she gave me the wrong kind and I had to drive ALL THE WAY BACK. To add insult to injury, when I finally got to eat it, it was hard as a ROCK on top. I mean, it got a little softer after a microwaved the crap out of it but before that I literally could NOT stick a plastic fork in it. Solid. (Weird, right?) The other thing that I don't (other than the fact that the food is just ok) is that there is no kids menu. I mean, really? You want me to order my toddlers a $16.95 entree for dinner? No thanks.
(2)
Al N.
Pro: this place has its own parking lot. Well known in this area for breakfast. Con: I think it is a little overrated. Breakfast is a little overpriced even though coffee is free.
(3)
Yvonne P.
I'm a Boston native who moved to New York years ago but this is still my favorite place for wings! The sauce they use is perfect! This review is overdue but S&S will always be my go to for lunch in Cambridge. The pastrami sandwich is also a must have!
(5)
Mike B.
Went for breakfast. The food was good but the service was horrible. The waiter seemed surprised that we gave a normal tip. Go in with low expectations for service and you'll be fine.
(3)
Stephen C.
Excellent sandwiches. Been there forever! Just good old fashioned comfort food. Recommended for anyone who loves those deli delights!
(4)
Chi B.
Great spot. Looks like they've been here for ages. Great breakfast menu. Very friendly and good service. I sat inside but looks like they have outdoor seating as well.
(5)
Neary D.
I just completed brunch with my family and we were looking forward to a nice experience for my sisters birthday. Instead we had a waitress (Melissa - thin blonde hair) that was rude and had a bad attitude. To set the context of this email : - we were a table of 12 (8 adults and 4 toddlers) - the toddlers were moving the sugar packets from one container to another pretending that they were tickets Melissa upon seeing this stated to our faces in a very rude tone "Now I can't use the sugars and have to restock them". 4 of the adults at the table have worked in the food and beverage industry. Rule #1: don't make these types of comments in front of the customer. She then proceeded to complain about us within earshot of us to her co-workers. Rule #2: don't complain about the customers where the customers can hear you. My sister in law and I after paying the check went to voice our dissatisfaction with the service to the manager. The manager was very frazzled and busy and while she listened to us, I'm not sure she actually heard us. Rule #3: pretend to listen and hear the customer while they are voicing their concerns. What is truly sad about the whole experience is that the food is good and we were having a good time with our family and because our waitress was sour and rude during our whole dining experience we will never return and will never recommend your establishment to anyone. We will actually discourage our friends from it since we all have toddlers. I don't know if this message will get any responses back from anyone but we feel better that we are posting this message because hopefully this will help make someone else's experience who have toddlers better than ours.
(1)
Richard H.
This place is huge, everything on the breakfast menu seems to come with a bagel, and despite plenty of other brunch options in the area, S & S checks all of the boxes of a decent diner with historical charm. I plan to return for lunch to try the widely-lauded pastrami sandwich. The wait system for a table is confusing, with no list, just some finger pointing around the room "two - three - group of six - another two" and all of your party must be present to be seated. On a Saturday morning, we were seated right away and promptly served ice water. As with most diners, there was a bottomless cup of coffee, though it took a few waves to get a refill. I ordered the "Brunch Omelette" - a special of bacon, spinach, Monterrey jack cheese, tomato, and pesto. The pesto was blended into the eggs, a nice touch. It was served with not-too-greasy home fries, a bagel with cream cheese, and a cup of fruit. Overall, a good, satisfying breakfast, especially to catch up with a friend. Service was satisfactory and our plates arrived quickly - though they should definitely have someone running around and topping off coffees. I'll be back to try the pastrami!
(3)
Dennis M.
There catering manager is a heartless joke. While trying to formalize a post funeral reception, I was laughed at and told it was going to be a drunk fest. For whatever reason this pub considers themselves the only show in town. Let's be clear, this gum snapping, Flo wannabe new the reason for our inquiry, yet lacked any compassion. Any business done here would be a direct slap in the face to any Military Veteran, Father, Husband and dedicated public servant. AVOID AVOID AVOID
(1)
Butch M.
I HAVE BEEN GOING TO THE S&S SINCE 1977. NEVER AGAIN! At 8 AM last Mother's Day, while this restaurant was almost completely empty, the woman in charge, sitting on her very ample posterior, had a whole line of people lined up in the Deli section and refused them seats "until their other parties arrived". One of those in line was an elderly and apparently arthritic woman. REASON: "we have a lot of people coming in today, different rules for Mother's Day." Well, all those other people were not there, almost no one was being served, and nearly everyone was standing uncomfortably in line because of this chickens**t rule - that had nothing to do with the actual situation in that empty restaurant. The laughing, arrogant, and self-satisfied attitude of the woman enforcing this rule said everything. IT IS CERTAINLY NO LONGER ABOUT THE CUSTOMERS AT THE S&S. I LEFT. THAT WILL BE MY LAST VISIT TO THE S&S AFTER NEARLY 40 YEARS. I went elsewhere for brunch in Cambridge and was completely happy with the setting for a meeting with an old friend. No need to put up with insufferable attitudes.
(1)
Paul B.
May be a bit pricey, and the menu can be a bit overwhelming, but the sandwiches. Oh my are they tasty! The pastrami is killer.
(4)
Melba L.
S & S a must every time we visit family in Boston and we just had a great lunch there. Works for lunch, brunch or a quick grab of tasty bits from the deli. Parking can be a challenge, but they do have a small lot. Chicken liver, knishes and corned beef Reuben are stand outs.
(4)
Amanda D.
This is a review for service and management only. I've been coming to the S&S with my family since I was child. Despite the usually pleasant visits of my past, my recent experience was bad enough for me not to return in the future. My husband and I visited for brunch and the dining room was nearly empty. We waited to be sat. We stood directly in front of 3 employees, but were completely ignored. We had to interrupt their conversation to be sat. They actually seemed visibly annoyed that they had to help us! An employee asked a manager (in front of us) where to seat us and was told "the bar." After he led us past the sparsely seated dining room into the bar area, I was met with loud TVs featuring sports--not what I had in mind for brunch. I asked if we could move to the main dining room. The host fumbled trying to find us a spot, offering instead to seat us in another back room. I asked him (again) if we could sit in the main dining room at one of the MANY open booths. He left us standing in a hallway holding menus while he looked (?) at the dining room. Finally, after essentially arguing our way into the main room, he sat us at a tiny table (not the booth I'd asked for multiple times). We were very awkwardly sandwiched right in between 2 other occupied tables in a nearly empty room. We were also right at the edge of the room by the door. After this very strange experience we felt completely unwelcome and decided to go elsewhere. In short: Rude and unwelcoming service. Will not return.
(1)
Ali M.
If you go here - get the chicken wings with S&S sauce, you won't be disapointed! Also, the knockworst/pastrami club sandwich was to die for! I could only eat half and had the second half at 10am the next morning, delicious!
(4)
Gabi R.
Food: got the eggs Oscar and the eggs Maryland. Both were delicious- -the Oscar came on a crispy potato cake that was deliciously spiced and divine with the accompanying perfectly poached egg, and hollandais. Loved the asparagus touch - straight out of Italy -the Maryland was mounted on shrimp and crab cakes. -I loved the fact that in both cases, the eggs were mounted on something other than bread. That freed up room for a bagel...as S&S has the best bagels I've found in Boston :) Service: a little slow to bring food, but very quick to take orders, check water glasses. Also, just super sweet people with big smiles all around Ambience: homey feel of a Midwest diner, which I LOVED. Great spot for a cozy winter morning brunch with the bf. Can't wait to go back!
(5)
Janis C.
Ohhhhhhhhhh sad. Daniel R was our server, bless his heart. :/ Took forever to order, then to get served, then received a well done burger instead of a medium rare burger, and I couldn't even send it back to the kitchen because enough time had elapsed since the server last visited us that were done with dinner by the time he finally came back to check on us. And then I told him the burger was well done, and I got a sorry, but no offers to rectify the situation. I'm probably not coming back. .... But, well, at least the fries were decent. AND HE DIDNT REFILL OUR WATER WHAT THE
(1)
Mitch D.
I don't know where they get them from, but S&S has the best bagels and cream cheese in Cambridge, hands down. And for that I am grateful. Somehow the takeout counter staff have also worked a place in my heart...I don't know, maybe it's just the bagels having their way with my emotions.
(5)
Noa C.
Coming from NY and NJ, finding a decent bagel in the Boston area is hard, if not impossible. S&S comes really really close to a great bagel! They have a nice crust, chew and dense crumb. They aren't just bagel-shaped bread. Their pastrami is also wonderful. And they are the perfect replica of a typical NJ diner! Complete with breakfast served anytime!
(5)
Bob P.
We used to go to brunch at the S&S way back in the '80s and '90s. It was a special place to get brunch, and a bit of a social thing because you were going to spend half an hour or more, waiting in a line that stretched out the door and down the sidewalk. The food was worth waiting for. So when our kids wanted a good brunch place we thought it would be a special thing to drive all the way into Cambridge and go to the S&S. We were disappointed. Our first clue was the absence of that line. But then little things started adding up: the rather uninterested attitude of the waitress, the cheap opaque ketchup bottles that allow them to forget to keep them filled up, the rather unforgivable lack of real maple syrup, even on request. The home fries were undercooked, lacking even a slight hint of browned crust and with almost raw onions mixed in; the corned beef hash was flavorless. We searched for positive things to write here: the fresh squeezed orange juice was good, and the omelet was ok, if a bit under seasoned. It wasn't even busy enough to cut them some slack for being rushed. Nothing (other than the home fries) was actually bad, but if we wanted mediocre we could stay home and let me cook. I guess time has moved on and the days of the S&S being special are in the past.
(2)
Court S.
I have always been a fan of the S&S wings for YEARS- but now I'm a vegetarian (10 months and counting) so I've found a new obsession. My mom's former boss hosted a retirement gathering for her here and it was great. The menu consisted of stuffed mushrooms (THESE WERE THE BEST I'VE EVER HAD). The stuffing was tremendous and the mushrooms were plump yet tender. We also had vegeterian and chicken kabobs- the veggie ones had a glazed sweet sauce on them that my mouth is still watering from, and rice and salad were great too. The service was extremely friendly and when I asked about the stuffed mushrooms, I was told that they are only offered on the catering menu for private parties. So I made sure I took home the leftovers so I could bring them in for lunch the next day. SO GOOD!
(5)
Francesca M.
I went there just one time but i loved it so much! It was during my first week in US and i really enjoyed my first real american breakfast! I surely recommend it to everybody!
(5)
Em A.
The food is good but not spectacular and the service is THE WORST. But in the end, I'll never stop going to S&S. It's oh so convenient. It's right there, always with tables available, so easy. I'll admit, 100% of my visits have been weekend mornings and for 50% of those visits I've either been hammered or getting there*. Those times, I LOVE this place (4 Star!). It's the sober times when I wonder about the real value of S&S (2 Star). *(I vacation in Cambridge often?...)
(3)
Christine J.
a diner. whatelse do ya want? mediocre everything. not bad not great either. service is below avg, the older ladies are efficient but no smiles or anything. lol. just go there to eat and leave, when your restaurants are too crowded or closed.
(3)
Nicole B.
I was here for brunch and had the most delicious blueberry pancakes. The blueberries were fresh and tart. I got a side of home fried potatoes which left something to be desired, however. More like a lumpy mess of potatoes than individually griddle-fried bits of goodness that I know and love from homefries. The atmosphere is typical American diner with nice-enough service and a line that moves deceivingly quick.
(4)
Christina H.
Great place if you are looking for a good old-fashioned, hearty brunch. Most dishes are about $10 each. The Bavarian French Toast was quite amazing, but a little too much cream cheese for me. The Corn Beef Hash was the best I've had (fresh meats from their deli I assume). I'm coming back to try the potato pancakes next time!
(3)
Jow O.
Been here multiple times now, classic Jewish deli. great food, great service, and they have their own parking lot. A new favorite spot of ours! open late on weeekends
(5)
Lindsay M.
I was so happy to finally find a place nearby for breakfast...then I ate here. Now lemme start by saying we tried this place three times, mostly because there was nowhere else close by and my friend from out of town wasn't big on traveling far for bfast. The first visit was mediocre, at least I was seated! However after that it took forever to get any service, the food was mediocre as well and trying to get the check in time for our appointments was next to impossible! But hey everyone has their off days right? So we went back a second time figuring that was the case! The second time I arrived first, and the host refused to seat me (in a barely quarter full restaurant) until our whole party arrived (honestly this was just rude, had they been super busy I would've understood but as I said they were a quarter full!) again the food was just mediocre. I mean it was good it just wasn't great (as in it just doesn't hit the spot with the pancake craving!) our service again was so-so at best, a few things we ordered were forgotten and never ended up being brought out (my eggs for instance never showed up, even when I asked the second time!) and we had to wait so long for the check, I had to leave because I was already 10 min late for my appointment waiting for the check (and we still hadn't been able to ASK for it at that point!) my friend ended up having to take care of it (bless her I bought her dinner later-elsewhere)! So why did we go back the third time? Gluttons for punishment? Honestly no, we were just that hungry and pressed for time it was either try S&S again or go hungry, and going hungry wasn't really an option as I was starving! Again they wouldn't seat us until we both arrived (and ps it's really awkward to stand in their deli part waiting like that because you're in the way of people waiting for tables and people shopping at the deli counter!) the food was again adequate but it definitely didn't stand out, I would say if S&S is your only option for food, go there, their prices are a bit steep for bfast, not sure on any other meals, the food is decent enough it doesn't taste bad and the service is really a hit or miss, but if you can go somewhere else, I definitely recommend that!
(2)
Vedic C.
My girlfriend and I had brunch on 6/20. The wait was long , the drinks weren't good ( Bloody Mary & orange juice) and the food was terrible.
(3)
Leah M.
S&S is exactly what you expect it to be. A family restaurant that serves diner food and takes you back to childhood. The food was fine, nothing mind blowing, but as good as I expected it to be. They have a decent sized menu with standards as well as a few more specialty dishes like white fish salad. Good easy place to get a standard breakfast.
(3)
Kiley S.
Great for brunch. A big fan of the classic eggs/home fries/bagle breakfast and turkey club. The burgers are so-so which is a shame. HUGE menu! Always our go-to spot in Inmann Square. No frills just good food. Great for large parties. Service has always been great! **PARKING LOT : which validates your spot for FREE! A huge plus/rarity in Cambridge!
(4)
Andrea B.
The S & S Restaurant has been open in Cambridge's Inman Square since 1919, so you know they've gotta be doing something right! I have nothing but admiration for this family-owned business that has been offering expansive menus for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and brunch for almost a century. I came here for a luncheon after a funeral on a Saturday, and it was packed. Everyone that we spoke to on the staff was exceptionally accommodating and friendly to our party of about 25, which is no easy feat, so for service S & S gets a hands-down five stars. You need over 30 in order to reserve a banquet room. The wait times between being seated, ordering, and actually receiving our meals were pretty long, but I found that I enjoyed perusing the menus. In between their edible offerings, you could find awesome old photos with captions showing the restaurant's storefront from various times over the past century. Those same photos adorn the walls throughout S & S. As I mentioned above, it did take a long time to get our orders in, but I did end up needing the majority of that time simply to decide what I wanted. We were given brunch and lunch menus to look at, and both of them were full of a variety of interesting options in addition to traditional staples. There was something on the menu to satisfy every palate, that's for sure. But here's the thing. S & S may do all kinds of food, but it doesn't do any one thing outstandingly well. I finally decided to get the eggs Oscar - poached eggs served on top of potato pancakes, with crab meat, asparagus, toast, and fruit. How can all of that not be good? And overall, it was. But my potato pancakes were burnt (anyone who knows me at all knows how much I don't like that!). And none of the fruit was fresh. The poached eggs were wonderful, though. I tried a few of my dining companions' meals, including a California wrap, a burger, and Buffalo chicken wings, and while all of them were fine, none of them stood out as anything special. So yes, you can come to S & S and order pretty much anything your heart desires, which is awesome. It'll be a satisfactory meal, but will it be the best meal you've ever had? Probably not.
(3)
Sarah D.
Great brunch place. Actually got here around 1130 on Saturday and it was very crowded but we were seated right away. Waiter came promptly, took our order promptly, and food came out within 15ish minutes. They give HUGE portions here, so if you're hungry definitely come here. I got an omelette, which comes with homefries, a bagel or english muffin or toast, and fresh fruit. (their homefries were actually better than I expected) Not all of the food was warm- I would say lukewarm. Definitely not hot.. but I guess it depends on your own experience. But good value for the price. It took a little bit longer for us to get the check because he was waiting on many tables. We actually got his attention for the check by standing up and putting our coats on. Might come here again if I'm not looking to go to a neighborhoody-cafe type place.
(4)
Brett H.
This is a really good place, especially if you have kids. I went there with my brother and his family including little Zoe and in Boston, there are few places we can take her without pissing a lot of people off. She's energetic. I had the french toast and it was solid. The food was good, the atmosphere was good and most importantly, they have their own parking!!!
(3)
Max B.
This restaurant is terrible. Walked into a half empty place, yet still had to wait for five minutes before being rudely seated. The food is bad, the service is worse. Steer clear.
(1)
Steve C.
Consistently good food. Amazing reuben, seriously, get the reuben. Don't screw around and order something you'll regret. Get the reuben and die happy knowing you got that checked off your list. Most of the sandwiches are pretty good. Service is a little slow at times. It took fifteen minutes to place an order the last time I came in. It is a little on the high-side for deli sandwiches, but worth it every once in a while.
(4)
Philip T.
S&S is terribly inconsistent with the quality of their food. You can order 2 poached eggs and one week be perfect while the other week be overcooked with pieces of shell embedded in it. Half your homefries will be cooked and the other half will be raw. Best thing you can do is eat half your meal and dump the rest of it.
(3)
Matt B.
S&S has been around for years and is an old favourite of the Doctoroff family. It was busy when we arrived around midday on a Friday. I has the sirloin steak tips with rice pilaf and fries, the portion was huge and I particularly enjoyed the fries. The others had breakfast. The service was fairly good and the total spend was only $45 for three of us including the tip.
(3)
Emily G.
Major disclaimer: I came here when the mandated shelter-in notice went out and we were all forced to stay indoors in Cambridge and Watertown. As much as I try to abide by the law, we had absolutely no food in my friends apartment and needed to have at least one meal for the day. Luckily S&S was the only place open within walking distance, so off we went... carefully. Note to self: stock up on canned stuff for the next apocalyptic nightmare or Marshall law. So, how on earth do you rate a restaurant under the most unusual circumstances? What do you forgive and what do you bake into a #-star rating? The environment in the restaurant was straight out of a horror movie: the place was virtually empty except for the bar, the TV was on and loud on CNN reports, the staff was quiet and annoyed to be there (I would be too if I was the only person in my town forced to go into work) and the mood... well, you can imagine. But- we were starving, we needed food, and S&S had it. So on with the review. I got the roasted half chicken with mashed potatoes and a side salad. I noticed that they had a bunch of interesting salad dressings so I also ordered a side of their coconut-lime-curry dressing on the side to use as a dipping sauce for the chicken. At $9.99, this meal was huge. The "side-salad" was not very side-looking and their balsamic dressing packed a punch and a made it a great start to my only meal of the day. The half chicken must have been a mutant animal, because the 4 pieces of chicken I got served were HUGE. The chicken was extremely juicy and the mound of mashed potatoes was creamy and comforting. Using the dipping sauce on the chicken made the mashed-potato-chicken-sauce combo a wining taste. I was completely stuffed after just getting through half of my meal and dinner roll. I took the rest of it to go and kept it as a backup for later since we didn't know when we could venture outside again. So there you go. What I ordered was absolutely 4 stars worthy and a really great price for the amount of food, the flavors and quality of it. Maybe there is more that could've been said about the service or environment or wait-time, but all those things weren't "standard" today, and I don't think it would have been fair for me to judge a place under these circumstances. I was grateful for food, and an escape from fake house arrest, at least for an hour.
(4)
Jennifer J.
We drive from Belmont for the S&S wings, potato skins and beef knishes ( if they have them). Delicious and a perfect takeout meal!
(4)
J R.
If you like your poached eggs with runny yolks, make sure you order it that way... Otherwise your eggs bene won't be what you expect.. This place is always great!
(4)
Mary M.
Good take out breakfast sandwiches (hence why I gave 3 stars vs 2), but I do not recommend doing sit down breakfast here. The waitress was rude - at first I didn't even know she was taking our order because of how she went about it. Then she practically threw our coffee at us like a beer gets slid down a bar, and it got everywhere. Regarding the food, it was half decent minus the home fries - those were dry, cold, and inedible. Typical diner food yet more expensive.
(3)
Clysia M.
S&S is a great restaurant. Family oriented with plenty of searing. Food is great and service staff is very friendly. The food portions are generous and they offer a wide variety of breakfast lunch and dinner with creative menu options. Well worth the money spent each time.
(4)
Lisa S.
Awesome breakfast options! But this place gets five stars for their "S&S Wings," which are by far the best chicken wings I've ever had! They come glazed in the most addictive sweet & spicy sauce you can dream up. Because we love them so much, we'll get them as an appetizer even when we are there for breakfast! If you're in the Cambridge area... This place is a good call. And it also has a HUGE menu that even the pickiest eater can find something yummy!
(5)
Madhumita G.
We walked into S and S on a recommendation from a local who seemed to love the place. The decor of the restaurant was very welcoming and cute. However the food was mediocre. Our waitress was sweet but kept forgetting our order, brought the wrong food then when we corrected the order she forgot the bagels that come with the eggs. Overall a fairly forgettable experience!
(3)
Tamara W.
Went there with my aunt and sister a few weeks ago for the first time in years... exactly what I would have expected: -old, angry waitress who was visibly rude after we ordered swordfish skewers but instead she gave us a swordfish stake and we corrected her. She changed the order but was not particularly friendly about it. -Had to do the thing where we stood up and asked for the check because our waitress was so lazy and probably on a smoke break -Food was good (swordfish was good, salmon was good, salad was decent) etc. but unless you are obese or in a food eating contest you will not finish your meal... the portions scream FAT AMERICA. -Parking is hard in the area, you need to do meter unless you are a Cambridge Resident. Overall, not planning to go back anytime soon... slash, never.
(2)
Marnie S.
A poor review from me won't stop the busloads and busloads of tourists from stopping there every single day, so I feel I'm free to speak my mind. When I order a stack of chocolate chip raspberry pancakes, which are, by the way, marked up in price as a "sunday special," it's a little surprising to be given a stack of dry, crumbly plain wheat pancakes with -- I counted and photographed the evidence -- three raspberries and six chocolate chips scattered on top. Just as surprising as, say, being given zero coffee refills during an hour at the restaurant. Or water refills, which are sorely needed for those dry pancakes. My side of fruit was a cup full of green cantaloupe rinds. Okay, okay, it's just your standard Greek-joint-type breakfast place. But usually those places are redeemed by some sort of secret-goldmine wow factor (like, the best Omelettes on the eastern seaboard, or something), and S&S seems, in my opinion, to have none.
(1)
Michael C.
Honestly, I hate to give this place a 2 star review because I am so nostaligic about it, but I think that is part of its effect. S & S offers your standard but expansive american breakfast menu, has a small deli, a full bar, and can accomodate large parties (12 in our case). Unfortunately the food here has fallen off in terms of quality. On my last visit my eggs benedict were cooked all the way through, which could be forgiven. Another person in our group ordered an omlette that was so undercooked the cheese on the inside was unmelted. My advice, stick to pancakes and waffles when you come here.
(2)
Sarah G.
I can't believe how big this place is! I knew it had been a brunch staple since the early 1900's but having that much space in the Cambridge/Somerville area and having not one but TWO small parking lots, is just nuts. It is also nuts how quickly the line moves at this place for Sunday brunch! So definitely don't be discouraged! This place is one of those classic family owned restaurant/diner spots with a big menu that definitely has to has something on it for everyone. I got their salmon hash which was TONS of salmon (definitely not cheap on the amount of fish they use!) roasted with onions and spices and red potatoes with two poached eggs on top served with a little fruit cup and a bagel of course. It was $13 before tax and tip for that meal which kept me full until dinner for sure, BUT it was not the most amazing food I've ever had. Good, but not incredible, ya know? Matt J. got their eggs oscar which were served on potato pancakes and came also with fruit and bagel also for $13 and he like his stuff, but overall just thought it was a good brunch place, not an amazing brunch place. We did have to ask for water a few times, but they at least aren't the type of Sunday brunch place that rushes you when you are done eating, we even had to ask for our check :-)
(3)
Anna R.
S&S is the quintessential diner experience in Inman. It's like a Perkins with a liquor license. I always get: -bottomless coffee -quiche lorraine -mimosa The meal is big enough to last for 2 days--a bagel and cream cheese, fruit, amazing homefries, and a slab of quiche with bacon and swiss. Those fries are right out of someone's hangover-cure cookbook, and completely delicious. I'm not one for Bloody Mary's, but my roommate always loves his and comments that they are made with a lot of vodka. The service is hit or miss--sometimes coffee is not refilled very quickly. But overall, the amazing food and homey atmosphere trumps all of that. If my roommates and I have a Seinfeld-esque diner, S&S is totally it.
(5)
Jessica B.
Unfortunately, I don't quite get the appeal of S & S Restaurant Deli. I had a garden omelette without cheese and it was pretty average. It was huge, I will certainly give it that. I didn't think the coffee or my tomato juice was unusually good. Maybe I ordered wrong and should have gone for the Jew food. (I'm Jewish, I can say that.) The decor was pretty neutral. Comfortable booths, but I don't really remember anything standing out as nicer than a chain restaurant. Our waitress was sweet and called my husband "hon" and warmed up his coffee. Bottom line? Not bad. I would go again, but there are places I prefer.
(3)
Nicholas G.
This place might be a lot of things but a deli it is not. They should be embarrassed to serve the pastrami that they do (tastes like stop & shop pastrami). They forgot my fries and the draft beer was flat. Do your self a favor and walk across the street to all-star and get a real sandwich.
(2)
Stephanie L.
S&S is always a solid choice for brunch. There is nothing on the menu that is going to blow your mind, but also nothing that will arrive at your table and be a huge disappointment. They serve solid, consistent food with large portions at a great price. I've only been here for brunch, and have tried several of the offerings. The varieties of eggs benedict are all tasty, but again nothing really special or engaging. (Like, the reaction as it goes in your mouth is, "oh, breakfast food" not "oh my goodness, yo have to try a bite of this".) In fact, I don't think I've ever needed to have someone else try a bite of my food nor really needed to try someone else's dish here. The prices are fantastic for what you get. Breakfast cocktails (mimosas, bellinis, bloody mary's) are just $5.95 and a huge spread of food (really could be enough fo 2 people) is just $10-13. The ambiance here is pretty much non-existent, it is like a slightly more upscale Denny's, with tables and chairs instead of booths. But everything is clean and the service is prompt. There are also 2 parking lots, and I've always been able to find a spot for my car, even on busy weekend mornings.
(3)
Genevieve B.
Every true Cantabrigian knows about S&S! Especially the S&S wings (on the bone of course)! They make their own special sweet and tangy sauce, which they coat a heaping plate of their crispy wings in and deliver to your table piping hot! Oh, and you can't forget their homemade blue cheese! (Fat note: my mouth is salivating as I write this, lol) Anywho, if you're not into chicken or wings, they have a pretty extensive menu, from club sandwiches and burgers, to seafood and salad or breakfast options which they serve all day. I personally love their quiche Lorraine, the seafood casserole and their Chatham Salad. They also have a number of dessert options and everything on their menu is available for takeout.
(4)
Kim K.
Consistently good, fresh ingredients, fair prices. Take out is the way to go! Delicious sandwiches, amazingly creamy cole slaw which is my favorite go-to summer side. S&S, you are made of win.
(4)
Shane R.
the first place i went for food w jk after a red eye to boston. corn beef hash was better than many others ive had, but i wouldnt go out of my way to come here. not particularly great or memorable.
(3)
Kristine R.
Yess a yummy brunch place! Came here yesterday and had the croissant french toast. WOW! so tasty! It was a generous portion of about four pieces. It also came with fruit and three bacon strips. The french toast wasn't too sweet, which I liked. My friend ordered the raisin french toast which she liked. They are other options on the menu like omelettes, pancakes and waffles. Such an array of breakfast foods, it was a bit hard to decide. Service was lacking and the place itself reminds me of a Denny's. We luckily beat the rush and we were able to be seated right away. Once we left though, people were waiting in line. Great place for brunch and if you have a car they have a dedicated lot. I'm really starting to love Cambridge!
(4)
Albert L.
I hate to write a bad review, but i had one of the worst restaurant experiences here. The only redeeming value was our sweet server. The food is terrible. Some of the worst I've had. I ordered the meatloaf, it tasted and looked like it was frozen and then reheated in a microwave. It was gray in color and tasted blander than cardboard. I don't remember what everyone else ate (went with the gf and 2 friends) but what I do remember were the portions were HUGE (and nothing else ordered looked too good). Who would want to eat that much bad food, i have no idea. I'm probably never coming back.
(2)
Edwin P.
Good food. Great service.
(4)
Thomas P.
Add this to the list of places that could be really great, but for sad service. (Great service will often make up for mediocre food, but less than good service is hard to overcome, even with the best food.) Sunday brunch at the bar, and I could see the service staff swimming in the weeds... If management would put enough support staff on duty, and actually direct service, they'd not only provide better service, they'd be able to serve more guests.
(2)
Reena S.
Awful. The eggs were soggy and the filling to egg ratio in the omelets was off. Pumpkin pancakes were good but rich so you could only eat one. Service was awful. We were brought to 3 different tables and the waiter couldn't remember anything we asked for. Not sure why this place has such great brunch reviews. It is not good
(1)
May L.
S & S is the only place in Inman Square that I don't like. You see - I really wanted to like it mainly because there's a lack of deli's in Cambridge. I wanted a good bagel. That's what I was excited about the day that I went. The bagel, however, wasn't good. It tasted the same as one of the frozen ones I take out of my freezer when I haven't gone grocery shopping and have nothing else to eat. That from a deli? Really? Obviously, we are not in NYC but still disappointing. The other major problems are the slow service and the expensive prices. Plan on staying there over an hour if you go. It's impossible to get the waitresses' attention. I was blown away when I paid $ 45 for two omelletes and one mimosa. Maybe we got a couple of juices but still - you can get the same kind of food at a cheap diner and if you're going to pay those kind of prices, find a place with a hip ambiance somewhere in Boston. It's still a mystery to me why there are so many senior citizens in the restauarant - it's literally a sea of white heads - given the prices. For a good diner go to Kelly's in Ball Square or if brunching in Inman, you're better off at City Girl or Trina's Starlite lounge.
(2)
Robert O.
I've been coming here for years and I've never had a bad experience. The menu of options is expansive. I've come under moods. Sometimes I'm in the mood for their Specials menu. Sometimes I'm in the mood for my favorites. I bring my family here for brunch on the weekends. I come in at least once a week for a late lunch/early dinner. I've recently discovered a guilty pleasure----there's a bartender who can make a HOLY kicking chocolate martini, like you've never experienced. Sometimes I come in just for one of their deserts. This place is an Inman Oasis---always here for you, and there are so many reasons to come. NEVER disappointed. The best staff ever.
(5)
Julia N.
Onion rings. Tuna salad sandwhich on marble rye. French onion soup. Or mazo ball soup here. Perfection. Not expensive. Nice service. Clean. Always good food. Slow service, especially on weekends.
(4)
J R.
I don't know if A-OK is an accurate assessment of my Easter dining experience at S&S but we had a good waitress so that made up for the food. I ordered the french toast with brie and fig preserves and Canadian bacon. I was sooooooo excited because my favorite breakfast spot (Sugar's in Roslindale Square) made this same dish and they recently closed. I was really disappointed when I got a plate of French toast with 2 slices of brie in between. It was like an unfinished grilled cheese sandwich. The preserves were good, bacon okay. My mom had a seafood casserole which she enjoyed and my daughter had the crabcakes in some type of watery corn and pepper garnish/dressing. She didn't eat it and ordered tartar sauce. All in all it wasn't the S&S of my youth. I hope they revisit their menu and look at how other diining establishments are making dishes. Next Easter I'll go back to making my own meal.
(3)
Steven D.
My fiancee has a mind of her own and is currently in S&S. Her waitress has been rude and as my fiancee eats her (none too special) bagel, the waitress is loudly complaining that her tips are too small and clearly expecting my fiancee to take teh hint and tip heavily. Rather than the waitress take the hint and not be obnoxious.
(1)
Mike O.
S&S has been a longtime favorite of mine dating back to my late teen years. It's been a reliable stop for breakfast/brunch when in that section of Cambridge and has always offered a plethora of menu options, including those consistent with most Jewish delis. More often than not, meals are executed to a satisfactory or above average standard, and done so with generous portion sizes and with fresh ingredients. S&S is a bit kitschy in the sense that it brings you to a place that you'd rarely expect to find in the quasi-hip Inman Square, one of dated charm that wreaks of a post Depression era and the decor to boot. I am willing to bet that some of the staff have been working there for about as long, and while that can be comforting, it can also cause service to be a bit slow sometimes since it does get packed on the weekends and becomes noticeably stalled. This may not be entirely their fault, nor the fault of the kitchen, but perhaps it's simply the nature of a bustling dining room, but do not come here expecting to get in and out quickly. One important note: they serve breakfast ALL DAY so if you're in need of some good grease before (or during) the area bars, keep this fact in mind, but do so before they close; 10pm on weekdays (Su-We), 11pm on weekends (Th-Sa).
(3)
c. wallace o.
Writing a review on S & S is like advocating for a change in the MBTA service. You know it's not really going to make a difference because they have a formula that works for enough people to be consistently frequented and profitable. And its a Cambridge Institution, so why change it now?! That being said I shall continue my futile writing exercise of the day. With S & S, what you see is basically what you get. Nothing is going to be surprisingly good or bad. The food is american comfort cuisine / ny diner. I had the chicken parmasean with pasta and a side salad. It was okay. My friends all got their 'famous' wings with the sweet and sour sauce. I tried them, they were okay. They had gross cycso foods french fries though as a side which was not okay in my book. Large portions. Friendly enough service. Its like they mastered the "Art of Mediocre", literally right down the middle, if for nothing else visit S & S and be a witness to this triumph of middle ground quality and service`balance. In terms of the ambiance, I agree with other reviews its a step above a denny's but barely. There are little signs of the longevity of the establishment and the Jewish American heritage sprinkled about (the walls, the menu, the counter, etc.) I'd summarize the food and ambiance of S & S as neighborhood diner meets touristy kitschy restaurant meets nursing home cafeteria.
(3)
Theresa F.
Okay, I enjoyed this sandwich shop a lot. You basically walk up to the counter and let them know what you'd like, they give you a ticket with the details of your order.. Meanwhile you can wait and look at the delicious display cases filled with all types of sinfully yummy pies and cookies and all that jazz (if you're into that)... I passed up on all that and just got a turkey sandwich with lots of veggies and provolone on a pita.. YUM. and their soup was also served very hot and I think it was made in store. I'd eat here again and I would take friends.
(3)
Leslie W.
Maybe because I'm a left coaster with a right brain kind of way of looking at customer service or maybe just because service on the east coast just is minimal, I had a hard time with my breakfast at S&S. Amy swooped me up from the airport and we set out for breakfast. The places that she wanted to try were closed, so we stumbled upon S&S. It was open, so we went in. (I'm always down to try a sit-down deli.) There were only a few people in the restaurant, which could mean that the food is bad or maybe it was just a slow morning. (More people started coming in, as we ate.) We sat at a table next to the window. It gave me an opportunity to do some people watching. Dark wood accents and furniture. Classic setting for a deli restaurant combo. There are the typical things that one would expect on a breakfast menu. I had decided that I wanted an omelet but I wasn't sure which one to get. I asked the waitress what was the special omelet for the day. She didn't know. That surprised me. I guess I'm just used to the servers learning the specials, when they come on shift. She came back and told us it was a sausage, tomato and onion omelet. Amy and I both ordered that. Rather than get bagels, we asked for toast. I asked for iced tea (of course) and Amy asked for coffee. We both asked for water. A few minutes later, the drinks arrived. A few minutes after that, the food arrived. (My drinks were both empty, at this point.) I tucked into my breakfast. The omelet was about 10 inches long and 4 inches wide. It had a delicate folded egg style wrapped around the filling. The sausage inside was absolutely delicious. The tomatoes didn't add much. Perhaps if they had used some cilantro or basil to set off the tomatoes, it would have been nicer. The potatoes were kinda mushy and had a strange orange sheen to them. They tasted like potatoes, but didn't look like much of anything. The wheat toast was excellent. Toasted to perfection, there were some sunflower seeds baked in and some oats on the crust. It had a delicious flavor and was a good complement to the omelet. My water glass was never refilled. I had to ask for more tea, twice. I'm a big drinker (of tea and water, that is) but these glasses were mostly filled with ice, so there isn't much room for liquid. It disappoints me to no end that a server doesn't recognize a glass is empty and should be refilled. She was pleasant and did what we requested, but that was it. She didn't check on us and we were her only table for most of the time we were there!
(3)
Harold S.
I had the corned beef hash with poached eggs. I can say the corned beef hash is the best I have ever had. The hash was lightly baked, so it was crispy on the outside. The wheat toast was a disappointment though as it was rubbery. The OJ was good, but the glass they used just came out of the wash so it was warm, making the OJ a bit warm as well. Overall, I had a good experience. I highly recommend their corned beef hash! And they have their own private parking lot, so you don't have to look for parking. The parking lot is on Hampshire Street. Very convenient!
(4)
Gisela T.
This is a good place every now and then, but as of lately the customer service has not been what it has been in the last couple of years. Just today I ordered Potato skins without bacon and asked for extra chives its place and the woman told me it would be extra! I asked her why If I'm not getting bacon shouldn't I be able to have extra chives instead!!!! She told me that they add extra cheese in place of the bacon, adding chives will still cost extra. I just wish this place was as friendly and welcoming as it used to be. Other than that... Please try the S & S wings, they're the best ever!!!!
(3)
Emily D.
I've only been to S&S for brunch, but it has never disappointed. The service is generally friendly, and their breakfast choices are extensive. The omelets cooked carefully (never with a burnt crisp) and they have a great selection of less common cheeses (havarti dill, boursin, muenster). You also get a huge selection of bread/toast with an omelet, many of which are house-made. The 12 grain is excellent. Their croissant french toast was out of this world--if you're a fan of cinnamon sugar, you shouldn't pass this one up. Also, the option of breakfast all day is always a winner with me. There's also ample seating (a rarity in Cambridge) and the vibe inside is calm and homey.
(4)
Rebecca H.
I really love S & S, located in the heart of Inman Square, and frequented it often when I lived in East Cambridge. The S's in the name are a play on the Yiddish "ess" which means "eat" and what the restaurant claims the original owner would encourage of her customers "eat and eat." There is usually a line at peak brunch time but that's a sign of good food and it moves fairly quickly. Servings are generous. Eggs are nice and fresh, and of course the bagels are delish. I also recommend the matzoh ball soup.
(4)
Julie N.
I wandered into this place to only use the bathroom after we found that City Girl Cafe was closed that morning. There was construction going around the back door so I honestly couldn't even tell you what I thought I was walking in to. A market perhaps? A nursing home? Whatever, I just needed to pee. I took a look around and ran back outside to get the boy and tell him to get in here and grab a table. It smelled delicious and all other plans were immediately thrown out the window. The hash was amazing. Second best hash we've ever found. I got an omelet and it was STUFFED oozing out of itself with goodness and it came with homefries and a big fat bagel with cream cheese. Breakfast kicked ass. We ventured back a month later for lunch and the havarti burger was ridiculously good, but there was almost too much cheese (and there's never such a thing as too much cheese). I got a turkey club and was shocked that it wasn't oversized, it was just a normal turkey club that almost seemed on the smaller side. My jeans thanked you for that. We got the hash again and it was as good as it was the first time. The waitstaff is a funny group of people, they're not friendly and they take their sweet ass time to get to you, but it's a place you almost expect that to happen, so it didn't matter. I'm so glad I stumbled into S&S, it's a great "Let's cure the hangover and get fat in the process" type of place that's perfect for a weekend brunch.
(4)
Stacy R.
A great place for a weekend breakfast/brunch in Inman Square. An order of pancakes is enormous & comes with way more syrup than you could ever want or need. The eggs benedict was great-- crispy english muffin, perfectly poached egg and loads of home fries. My only want was more hollandaise sauce. It wasn't a stingy amount, I just like to dip my home fries in it for the ultimate unhealthy treat. Hostess was a bit terse, but our waitress & her trainee were great. We'll definitely be back.
(4)
C E.
I have eaten here three or four times since moving to Somerville a month and a half ago - coworkers and friends told me how great it was. I ate there once or twice without incident - the food was alright, the wait staff a little edgy but that's alright. It did have sort of an awkward feel to it. BUT THEN I had a friend over, and we decided to get take-out food. We got 2 BLT's, and each came with a pickle in aluminum foil. The pickles were completely rotten! It was so gross! I went back again recently, and got a pickle of unknown age right on my plate. It was completely unappetizing. I have this visual image in my head of this 5-gallon bucket filled with festering pickles in the corner of the kitchen, completely unsanitary. I find this to be repulsive and will not be returning to this restaurant.
(1)
Ryan M.
Old does not equal good. Rosebud, I'm looking at you, too. It's a really big greasy spoon that seems far more concerned with its advertising and wealth of parking than with the food or service. It's the most basic whatever breakfast/lunch you can imagine. Think Friendly's but without the Reese's Sundae that makes you forget that you just paid for cold cuts on toasted Wonder bread. It actually FEELS like a Friendly's, too. Nothing like a really old restaurant kept up to make it look and feel like a cookie-cutter franchise. I've only eaten breakfast/brunch here (three times), so their lunch may actually be delicious, but I don't think I'll be finding out. Nothing has ever been gross because they aim so low, but it's just not special. Now, I'm not saying there's no place for a greasy spoon. I gave the greasiest spoon 4 stars (Forest Hills Restaurant). The problem here is that the prices are the same as so many Boston/Cambridge breakfast/brunch spots that DO have real maple syrup at least AVAILABLE...that DO have jelly that doesn't appear on the table by the handful...that DO care about what they serve and strive for high quality and/or innovation. Go to the Friendly Toast, Druid, or Brookline Lunch to get something good for the same money or spend a couple bucks more for a real brunch treat at East Coast Grille (wowwo).
(2)
Glenn N.
I've tried it a few times because so many friends love this place, but I just don't see the appeal. It's like Perkins or Bob Evans got turned into a wax museum and jacked up the prices.
(2)
John S.
I describe the S&S as a restaurant owned by that particular grandmother that doesn't think you're eating enough. The food is comfort and the portions are large. It's just like you're at your Nana's. That is, if you were one of two hundred grandkids. As an Inman Square resident, I am well-acquainted with the quirks and foibles of the place. There are many, so I'm going to share them in the most efficient way possible - a bulleted list! -The service isn't bad, per se. You just need to know what to expect. After you're seated, a waiter is going to ask you what you want to drink. By the time they get back with your root beer, if you don't know what you want to eat, you're in trouble. "Give me one more minute" translates into "give me five more minutes". They're busy, and it shows in their methodolical sweeps of the floor, so throwing off their timing results in waits. -They serve breakfast all day, so don't be afraid to order breakfast all day. The strength of a good deli like this is their consistent and wonderful omelettes, pancakes and french toast. Sure, you can get a delicious burger or some S&S wings (they're great) at 9 p.m. But if you want some poaches eggs, get them. -If you want to eat breakfast in the morning, show up early. They don't take reservations and the wait can be over an hour if you're there with a big party. The place opens at 7 a.m. during the week and 8 a.m. during the weekend. Get there when they open the door. -They don't have "bests". You're not going to get the best grilled chicken or triple decker sandwich here. You're not going to find your favorite quiche. But what you will get is very tasty food without variance. I've never had a bad meal here, but they don't have menu items that I would only come here for. -If you live in the area, the take out is very convenient. If the place is packed and you want a meal, the kitchen is extremely responsive to take out requests. I could call them as I get off the T in Central and my food would be ready by the time I walk to Inman. It's a fun trick. If you want breakfast in Inman Square, this is your place. You won't be blown away, but you will be very full.
(3)
Kathleen F.
At S&S you aren't going to find your typical trendy brunch experience. Instead you get a great atmosphere, very much a Jewish Diner vibe (and being from NY it makes me feel at home!), and a very filling and delish breakfast. Personal favorites of the BF and I have been: Quiche, Parisian French Toast, Steak and Eggs, and the smoked salmon platter if you are going for something a bit lighter. They also make a mean cappuccino (but don't ask for soy milk b/c they definitely don't do that!). Service is very fast as well and I kind of love the gruff no-nonsense waitresses it definitely adds to the experience! This is our go to when we're super hungry and just want a good classic breakfast.
(4)
Mike B.
Delicious deli. Very family friendly. Great servers, service can be a little slow during peak hours but other than that no problem. Their classic burger is amazing and their buffalo wings are top 5 in all of Boston.
(4)
Joshua M.
This place makes you think of the difference between the soulful and spiritual synagogues of Eastern Europe, where men prayed in wavering voices that recalled the ghosts of their ancestors, versus the clean suburban synagogue I went to growing up. Or think of some old Jews in southern Florida munching on the early bird special, then going home for a rousing episode of Jeopardy. The S & S is a pale impression of a Jewish deli, it's design evoking the Friendly's/Ihop/Applebees/Holiday Inn aesthetic. Basically, the Deli is an assimilated Jew, an assimilated Jew who assimilated in all the wrong ways and now represents something mind-numbing and void about American culture. Oh yeah...the food! It's OK and I actually think they have a really nice selection of French Toast options. The service ranges from sub-par to good. The huge selection is probably deceiving, since a lot of the items aren't worth getting. But there's a few "diamonds in the rough!" I liked the croissant french toast a lot.
(3)
L L.
Great place to take the kids. Wide variety on the menu. Diner food and a little up from there.
(4)
Kristen M.
YUM! The S&S is my go to breakfast/brunch joint. I typically get the "brunch eggs" which includes eggs, a choice of ham, bacon or sausage, toast, bagel or english muffin & fresh fruit! The portions are MORE than generous and you will literally be so full for the remainder of the day! Today, I tried the "croissant french toast" and it is absolutely my new favorite. The perfect blend of cinnamon and sugar atop light and fluffy french toast. The reason I only give 4 stars is because although the servers are friendly enough, they ALL seem to have amnesia! Very frustrating to have to wait 10 mins for a water refill :(. Otherwise, this place is the best. A must try!
(4)
Kate S.
Great food for the price!! It's a diner--without too much grease! Monte cristo is amazing because the meat is sooooo good. The only problems here are the long lines and the old staff. The waiters and waitresses work hard, they just look like they've been taken out of retirement and shouldn't be working as hard as they are! Fairly good fries too!
(4)
Wendy K.
I came here for the first time after hearing mixed reviews. The atmosphere was "eh," but doable, and we waited in a long line for a surprisingly short time. We sat down and I ordered a "large" apple juice (for whatever reason). The large apple juice was a normal-small sized apple juice and was maybe overpriced, but I guess I don't really care. I ordered a Rachel (a reuben with turkey instead of corned beef) which came with sauerkraut (which is what I like) instead of cole slaw (which I have seen at other restaurants) and it was very good. It was unfortunately not the best Rachel I have ever had, despite its $10+ price tag, and that is purely due to the uber-crispy toasted/grilled bread the sandwich came on, which also happened to be uber-greasy. When the bread is like that, it cuts my gums, and ya know, I just hate that. Otherwise, the service was very good despite the reviews I have read, and I didn't have to ask for a water refill at any time. I was mildly disturbed, however, by the fact that you must PAY EXTRA for tomatoeslettuceonions which ALWAYS comes with sandwiches and burgers. I will come for breakfast/brunch next time. Lastly, I am not a huge fan of pickles that aren't dill, and these weren't, but I can't judge a deli by it's pickle. The End.
(4)
Christopher M.
"My throat tastes like burning" "You should get soup" "ZOMG you're right! I wish there was a Jewish deli near me." *pulls out iPhone* "There is?* I didn't even need a menu, I knew what I wanted. Lemon tea with honey, a bowl of matzoh ball soup and a corned beef sandwich on light rye. The tea was liptons but the honey was quite good! I was impressed that a place in that price range served quality clover honey with their tea! The matzoh ball soup came replete with carrots and celery. Not really how I like my matzoh meal and chicken fat, but ok. The ball itself had a reat consistency but I found the taste to be a little flat. That being said I was stuffed up so it may be just fine. I'm giving tghem the benefit of the doubt on this. The sandwich was half the size I wanted but twice the size I expected. So I'd say it was about perfect, especially for 4.99! End result? A great jewish deli with solid food. Next time though, I'll see if I can get a double stuffed sammich. mmmmmmmmmmmm
(4)
Katelan Y.
This place has been here since my parents were in college and they still love going here. Great place for diner/deli food. Definitely have to recommend the S&S wings. They are addicting - crunchy, sweet and tangy. Reuben was good too.
(4)
SM H.
It's a nice spot to grab brunch of a late-ish night meal. They get really high marks for service - always had nice wait staff take care of me while I'm at the place, which gives it a lovely home-y vibe. The food is fine - there are certainly better brunch spots out there, but S&S certainly delivers on large portions and some filling food (I like the Salmon Hash)
(3)
Edwin O.
This place has been steadily declining over the past few years. On a regular day the food is mediocre, and at really busy times like Sunday brunch, it can be downright terrible. The same can be said for the service. And overpriced! Such a shame to see an institution like this go into decline. Just sad really. *sniff*
(2)
Amy B.
Dante would have classified the S&S under the Third Circle of Hell. The food is not fresh, just as the rains of Dante's hell lack any sort of refreshing quality. The service is beyond poor. The customer should be paid to eat here. Also, there is no speedy escape as paying the bill seems to take several hours. Unfortunately, I am unwillingly dragged here every few months because my daughter loves the soup. Having tasted it, I would suggesting visiting your local supermarket and purchasing a can of Progresso - pleasant Shaw's staff and getting exactly what you pay for in a timely fashion. Fancy that! Of course, you have to heat it up yourself...which takes all of two and a half minutes. The hostess forces you to stand in line - with no one else waiting in the line, there are several open tables and bored waitstaff stare at you. When you are finally herded to a table, grumpy waitstaff shows up 15 minutes later to take your drink order. After disappearing for another 15 minutes, you are allowed to place your food order. Boy, are they doing you a favor by allowing you to order anything! Forty five minutes later, you will be treated to cold, congealed Eggs Benedict served on hockey pucks (meant to resemble English muffins). The waitress will slam down your drinks and food, then practice the fine art of ensuring there is food in everyone's mouth so you cannot respond when checking to see if the customer is satisfied. You are allotted one drink per meal. That is all. Don't even try to catch the waitress's eye. You are not worthy enough to look at her! I know some folks really like this place. Some people like bad food and poor treatment. Some people are into S&M. I guess I don't fit into any of those categories. The only good thing about this place is the free parking lot. Hmm, free parking in a congested part of Cambridge...gotta lure the bait somehow...
(1)
Michelle L.
I've never been to the restaurant, just the deli area. So this review applies only to the deli counter and the products for sale there. I've heard the food in the restaurant half is mediocre and that service is slow, so I've just never been tempted to head over there. But: their bagels are fantastic. I've never had a New York bagel so some would say I'm not an expert on the matter, but it's one of the best I've ever had. Chewy and dense and, well, bagel-y. One of the best in all of Boston/Cambridge, and believe me, I've done my research. (I am also a huge fan of Bagel Rising, but that's neither here nor there.) I also tried a sticky bun, which was pretty yummy as well. If you come to S & S, why not head straight to the deli counter and get yourself a big bag of bagels. Maybe you'll have a better experience.
(4)
Melanie H.
S&S is a great go-to place in the Cambridge area. I have only been here for brunch, but have been satisfied both times. They have a very nice selection of omelettes and also have nice brunch specials (waffles, french toast, sausage and eggs). There are so many good options on the S&S brunch menu that it is difficult to decide on what to eat. I went here on a Sunday with 3 others around 11:00am and was seated right away. We were given quick service and our food came out quickly as well. The portions on the omelettes are huge. I got the lox omelette and split it with a friend- for $10.95 the omelette specials come with home fries, fresh fruit, a bagel, and the omelette. Plenty of food for two people. My other friend got the sticky bun, which they raved about. It looked delicious! Also, the bloody mary's and mimosa's looked amazing! I would definitely recommend S&S for a great brunch on a weekend.
(4)
Trudy L.
I am not sure what happened to the service of this restaurant over the years. I have been a loyal customer for over a decade and was saddened by the events that took place today. I had a friend and her teenage son meet me there for brunch today, while they waited the son was hungry so his mother ordered him an omelet, about an hour later I arrived. When I arrived I asked if we could please move to a booth, well this seemed to be an issue because I had to ask 2 servers and then a manager had to come over and explain the issue with changing seats. While she clearly explained what the issue would be regarding the changing of seats and I understood (thank you). It just seemed ridiculous. So seats changed my friends son decides to wrap up the remainder of his omelet to take home, the waiter comes and wraps it up for us very nice. As me and my friend were ordering our food her teenage son becomes hungry again and decides to finish his omelet. Well he opens it ans surprise he found hair in his food, his first instinct as a kid was to take the hair out of the food, which he did his mother asks the server is she would please throw it away, but the server says she is going to inform the manager. So we sit there and wait for at least 20 min and a supposedly manager (an older lady, has glasses, short brown hair usually sits in the back behind the main counter that holds all the pastries while I called to get the name of this person Amy informed me that she did not know which one I was talking about REALLY AMY so helpful and very rude over the phone THANK YOU AMY) comes over and informs us that they did not find the hair in the food. My friend explained to her that it was her son who found the hair and that he took it out, the manager informs us that he already ate most of it and not only that he should have left the hair in the food (which I can understand, but this was a kid reacting and not thinking about evidence that is needed). Mind you my friend had already spent about $30 feeding her son and then we spent another $50 so a total of $80 for all three of us. I was really surprised about how rude the supposedly manager was, not only did she make it seem like we were lying about the hair in the food but she also made it seem like we were trying to get a free meal. Not only did she embarrass us but she also humiliated us with these implications that all the other customers could here. Well by the end of this conversation our food arrived and we just decided to pack it up and leave. I am a foodie so I eat out very often and this by far the worst I have ever been treated. Even though most of the restaurants are high end I would expect good customer service, a friendly face, and an awesome meal, S&S had none of these and i will not be spending my money in that type of establishment. SO ALL BE WEARY. Thank you
(1)
Adrienne T.
It's been awhile since I've been to S&S. I will say that, as I recall, they have the absolute best wings in town. Yum-yum. I remember waiting in excessively long lines for brunch, which wasn't all that fab, I remember it being kind of loud, and I recall that the service wasn't that great. I had been warned about bad service, but I never found it bad, just sort of "unconcerned". I don't recall anything on the menu being out of this world exceptional, except the wings. Note: be sure to get the wings with the bone, the drumettes, NOT the tenders with no bones. For some odd reason, they really taste different.
(3)
Michael H.
The food was great. No complaints there. However, I have never had worse service at any restaurant in my life - and I am including fast food in that statement. Our server, Alfred, was a geriatric ass that was rude, inconsiderate, and paid almost no attention to our table. Our group, a party of 7, was seated at a booth. Alfred came over and lectured us for sitting at the wrong table (?) and was short and brusque even after we informed him this was where the hostess had seated us. He was angry, it turn ed out, because he had to go get us menus and silverware himself. When it came time to order, Alfred was impatient, pointing at each of us and demanding (not asking) "What do you want". When the food came, he walked up with 4 of the 7 dishes and yelled "Listen up!" and then started naming off our dishes (since he obviously was too old to remember who had ordered what). Throughout the entire meal, we only got refills on our water once, the only one of our party that had a drink (a diet coke) only got a single refill as well. Try this place, but if an old white man with bad teeth tries to serve you, ask for a different waiter. As someone who worked in restaurants for 6 years, I had never in my life stiffed someone until now. Go fuck yourself, Albert.
(1)
Tina D.
Really loved my pastrami on focaccia...breaded fries also hit the spot (that's a good thing)
(5)
Gloria L.
We love brunch! This place doesn't have the best food, but we do find ourselves back a couple of times a year -- their corned beef hash is pretty solid and I also really like their chive cream cheese. Their service depends on the server, but ranges from really good to just okay; today, the restaurant was half empty but it still took awhile for our server to come around to fill our waters. It helps that they have multiple parking lots, but sometimes the wait on the weekend can be ridiculous for what it is. We come back because we live so close.
(3)
Bill P.
We had dinner at S & S for the first time the other night after hearing numerous recommendations and it definitely lived up to expectations! I ordered the steak tips (which I would highly recommend) and my girlfriend had the chicken and broccoli pasta dish. Both were delicious and came with salads which were good too. The dinner menu was pretty extensive and had a good variety of options. After dinner we had a slice of ice cream sundae cheese cake which was excellent - you can see a number of their scrumptious desserts in the freezer when you first walk into the restaurant. When we ate there last night we didn't sit at the bar, but for those of you looking for a good bar to catch the game at I'd say it's worth a try. They have two big flat screen TVs and the bartender seemed to be very friendly and good-humored. The only reason I'm not giving this restaurant five stars is that the waiter could have been a little bit more attentive. He was super friendly, but once we had our meals he hardly every checked back on us and was a bit slow to realize we needed drink refills and whatnot. But still, it's a minor complaint. Long and diverse menu, friendly service, and delicious food - give this place a try!
(4)
Sarah C.
'Yay! I'm a fan.' I've always been a fan of S&S. It is a Cambridge breakfast staple. My Grandparents went there every Sunday for years decades ago. The wait-staff have all been there for AGES. It is CRAZY busy on Sundays. I usually always take public transit when I go because parking in Inman Square can be a trial. They've got the wait system down to a science on busy days and offer overflow to Ryles (decent Jazz brunch at Ryles on Sundays). They let you know what the wait is at Ryles and will send you there if you want. Great breakfast and lunch variety. Huge portions. They actually don't put fresh fruit on hot plates of food. They actually put sides of fruit in separate dishes unlike so many other breakfast places. PERFECT homefries. Well, I guess homefries are somewhat subjective.... these are my idea of perfect. Crispy/mushy potatoes pan seared with caramelized onions. I think due to their longevity they've got efficient service down pat. Sometimes the service is a little sterile but hey, if you've got your plate of food in front of you just the way you want in a timely manner, a full cup of coffee, and perhaps a mimosa plus good company... what more could you ask for?
(4)
Debra L.
I only had about 25 minutes to eat and get out the door to a mtg. So, when I was about to be seated I politely said "You know, I really only have about 30 minutes and I've never been here before - do you think that will enough time?" (This was my gentle way of letting her know I needed my service quickly without actually saying that.) She said it was no problem and she was on the ball! Took my order right away, brought me over my check right after my salad so I wouldn't have to ask for it etc. I think she liked that I was kind of in a hurry - she knew I was going to free up the table quicky. I guess I could have just gone to the deli counter and ordered something pre-made but I was in the mood for something more fresh. My salad was delicious: mixed greens, grilled chicken, blue cheese, dried cranberries, pecans with a crusty wheat roll. For what I was looking for that night, my experience at S&S was perfect. Given the other reviews, I think I'm lucky that I ordered something pretty simple and didn't have to deal with any lines.
(4)
Kristina D.
In almost two years of living within walking distance of S&S, I had never eaten its old-school deli goodness until this morning for brunch. The Mother's Day brunch crowd might be a tad different from the usual crowd, but I did appreciate the wide variety of clientele as compared to places that cater to hungover 20somethings. The menu also contains a huge variety of foods, so this review will likely get updated as I try more of them. Now, my ratings: -Bloody Mary (3 stars): pretty solid, but I would have liked more of a kick from horseradish, giant olives, tabasco, and lime juice. I have not yet found the elusive five-star Bloody Mary, but it will definitely have those qualities and perhaps also cucumber vodka. -Pecan sticky roll (5 stars): So adorbs. The roll part is sweet, light and croissanty--quite different than the typical dense cinnamon roll. I like putting butter all over the outer circumference of the roll and then fighting over division of the middle of the roll. -Continental omelette (4 stars): Included an omelette with Jarlsberg, mushrooms, and onions along with: a marble bagel & cream cheese, a tiny fruit cup, and home fries. In decreasing order of my liking: home fries, bagel + omelette, fruit cup. I like that they give a copious amount of whipped cream cheese.
(4)
Emily O.
This place has deviated from what it once intended to be: a Jewish-style deli with hearty portions and great bagels. Jewish, it is not. How do I know? The matzoh ball soup isn't made with schmaltz. When I asked about kosher meats for a friend of mine, a waitress stared at me like I was crazy and said "I don't think anything we have is kosher." All of these things would be forgivable if the food wasn't so unremarkable. Chopped liver? Too fatty tasting, and since when do tomatoes, onions, and lettuce come only as "extras?" French toast is alright, but nothing to go wild about. Burgers are O.K. I would stick to typical diner fare or visit Brookline for much better food.
(3)
John P.
Tasty, dependable brunch food. Inman Square already caters to a variety of tastes: good pub grub at Bukowski Tavern, good Indian at Punjabi Dhaba, good Mexican at Olecito, and so on. S&S wouldn't beat any of those in a straight up, Ali-vs-Wepner fight. S&S gets four stars by being open late, by serving good breakfast food round the clock, and by bringing a consistent diner atmosphere. You'll see all types here: young Cambridge couples with kids in strollers; massive families with all three generations dining at once; hipsters looking for a pre-bar brunch to soak up their alcohol. Protip: grilled cheese with tomato.
(4)
Ryan H.
I tried this place the other day for the first time and i have to say it's probably my favorite breakfast place in Boston. I tried the corned beef hash, the stuffed french toast and the potato pancakes. All of it was great! The service was as expected at a place like this. The corned beef hash had a great flavor and you can tell it was homemade. The poached eggs were a little overdone but the bagel was good. The French toast wasnt the best i've ever had but it was good enough and big enough that i would order it again. The potato pancakes were crispy and flavorful but there were only three. If i ordered these alone it wouldn't have been enough. Overall the experience was great and ill definitely be back. I can see how this place has been open for almost 90 years.
(4)
Ethan A.
My breakfast plate was more than enough food. Omelet, home fries, fruit cup, bagel and cream cheese for nine bucks. Unfortunately, nothing was good enough to want to try again. Omelet had a good mix of vegetables, but barely any cheese. Home fries had no flavor. Fruit cup was warm. Bagel was okay. The service was nice enough, though a bit slow. I wouldn't have minded a refill at some point. Still, it was cheap enough, and very plain. My fellow diner thought it was like the Ninety Nine, which is not a compliment. If it weren't just next door to the apartment, I would not consider ever going back.
(3)
Jonathan H.
I've found myself coming hear less over the years, but I still consider it a brunch standard and often come here when old Boston friends return. There is one dish that both me and T will flat out crave every 2-3 months: S&S's corned beef hash and eggs. This is not from a can folks and I'm pretty sure you can order this any time of day. Everything else is pretty good, my other staples include their Turkey Club, Stuffed Chicken Breast (a little taste of Thanksgiving), and Quiche Lorraine. Service has been varied, certain times they are very attentive, other times we're flat out ignored. I just usually avoid the crazy brunch crowds on the weekend and I'm pretty happy.
(3)
Wayne W.
You call this a deli? It's okay for a sandwich if you're desperate, and nothing else is open, but Katz's it ain't. The long lines jamming the sidewalk outside on Sunday mornings never fail to make me shake my head in disbelief. Oh, yeah -- the half-sours are okay.
(2)
Purvi R.
Gosh, I really wish I could just find one place that makes really good eggs. Is that too much to ask of a place reputed for its brunch? I guess it was too much to ask of S&S. This place does not make good eggs. In fact it makes really bad eggs. So overcooked that the bf had to send his back (and he is the least complainy person about food...ever), and I even considered sending mine back but didn't in an effort to just get the hell out of there so I didn't have to keep staring at my plate of rubber. The pickles are good though! errr.... note: Service was nice, and fast. Lots of families with cute babies to distract you from your bad food.
(2)
Michael G.
If this place was easily T Accessible, I would go every Sunday/Saturday for Brunch. Absolutely delicious for diner/deli food. Nice for those who do have a car and can get there without a lot of walking. S&S in Inman is definitely an institution in the area for breakfast/brunch, so be careful. it does get very busy and you may have to wait a few minutes. Like most people, I have never eaten dinner here. The service is the okay. It is usually busy and they have a lot going on. It is a process, but I am fine with that. I'm usually not in a hurry to get out of there.
(4)
Elizabeth P.
S&S is your old-fashioned Jewish deli (it's been around since the end of World War I!), and they seem to be doing a pretty good job of keeping things authentic. We came for brunch last weekend, and thought that everything was solidly good, with the exception of the service. Ambiance: The interior is perfectly acceptable, if nothing to really write home about. Essentially, it feels like an old Jewish deli should: a bit dated inside, but clean, with lots of memorabilia about the history of the place on the walls. The history student in me appreciated this touch--it was fun to see the old menus, photos, and statistics about how many eggs and cups of coffee S&S has served since it's been in operation! Service: Our server was clearly competent and experienced, but was managing way too many tables. My food was accidentally served to another table, which meant that by the time it arrived it was lukewarm and everyone else at my table had been hungrily staring at their plates for several minutes. In addition, there was a bit too much multi-tasking: our waitress took our orders as she was clearing a table to one side of ours and then took the orders of the table on the other side of ours as she was delivering our food. I understand that the restaurant is busy on weekends, but it really seemed like they could use another server or two. Menu: The food was tasty. As you'd expect, the brunch and lunch menus are quite large and consist of everything from omelets, quiches, pancakes, and french toast to steak, fish & chips, burgers, wraps, and sandwiches. There's something for everyone, and a nice mix of traditional options (chopped liver, lox on a bagel, smoked whitefish, pastrami, etc.) and more creative dishes (particularly when it comes to the daily specials). Food: After being highly tempted by the bagel & lox, I ordered the English omelet (cheddar, bacon, onions, and tomatoes), which I liked, but didn't love. I would have liked to have had some more cheese in the omelet, and in retrospect, a lot of the other dishes on the menu sound much more intriguing. There's always next time, I suppose! I preferred my bf's dish, the Quiche Lorraine. The crust was a bit too thick, but the quiche was nonetheless delicious: the bacon was crispier than the bacon in my omelet and there was plenty of cheddar. Both of our dishes came with a fruit cup of actual fresh fruit, tasty not-greasy home fries, and the option of bagel or toast (go for the bagel... it's a pretty good one!). My other dining companion ordered the Cobb Salad, which he proclaimed tasty, although it was so big, he ended up being a bit overwhelmed by it! That's definitely a trend here. Based on what we ordered and what I saw coming out of the kitchen for other tables, I'd describe the portions as very generous.
(3)
Brandon V.
I've been going to the S&S for almost a decade and have always loved it. It's a constant, consistent staple of living in Cambridge. It's convenient location near Inman Square makes it a great spot to meet people that isn't near the much busier Central or Haravard Squares for lunch. Creative and edgy they are not, but this is what makes it a plus. You can always count on them to deliver for you. Their Buffalo wings are some of the best in the Boston area. If you want to know what wings actually taste like in Buffalo, this is a good example. A nice surprise. They have a HUGE menu and you can order most any deli item from it. They have the usual daily specials as well. Their ingredients are usually fresh. Prepare to wait in line for brunch on the weekend, but they do have nice, late brunch hours. The staff is gruff, but they generally do a good job and I have come to appreciate their no nonsense approach to the job.
(4)
Amanda L.
It's no secret that Boston and the surrounding neighborhoods are no NYC when it comes to two things: Delis and bagels. Having not enjoyed the pleasure of NYC bagels (those frozen ones that you can get at the grocery store don't count) and their fine delis, I have to settle for S&S. Located on the fairly busy section of Cambridge St. in Inman square, S&S is a better option than All Star Sandwich bar, in my opinion. Slightly less expensive and with a lot more options, S&S is a comfort when you want a good ol' sandwich without the oh-so-hip-I'm-better-than-you vibe that you can get at All Star. Their regular run of the mill sandwiches are fairly cheap (around $5.00) and they come with a sour pickle. For a few more dollars you can get a specialty sandwich for around $10.00 which does seem like a lot, but you get a bag of chips, a sour pickle and some coleslaw. The handful of times that I have been here have not been disappointing. I've only gotten take-out so I can't tell you much about the service, but the take out counter have always been pleasant. My sandwiches always taste fresh and they are actually pretty big which make them worth the sometimes higher pricing. I've not tried the knishes or the potato pancakes, but they display the knishes in a display case, so there is a chance they are not as fresh as they could be. The sour pickles taste too cucumbery to me, but they are nice and crunchy, which is a plus. I also enjoy their coleslaw, which has a slight vinegary taste to is, and it isn't loaded with tons of mayo like so many other slaws. While certainly not the best restaurant on the block, S&S serves its purpose. I assume if a native NYCer comes in here he or she will be sorely saddened, for I can tell it does not hold up to some of the Jewish deli's in NYC. But for good ol' Somerville, it'll have to do.
(3)
Aditya M.
The food is always good, but the service is horrible everytime... It feels like I'm bothering them when I come into the place..
(3)
Melissa S.
I lived in Inman Square for a decade and S&S was the fallback for when we didn't feel like cooking. Consistently good food, good service. And I particularly like they're homemade corned beef hash with poached eggs on top. Yum. Also, the potato pancakes are off the hook.
(4)
Joanna A.
I pretty much only come here for breakfast.. and its really good. my faves so far are the blitzes which they make with cream cheese filling, not lump cottage cheesey filling. And the stuffed french toast is fantastic too. I also like the omelettes. And the little fruit salads that come on the side are surprisingly fresh and tasty. We've had slow service here in the past but i swear its getting better...
(4)
Tarah H.
S&S is one of those places I wanted to love. Kosher style right around the corner from the man's new digs? Matzo ball soup at my beck and call along side knishes, lox and pickles? Oy gavelt it would have made my heart plotz. Unfortunately, the matzo balls are grainy, the soup too salty, the latkes too crispy, the rest of the food mediocre and the staff - odd at best. I once requested a potato knish and was met with "you don't want the beef?" Did the waitress just.... yes. she just questioned my order. She then proceeded to not bring my soup and a few other things that made me wonder if I was not her favorite customer at the table. Sure I'll go back when I want comfort food and want it near by. But I'll still schlep to Brookline for any real cravings for the good stuff.
(3)
Laura G.
Coming to Boston I realized I was going to have to do a lot of things (i.e. heavy lifting) myself since I was leaving my loving father and two brothers at home back in the Nati. Somehow I managed to scrap up a couple awesome guy friends since I've been up here that I just had to treat to lunch after they spent four hours moving a new bed and TV into my apartment for me. As soon as I saw this place I had visions of Crackle Barrel and Bob Evans dancing in my head, so clearly we had to dine here. I treated the boys and myself to beer, my Blue Moon was ice cold and served with an orange. I settled on the salmon kabobs for lunch, hoping the servings would be ridiculously big. Boy, was I right! I'm that girl who always cleans her plate completely and I couldn't get through it! The salmon and vegetables were grilled like my mom would do (huge plus) and the rice was really good as well. Instead of coleslaw I was able to substitute for the veggie of the day, corn on the cob. My friends enjoyed their food as well. Cheesecake was the finishing touch and I went into a food coma about 20 minutes later. My country bumpkin parents would love this place!
(4)
Hubert H.
I just had some takeout tea and bagels here a while back, in the middle of being in a rush. The service was quick and I got what I needed in fair time. Will try to sit down next time.
(4)
Patricia L.
Quick late lunch yesterday: Service was fast, wines are reasonably priced, a few appetizers were satisfying and yummy, but... a potato knish should never, ever, be reheated in the microwave, that's simply a capital sin; and they are guilty!
(3)
Scott B.
I have been a fan of S&S since I was a little kid. My friends and I needed a good breakfast to start New Years day before heading to the Winter Classic at Fenway. So we decided on the best there is. We got there and got to our seats and ordered a round of Strawberry Mimosa's. MAN were they delicious. I had the french toast which was phenomenal as always. The bacon was cooked perfectly and how can you go wrong with a cup of fresh fruit to round it all off. S&S is a great start to any day. Especially with friends.
(5)
Maxim L.
DISCLAIMER: My two-star review is based on a particularly bad experience I had with service. Based on the food alone, I would give S&S four stars for good (albeit inconsistent), old fashioned, diner style favorites. Why two stars, then? At the end of my meal, which cost approximately $14, I paid the waitress with a fifty dollar bill. This is very unusual because I almost never carry anything greater than twenties. I had just spent two weeks working in Bangor, Maine, which doesn't have a branch of citizens bank, my only bank. This forced me to cash my paycheck at Walmart and either collect a few fifties, or have a wallet bursting with cash. I chose fifties, so now I was unloading one of the last ones on my S&S waitress. As a former cashier and waiter, I had the good sense to say "fifty dollars" as I paid her and confirm one last time that it was indeed a gold colored fifty dollar bill. Two minutes later the waitress comes back with six dollars change and immediately walks away. I call her back again and remind her that I paid fifty dollars. She immediately agrees and walks over to the cashier and spends two minutes talking to him while I start to get really pissed off. She comes back and tells me that the cashier insists i paid twenty. I storm over there and threaten to call the police. He grins at me and shows me that there are no fifties in the register as proof that I'm nuts. Long story, short, I blew my top and the waitress talked to the manager, who ordered the cashier to give me proper change. Since the manager had the good sense to trust me over that snake at the register I continue to eat at S&S today. Just be careful with your money and pay with small bills or credit. This is a very high volume business with no camera over the register (!), so it's easy to make your money disappear if you are not paying very close attention.
(2)
Ryan S.
My hamburger was boiled, the last time I had that was in my middle school cafeteria. Gross.
(2)
Jenna P.
Brunch is really good and a good price. Bloody Mary's are very good and cheap ($5.95).
(4)
Amy H.
I don't like this place as much as others do. I think it may be me. Their food is your traditional Jewish diner food. I have ordered the potato pancakes and the fried fish. Both were just ok. The service is also ok; usually slow because of the large quantity of people who flow through here. I'd rather eat somewhere else if I had the choice. And in Inman Square, luckily you do!
(3)
Katia M.
When I was a poor temp this place was a bit out of my price range for hangover brunch, but I've been here twice recently and gotten omelets with the bagel, home fries, and maybe a mimosa, and I have to say, it hits the spot. Good stuff.
(4)
Greg C.
I live up the street from S&S and have eaten there numerous times, both dine-in and take-out. Honestly, the take-out is the ONLY reason this place gets a second star. The food here is good, when you can finally flag down a server to take your order and if you can wait the 30 or so minutes it takes to make the food. I suppose I should qualify "food" - I mean breakfast. I think I've had other meals here once or twice, but I can't really remember anything about them. Anyway, the service in this place just plain sucks. Some of the servers are nice-ish, but don't go thirsty, cause you'll be lucky to get even one refill of your coffee or water. I really wish I knew what this place was like back in the days of Ma Edelstein, cause I think she'd be rolling over in her grave now if she saw the way patrons were treated there. My advice is call ahead to order your food, then just go to the deli counter and pay with a card (to avoid walking from the deli to the register and back to the deli, which can be a pain if the place is jammed). Even the lady who is usually working the deli when go to pick up my food always seems like my mere presence is annoying her, and she appears to be one of the management/owners! I don't get it. I just don't understand how a restaurant like this thrives with such shitty, shitty service. Oh right, there is a general lack of dinner-type restaurants in the Boston area. I will say that one neat thing about the place is all the old school photos of Inman Square on the walls. But I probably only find that interesting cause I live there.
(2)
Amanda G.
Great fantastic brunch, although not so great when I'm so hungover it just comes back up (oops). Eggs benedict is my fave. Huge place, but packed weekend morns. Went for lunch one time, but different vibe - felt like a nicer Friendly's. Local lunch crowd is interesting though. As usual, the inman mix of people is lovely - your yuppees, locals, and poor kids.
(4)
Matt K.
If some lower end but dependable commercial restaurant chain was to get a little drink and decide to "experiment" with a local neighborhood eatery, in nine months time you would get the S&S. The menu is varied and has a good selection for different taste. Steaks and eggs can be found for breakfast and staples like steak tips are represented and done fairly, but not usually something you'll crave or use as the high mark all other meals are compared to. The staff is one of the reasons I go here. While most restaurants I go to are staffed by cute perky coeds, the S&S dares to be different by utilizing a collection of femme fatales who could pass for my 50 year old mother. Almost always sweet, but not above giving problem customers some attitude. One of my first times there my waitress actually came up to my table told us that her shift was almost over, we were her last customers of the night and asked if she could just give us our bill halfway through dinner so she could go home. If any other waitress at another place had asked that I would have been insulted and never returned, but since our waitress asked politely and had a sweet face we of course took our check early. I just realized I didn't really give a idea of what the food there is really like. If you have ever eaten at a Denny's, IHOP, or a Village Inn, then you have eaten at the S&S. Everything is slightly under seasoned, but has a bit of homey quality. It's great for when your having a bad day, or maybe are treating a hang over on a Sunday morning. In a world of molecular gastronomy and "fusion" cook styles, sometimes it's nice to just have access to an old staple
(3)
Danny L.
This place was never anything amazing, but it seems to get a little worse each time I go. I've lived in Inman Square for the last 5 years. I always thought of S&S as the kind of place you go when you need breakfast and nothing else is serving, or it's sunday afternoon, you've exhausted the other options in the area for the week, and you just want a sandwich or something. The food is never amazing, but consistently decent. Until they started hiking up the prices. I expect some price increase over time but they started skimping on a few things. I notice this most on weekends during breakfast time, when they're at their absolute busiest. I've made 2 egg omelettes at home that are twice the size of their "three egg omelette". If you look at all the options, like 8 out of their 10 specialty omelettes include onions, and when it comes out, it's like a big pile of onions wrapped with a thin egg crepe-like-thing with some other stuff mixed in. I ordered one without onions once, it was the saddest thing I'd ever seen. Each time we go now, whether it's due to the extremely rude and hostile owner who usually seats people as if their ruining her day by walking in, or feeling shortchanged by what we ordered, we say "OK, that's the last time we're going there." but sometimes, you just want breakfast in the evening without hiking out to Ball Square or IHOP in Harvard. Last time in, we got there around 9:20. Took a little while to get a server, but she was very polite. We ordered drinks, and got our food order in by 9:30pm. They close at 10. Place was still busy, and they start flashing lights at 9:35 like it's last call and then they cut half the lights off and start stacking chairs up right next to all our tables. I never felt so rushed out of a restaurant. We ate, tried to leave, and had to get someone to unlock the doors on the Cambridge street side. It was 10:05, and there was still at least 8 tables still seated. They wanted us to leave on the Hampshire street side and walk around the block to go home because they didn't feel like getting a key! Eventually they opened it and let us out, and as we walked home, we said "That's it, that's the last time we're going there..." No, for real this time.
(1)
Kimberlee B.
LOVE S&S. We have been using their catering service option and they are consistent, well priced and innovative. The food is great. No week is the same. Their selection is expansive with great fresh fish one night and chicken parm and pasta the next. Their desserts are even better than the food. These people do not mess around. Their cupcakes are some of the best in Boston. I recommend the chocolate bottom, peanut butter frosted (yum)! Just learned that their sister restaurant is Ryles and I can't wait to check that out too!
(5)
Lauren H.
Stick to the wings. The breakfast was a huge disappointment. Homes fries, if that's what you want to call them were colorless, ice cold and had onions in them. The Florentine Benedict was OK but again, onions?? Thats a first. Half my plate was onions and nothing else. On top of it, I couldn't help notice that an older, blonde waitress who was complaining about her tables to other staff members moments after walking away from their tables. Good thing she didn't wait on me. I won't return for breakfast but will get wings for take out.
(1)
Kris M.
Eaten here twice now, and both times it's been absolutely delicious. First time was my first free day in Boston, having just gotten here the evening before. Was wandering around Inman looking for a place to have lunch and found S & S. Aside from the hostess looking utterly bored and possibly slightly disgusted the entire time I was there, the service was more than decent. It was also the first time I heard an authentic Boston accent: When I ordered a pastrami and cheese, the waitress exclaimed, in a thick Boston accent, "Oh, yah gonnah love it, I had the pastrahmi eahlieah and it's wicked awesome." In my head I was going, wow, people actually do talk like that here! Accent aside, she was right - pastrami and havarti dill on grilled ciabatta was delicious. Later that week, my mom and I visited for dinner. Again, the bored/disgusted hostess showed us to our seats, and a lovely older gentleman waiter came to take our orders. Mom says he reminds her of Quilleran, from the Lillian Jackson Braun series of novels (The Cat Who...) We splurged a bit, salmon for mom and a full rack of ribs for me. In addition to the portion size being huge, the food was quite delicious, literally enough to make two meals out of (we had our leftovers for dinner the next night, not needing to add anything extra!). Prices here are consistent across the board, for lunch or dinner most things are around $9-11. My full rack of ribs was $15, and while not the best ribs I've had they were certainly not bad and great for the price. Someday I want to actually buy something from their deli, which looks impressive and authentic. Would recommend the place to any visitors with less adventuresome palates (such as parents).
(4)
Andrea M.
In my mind, these are the mixed positives of S&S: 1. They're open late, comparatively (Punjabi Dhaba is open later, and has better food). 2. They have matzoh ball soup (I reserve this for craving emergencies only, since it's only so-so and has noodles in it). 3. They can accommodate many different tastes of food (just not deliciously), so it's a good place to go with a fussy group. 4. You can get breakfast anytime of day. 5. They can do large groups (but not consistently at *all* times of day). That said, even though I live around the corner from S&S, I don't go there much. It's just not all that great. For the most part, my experience with the service has been good, and the food is serviceable, but not fantastic, and certainly not worth their prices. And the accoustics in the dining room are awful, so when it gets loud, it's *really* loud; often, that kid crying on the other side of the dining rooms sounds like it's right next to you. :\ It's definitely not on my list of go-to places in my neighborhood. And it sounds like they *were* good, once upon a time. ::sigh::
(2)
Jeffrey L.
I like a traditional Bacon, Eggs, Homefries, and toast breakfast and feel it is a good way to compare one restaurant to another. I was underwhelmed with my breakfast this morning... Eggs - Cooked to my liking - over easy Bacon - Two thin and less than crispy sheets of bacon paper Homefries - Kinda mushy but ok Toast - Toasted and delicious... with a rock hard side of butter Although this breakfast did not exactly satisfy my breakfast craving I am willing to give this place another shot... The service was friendly, the dishes were clean, and the deli looks tasty.
(3)
Benjamin S.
Several weeks ago, I had a lovely dinner here with my parents and brother, with a standout potato knish and prodigious quantities of starch. In retrospect, though, most of the aforementioned loveliness can be attributed to the company: the sandwiches and other foods, while passable all, weren't anything to write bubbe about. With company over last weekend, I thought I'd give it a second shot for carry-out bagels and cream-cheese at the rather parsimoniously stocked deli counter. With no line and barely anyone else in the restaurant, it took me twelve minutes to order twelve bagels and cream cheese. (Can some math whiz help me out here?) Those twelve laborious minutes do not take into account the three minutes I spent with the cashier on the other side of the deli, who couldn't be bothered to look up from the register, or nay, even respond with anything but an indifferent grunt to repeated "thank-yous." The bagels? Stale. The cream cheese? Gummy. And while it's not my fight to pick, the gentleman in front of me was told that he needed to wait for the other member of his party of two to arrive before he could be seated -- in spite of the half-empty restaurant. I came in with high hopes, thinking that I might have a deli in the mold of Toronto's superlative United Bankers. Host du bie mir an avleh!
(3)
Larissa C.
I get brunch here about once a month, and it's always amazing. They serve both brunch and lunch, so you can choose from a fantastic variety of food. Also, the portions are to die for, you will never leave this place still feeling hungry. Be prepared, however, on Sunday you will wait in line for a seat (I go around 2 to avoid this but I am a late brunch-er). Enjoy!
(5)
Tom D.
Wow. 185 reviews of this place already. Oh well, I'll still add my two cents. LOVE this place! Definitely one of the places I've missed ever since moving up to Lowell. Thankfully, I spent New Year's Eve in Boston, so it was a perfect excuse to stop in for a Thursday brunch with some friends. We arrived early and got a number, even though our party wasn't all there yet. Their policy is to only seat complete parties, which given how busy they are, I can totally understand. They've added a PA system since the last time I visited, so there's no way you'll miss your number being called. After our whole party arrived, I notified the hostess and it was a short (though it felt like eternity given how hungry we were) 15 minute wait for a table. Our server was friendly and humorous. The place was packed, so our food was a little slow to come out, but she kept on bringing the waters and sodas while we waited. A couple people I was with ordered mimosas and bloody marys. Both were tasty and in generous tall glasses. For my meal, I had the portabella mushroom omelette with a side of home fries and a bagel. Delicious! I love the side of fresh fruit they give you. Where are they getting such plump blackberries this time of year? You definitely get your money's worth at this place. I highly recommend it. They do have a small parking lot, but I've rarely been able to get a space in there. But, God bless Cambridge, if you go on Sunday, you can park in any spot on the street for free, including resident-only areas. If only Boston did that!
(5)
E K.
I wanted to have a breakfast catered for my clients on Friday but I was sick of ordered the same thing from Panera (my clients were as well!). I came accross S&S and gave them a try. The 10 person spread they delivered was incredible. Rather than a tote, they delivered a pot of coffee, which helped it last so much longer. Rather than the usual breakfast sandwich platter, I ordered trays of scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausages etc: the essentials for a solid breakfast that you'd actually want to eat in the office. Everything was set up in buffet trays which always looks nicer to me. I loved that everything on the menu was customizable and they called me twice to confirm my order and put my mind at ease. Everything was delivered on time and tasted great. I highly recommend this place for your event or for personal menu. Oh, and the red velvet pancakes are TO DIE FOR.
(4)
Shukry L.
Well, this place is terrible. I've never seen such disinterested waitresses in an establishment. I ordered fish and chips, and apparently Boston Scrod is disgusting compared to cod. I once had a friend fart in my mouth and it tasted better than this horseshit. The chicken was burnt and uncuttable. The waitresses was so rude to our friends, basically kicking them out. And I'm pretty sure they're racist. We showed up and and there was a black family waiting, and we were seated immediately. And they don't even have malt vinegar.
(1)
Joshua L.
Sort of old-school diner ambiance. Prices are pretty good, with a few strange outliers. If it were just for the food, decor, prices, and location, they'd be an easy 3, and probably 4 stars. The problem is, I have never once gotten good service here. 20 minutes sitting with menus and nobody takes our order. Water and coffee NEVER refilled (I've had to get up and find our server to ask, as they never stop by the tables unless they're bringing your order). We're in our mid-20s, younger than most of their clientele, so maybe they expect a bad tip, and don't bother? I just don't understand how a place with such consistently bad service stays in business, given how many good and reasonably-priced restaurants there are in the area.
(2)
Abbey B.
The only thing I get here is the Greek wrap, and I'm obsessed with Greek salad. I've heard breakfast is good. But really, most of it's nothing special. They've got a lot on the menu, I'll give them that.
(2)
Liz K.
Bad catering service. The Catering manager is not very pleasant. We used to order constantly from there with different accounts and she would charge the wrong account. I have never dined in the resturaunt, however If i wanted to I wouldn't be able to find a parking spot. FERSHTINKINER!!!!! (yiddish)
(1)
JeNnIfEr S.
Overall, I enjoy going to the S & S Restaurant Deli. Clam Chowder, Burgers, Tuna Melt, Buffalo Wings, Eggs and Corn Beef Hash.... Those are pretty much my staples at this place. I have deviated from my standard food selections from time to time- with not much success. Stick to the basics and you'll do fine!
(3)
Esther Z.
The best thing about S & S is the variety. The free parking lot is the second best! You can come here and enjoy just about everything - pizza? check. eggs benedict? check. blood mary? check. hummus and pita? check. Everyone can come here and have something decent - now what's not to love?
(4)
Omoniyi A.
Ok, S&S, whats with the not taking reservations? Im not even going to bother to write about the awesomeness of the food, or the generous portions and super extensive brunch menu. I means, its a given, we all appreciate brunch here is awesome. And thats part of the problem. EVERYONE comes here for brunch, people probably drive to Mass from other states to come here for brunch. And you dont take reservations!? Come on! To be fair though, the wait is never too ridiculous, i think its been like 25 minutes, so if you come earlier than you want to eat you might be set. Its just, to me, a bad policy. But its def not one thats hampering business!
(4)
Maryann S.
I am orignally from lawnguyland and when I moved to this 'hood I was so excited to see that I could get breakfast or lunch at a "real live deli". hmpft. The first time I went there I was severely disappointed because the sammies seemed like pale versions of the real thing and everything was more expensive than it should be for the level of quality. I gave it a second shot after re-adjusting my expectations (you live in Cambridge now - they don't have "real" delis. Deal with it), but I was just as disappointed. Because it is the only place of its kind in the area it is jam packed all weekend long and there is always a ridiculous wait. If I'm out to get my brekkie on over the weekend, it is prolly because I am hung over (so what? don't judge) and the servers are rude and slow. If you want more water or coffee just forget it. You are dreaming. Be prepared to be ignored and have at least some of your order forgotten. I know, I know, it's crowded but it's ALWAYS crowded on weekends - that can't be an excuse for poor service and mediocre food. Go to the down the road a bit to Cambridge Coffee shop (if you want a quick egg sammy for practically no money) or go to Atwoods for brunch.
(1)
Courtney H.
I am extremely puzzled by all the negative reviews. I love this place. The eggs copenhagen are amazing, as is the vegetable quiche. I like that their breakfast menu is more brunch than breakfast, and that you can order breakfast items all day. The service isn't kiss-your-butt, but that's not what I care about when I eat here. I care about the food. I'm very picky about homefries, and theirs are yummy. The fruit cup is a nice touch. Also, in one of the bad reviews, someone complained about not being able to order anything small for kids, but that isn't true. One of my breakfast companions had two little kids, and she was able to order just two pancakes for the little one and a chicken finger platter for the older one (which wasn't even available for adults yet).
(5)
Cara P.
It is pretty hard to fuck up French toast. I have been to SnS twice and although my French toast was good. ...and I emphasize just good....I don't feel I can give my entire experience more than three stars. The place was ridiculously packed and our service was super, super slow. I also had to send back silverware because it was dirty. I am not one of "those" people at restaurants. I usually eat my food, even if it isn't quite up to par and chalk it up to a bad experience. Also I am a sweet junkie or in other words, pig, so anything drenched in maple syrup is pretty much perfectly gourmet in my book. Or should I say "perfect and gourmet"...either way. It'll get 'er done for me. The other time I ordered the bagel and lox with Matzo Ball soup. Hoping that SnS would live up to its "legacy" as authentic "deli" eats and I would be able to close my eyes and transport myself back to New York a few years back when I had the freshest lox in the world literally jump into my throat. Park the DeLorean. It ain't happenin. Although the portions are huge, it did not conjure up warm and fuzzy feelings inside nor qualify for Jewish eats. Shame on you SnS......just because you have a deli counter don't try and pull the wool over my eyes. Your prices and menu might say New York, but your salty lox and bland Matzo Soup are ALL Innman. The Doc agrees!
(3)
Gracie B.
You want to like them, you pretend they are better than they are - but they aren't and that is a sad little fact. I believe they once were as great as all their self promoting publicity says they still are. And, they do have a LOT more personalized attention to regulars than a place like Denny's.. They still feel like a "neighborhood place" and I think they make the locals feel pretty good most of the time. (i.e. - remembering little details about each person's preferences) But the food is exactly as described by everyone else on Yelp. It's kind of bland and not too healthy. Everything feels like it comes covered in creams and glazes. A lot of their dishes have a TV-dinner feel to them. There are some exceptions on the menu, but in the end it's just not an appetizing spot for me. It has been a last resort on several occasions. I wish they would re-invest in themselves. They could turn it around by including some healthier menu items and warming up the decor. I'm hoping they do because at this rate I'm not sure how much longer they can last. I'd hate to see this old local business disappear. I'd still go here over IHOP ANY day!
(3)
S. M. S.
First time back to S&S in about a year but was craving real Pastrami and real deli potato salad. What a disappointment! Pastrami was rubbery, salty and tasted like it came out of a Sysco plastic bag. Cole slaw was definitely out of a container, KFC is better. And--they were out of potato salad. Looks like Zaftig's is the only game in town now. Steer clear of S&S if you have any deli standards.
(1)
Melissa M.
Any place that serves breakfast all day is a good place in my book. They have a lot of things to choose from here. I think this is the type of place that you can go to with a craving from a bagel and lox to steak and eggs and they'll have it. They will make it for you and you will enjoy it. I did order a breakfast sandwich at 9pm (after having a hankering for one all day), it didn't truly deliver as I requested it to be scrambled, and it was 2 fried eggs and a lump o cheese with 3 sausage links atop. (I know, this is NOT on my diet). But, I was hungry. The english muffin was good though. I'll will absolutely give S&S another chance and will recommend them to anyone who wants honest to goodness food.
(4)
Janak S.
The pizza at this place is criminally bad! It was disgusting to even look at and it was even worse to eat =( Another time I had the Grilled Cheese and Tomato sandwich on some kind-of interesting bread. The bread was darkly colored and had a very interesting taste to it (Marble? Rye?). The sandwich was quite nice. The chairs were comfortable and they have their own parking lot, so you never have to worry about not having a seat =) Had the Chocolate Lava Divine for dessert and that was quite tasty! =)
(3)
Scott F.
OK, I'm conflicted. The S&S was a staple of my nice-jewish-boy youth. I salivate at the thought of strolling in on a Sunday morning for a lovely bagel 'n' lox (chive cheese, capers, and onions please....). Problem is, they've slid a bit over the years. The waitstaff ranges from exceptional to occasional, and the food (excluding the salmon hash...) is all over the place. Still a good bet, but thanks for the memories.....
(3)
J Q.
Everyone has a bad day- but this waitress was having a REALLY bad day. The overall service was poor, at best. Not one of the staff seemed friendly or even happy to be there. That says something to me. As for the food- mediocre to poor. The eggs Benedict were runny and not cooked properly. I actually left feeling like it may have unsettled my stomach. In all fairness, after having eggs Benedict at Masa on Tremont, it is hard to go anywhere else. Despite the comparison- these were just bad. If all you want are large portions, this place is for you, but if you want good service, and quality food- don't waste your money or time at S & S Deli. The people who speak highly of this place are not interested in the food; they like that it has been a part of the community for so long. My feeling is- it is time for S&S to do a better job or move on so a new quality place can move in.
(1)
Elvis K.
My favorite place to have a great breakfast! Food is fresh, hearty and has lots of flavor. The French Eggs are my favorite, home fries are tasty - along with other items on the menu. Place can get a little dirty - people wait an hour or more for a seat, so turn over and time to clean up after customers seems lax. MOST servers are friendly, attentive and quick. Cost of the food is on the higher end, but I think worth the $. I always make an effort to stop by here when visiting the Bay State.
(4)
Lauren H.
I've always thought that Boston was severely lacking in delis. The New York City kind. This place comes close. I went for Sunday brunch, and the place was packed, so be ready to wait, but not for too terribly long. They have a fairly comprehensive brunch menu, lots of great Jewish delicatessen fare (lox, bagels, corned beef, etc), coffee, and even a bar. The food was pretty good. Not too fancy, but tasty. What I liked most was the dessert case full of pies and cakes--just like an NYC diner.
(3)
Jeanette D.
A friend who lived here 8 years ago requested a brunch meet-up at S&S in Inman Square. I was admittedly curious about this place due to their ownership of 2 parking lots! Parking was a breeze, and our wait was relatively short... but the dining experience fell a bit flat. The service: Our waitress was nice, friendly with a touch of sass. Unfortunately, she had a booger hanging from her nose for the duration of the meal. My boyfriend was absolutely terrified that it would end up in his beer. Eww. The menu: A bit overwhelming. At the time we dined, it was brunch and lunch, so we had over 8 pages of options at our fingertips. I can see how this can be a good thing, but it actually turned us off. Also, we ended up feeling like some of the descriptions were misleading, such as the peach-granola pancakes... Sounds awesome, but it's actually regular pancakes with some canned peach slices and a scoop of granola served over-top. Eh. The food: Besides not quite fitting the description the food was okay. I had croissant French toast, which sounded amazing, but they fell prey to the too eggy French toast tendency. The home fries were tasty and seasoned just right and they did serve a nice fruit mixture on the side of breakfast dishes. Bottom line: I'd rather do Zaftigs for this type of feel. I wonder how S&S does as well as it does and keeps those parking lots filled???
(2)
Jason A.
My first thought as I stepped into this place. Why did I wait so long to come here?!?! I was instantly transported to that foodie heaven Pike's Market in Seattle. I loved the menu's variety and all the fresh seafood! It took me longer to decide on what to eat than to actually eat it. First off, the clam chowder is phenomenal!!! Can I say that again? Phe-nom-enal! I'm picky about clam chowder so I tend to avoid but this time around. I was glad I didn't. It was thick, chunky tasty goodness. I don't even like sourdough but I ate some of the bread bowl because it was soaked with chowder. Chowdah! My friends and I even got unintentional entertainment by this local singer with the propensity for loud music. I'll have to give him credit for his music taste but dang, I like to have a conversation with my friends not mime to them. Food was fresh and cooked well. Service was quick. Prices were reasonable. The perfect dinning experience! Now where's my lobster tail.......
(5)
Matheus C.
I have a little rule of thumb when it comes to dining. If your waitor or waitress is old enough to collect social security, you're pesos would be better spent elsewhere. The exception of course being a diner. Geriatric waitstaff thrive in trailor-like atmospheres, with there being no stairs and shorter kitchen-to-table distances. I could go on and on about why I've adopted this little eating maxim, but just take my word for it. S&S is wall-to-wall with waitors and waitresses with names like Dick, Helen, and Phyllis. And inconsequently, the service is what brings this place down. For whatever reason, my Dad loves this place so I've been dragged here enough times to notice that the service sucking isn't an isolated incident, but a pattern. For instance, we had this waitor one time that messed up a breakfast side. He was a sketchy looking old man. I concluded that he must have been a cat-burglar or some kind of deceptive airline steward that stole luggage or something because he had an olive-oil voice and thin moustache. So he brought us a bagel instead of toast. No biggie. But when we brought it to his attention he took the bagel back and brought back an English muffin. Then we never saw him again. Another time I went with the old man, we had some warship waitress named Sandy or Barb or something who used to fight bears for sporting purposes. We ordered some buffalo wings and chatted about who would inheret Uncle Oscar's shaving cream factory. You see in his will, he divided the company up 50/50 between me and my brother. However, my brother is a reckless business man, and both me and my father agreed he could destroy the worth of the shaving company with his precarious business habits. We concluded the best way to ensure the profitability of the company remains stable is for him to sign over his share of the company and we would have to enduce such an act by infiltrating his dreams. In any event, by the time we wrapped this conversation up, we were being served our entrees. My dad asked where the buffalo wings were and the waitress responded by saying we didn't order any. I claimed we did, and she apologized but insisted that we didn't. Well, fine, whatever lady. I've got bigger things to worry about like business settlements, but this is a nuisance. There are some really good things about S&S. The deli meat is superb, and they have good chocolate cake. Also, to my knowledge, there has never been a murder-suicide there which is also comforting. And its not like I would kick and scream if someone suggests we grab some stomach fuel there. The food isn't bad, but it certainly isn't good enough to offset the service. So if you're like me, and are annoyed by poor service, you may want to find another spot to discuss business ventures over brunch.
(2)
Michael G.
Hey again! Yup, this is a great stand-by. Decent omelets, decent home fries. Good bagels and cream cheese - the chive is particularly good. Good onion soup - though they don't always cook the cheese enough. There's almost always space to sit - though the booths are a bit small. I mean, I'm a big guy - over 6 feet tall, but they are still a bit tight. Parking is usually pretty easy. The staff is efficient and friendly, but not obnoxiously friendly. The bakery section is good. The white-chocolate Florentine cookies are dynamite. A little sweeter than I usually go for, but delicious. They butterscotch cookie is great, too. I'm not a big chocolate fan, but my best friend loves their chocolate cookies - particularly the pecan cookie with the chocolate dollop on top. Try the salmon club if you like salmon and brie. It's oddly delicious. And they have nice, dry tuna. I hate drippy wet tuna, and this stuff fits the bill. Great on a bagle with red onion and lettuce. Mmmm. Oh! And they have those crispy french fries with the reconstituted potato on the outside. They're my favorite kind of chain-food french fry. YUM! Enjoy!
(4)
pete g.
Should a deli be allowed to fuck up a Reuben? The S&S and I disagree.
(2)
Jason C.
The food is ok for what you are paying. Most items are a little bland. So many better brunch options in the area. Their sandwiches and bakery are pretty good. Great place for children. If crowded, go to the bar. Better and faster service.
(2)
Danielle W.
An old neighborhood deli-turned yuppy hang-out serving EXCELLENT comfort food (S&S wings! meatloaf! juicy burgers!), great drinks (wide variety of beers on draft! martinis! decent wine list!), delectable desserts! (chocolate cake! fruit tarts! ice cream! oh my!) . The only quasi-bummer are the frumpy grumpies they've got serving your food. Truly, borderline hemorhoiddal lemon-suckers, at best. But, it's really no bother, because they are prompt and accurate. Perhaps a hefty boinking will rid them of the biatch-ness. But, I suppose that's none of my business.
(4)
Orly M.
The food here is good. I really like the 1/2 BBQ Chicken and the Turkey Dinner Special and Lasagna Special when they have it. Seriously, what are you people doing ordering Jewish food here? Any deli that serves pork probably won't have decent Jewish food. This is faux Jewish like Zaftigs. If you want the real deal, go to Ruben's or have my grandma make you some matzoh ball soup. I'll make you some latkes if you want. Go to the S&S and stick to "American" food and your tummy will be warm and happy.
(4)
Lauren V.
S & S Deli was delicious. My boyfriend and I wavered on what to order and finally decided to split the cheeseburger club and the reuben. They both looked tasty but upon further inspection, the cheeseburger club was slathered in mayo (disgusting!) so I stuck to the reuben. The menu didn't mention any mayo so that was disappointing. Mayo is repulsive. Anyways, the reuben was really good and I scarfed it down pretty damn quickly. The meat wasn't stringy like it can sometimes be. Extra points for that. Apparently, this is a great place for breakfast on the weekend so I will definitely be back. The service was quick and the waiter and busser were attentive and polite.
(4)
Tessa C.
I used to love going here as a student, but my last visit was awful. S&S has a great selection of brunch fare - sandwiches, eggs, pancakes, french toast, and quiche. The side fruit salad was moldy and in edible. Service was slow as well. Location is nice in Inman Sq, but parking is challenging. There are two small parking lots on Cambridge St. Otherwise, you are left to fend for yourself.
(2)
Meredith K.
The lines can be very long here, but if you hit this place on a Saturday or Sunday you just may get lucky and sit down pretty quickly. Overall I think they have all the breakfast standards and a few specialties that I specifically really like. My favorites are the Bavarian French Toast - it's French toast stuffed with cream cheese and strawberry jelly - yum! And the Latkes (potato pancakes to some of you) with sour cream or applesauce. I don't eat eggs (unless cooked in food and I can't taste them - like the french toast is). So it's always a bit difficult to find breakfast places that over something other than eggs - which is why I like S&S lots of choices for me.
(3)
Terry S.
I am pretty much into this place. Albeit the confusing interior decor and "chain-restaurant-style" seating, this place makes a pretty decent breakfast. The prices are on par for what you would expect out of pretty common ingredients and the created food definitely fills you up. Seems like they should step up the homestyle feeling by changing the insides up a bit and, you know.. sometimes that changes the way food actually tastes. The brain is weird. Expect a decent wait time for weekend post-boozing breakfasts... sometimes better to show up after noon and slide right on in.
(4)
Joe R.
Eat here pretty often, too often now that I think of it, never anything exotic, but if you want some old standards, turkey dinner, great burgers, generous sized deli sandwiches, S & S never fails. Agree with the other comments, it's a family place, not going to impress a date with the menu or the decor, but I've never had a bad meal. My wife loves having breakfast available all day, all of the breakfast dishes are great, again nothing too innovative (or innovative at all for that matter), but if you just want french toast or an eggs bene, you'll be happy.
(4)
Andrea K.
I enjoy going to S&S Deli just because its laid back and they dont rush you at all so you can just relax and eat your food. I typically go for lunch/dinner but I have tried their breakfast before and it is alright it has more of a jewish (i believe) type of things for breakfast but you can get your basic eggs and home fries as well, my favorite for breakfast is a mushroom and onion omelet. YUM. Favorite dinner dishes would be pastrami sandwich, tuna sandwich, turkey club (no tomatos), baked haddock is very fresh and juicy, oh and their buffalo wings are to boot! I always have to get them there and definitely satisfies my cravings for buffalo wings and they are boneless so that is another plus in my book. Their herb chicken also is very good with the rice, the chicken is very well seasoned and juicy inside. They have plenty of parking in their own parking lot (remember to get a token if the gate bar is down!) and there is on street parking as well. The service is quick and straight to the point with a lot of menu options as well. This is a regular deli place for me and I enjoy it every time.
(4)
Emjay M.
Ok, I am 42 years old. My brother is 47. My mom used to go to the S&S when she was pregnant for my brother. So my opinion of the S&S is one formed over many, many years of patronage. This place used to be the place to go to when my family lived in Cambridge and we had a little extra cash and wanted to splurge. That was during the 1970's. Back then the S&S wasn't so yuppified and stuck up. I can't say the same for the place these days. I was just there the other day for lunch. I have never in my life had a more disrespectful, rude waiter. It was the only time in my entire life I have not left a tip at a restaurant. The waiter practically threw the dishes at my 80 year old father and I and acted put out when my father asked for cream for his coffee. The entire time we were eating I could see and hear our waiter ranting and raving, screaming, and throwing things up at the counter over something that was obviously making him mad that had happened to him that day. No offense, but, buddy, don't take it out on your customers !!! That isolated incident being the last straw for me with the S&S....here are my biggest complaints about this place and why I have decided not to eat here anymore. 1) Their menu sucks. They took off all of the great dishes that made this place great. Why, why, why did you remove the French Dip, Turkey Classic, and London Broil dinner from your menu ? I will never understand it. I used to loooooove the french dip on a the soft croissant. It was delicious. I would even put up with your rude staff if it meant I could enjoy one of those sandwiches again !!! 2) For all of the years my family and I have gone to the S&S, my elderly parents never even get so much as a "how are you" when they walk in the door. This place, from the owner down have no respect for loyal customers. They act like your are lucky to be there. Personally they don't have to kiss my butt at 42 years old, but it would go a long with me if they paid extra attention to my elderly parents who have been loyal customers for decades. I am done with the S&S. I would rather get a cheaper lunch somewhere else where they appreciate their customers.
(1)
Will E.
A solid deli in the heart of Inman. I'm from the Boston area but I lived in NYC for a while so I hope I won't sound like a New York snob when I say that by NYC standards, this would only be a 3. However, in the Boston area there is a serious lack of delis and this place fits the bill. I've been there a few times. The meals were good but not spectacular. This morning I was there for a new year's brunch and everyone was pretty happy with the food. I got the Eggs Copenhagen which is like Eggs Benedict but with smoked salmon. Very good. Little heavy. My wife got the blueberry pancakes and liked them. The other folks we were with liked their meals. Plus we got to the restaurant at 10am and beat the crowds. By the time we left at 11am there was quite a line. Anyway, if you're in the mood for a deli sandwich or a bagel with some smoked fish, this is the place. Two disappointments: they were out of smoked whitefish today, which is pretty sad for a deli. And they don't seem to have chopped chicken liver on the menu - also kind of sad. But overall a 4 because they are there doing the deli thing.
(4)
James J.
Hot food, warm atmosphere, but cold service. They seem to treat groups of locals better than generic student wandering through. Also pricey as diner food goes.
(3)
Betsy K.
They get three stars for one thing (or groups of things) only: their breakfast fish platters. Smoked salmon, whitefish, etc... We go there for that only. They are excellent and a value. Lot's of veggies, egg, fish. The missing stars are for the simple fact that every other thing I have had there is not very good. The omelettes always come out cold. The latkes are too eggy or matzo-y. And service...one time the waiter spilled three bloody mary's on my huz , himself, and our friend Dan. He said "No big deal, I just live across the street I can go change my shirt". And that is what he did. He left us, with most of our party looking like Carrie on prom night. When he finally came back-we had to ask for more drinks and he charged us for all of them-even the spilled! We were pretty hysterical over it as it was unbelievable. Or we were hysterical because we were still drunk. Not sure.
(3)
Vanessa C.
I should start by saying this review & rating is ONLY for the breakfast (& soup). I'm a big fan of anything with the lox here - the eggs copenhagen are delicious. although I agree that the bagels are not so great, they are about the size of your face so if you're hungry, you'll at least get your moneys worth. opt for the lox platter with rye toast instead of the bagel. a side of fruit is served with every meal. the portions of quiche are mammoth & the french eggs are outstanding. for a splurge, I LOVE their stuffed french toast. and their croissant french toast. basically, everything they do with french toast is totally yummie! I can never finish everything on my plate & almost always after eating here I'm ready for a nap (not so great for weekend productivity!) the other thing that swayed my five star rating is the matzo ball soup! so so delicious - great flavor & a giant bowl of it! even when the line is through the door I've never had to wait more than 15 minutes. the desserts in the deli case always look enticing but I've yet to try them. I have only eaten dinner here once & it was really disappointing. so my overall rating would be a three and a half. still, I'm compelled to give it five stars because it really is one of my favorite places for breakfast ever.
(4)
Sandra M.
This is diner quality food with bistro quality prices. Nothing is kosher, it is marketed slightly as a jewish deli but I would consider some of their menus to be jewish-inspired. They fail at authenticity.
(2)
Nay M.
This place is pretty good at best. I have come here for brunch and I like that they add fresh fruit to your plate. Other than that, I can't say that I have found a dish worth remarking the few times I have been (a friend of mine is a devout S&S fan). One thing that I will recommend is the Bloody Mary - yum. I am spoiled, however, because as long as there is a Zaftig's, nothing will compare.
(3)
Jenna C.
I just came here for a take-out bagel for breakfast. The service was quick and the cashiers were friendly. Plus I got a bagel AND an iced coffee for less than $4... which is practically unheard of now.
(4)
Candi S.
Yes, every once in a while we cave and get some of the microwaved soup or soggy breakfast or the delicous iggys bagels here. The food and atmosphere really isn't that good. The staff, on the otherhand is really amazing. They are always super sweet and informative.
(2)
Linda S.
The only reason the S&S gets 3 stars is because of their Canadian burgers -- the combination of Canadian bacon, Munster cheese & sirloin is perfect and they rarely screw it up. If it weren't for the Canadian burger & that it is 2 blocks from where I live I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here. The last time we ate here (a few days ago) our waitress was very friendly & personable. That's a + since every other time we go there the waitstaff isn't very friendly but rather cranky.
(3)
Sara G.
You know, everyone was RAVING about this place. I jumped on the good vibe train and went in with happy thoughts. Since I am not a Sheep, I have to be honest. It wasn't rave-able. I ordered a Ruben. The sandwich had barely any flavor. Perhaps I don't understand the 1/2 sour pickle. But this is the Home of the Brave and Land of the Free, so I don't have to understand the 1/2 sour pickle. It mostly tasted like an accident. The waitress acted like she was displeased with our general presence. perhaps that was because of our large work group. no one can be too sure. If i had to pay for this experience I would have been more upset, fortunately, lunch was on the company. Bottom line, if you're craving a Ruben, don't go here. if you're craving a real pickle, don't bother. They probably have other food that is good and that would make me feel all happy and toasty, but, I won't be going back. I do not enjoy being treated poorly by wait staff or lack luster food.
(2)
l. a.
the menu is extensive, the food is good, but the service is slow. if you're looking to head to a deli for lunch or brunch, then i would definitely check out s&s. tip: there are two FREE parking lots behind S&S. this is great if you have a car.
(3)
Jonathan G.
This place gives me the creeps, kind of like a creepy retirement home. The place is always too quiet, with faint Al Jolson covers playing on the speakers, and the octagenarian staff is the slowest ever. Ok, maybe that was a low blow, but seriously this place has unbelievably slow service. Everytime I have been there, there has been almost no line, yet the hostess seems to make me wait 5 minutes before acknowledging me. Then, during the interim between sitting and seeing my waitress, I have grown a handsome beard. The food arrives fairly quickly, but after I eat it comes the "waiting for the check" purgatory. FINALLY that comes, and I emerge out of the restaurant asking what month it is. Slow service...that's all I am really trying to say. Tasty turkey and dill havarti triple decker, though. Gotta give them that. Their reuben is a little "eh", so it doesn't make up for it.
(3)
Julie A.
I used to be in Inman a lot for work and play and S& S saved me every time. There isn't (or at least wasn't) much of a selection for lunch around there. S&S has a very big menu so I could eat a totally different meal from them 5 days a week. I will say that the BLT quickly became a favorite though. The veggie burgers were pretty good, fries good, prices good. The breakfasts are also amazing, and never had a bad one. Yeah, they have free parking, but I have never gotten a space there. It's also a very greasy restaurant. do not go here if you are on a diet. but it's AWESOME to go to when you have a hangover. I want to give the food and service 3.5 stars but the selection is a 5 star rating, so 4 seems like a good place to end up. Good place!!!
(4)
Marie R.
Breakfast is so yummy!! I would say I am a fan of the food for sure. But I agree with everyone else that the wait staff leaves something to be desired. Go here for the food (breakfast is my only experience) and expect bad service so you won't be disappointed. I had the most amazing breakfast EVER in their Croissant French toast! OMG!!! I could eat that EVERY morning.
(4)
Alexis L.
I have been to S&S plenty of times. Each time, the owners have seated my party and I, usually family..always with kindness..They made me feel as though I was their long lost granddaughter, if I was Jewish of course (teehee). But anyways, the food is standard and homey. The hummus plate is a great appetizer, or even an entree in my case. Also, their chicken wings, matzo ball soup and chicken soup are yummy and comforting too. My family celebrated a few anniversaries and Mother's days there, all of which we ordered brunch at..and they turned out delicious. Definitely a family place...relaxed and cozy. Perfect for a quick, relaxing bite before an Indie flick in Kendall Sq.! The only reason I won't give more stars is because I got a dirty mug once..but they replaced it. lol.
(3)
Hagan B.
I've been there for breakfast a few times an it's heavenly. I have to say, I've only had two items on the menu (the filet and eggs benedict and the lox bagel) but both were exemplary. The Filet was cooked to a perfect medium rare both times and the lox bagel platter didn't leave me wanting any more salmon. The waiter we had both times had an air of superiority, but his service was great regardless. We didn't have to wait long for a table either time. You MUST get the potato pancakes when you come here. Trust me, just order them on the side if no one in your party is interested in the breakfasts that come with them. You'll be impressed.
(4)
Liz L.
Oh man o man! After discovering this yummy yummy yummy restaurant, i was extremely happy. For some reason I have been unable to find restaurants that aren't trendy overpriced ethnic restaurants or cheap greasy restaurants. But this place is AWESOME. Their breakfast is so awesome. They know how to make an omelet. And they know to make some homefry potatos. Waiting to be seated, even when the restaurant isnt full, can take a bit long and I'm not sure why... and also some of the staff isn't as quick with refills or exactly super friendly. But I really dont care... because the food, aroma, cleanliness and selection of food is so great.
(5)
Doris K.
We finally decided to try S&S after several years of avoiding the place because I thought that they only served cold sandwiches. I was wrong. This place is great. Their menu is partically 4-5 pages long with breakfast foods, sandwiches, tons of seafood, and other entrees. Their drink prices are so reasonable - $6 for a good glass of wine! The hubby had a roast beef and cheddar cheese sandwich while I had the potato crusted salmon. His was much better than mine. Although mine was fine, it just had a lot more potato than salmon, like a 2:0.5 ratio. The best thing about the entree dinner was the dessert! Amazing red velvet cake! If you don't come from anything else then come for the dessert.
(4)
Christine L.
Today was my first time, and I wasn't that impressed. The amount of food was just right (I got the French toast with cream and strawberries, a fruit cup and sausage) but the fruit was warm, the waiter never came over to see how we were doing or refill our water glasses, and service in general was slow. The French toast was yummy but overall, for the price, I'm probably not going to go back.
(2)
M M.
We order delivery for lunch meetings. Good food with fast delivery. When you request the paper goods, you usually get a disposable "tablecloth" that really classes up lunchtime.
(4)
Jeannie C.
French onion soup, Cobb Salad...you can't find any place better. The art on the outside of the building...the giant poster of the founder...and the whole atmosphere is great. The coffee isn't the best. The wait staff is classic deli. I love the S&S for food that is well prepared; consistent and nourishing in that "taking care of yourself" kind of way.
(5)
Julia F.
My last experience was the worst one I've had at S&S. Other than that, I have always loved this place. Total staple in our family for brunches. The wait is always really long. But totally worth it once the food gets to the table.
(3)
J N.
I really want to like S&S. It's convenient to get to (even has its own parking lot!), always has seating available, and the food seems like it should be good. But I've been there three times in two months at different times of the day (weekend brunch, weekday lunch, and weekday dinner) and my experiences have all been bad. Servers are always incredibly rude. The bathroom is always dirty. There is no kids menu (who wants to pay $10 for pancakes for a three-year old!?). And maybe I'm ordering the wrong things, but none of the food I've had is good. The last straw for me was this weekend for Saturday brunch. We ordered coffee cake for our table of three to share. It never came, and we didn't see our server for the 25 minutes between the time we ordered, to the time he delivered our entrees, so we never got our coffee cake. The potatoes with my eggs benedict were not just warm or lukewarm, but cold. Gross. My husband had an entree that came with fruit that was about three days past it's prime. And the salmon hash just looked disgusting, not to mention the strange aftertaste. This is the last time we will waste our money here. Like I said, I really want to like this place, but just keep having bad experiences. I know that S&S prides itself on being a family owned and operated, but I think it's probably time to shake it up a bit and consider new management.
(1)
Patrick N.
If your craving a trip to the past S&S is the place to go. They are the definition of old school in a good way. Everything is made in house. I try to go for brunch on the weekends as much as possible. The corned beef hash is amazing. All the bread products are freshly baked and they usually arrive warm. I have never left this place hungry as the portions are very large. The wait for a table usually takes less then 10 minutes. Once your seated the service is always friendly and quick. For a blast from the past that will cure a hangover S&S is always a safe bet.
(4)
Michael C.
It's a decent deli, but wasn't quite satisfying. If you really want to get your deli experience on, go to Zaftig's in Brookline instead.
(2)
Mary R.
Loved the atmosphere, disliked my food. It has the feel of a diner you'd find in NY or NJ, something MA is seriously lacking, but unfortunately the food wasn't that great, although maybe I should have stayed with the basics. I ordered the spinach quiche, which came with a side salad. The salad had way too much dressing, but was otherwise a good size. The quiche was greasy. It just wasn't good. We had the S&S wings as an appetizer, which were good, but not something I'd race back to have again. Maybe I'll try a basic diner meal next time.
(3)
Erin B.
I USED to really like this place. But recently, my experiences there haven't been mainly on the "poor" side. The food IS "comforting", and it's still good for Sunday brunch or when you're "recovering" from partying the night before.. As a matter of fact, it was a Sunday ritual for some friends and I for quite some time. Their wait staff are STILL very attentive and friendly. I used to joke that they had their tables bugged or something. :P My main problem, however is that the menu is WAY overpriced for what you receive. If the prices were adjusted, I'd consider going back. That is why S&S has lost a star since my initial review. Otherwise, it's a cozy and relaxed place to eat.
(3)
Sarah G.
Ehh...1/2 a star for being so close to my hungover, lazy self on Sundays. Food is not great, but brunch is definitely the best option if you go. Maryann S. is right - if you go expecting a great pastrami on rye a la NY deli, you will be disappointed. My mother came up to visit from L.I. and the tongue and pastrami sandwich was so small ("I can fit all this meat on one slice of rye! Are they kidding me with this sandwich?") and dry that it not only ruined her day, but her entire perception of Boston-area cuisine. I also don't like that their draft beers come in 10 ounce glasses, but cost more than the 12 ounce bottles on the menu. However, if you want to stuff yourself with fat and carbs after a bender, S&S is the place to go. Actually, you can go to Ryles too, as they have the same menu and you can watch the servers wheel carts of bagels across the street from one to the other during brunch. They have the best red velvet cake I've found in the area, and the pieces are huge.
(3)
Melissa W.
Great for brunch - chill, local diner/family restaurant feel, but with better acoustics, nice windows, and fab quiche. So-so for dinner. The dinner was overpriced and bland, but not bad. I was impressed with the coleslaw. Not impressed with the avocado puree from a ziploc pouch that passed for "avocado" on my turkey sandwich. In fact the whole sandwich was kinda "ehh". Luckily they serve breakfast all day. I would recommend sticking to that menu.
(3)
stacey l.
I like this place, but it's more of a fall back for me. It has great variety and quick service, but I feel like it's too big to have that authentic Jewish Deli feel. It's more like a diner kicked up a notch, and that doesn't warrant the prices they charge for their meals. I've had worse and I've had better...this place is consistently OK.
(3)
D M.
I am giving the S&S four stars instead of five because the service in the last six months has been hit or miss. I would estimate we go there on average once every two weeks, sometimes with family and sometimes with friends, so the service clearly doesn't bother us that much. I like going to the S&S for the good variety of foods, excellent breakfasts, and bottomless cups of cheap coffee. I would highly recommend any of the omelettes, my favorite being the garden omelette or the brunch omelette, though I get mine bacon free. The portions are huge, so it's good if you go there while you're really hungry. They have good monster sandwiches, and the salads are awesome......definitely more substance to them them most other places, which is good and bad. Nothing on the menu is really light, unless you get a fruit plate. If you're in the mood for breakfast, this is the place to go any time of day. One warning: the bagels are made in the morning, so they do tend to get kinda shitty by the afternoon if you're like me and like breakfast for dinner.
(4)
Fionna L.
I see that this place is getting a lot of not-so-good reviews, so let me just say this. I've been coming here since I was a wee one, and yes, some of the food is pretty blah, BUT! The S&S has the best gardenburger I've ever had, and I've had a few.. Also the boneless buffalo wings are amazing, just be prepared to be getting the sauce off your hands and face (and arms??) for hours. The wait on Sunday is hardly worth it so come any other day of the week and you'll be fine.
(4)
Jen L.
Good neighborhood place for weekend brunch. What I like: smoked whitefish, Nova omelet, and Eggs Oscar. What I love: cheap brunch drinks (as in, around $6 - not bad) Things I don't like: the latkes are dry, which does somewhat inhibit my enjoyment of Eggs Oscar since that is part of the order but I'm pretty much over it.
(3)
ILLAN K.
I was excited to have a deli/breakfast joint in my neighbourhood and even convinced myself that it was a great place the first few times I went there. then I remembered that breakfast joints are better the greasier they are and the dirtier they are. I'd rather eat a $3 breakfast at Brookline Lunch than a $13 breakfast at S & S. Seriously - it's really expensive for a couple of eggs and some home fries.
(2)
Julianne M.
I found the wait staff very nice and friendly, even though we looked like drowned rats after a Saturday run in the rain. They usually don't seat you unless your whole party is there, but they took pity on us and gave us a seat. Brunch was ok - nothing spectacular and a little overpriced. I won't go out of my way to eat here.
(3)
jylcat R.
I've been to S&S a few times over the past five years or so, and it's gone seriously downhill. I'd been a few times for brunch maybe 2-5 years ago, and had FANTASTIC salmon hash, and pancakes that were reasonably delicious. I would have given it 3-4 stars in the past, however I went there for dinner one recent Saturday and it was, in a word: HORRIBLE. The food was just okay, not as good as I remembered it. A friend got the matzo soup and that was good. The chicken wings had good sauce but it was weirdly sweet and goopy. I had blueberry pancakes which were just all right., but the syrup was the worst. A very very fake plasticky-tasting syrup a la IHOP. BLECK. The service stood out as the worst. The worst service I've had at S&S... in fact, one of the worst I've had ever. EVER. That's kind of surprising right? I'm not exaggerating. We were seated right next to the bussing station... and every time anyone went to put anything there, they THREW it down, SLAMMING dishes every few minutes about a foot from our heads. And our server... was mean. Just mean. He was obviously overworked and they were understaffed, but jeez. I was afraid to ask him for anything, because when we did ask for something necessary like mustard for the pastrami sandwich or, you know... water.... he would snap "hold on", run to another table, throw some food at them, come back and say "what?". He yelled at the bus boy right in front of us. So rude. We didn't even finish eating, just left halfway through dinner (paid of course, but even the guy at the register was a jerk). I'm really disappointed. This wasn't even kitchy soup-nazi type nastiness, just unpleasant service that made me determined never to come back.
(1)
Kevin M.
I've been going here since I was 4 years old, maybe younger... holds lots of nostalgia for me. Their brunch is great, as are their sandwiches/desserts... If you are there for lunch/dinner try the boneless s&S wings... they are amazing!
(4)
Bene K.
No matter the time or day, the service and good quality and taste of the food at S&S has always been excellent!! The definitely deserved 5 Stars and hopefully I'll make it over there sooner than later. You can get delicious sandwhiches--lunch -brunch and don't forget Breakfast!! Also, try the drink menu--pretty tasty.!! You will NOT be dissapointed!!!
(5)
Wade L.
I've been here a few times now, always for brunch and always on the weekend. Not only have I never waited terribly long, I've never found it as disappointing as other reviewers. One thing is probably that I showed up somewhat early, but I don't think that 9:30 or 10 AM on Sunday is exactly beating the breakfast rush. Still, we didn't wait a minute for our table for 4. The food is consistently good and what sets S & S apart from lesser breakfast places are the following: 1. kickass hollandaise sauce that doesn't use Lemon like a blunt object, bashing in the flavor. 2. equally kickass fresh fruit that doesn't taste like like tin cans like oh-so-many-breakfast joints. 3. cooks who understand that homefries are not supposed to be deep-fried, greasy piles of brown crusty stuff, but actual potatoes that are cooked correctly. I'll keep going to S & S every time I'm in town.
(4)
Jennifer D.
Both stars for the very sweet waitress who served us. People are nice here, but the food is really not good. We are visiting from out of town, and one of my sons said it reminded him of the dining room at my 91 year-old grandma's nursing home. Too true. Bland, boring, really not good food. The only seasoning you could taste in any dish was salt, salt and more salt. Plus quite expensive, given the quality. And they were out of 50% of what we ordered the first time around. My kids didn't even like the desserts here...they had a "chemical" taste like they were made out of a box. It seems this place is a family tradition for many, but if it's not already your family tradition, you can probably skip it.
(2)
Kim L.
Breakfast here. AMAZING! If you're here on a weekend, there's gunna be a wait. But it is worth it. I had the BEST quiche Lorraine I've ever eaten. Thinking about it makes my mouth water. The portions are huge, and you can order regular or strawberry mimosas with your brunch....need I say more. I can't wait to go back for dinner sometime. I went back for dinner. Meh. Not bad, but breakfast is by far superior here.
(4)
H T.
(^o^) the fattymonster in me wanted some french toast. OoOo french toast (O.O;) the fattymonster wanted some french toast stuffed with cream cheese and bath it in warm maple syrup O! O! O! (X_X) restraining the temptation, the fattymonster backed off (^_^;) because fattymonster had a LARGE cup of ice cream w/o any breakfast or lunch (^_-) fattymonster naughty- (*^.^*) but fattymonster happy ......... one note- fattymonster was unsatisfied with the flimsy, pricy "thick cut" french toast, average mimosa and long wait. grrr...ouchy. (=x_x=) It wasn't good... ......... (2.5 Stars)
(2)
Tom E.
I came here on a Saturday lunch with Hana T and CK. Parked the car in their lot, took a number, waited in line for ages, yada, yada, yada... We ordered a bunch of typical brunch stuff - eggs, bagels, matzo ball soup, mimosa, french toast, bacon, yada, yada, yada... Parking was good, matzo ball soup was good but everything else was disappointing - waiting, eggs, decor, seats, atmosphere, yada, yada, yada... Afterwards I took the two girls back to my house, and, you know, yada, yada, yada... (ok, not really)
(2)
John H.
Went for breakfast and had the french eggs. Food and service are good but parking can be tough.
(4)
Aaron B.
Aside from decent sized portions, there's not a whole lot thats great I can say about this place. I've been there mostly for brunch and always just find it really ok. I've also gotten a corned-beef sandwich from here and I've got a pretty high standard for Jewish deli corned beef. Can't say I was thrilled. It was kinda tasteless and had an ok portion of meat. When I think corned-beef sandwich from a deli, I want that thing packed to the roof. I want meat sweats. Not here.
(2)
Ellen N.
This restaurant is a a step up from your average dinner / deli experience. However, I would have to agree with my fellow yelpers assessment of the service. After arriving, the hostess began to show my boyfriend and I to our seats, she then turned to us and said "never mind" and walked away. Hmmm I guess that means we will show ourselves to the waiting area? I quickly forgot my initial bad impression when the "waiting area" turned out to be a very nice deli. More on that later. I originally went seeking out a late brunch, and instead opted for a burger. The burger was good, the roles that Burger was served on were even better! I continued to be underwhelmed by the service, but it wasn't terrible enough for me to regret coming. I ended my experience in the bakery. I bought a bunch of sugar cookies covered in white chocolate's very good decision indeed! Overall I rate this establishment a B+, Although the fact that they have two FREE parking lots might push them up to an A.
(3)
Mckenzie Y.
Food is decent, not amazing. Price is a little bit more than I would expect for the quality. But it delivers as a morning after hangover nurser!
(2)
Ligaya T.
From the back of the S&S Menu: Since 1919 We've Served 64 million cups of coffee 36 million fresh eggs 10 million turkey sandwiches 18 million half sour pickles And 3.4 million bagels and lox with 79 trillion mgs of sodium. Their lox is so damn salty that I had an iodine headache afterwards. Luckily I had pulpy OJ to keep me from keeling over. Their latkes (potato pancakes) are deep fried, their passion fruit smoothie is more like an icee with whipped cream on top. Service is surly and slow. But after eating at so many 'hip' restaurants catered to our demographic it's really nice to be around families and folks of different ages.
(3)
Leighann F.
At this point in time with my S&S experiences, I really can't say that I have too much to complain about. My breakfast plate more than I could finish, the freshly squeezed orange juice was absolutely delicious and the service was okay. If i had a full agenda for the day or was in some sort of rush, the service could have been a problem. It was a little slow, but somehow that doesn't matter when all you have ahead of you is a day of gallivanting around in the sunshine without much to do. To me, S&S is great because it is local. But upon walking in and checking out the decor, the menu and the service, it seems to be like any other diner-type place in the area. As one of the oldest restaurants in the area, it leaves me to wonder about how their menu has changed or what it is that has made them able to stick around through the ups and downs of the finicky restaurant business. Maybe it has something to do with their deli? Or just a solid local following? Whatever it is, they're here for a reason. The deli deserves a try, which I'll get to eventually, and this will definitely end up being my breakfast spot when I'm in the In man area.
(3)
Kristen V.
I live close to S&S making it difficult to stop myself from going there for breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays. Quick service, perfectly cooked food, never-ending cups of coffee, awesome bagels and a fruit cup with every meal! Even my mother liked it... my mother!
(5)
Ron N.
First time back after years away and am just delighted that it is as good as ever! Food is great, value is great. Service is friendly. And the nostalgia from eating here in our student days is wonderful.
(5)
Bre M.
Went for the first time yesterday for lunch. Had the reuben, subbed fries for chips. It was a great reuben and there are not too many of those around. The service was fantastic. My girlfriend and I hadn't seen it each other in months, so we gabbed for a while. The server could not have been more accommodating. Will certainly go back to try some items on the brunch menu. It's a great lunch spot for sure!
(4)
Melissa B.
I was looking for a hearty dinner salad and the Chicken Salad Bowl hit the spot. The salad is pretty large and it comes with both crispy pitas, which I love, and a regular pita. The veggies were all very fresh and crisp. What really sold me was how delicious the chicken salad was. It is made in house with thick chunks of chicken. I already know I will be craving that plate again soon.
(5)
Gilbert L.
The ingredients used make this place taste amazing!
(4)
Monica T.
Good food and so many options!!! My quiche was overly full of cheese. Diner style atmosphere. My sister said The potatoes are awesome!! I stopped by and picked up some cake slices for my birthday and they were deliciousssss!
(4)
Alexandra G.
Came here for brunch on a Saturday and loved the food. It was around 2pm and while there were people in the restaurant, we didn't have to wait for a table, even though we were a pretty large group. Among us, we ordered a couple of different omelets, blueberry pancakes, and Belgian waffles. I am not exaggerating when I say that everything that we tried was delicious. The reason I am giving this place 4 stars and not 5 is that I was told they only have 1 kind of milk for cappuccino/latte drinks (just whole milk) which I found to be pretty limiting. Also, after we had our brunch, I stopped by the deli side to buy some cookies and the woman behind the counter was not very friendly and not very helpful. She looked like she was annoyed with me for wanting to buy something.
(4)
Fred L.
I haven't been to S & S in about ten years, but paid a visit for lunch this week. My pastrami sandwich was perfect... the fries were the best... coleslaw was awesome. GREAT meal. Even the pickle was perfect! My friend, who is quite a picky eater (and I'm being kind!), ordered a corned beef and tongue sandwich. For the first time in years (seriously!) I thought he was going to explode from excitement. He loved EVERYTHING he ate (highly unusual), and actually hasn't stopped talking about S & S for the past 3 days. Just asked last night when were were going back! He bought a $30 tongue to go and has been eating it all week. He's been in heaven! Great service, great atmosphere, terrific food. Just as I remembered it to be.
(5)
Chris M.
One of my favorite places to eat in all of Boston. Comfortable, good service, food is good, a little expensive but not outrageous. A good middle of the week kind of place. Kid friendly too. I've eaten there maybe 100+ times.
(5)
Sarah E.
The food is really good here, but the staff is extremely rude and unfriendly. I have only ever done take out here, but they have made me feel like its an incredible inconvenience to expect them to do their job. I would never want to stay and eat there, but will still continue to order out from them, because I love their breakfast menu.
(3)
Alyssa W.
I've been here twice and each time, it was just ok. Service wasnt amazing, we were seated in the bar area, so our waitress was the bartender, so sometimes it took her longer to help us that i'd like. She did her job and thats about it. Not very personable or anything. This is a family owned, no frills place. no more, no less. you get, what you get. I'd stick to the sandwhiches here, after all, it's a deli. but I didnt do that the first time. I got the special for that day, swordfish kabobs. lets just say what was supposed to be a light dinner was more like I ate the biggest burger ever. The cut of fish was so fatty it was like eating butter. Tasty, but oh. so. heavy. second time, pastrami melt. I with the bread was more toasted and the cheese more melted, but the pastrami was very lean and really tasty. I love their french fries. they are even better the next day after it's been toasted. And the whole set up is really awkward. If you enter at the back, it tells you to go to the front. We went to the front, no one from the bakery/deli side acknowledged us or even said, "someone should be right with you" instead we stood there not knowing if we were in the right place. Oh and if you buy from the bakery/deli side, the staff can't take cash, you have to walk over to the restaurant side to pay. yea, really weird system and you could end up literally chargin one cookie, $1.25...
(3)
Elizabth V.
Service is always the worst here. Getting take out was not greeted even with a hello or one moment please. Instead the manager waves her hands at me and tells me "you're gonna have to wait" after the lady working behind the counter said she didn't know what order was this and I said its mine. Sooo rude.
(3)
Doug G.
3 1/2 stars is a sham because this place is a local legend. Amazing Deli sandwiches for about 8 dollars. I am a pastrami fanatic and this place puts anywhere in greater Boston to shame. Also my go to brunch spot.
(5)
Robert C.
Arrived in Boston and this is where I came for breakfast! Good choice! I wanted a somewhat Bostonian style breakfast and that us what I got! The food was great! I did not know what to expect but I enjoyed the crab and shrimp cakes! I recommend this place... Great comfort food! The service was great!
(4)
Bean C.
The wings are great! Loved the seafood casserole! We've been dining here for over 30 yrs. We've never had a bad meal here. The buffalo wings are comparable to the ones we get at Duff's in Buffalo! I love the S&S wings on the bone. Sweet, crunchy, with a little spice kick.
(5)
Shiksa H.
You cannot go wrong with any of their sandwiches. It's a decent place with kids and Mac and Cheese is approved by my Six year old who eats same thing wherever we go. But prepare to wait a little since they are busy and parking is a challenge unless the lot is open.
(4)
Bill Z.
One of my friends enjoys bringing her friends here, and now I know why. It's a fun place for brunch. You might not think so immediately if you drove there and have to deal with navigating into one of the cozy (but existing) parking lots, or if you have to wait for a table. That would be all the more reason to add a bloody mary, bellini or mamosa (all roughly $5.95) to your meal. Many people at our table ordered some version of eggs, such as eggs benedict. They were generally well-received, though there were a few comments that they would have preferred them slightly more cooked. I sampled the accompanying home fries. They were by far the blandest home fries - in presentation and taste - that I have ever had. You can't substitute quantity for quality in a case like this. I think if you cut down on the amount of fries, cooked them in real butter a little longer, and added some more paprika, it would have rescued them. Since it was the first day of autumn, I ordered something appropriate for the season, pumpkin spice pancakes. These were fantastic - perfectly cooked, a rich intense flavor, and filled with bite-sized pieces of chopped walnuts. I try to order pumpkin pancakes whenever they are available somewhere, and these were by far the best I have ever had in a restaurant. The pancakes were accompanied by a ramekin of fresh fruit and your choice of bacon or sausage. Coffee was plentiful; we were given a generous amount of creamers immediately. Even though the waitress was obviously busy, she refilled our cups frequently. Overall, the food was probably only slightly above average. But for me, there was something about the ambiance here which says, "This is the place to bring 'the gang' for a fun brunch."
(4)
Yvonne C.
The food here is actually very good and consistent. Lots of great options on the menu and you can have breakfast at all hours of the day- a huge bonus. Sadly I gave it a two because customer service is a disaster. We've been going to the S and S for about a year now and think of it is a "regular" place for us because the food is really decent. The mediocre service is something I tend to overlook, especially if the food comes out relatively quickly and there's no waiting around. Last night our experience was a disaster. We sat at the bar and the bartender didn't say hello for at least ten minutes, which was odd given that there were less than 5 people sitting at it. We finally ordered- okay, not too bad, I'm thinking. 10 minutes later we ask for bread and she says, "Sure." As in, Sure, we have bread but I will make absolutely zero effort to go and get you some. This is where I remind myself that maybe the bartender is having a bad day. Maybe her mom is sick. Maybe she has menstrual cramps. Maybe she's stressed out over finances. I try to make excuses for her. We ended up waiting almost 35 minutes for our appetizer (never mind the entrees) until we decided to walk out. So at this point I said, Maybe she just sucks at her job. Period. This was not the first time we received "eh" service, but it is the last because we don't plan to go there again.
(2)
Chris T.
This place has a huge menu, it's kind of a perfect place to go when you don't have any food at home but want a home cooked meal.
(4)
Jess M.
Mediocre breakfast and lunch. I'm not really a fan, but I have had worse.
(3)
Robin S.
Good food, horrible customer service. The restaurant cares more about making a buck than providing a welcoming atmosphere for its customers. The waiting system for a table is absurd even if you have a reservation. The management is by far one of the worst I have ever experienced and quite frankly speak to people in extremely nasty, rude and condescending tones. To think this is a family owned/run business is perplexing since it in no way creates a family friendly environment for customers, you know the people paying for a service and keeping their business running. I absolutely hate going there to dine in and will opt for takeout nine time out of ten simply because I want to have as little contact with their staff as possible. Even when ordering takeout however, they are abrupt on the phone and eager to hang up on you after order is placed. All around, this restaurant disappoints me every time. The staff, particularly manager, needs a major reality check and should learn how to treat people.
(1)
Trevor J.
I had the Eggs Maryland and it was delicious. The shrimp and crab cakes were fantastic, home fries perfectly seasoned, and the everything bagel was better than expected. I'll definitely be going back.
(5)
Ana R.
S&S gets a bum rap for being "nothing special" by jaded over-stimulated Cantabrigians, but I disagree! S&S is a solid deli, from brunch to lunch and all the way to dessert, there's nothing on the menu that isn't good and reliably so. Can't say that about every place in this area. Favorites are the classics. I recently had the BLT and it was huge and so yummy. The waitresses are lovely, and the prices are unbeaten.
(4)
Corey L.
I would give this place a 3.5, but will lean to a 4 b/c I've always had good experiences there. They have a huge selection, deli stuff, breakfast/brunch stuff, good dinner options, and pretty good desserts. I've never been blown away by the food, but I've never been disappointed in it either. Solid meals, just not leaving going "wow!" Good desserts. And so big that you rarely have to wait
(4)
Jeff S.
Going for the corn beef hash and poached eggs for lunch! So far, fast and friendly service. As expected, hash was delicious. Eggs cooked just right. Food is never a disappointment here. Always good!
(4)
Dan G.
We called several days before because we had 8 in our party. We went for brunch on a sunday and we were not seated when we all got there because not everyone in our party was there yet, no big deal. Once everyone had arrived, we were seated prompty. The service was great, our waitress was very nice, attentive and helpful. I received a semi-burnt bagel and she offered to replace it but I didnt care. Everyone in our party enjoyed their meals. We had corned beef hash which was delicious, the ratio of egg to corned beef was off since there was more corned beef than enough egg to cover everything. Blueberry pancakes I heard were good, bagel with smoked salmon and fresh fruit was good as were omlettes and french toast. Everyone I was with was glad we went there for an easy and tasty brunch! Parking was easy as there is street parking as well as a parking lot behind the restaurant. We all will be back!
(4)
Ro G.
Great food! Big portions. We had the lox and bagel (tons of lox), the potato pancakes (some of the best I've had!) And a vegetarian breakfast sandwich, to go. The atmosphere seems nice though, we'll be dining in soon. Only downside is our iced coffee was a little meh, but thumbs way up otherwise.
(5)
Liz B.
We've been going to the S & S since before the restaurant renaissance in Inman Square. If we were hungry and near Cambridge to the S & S we went. After 100s of meals it remains our favorite local restaurant. Never a bad meal - which says a lot considering how many we've had there. The menu is varied enough that it's difficult to decide what to have. Some of our favorites include the omelettes (breakfast served all day), seafood, S & S Boneless Wings, the clam chowder (it's super but only served towards the end of the week I believe), and the sandwiches and wraps. There's plenty more on the menu but those are my tried and trues. You can check out the cookies and dessert offerings in the cases while you wait to be seated. The restaurant has grown over the years. There are plenty of comfortable booths - hurrah! and the blown up vintage photographs of the S & S and of Inman Square are fascinating and fun. We sat next to a view from Inman Square in 1967 the other day that looked like a movie still. Many on the wait staff have been here for years and the restaurant is family-run with everyone pitching in. In addition to the small lot out back there's an additional parking lot just a building or two away on Hampshire. Too many of the really good, classic non-chain restaurants in Massachusetts have closed. The S & S is a treasure and I'll opt to eat there any day over the latest trendy place or yet another uninspiring chain restaurant.
(5)
Brendan R.
Been here numerous times for both Breakfast and Lunch. Lots of seating here so you really don't have to wait for a table usually, at least in my experience. There are a lot of options to choose from on the menu and I can confidently say you can't go wrong with any selection. I've gotten waffles, I've gotten pancakes and I've even got breakfast sandwiches here. Every time i try something new, it makes my decision making that much harder next time I go co everything is so good! For lunch, I've tried some of their wraps which are always a go-to choice for my girlfriend and her sister. I went with the Boursin Burger last time which sounded really interesting and it was! I love that whenever you order a dish that it will either come with fresh fruit or cole slaw, such a nice added touch to every dish! All in all, I would say this is a very dependable place to be able to get in, get out, and get on with your day no problem. Great selection, great food, great prices and great service!
(4)
Bill O.
Not the best food but such a comfortable diner experience. The wait staff remind you of your mom, and the food makes you feel better after a long day. Great cookies at the counter too. I also love the beef knishes.
(4)
Chloe M.
S&S is one of those restaurants that you keep coming back to. The place is clean and friendly, and the food is great! We love the fries here, and we always come here specifically for them. Great hidden gem!
(5)
Juju W.
This restaurant is more like a 3.5 star. Since the service is good, I'm giving it a 4 star here. There's nothing impressive about the restaurant, but I appreciate that there's almost no wait. It's hard to find a no wait brunch place in Cambridge. Parking is free. Food is mediocre. They don't rush customers.
(4)
Julia D.
My dad grew up around the corner from here so I've gone here over the years when we visit his family. It's got a real old-timey feel. On this last trip I got an omelette that came with bagel, hash browns, and fruit. Delicious. They have a huge bakery and to-go area that definitely seems good too.
(4)
Christopher C.
I didn't know about this spot for the longest time but it's just a short walk from the central square t-stop and a perfect place to go for brunch on the weekends. Food is good and they have so many additions of everything...eggs benedict eggs Oscar I forget the rest but the list goes on. Also must say really like the corned beef here too. Most of the food is priced at around $10. Definitely give this a try there aren't too many places like it in the area
(4)
Deborah B.
The best wings you'll ever have!! S&S wings on the bone. Trust me, you will fall in love with them. Croissant French toast is delicious. The quiche is really good too. And the pizzas are individual size and really good too. Very casual setting. Desserts and amazing too.
(5)
Jay C.
This famous landmark and institution hardly needs another review, but I feel as if I discovered something new. My kids were promised a cheese pizza, and my wife said lets try inside the S&S. What? Crazy! But, I did what I was told. Yes, they can do pizza to go. Ordered one for the kids to split and the wife. They said a 20 minute wait, but it was quicker. The bag felt fairly heavy. When it was time to eat we were surprized to find that garden salads come with pizza. For less than $10 each, it makes for a nice take-home pizza for one adult, or for two small kids. Wife does not like pizza too much, but she likes the S&S pizza. The S&S Deli... who would ever guess? What is even better -- they now accept credit cards!
(4)
Lisa T.
This diners been around for a really long time. Matzoh ball soup New York style amazing. Turkey club is really good it
(5)
Jessica S.
Came here for brunch, post-birthday celebration for a roommate. For a Sunday morning at 11:30am, it was pretty crowded (line to the door) but our group of 5 was seated in 5 minutes. Brunch menu has some awesome options (croissant french toast?!). The portions are pretty substantial-- all the egg dishes come with a bagel, home fries, and fruit--which makes the prices worth it. "Homey" atmosphere and lots of families with little kids running around... I would be up for trying S&S for lunch or dinner.
(4)
Michele H.
S&S--your strengths are in the sweets. Parisian French toast with fig jam and Brie, pumpkin pancakes, chocolate chunk scones. I've recently discovered your matzo ball soup, which was incredible the first time I tried it, and pretty good the second. Iggy's bagels with lox cream cheese can't be best. The fried matzo was greasy and disappointing, as are most eggy dishes here. Overall, a great place to indulge your sweet tooth.
(4)
Annie P.
S&S wings S&S matzo ball soup S&S omelettes w/ bagel and cream cheese S&S triple deckers S&S buffalo chicken sandwich S&S iced tea AHHHHHHHH. greatness. perfection of clean diner food. Take some major time out of your schedule though. This isn't a quick paced place even though it seems like it. Sitting at the bar doesnt help either. I do like watching Oprah with the bartender though. haha. This week I had the Corned Beef Hash with Scrambled Eggs (not Poached eggs like on menu) and Havarti on top. It was baked and hearty. Too much food.. but I asked for it right? I like those cut out stickers of neighborhood people on the windows. Sunday morning lines seem never ending.. but it ends... and it's fun to look over the menu with pals and strangers and decide what to get...plus it';s usually worth the wait. Who on earth runs that kitchen? Anybody been in there? I don;t get how they do it so well for so many people.
(4)
Stephanie H.
I went here for lunch yesterday, for the first time. I liked the atmosphere for the most part. It was kind of a noisy place and hard to here people you were seated with. Our waitress was attentive and friendly and gave us prompt service. I had the turkey club that came with a pickle spear and a bag of Cape Cod chips. I liked the sandwich, it was huge. The chips were good as was the pickle spear. I left stuffed. My sister ordered the veggie quiche and it was huge and came with fresh fruit (didn't look quite fresh but the touch was nice) and toast and hash browns. Huge portions for a decent price. Mine was 8.95 and hers was 9.95. I would go back for sure. The wait was not as bad as I first thought it would be.
(3)
Nicole M.
I don't get the hype. So many of my friends rave about this place and start drooling at the mere mention of it, but I've eaten here a handful of times and still don't get it. I just don't like the food. Nor do I like the atmosphere. It feels like a glorified IHOP with a longer line. There are much better places around here for brunch!
(1)
Maryn H.
This place is great. It's a laid back deli in Cambridge that serves HUGE portions. A good place to go for brunch on Sunday when you're hungover from the night before. The waitstaff is sassy, but that's what makes this place endearing. Their cobb salad is my favorite. It's comparable to Zaftig's, just without all the flash.
(3)
D. C.
I'd give it a 3.5 if there was a choice. I love their half sour pickles!!!! If you want a good family friendly restaurant, this place is it. There's pictures of the "grandma" everywhere, which kinda creeps me out. Their reuben was great and their matzo ball soup was good too. Caesar salad was over dressed, so I'd ask for the dressing on the side next time. I don't know why I ordered pizza one time, but I didn't like the cornmeal crust. It tasted like a frozen pizza, but maybe thats just me. Overall, I like this place and they're open late so thats a big plus.
(4)
Liz D.
I've only been here for brunch but it's my favorite brunch place in the area. The omelets are great and they always give you fresh fruit. The service is some times rushed but I've never had them make mistakes. I can never seem to find the restrooms though!
(4)
greta C.
I'm surprised this place is still open. Not only because the board of health should close it down, but the food has gone down hill since I started going there ten years ago. Yuck.
(1)
Leif H.
A wide selection of food offered in a restaurant with a cozy sprawling floor plan. My date and I tried their hummus appetizer, which was good, portioning was weak however for the $5 dollar price tag. The entrees we both ordered came with two generous plates of salad with warm dill rolls. Our drinks arrived promptly before our meals and our server was attentive yet not over bearing. The prices tend to be a bit steap for what one would normally expect from a deli styled joint; however when you consider that they are located in trendy (pricey) Inman Square it makes sense.
(3)
S. C.
I've been there a few times for breakfast. The first time I went there, I expected to pay over $30 for my meal. It was that good. It was even better when I realized I only had to pay about $15. I am a simple person. No matter where I go for breakfast, I would skip the menu and order eggs, sausages, toast, and home fries. I have been to many places and I have to say, S&S is the best.
(5)
Aretha B.
I will make this review simple S&S Pros: tuna melt on herbed foccacia with red onion THE COLESLAW ROCKS - seriously good pickles good omeletts eggs benedict fresh OJ S&S WINGS are the best friggin wings I've ever had. So sweet, nice heat... with cool blue cheese and celery. AH! so good... matzoh ball soup decent, pleasant service S&S Cons: only log cabin corn syrup for pancakes, no real maple syrup? wtf kind of new england breakfast restaurant doesn't offer maple syrup? Seriously - that disturbs me. Overall, good restaurant to fill you up. Nothing too fancy or imaginative, but quality ingredients for sure. I like the sesame bagles.
(4)
Alicia Y.
Lukewarm = my feelings about S&S, and very possibly the temperature of your drink when it's brought to your table. S&S is a place where my family often winds up when they visit because it's good for seating groups and has a parking lot (albeit a teeny, tiny one), but if I did not keep getting taken there as a part of family outings I would not seek it out on my own. For one, I can never make up my mind about what to order because their menu is absurdly large. I'm all for having options, but I feel like they spread themselves a bit too thin in trying to cover so many different types of food. I also have the problem of wondering if anything I order will be terribly worth eating: the food here is okay, but there's nothing memorable whatsoever about it. I know that I had a burger once... that was fine. The French toast... was fine. The Caesar salad... boringly fine. There's just nothing interesting about it to me. When I find myself thinking, "Hmm, I kind of wish I was at KFC right now, at least I know that chicken has flavor" when I am eating at a sit-down restaurant, something is very wrong, no?
(2)
Melissa W.
I love this place! I work across the street and often stop in for lunch at least once a week... my favorite is the turkey club. I had an opportunity to go in for brunch yesterday and had the eggs benedict. It was probably the best benedict I've had in a LONG time! Service was great as well.
(5)
Diane D.
I've never been to S&S for anything other than weekend brunch, and let me just say, that for that alone, it is awesome. With several friends living in the Inman area, the S&S is a personal favorite stop for a little weekend pre-shopping or post-hangover eggs florentine and home fries. Esepcially for the price, which really isn't bad. If it were closer to Brighton, I'd probably go more often to sample more from the big menu and try some other things like matzo ball soup. But for now, I'll stick with recommending the breakfast food!
(4)
Eric S.
First of all, my opinion may be skewed because of my perceptions of the place when I first ate there (when I was 4 or 5). I've always been sort-of creeped out by the lady that's painted everywhere in the restaurant. The food is nothing to brag about, but it's by no means bad. Everything seems clean and presented nicely. Wait staff-eh...they have been slow or have disappeared, but they always get the job done. Portions sometimes seem below expected size. I'll give them a pat on the back for providing so much space; the place is huge! Parking is confusing...so beware. PS: Pickles are good.
(3)
Jessica E.
A very middle of the road breakfast experience. I live in the area, and there is a definite dearth of breakfast options in this area of Cambridge. The restaurant is cavernous and well-staffed. It also has a deli up front where you can grab sandwiches, cake, cookies, deli style stuff. The interior is bland. It reminds me of a Perkins- a Midwest chain of Denny's type places. They could do a lot more to make it more interesting looking, but I don't think that is a priority. The menu on their website has the wrong prices. For breakfast items, everything is $10. Good selection of omelets. Fresh squeezed orange juice. Large plates of food- everything comes with home fries, a chunky bagel, and a fruit bowl. It's a very busy joint, and it is filled with lots and lots of old people. I won't hate too much though, because the food was plentiful, there was no wait, and no item on my plate disappointed me. It just wasn't all new age spices and interesting ingredients or fancy whatever... the kind of stuff we Yelpers tend to O over. But hey, maybe that's okay.
(3)
Stefanie G.
My mom loves S and S, so I have to go a lot, but I haven't drunk the proverbial Kool-Aid. The food is solid, but it is a little expensive and I hate the atmosphere. The salmon hash is dry but the regular hash is great. The reuben is also very good. I prefer the atmosphere of my other breakfast haunts, but I don't mind going here with mum on Saturday or Sunday morning, especially if it is early (before 9:30) and there is no wait. Followed by a cappuccino at the 1369.
(3)
kyle c.
i came here for breakfast on a saturday morning with a friend of mine. the omelettes were amazing, i got the portobello one, assuming it would just be filled with mushrooms and was pleasantly surprised to find the egg mixed with pesto and filled with not just mushrooms but tomatos, onions and mozzarella cheese. the homefries were great, and they let me substitute an extra fruit cup instead of toast at no extra charge. my friend got a havarti dill omelette, which he said was also delicious. the omelette menu seems pretty innovative, everything looked great. service was average, no qualms with it, and my mimosa was a bit champagne heavy. overall a great breakfast experience, will definitely go there again.
(4)
Layla P.
When I met my friend here they said "This DOES look like your kind of place" Why would they say that? Because there's BREAD and they serve breakfast all day. I asked the waitress which of the 3 french toasts (plus another that was on special) was the favorite. She suggested the croissant cinnamon french toast - and it was great! Nice crispy yet moist texture, cinnamon, sugar and butter oozing out of it and warm syrup to drizzle on top. You can substitute their comfy potatoes cooked with onion instead of bacon or ham and it also comes with a little side of fruit. The omelets were also good - no brown-ness on the outside (which I hate!). And they have FRESH squeezed orange juice yum! There's lot of potential here and I must return - for the other french toast dishes, but also for their hummus sandwich, soups and breads. There's take out lunch and dinner too.
(4)
Scott M.
I don't understand why this place only gets 3.5 stars average. So it's not a cool decor little brunch spot full of hipsters... so what. You get a table fairly quickly even on very busy days, it has awesome history, classic service and consistently decent food. It is our staple brunch spot. The croissant french toast is amazing, the eggs benedict are good, the poached salmon is delicious as are the homefries. Thumbs up - keep it up for another 90 years.
(5)
Tina C.
My regular brunch place. I order Eggs Copenhagen every time (poached eggs, sauteed onions, and smoked salmon on an english muffin) with the hollandaise on the side. Comes with fabulous potatoes (not quite hashbrowns or homefries, better!!) and a cup of fresh fruit. Love it. Been once for dinner and it was o.k. Service varies from waiter to waiter. I've come across a couple who were not good at all, and a few who were just great.
(4)
Katie K.
I have only been here once, and all I can say is it's nothing special. The service was OK, not excellent and the food was pretty good but that's all. Nothing spectacular going on here. I heard such great things from friends of mine about this place but it didn't live up to it's ego AT ALL!! Also the wait was really long for the food. Not bad, I'd go back if I was in the area, but wouldn't go out of my way for it.
(2)
Gabe M.
Quite a good place to grab some breakfast. Portion's are large, so its good idea to split with someone. Good service and good location at Inman Square.
(4)
Joel R.
This place is great any time of day. It is the closest thing I've been able to find that's close to a NY diner or deli. The sandwiches are good and so are the breakfasts. My whole family loves this place...
(4)
Larisa A.
What do I do? I eat at the S&S all the time. All the time, you say? Well, okay, a lot. It's close to home so we end up there at least once a week. Sunday or Saturday brunch is a favorite, and if you go there often enough you get a feeling for when the "slow" windows are. No, I'm not going to tell you when they are. Because I love the S&S and I don't want you going there and making it busier. In fact, maybe I should change this to 1 star and say how horrible it was! Yeah, actually, I bet that's what all those other people who gave it one star have done already. They secretly love the S&S as well and are just trying to keep the brunch lines down. But not me. Oh no, I'm too honest for all that. What do I love at the S&S? Omelettes. Corned beef hash & poached eggs (w/ a side of hollandaise for extra heart-attack love). The turkey dinner special (when they have it). Scallops & steak tips. I hear they have sandwiches, too, but I don't go for sandwiches. Why only 4 stars? The food is good & reliable, but I have had one or two omelettes come out a little browner than I'd like. The service is generally terse-but-polite, which is fine since I'd rather not have some obsequious turd take my order anyway. But it would be kind of nice if the servers we get ALL THE TIME would acknowledge that we're regulars. But maybe you need to go there every single day to be considered a "regular". And that might be a bit too much for me.
(4)
Melissa B.
Come here for breakfast (it's served all day). I've been coming here for the better part of a decade & have always found their breakfast to be much better than their offerings for lunch or dinner. I grew up on a dairy farm so I know fresh eggs when I see 'em; S & S uses some of the freshest around. It makes all of the difference. They'll cook them however you prefer (poached is my favorite) & you can get them with bacon, ham or sausage. For omelette lovers, they have about 10 different kinds of omelettes with every filling imaginable. The pancakes are great as well (mmmm....blueberries) and their homemade corned beef hash is out of this world (it's certainly not that crap that comes in a can). Every breakfast comes with a bagel & cream cheese & a bowl of fresh fruit. Get it with some of their fresh squeezed OJ, some bottomless cups of coffee or a cappuccino and you've got yourself a fine meal. This is easily one of my favorite spots for breakfast, but be warned, it can be a bit of zoo for Sunday brunch, and the staff can be rough around the edges.
(5)
Photon S.
S&S was pleased as punch when 14 of us showed up with practically no notice last night. Their menu is epic, making decision-making quite difficult. However, their strawberry mimosa was fantastic and the latkes are terrific. The food here could generally be a little better, but the triple layer sandwiches, the hummus plates for the vegans, and the various pastramis make this an excellent place to head with a mob or late at night. Bonus points for S&S being one of the few places open late on Sunday.
(4)
Beth F.
The story tells it. A family business with good quality comfort food. You either love or hate the S&S. I like to go there and get something that makes me feel good - oh say for instance...french toast or chicken soup. Maybe a salad. The trick is to ignore the bratty kids running around..but it's all part of the deal.
(4)
Nick S.
Totally dig this place - on the surface it's nothing special, but taking a look closer it is special - a throwback Jewish style family establishment. Long-time servers are pleasant, my food was great - lox plate (other dishes looked excellent), and you can tell the neighborhood really embraces it - lots of families enjoying themselves, happy people blissfully noshing. I look forward to the next time I can go, and will bring a friend or two to share the experience.
(4)
Emma D.
I have no problem with S+S, but I could never figure out why people are obsessed. It's very decent deli food and good for brunch/breakfast. But honestly, it's a place that I usually have a serious craving for. If you want entertainment stop by on a random weekday afternoon. We did and ran into the phantom gourmet and tables full of old folks. The dinner food is definitely geared towards the tastes of the elderly. I encourage you to try it out (especially breakfast food or sandwiches), but for goodness sake don't wait in line or travel vast distances for it!!!
(3)
Dottie D.
the s&s is solid. but, i wouldn't say that the s&s is good. i know people love it but i just don't. it's solid and i know i can get a decent omelete here but really, is that worth more than three stars? not in my yelping rubrick! the s&s has an outdated menu. there's nothing new and exciting there. i mean, that's fine and you know you can get some eggs, some bacon, a stack of pancakes, toast, etc. but, there's nothing amazing about the s&s. their food is decent and not too pricey so it's one of those places in my book that you can go and get some fine food that you know is reliable but doesn't thrill you. service is mostly fine... i was there on friday and our waitress was awesome but the kitchen was not. there were only one or two other people in the place but it took forever to get the food and when it did come, the order was wrong. our waitress was very nice about correcting this and when it was right it was fine but that's just it. if i want fine, i can make some eggs at home. anyway- i think the s&s is reliable but for me, that's only worth three stars at most, and one star is for having a decent parking situation (unless you come during the height of rush hour on the weekend and then the parking sucks there, too).
(3)
Amy K.
It is generally hard to find a place serving breakfast foods that I can eat. As a vegetarian and one who cannot stand the smell or taste of eggs I am often left ordering a bagel with cream cheese at Au Bon Pain. I dislike most waffles and pancakes (too dry and too sweet). However, here at S&S I can get by looking like every other normal Joe (or Jill), enjoying his or her breakfast without requesting something the cooks have never heard of. That is why S&S gets four stars in my book. And of course because my SO can order some huge egg and meat or fish dish and it makes us both happy.
(4)
Christopher W.
Now here is a place that deserves a diamond for food and a star for service. I prefacing anything this way set up for a fairly unpleasant review. When I first moved to the Boston area in the fall of 2000, I resided in Harvard Square. My best friend and I met up every Sunday for brunch to catch up on life. It was GREAT! However, as he now resides in Spain 10 months out of the year and I in North Andover, it has been tough keeping up this tradition. On a wonderful Sunday morning, I revisited a past favorite place to eat Sunday brunch. We met up with a mutual coupled friend of ours to show them a few more places to savor while he's away basking in the sun of Southern Spain for the next 10 months. We were seated rather quickly which I presumed would mean another stellar visit to an old stomping ground of mine. To my dismay, as our party of four were seated, our server, decided to drop our menus on the table and announce she would be back in a minute. Thus began one of the most horrid experiences I have ever had in a restaurant. Although the food was EXCELLENT and the conversation intuitive to the days agenda, our server just couldn't get passed or over that hump. To her defense, she frequented the table and inquired, while moving, if everything was ok, she just couldn't deliver the service which I had grown accustom. In the end she blew the lid off my rather lasses faire attitude by screwing up written directions. Disappointed, I left only a 15% tip and spoke with one of the co-owners about such disturbing service. I assured him that, although I will return (one bad visit won't deter me, my memories are very fond) service such as I received undermines the quality, taste and memories of his establishment.
(1)
Von S.
I really like this place and never had a bad meal here. Let me correct that, I've never had a bad brunch or lunch here; couldn't honestly tell you about dinner but I'm sure it's not too shabby. The S&S is a quintessential neighborhood eatery with a good selection of food options, from your typical diner breakfast (steak and eggs) to the normal deli staples (turkey club, rueben sandwiches). It's a place you'd go to if you live around the area (it's too much of a hassle if you have to drive to get here) and don't want to think too much about what to eat on weekend afternoons. Prices are standard ($10-$15), I suppose, but for a cheapskate like myself, it's a bit pricey. The portions and quality, however, are well worth the price. I see the complaints about it not being a real jewish deli--- I don't know why these people expect the S&S to be a beacon of kosherdom --- it doesn't unfairly markets itself as such. To these folks, I ask, "Do you go to Burger King or Dairy Queen expecting to dine with royalties in a robe of ermine and sapphires?" For crying out loud. My favorite dish is the corned beef hash with poached eggs. Love it. The salmon hash with eggs isn't too bad but does anyone out there feel right eating salmon with eggs for brunch? The knockwurst, hot pastrami, and swiss cheese triple decker is a good kind of monstrosity. Pancakes are all delish. Further, they serve nearly every dish with a small ramekin of assorted fruits which helps refresh your palate in between bites. And it goes without saying that I love their strawberry mimosa--drinking champagne in the late morning always makes me feel a bit decadent. Free coffee refills here is a plus too. Get there before noon-- that's when the rest of the neighborhood realizes they don't have to look far to get wholesome heavy tasty brunch food.
(4)
Quinn C.
S & S is a delicious treat that I look forward to every time I'm visiting the Boston area. There are tons of cookies and cakes and goodies like that, and a wonderful brunch. Their home fries kind of leave something to be desired, but other than that, I've always left full and smiling.
(3)
Jules M.
For the most part, S&S can be a good experience with good food reasonably priced. There's a wide assortment of beer and the hard liquor drinks are decent also. The service time and server attitude, unfortunately, can vary widely. Service is usually slow if it's busy, so I avoid the place during rush times. But even if you go during a slow time, if the wait staff isn't attentive, it can get frustrating because they can disappear and it can be hard to get service. If you go there enough, you'll know which wait staff give the best service.
(4)
Jesse M.
I was raised on this food since I grew up 3 blocks from the restaurant. The food is always good, though I seem to order the same thing almost every time I go. The service can leave something to be desired, some of the wait staff are top notch and some are just waiting until their next smoke break, but like a junkie I always return. Great bagels too.
(4)
Jim C.
I go there almost every Sunday morning that I am home. The buffet omelet is the best and after eating it you are set for the day. If you haven't gone there, go and prepare for a good experience. You should try the peach belini....Its really good.
(5)
Frank S.
This was the worst service experience I have had in a long time. Food was good, but the level of unfriendliness was simply unacceptable. Will never go there again.
(1)
Liza H.
Great deli food. Wonderful sandwiches, latkes and breakfasts. Latkes served with sour cream and apple sauce. The service can be slow which breaks my heart when I am starvin marvin
(3)
Jeremy S.
Solid breakfast and deli food. Maztoh ball soup is great. They also have fresh OJ and real maple syrup the two hallmarks of any great diner.
(3)
Kelly N Z R.
No vegan options, vegetarian options limited to omelettes, pancakes, blintzes (which isn't a bad limitation, I must say). Though it tries to pass itself off as a Jewish deli, it clearly ain't-- they serve meat (including pork) and milk.
(3)
Christina and Jaime F.
I had the triple decker turkey and havarti which was excellent, but my friends had brunch...I think next time I'll have the Belgian Waffle. YUM!!!!
(4)
jack p.
I try not to write negative reviews, but I just had breakfast at this place, ordered the pumpkin and spice pancakes, and could taste neither pumpkin nor spice. They were spongy and tasteless. On the whole, the food was just extremely generic and not really worth it. Try Mass Ave Restaurant instead. The upside here is that the service was great. Doesn't make a meal though.
(2)
Mags L.
s&s or zaftigs? i'm always confused about which place people are talking about because they're pretty much the same place to me. one is north of the river, one is south. my sentiment for both are the same. breakfast is pretty good. lunch - whatevs. not good, not bad.
(3)
Paul M.
This review comes with a caveat. The 4 stars I gave this place rate it in comparison to other Boston area delis. On its own this is a strong 3 star, but its not fair to compare a deli to restaurant. The wait is long, expect to wait in line for at least 15min on sunday. If you like a HUGE brunch on the cheap side this is the place. I have never been able to finish my plate. You get a bagel(really damn big bagel) with cream cheese, fruit and homefries as a side with brunch. The food is definitely on the heavy side.
(4)
Katy T.
It's not gourmet food, but it most certainly is comfort food. I really like their varied menu, although the smell of fried fish can be a bit nauseating. The air conditioning in the summer can be very overpowering to the point of visible shivering, but it's what it is. We love the cheese blintzes, the ruben, the corned beef, and the french onion soup. It's the perfect place to go for comfort food!
(3)
Netta L.
Yeah, the food is mostly good. How hard is service with a smile? The people here are consistently rude. RUDE! We go because it's the easiest place to park and the kids are always happy to have a bagel or $9.00 pancakes (note to S & S: a children's menu with smaller portions would be appreciated)
(2)
Stephanie ..
Potato pancakes and waitresses that call you "sweetie" and "hun".
(4)
ELLIS D.
Sadly in order to rate a restaurant you have to give it a star. S & S doesn't deserve one from my experience. We had the waitress from hell she was just down right nasty. We were a table of 7 and were treated as if we were a bus load of little old ladies sitting down for hot water and lemon. I don't think I have ever disliked a server as much as her. No one enjoyed the food. Having traveled all night the night before I wasn't into a big breakfast so I had the fruit and a bagel and cream cheese. Sarah Lee makes better bagels and my honey dew and cantaloupe couldn't have tasted more Green. Plain ole disgusting.The worst was the cream cheese, slathered in a plastic cup with brown streaks in it. When I asked for another she gave plenty of attitude and brought over another brown streaked cream cheese. I warn you all do not visit S&S unless it is to use their toilet!
(1)
Laura E.
Used to go to S&S when I lived in Inman Sq years ago. I am glad I stopped going. Went yesterday for a late lunch and was disappointed from the minute we walked in. No one greeted us and we waited patiently at the sign that says PLEASE WAIT TO BE SEATED. I finally went to the cash register and was told to go back and wait. Got seated, viewed the menu and ordered. I'd ordered a Ruben, but with a Gardenburger rather than meat. About 20 minutes later the server came over and said they didn't have any more Gardenburger's left. So, I told him use a Potato Pancake (it is delicious that way) instead. He looked at me and said, "EWw. Weird." I certainly don't go out to eat to be judged. The kicker of all this... the entire time we were there - they were vacuuming the rug while people were eating. It was gross and really annoying. I complained to the manager and he really didn't seem to care. It was pathetic and disgusting.
(1)
courtney d.
Ive come here so many times at a ridiculously late hour looking for french toast. I love all of their food, but the fact that they serve specific breakfast items at meal times other than (breakfast) completely earns my patronage. The sandwiches are always good and I know some that swear by their seafood. The service has always been great and while you wait, you can look at the ancient menus on the wall from when they first opened and omelettes were like a quarter.
(4)
Steve N.
the manager waved me off my intended purchase of the whole smoked whitefish in the case. he told me to come back tomorrow for a fresh one. i did, and it was.
(3)
Daphne M.
I have made quite a few trips to S&S, and while it's not your classic New York-style Jewish deli that I'd been hoping it was, it's still pretty damn good. The cheese blintzes are enough to make me come back time and again - they are out of this world delicious! It's all very homey and satisfying food, and I guess I haven't found much of that in Boston, so it's worth the price to me, even though it isn't cheap. The potato knish, coffee cake, and egg salad (my other favorites) are all delicious as well. I definitely need to try the french toast! I haven't been wild about their bagels, but I think it's not that they're poorly made, but that I always come there late in the afternoon when they're just not fresh enough anymore. The place is frequently packed and the service could be a little more efficient, but I still enjoy it quite a lot.
(4)
Sam S.
I grew up down the street from been but haven't been in a while. I always enjoyed the eating breakfast/brunch. I know my parents never took me for any other meal so maybe my 4 stars is biased. this was a hotspot for when bobi and zaydee were in town!
(4)
Jess P.
Everything I get here tends to be a decent version of something that should be awesome in a really bad for you kind of way. That leaves me feeling kind of meh about the S&S, in an I'd go but only if someone invited me kind of way. The reubens are good but not great and the breakfast food is pretty unexciting, though fine. Knockwursts and beans were kind of off though. Deli should be comfort food to an excessive degree, and this place just doesn't get there for me, though it's clearly trying. B- for effort?
(3)
Chris B.
In my opinion, S&S has always been a standard brunch place to fall back on even though it can be a bit of an annoying commute to get there from Charlestown (slow drivers on broadway, etc...). The food has always been consistently good and while the bartender during brunch is abrupt and less pleasant than i would like on a Sunday morning, i would return at least 2-3 times a month. Today was the last time i will see the S&S Deli. I finally let the rudeness get on my nerves and i won't be returning. It's too bad, really, because i am a polite, patient, and understanding patron of bars and restaurants. I've worked as a bartender and waiter, and have probably held every job a restaurant has to offer so i get the stress and i show my appreciation by tipping well. I've always noticed, however, that the good servers/bartenders understand that a pleasant demeanor even under the most stressful of circumstances will 9 times out of 10 earn a better than 18-20% tip. This morning after sitting at the bar for 15 minutes with my wife and trying to get the bartender's attention by asking for water and coffees (not shouting it out, mind you, just trying to take advantage of her being at my end of a full bar) with a "excuse me", "may we have" and "please" i was snapped at rudely with a "it's really busy" in a tone suggesting i should have noticed. Then she slams two waters onto the bar, slowly walks to get the coffee pot and one mug (which wasn't even for my wife or me!) fills everyone's coffees and provides a nice hot cup to the person next to me. I'm all set...needless to say, we left. My only other option was to sit through the attitude, have it take forever to get meals, and leave angrier than i was without leaving a tip (which i have never done). Goodbye S&S! The great restaurants flourish because the food is good but the service is great even when they are at their busiest...not sure what your secret is but the latter of the two is missing.
(1)
Kate S.
If you are looking for food in Inman at 11 PM on Tuesday, go here. Otherwise, eh. This place is really very so-so. Sandwiches are okay, nothing to write home about. Most of their salads are of the old-school iceberg lettuce type. Their bagels are a disgrace to the Jewish deli tradition. All in all, not that impressive with the one exception of their matzoh ball soup which is pretty darn tasty.
(3)
Melanie M.
I cannot state how much I enjoy S and S enough! They have excellent food and excellent customer service! The salads are delicious as well as most everything else on the menu. They can get crowded on the weekends because of their yummy breakfasts but there are usually seats at the decent sized bar! The desserts are worth a try as well!
(4)
An-Chian K.
The food at the S & S is totally awesome! The service isn't the greatest but the food more than makes up for it. I love their breakfast foods, their sandwiches are yummy, & the S & S Wings totally rock. The desserts are delicious and their half sour pickles are fabulous. One of the biggest bonuses is that they have free parking lot a couple of doors down from the restaurant. A big plus in the always busy Inman Square area.
(5)
claudia g.
This place is really not so good. The service sucks (it takes forever and they are not very nice here), the food is was below average for a deli. This is definitely not New York (or Boca Raton, for that matter). I can't imagine how it has stayed open for so long. Then again, I don't know of many other delis in Boston/Cambridge. (Really, only Zaftig's in Brookline comes to mind, but that's kind of far and still not great.) The food is also pretty expensive especially considering the really mediocre quality. It also feels more like a big chain than an independent deli in here. I try to avoid coming here other than for a dozen bagles even though I live a few blocks away.
(2)
Laura M.
The S & S is so yummy. My friends took me here one night and now we always go. They have the best boneless S&S wings defiantly recommend those for an appetizer. Its defiantly not a fancy place, but its comfortable. It almost has a diner feel to me, but it is so much bigger. Enjoy!
(5)
Khalid S.
Been there couple times. First time was for breakfast which was delicious and filling. I had the Garden omelet which came with fruits and bagel. Very nice breakfast for a reasonable price. And today I had their cheesecake which was great as well.
(3)
Michael L.
i just moved to the area. I really like S and S. You can get pretty good good for a pretty reasonable price and its good. I have the salmon and it's awesome!! only 12 bucks or so!!
(4)
Carrie S.
After coming in on a red-eye, I got a take-out sandwich and a cup of soup, the turkey, ham and cheese triple decker on light rye and the chicken noodle. Highlights: Friendly, quick service for takeout, cucumber-y pickle still with enough vinegar to cut through the mayo, GREAT coleslaw and I'm not usually a big cabbage person, decent sandwich with good bread, does have parking for those not-in-the-neighborhood. Lowlights: Asked twice for bread toasted and it wasn't, chicken noodle very so-so, a little on the expensive side for a sandwich.
(3)
Eli G.
After missing East Coast Grill brunch by 10 minutes, I headed across the street to S & S. I used to go here with my family all the time, but for some reason they stopped going and I haven't been since high-school. Not much has changed and it's comforting that they still have the wholesome family atmosphere, unfortunately the food didn't really impress me. It's party my fault for ordering a dish with crab meat in it (not a good choice for brunch), but the Bearnaise sauce had zero flavor. Next time I'll hit S & S for lunch and maybe a potato knish.
(3)
Joanne B.
S&S is a great place for breakfast and lunch. The soups are great. They are very dear to my heart. I recently brought a bowl of the Italian Wedding soup to my mom while she was in a local hospital. She still swears that this was the turning point for her successful recovery! The salads are great, I especially love the the Wild Maine salad. Check this place out if you are in the Inman Square area.
(5)
Peter P.
I've been going here on and off for years, I would have given it more stars, except the menu is hit or miss. The S&S wings or the S&S sandwich, are very good, the ruben on the other hand, is a complete disgrace for a jewish deli. breakfast I have found is always good. This is a great place to take people that like their food on the bland side, which is not an insult. You won't find anything spicy here, it was the perfect place to take my grandparents.
(3)
S K.
their brunch is delicious. portions are big. my favorites are: corned beef hash extra crispy with over easy eggs, monte cristo sandwich, grilled bagels, stuffed chicken, and croissant french toast. the omelettes are just okay. a lot of seating so you don't have to wait too long.
(4)
J C.
Awesome place for brunch! The food is good and the prices are fair. I've never had a bad meal here. Also their burgers are really good too and don't forget the famous S&S Wings! Great place to bring friends from out of town --can't go wrong!
(4)
Adrienne B.
When I was a kid, we used to eat here all the time, and I only remember loving it. I recently returned as an adult and wasn't that impressed. I haven't had anything but brunch here- which is a pretty good- but not amazing. I got catering from S&S to my workplace last year for a party and it ws pretty good too- but I just can't give it more than 3 stars because I don't ever find myself yearning to go. Since its a classic I would say try it- but you might not return.
(3)
Thomas M.
This place is pretty good, wide variety of menu choices, breakfast all day, bottles of wine that won't kill your wallet, etc...French fries and pickles are wicked good. Service is okay, food comes out fast.
(3)
Kza W.
the food was very good. as for the prices...ok not high not low. waiting time is not bad. interior, was homely. great place to bring anyone.
(4)
M. Deloris D.
S&S serves up reliable brunch on the regular. In fact they serve up a damn good brunch with mimosa's and bloody mary's. For brunch it should get five stars. The brunch selection is spectacular and if there were no wait, S&S would be the clinic I frequent to cure my hangovers and their latkes topped with lox and sour cream, washed down with a bloody mary would be my medicine of choice. Some complain about the service, but when lights are dancing, I don't really want a bouncy server cheering the specials at my table. I'm content in being just as surly as the server when I have a request. Besides, there's parking at S&S and that alone should earn a star in Inman. That said, my problem with S&S is that their lunch and dinner menus don't have the same oomph that the brunch menu does, the selections are ho hum. For a place with such an extensive and taste tempting brunch menu this is not acceptable. This, I can not forgive, and for this reason, I give S&S three stars.
(3)
n w.
If I could give it zero stars, I would. Negative stars even. Maybe I chose the wrong thing to order from S+S but it shouldn't have been this horrible. The lemon chicken I ordered was covered in so much gravy I could barely make out that it was chicken underneath. The lemon flavor was indescribably gross. And on top of all that, the waitress' finger was in the gravy when she brought out the food! :( I asked for another plate to fish my chix out and thought it would be better w/o all that gravy, nope. Sigh. Maybe next time I should stick with the sandwiches...they're a deli after all...but unfortunately I don't think there'll be a next time.
(1)
Andrea D.
I usually go here for Sunday brunch. They do have a pretty good selection of breakfast choices and I'm a lover of their omelets. They give you large portions and I can usually only eat about half of the meal. The omelet comes with a bagel and cream cheese, a fruit cup and home fries, which is a lot of food for a girl! The bar doesn't serve cocktails until 11, so no mimosas before then! I must say that the lines here on a Sunday can be pretty ridiculous. I've had days where I've waited upwards of an hour for a table. That can be pretty annoying as you stand there holding a ticket stub and they're calling off numbers, while you're hungover and in need of some food! I come here pretty much since it's right down the street and it's a decent priced meal. I've also been here a few times for lunch/dinner and they have a good salad/sandwich menu. I've never been too dissappointed with my choices and would come back again.
(3)
Hamish M.
What a load of tripe....This place had, without doubt the slowest service, and the food was even worse. If you're into tasteless, super bland food, then this is the place for you. So much so that our one and only time there even the soft drinks were flat too...tasty? no chance. The bbq drowned chicken was clearly boiled for 24 hrs prior to it's dip in the bbq sauce, then dumped on a plate. The fish was just as bad - the odd thing was, that on the menu, it never mentioned bbq sauce on the fish, and lo and behold it was drowned in the stuff too. The best part of the restaurant was the exit door, back to sanity. Needless to say a quick stop to the ice cream store down the road would have satisfied my pallette for a fraction of the price. Sadly I had to give this one star...shame, what a waste of a star.
(1)
amanda n.
My brothers and I have been semi-regulars here since we moved into the neighborhood in 2005. This is a great place to go if you like casual comfort, familiarity, and consistency. The food is fine -- nothing spectacular, but, again, consistent. The service staff is usually attentive and friendly. There is also a take-out counter that includes some good-looking desserts I've never tried. UPDATE 3/2/07 I had a really strange experience at the S&S last Saturday around 1PM. Since I wasn't very hungry, I ordered a cup of clam chowder. The server told me it's not served until 4PM. I said, "Are you sure?" a. It's on the menu that says lunch is served 11AM - ?? daily. and b. I can see people around me with matzo ball soup and another unidentified soup in a cup. Is clam chowder the only soup not served until 4? And why, then, is it on the menu? "If I go ask in the kitchen, they'll just tell me we don't serve it till 4." Since I didn't want anything else, our server apparently went to the kitchen and made a special request to the chef, who apparently obliged. Yes, I got what I ordered, but the whole experience was really weird because I was made to feel like I was putting them out or asking for some strange special order. He even asked, "Was it good?" when clearing our dishes. Weird. I usually feel at home at the S&S but this experience felt icky.
(3)
Ben R.
After a few more times at S&S I've come to the conclusion that they have a lot of stuff on the menu, but none of it is really all that great. I've added it to my list of "do not go here" restaurants. I'm not sure what happened, but it doesn't do it for me anymore.
(2)
Iannis R.
It's Sunday morning, the clock strikes nine I don't want to shlep all the way to Brookline For some decent latkes or a plate of corned beef Or else, corned beef hash (if you don't have no teef) Or other Yiddishkeit that may seem good Even if it really is fake Kosher food. The place is not perfect but is done pretty well But still nothing to make your Bubbe kvell.
(4)
Amelia M.
I went here for brunch once and ordered the eggs Copenhagen (poached eggs, lox, sauteed onions, hollandaise sauce, English muffin, with home fries and fruit salad). It was a big serving and extra delicious. I would love to take my relatives here next time they're in town -- it has a great "family meal" feel, and is a nice sunny space for any weekend brunch stop-in. I definitely recommend it if you're in need of a tasty "rise and shine" kind of vibe.
(4)
Dave S.
Corn beef hash is the best! Lox spread is a delicious bargain. Gotta get a Kosher dill, even for breakfast. Skip the home fries.
(4)
Emily G.
Fantastic bagels! Their chive cream cheese is also really good. Great service, fast for to go. And easily the same price as Dunkin Donuts. Looking forward to trying them for dinner soon!
(5)
Eric M.
More of a diner than a deli. It was satisfactory, but nothing to write home about.
(3)
April T.
This family must be doing something right. You don't stay in business for almost a century otherwise. Went for crowded Sunday brunch but still got seated within five minutes. Everything was yummy, especially their Eggs Copenhagen! The Hollandaise sauce was light and clean, one of the best I've ever tried. Decent prices and good service.
(4)
Chaya M.
The food is consistently great, but I have to give if two stars because the service is ALWAYS atrocious! I leave wondering why I put up with it. It's like the wait staff is trained to be rude and nasty.
(2)
Kelsey L.
S&S has some really good aspects. French toast, muffins on the grill and sausage are all really good. However, this place is a little overpriced for what you get. A side of a few slices of bacon was $2.50 I think. We get takeout brunch there once in awhile, but I wish there was a cheaper diner nearby. I recommend it if you don't mind the price. Their takeout is usually ready very quickly, which is nice. Be careful when you order breakfast foods on the weekend, they might try to charge you off the brunch menu, which is slightly more expensive than the breakfast menu for some items.
(3)
Cris E.
I've been coming here for over 20 years. I do agree with others that the breakfast is a little pricey but the omelets makes up for $$$. I really enjoy their burgers with the nice bulky buns and when I'm really Craving something heavy, I order their Ruben! Delicious! My all time favorite waiter at the s and s is Al, Aka, "butter". He's a character, great waiter plus his humor makes my food taste extra good!
(4)
Mike G.
We are just visiting the Cambridge area for a few days and stopped in here for breakfast. The service is wonderful, atmosphere is great and prices right on for a breakfast place. Although the waitress typed part of our order in wrong, she quickly brought out the right good. Again, service and food were great!
(4)
Eva K.
S&S is a notch above your run-of-the-mill breakfast place. Good place for breakfast on Saturdays - all the other restaurants in Inman tend to do Sunday brunch only. Unlike the other reviewers, I did not find the waitstaff to be rude. In fact, I found one of the waiters to be super-nice to my bf after said bf ordered a strawberry mimosa. What's up with that?!
(4)
Laura H.
I love S&S. I've eaten there dozens of times. I've taken all my friends and out of town guests. I could probably eat there every day. I didn't even like Hollandaise sauce before I discovered S&S, and now I eat Eggs Florentine every chance I get. In fact, I love S&S so much that I can't bring myself to eat brunch anywhere else. I've tried most of the brunch menu at one time or another. The hash browns are delicious, I could drink the Hollandaise sauce, and the mimosas are tasty, cold, and refreshing. The croissant french toast is amazing. Even the corned beef hash is pretty good, and I'm generally not a fan. With that said, a couple of things for those who haven't been there: 1. The Hot chocolate, while delicious, is roughly 85% whipped cream. If you don't mind paying $3.50 for whipped cream, knock yourself out. Otherwise, if you want to taste warm, chocolately goodness, ask them to hold it. 2. Parking is obnoxious during the peak times, which is pretty much any time Saturday. They added a lot down the street, which is nice, but they recently implemented a plan where you need a token to exit the lots. The problem? You can't see that the lot is full until after you pull in, and then you can't leave. So, you're left with the options of waiting for someone to leave, or parking illegally while you go in and get a token. What that means to me is that I'm better off taking the T. 3. The place is almost too popular for its own good. If you go during peak brunch times on the weekend, be prepared to wait about an hour for a table. Still, it's amazing and delicious and worth the wait. 4. It gets warm in there when it's crowded (which is most of the time). Wear layers.
(4)
Kay S.
Like people mentioned, the food is kind of meh. Standard fare for breakfast -- I had the croissant french toast, which didn't taste any different from regular french toast. The fruit on the side was nice (not a lot of places in the area do that!), but 3/4 of it was cantaloupe....and this was a week after the cantaloupe scare. Not only a bit cheap of them, but there was no mention of "our cantaloupes don't come from Colorado" or anything like that. Coffee wasn't bad (though it was a bit weak), and they brought little milk packets if you didn't want half-and-half. I would have probably given 3 stars except for 3 reasons: Boston/Cambridge restaurants do brunch well -- probably the area's culinary forte. So for the same price of my french toast, fruit and coffee, I could have got an omelet, potatoes, coffee, juice and a baked good from Aquitiane, with a much nicer setting and better quality. The main thing S&S has going for it is that it's convenient for people around Inman and opens earlier than City Girl on the weekends (and has a better seating situation). I really wanted the pumpkin pancakes, but I just wanted to make sure there weren't any peanuts. I asked the waiter, and he freaked out, even after I explained that tree nuts are fine, and I only had a slight (not life-or-death) allergy (basically can eat anything 'made in a factory that processes peanuts'). He didn't let me order what I wanted because he said that the tree nuts could have been next to any peanuts (which they probably don't have during breakfast....if at all); under the same logic, wouldn't anything in the kitchen be unsafe? I know the restaurant has to watch its behind, but to not allow me to order what I want? Not cool. The other thing was that, when I checked my credit card statement later, I noticed that the final charge was higher than I put down including tip. I guess I could give the benefit of the doubt and say the waiter misread the number, but it gave him a $6 tip for breakfast for two. You think I tipped you 22%? Seriously? I would probably go back if a friend was hankering for comfort breakfast food, and I was too lazy to go past Inman, and City Girl was closed or had an uber-long wait.
(2)
Jennifer N.
A long time ago, Inman Square was a sad, sad place with few dining options. In that world, S&S was a beacon of hope. Fast forward many years, and Inman Square overflows with options, which is pretty amazing considering that half of the so-called square is taken up by that auto-body center. So why, why, why with all of these options do people still eat at the S&S? Yes, the portions are large. But, um, since when do large portions make something good? At best, S&S is mediocre diner food served in a somewhat depressing room. This place is *not* a deli (though they have that faux deli in the front), it's not some foodie delight, it's an old diner with extremely unexceptional food. The only thing good about this place is that it has parking. And Lakota cookies.
This review is specifically about catering. I used S&S for an office event. They have an extremely varied menu for hors d'oeuvres, and that made it easier to accommodate a crowd with vegetarians and some other folks with food restrictions. I was also really excited about their new online ordering system, which allowed me to put in somewhat detailed notes. It was really important that the cake I was ordering be completely blank and undecorated on top, and I wrote that in the notes and specified that we would be using a photo cake sticker on it. There were some hitches along the way. The online ordering system allowed me to order 20 pieces each of various maki, and then S&S called and told me I had to order a minimum of 36 pieces each. We made the adjustment. The day of the order, they called again to ask if I needed paper products. I said no. The order arrived on time, but when I opened the packages, there were paper products included. I made a note to make sure we weren't charged for them. Then I opened the cake and had a mild panic. It was decorated with great big frosting flowers. I awkwardly scraped off some of the decorations, cut the photo sticker into a different shape, and managed to cover the mess by decorating with fruit (all in the last 15 minutes before the event began). The cake, when it was cut into, turned out to be the wrong flavor. On top of that, it was somewhat dry. The other food (chicken satay, maki rolls) was mostly average, nothing to write home about. I was kind of disappointed by the pear, almond, and brie tartlets, though. They just didn't taste like much of anything except fat. I called S&S and was hurriedly dealt with by a caterer who said they would offer us a credit. I suppose I prefer a credit and no apology to an apology and no credit, but overall, I don't think I'm going to be in a hurry to hire S&S again as a caterer.
(2)
Lisa I.
If you like kicking it with the 60+ crowd, this is your place. We were probably the youngest people there by a margin of 40 years. It kind of reminded me of a Cracker Barrell. The menu was enormous, but the food was very mediocre and the atmosphere left a lot to be desired. We only came here because we were going next door to Ryles and were looking for a bite. Their house wings were good, but that's about it. Wouldn't go back.
(2)
Lana A.
Just okay, IMHO. Our waitstaff was not friendly or helpful. It seemed to take an overly long time to receive our orders. And then the food quality was just so-so. But maybe that's what the S and S stand for, I don't know. We've only been here once, so I gave it an okay rating on the basis of what our host had to say about past experiences which were better than ours.
(3)
Heather G.
S&S is not crush-worthy. It's less like that guy you've been trying to talk to/get to notice you for ever but he just doesn't seem interested...and more like that guy in your class or at your office that you hang out with because he's nice, he's there, and he's funny. S&S certainly makes me happy when I am there, having breakfast. However, if I'm being honest with myself, I never crave S&S. I don't desire to spend time with it like I would, say, Ball Square Cafe or Cafe Luna. I like him when he's around, but I don't think about him when he's gone. That's not to say he's a bad guy...er...restaurant. It's just that he'll never be my first-choice date for Sunday morning breakfast. That was a very long-winded way of saying this place is just fine. Sure, I could make most of the egg dishes at home, but this place is so cheap that I don't have to bother, when all I want is some damn eggs and potatoes. There are few places where I find breakfast to be a culinary adventure. S&S isn't one of them, but they're consistent. They're consistently consistent. They offer up some solid go-to's, and you can always correctly-guess what you'll be getting when you order off the breakfast menu. Scrambles, benedicts, egg sandwiches - all are straightforward. They taste like they're supposed to. The portions are generous, the prices are low. The waitstaff calls ya "hun", which i happen to love, but they don't come around much. This is great if you're looking to catch up over a leisurely plate of eggs with a friend (here's lookin' at you, Sheridan, my lovely), but not so great when you're looking to have your water glass or coffee refilled. When do I go to S&S? 1. When I am craving diner food but don't want to shlep out to Ball Square, 2. when Cafe Luna has a ridiculous 1+ hour wait, or 3. When I'm in the area, hungry, and it's breakfast time. Bottom line: Love ya when you're around, don't miss ya when you're not.
(3)
Josh S.
Before I begin I want to agree with Ryan M.'s observation of likening S&S to the atmosphere of Friendly's. In S&S's defense, I have been to many great delis in CT any NYC with a similar feel. Regardless, it doesn't make for a unique or overly inviting atmosphere. My review is based only on the one sandwich I ordered, but it is a deli staple; pastrami on rye. In a word, disappointing. First, for the $10 charged, I expected it to be topped sky high, like a true Jewish Deli should. Not here. Second, The pastrami was sliced paper thin and was way too salty. The pastrami I know and love is thick cut and never by a machine, with the blackened end pieces (which are treasure troves of flavor) poking out the sides of the rye. Third, I asked for mustard. I only assumed the kitchen could handle that since you cant have pastrami on rye without mustard (bot sides of the bread, please). Instead, what I got was a bottle of mustard for me to spread myself. If you cant get mustard on your sandwich, then good luck with special orders. I may return for their breakfast, but never for their sandwiches.
(2)
Matt M.
The S&S is right up the street from my parents, so whenever I'm visiting, I end up stopping by. I really want to like the S&S more than I do, but the food never meets my expectations. On this visit, I had great service but it couldn't make up for the fact that the fruit tasted like it had gone (or was about to go) bad. The rest of the breakfast was ok but nothing special at all. It's a fine place to meet friends, but I would not recommend S&S based on the food alone. In a word, it's "average."
(2)
Jeremy K.
This place has over 230 reviews so I have very little to ad that hasn't already been said. Been there many times and always love to see local business as such strive, especially one that has been around since 1919 like this one. It's full of history and they stay close to it. Their menu has a bit of history and that's a neat thing that should stay close to them as they continue on. The service is quick. The food is well priced and plentiful. I pretty much always get the same thing: a reuben no toasted white bread (I don't like rye. Don't judge me. Shut up.) - Comes with a pickle spear and coleslaw - pretty standard. The place gets packed for brunch on Sundays and you'll most likely have to wait in line despite the fact that the place is huge. It's worth it though. Their menu is extensive and covers every range of American food you can think of, including wings and even Jewish specialities like knishes and such. They have not one but two parking lots, one small one near the back entrance and one a half a block further which is a lot bigger. Oh and did I mention they have takeout? And a lot of cakes you can buy by the slice? Anything from cheesecake, carrot cake and red velvet? If you want tradition, good value and a reliable meal, this is the place!
(4)
rose n.
I love S&S. Head over heels, love this place. I went here for a late lunch on a Saturday and the place was packed. Most of the other reviews cover it nicely but I love the cute little families, college students, and academic looking sorts. Our waitress was older and kind of cranky but she was very polite when she spoke and brought our food out on time. One problem was that she forgot my BF's beer, but they had Sam Light so he was happy. The restaurant is nice and clean (as are the bathrooms) and they have cute photos of 1920s and 1930s Inman Square. We started with onion rings which were homemade and super thick and crispy. I ordered a cheese pizza and I got a caesar salad and delicious little challah roll beforehand. I was full pretty much before my meal came. The BF got a monte cristo which he loved. He had it here with one of his buddies and I was worried it wouldn't fill him up. It did, which never happens with this kid! It was full of meat and came with yummy fries. I only could eat a piece of my pizza but the cheese was soooo good. It was a delicious deep dish with a nice blend of cheese, and I got leftovers to take home for dinner. For only $8, it was a pretty sweet dinner with salad, roll, and pizza. It was under $35 with tip total which is about how much I would pay to go to a terrible chain like Chili's. I would much rather give S&S my business!!!
(5)
G S.
Absolutely, without a doubt, the worst costumer service I've ever experienced; was chased out after an hour by increasingly threatening confrontations with foul-tempered townie waitstaff/supervisors. Apparently an hour is too long to spend eating breakfast at this hole on a Saturday morning ... even when only 2 or 3 parties were waiting for tables as I left. Food is a slightly less antiseptic, slightly more 'homestyle' than a Denny's. My advice: stay away. There are so many other options in Cambridge / Somerville to waste even one meal in this place. (to be fair, this was in 2006, so perhaps things have improved, but I seriously doubt it)
(1)
Eating In The B.
Since I've eaten here twice in the past two weeks I figured I should actually post a review on it and share the wealth with others! This place has been open for 95 years which is absolutely incredible and is a central part of Inman Square. One of the first things I noticed upon getting there is every picture in the place is of Inman Square at different points in time and from different angles. It was really cool to see all of the history in the place (which includes a lifesized cardboard cutout of what I can only assume was the first waitress in the bakery - give me a break! I do enough reading for school, I'm not going to do research on who the blonde lady in the apron was). The food is what keeps me coming back beyond just the look though. I had the Croissant French Toast the first time I came which is basically just French toast with cinnamon and sugar. I described that as basic, but it's amazing. It comes with a bowl of fruit and your choice of bacon/sausage. I was in heaven to say the least. The second time I came back I had the "Breakfast Omelette" which was a special they were running (it says it's a special, but it was also there the first time I came so I'm guessing it's a fairly regular occurrence). It had pesto which intrigued/scared me and it turned out to be delicious. It also had more basic ingredients like ham, onions, tomatoes, etc, but the pesto is really what makes this unique. The omelette only costs $11 and also comes with a bagel, home fries and fruit so I'd say it's a pretty great deal since I wasn't hungry for the rest of the day.... If you're looking for a quick bite or a delicious baked good to go there's a separate bakery attached to the restaurant as well! eatinginthebean.wordpres…
(5)
G G.
Went here when nearby places had huge lines. Decent food, quick service. I really enjoyed the matzoh ball soup and bagel and lox. Some of the items weren't as well received - the Salmon Hash was a bit under salted and bland. But overall a great brunch option.
(3)
Angela A.
Reliably mediocre, with some redeeming features. The Inman Square brunch market is a pretty high-octane adventure. Are you willing to wait on the sidewalk in freezing cold temps for a preciously-cooked gorgonzola/prosciutto/salted caramel tagine thingie? (OK, I mock City Girl Caffe', but they are quite tasty.) Or is your soul weak (slash, hungover), and are you just looking for anything resembling heated eggs with cheese, cooked by someone else? If so, the industrial brunch of S&S is probably fine. Don't get me wrong. Some things are great at S&S. For one, the fact that it's like Harry Potter's camp tent, and seems to expand beyond the limits of physics. Don't worry if you have a party of 5. You'll be seated in no time. Then, if you agree to sticking by conservative, can't-fail menu items (choc chip pancakes, lox bagel), you'll be rewarded with something tasty. If, like me, you pick a more adventurous breakfast special omelet (as I did, that one time), you'll regret it. (Seriously, it was so gross.) Most of the stuff I can get at S&S I could probably cook at home, for less money, and more to my taste. But sometimes, it's Sunday and you're lazy and you want an easy treat. S&S is just that: convenient, not great, always available.
(3)
Paulina B.
This has become a regular spot for my boyfriend and I on Sunday mornings for brunch. This diner/family style deli has a huge dining area that is always bustling. Even when the waiting area is packed with people, we never wait longer than 15 minutes for a table. I've had several things off the brunch menu, and I've loved every single one of them. The coffee is strong and tasty and the mimosas are made with fresh squeezed orange juice, which makes all the difference. I would definitely recommend this place for brunch - the meals are delicious and the servings are huge! I love some of their creative breakfast offerings, like Eggs Copenhagen and Eggs Benedict with Crab Cakes. Yummy!
(5)
Tyler A.
The corned beef sandwich is good, the key lime pie is good, wings are awesome, delivery speed was good. This was for lunch at work one day; I enjoyed it so I decided to go for breakfast the following weekend. Breakfast was meh, (croissant with ham and hash browns) the morning cocktail I got had a trace hint of alcohol, I basically paid $6 for a $3 glass of orange juice. The food was overpriced for what it was and the service was less than impressive. I will not be back. There are MANY other places that do it for less and better. Tradition is not indicative of quality.
(2)
Daisy C.
S&S was more of a stand-out than just a solid option yesterday. I had to write about and preserve this meal because it truly left me content. S&S is a safe bet: the staff are generally courteous, the food is consistently tasty, and the wallet doesn't feel too sad after a visit. We weren't really planning to go there today but, after dismissing a few other options, S&S was decided upon since we were in the area and precious minutes of lunchtime were disappearing. Promptly seated, we had a very nice waitress for our meal. While some may consider both of those anomalies at S&S, I've come to talk about the shrimp and crab cakes lunch special. This dish really called out to me. I saw it on the specials board, I flipped through the entire menu (even the breakfast options, which I usually get) and saw nothing else I wanted...I was looking forward to something different. I opted for cole slaw as my side. The two cakes were moist and had a good amount of whole shrimp and crab meat. The crumb coating outside was crisp but not oily. There was a satisfying hot dip, kind of like a heated vinaigrette with small tomato pieces. The rice pilaf was just barely more mushy than al dente, but I don't mind this sort of thing and it was not overly salty. The cole slaw had nice crunch and wasn't too creamy. The meal was very filling, well worth $8.95. Right place, right time. An aligning of celestial bodies. For serious.
I thought this place was pretty good, with a decent selection of traditional deli items. It was pretty lively both times I was there, and the food was delicious and filling. Certainly a place worth checking out...
(4)
Stephanie P.
My sister and I stopped in here for a late breakfast on a Monday morning. At about 9am there was only one other table occupied in the establishment, but I'm sure they are more packed for lunch/dinner on weekdays. This place has been open for decades so they must be doing something right! They have a pretty extensive breakfast menu. Nothing unusual that jumps out at you, just classic, comfort breakfasts. My sister ordered an omelet with veggies and cheese which came with homefries and rye toast. Her omelet was very good but the homefries a little greasy. I ordered the french toast on egg bread. It wasn't as thick or crispy as I'd like but that didn't stop me from eating 3 slices... Decor is...well, it's boring. Their coffee was really good and service was prompt with the refills. $20 for two breakfasts and coffees.
(3)
Shieun M.
They've got the best sour pickles!
(5)
Sara M.
I used to live close to this place and walked here for a few brunches. Thankfully, there is also a parking lot if you have to drive. This place gets quite busy on the weekends so expect a wait even though it is large. It had your typical breakfast fare but with higher prices. I expected better quality food due to the hype but it was rather average. I felt the bagel and lox was good but I also have fond memories of this at home growing up. Good option for the area but I would drive farther for some kick-ass pancakes, like at Deluxe Town Diner.
(3)
Paula A.
I've been going to the S&S for years, I've had dozens of meals there & you truly can't go wrong. The ambiance is somewhat non-existent, the service is fine but not supper. I laughed at someone's comment about it being their great-aunt's favorite restaurant, b/c it was my grampy's favorite too. the old folks love S&S -- understandable since its been there since 1919. My most recent trip was for brunch, they had a special, 3 words that changed my life: RED VELVET PANCAKES (RVP). The person who came up with that idea should win some sort of award. There were raspberries & chocolate chips drizzled on top, just delicious. Full Disclosure: I didn't order them, but I helped myself to my guy's plate. I had the egg's benny, a personal fave & they were perfect. Next time my fingers will be crossed that the RVP's make it back on the menue.
(5)
Micah M.
S&S serves up standard deli fare in a cozy atmosphere with decent service. They have the best bagels in Cambridge, though the main competitors are Au Bon Pain and Dunkin Donuts. 3.5 stars.
(4)
Ladyjane S.
S&S is a staple and one of my favorite Cambridge institutions. Always reliable and consistent. A bad sinus infection brought me here on my last visit after a doc appt in Cambridge. I opted for the matzo ball soup, in desperate need of some healing powers. Man, did it deliver. The soup was perfect in every way. It was so good, I wished they had an option for a larger bowl of it. They are all about the comfort food here.
(4)
Qichen Z.
The Nova Scotia lox omelet was a little disappointing. I really like S&S for their amazing bagels (I really don't know what they do to make such amazing bagels, someone needs to hack into their recipe database), so I had high hopes for their brunch omelet dishes as well. It was only okay, the salmon wasn't the greatest, and the eggs were sort of cold when they arrived. The home fries were also kind of soggy, and the fruit bowl wasn't anything special. The only good part is that we got so much food for the price; couldn't really move for a good 15 minutes after finishing. Service is fast and friendly per usual. Wish the food was more consistent. Stick with the bagels if you want to play it safe.
(3)
Logan J.
i was looking for a new place to go to brunch with a friend that was in cambridge, and we decided to try this place not really knowing much about it. we werent disappointed with what we got here, but it wasnt anything memorable or special. this is a very typical deli...it could have been anywhere--dennys, country kitchen, etc. we both had pretty standard breakfast items, and we both thought they were very standard. they werent bad...but they werent too great. we left knowing that we ate...that was about all we remembered. i reiterate: nothing too special here.
(3)
Erica P.
S&S is your classic Jewish delicatessen with good food and surly waitresses. No seriously, I don't think I've ever seen a smile cross those lips. But I digress... When I lived in East Cambridge, S&S was THE place for brunch. My old stand-by was the Rachel (no Reuben for me, I hate corned beef) - the turkey was nice and moist, not that processed crap. The sauerkraut is fantastic, and the marble rye is amazing! On occasion, I would only eat half and take the other half home for lunch the next day: slightly soggy, but just as tasty. Generous portions, but the sandwiches come with chips instead of fries, so you have to pay extra if you want those crispy fries. The one major miss I had here was the Red Velvet cake. Totally underwhelming. The frosting wasn't real cream cheese frosting. I am a Red Velvet snob, so maybe that's why it wasn't to my liking, but meh. I kinda miss this place. Even if the waiter did spill coleslaw all over me last time I was there. If you're in the area, grab a beer at the Druid across the street, then come to S&S for some munchies!
(4)
Robert S.
I had a GREAT lunch here at the end of Jan 2013. They have primarily a deli-style menu with some eastern european specialties. I had a salmon club on marble rye that was out-of-this-world. It came with chips and a glass of ice water for about $8. The place was clean and the waitresses were kind. I will definitely go back.
(4)
Christina Z.
French onion soup - sweet sweet sweet, not salty like you're drinking an ocean, cheese that stretches for miles and miles Swordfish Kabobs, scrumptious, and fun spicy marinade. Thanks for the spicy-good rice pilaf. Caribbean Salad - go S&S, way to be inventive! The dressing is sublime, and the mangos and toasted coconut are fabulous. Winner: Mashed potatoes. Sour cream whipped into them. They are absolutely addictive. This place KNOWS comfort food. Only gripe: my shiraz was warm like bathwater. I like red wine on the room-temp side, but I didn't want it to lull me to sleep!
(5)
Paul C.
As ever the food was excellent at S&S. But the service left a bit to be desired. The waitress actually scolded me for reaching for a bowl of cold soup which she was delivering to the table on tip toe after she failed to even excuse herself as she reached in front of another customers face. 'You never reach to take something from the hand of a waitress' was her comment. Well in my book the customer is always right and who wants to go to a a restaurant where the help feels than have the right to scold a paying customer ! And we actually left a tip ! Bad form S&S, you really need to train your help !
(1)
Sean J.
I have only been here for brunch but if the meal I had was any indication of their dinner offerings then I would recommend them blindly. I got a huge western omelet with hash browns which was absolutely delicious. They also offer a wide selection of beers on tap during brunch, even on Sunday. There were only a few downsides to my experience, which will keep it from getting 5 stars. 1. Seating. You might have to wait a while before being served, especially at peak brunch hours. There are tons of old people and tourists coming in to eat. I went with my girlfriend, and while we didn't have to wait, we were crammed into a tiny table in the rear, which was in a very awkward situation. 2. The mimosas. 99.9% orange juice, .1% champagne. 3. The price. A little on the expensive side for a mid morning meal. They know that they are a very popular tourist spot and charge accordingly.
(3)
Steve K.
Want a plethora of breakfast choices? Want to drown yourself in fresh fruit, towering pancakes, thick french toast and piles of eggs, home fries, and bacon? Get your ass over to the S & S! I went here for breakfast recently and I can tell you right now, that there is no shortage of choices for your breakfasting needs. Not only do they carry all the traditionals, but they also have a ridiculous array of interesting food combinations. French toast stuffed with brie? Yes please... The price is moderate, the place is huge, and the staff is quick. I'll be keeping S & S in my sights for future breakfasts... no doubt about that.
(3)
Connie S.
Longtime Inman Square Jewish deli/diner. If you're looking for classic sandwiches and entrees in massive portions, and you have time to tolerate extremely leisurely-paced service, this is a solid bet. I was most impressed with - Seafood Casserole: they are not lying when they say the seafood is the finest quality available. Super fresh fish, scallops, shrimp lightly seasoned and baked with crumbs. It also comes with house-made Cole Slaw and fluffy Rice Pilaf that are both delish - Beef Knishes: the dough is chewier than I've had in knishes before, but very tasty, and served with gravy The Rachel (roast turkey, cheese, Russian dressing, sauerkraut on marble rye) was solid and I liked how they pan-fried the bread for extra toastiness. The Matzo Ball Soup was fine, but not all that hot by the time it got to the table. Downsides: - The service was noticeably slow, in bringing out appetizers and in paying the bill, which was a little perplexing because it wasn't all that crowded when we went for lunch on a weekday afternoon. - Wanted to pick up some non-cake baked goods from the pastries section after lunch, and there was only a sparse selection of mediocre-looking muffins and cookies (where were the challah, the rugelach, etc.?) Still, a good filler-upper for your Bubbe's food.
(3)
Matt I.
I feel a little embarassed that I've lived in Cambridge for years and hadn't been here until just a few weeks ago. Really solid diner food. The first time we stopped in because my gf had a cold and wanted Matzoh ball soup, and theirs passed muster from a native New Yorker. Reubens, etc. looked really good. Breakfast was outstanding IMO. Corned beef hash (they make their own corned beef!) was one of the best I've ever had. Blueberry pancakes were really good, tasted like fresh berries. Haven't had much of the non-breakfast food, but stuff going by to other tables looked like typical diner fare. Homemade desserts were excellent. The chocolate peanut butter pie was a standout (more PB than chocolate, which is good because I hate desserts like that when they go way overboard with the chocolate.) Service can be slow. Depends on the time of day and the staff you get.
(4)
Derek W.
I should have opted for some deli type meat, but i'm on a quest to taste every hamburger ever served in cambridge... This one was not good, I asked for it to be med rare, it came out well, appeared to be of the frozen variety. My eating partner ordered a roast beef sandwich of sorts, nice and rare, looked good. I had entree' envy for sure.... Place was dull, bar was nice, bartender well she was kinda whacky....
(2)
Dara S.
This is not a fine dining restaurant people. This is NY style diner at its best. I love it. Everything I have ever eaten is delicious. I get my turkey for sandwiches from their deli because they oven roast that sucker in house. You can't beat fresh turkey. There is something for everyone, their menu is huge! Also, they have breakfast everyday - and at any time. They have Iggy's bread brought in - and amazing bagels. They even have lox spread - YAY! Yes - there is a rope you wait behind to get sat. Yes the waiter / or waitress might seem busy and slightly surly. That is what diners are all about. If you don't like it - go back to the south end. xoxo. Dara
(5)
Laura G.
This place is lame. It's the ugly stepchild of the Jewish Deli family. If you want a good Jewish deli, make the trek to Brookline and go to Zaftig's. I used to check this place out more times than I should have due to proximity to my old apartment. First time I went was for breakfast. The eggs were meh, the bacon was of the microwave variety and the orange juice was from concentrate yet still priced as though it was fresh OJ. Second time I needed a quick pit stop for lunch. The service was rude and they screwed up our entire order. They told me I could have a free meal on the house and to use so and so's name when ordering and that'd I'd be on a list. *eyebrow raise*. Skeptical alarm going off. Few weeks later I was too lazy to make dinner and my friend was sick so I thought laziness+matzo ball soup+free meal = me being somewhat productive for me and my friend. I call in the order and walk over to pick it up. I mention the "code name" as instructed and of course they have no idea what I was talking about. Annoyed that I was going to have to pay for the food I ordered I left vowing never to return. I get home, open the food and realize they had totally butchered my sandwich. It was covered in what I could only assume to be grey spinach and watery onions. I did not order either of these items on my sandwich. It was so watery and soggy in fact that the entire box was underwater and what once was the bun was no longer serving a purpose. I had to go back and have them fix it. Needless to say, the shitty service, even worse food have made it so I will never go to this place again. If you want food, do yourself a favor and walk across the street to City Girl Cafe.
(2)
Steph P.
Hey guys, this a diner. Service is quick, but not really with a smile. The waitress isn't about to ask you if you are enjoying your French Toast. But the food comes out fast and hot and the coffee cup stays filled. We ditched our hopes of the Friendly Toast after finding out about the hour long wait. No wait at S&S for a party of four at 10:30 on Sunday. The croissant french toast was light (as far as french toast goes) and didn't leave that super heavy feeling in the belly, but the ends were a little eggy. The rustic raisin and pecan french toast was yummy with warm raisins and toasted pecans with a fruit accompaniment. These both came with a choice of bacon or sausage. The quiche Lorraine had a LOT of cheese on top, which masked the other flavors in there. The lox benedict was overflowing with lox and the eggs were poached right. Portions are large, prices are right and I would for sure come back.
(3)
Kate L.
Some of the best bagels I've ever had. Great place to go if you want more breakfast than you can possibly ever eat. The food is incredible, so not only are the portions huge but the quality is high! Occasionally some of the staff has seemed a bit surly but my experience here has been positive generally. If you don't feel like sitting down you can get bagels to go. My friend is a fan of the lox spread, but you'll never get me near that stuff.
(4)
Jamie H.
my parents took me to S&S today for lunch, and it was great. the waitress was really friendly, the food was delicious, and it wasn't too expensive either. we started with 3 beef knishes and a bowl of the matzo ball soup. the knishs were definitely the star appetizer, light on the beef and the dough very moist - too often, a knish is just way too dry and i was happy that this was not the case here. the soup was flavorful but light, and they definitely know how to do a matzo ball! i do wish it came with more carrots, celery, and chicken. my dad got the reuben sandwich, which he finished before i could even try a bite, but he said it was fantastic and was happy to get extra russian dressing. my mom got the corned beef on rye, and i went with turkey on 7 grain. both were good, but pretty standard sandwiches. mine came with lettuce, tomato, and onion. however, the real highlight for me was the half-sour pickle. i have found the perfect deli pickle! we ordered some matzo ball soup to go, and the best part is you can get extra matzo balls for $1. we also got some chopped liver, but i haven't tried that yet. for an enjoyable, tasty lunch with my parents, this really hit the spot.
(4)
Manfred S.
Waiting 20 min to be seated for Easter Sunday brunch seemed reasonable. Cranky service is not. The food was edible and no one got sick. They claimed that the mimosas are made with fresh juicy and it is possible (but might not). Somewhat borderline, but at least gives you a light buzz. Recommendation --- okay if you have a big party and need booze. The place is big and has a liquor license. If you have cravings for a lot of good breakfast food with friendly service you are much better off at Ball Square Cafe.
(3)
Ess P.
I tried this restaurant out for breakfast after dozens of friends raving about it. When I first walked in I stood behind the rope that said "please stand here & wait to be seated." There were two waitstaff standing right by me chit-chatting, they looked at me but didn't budge. Finally about five minutes later, a group of people just walked in & went right into the dining area. I went up to the waitstaff & asked why haven't I been seated!? They said they didn't know I was waiting to be seated, even though I was clearly standing In the waiting line! He apologized. The food was actually good. I got french toast, egg/cheese omlet, & home fries. I have no complaints about the actual food - it was delicious. Before I could finish my food, I got up to use the ladies room. When I came back, THEY CLEARED MY TABLE! They threw away all my food! The waitress said the busboy made a mistake & apologized and offered to make my food again. I declined, I was completely turned off & the manager took care of the bill. The waitstaff just seemed sketchy. I doubt I'll ever go back.
(2)
Jess L.
I got here at 10 for brunch, and I didn't even have to wait (though I think a couple minutes later, I would have had to). The menu is surprisingly diverse, with lots of egg options and other fun things, like bavarian french toast and salmon hash. The staff seems a bit rushed, but the food quality is great, and there was no pressure to leave. The deli looks very enticing too - will get something on the way out next time. I got the omelet special, which included pesto, monterey jack cheese, onions, spinach, and bacon. Amazing, and not too greasy! My mother got the whitefish, and she got a large hunk. The sides of fruit and toast/bagel are also enough to fill you for the rest of the afternoon...
(4)
Zinah A.
My family and I have been going to S&S for over 25 years. I brought all my nephews & nieces as kids....now they are grown and willing to split the check with Titi Zinah. S&S is home to us & to many. Many parties, mother's day & graduation celebration or just lunch date with mom. The food is always consistent you can't go wrong. Some favorites the S&S wings boneless some sweet & spicy simmered with honey & the crispy texture is perfect. My mom is a fan of their fish & chips always winner as I can grub from her plate. I love the brunch special they make outstanding omelets my favorite Lox omelet as well as eggs Benedict. Ad a bloody Mary and we are set for a delightful time at our second home S&S.
(5)
Shaina P.
Line out the door? Be sure to take a ticket as soon as you get inside! S&S's waiting system has improved to the point where you don't wait more than 30 minutes. Don't be discouraged by the huge line because the restaurant is enormous and typically well staffed... Reasons to love S&S: 1. Hot Pastrami on Rye with Swiss Cheese and Double Batter Fried French Fries (or whatever they want to call those crispy, greasy thangs). 2. Breakfast Sandwich with Fries instead of Breakfast Potatoes. 3. Chicken Parmesan. 4. HOMEADE corned beef hash. Sooo frigin' tasty (oven-baked crisp and blackened on the edges). Served with two lovely poached eggs on top. Mmmm! Other Tidbits: 1. Patrons born in 1919 still go here. 2. Style of the restaurant is dated (to what date, I'm not sure, but it's not current). 3. Not known for it culinary creativity, but more so for its "classic" deli sandwiches (pastrami, roast beef, reuben) and homestyle cooking (chicken soup, quiche, pot pie?, breakfast all day). 4. Catering by S&S is popular, but not the best in the area as of late. I used to love S&S. It was a place to go to with co-workers for holiday lunch. But now that I've familiarized myself with other restaurants in Inman Square (international cuisine, unique atmospheres, younger crowd), S&S's popularity has dwarfed compared to others'.
(3)
Lisa R.
This is a really great place to go for lunch on a weekend! My husband and I came here yesterday, because the All-Star Sandwich Bar was too packed, and we were not disappointed. He had the turkey club sandwich, and I had a turkey wrap with lettuce, tomato, and some kind of cranberry delicousness (I had them hold the cheese). The thing that impressed me was that they use REAL turkey, which is sliced nice and thin, It's not that processed crap you find in most places. My sandwich came with a nice fresh fruit cup and a bag of Cape Cod potato chips. The place kind of reminded me of a Bickford's, but I think this place was in business way before them. Back when I was a 16 year old kid I worked in a diner, and this place had that kind of feel to it. They had a humongous menu with ALL kinds of good stuff, so anyone can find something they like here. I highly recommend S & S!
(4)
Allison R.
My neighborhood lazy kid takeout spot earns three solid stars. Highlights include the pastrami and knockwurst(!) triple decker sandwich, decidedly above average cheeseburger, and the matzo ball soup. The knishes in the takeout case look pretty delish too. If you're dining in, you'll never wait for a seat since this place is huge, and the service will be pleasantly brought to you by your surrogate jewish aunt or uncle. Your glass of water will be small, though. My major gripes with this place? "Same place" taste, somewhat overpriced, and the fries don't rock my world. They're the kind of breaded, crispy-yet-soggy ones. Bonus points though, for the tasty monte cristo, the gooey boston cream pie, and the fact that a breakfast all day establishment is a mere five minute walk from my home. It's like they saw me coming.
(3)
Mike Z.
It was late Sunday night and there weren't that many restaurants opened, but luckily S & S didn't close til 10pm! My friend had wanted to come to this place because she had said that the food is very good and she usually frequented it for brunch. It was very hard to pick from the ginormous menu - I ended up ordering the corned beef with cow tongue triple decker sammy on dark rye - it was delicious! Definitely one of the better corned beef sammies I've had. There's a private parking lot and also plenty of street parking, so parking is not an issue. I will definitely come back to try out of the other items on the menu.
(4)
Emily D.
As I sit here eating my leftover S&S boneless wings smothered in their house S&S sauce from last night's dinner.. I'm so upset that I didn't leave more for myself. Holy Smokes these wings are mighty good!! I wanna lick the plate here at work.. but umm yeah.. a little inappropriate you think? My hubby and I were working late and needed to catch a quick dinner before our next engagement. We rushed into S&S not knowing too much of the place. But, I'm going to be honest.. I really came in because I saw all the cakes and pastries on display in the deli area. No Really, they all looked amazing!! We were seated quickly... and given our menus. "WHOAA!! wait a min? this is the menu?" -- "Yes ma'am it is." "Oh, ok." The menu is extensive. I'm talking about 4 or 5 pages of everything you can think of. The restaurant kind of reminds me of a better version of a denny's or ihop. They serve breakfast all day and they also have plenty of dinner and lunch options. You could probably have anything here. It took us a while to figure out what we wanted... which wasn't so great since we were on a time crunch. We skimmed through and I ordered the boneless wings covered in their S&S sauce. While the hubs ordered their grilled chicken sandwich also covered in their famous sauce. The food came out pretty quickly... the waitress on the other hand didn't seem too happy last night. She probably has a long day. But, we didn't let that bother us. We enjoyed our dinner and were out of there in 45 min. The prices were good.. the food was good...Not Bad Over all... next time.. I wanna stay and try dessert!!! Red Velvet Cake is calling my name!
(3)
Karen M.
Used to go all the time when in Cambridge, now I am in the neighborhood less often, but I still can't find another restaurant that hits all the diner notes as well as this one. I had some friends from out of town, we wanted brunch with kids. Another time, a group wanted to meet somewhere after a Cambridge parade, also with kids. There are a million diners around so why do I keep coming back to S&S? *A waiting area with tables and deli things to look at and buy. Sunday brunch you have to wait everywhere, so why stand in a parking lot? *That said, they take reservations for parties over eight for Sunday brunch. *Next door to a toy store. In case the kids get restless--oh, all right, you can look in the toy store too! *Two small parking lots to take a little pressure off the Cambridge street parking. *The restaurant is big and roomy, so the lines tend to move fast. OK, enough about waiting. Once you get in: *Little cups of cream with the coffee for the kids to drink, play with. If you don't approve of this, well, go to a more elegant restaurant with proper creamers. And see how well the kids sit still without little cups of cream to drink. *There is a liquor license if the grownups feel like a Bloody Mary. *Service is always solid. I never have to ask for more coffee, more water, they just sense when I need it and they are right there before I even realized myself. *They serve the dinner menu as well as the brunch menu on Sunday. Some higher-end places only serve brunch on Sundays until dinner time. And some of us, by the time noon rolls around, are no longer interested in eggs and coffee. *The food is great, it is not high-end, for example, they have Log Cabin syrup, not real maple. But you definitely get what you pay for. They have good-sized but not obscene portions. *The steak is always cooked the way you ask in the steak and eggs. My eggs normandie with lox and hollandaise were excellent. The sunnyside eggs are just right, runny but not undercooked. The sausage got a thumbs up from the kids, it is link-style. And they have English muffins. Who would choose toast over English muffins? No gimmicks, but always reliable. Relax and enjoy a great diner.
(5)
Beantown S.
I cannot say better things about this place. I have been almost every weekend for over a year and I have yet to find something I don't like. Word of advice, don't leave without trying the S & S wings on the bone...oh dear lord!
(5)
Ann G.
I've been to S&S a few times now and have always enjoyed my meal. Today I spent many a minute waiting on the server. This seems to be the case at the restaurant, as time after time I've had to wait for the server to check in (if they every stop by) or take the check. Today our waitress didn't come back until it was time for the check! If you're ready to spend a few hours at the place, the food is good. I've had the french toast, french eggs, and a regular old egg dish (with toast, potatoes, and bacon). I don't like their potatoes much but the croissants and eggs are always good. Plus, I enjoy their drinks. All in all, the food is decent and there is often an open table. You will spend some time at the place so go on a day when you're feeling leisurely.
(3)
Ina C.
It's nothing spectacular, but at the same time, nothing here will disappoint. They offer all of the brunch/breakfast standards, and it's all for a very reasonable price. You can get I-need-to-unbutton-my-pants full here without paying over $10. I usually get the bagel and lox, and it comes with tons of toppings and mountains of lox. The omelets are huge, the fresh squeezed orange juice is very...fresh, and the service is usually pretty friendly. There's plenty of seating and hardly ever a wait, which makes this place a stressless brunch choice, especially compared to all the line-out-the-door brunch places around. It also reminds me of Fridays in college when we made our weekly trips ALLL the way out here from Boston College. :)
(3)
Kristine A.
I have heard so many things about this place that I finally went; totally glad I finally did too. I got these pumpkin & nut pancakes that were really delicious. Like I couldn't believe how good they were. I can't wait to go again & try their latkes.
(4)
Silas S.
Best Corned Beef Hash. Repeat Best Corned Beef Hash. I love the stuff so I am always looking for the best stuff that is not from a can. Other than that, don't be discouraged if there is a line as it moves pretty fast. I will be back for more
(5)
Samuel F.
Generally, the food is great and the service is attentive. Yes, for some of their offerings I have seen better, but others, like the bagel and lox platter, are fantastic. (My only complaint with that is perhaps they should provide two bagels to accommodate the vast array of fixings, far too much for a single sandwich.) Then again, it would have been hard for this place not to net four stars from me, since they're my most convenient choice for comfort food: Matzoh ball soup and deli sandwiches and breakfast all day and they're right near my house.
(4)
Chris B.
I went in with a group of four people yesterday morning and waited 15 minutes for a table - not bad at the height of Sunday brunch hour! Unfortunately we waited for another 15 sitting at our booth and no server even dropped by to say hello or "I'll be right with you". Nothing. We walked out and told the hostess what happened. "Oh, sorry", she said. One star because zero is not possible.
(1)
Deanna D.
Went back for a Veggie Quiche on Sun and was not very happy =( Way too much spinach, not creamy as the last time, and overall not as tasty. The line moved quickly but the service was also terribly slow and not very friendly this time around. So minus 1 star for no consistency.
(3)
EricaLynn J.
I have deducted one star off what would have been an easy five-star rating due to the massive amount of waiting one has to do one a weekend to get into this place. We're talking out the door, around the corner. And unfortunately, out the door you have a choice of a hardware store and a clothing store from where I've seen absolutely no one buy anything. So you're waiting. But they give you raffle number tickets as your waiting number... so your mind may wander to the circus or something. Or your childhood! Look, a clown!!... But the staff are really sweet and kind and they *want* you to sit down. They feel bad for you waiting there. They don't have the normal sinister grin that most staff do in places like these where the lines grow their *own* sub-lines and they Unionize and things get all nuts. When you hand in your number they congratulate you. I really only get the same few things when I visit because I LOVE these things and if I've waited for 40 minutes to sit down, I want to go with what I know. So, eggs florentine, eggs benedict, matzoh ball soup, corned beef hash... all quite good. I love the little fruit dish. It almost makes me believe I'm eating healthy. Hollandaise what?! I've heard some not-so-great things about some other menu options; I think a friend of mine ordered a Reuben that is still giving him nightmares... and another friend of mine had some not-so-nice things to say about her omelette (apparently she ordered a veggie omelette and mentioned she's a vegetarian so she would prefer no bacon with her meal... so instead they brought her ham.) But I have yet to be disappointed.....
(4)
Lynette S.
Huge menu!!!! The size of the menu reminds me of the Cheesecake Factory menu, only with simpler food, without the extra $$$$ and less impressive decor. But, in Cambridge, I think S & S has a great concept as it is an affordable alternative to all of the pricier (and also loveable) joints around that I frequent when in the mood to spend and dine... Food is great, nice portions. Some favorites: burgers (grrrrrreat!!!), soup, various chicken entress. Good for family dinners or groups,as they have a few large dining rooms. Desserts are good but pricey. Never had a wait at night. ******They have a few parking lots on Hampshire St. which is huge since Imnan Sq can be busy and parking is limited.
(4)
Tod K.
That was the most HORRIBLE brunch experience within 30 miles of the Boston area. Oh boy, where do I begin, the service was real bad. We had to call on the waiter 3 times until he noticed us. Now I understand you may be busy because it is a weekend brunch period but if you know that you will be busy you might as well staff a few more people. Then comes the actual food. My omelet was not put together right. They use egg beaters and the vegetables inside were undercooked. A lot of people recommend this place which is why I decided to go, but my foot is not stepping there again.
(1)
Chris H.
I've been here for breakfast a few times. It is about what you would expect for a deli like this. The staff is friendly, the menu is big but predictable, and the food is pretty good. It's always busy on weekend mornings but is a huge space so you won't have to wait long. I recommend the bagel and lox.
(3)
Molly F.
I went to S&S with a group of starving friends in the late afternoon a few Sundays ago, and we had a great time. Because we are gross, we ordered brunch plus two plates of wings. The wings were excellent; I particularly recommend the S&S sauce. For brunch, I had the French eggs with sausage, which came wrapped inside a croissant, plus--because, once I again, I am gross--a side of corned beef hash. Yum. As another reviewer mentioned, the length of the menu is overwhelming. For someone as indecisive as me, that poses a bit of a problem. But--unlike some have said--our waitress was really nice, and even bonded with one member of our party over the fact that they both played rugby.
(4)
Jackie M.
When your boyfriend is standing in the middle of a busy Cambridge street, traffic all around, having snapped the handle off his mom's snow scraper, slowly beginning his transformation from Bruce Banner into the Incredible Hulk and is yelling (quite loudly), "Come on ... piece of ... goddammit ... fucking cunt of a car!!" Fists clenched, arms outstretched (this would be the part where his clothes begin to rip and he turns green) and then proceeds to kick slush and snow and dirt onto the car tires which are spinning, and spinning, and spinning (thanks to my artful gunning of the accelerator) and the car is going to nowheres-ville .... I'm not gonna lie, its kinda hot. This, after we had a delightful meal at the S&S ... part of the "this is where I used to go as a kid" tour of Boston. We walked in to the S&S on a Sunday at around 1 pm. It was crowded, but that was to be expected. We were given a raffle ticket with a number on it and told to stand in the deli area where I had ample time to ogle the cakes and pastries on display and think about which type I wanted to take home with me. Even though there were a lot of people waiting, the restaurant was fairly large and therefore, we waited for about 20 minutes. I felt like that was reasonable considering the day/time we were there. Since I am averse to brunch and brunch related food stuffs (at least when eating out) I was glad that the waitress gave us a regular lunch menu in conjunction with a brunch menu. I ordered the "Rachel" sandwich which consisted of: roast turkey, swiss cheese, russian dressing, and sauerkraut on marble rye. The sandwich came with coleslaw and I opted out of the potato chips and ordered fries instead (at the bf's request since he wanted fries and planned to eat mine). I think he ordered the chicken salad sandwich. Seeing as I'm 50% Jew and from New York, I do love me some rye bread ... oh, and the half sour pickles that we both got and which I ate (both). My sandwich was really good. The restaurant was clean and seemed to be run fairly efficiently. The servers seemed to be no nonsense and were congenial but in the business of turning over tables not impressing customers. Fine. I can respect that. I wasn't even put off by it. The S&S reminded me of some of the neighborhood diners I used to go to as a kid in Manhattan. Places which are hard to find nowadays because they've been replaced by chain restaurants. After the meal we went back to the deli counter and bought a piece of carrot cake and a piece of Boston cream pie. These were consumed later on that evening (post mom's-front wheel drive car-stuck-in-slushy-snowbank fiasco) and turned out to be quite delicious ... although almost unmanageable (even between 3 people) because the pieces we were given were so huge ... ...but who am I kidding? I always seem to manage where eating is concerned. Maybe not so much with front wheel drive in slushy snow. Whaddya gonna do?
(4)
Kristen M.
Tried for the first time today. Great service great food. I got the eggs Oscar it had two potato cakes topped with poached eggs and crab meat delicious!! Tried a bagel with LOX (salmon) a Jewish specialty which was really tasty and different ! Huge portions decent pricing I will certainly return!
(5)
Phil C.
I've only had their brunch here and it's been generally positive. I've tried their pancakes on a couple of occasions and they've been decent. I really liked the pumpkin pancake (good flavor and spice), which shows up as a special from time-to-time. The prices are above what a diner around here would charge, but the quality of the food is slightly higher than a plain-jane diner. It's a tad bit pricey for me but S&S isn't cost-prohibitive. I'll try their deli the next time around...
(3)
Julia S.
S&S is what you would expect from a longstanding deli; the prices are, well, pricey, but the food (especially the meat) is high quality. I went here recently for breakfast and their bagel & lox platter was well worth the trip....reminds me of the fancy breakfast/brunch spread my mom prepares for guests. You'd be hard-pressed to find lox this good at another cafe or restaurant. And the service was good, almost obsessive.
(4)
Sean E.
Eggs. I like eggs. I like them fried, scrambled, poached, omelets, hard boiled, soft-boiled, over-easy, over-hard, sunny-side up, as part of a sandwich, or with my salad, as breakfast, brunch, lunch or even diner -- I like eggs. And I'm hard pressed to find any place that does them better than S&S. I know what you're thinking, what's so hard about eggs -- how do you make normal scrabbled eggs special? I'm not even sure. Maybe it's in the egg, the technique, secret ingredients? I can't be positive, but they are indeed special. They even have a special way of doing omelets that makes it kind of like a burrito made out of egg instead of a tortilla. And the French Egg dish is fit for a king. Their other dishes are good too. Or so I've heard anyway. I can't really cross my heart on that because I've only come here for breakfast/brunch to get one of their numerous egg dishes. But I can tell you definitively that they do make a mean bloody mary.
(4)
reese w.
Ok, so this place is kinda cool, but I also think it's a little expensive for what you get. Eh... They give you a lot of food, but I'm not sure that I really WANT that much of that food. For me it's a little too salty, but maybe other people like that. Yeah... I'm all anti-salt like that. Spicy or sour please not too much salt. You know, maybe if I ate more salt, I would quit having such low blood pressure. Hmm... maybe I DO need more salt. Maybe I need to come eat here more often then!!
(3)
buckminster f.
This review is based on the lemon cake that I had there tonight. Ick. $5 a slice for something that tastes like it came straight out of a box and with plasticky icing? Next time, I'll pick up something at 1369 or Rosie's, and if those two places are closed, at the convenient store.
(2)
Georgia Y.
S & S is the kind of place that encourages STRONG emotions. Most people I know either love it or hate it. I don't think it really deserves that treatment. To me, the S & S is boring. I'll go there for food, especially if it's breakfasty food, but I'm pretty indifferent to this place - I'll never suggest it, and I'll really only pop in if I'm in Inman Square and nothing else appeals. I used to hate coming here for weekend brunch, because the line was so long. So that's that: breakfasty foods here are perfectly fine, the waitstaff is fine, the S & S is fine. What's all the shouting (out of love OR hate) about?
(3)
Arun C.
The place made a good first impression because they had tall glasses of fresh oj and very tasty brunch options. I got the Copenhagen egg breakfast and loved it: poached eggs, lox, new potatoes...I'm getting hungry thinking about it. It didn't take long to get a table at about 11am Sunday, but parking was tricky. They have additional parking just down the road from the small one in front of the restaurant.
(4)
James M.
Living right around the corner, I've been to S&S probably a dozen times in past year. Not because it's good--it isn't--but because it offers such a silly variety of food. If I want pancakes at 2pm or a cheeseburger club sandwich for breakfast, I can get it. They've got everything from sandwiches, to breakfast food, to seafood dishes. That being said, none of it tastes that good. It's definitely passable, but not worth anything near what they charge. You'll find a much better burger (for right around the same price) across the street at the Druid. You can get better sandwiches (again, at a similar price point) at All-Star. S&S has little going for it other than its size and variety. Also, they have the worst service in Inman, hands down. Worse than Bukowski, which is pretty damn bad. The wait staff is almost completely composed of 50 or 60 year old men and women who are as attentive and caring as you'd expect a 15 year old to be. They really don't give two tugs about good service. Again, I've waited almost a year to write this review to see if the bad service was an exception, but, unfortunately, it seems to be the rule.
(2)
Gino T.
I really enjoy coming to this deli. I have to say that during the lunch hour the clientele seems a bit..... "old school" but that doesn't take away from the food. I had the Focaccia lunch special, great price and very delicious. Grilled chicken club, perfect. Had the turtle cheese cake, best I've had in Cambridge. Try this place if you enjoy deli style dining , casual, laid back, and breakfast all dang day! It's little bit pricier than say Zoe's but a lot nicer.
(4)
Roni E.
My boyfriend had introduced me to this place about a month and a half ago. As soon as we walked in it was like sardines in a can. I didn't really understand why because the place looked huge and takes up about 3 buildings. They do have a large restaurant with plenty of seating. However, this place does get packed on the weekends for brunch and with good reason. Their food is spectacular and was well worth the wait. The best part it was cheap too! I have never eaten so much food in my life for so little. I would definitely like to go a little earlier though next time to see if I can beat that mid-morning crowd and be a lil early bird.
(4)
Caitlin C.
Now, my roommate had been telling me about the merits of S&S for several months now and this past Sunday we finally went. Well, actually, we intended to go to Friendly Toast, but the wait was totally Unfriendly, so we headed over to Inman to cure our post-night-of-Bacchanalian-revelry hunger. Ok, so our waitress was not particularly attentive, but that did not detract from the superb brunch we were presented with. After much deliberation, I finally choose the French Eggs (scrambled eggs piled onto a crispy croissant, accompanied by home fries and fruit). The home fries were absolutely out of this world! I would gladly have eaten two more helpings. Also, I can't wait to go back to sample their bagels and latkes. Yum!
(4)
Benjamin B.
S&S sucks. Seriously, I'm pretty sure this place is just a Denny's or Eatin Park gussied up a bit and disguised as a reasonable restaurant. With all the options available in Cambridge, heck Inman square, there is no reason to ever eat here.
(1)
Brian M.
S&S is the place to go in Central / Inman when you want your food needs met without any hoopla or drama - you're hungry and maybe a little tired, not feeling adventurous, you just want a good feed. The food is consistently good - I've been coming here regularly for a year and a half and in that time I've had exactly one duff meal - an off-day I guess. The service is generally good, although they do have one or two servers that are distinctly lacking in sunny bonhomie, but I guess that's about average. It's not exciting, it's not cool, but the food is great, the menu is broad and the drinks are cold (I love places that serve beer in chilled glasses). Everything is good, especially the bagels, the club sandwiches and the mixed drinks. One thing to be aware of; they take their 'seating for full parties only' policy VERY seriously. They can be quite abrupt if you even ask about squeezing a latecomer in. It's fair enough I suppose; the volume of people (esp. on Sunday mornings) would make it unworkable otherwise. Just be aware, they won't make an exception, even for you...
(4)
D S.
I came here for brunch and it was a cute restaurant but nothing outstanding. I ordered Belgan waffles ($8.95) and recieved a decent serving. The place was packed, however.. the line sure went on. A nice place to stumble upon but not so much to plan ahead to visit.
(3)
Al A.
Bad service (slow and inattentive). Bad food. Not really a diner anymore. Expensive for the quality you get. I have no idea how this place is still in business in such a competitive restaurant hub.
(2)
Rachel P.
I miss S&S sooo much! This is such a good diner. My sister lived down the street from S&S and we would go there, get take out, delivery etc all the time! I love their wraps: greek is sooo good. They always give fries and a side of fruit too. They have been around forever!!!
(5)
Madison S.
I love jewish delis. Sometimes I just want to go somewhere quiet with good food(healthy, consistent, simple food). Waitstaff are either really nice or a bit abrupt. I wouldn't order the fish and chips again. Breakfast/Brunch menu is great.
(5)
Meaghan S.
My mom grew up in Cambridge and remembers this restaurant fondly. She used to take me here from time to time when I was a kid and even then I wasn't impressed. I don't know exactly what it is, but the S & S has never really done it for me. The food is just not good, and if I want old people chow I definitely prefer Jimmy's Steer House in Arlington. I was told "Try the brunch!" and I did. And it was pretty lackluster. In fact I've eaten at S &S probably 20 times in my 27 years and I do not remember ONE outstanding thing about it. From the Bickfordsesque decor to the bland-ass food, I never find myself thinking about this place when I want a meal.
(3)
Jocelyn C.
This is by far the most genuine deli (and diner) that I've been to outside of NYC. When I moved to Boston, the only thing I really missed was the ability to get a real deli-style sandwich that didn't cost a month's pay, or be able to eat breakfast past 11am. S & S fulfills both of those desires. I also love the pictures surrounding the restaurant of old-time Cambridge, so you get excellent food and a little history lesson of the neighborhood at the same time! If you eat here, you will NOT be disappointed.
(5)
Jon R.
Meh. The food is ok. The service is pretty bad. Everyone goes nuts over the latkes, but I've had better. The menu has a lot of variety, but it would be great if they didn't pride themselves on the fact that they do absolutely no substitutions whatsoever. Which is fine, if you're a fancy restaurant. Or even a mid-range restaurant. But come on, you're a freaking deli. Some of your sandwiches come with fruit, others with chips, others with fries, and others with a pickle. Just give me a damn choice and charge me extra if it costs more. But come on, you can't bring me a single kosher dill spear instead of a fruit cup with my sandwich? Because of your "No Substitutions" policy? Get over yourself. If you get take-out, S&S is fine. But I wouldn't bother to eat here.
(2)
michael l.
This place is generally overrated. I mean its like diner food so it's likely what you would expect. I do enjoy a simple roast beef sandwhich on a bulky roll when i go there. The breakfast though just doesn't cut it. I do better with eggs at home, hungover and all.
(2)
Jimmie L.
I never thought about having appetizers with breakfast or brunch until I ate at S & S. A bowl of their matzo ball soup is just the thing to start your day out healthy (physically and emotionally). I haven't had a meal there that I didn't like. My wife on occasion gets eggs benedict when we go out, and always asks for the sauce on the side, and it seems like EVERY time she gets it at S & S they don't help her out. Otherwise, a bowl of soup and some salmon hash....perfecto !
(4)
Michael W.
The same fateful trip that introduced me to Bartely's, Red Sox baseball and pesky's poll, also brought me to the S&S about 16 years ago. I have been coming back year after after year with my family and even more now that I live here. Its a great place to meet people for brunch and not get lost in the Boston mess... Usual wait time on a Saturday or Sunday can be at most 25mins to as little as, give us two seconds to set the table. When looking for parking check the lot first and then good luck, I always have some kind of success, even if it means walking a block or four... They offer different menus at different times, the full lunch or dinner menu has tons of dishes ranging from just a sandwich to a whole section of clubs to actual full dinners. I have heard the chicken is good... I usually start off with their matzo ball soup, which is a huge bowl that comes out very hot and just awesome. The soup has a great flavor, veggies are not mush and has a good amount of chicken in it... much better than other places.... u know what I am talking about, read my other reviews... The turkey club is always awesome and is my fall back sandwich here... I recently had the stuffed crab and potato pancake which is topped with a poached egg and hollandaise sauce. It was very tasty, I added a side of lox, which was exactly what i was looking for. Their bagels are good, and sometimes, when feeling indecisive, I just get the lox plate and bagel and is always satisfying... There are many options here, and as i said before, just be careful of what time you go, there are several menus during the day, and some are more limited than others... This place is just so much better than its kinda counterpart Zaftigs... People, there is nothing scary about crossing the river, Cambridge is fun, and exciting... do it... its ok... i wont tell any one...
(5)
Gwen K.
Service: slow but friendly. Coffee: drinkable, but definitely needed cream and sugar. Food: tasty, creamy, salty, copious, rich. (Exception: bagels. Dense, bready, not worth the stomach space they take up.) Overall experience: pleasant, comforting, not for those in a hurry.
(4)
Ashlee C.
Bordering on just OK to don't even bother. While the S&S has a huge menu that likely has something to please everybody, nothing stands out and it is all just mediocre. In addition, the offerings are quite expensive for what actually hits the table. $9 for a cheeseburger and french fries is a little excessive, and The Druid serves a $9 burger and hand cut fries that blows this out of the water. I can't think of one good thing about the S&S other than the fact that they serve beer.
(2)
Erica E.
This is on the top of our list for local brunch places. They make THE best french toast around. It is eggy and fluffy, it's perfect! There is usually a wait on the weekend, but it's never too long. They serve brunch all day, every day which is somewhat of a rarity. It's a fun place to go in the evening when you're in the mood for cocktails AND breakfast food. They also are willing to substitute hash browns or fries for the meat that come with any of the breakfast entrees. Overall, a great local breakfast place!
(4)
Nick B.
I've been here for every meal, but really it's the brunch that sets S&S apart. So filling, that you can probably make it your only meal of the day (Omolette, Home Fries, Fruit Cup, AND a Bagel?? Brace yourself.). Now in it's 87th year, S&S is truly an Inman Square institution. Pig out among the photographs of the restaurant throughout the ages and be thankful that you live in a place like Boston that is so steeped in History. Just be prepared to wait on a Sunday morning. Dinner is also good, though the atmosphere is what I have affectionately termed "Take Grandma to Dinner Night." That said, Grandma can be pretty amusing if she thinks her Irish coffee isn't strong enough.
(4)
Jamie S.
The boneless S & S wings are TO DIE FOR. I taste them and reminisce back to my childhood. Cambridge has a lot to offer when it comes to great food. Try the deli, stop by and pick up some food on your way home from work. The family style is great. I can never leave S & S without a slice of the chocolate peanut butter pie, (warning, very filling and addicting!), all the desserts are homemade and satisfying. Why the missing star? The food is so good, yet the service is blah. Take it for what it is, and savor the food!
(4)
John F.
Scene: Sunday morning/afternoon. You had quite the night with your friends, most of which you don't remember. The turbo button in your brain is firmly in the 'off' position. Your friends feel approximately the same way. You need to regroup, and piece together what happened. And you need food in a bad way. But where to go? The answer is, of course, the S&S Restaurant Deli. In all seriousness, though, S&S offers some great food, whether or not you're hungover. The omelettes are really the main draw; I'm a huge fan of a somewhat modified English omelette. I've never touched the lunch menu, because I just cannot pull myself away from these breakfasts. Definitely a place to check out.
(4)
J R.
So I will start by saying as a disclaimer that I've a vegetarian, and realize there is some bias here as I am reviewing a deli. But as S & S makes an effort to include a variety of vegetarian options for both brunch and dinner, I feel they've opened the door here. I've eating here several times, and while I've never had a "bad" meal or "bad" service, I've also never been particularly impressed. The wraps are tasty enough I guess, but not very interesting. Brunch is filling, but nothing I couldn't make myself with a few slices of cheese and a couple of eggs. Coffee is cheap diner quality and the carpets always seem covered in other people's food scraps. I know it's an Inman institution, so go if you want, but don't expect to be wowed.
(2)
Scoobie U.
My husband and I were walking around, looking for a breakfast place. They serve breakfast here all day! The price was extremely good for what we got, the breakfast plates are definitely filling. I can see why this place has been in business for so long! The decor was a little on the older side, but that didn't take away from the meal. From the outside we were expecting a more restaurant feel, however it was more like a diner.
(5)
Mike M.
I have come here a number of times. Three times for breakfast, twice for lunch, and twice for dinner. Every single time I have eaten here has been enjoyable and pleasant, but nothing striking or out of the ordinary. If you have ever eaten at New Jersey diner, the experience is similar. It's not exactly the nicest place in the world, but you know what to expect when it comes out of the kitchen, and that is quality. The servers come around, crack some jokes, take your order and leave you alone. My favorite thing to eat here are the burgers because they taste fresh, and are always plentiful and filling. Prices here are moderate. Being an ex deli man it seems to me that their deli is very clean and well kept so I would recommend it also, which is why I gave S&S 4 stars instead of three.
(4)
Mats K.
I do enjoy S&S, though maybe not as much as I used to. Its usually a nice place to go for brunch after a night out on the town. The portions are pretty large, the prices pretty decent and the atmosphere nice enough. They serve a decent combination of American and Jewish breakfast dishes usually with a bagel, cream cheese and a fruit bowl on the side, which should be enough to fill pretty much anyone up. Be prepared to wait on a Sunday morning though, as the place fills up very quickly!
(4)
Dachary C.
The S&S is one of my favorite places to eat. Period. However, if you're one of those nosy types who wants a few more details, I shall do my best to satisfy your curiosity: They have separate breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner menus. They have daily specials. They are one of a few restaurants in Cambridge open until 11 on Weekdays and 12 on the weekends, which, in my opinion, gives it major points. Their menu is full of yummy, traditional staples. Their sandwiches are great, their entrees are great, their breakfast items are great, their appetizers are great, their soups are great... do we sense a theme here? Good stuff. Check out their website for menus. Parking in Inman Square is always a challenge, and dining at the S&S is no exception. They have two parking lots, as well as access to meter parking on Hampshire and Cambridge Streets, but finding a spot can be hit-and-miss during peak times. Sunday brunch waiting time is generally 15-25 minutes. I dine-in by myself, with a date, and with a large group (10+) frequently. I also get take out frequently, and have even had the S&S cater work functions. The food is very consistent in quality. For the number of times I've dined-in, I've had very few service problems - sometimes slow service with the group of 10+ late at night, and once a surly waitress, but generally it's a pleasant experience. However, one big complaint is that S&S is notorious for running out of their daily specials. Another nice point: the S&S comes complete with bakery and deli. The deli selection is better at a place like Whole Foods, but if you're in the neighborhood of the S&S, it's a convenient stop. And the cookies, cookie bars, pies, and cakes available from the bakery are always fantastic. Ordering and picking up take-out is quick and easy - I've never had an experience when it wasn't ready within 10-15 minutes. The website lists the S&S Restaurant and Deli as 'A Cambridge tradition since 1919.' Check it out and you'll see why people return again and again.
(5)
Crystal G.
Husband and I went here for breakfast today. Meal was decent..we both got omelets and they were pretty good. Not too eggy, but full of fillings. I'm giving it three stars though, for two reasons: a) it was a little overpriced for its location, drab Dennys'/ Friendlys-like atmosphere, and food quality (-1 star), and b) horrible service (-2 stars). The woman (who I can't call a hostess) who seated us didn't say a word, and placed us in a far corner although most of the restaurant was empty. This sucked even more when we got the slowest waitress in the place. She walked out at a annoyingly slow pace, bringing 1 drink at a time (who does that?!?), never refilled our "bottomless" cups of coffee (at breakfast!), wasn't sure what kind of tea they had, messed up our check, and when I asked for napkins, she just grabbed some from under nearby cutlery. Despite what the menu pronounces, this place is not "a find". I
(2)
JJ G.
I think this might be a place that you get into a groove on, go once a week, always order the same thing and then it's hard to explain to anyone why you like it. Of course, there is the advantage of plenty of space and high chairs for those of us who are burden with wee people. And it's a great place to go with multiple generations (e.g. grandma and grandpa want to have dinner with the kids) cuz it's a something for everyone joint, but if you are looking for a real deli, like a NY style place, this is sadly going to pale. Still and all, I like it; my kids like it; my husband likes it; my parents like it, and that's enough for this family
(4)
Heather H.
S&S is a great brunch spot with good mimosas (after noon on Sundays, but earlier on Saturdays) and tasty brunch options. I've enjoyed everything I've ordered from quiche to omelets to waffles. Some of their prices are a little steep, but I think the food is good enough and I never feel rushed. Wait staff can range from calling you hon to being a little surly, but I've never had a truly bad experience. Their catering is fantastic. I've enjoyed lunches from them several times at work functions and never been disappointed.
(4)
Rod B.
I love popping into S&S for brunch, or some wings. Top tip: If you're in a rush, sit at the bar. The service is much faster there than the table service.
(4)
Dorothy C.
Service at lunchtime was slow, and the coffee old. BUT the chatham salad rocks my world - raspberry vinaigrette on mixed greens with blue cheese and candied pecans... fried pita wedges decorate the edge. yummy. Also recommended: Monte Cristo Sandwich [=french-toast sweet with salty deli meats...], S&S Boneless Wings [=sweet & hot], Carrot Cake [=divine cream cheese icing], & matzo ball soup [superior to the chicken soup, b/c it has fewer onions & celery pieces, and one big ol' matzo ball].
(4)
C.M. M.
Ok for the food - our service was less than acceptable but it was a busy place.
(3)
Rylan H.
This place is really hit or miss. Sometimes it's a nice place to go to get a "decent" meal. Sometimes you go when there are 5 people in the restaurant, and the service is still slow and you almost seem to bother them. I really wish this could be a rock star deli b/c we need one in Inman.
(2)
Melanie W.
I used to love going to S & S several years ago because of the wide selection of food and the delicious stuffed French toast served all day. However, the last time I went a few weeks ago left a lot to be desired. First off, no eating establishment should have carpet. Ever. This place has carpet that hasn't been cleaned in a while and smelled awful. Combined with the smell of stale beer from the bar, I was already put off. I ordered the half roasted chicken, which while plentiful, was tasteless. It was accompanied by rice pilaf and vegetables, which were not memorable. The chocolate peanut butter pie, however, saved the day and bumped the review to two stars. Rich and totally decadent, it was worth every last calorie. The service was very, very slow. It took a while to get our food and our waitress disappeared for long stretches of time. What a shame, maybe I'll go for take out, but I'm not sure I'll be back.
(2)
Peter P.
This review is only based on one lunchtime take out experience (ate at table in deli area), so take it FWIW. I order the Monte Cristo which comes with fries and fruit salad "and strawberries" as the menu says, for $9.95 - seemed like a bargain. The sandwich was cut in quarters and sort of smashed into the takeout box, it did not look appealing nor was it the size I imagined (kind of small). Upon trying to eat the Monte Cristo I found it some what slapped together, the meat wasn't very well distributed (sort of in a ball in the middle), with the bread being very soggy and perhaps undercooked (as it's egg-battered). By the time I got to the last quarter I found a hair wrapped around it, none too appealing either and that's when I called it quits. The fries were a generous portion and had that sort of crispy/battery outside, very tasty. Though after finding a hair in my food I was pretty much over the whole situation. To their credit the staff was very apologetic and quick to offer me a refund, plus a fresh batch of fries to take away. Alas, by the time I got home the fries were soggy - so note they do not travel well. The fruit cup was sort of lackluster - some cantaloupe, blueberries and literally about 3 sour grapes -- no strawberries as advertised either. To sum it up I've given S&S two stars, but I'm willing to give them one more try. Everyone messes up once in a while, and the customer service was good enough for me to believe I may need to upgrade their rating after a second trip. We shall see...
(2)
Mya T.
Really good chicken sandwich. Great location!
(4)
Lee T.
This is my Seinfeld "Restaurant." Yes, I'm a dork, but there's never been a bad meal here which says a lot considering the size of the menu! Beginners will go right for the deli sandwich. The hot pastrami is excellent. The turkey with havarti dill triple decker club is two meals. The specials have that "like mom used to make" quality. The matzoh ball soup is super filling. Any time of day, any time of year, S&S has got it goin' ON! I especially love coming here after work. I sit at the bar after 7pm. It's quiet, there's TVs, and usually quick service.
(5)
Lissy R.
This is one of my favorite places in the Boston/Cambridge area! It is consistently excellent for breakfast, brunch, and lunch! The menu is quite expansive. Be sure to save room for the chocolate cake!
(5)
Jen M.
I love the S & S! The food is so delicious, the staff is so attentive, kind and down to earth, and the atmosphere is everything that I love about Cambridge. The prices are great, and the portions are perfect! They give you more than you would probably make for yourself, but they don't overwhelm you with too much food either!
(4)
Steve S.
I have eaten at S&S twice, once for brunch (on a Sunday) and once for dinner. I would not advise going here for dinner - the atmosphere reminded me of an old folks home. On Sunday for brunch, my party of 5 waited for over half an hour for a table after the hostess told us it would be 15 or 20 minutes. Waiting area was crowded and loud, general chaos. When it's your turn to be seated, your number is called out over an intercom (super classy) so you're forced to stand inside while waiting for your number to be called. Most of us ordered breakfast. The portion sizes were good, but my food came out lukewarm at best. I paid about $16 total for a coffee and an omelette with tax and tip. The waitress was nice and diligently refilled our coffees/waters. However, at one point, another member of the wait staff verbally berated our waitress (in full hearing range of costumers) - too complicated to get into here, but I felt extremely uncomfortable/sorry for our waitress. Can't remember the last time I witnessed something so unprofessional. I would not recommend this place and don't plan on going back if I can help it.
(2)
Shandra S.
Came here with my sister and the food was really good. She got the eggs benedict, I got the pumpkin spice pancakes. She got a mimosa and I got a margarita. Neither had much alcohol. I wish I could rate the service separately from the food. Colleen was our waitress and she wasn't very personable at all. Not rude, just kinda blahhh. Anyway, my pancakes came with a choice of meat and I ordered the bacon. When they got to me I had 4 sausages. I normally don't complain bacon is a necessity. I politely mentioned that I asked for bacon (I don't mess with people who are handling my food)and she apologized and said she would bring over the bacob. Before it was ready she came over with an empty plate and a fork. She reached over my plate and took the sausages off of my plate. I've never had anything like that happen. Was she going to give it to someone else!? It was just weird. Once my plate is in front of me don't touch it until I'm done. I would go back, just not if she were involved in the experience.
(3)
Sarah R.
I can only speak for the wings, but they are so gooooood!! The S&S sauce is amazing.
(4)
Joe G.
Menu was huge. Place was really packed. Service was just ok, they were understaffed. Food wasn't great but it hit the spot. Next time I'll get the bagel deli sandwich
(3)
Lyndsey C.
A strong 4. Really enjoyed the expansive menu and everything we had was very good. Great selection and something for everyone. Pleasant staff, decently priced.
(4)
Melissa B.
The only time I go to the S&S is when my long-time girlfriend is in town with her husband and horribly behaved toddler. It's the only place that I figure I won't be embarrased by the snot-nosed kid scrambling around the floor for fries. Life's too short to waste calories here.
(1)
Michelle D.
An institution in Inman Square, my mother took us here when we were young and I still eat at this restaurant. I have very fond memories of this place. You can't go wrong with the potato pancakes or the Monte Christo sandwich. The salads are gigantic and really well thought out, not just some iceberg lettuce and a slice of tomato. The menu is enormous and everyone will be able to find something they like. A liquor license rounds out the experience. It can get extremely crowded for brunch on the weekends but while you wait you can go next door to Stellabella toys and bring out your inner child.
(5)
Day B.
Yes, the service is horrible...but that's why I ALWAYS ask to be in Sue's seating area. There are two Sues, and they are related funny enough, and they are wonderful and attentive. Which helps me to focus on the amazing brunch this place serves. Pancakes are great but the waffles are better, esp. with fruit and bacon. Mmmmmmm. Please give this place a chance.
(4)
Ryan L.
excellent breakfast food. lines are insane on weekends. also the service can be a little slow, ok a lot slow. As good as this place is foodwise, it still can't touch the Town Diner of Watertown.
(4)
Aaron S.
MMMM, S & S Deli, this place has by far the best breakfast in the greater Boston area...and they serve it all day long. It is a large place so the wait isn't usually very long if at all. Their omlettes are to die for, and they serve them up with bagels and cream cheese, potatoes and fruit salad. They really hook it up. The only bad thing about this place is that parking can be a bit of a pain in Inman Sq., though they now have two parking lots of their own.
(5)
Lauren C.
I've only been here twice, and had 2 different experiences, but I would still say overall its pretty great. The first time we had a great waiter, great food, the quiche lorraine is delectable...second time I thought the waiter was a little snippy, and I didn't particularly like what I ordered (one of the omelets) but everyone else had great food, especially the belgian waffles. They do have really great bagels and cream cheese...their breakfasts are really nice, with a good amount of food (with my omelet I got the bagel and cream cheese, homefries and fresh fruit). Even on Sunday when they are the most busy we didn't have to wait very long for a table. I'd like to go again and try lunch!
(4)
Ruth P.
Okay, I just wrote a review for this place and yelp deleted it. (Nish, I blame this entirely on you). So anyhow... I wasn't too impressed with this place. As a non-meat eater (I'll do anything vegetarian and the occasional seafood dish) the options didn't make me drool. I ordered a fish dish which was decent but nothing to write home about. I can't remember exactly what the bill came to, but I left feeling like I really hadn't gotten my money's worth in this rather generic restaurant.
(3)
Josh F.
A long-time favorite in Inman Square. Large and varied menu featuring steaks, seafood and deli sandwiches. Breakfast is served all day. Reasonaby priced ($10 average per plate) especially considering the huge portions they serve. For a restaurant with a Jewish/German heritage, I do wish they had more ethnic dishes. The potato pancakes are excellent. If you're vegetarian, you should think twice about going to a place with "deli" in the name.
(4)
Daniel B.
S&S is pretty much the default when I am just hungry and don't want any trouble, or when I feel in the mood for some good brunch. The breadth of foods available in each of the menus is impressive. A couple times I found the food to be less than great. Once was when it seemed extremely busy and another time was late night. However, most of the time the food is average to very good.
(4)
Joanna S.
came here for desserts after a concert at the lily pad (across the street) the dessert was great the waitress was not. it took her over 15 mins to get us the fruit salad. highly recommend this place as a family restaurant. very kid friendly.
(3)
Sean H.
Their Sunday brunch is fantastic, but their monte cristo sandwich is to die for!
(4)
L S.
I have had a lot of experience with this Deli and I don't like it. The service there is terrible! And the food is pricey yet not that good. I think the desserts and the S&S wings are yummy, but everything else is mediocre.
(3)
Jessica H.
Okay, I like the S&S. Their food ain't bad! The meat is always fresh and delicious and I absolutely love the S&S wings. HOWEVER, the service is awful and the prices are through the roof. If you feel like spending a ton of money on a pretty good sandwich and some wings, go here!
(3)
Megan B.
Mmmmm, I love S&S. They have all the Polish specialties you could ever ask for (and plenty that you didn't ask for) as well as a whole lineup of amazing food. The serve breakfast all day, but I'm a big fan of their sandwiches. They even have parking!!!
(5)
Juliette V.
I really have wanted to like this place. It is a traditional deli reight around the corner from my house. But, I have found a only a few things on the menu worth getting. I have been disappointed with the service and the food on too many occasions. But that said, if you want a kinish in Cambridge, this is a good place to look.
(2)
Gil G.
Rude waitress. Food took FOREVER, and it was just "eh" when it finally came.
(2)
Lalin A.
Had a sunday brunch there. One of the richest American breakfasts you can find in town (for the price)! Had the two eggs-bacon, bagel-cream cheese and coffee. What a good combination. Was overall a satisfying experience.
(4)
Kristine M.
I like this place, especially for brunch. Good breakfast, good bagel/lox platter, and yummy knishes. I have to agree though, the people they hire to wait tables there are a bunch of jerks, which is a definitely turn off.
(4)
Shine B.
I had a pretty bad time at S&S today. It BOTHERS me that they don't have a kids menu and they don't have any option to get just one pancake for a 2 year old. All of their pancake plates are 9 dollars (which I think is really expensive for Inman Square - we're not on 5th Avenue in NYC mind you) and they only give you three medium sized cakes, so its hard to share. Today I requested a blueberry pancake plate, and asked that one of the pancakes be made "plain". This wasn't possible I was told. Bull sh**. This really makes me mad. They see I have a young child with me and intentially want to 1)rip me off and 2)waste food. They are officially off my list because of this lack of flexibility and respect for my money.
(1)
Huan z.
This restrurant deserves no star at all. But I have to pick at least one star other wise Yelp won't let me submit this review. on well. They have terrible service. My friend and I got stomch ache after eatten the irfood and had to use the bathroom after. Will never try there again!
(1)
Eric C.
Simply awful. I've been to this place around 5 times over the past 3 years, mostly when I'm with a group of people who want to go. The food and service is consistently bad. Last time I was there, the bagel tasted like one of those plastic wrapped bagels in airline food, the hash browns were like mashed potatoes soaked in grease with some brown food coloring, the omelette tasted like it came from a cheap chain hotel restaurant, and the OJ seemed to be from concentrate. The service was even worse. Our waiter was downright rude. He literally slammed our drinks down on the table, causing them to spill somewhat. Then my girlfriend asked for more syrup and he audibly gasped, made a face, threw his hands up and walked away without saying a word. After that, he proceeded to get into an argument with the busboys about the tip left by the people at the table next to us. My guess is this place was good 70 years ago, and current owners are riding on that name.
(1)
Ani G.
This place is pretty mediocre. It has 2 things going for it: an extensive menu (so if you have a large and picky party, probably everyone will find SOMETHING that they will eat) and free parking. The food is okay, but not stellar, and not cheap either, for what you get. I've been here several times for weekend brunch and have been consistently underwhelmed. The service is pretty inattentive. Do not expect to get drink refills (or your check, for that matter) unless you flag someone down.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Breakfast, Brunch Parking : Street, Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Jeremy K.
This place has over 230 reviews so I have very little to ad that hasn't already been said. Been there many times and always love to see local business as such strive, especially one that has been around since 1919 like this one. It's full of history and they stay close to it. Their menu has a bit of history and that's a neat thing that should stay close to them as they continue on. The service is quick. The food is well priced and plentiful. I pretty much always get the same thing: a reuben no toasted white bread (I don't like rye. Don't judge me. Shut up.) - Comes with a pickle spear and coleslaw - pretty standard. The place gets packed for brunch on Sundays and you'll most likely have to wait in line despite the fact that the place is huge. It's worth it though. Their menu is extensive and covers every range of American food you can think of, including wings and even Jewish specialities like knishes and such. They have not one but two parking lots, one small one near the back entrance and one a half a block further which is a lot bigger. Oh and did I mention they have takeout? And a lot of cakes you can buy by the slice? Anything from cheesecake, carrot cake and red velvet? If you want tradition, good value and a reliable meal, this is the place!
(4)rose n.
I love S&S. Head over heels, love this place. I went here for a late lunch on a Saturday and the place was packed. Most of the other reviews cover it nicely but I love the cute little families, college students, and academic looking sorts. Our waitress was older and kind of cranky but she was very polite when she spoke and brought our food out on time. One problem was that she forgot my BF's beer, but they had Sam Light so he was happy. The restaurant is nice and clean (as are the bathrooms) and they have cute photos of 1920s and 1930s Inman Square. We started with onion rings which were homemade and super thick and crispy. I ordered a cheese pizza and I got a caesar salad and delicious little challah roll beforehand. I was full pretty much before my meal came. The BF got a monte cristo which he loved. He had it here with one of his buddies and I was worried it wouldn't fill him up. It did, which never happens with this kid! It was full of meat and came with yummy fries. I only could eat a piece of my pizza but the cheese was soooo good. It was a delicious deep dish with a nice blend of cheese, and I got leftovers to take home for dinner. For only $8, it was a pretty sweet dinner with salad, roll, and pizza. It was under $35 with tip total which is about how much I would pay to go to a terrible chain like Chili's. I would much rather give S&S my business!!!
(5)G S.
Absolutely, without a doubt, the worst costumer service I've ever experienced; was chased out after an hour by increasingly threatening confrontations with foul-tempered townie waitstaff/supervisors. Apparently an hour is too long to spend eating breakfast at this hole on a Saturday morning ... even when only 2 or 3 parties were waiting for tables as I left. Food is a slightly less antiseptic, slightly more 'homestyle' than a Denny's. My advice: stay away. There are so many other options in Cambridge / Somerville to waste even one meal in this place. (to be fair, this was in 2006, so perhaps things have improved, but I seriously doubt it)
(1)Greg C.
I live up the street from S&S and have eaten there numerous times, both dine-in and take-out. Honestly, the take-out is the ONLY reason this place gets a second star. The food here is good, when you can finally flag down a server to take your order and if you can wait the 30 or so minutes it takes to make the food. I suppose I should qualify "food" - I mean breakfast. I think I've had other meals here once or twice, but I can't really remember anything about them. Anyway, the service in this place just plain sucks. Some of the servers are nice-ish, but don't go thirsty, cause you'll be lucky to get even one refill of your coffee or water. I really wish I knew what this place was like back in the days of Ma Edelstein, cause I think she'd be rolling over in her grave now if she saw the way patrons were treated there. My advice is call ahead to order your food, then just go to the deli counter and pay with a card (to avoid walking from the deli to the register and back to the deli, which can be a pain if the place is jammed). Even the lady who is usually working the deli when go to pick up my food always seems like my mere presence is annoying her, and she appears to be one of the management/owners! I don't get it. I just don't understand how a restaurant like this thrives with such shitty, shitty service. Oh right, there is a general lack of dinner-type restaurants in the Boston area. I will say that one neat thing about the place is all the old school photos of Inman Square on the walls. But I probably only find that interesting cause I live there.
(2)Amanda G.
Great fantastic brunch, although not so great when I'm so hungover it just comes back up (oops). Eggs benedict is my fave. Huge place, but packed weekend morns. Went for lunch one time, but different vibe - felt like a nicer Friendly's. Local lunch crowd is interesting though. As usual, the inman mix of people is lovely - your yuppees, locals, and poor kids.
(4)Matt K.
If some lower end but dependable commercial restaurant chain was to get a little drink and decide to "experiment" with a local neighborhood eatery, in nine months time you would get the S&S. The menu is varied and has a good selection for different taste. Steaks and eggs can be found for breakfast and staples like steak tips are represented and done fairly, but not usually something you'll crave or use as the high mark all other meals are compared to. The staff is one of the reasons I go here. While most restaurants I go to are staffed by cute perky coeds, the S&S dares to be different by utilizing a collection of femme fatales who could pass for my 50 year old mother. Almost always sweet, but not above giving problem customers some attitude. One of my first times there my waitress actually came up to my table told us that her shift was almost over, we were her last customers of the night and asked if she could just give us our bill halfway through dinner so she could go home. If any other waitress at another place had asked that I would have been insulted and never returned, but since our waitress asked politely and had a sweet face we of course took our check early. I just realized I didn't really give a idea of what the food there is really like. If you have ever eaten at a Denny's, IHOP, or a Village Inn, then you have eaten at the S&S. Everything is slightly under seasoned, but has a bit of homey quality. It's great for when your having a bad day, or maybe are treating a hang over on a Sunday morning. In a world of molecular gastronomy and "fusion" cook styles, sometimes it's nice to just have access to an old staple
(3)Danny L.
This place was never anything amazing, but it seems to get a little worse each time I go. I've lived in Inman Square for the last 5 years. I always thought of S&S as the kind of place you go when you need breakfast and nothing else is serving, or it's sunday afternoon, you've exhausted the other options in the area for the week, and you just want a sandwich or something. The food is never amazing, but consistently decent. Until they started hiking up the prices. I expect some price increase over time but they started skimping on a few things. I notice this most on weekends during breakfast time, when they're at their absolute busiest. I've made 2 egg omelettes at home that are twice the size of their "three egg omelette". If you look at all the options, like 8 out of their 10 specialty omelettes include onions, and when it comes out, it's like a big pile of onions wrapped with a thin egg crepe-like-thing with some other stuff mixed in. I ordered one without onions once, it was the saddest thing I'd ever seen. Each time we go now, whether it's due to the extremely rude and hostile owner who usually seats people as if their ruining her day by walking in, or feeling shortchanged by what we ordered, we say "OK, that's the last time we're going there." but sometimes, you just want breakfast in the evening without hiking out to Ball Square or IHOP in Harvard. Last time in, we got there around 9:20. Took a little while to get a server, but she was very polite. We ordered drinks, and got our food order in by 9:30pm. They close at 10. Place was still busy, and they start flashing lights at 9:35 like it's last call and then they cut half the lights off and start stacking chairs up right next to all our tables. I never felt so rushed out of a restaurant. We ate, tried to leave, and had to get someone to unlock the doors on the Cambridge street side. It was 10:05, and there was still at least 8 tables still seated. They wanted us to leave on the Hampshire street side and walk around the block to go home because they didn't feel like getting a key! Eventually they opened it and let us out, and as we walked home, we said "That's it, that's the last time we're going there..." No, for real this time.
(1)Kimberlee B.
LOVE S&S. We have been using their catering service option and they are consistent, well priced and innovative. The food is great. No week is the same. Their selection is expansive with great fresh fish one night and chicken parm and pasta the next. Their desserts are even better than the food. These people do not mess around. Their cupcakes are some of the best in Boston. I recommend the chocolate bottom, peanut butter frosted (yum)! Just learned that their sister restaurant is Ryles and I can't wait to check that out too!
(5)Lauren H.
Stick to the wings. The breakfast was a huge disappointment. Homes fries, if that's what you want to call them were colorless, ice cold and had onions in them. The Florentine Benedict was OK but again, onions?? Thats a first. Half my plate was onions and nothing else. On top of it, I couldn't help notice that an older, blonde waitress who was complaining about her tables to other staff members moments after walking away from their tables. Good thing she didn't wait on me. I won't return for breakfast but will get wings for take out.
(1)Kris M.
Eaten here twice now, and both times it's been absolutely delicious. First time was my first free day in Boston, having just gotten here the evening before. Was wandering around Inman looking for a place to have lunch and found S & S. Aside from the hostess looking utterly bored and possibly slightly disgusted the entire time I was there, the service was more than decent. It was also the first time I heard an authentic Boston accent: When I ordered a pastrami and cheese, the waitress exclaimed, in a thick Boston accent, "Oh, yah gonnah love it, I had the pastrahmi eahlieah and it's wicked awesome." In my head I was going, wow, people actually do talk like that here! Accent aside, she was right - pastrami and havarti dill on grilled ciabatta was delicious. Later that week, my mom and I visited for dinner. Again, the bored/disgusted hostess showed us to our seats, and a lovely older gentleman waiter came to take our orders. Mom says he reminds her of Quilleran, from the Lillian Jackson Braun series of novels (The Cat Who...) We splurged a bit, salmon for mom and a full rack of ribs for me. In addition to the portion size being huge, the food was quite delicious, literally enough to make two meals out of (we had our leftovers for dinner the next night, not needing to add anything extra!). Prices here are consistent across the board, for lunch or dinner most things are around $9-11. My full rack of ribs was $15, and while not the best ribs I've had they were certainly not bad and great for the price. Someday I want to actually buy something from their deli, which looks impressive and authentic. Would recommend the place to any visitors with less adventuresome palates (such as parents).
(4)Andrea M.
In my mind, these are the mixed positives of S&S: 1. They're open late, comparatively (Punjabi Dhaba is open later, and has better food). 2. They have matzoh ball soup (I reserve this for craving emergencies only, since it's only so-so and has noodles in it). 3. They can accommodate many different tastes of food (just not deliciously), so it's a good place to go with a fussy group. 4. You can get breakfast anytime of day. 5. They can do large groups (but not consistently at *all* times of day). That said, even though I live around the corner from S&S, I don't go there much. It's just not all that great. For the most part, my experience with the service has been good, and the food is serviceable, but not fantastic, and certainly not worth their prices. And the accoustics in the dining room are awful, so when it gets loud, it's *really* loud; often, that kid crying on the other side of the dining rooms sounds like it's right next to you. :\ It's definitely not on my list of go-to places in my neighborhood. And it sounds like they *were* good, once upon a time. ::sigh::
(2)Jeffrey L.
I like a traditional Bacon, Eggs, Homefries, and toast breakfast and feel it is a good way to compare one restaurant to another. I was underwhelmed with my breakfast this morning... Eggs - Cooked to my liking - over easy Bacon - Two thin and less than crispy sheets of bacon paper Homefries - Kinda mushy but ok Toast - Toasted and delicious... with a rock hard side of butter Although this breakfast did not exactly satisfy my breakfast craving I am willing to give this place another shot... The service was friendly, the dishes were clean, and the deli looks tasty.
(3)Benjamin S.
Several weeks ago, I had a lovely dinner here with my parents and brother, with a standout potato knish and prodigious quantities of starch. In retrospect, though, most of the aforementioned loveliness can be attributed to the company: the sandwiches and other foods, while passable all, weren't anything to write bubbe about. With company over last weekend, I thought I'd give it a second shot for carry-out bagels and cream-cheese at the rather parsimoniously stocked deli counter. With no line and barely anyone else in the restaurant, it took me twelve minutes to order twelve bagels and cream cheese. (Can some math whiz help me out here?) Those twelve laborious minutes do not take into account the three minutes I spent with the cashier on the other side of the deli, who couldn't be bothered to look up from the register, or nay, even respond with anything but an indifferent grunt to repeated "thank-yous." The bagels? Stale. The cream cheese? Gummy. And while it's not my fight to pick, the gentleman in front of me was told that he needed to wait for the other member of his party of two to arrive before he could be seated -- in spite of the half-empty restaurant. I came in with high hopes, thinking that I might have a deli in the mold of Toronto's superlative United Bankers. Host du bie mir an avleh!
(3)Larissa C.
I get brunch here about once a month, and it's always amazing. They serve both brunch and lunch, so you can choose from a fantastic variety of food. Also, the portions are to die for, you will never leave this place still feeling hungry. Be prepared, however, on Sunday you will wait in line for a seat (I go around 2 to avoid this but I am a late brunch-er). Enjoy!
(5)Tom D.
Wow. 185 reviews of this place already. Oh well, I'll still add my two cents. LOVE this place! Definitely one of the places I've missed ever since moving up to Lowell. Thankfully, I spent New Year's Eve in Boston, so it was a perfect excuse to stop in for a Thursday brunch with some friends. We arrived early and got a number, even though our party wasn't all there yet. Their policy is to only seat complete parties, which given how busy they are, I can totally understand. They've added a PA system since the last time I visited, so there's no way you'll miss your number being called. After our whole party arrived, I notified the hostess and it was a short (though it felt like eternity given how hungry we were) 15 minute wait for a table. Our server was friendly and humorous. The place was packed, so our food was a little slow to come out, but she kept on bringing the waters and sodas while we waited. A couple people I was with ordered mimosas and bloody marys. Both were tasty and in generous tall glasses. For my meal, I had the portabella mushroom omelette with a side of home fries and a bagel. Delicious! I love the side of fresh fruit they give you. Where are they getting such plump blackberries this time of year? You definitely get your money's worth at this place. I highly recommend it. They do have a small parking lot, but I've rarely been able to get a space in there. But, God bless Cambridge, if you go on Sunday, you can park in any spot on the street for free, including resident-only areas. If only Boston did that!
(5)E K.
I wanted to have a breakfast catered for my clients on Friday but I was sick of ordered the same thing from Panera (my clients were as well!). I came accross S&S and gave them a try. The 10 person spread they delivered was incredible. Rather than a tote, they delivered a pot of coffee, which helped it last so much longer. Rather than the usual breakfast sandwich platter, I ordered trays of scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausages etc: the essentials for a solid breakfast that you'd actually want to eat in the office. Everything was set up in buffet trays which always looks nicer to me. I loved that everything on the menu was customizable and they called me twice to confirm my order and put my mind at ease. Everything was delivered on time and tasted great. I highly recommend this place for your event or for personal menu. Oh, and the red velvet pancakes are TO DIE FOR.
(4)Shukry L.
Well, this place is terrible. I've never seen such disinterested waitresses in an establishment. I ordered fish and chips, and apparently Boston Scrod is disgusting compared to cod. I once had a friend fart in my mouth and it tasted better than this horseshit. The chicken was burnt and uncuttable. The waitresses was so rude to our friends, basically kicking them out. And I'm pretty sure they're racist. We showed up and and there was a black family waiting, and we were seated immediately. And they don't even have malt vinegar.
(1)Joshua L.
Sort of old-school diner ambiance. Prices are pretty good, with a few strange outliers. If it were just for the food, decor, prices, and location, they'd be an easy 3, and probably 4 stars. The problem is, I have never once gotten good service here. 20 minutes sitting with menus and nobody takes our order. Water and coffee NEVER refilled (I've had to get up and find our server to ask, as they never stop by the tables unless they're bringing your order). We're in our mid-20s, younger than most of their clientele, so maybe they expect a bad tip, and don't bother? I just don't understand how a place with such consistently bad service stays in business, given how many good and reasonably-priced restaurants there are in the area.
(2)Abbey B.
The only thing I get here is the Greek wrap, and I'm obsessed with Greek salad. I've heard breakfast is good. But really, most of it's nothing special. They've got a lot on the menu, I'll give them that.
(2)Liz K.
Bad catering service. The Catering manager is not very pleasant. We used to order constantly from there with different accounts and she would charge the wrong account. I have never dined in the resturaunt, however If i wanted to I wouldn't be able to find a parking spot. FERSHTINKINER!!!!! (yiddish)
(1)JeNnIfEr S.
Overall, I enjoy going to the S & S Restaurant Deli. Clam Chowder, Burgers, Tuna Melt, Buffalo Wings, Eggs and Corn Beef Hash.... Those are pretty much my staples at this place. I have deviated from my standard food selections from time to time- with not much success. Stick to the basics and you'll do fine!
(3)Esther Z.
The best thing about S & S is the variety. The free parking lot is the second best! You can come here and enjoy just about everything - pizza? check. eggs benedict? check. blood mary? check. hummus and pita? check. Everyone can come here and have something decent - now what's not to love?
(4)Omoniyi A.
Ok, S&S, whats with the not taking reservations? Im not even going to bother to write about the awesomeness of the food, or the generous portions and super extensive brunch menu. I means, its a given, we all appreciate brunch here is awesome. And thats part of the problem. EVERYONE comes here for brunch, people probably drive to Mass from other states to come here for brunch. And you dont take reservations!? Come on! To be fair though, the wait is never too ridiculous, i think its been like 25 minutes, so if you come earlier than you want to eat you might be set. Its just, to me, a bad policy. But its def not one thats hampering business!
(4)Maryann S.
I am orignally from lawnguyland and when I moved to this 'hood I was so excited to see that I could get breakfast or lunch at a "real live deli". hmpft. The first time I went there I was severely disappointed because the sammies seemed like pale versions of the real thing and everything was more expensive than it should be for the level of quality. I gave it a second shot after re-adjusting my expectations (you live in Cambridge now - they don't have "real" delis. Deal with it), but I was just as disappointed. Because it is the only place of its kind in the area it is jam packed all weekend long and there is always a ridiculous wait. If I'm out to get my brekkie on over the weekend, it is prolly because I am hung over (so what? don't judge) and the servers are rude and slow. If you want more water or coffee just forget it. You are dreaming. Be prepared to be ignored and have at least some of your order forgotten. I know, I know, it's crowded but it's ALWAYS crowded on weekends - that can't be an excuse for poor service and mediocre food. Go to the down the road a bit to Cambridge Coffee shop (if you want a quick egg sammy for practically no money) or go to Atwoods for brunch.
(1)Courtney H.
I am extremely puzzled by all the negative reviews. I love this place. The eggs copenhagen are amazing, as is the vegetable quiche. I like that their breakfast menu is more brunch than breakfast, and that you can order breakfast items all day. The service isn't kiss-your-butt, but that's not what I care about when I eat here. I care about the food. I'm very picky about homefries, and theirs are yummy. The fruit cup is a nice touch. Also, in one of the bad reviews, someone complained about not being able to order anything small for kids, but that isn't true. One of my breakfast companions had two little kids, and she was able to order just two pancakes for the little one and a chicken finger platter for the older one (which wasn't even available for adults yet).
(5)Cara P.
It is pretty hard to fuck up French toast. I have been to SnS twice and although my French toast was good. ...and I emphasize just good....I don't feel I can give my entire experience more than three stars. The place was ridiculously packed and our service was super, super slow. I also had to send back silverware because it was dirty. I am not one of "those" people at restaurants. I usually eat my food, even if it isn't quite up to par and chalk it up to a bad experience. Also I am a sweet junkie or in other words, pig, so anything drenched in maple syrup is pretty much perfectly gourmet in my book. Or should I say "perfect and gourmet"...either way. It'll get 'er done for me. The other time I ordered the bagel and lox with Matzo Ball soup. Hoping that SnS would live up to its "legacy" as authentic "deli" eats and I would be able to close my eyes and transport myself back to New York a few years back when I had the freshest lox in the world literally jump into my throat. Park the DeLorean. It ain't happenin. Although the portions are huge, it did not conjure up warm and fuzzy feelings inside nor qualify for Jewish eats. Shame on you SnS......just because you have a deli counter don't try and pull the wool over my eyes. Your prices and menu might say New York, but your salty lox and bland Matzo Soup are ALL Innman. The Doc agrees!
(3)Kristen V.
I live close to S&S making it difficult to stop myself from going there for breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays. Quick service, perfectly cooked food, never-ending cups of coffee, awesome bagels and a fruit cup with every meal! Even my mother liked it... my mother!
(5)Gracie B.
You want to like them, you pretend they are better than they are - but they aren't and that is a sad little fact. I believe they once were as great as all their self promoting publicity says they still are. And, they do have a LOT more personalized attention to regulars than a place like Denny's.. They still feel like a "neighborhood place" and I think they make the locals feel pretty good most of the time. (i.e. - remembering little details about each person's preferences) But the food is exactly as described by everyone else on Yelp. It's kind of bland and not too healthy. Everything feels like it comes covered in creams and glazes. A lot of their dishes have a TV-dinner feel to them. There are some exceptions on the menu, but in the end it's just not an appetizing spot for me. It has been a last resort on several occasions. I wish they would re-invest in themselves. They could turn it around by including some healthier menu items and warming up the decor. I'm hoping they do because at this rate I'm not sure how much longer they can last. I'd hate to see this old local business disappear. I'd still go here over IHOP ANY day!
(3)S. M. S.
First time back to S&S in about a year but was craving real Pastrami and real deli potato salad. What a disappointment! Pastrami was rubbery, salty and tasted like it came out of a Sysco plastic bag. Cole slaw was definitely out of a container, KFC is better. And--they were out of potato salad. Looks like Zaftig's is the only game in town now. Steer clear of S&S if you have any deli standards.
(1)Melissa M.
Any place that serves breakfast all day is a good place in my book. They have a lot of things to choose from here. I think this is the type of place that you can go to with a craving from a bagel and lox to steak and eggs and they'll have it. They will make it for you and you will enjoy it. I did order a breakfast sandwich at 9pm (after having a hankering for one all day), it didn't truly deliver as I requested it to be scrambled, and it was 2 fried eggs and a lump o cheese with 3 sausage links atop. (I know, this is NOT on my diet). But, I was hungry. The english muffin was good though. I'll will absolutely give S&S another chance and will recommend them to anyone who wants honest to goodness food.
(4)Janak S.
The pizza at this place is criminally bad! It was disgusting to even look at and it was even worse to eat =( Another time I had the Grilled Cheese and Tomato sandwich on some kind-of interesting bread. The bread was darkly colored and had a very interesting taste to it (Marble? Rye?). The sandwich was quite nice. The chairs were comfortable and they have their own parking lot, so you never have to worry about not having a seat =) Had the Chocolate Lava Divine for dessert and that was quite tasty! =)
(3)Scott F.
OK, I'm conflicted. The S&S was a staple of my nice-jewish-boy youth. I salivate at the thought of strolling in on a Sunday morning for a lovely bagel 'n' lox (chive cheese, capers, and onions please....). Problem is, they've slid a bit over the years. The waitstaff ranges from exceptional to occasional, and the food (excluding the salmon hash...) is all over the place. Still a good bet, but thanks for the memories.....
(3)Ron N.
First time back after years away and am just delighted that it is as good as ever! Food is great, value is great. Service is friendly. And the nostalgia from eating here in our student days is wonderful.
(5)Bre M.
Went for the first time yesterday for lunch. Had the reuben, subbed fries for chips. It was a great reuben and there are not too many of those around. The service was fantastic. My girlfriend and I hadn't seen it each other in months, so we gabbed for a while. The server could not have been more accommodating. Will certainly go back to try some items on the brunch menu. It's a great lunch spot for sure!
(4)H T.
(^o^) the fattymonster in me wanted some french toast. OoOo french toast (O.O;) the fattymonster wanted some french toast stuffed with cream cheese and bath it in warm maple syrup O! O! O! (X_X) restraining the temptation, the fattymonster backed off (^_^;) because fattymonster had a LARGE cup of ice cream w/o any breakfast or lunch (^_-) fattymonster naughty- (*^.^*) but fattymonster happy ......... one note- fattymonster was unsatisfied with the flimsy, pricy "thick cut" french toast, average mimosa and long wait. grrr...ouchy. (=x_x=) It wasn't good... ......... (2.5 Stars)
(2)Tom E.
I came here on a Saturday lunch with Hana T and CK. Parked the car in their lot, took a number, waited in line for ages, yada, yada, yada... We ordered a bunch of typical brunch stuff - eggs, bagels, matzo ball soup, mimosa, french toast, bacon, yada, yada, yada... Parking was good, matzo ball soup was good but everything else was disappointing - waiting, eggs, decor, seats, atmosphere, yada, yada, yada... Afterwards I took the two girls back to my house, and, you know, yada, yada, yada... (ok, not really)
(2)John H.
Went for breakfast and had the french eggs. Food and service are good but parking can be tough.
(4)Aaron B.
Aside from decent sized portions, there's not a whole lot thats great I can say about this place. I've been there mostly for brunch and always just find it really ok. I've also gotten a corned-beef sandwich from here and I've got a pretty high standard for Jewish deli corned beef. Can't say I was thrilled. It was kinda tasteless and had an ok portion of meat. When I think corned-beef sandwich from a deli, I want that thing packed to the roof. I want meat sweats. Not here.
(2)ILLAN K.
I was excited to have a deli/breakfast joint in my neighbourhood and even convinced myself that it was a great place the first few times I went there. then I remembered that breakfast joints are better the greasier they are and the dirtier they are. I'd rather eat a $3 breakfast at Brookline Lunch than a $13 breakfast at S & S. Seriously - it's really expensive for a couple of eggs and some home fries.
(2)Julianne M.
I found the wait staff very nice and friendly, even though we looked like drowned rats after a Saturday run in the rain. They usually don't seat you unless your whole party is there, but they took pity on us and gave us a seat. Brunch was ok - nothing spectacular and a little overpriced. I won't go out of my way to eat here.
(3)Ellen N.
This restaurant is a a step up from your average dinner / deli experience. However, I would have to agree with my fellow yelpers assessment of the service. After arriving, the hostess began to show my boyfriend and I to our seats, she then turned to us and said "never mind" and walked away. Hmmm I guess that means we will show ourselves to the waiting area? I quickly forgot my initial bad impression when the "waiting area" turned out to be a very nice deli. More on that later. I originally went seeking out a late brunch, and instead opted for a burger. The burger was good, the roles that Burger was served on were even better! I continued to be underwhelmed by the service, but it wasn't terrible enough for me to regret coming. I ended my experience in the bakery. I bought a bunch of sugar cookies covered in white chocolate's very good decision indeed! Overall I rate this establishment a B+, Although the fact that they have two FREE parking lots might push them up to an A.
(3)Mckenzie Y.
Food is decent, not amazing. Price is a little bit more than I would expect for the quality. But it delivers as a morning after hangover nurser!
(2)Ligaya T.
From the back of the S&S Menu: Since 1919 We've Served 64 million cups of coffee 36 million fresh eggs 10 million turkey sandwiches 18 million half sour pickles And 3.4 million bagels and lox with 79 trillion mgs of sodium. Their lox is so damn salty that I had an iodine headache afterwards. Luckily I had pulpy OJ to keep me from keeling over. Their latkes (potato pancakes) are deep fried, their passion fruit smoothie is more like an icee with whipped cream on top. Service is surly and slow. But after eating at so many 'hip' restaurants catered to our demographic it's really nice to be around families and folks of different ages.
(3)Leighann F.
At this point in time with my S&S experiences, I really can't say that I have too much to complain about. My breakfast plate more than I could finish, the freshly squeezed orange juice was absolutely delicious and the service was okay. If i had a full agenda for the day or was in some sort of rush, the service could have been a problem. It was a little slow, but somehow that doesn't matter when all you have ahead of you is a day of gallivanting around in the sunshine without much to do. To me, S&S is great because it is local. But upon walking in and checking out the decor, the menu and the service, it seems to be like any other diner-type place in the area. As one of the oldest restaurants in the area, it leaves me to wonder about how their menu has changed or what it is that has made them able to stick around through the ups and downs of the finicky restaurant business. Maybe it has something to do with their deli? Or just a solid local following? Whatever it is, they're here for a reason. The deli deserves a try, which I'll get to eventually, and this will definitely end up being my breakfast spot when I'm in the In man area.
(3)pete g.
Should a deli be allowed to fuck up a Reuben? The S&S and I disagree.
(2)Jason C.
The food is ok for what you are paying. Most items are a little bland. So many better brunch options in the area. Their sandwiches and bakery are pretty good. Great place for children. If crowded, go to the bar. Better and faster service.
(2)Danielle W.
An old neighborhood deli-turned yuppy hang-out serving EXCELLENT comfort food (S&S wings! meatloaf! juicy burgers!), great drinks (wide variety of beers on draft! martinis! decent wine list!), delectable desserts! (chocolate cake! fruit tarts! ice cream! oh my!) . The only quasi-bummer are the frumpy grumpies they've got serving your food. Truly, borderline hemorhoiddal lemon-suckers, at best. But, it's really no bother, because they are prompt and accurate. Perhaps a hefty boinking will rid them of the biatch-ness. But, I suppose that's none of my business.
(4)Orly M.
The food here is good. I really like the 1/2 BBQ Chicken and the Turkey Dinner Special and Lasagna Special when they have it. Seriously, what are you people doing ordering Jewish food here? Any deli that serves pork probably won't have decent Jewish food. This is faux Jewish like Zaftigs. If you want the real deal, go to Ruben's or have my grandma make you some matzoh ball soup. I'll make you some latkes if you want. Go to the S&S and stick to "American" food and your tummy will be warm and happy.
(4)Lauren V.
S & S Deli was delicious. My boyfriend and I wavered on what to order and finally decided to split the cheeseburger club and the reuben. They both looked tasty but upon further inspection, the cheeseburger club was slathered in mayo (disgusting!) so I stuck to the reuben. The menu didn't mention any mayo so that was disappointing. Mayo is repulsive. Anyways, the reuben was really good and I scarfed it down pretty damn quickly. The meat wasn't stringy like it can sometimes be. Extra points for that. Apparently, this is a great place for breakfast on the weekend so I will definitely be back. The service was quick and the waiter and busser were attentive and polite.
(4)Tessa C.
I used to love going here as a student, but my last visit was awful. S&S has a great selection of brunch fare - sandwiches, eggs, pancakes, french toast, and quiche. The side fruit salad was moldy and in edible. Service was slow as well. Location is nice in Inman Sq, but parking is challenging. There are two small parking lots on Cambridge St. Otherwise, you are left to fend for yourself.
(2)Meredith K.
The lines can be very long here, but if you hit this place on a Saturday or Sunday you just may get lucky and sit down pretty quickly. Overall I think they have all the breakfast standards and a few specialties that I specifically really like. My favorites are the Bavarian French Toast - it's French toast stuffed with cream cheese and strawberry jelly - yum! And the Latkes (potato pancakes to some of you) with sour cream or applesauce. I don't eat eggs (unless cooked in food and I can't taste them - like the french toast is). So it's always a bit difficult to find breakfast places that over something other than eggs - which is why I like S&S lots of choices for me.
(3)Terry S.
I am pretty much into this place. Albeit the confusing interior decor and "chain-restaurant-style" seating, this place makes a pretty decent breakfast. The prices are on par for what you would expect out of pretty common ingredients and the created food definitely fills you up. Seems like they should step up the homestyle feeling by changing the insides up a bit and, you know.. sometimes that changes the way food actually tastes. The brain is weird. Expect a decent wait time for weekend post-boozing breakfasts... sometimes better to show up after noon and slide right on in.
(4)Joe R.
Eat here pretty often, too often now that I think of it, never anything exotic, but if you want some old standards, turkey dinner, great burgers, generous sized deli sandwiches, S & S never fails. Agree with the other comments, it's a family place, not going to impress a date with the menu or the decor, but I've never had a bad meal. My wife loves having breakfast available all day, all of the breakfast dishes are great, again nothing too innovative (or innovative at all for that matter), but if you just want french toast or an eggs bene, you'll be happy.
(4)Andrea K.
I enjoy going to S&S Deli just because its laid back and they dont rush you at all so you can just relax and eat your food. I typically go for lunch/dinner but I have tried their breakfast before and it is alright it has more of a jewish (i believe) type of things for breakfast but you can get your basic eggs and home fries as well, my favorite for breakfast is a mushroom and onion omelet. YUM. Favorite dinner dishes would be pastrami sandwich, tuna sandwich, turkey club (no tomatos), baked haddock is very fresh and juicy, oh and their buffalo wings are to boot! I always have to get them there and definitely satisfies my cravings for buffalo wings and they are boneless so that is another plus in my book. Their herb chicken also is very good with the rice, the chicken is very well seasoned and juicy inside. They have plenty of parking in their own parking lot (remember to get a token if the gate bar is down!) and there is on street parking as well. The service is quick and straight to the point with a lot of menu options as well. This is a regular deli place for me and I enjoy it every time.
(4)Emjay M.
Ok, I am 42 years old. My brother is 47. My mom used to go to the S&S when she was pregnant for my brother. So my opinion of the S&S is one formed over many, many years of patronage. This place used to be the place to go to when my family lived in Cambridge and we had a little extra cash and wanted to splurge. That was during the 1970's. Back then the S&S wasn't so yuppified and stuck up. I can't say the same for the place these days. I was just there the other day for lunch. I have never in my life had a more disrespectful, rude waiter. It was the only time in my entire life I have not left a tip at a restaurant. The waiter practically threw the dishes at my 80 year old father and I and acted put out when my father asked for cream for his coffee. The entire time we were eating I could see and hear our waiter ranting and raving, screaming, and throwing things up at the counter over something that was obviously making him mad that had happened to him that day. No offense, but, buddy, don't take it out on your customers !!! That isolated incident being the last straw for me with the S&S....here are my biggest complaints about this place and why I have decided not to eat here anymore. 1) Their menu sucks. They took off all of the great dishes that made this place great. Why, why, why did you remove the French Dip, Turkey Classic, and London Broil dinner from your menu ? I will never understand it. I used to loooooove the french dip on a the soft croissant. It was delicious. I would even put up with your rude staff if it meant I could enjoy one of those sandwiches again !!! 2) For all of the years my family and I have gone to the S&S, my elderly parents never even get so much as a "how are you" when they walk in the door. This place, from the owner down have no respect for loyal customers. They act like your are lucky to be there. Personally they don't have to kiss my butt at 42 years old, but it would go a long with me if they paid extra attention to my elderly parents who have been loyal customers for decades. I am done with the S&S. I would rather get a cheaper lunch somewhere else where they appreciate their customers.
(1)Will E.
A solid deli in the heart of Inman. I'm from the Boston area but I lived in NYC for a while so I hope I won't sound like a New York snob when I say that by NYC standards, this would only be a 3. However, in the Boston area there is a serious lack of delis and this place fits the bill. I've been there a few times. The meals were good but not spectacular. This morning I was there for a new year's brunch and everyone was pretty happy with the food. I got the Eggs Copenhagen which is like Eggs Benedict but with smoked salmon. Very good. Little heavy. My wife got the blueberry pancakes and liked them. The other folks we were with liked their meals. Plus we got to the restaurant at 10am and beat the crowds. By the time we left at 11am there was quite a line. Anyway, if you're in the mood for a deli sandwich or a bagel with some smoked fish, this is the place. Two disappointments: they were out of smoked whitefish today, which is pretty sad for a deli. And they don't seem to have chopped chicken liver on the menu - also kind of sad. But overall a 4 because they are there doing the deli thing.
(4)James J.
Hot food, warm atmosphere, but cold service. They seem to treat groups of locals better than generic student wandering through. Also pricey as diner food goes.
(3)Betsy K.
They get three stars for one thing (or groups of things) only: their breakfast fish platters. Smoked salmon, whitefish, etc... We go there for that only. They are excellent and a value. Lot's of veggies, egg, fish. The missing stars are for the simple fact that every other thing I have had there is not very good. The omelettes always come out cold. The latkes are too eggy or matzo-y. And service...one time the waiter spilled three bloody mary's on my huz , himself, and our friend Dan. He said "No big deal, I just live across the street I can go change my shirt". And that is what he did. He left us, with most of our party looking like Carrie on prom night. When he finally came back-we had to ask for more drinks and he charged us for all of them-even the spilled! We were pretty hysterical over it as it was unbelievable. Or we were hysterical because we were still drunk. Not sure.
(3)Vanessa C.
I should start by saying this review & rating is ONLY for the breakfast (& soup). I'm a big fan of anything with the lox here - the eggs copenhagen are delicious. although I agree that the bagels are not so great, they are about the size of your face so if you're hungry, you'll at least get your moneys worth. opt for the lox platter with rye toast instead of the bagel. a side of fruit is served with every meal. the portions of quiche are mammoth & the french eggs are outstanding. for a splurge, I LOVE their stuffed french toast. and their croissant french toast. basically, everything they do with french toast is totally yummie! I can never finish everything on my plate & almost always after eating here I'm ready for a nap (not so great for weekend productivity!) the other thing that swayed my five star rating is the matzo ball soup! so so delicious - great flavor & a giant bowl of it! even when the line is through the door I've never had to wait more than 15 minutes. the desserts in the deli case always look enticing but I've yet to try them. I have only eaten dinner here once & it was really disappointing. so my overall rating would be a three and a half. still, I'm compelled to give it five stars because it really is one of my favorite places for breakfast ever.
(4)Sandra M.
This is diner quality food with bistro quality prices. Nothing is kosher, it is marketed slightly as a jewish deli but I would consider some of their menus to be jewish-inspired. They fail at authenticity.
(2)Nay M.
This place is pretty good at best. I have come here for brunch and I like that they add fresh fruit to your plate. Other than that, I can't say that I have found a dish worth remarking the few times I have been (a friend of mine is a devout S&S fan). One thing that I will recommend is the Bloody Mary - yum. I am spoiled, however, because as long as there is a Zaftig's, nothing will compare.
(3)Jenna C.
I just came here for a take-out bagel for breakfast. The service was quick and the cashiers were friendly. Plus I got a bagel AND an iced coffee for less than $4... which is practically unheard of now.
(4)Candi S.
Yes, every once in a while we cave and get some of the microwaved soup or soggy breakfast or the delicous iggys bagels here. The food and atmosphere really isn't that good. The staff, on the otherhand is really amazing. They are always super sweet and informative.
(2)Sara G.
You know, everyone was RAVING about this place. I jumped on the good vibe train and went in with happy thoughts. Since I am not a Sheep, I have to be honest. It wasn't rave-able. I ordered a Ruben. The sandwich had barely any flavor. Perhaps I don't understand the 1/2 sour pickle. But this is the Home of the Brave and Land of the Free, so I don't have to understand the 1/2 sour pickle. It mostly tasted like an accident. The waitress acted like she was displeased with our general presence. perhaps that was because of our large work group. no one can be too sure. If i had to pay for this experience I would have been more upset, fortunately, lunch was on the company. Bottom line, if you're craving a Ruben, don't go here. if you're craving a real pickle, don't bother. They probably have other food that is good and that would make me feel all happy and toasty, but, I won't be going back. I do not enjoy being treated poorly by wait staff or lack luster food.
(2)l. a.
the menu is extensive, the food is good, but the service is slow. if you're looking to head to a deli for lunch or brunch, then i would definitely check out s&s. tip: there are two FREE parking lots behind S&S. this is great if you have a car.
(3)Hagan B.
I've been there for breakfast a few times an it's heavenly. I have to say, I've only had two items on the menu (the filet and eggs benedict and the lox bagel) but both were exemplary. The Filet was cooked to a perfect medium rare both times and the lox bagel platter didn't leave me wanting any more salmon. The waiter we had both times had an air of superiority, but his service was great regardless. We didn't have to wait long for a table either time. You MUST get the potato pancakes when you come here. Trust me, just order them on the side if no one in your party is interested in the breakfasts that come with them. You'll be impressed.
(4)Julia S.
S&S is what you would expect from a longstanding deli; the prices are, well, pricey, but the food (especially the meat) is high quality. I went here recently for breakfast and their bagel & lox platter was well worth the trip....reminds me of the fancy breakfast/brunch spread my mom prepares for guests. You'd be hard-pressed to find lox this good at another cafe or restaurant. And the service was good, almost obsessive.
(4)Sean E.
Eggs. I like eggs. I like them fried, scrambled, poached, omelets, hard boiled, soft-boiled, over-easy, over-hard, sunny-side up, as part of a sandwich, or with my salad, as breakfast, brunch, lunch or even diner -- I like eggs. And I'm hard pressed to find any place that does them better than S&S. I know what you're thinking, what's so hard about eggs -- how do you make normal scrabbled eggs special? I'm not even sure. Maybe it's in the egg, the technique, secret ingredients? I can't be positive, but they are indeed special. They even have a special way of doing omelets that makes it kind of like a burrito made out of egg instead of a tortilla. And the French Egg dish is fit for a king. Their other dishes are good too. Or so I've heard anyway. I can't really cross my heart on that because I've only come here for breakfast/brunch to get one of their numerous egg dishes. But I can tell you definitively that they do make a mean bloody mary.
(4)reese w.
Ok, so this place is kinda cool, but I also think it's a little expensive for what you get. Eh... They give you a lot of food, but I'm not sure that I really WANT that much of that food. For me it's a little too salty, but maybe other people like that. Yeah... I'm all anti-salt like that. Spicy or sour please not too much salt. You know, maybe if I ate more salt, I would quit having such low blood pressure. Hmm... maybe I DO need more salt. Maybe I need to come eat here more often then!!
(3)buckminster f.
This review is based on the lemon cake that I had there tonight. Ick. $5 a slice for something that tastes like it came straight out of a box and with plasticky icing? Next time, I'll pick up something at 1369 or Rosie's, and if those two places are closed, at the convenient store.
(2)Georgia Y.
S & S is the kind of place that encourages STRONG emotions. Most people I know either love it or hate it. I don't think it really deserves that treatment. To me, the S & S is boring. I'll go there for food, especially if it's breakfasty food, but I'm pretty indifferent to this place - I'll never suggest it, and I'll really only pop in if I'm in Inman Square and nothing else appeals. I used to hate coming here for weekend brunch, because the line was so long. So that's that: breakfasty foods here are perfectly fine, the waitstaff is fine, the S & S is fine. What's all the shouting (out of love OR hate) about?
(3)Arun C.
The place made a good first impression because they had tall glasses of fresh oj and very tasty brunch options. I got the Copenhagen egg breakfast and loved it: poached eggs, lox, new potatoes...I'm getting hungry thinking about it. It didn't take long to get a table at about 11am Sunday, but parking was tricky. They have additional parking just down the road from the small one in front of the restaurant.
(4)James M.
Living right around the corner, I've been to S&S probably a dozen times in past year. Not because it's good--it isn't--but because it offers such a silly variety of food. If I want pancakes at 2pm or a cheeseburger club sandwich for breakfast, I can get it. They've got everything from sandwiches, to breakfast food, to seafood dishes. That being said, none of it tastes that good. It's definitely passable, but not worth anything near what they charge. You'll find a much better burger (for right around the same price) across the street at the Druid. You can get better sandwiches (again, at a similar price point) at All-Star. S&S has little going for it other than its size and variety. Also, they have the worst service in Inman, hands down. Worse than Bukowski, which is pretty damn bad. The wait staff is almost completely composed of 50 or 60 year old men and women who are as attentive and caring as you'd expect a 15 year old to be. They really don't give two tugs about good service. Again, I've waited almost a year to write this review to see if the bad service was an exception, but, unfortunately, it seems to be the rule.
(2)Gino T.
I really enjoy coming to this deli. I have to say that during the lunch hour the clientele seems a bit..... "old school" but that doesn't take away from the food. I had the Focaccia lunch special, great price and very delicious. Grilled chicken club, perfect. Had the turtle cheese cake, best I've had in Cambridge. Try this place if you enjoy deli style dining , casual, laid back, and breakfast all dang day! It's little bit pricier than say Zoe's but a lot nicer.
(4)Roni E.
My boyfriend had introduced me to this place about a month and a half ago. As soon as we walked in it was like sardines in a can. I didn't really understand why because the place looked huge and takes up about 3 buildings. They do have a large restaurant with plenty of seating. However, this place does get packed on the weekends for brunch and with good reason. Their food is spectacular and was well worth the wait. The best part it was cheap too! I have never eaten so much food in my life for so little. I would definitely like to go a little earlier though next time to see if I can beat that mid-morning crowd and be a lil early bird.
(4)Caitlin C.
Now, my roommate had been telling me about the merits of S&S for several months now and this past Sunday we finally went. Well, actually, we intended to go to Friendly Toast, but the wait was totally Unfriendly, so we headed over to Inman to cure our post-night-of-Bacchanalian-revelry hunger. Ok, so our waitress was not particularly attentive, but that did not detract from the superb brunch we were presented with. After much deliberation, I finally choose the French Eggs (scrambled eggs piled onto a crispy croissant, accompanied by home fries and fruit). The home fries were absolutely out of this world! I would gladly have eaten two more helpings. Also, I can't wait to go back to sample their bagels and latkes. Yum!
(4)Benjamin B.
S&S sucks. Seriously, I'm pretty sure this place is just a Denny's or Eatin Park gussied up a bit and disguised as a reasonable restaurant. With all the options available in Cambridge, heck Inman square, there is no reason to ever eat here.
(1)Brian M.
S&S is the place to go in Central / Inman when you want your food needs met without any hoopla or drama - you're hungry and maybe a little tired, not feeling adventurous, you just want a good feed. The food is consistently good - I've been coming here regularly for a year and a half and in that time I've had exactly one duff meal - an off-day I guess. The service is generally good, although they do have one or two servers that are distinctly lacking in sunny bonhomie, but I guess that's about average. It's not exciting, it's not cool, but the food is great, the menu is broad and the drinks are cold (I love places that serve beer in chilled glasses). Everything is good, especially the bagels, the club sandwiches and the mixed drinks. One thing to be aware of; they take their 'seating for full parties only' policy VERY seriously. They can be quite abrupt if you even ask about squeezing a latecomer in. It's fair enough I suppose; the volume of people (esp. on Sunday mornings) would make it unworkable otherwise. Just be aware, they won't make an exception, even for you...
(4)D S.
I came here for brunch and it was a cute restaurant but nothing outstanding. I ordered Belgan waffles ($8.95) and recieved a decent serving. The place was packed, however.. the line sure went on. A nice place to stumble upon but not so much to plan ahead to visit.
(3)Al A.
Bad service (slow and inattentive). Bad food. Not really a diner anymore. Expensive for the quality you get. I have no idea how this place is still in business in such a competitive restaurant hub.
(2)Rachel P.
I miss S&S sooo much! This is such a good diner. My sister lived down the street from S&S and we would go there, get take out, delivery etc all the time! I love their wraps: greek is sooo good. They always give fries and a side of fruit too. They have been around forever!!!
(5)Madison S.
I love jewish delis. Sometimes I just want to go somewhere quiet with good food(healthy, consistent, simple food). Waitstaff are either really nice or a bit abrupt. I wouldn't order the fish and chips again. Breakfast/Brunch menu is great.
(5)Meaghan S.
My mom grew up in Cambridge and remembers this restaurant fondly. She used to take me here from time to time when I was a kid and even then I wasn't impressed. I don't know exactly what it is, but the S & S has never really done it for me. The food is just not good, and if I want old people chow I definitely prefer Jimmy's Steer House in Arlington. I was told "Try the brunch!" and I did. And it was pretty lackluster. In fact I've eaten at S &S probably 20 times in my 27 years and I do not remember ONE outstanding thing about it. From the Bickfordsesque decor to the bland-ass food, I never find myself thinking about this place when I want a meal.
(3)Jocelyn C.
This is by far the most genuine deli (and diner) that I've been to outside of NYC. When I moved to Boston, the only thing I really missed was the ability to get a real deli-style sandwich that didn't cost a month's pay, or be able to eat breakfast past 11am. S & S fulfills both of those desires. I also love the pictures surrounding the restaurant of old-time Cambridge, so you get excellent food and a little history lesson of the neighborhood at the same time! If you eat here, you will NOT be disappointed.
(5)Jon R.
Meh. The food is ok. The service is pretty bad. Everyone goes nuts over the latkes, but I've had better. The menu has a lot of variety, but it would be great if they didn't pride themselves on the fact that they do absolutely no substitutions whatsoever. Which is fine, if you're a fancy restaurant. Or even a mid-range restaurant. But come on, you're a freaking deli. Some of your sandwiches come with fruit, others with chips, others with fries, and others with a pickle. Just give me a damn choice and charge me extra if it costs more. But come on, you can't bring me a single kosher dill spear instead of a fruit cup with my sandwich? Because of your "No Substitutions" policy? Get over yourself. If you get take-out, S&S is fine. But I wouldn't bother to eat here.
(2)michael l.
This place is generally overrated. I mean its like diner food so it's likely what you would expect. I do enjoy a simple roast beef sandwhich on a bulky roll when i go there. The breakfast though just doesn't cut it. I do better with eggs at home, hungover and all.
(2)Jimmie L.
I never thought about having appetizers with breakfast or brunch until I ate at S & S. A bowl of their matzo ball soup is just the thing to start your day out healthy (physically and emotionally). I haven't had a meal there that I didn't like. My wife on occasion gets eggs benedict when we go out, and always asks for the sauce on the side, and it seems like EVERY time she gets it at S & S they don't help her out. Otherwise, a bowl of soup and some salmon hash....perfecto !
(4)Michael W.
The same fateful trip that introduced me to Bartely's, Red Sox baseball and pesky's poll, also brought me to the S&S about 16 years ago. I have been coming back year after after year with my family and even more now that I live here. Its a great place to meet people for brunch and not get lost in the Boston mess... Usual wait time on a Saturday or Sunday can be at most 25mins to as little as, give us two seconds to set the table. When looking for parking check the lot first and then good luck, I always have some kind of success, even if it means walking a block or four... They offer different menus at different times, the full lunch or dinner menu has tons of dishes ranging from just a sandwich to a whole section of clubs to actual full dinners. I have heard the chicken is good... I usually start off with their matzo ball soup, which is a huge bowl that comes out very hot and just awesome. The soup has a great flavor, veggies are not mush and has a good amount of chicken in it... much better than other places.... u know what I am talking about, read my other reviews... The turkey club is always awesome and is my fall back sandwich here... I recently had the stuffed crab and potato pancake which is topped with a poached egg and hollandaise sauce. It was very tasty, I added a side of lox, which was exactly what i was looking for. Their bagels are good, and sometimes, when feeling indecisive, I just get the lox plate and bagel and is always satisfying... There are many options here, and as i said before, just be careful of what time you go, there are several menus during the day, and some are more limited than others... This place is just so much better than its kinda counterpart Zaftigs... People, there is nothing scary about crossing the river, Cambridge is fun, and exciting... do it... its ok... i wont tell any one...
(5)Gwen K.
Service: slow but friendly. Coffee: drinkable, but definitely needed cream and sugar. Food: tasty, creamy, salty, copious, rich. (Exception: bagels. Dense, bready, not worth the stomach space they take up.) Overall experience: pleasant, comforting, not for those in a hurry.
(4)Ashlee C.
Bordering on just OK to don't even bother. While the S&S has a huge menu that likely has something to please everybody, nothing stands out and it is all just mediocre. In addition, the offerings are quite expensive for what actually hits the table. $9 for a cheeseburger and french fries is a little excessive, and The Druid serves a $9 burger and hand cut fries that blows this out of the water. I can't think of one good thing about the S&S other than the fact that they serve beer.
(2)Erica E.
This is on the top of our list for local brunch places. They make THE best french toast around. It is eggy and fluffy, it's perfect! There is usually a wait on the weekend, but it's never too long. They serve brunch all day, every day which is somewhat of a rarity. It's a fun place to go in the evening when you're in the mood for cocktails AND breakfast food. They also are willing to substitute hash browns or fries for the meat that come with any of the breakfast entrees. Overall, a great local breakfast place!
(4)Nick B.
I've been here for every meal, but really it's the brunch that sets S&S apart. So filling, that you can probably make it your only meal of the day (Omolette, Home Fries, Fruit Cup, AND a Bagel?? Brace yourself.). Now in it's 87th year, S&S is truly an Inman Square institution. Pig out among the photographs of the restaurant throughout the ages and be thankful that you live in a place like Boston that is so steeped in History. Just be prepared to wait on a Sunday morning. Dinner is also good, though the atmosphere is what I have affectionately termed "Take Grandma to Dinner Night." That said, Grandma can be pretty amusing if she thinks her Irish coffee isn't strong enough.
(4)Jamie S.
The boneless S & S wings are TO DIE FOR. I taste them and reminisce back to my childhood. Cambridge has a lot to offer when it comes to great food. Try the deli, stop by and pick up some food on your way home from work. The family style is great. I can never leave S & S without a slice of the chocolate peanut butter pie, (warning, very filling and addicting!), all the desserts are homemade and satisfying. Why the missing star? The food is so good, yet the service is blah. Take it for what it is, and savor the food!
(4)John F.
Scene: Sunday morning/afternoon. You had quite the night with your friends, most of which you don't remember. The turbo button in your brain is firmly in the 'off' position. Your friends feel approximately the same way. You need to regroup, and piece together what happened. And you need food in a bad way. But where to go? The answer is, of course, the S&S Restaurant Deli. In all seriousness, though, S&S offers some great food, whether or not you're hungover. The omelettes are really the main draw; I'm a huge fan of a somewhat modified English omelette. I've never touched the lunch menu, because I just cannot pull myself away from these breakfasts. Definitely a place to check out.
(4)J R.
So I will start by saying as a disclaimer that I've a vegetarian, and realize there is some bias here as I am reviewing a deli. But as S & S makes an effort to include a variety of vegetarian options for both brunch and dinner, I feel they've opened the door here. I've eating here several times, and while I've never had a "bad" meal or "bad" service, I've also never been particularly impressed. The wraps are tasty enough I guess, but not very interesting. Brunch is filling, but nothing I couldn't make myself with a few slices of cheese and a couple of eggs. Coffee is cheap diner quality and the carpets always seem covered in other people's food scraps. I know it's an Inman institution, so go if you want, but don't expect to be wowed.
(2)Scoobie U.
My husband and I were walking around, looking for a breakfast place. They serve breakfast here all day! The price was extremely good for what we got, the breakfast plates are definitely filling. I can see why this place has been in business for so long! The decor was a little on the older side, but that didn't take away from the meal. From the outside we were expecting a more restaurant feel, however it was more like a diner.
(5)Mike M.
I have come here a number of times. Three times for breakfast, twice for lunch, and twice for dinner. Every single time I have eaten here has been enjoyable and pleasant, but nothing striking or out of the ordinary. If you have ever eaten at New Jersey diner, the experience is similar. It's not exactly the nicest place in the world, but you know what to expect when it comes out of the kitchen, and that is quality. The servers come around, crack some jokes, take your order and leave you alone. My favorite thing to eat here are the burgers because they taste fresh, and are always plentiful and filling. Prices here are moderate. Being an ex deli man it seems to me that their deli is very clean and well kept so I would recommend it also, which is why I gave S&S 4 stars instead of three.
(4)Mats K.
I do enjoy S&S, though maybe not as much as I used to. Its usually a nice place to go for brunch after a night out on the town. The portions are pretty large, the prices pretty decent and the atmosphere nice enough. They serve a decent combination of American and Jewish breakfast dishes usually with a bagel, cream cheese and a fruit bowl on the side, which should be enough to fill pretty much anyone up. Be prepared to wait on a Sunday morning though, as the place fills up very quickly!
(4)Dachary C.
The S&S is one of my favorite places to eat. Period. However, if you're one of those nosy types who wants a few more details, I shall do my best to satisfy your curiosity: They have separate breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner menus. They have daily specials. They are one of a few restaurants in Cambridge open until 11 on Weekdays and 12 on the weekends, which, in my opinion, gives it major points. Their menu is full of yummy, traditional staples. Their sandwiches are great, their entrees are great, their breakfast items are great, their appetizers are great, their soups are great... do we sense a theme here? Good stuff. Check out their website for menus. Parking in Inman Square is always a challenge, and dining at the S&S is no exception. They have two parking lots, as well as access to meter parking on Hampshire and Cambridge Streets, but finding a spot can be hit-and-miss during peak times. Sunday brunch waiting time is generally 15-25 minutes. I dine-in by myself, with a date, and with a large group (10+) frequently. I also get take out frequently, and have even had the S&S cater work functions. The food is very consistent in quality. For the number of times I've dined-in, I've had very few service problems - sometimes slow service with the group of 10+ late at night, and once a surly waitress, but generally it's a pleasant experience. However, one big complaint is that S&S is notorious for running out of their daily specials. Another nice point: the S&S comes complete with bakery and deli. The deli selection is better at a place like Whole Foods, but if you're in the neighborhood of the S&S, it's a convenient stop. And the cookies, cookie bars, pies, and cakes available from the bakery are always fantastic. Ordering and picking up take-out is quick and easy - I've never had an experience when it wasn't ready within 10-15 minutes. The website lists the S&S Restaurant and Deli as 'A Cambridge tradition since 1919.' Check it out and you'll see why people return again and again.
(5)Crystal G.
Husband and I went here for breakfast today. Meal was decent..we both got omelets and they were pretty good. Not too eggy, but full of fillings. I'm giving it three stars though, for two reasons: a) it was a little overpriced for its location, drab Dennys'/ Friendlys-like atmosphere, and food quality (-1 star), and b) horrible service (-2 stars). The woman (who I can't call a hostess) who seated us didn't say a word, and placed us in a far corner although most of the restaurant was empty. This sucked even more when we got the slowest waitress in the place. She walked out at a annoyingly slow pace, bringing 1 drink at a time (who does that?!?), never refilled our "bottomless" cups of coffee (at breakfast!), wasn't sure what kind of tea they had, messed up our check, and when I asked for napkins, she just grabbed some from under nearby cutlery. Despite what the menu pronounces, this place is not "a find". I
(2)JJ G.
I think this might be a place that you get into a groove on, go once a week, always order the same thing and then it's hard to explain to anyone why you like it. Of course, there is the advantage of plenty of space and high chairs for those of us who are burden with wee people. And it's a great place to go with multiple generations (e.g. grandma and grandpa want to have dinner with the kids) cuz it's a something for everyone joint, but if you are looking for a real deli, like a NY style place, this is sadly going to pale. Still and all, I like it; my kids like it; my husband likes it; my parents like it, and that's enough for this family
(4)Heather H.
S&S is a great brunch spot with good mimosas (after noon on Sundays, but earlier on Saturdays) and tasty brunch options. I've enjoyed everything I've ordered from quiche to omelets to waffles. Some of their prices are a little steep, but I think the food is good enough and I never feel rushed. Wait staff can range from calling you hon to being a little surly, but I've never had a truly bad experience. Their catering is fantastic. I've enjoyed lunches from them several times at work functions and never been disappointed.
(4)Rod B.
I love popping into S&S for brunch, or some wings. Top tip: If you're in a rush, sit at the bar. The service is much faster there than the table service.
(4)Dorothy C.
Service at lunchtime was slow, and the coffee old. BUT the chatham salad rocks my world - raspberry vinaigrette on mixed greens with blue cheese and candied pecans... fried pita wedges decorate the edge. yummy. Also recommended: Monte Cristo Sandwich [=french-toast sweet with salty deli meats...], S&S Boneless Wings [=sweet & hot], Carrot Cake [=divine cream cheese icing], & matzo ball soup [superior to the chicken soup, b/c it has fewer onions & celery pieces, and one big ol' matzo ball].
(4)C.M. M.
Ok for the food - our service was less than acceptable but it was a busy place.
(3)Rylan H.
This place is really hit or miss. Sometimes it's a nice place to go to get a "decent" meal. Sometimes you go when there are 5 people in the restaurant, and the service is still slow and you almost seem to bother them. I really wish this could be a rock star deli b/c we need one in Inman.
(2)Jonathan G.
This place gives me the creeps, kind of like a creepy retirement home. The place is always too quiet, with faint Al Jolson covers playing on the speakers, and the octagenarian staff is the slowest ever. Ok, maybe that was a low blow, but seriously this place has unbelievably slow service. Everytime I have been there, there has been almost no line, yet the hostess seems to make me wait 5 minutes before acknowledging me. Then, during the interim between sitting and seeing my waitress, I have grown a handsome beard. The food arrives fairly quickly, but after I eat it comes the "waiting for the check" purgatory. FINALLY that comes, and I emerge out of the restaurant asking what month it is. Slow service...that's all I am really trying to say. Tasty turkey and dill havarti triple decker, though. Gotta give them that. Their reuben is a little "eh", so it doesn't make up for it.
(3)Julie A.
I used to be in Inman a lot for work and play and S& S saved me every time. There isn't (or at least wasn't) much of a selection for lunch around there. S&S has a very big menu so I could eat a totally different meal from them 5 days a week. I will say that the BLT quickly became a favorite though. The veggie burgers were pretty good, fries good, prices good. The breakfasts are also amazing, and never had a bad one. Yeah, they have free parking, but I have never gotten a space there. It's also a very greasy restaurant. do not go here if you are on a diet. but it's AWESOME to go to when you have a hangover. I want to give the food and service 3.5 stars but the selection is a 5 star rating, so 4 seems like a good place to end up. Good place!!!
(4)Linda S.
The only reason the S&S gets 3 stars is because of their Canadian burgers -- the combination of Canadian bacon, Munster cheese & sirloin is perfect and they rarely screw it up. If it weren't for the Canadian burger & that it is 2 blocks from where I live I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here. The last time we ate here (a few days ago) our waitress was very friendly & personable. That's a + since every other time we go there the waitstaff isn't very friendly but rather cranky.
(3)Marie R.
Breakfast is so yummy!! I would say I am a fan of the food for sure. But I agree with everyone else that the wait staff leaves something to be desired. Go here for the food (breakfast is my only experience) and expect bad service so you won't be disappointed. I had the most amazing breakfast EVER in their Croissant French toast! OMG!!! I could eat that EVERY morning.
(4)Alexis L.
I have been to S&S plenty of times. Each time, the owners have seated my party and I, usually family..always with kindness..They made me feel as though I was their long lost granddaughter, if I was Jewish of course (teehee). But anyways, the food is standard and homey. The hummus plate is a great appetizer, or even an entree in my case. Also, their chicken wings, matzo ball soup and chicken soup are yummy and comforting too. My family celebrated a few anniversaries and Mother's days there, all of which we ordered brunch at..and they turned out delicious. Definitely a family place...relaxed and cozy. Perfect for a quick, relaxing bite before an Indie flick in Kendall Sq.! The only reason I won't give more stars is because I got a dirty mug once..but they replaced it. lol.
(3)Liz L.
Oh man o man! After discovering this yummy yummy yummy restaurant, i was extremely happy. For some reason I have been unable to find restaurants that aren't trendy overpriced ethnic restaurants or cheap greasy restaurants. But this place is AWESOME. Their breakfast is so awesome. They know how to make an omelet. And they know to make some homefry potatos. Waiting to be seated, even when the restaurant isnt full, can take a bit long and I'm not sure why... and also some of the staff isn't as quick with refills or exactly super friendly. But I really dont care... because the food, aroma, cleanliness and selection of food is so great.
(5)Doris K.
We finally decided to try S&S after several years of avoiding the place because I thought that they only served cold sandwiches. I was wrong. This place is great. Their menu is partically 4-5 pages long with breakfast foods, sandwiches, tons of seafood, and other entrees. Their drink prices are so reasonable - $6 for a good glass of wine! The hubby had a roast beef and cheddar cheese sandwich while I had the potato crusted salmon. His was much better than mine. Although mine was fine, it just had a lot more potato than salmon, like a 2:0.5 ratio. The best thing about the entree dinner was the dessert! Amazing red velvet cake! If you don't come from anything else then come for the dessert.
(4)Christine L.
Today was my first time, and I wasn't that impressed. The amount of food was just right (I got the French toast with cream and strawberries, a fruit cup and sausage) but the fruit was warm, the waiter never came over to see how we were doing or refill our water glasses, and service in general was slow. The French toast was yummy but overall, for the price, I'm probably not going to go back.
(2)M M.
We order delivery for lunch meetings. Good food with fast delivery. When you request the paper goods, you usually get a disposable "tablecloth" that really classes up lunchtime.
(4)Jeannie C.
French onion soup, Cobb Salad...you can't find any place better. The art on the outside of the building...the giant poster of the founder...and the whole atmosphere is great. The coffee isn't the best. The wait staff is classic deli. I love the S&S for food that is well prepared; consistent and nourishing in that "taking care of yourself" kind of way.
(5)Julia F.
My last experience was the worst one I've had at S&S. Other than that, I have always loved this place. Total staple in our family for brunches. The wait is always really long. But totally worth it once the food gets to the table.
(3)J N.
I really want to like S&S. It's convenient to get to (even has its own parking lot!), always has seating available, and the food seems like it should be good. But I've been there three times in two months at different times of the day (weekend brunch, weekday lunch, and weekday dinner) and my experiences have all been bad. Servers are always incredibly rude. The bathroom is always dirty. There is no kids menu (who wants to pay $10 for pancakes for a three-year old!?). And maybe I'm ordering the wrong things, but none of the food I've had is good. The last straw for me was this weekend for Saturday brunch. We ordered coffee cake for our table of three to share. It never came, and we didn't see our server for the 25 minutes between the time we ordered, to the time he delivered our entrees, so we never got our coffee cake. The potatoes with my eggs benedict were not just warm or lukewarm, but cold. Gross. My husband had an entree that came with fruit that was about three days past it's prime. And the salmon hash just looked disgusting, not to mention the strange aftertaste. This is the last time we will waste our money here. Like I said, I really want to like this place, but just keep having bad experiences. I know that S&S prides itself on being a family owned and operated, but I think it's probably time to shake it up a bit and consider new management.
(1)Patrick N.
If your craving a trip to the past S&S is the place to go. They are the definition of old school in a good way. Everything is made in house. I try to go for brunch on the weekends as much as possible. The corned beef hash is amazing. All the bread products are freshly baked and they usually arrive warm. I have never left this place hungry as the portions are very large. The wait for a table usually takes less then 10 minutes. Once your seated the service is always friendly and quick. For a blast from the past that will cure a hangover S&S is always a safe bet.
(4)Michael C.
It's a decent deli, but wasn't quite satisfying. If you really want to get your deli experience on, go to Zaftig's in Brookline instead.
(2)Mary R.
Loved the atmosphere, disliked my food. It has the feel of a diner you'd find in NY or NJ, something MA is seriously lacking, but unfortunately the food wasn't that great, although maybe I should have stayed with the basics. I ordered the spinach quiche, which came with a side salad. The salad had way too much dressing, but was otherwise a good size. The quiche was greasy. It just wasn't good. We had the S&S wings as an appetizer, which were good, but not something I'd race back to have again. Maybe I'll try a basic diner meal next time.
(3)Erin B.
I USED to really like this place. But recently, my experiences there haven't been mainly on the "poor" side. The food IS "comforting", and it's still good for Sunday brunch or when you're "recovering" from partying the night before.. As a matter of fact, it was a Sunday ritual for some friends and I for quite some time. Their wait staff are STILL very attentive and friendly. I used to joke that they had their tables bugged or something. :P My main problem, however is that the menu is WAY overpriced for what you receive. If the prices were adjusted, I'd consider going back. That is why S&S has lost a star since my initial review. Otherwise, it's a cozy and relaxed place to eat.
(3)Sarah G.
Ehh...1/2 a star for being so close to my hungover, lazy self on Sundays. Food is not great, but brunch is definitely the best option if you go. Maryann S. is right - if you go expecting a great pastrami on rye a la NY deli, you will be disappointed. My mother came up to visit from L.I. and the tongue and pastrami sandwich was so small ("I can fit all this meat on one slice of rye! Are they kidding me with this sandwich?") and dry that it not only ruined her day, but her entire perception of Boston-area cuisine. I also don't like that their draft beers come in 10 ounce glasses, but cost more than the 12 ounce bottles on the menu. However, if you want to stuff yourself with fat and carbs after a bender, S&S is the place to go. Actually, you can go to Ryles too, as they have the same menu and you can watch the servers wheel carts of bagels across the street from one to the other during brunch. They have the best red velvet cake I've found in the area, and the pieces are huge.
(3)D M.
I am giving the S&S four stars instead of five because the service in the last six months has been hit or miss. I would estimate we go there on average once every two weeks, sometimes with family and sometimes with friends, so the service clearly doesn't bother us that much. I like going to the S&S for the good variety of foods, excellent breakfasts, and bottomless cups of cheap coffee. I would highly recommend any of the omelettes, my favorite being the garden omelette or the brunch omelette, though I get mine bacon free. The portions are huge, so it's good if you go there while you're really hungry. They have good monster sandwiches, and the salads are awesome......definitely more substance to them them most other places, which is good and bad. Nothing on the menu is really light, unless you get a fruit plate. If you're in the mood for breakfast, this is the place to go any time of day. One warning: the bagels are made in the morning, so they do tend to get kinda shitty by the afternoon if you're like me and like breakfast for dinner.
(4)Fionna L.
I see that this place is getting a lot of not-so-good reviews, so let me just say this. I've been coming here since I was a wee one, and yes, some of the food is pretty blah, BUT! The S&S has the best gardenburger I've ever had, and I've had a few.. Also the boneless buffalo wings are amazing, just be prepared to be getting the sauce off your hands and face (and arms??) for hours. The wait on Sunday is hardly worth it so come any other day of the week and you'll be fine.
(4)Jen L.
Good neighborhood place for weekend brunch. What I like: smoked whitefish, Nova omelet, and Eggs Oscar. What I love: cheap brunch drinks (as in, around $6 - not bad) Things I don't like: the latkes are dry, which does somewhat inhibit my enjoyment of Eggs Oscar since that is part of the order but I'm pretty much over it.
(3)jylcat R.
I've been to S&S a few times over the past five years or so, and it's gone seriously downhill. I'd been a few times for brunch maybe 2-5 years ago, and had FANTASTIC salmon hash, and pancakes that were reasonably delicious. I would have given it 3-4 stars in the past, however I went there for dinner one recent Saturday and it was, in a word: HORRIBLE. The food was just okay, not as good as I remembered it. A friend got the matzo soup and that was good. The chicken wings had good sauce but it was weirdly sweet and goopy. I had blueberry pancakes which were just all right., but the syrup was the worst. A very very fake plasticky-tasting syrup a la IHOP. BLECK. The service stood out as the worst. The worst service I've had at S&S... in fact, one of the worst I've had ever. EVER. That's kind of surprising right? I'm not exaggerating. We were seated right next to the bussing station... and every time anyone went to put anything there, they THREW it down, SLAMMING dishes every few minutes about a foot from our heads. And our server... was mean. Just mean. He was obviously overworked and they were understaffed, but jeez. I was afraid to ask him for anything, because when we did ask for something necessary like mustard for the pastrami sandwich or, you know... water.... he would snap "hold on", run to another table, throw some food at them, come back and say "what?". He yelled at the bus boy right in front of us. So rude. We didn't even finish eating, just left halfway through dinner (paid of course, but even the guy at the register was a jerk). I'm really disappointed. This wasn't even kitchy soup-nazi type nastiness, just unpleasant service that made me determined never to come back.
(1)Kevin M.
I've been going here since I was 4 years old, maybe younger... holds lots of nostalgia for me. Their brunch is great, as are their sandwiches/desserts... If you are there for lunch/dinner try the boneless s&S wings... they are amazing!
(4)Bene K.
No matter the time or day, the service and good quality and taste of the food at S&S has always been excellent!! The definitely deserved 5 Stars and hopefully I'll make it over there sooner than later. You can get delicious sandwhiches--lunch -brunch and don't forget Breakfast!! Also, try the drink menu--pretty tasty.!! You will NOT be dissapointed!!!
(5)Wade L.
I've been here a few times now, always for brunch and always on the weekend. Not only have I never waited terribly long, I've never found it as disappointing as other reviewers. One thing is probably that I showed up somewhat early, but I don't think that 9:30 or 10 AM on Sunday is exactly beating the breakfast rush. Still, we didn't wait a minute for our table for 4. The food is consistently good and what sets S & S apart from lesser breakfast places are the following: 1. kickass hollandaise sauce that doesn't use Lemon like a blunt object, bashing in the flavor. 2. equally kickass fresh fruit that doesn't taste like like tin cans like oh-so-many-breakfast joints. 3. cooks who understand that homefries are not supposed to be deep-fried, greasy piles of brown crusty stuff, but actual potatoes that are cooked correctly. I'll keep going to S & S every time I'm in town.
(4)Melissa W.
Great for brunch - chill, local diner/family restaurant feel, but with better acoustics, nice windows, and fab quiche. So-so for dinner. The dinner was overpriced and bland, but not bad. I was impressed with the coleslaw. Not impressed with the avocado puree from a ziploc pouch that passed for "avocado" on my turkey sandwich. In fact the whole sandwich was kinda "ehh". Luckily they serve breakfast all day. I would recommend sticking to that menu.
(3)stacey l.
I like this place, but it's more of a fall back for me. It has great variety and quick service, but I feel like it's too big to have that authentic Jewish Deli feel. It's more like a diner kicked up a notch, and that doesn't warrant the prices they charge for their meals. I've had worse and I've had better...this place is consistently OK.
(3)Jennifer D.
Both stars for the very sweet waitress who served us. People are nice here, but the food is really not good. We are visiting from out of town, and one of my sons said it reminded him of the dining room at my 91 year-old grandma's nursing home. Too true. Bland, boring, really not good food. The only seasoning you could taste in any dish was salt, salt and more salt. Plus quite expensive, given the quality. And they were out of 50% of what we ordered the first time around. My kids didn't even like the desserts here...they had a "chemical" taste like they were made out of a box. It seems this place is a family tradition for many, but if it's not already your family tradition, you can probably skip it.
(2)Kim L.
Breakfast here. AMAZING! If you're here on a weekend, there's gunna be a wait. But it is worth it. I had the BEST quiche Lorraine I've ever eaten. Thinking about it makes my mouth water. The portions are huge, and you can order regular or strawberry mimosas with your brunch....need I say more. I can't wait to go back for dinner sometime. I went back for dinner. Meh. Not bad, but breakfast is by far superior here.
(4)Annie P.
S&S wings S&S matzo ball soup S&S omelettes w/ bagel and cream cheese S&S triple deckers S&S buffalo chicken sandwich S&S iced tea AHHHHHHHH. greatness. perfection of clean diner food. Take some major time out of your schedule though. This isn't a quick paced place even though it seems like it. Sitting at the bar doesnt help either. I do like watching Oprah with the bartender though. haha. This week I had the Corned Beef Hash with Scrambled Eggs (not Poached eggs like on menu) and Havarti on top. It was baked and hearty. Too much food.. but I asked for it right? I like those cut out stickers of neighborhood people on the windows. Sunday morning lines seem never ending.. but it ends... and it's fun to look over the menu with pals and strangers and decide what to get...plus it';s usually worth the wait. Who on earth runs that kitchen? Anybody been in there? I don;t get how they do it so well for so many people.
(4)Stephanie H.
I went here for lunch yesterday, for the first time. I liked the atmosphere for the most part. It was kind of a noisy place and hard to here people you were seated with. Our waitress was attentive and friendly and gave us prompt service. I had the turkey club that came with a pickle spear and a bag of Cape Cod chips. I liked the sandwich, it was huge. The chips were good as was the pickle spear. I left stuffed. My sister ordered the veggie quiche and it was huge and came with fresh fruit (didn't look quite fresh but the touch was nice) and toast and hash browns. Huge portions for a decent price. Mine was 8.95 and hers was 9.95. I would go back for sure. The wait was not as bad as I first thought it would be.
(3)Nicole M.
I don't get the hype. So many of my friends rave about this place and start drooling at the mere mention of it, but I've eaten here a handful of times and still don't get it. I just don't like the food. Nor do I like the atmosphere. It feels like a glorified IHOP with a longer line. There are much better places around here for brunch!
(1)Shiksa H.
You cannot go wrong with any of their sandwiches. It's a decent place with kids and Mac and Cheese is approved by my Six year old who eats same thing wherever we go. But prepare to wait a little since they are busy and parking is a challenge unless the lot is open.
(4)Ro G.
Great food! Big portions. We had the lox and bagel (tons of lox), the potato pancakes (some of the best I've had!) And a vegetarian breakfast sandwich, to go. The atmosphere seems nice though, we'll be dining in soon. Only downside is our iced coffee was a little meh, but thumbs way up otherwise.
(5)Maryn H.
This place is great. It's a laid back deli in Cambridge that serves HUGE portions. A good place to go for brunch on Sunday when you're hungover from the night before. The waitstaff is sassy, but that's what makes this place endearing. Their cobb salad is my favorite. It's comparable to Zaftig's, just without all the flash.
(3)D. C.
I'd give it a 3.5 if there was a choice. I love their half sour pickles!!!! If you want a good family friendly restaurant, this place is it. There's pictures of the "grandma" everywhere, which kinda creeps me out. Their reuben was great and their matzo ball soup was good too. Caesar salad was over dressed, so I'd ask for the dressing on the side next time. I don't know why I ordered pizza one time, but I didn't like the cornmeal crust. It tasted like a frozen pizza, but maybe thats just me. Overall, I like this place and they're open late so thats a big plus.
(4)Liz D.
I've only been here for brunch but it's my favorite brunch place in the area. The omelets are great and they always give you fresh fruit. The service is some times rushed but I've never had them make mistakes. I can never seem to find the restrooms though!
(4)greta C.
I'm surprised this place is still open. Not only because the board of health should close it down, but the food has gone down hill since I started going there ten years ago. Yuck.
(1)Leif H.
A wide selection of food offered in a restaurant with a cozy sprawling floor plan. My date and I tried their hummus appetizer, which was good, portioning was weak however for the $5 dollar price tag. The entrees we both ordered came with two generous plates of salad with warm dill rolls. Our drinks arrived promptly before our meals and our server was attentive yet not over bearing. The prices tend to be a bit steap for what one would normally expect from a deli styled joint; however when you consider that they are located in trendy (pricey) Inman Square it makes sense.
(3)S. C.
I've been there a few times for breakfast. The first time I went there, I expected to pay over $30 for my meal. It was that good. It was even better when I realized I only had to pay about $15. I am a simple person. No matter where I go for breakfast, I would skip the menu and order eggs, sausages, toast, and home fries. I have been to many places and I have to say, S&S is the best.
(5)Aretha B.
I will make this review simple S&S Pros: tuna melt on herbed foccacia with red onion THE COLESLAW ROCKS - seriously good pickles good omeletts eggs benedict fresh OJ S&S WINGS are the best friggin wings I've ever had. So sweet, nice heat... with cool blue cheese and celery. AH! so good... matzoh ball soup decent, pleasant service S&S Cons: only log cabin corn syrup for pancakes, no real maple syrup? wtf kind of new england breakfast restaurant doesn't offer maple syrup? Seriously - that disturbs me. Overall, good restaurant to fill you up. Nothing too fancy or imaginative, but quality ingredients for sure. I like the sesame bagles.
(4)Alicia Y.
Lukewarm = my feelings about S&S, and very possibly the temperature of your drink when it's brought to your table. S&S is a place where my family often winds up when they visit because it's good for seating groups and has a parking lot (albeit a teeny, tiny one), but if I did not keep getting taken there as a part of family outings I would not seek it out on my own. For one, I can never make up my mind about what to order because their menu is absurdly large. I'm all for having options, but I feel like they spread themselves a bit too thin in trying to cover so many different types of food. I also have the problem of wondering if anything I order will be terribly worth eating: the food here is okay, but there's nothing memorable whatsoever about it. I know that I had a burger once... that was fine. The French toast... was fine. The Caesar salad... boringly fine. There's just nothing interesting about it to me. When I find myself thinking, "Hmm, I kind of wish I was at KFC right now, at least I know that chicken has flavor" when I am eating at a sit-down restaurant, something is very wrong, no?
(2)Melissa W.
I love this place! I work across the street and often stop in for lunch at least once a week... my favorite is the turkey club. I had an opportunity to go in for brunch yesterday and had the eggs benedict. It was probably the best benedict I've had in a LONG time! Service was great as well.
(5)Diane D.
I've never been to S&S for anything other than weekend brunch, and let me just say, that for that alone, it is awesome. With several friends living in the Inman area, the S&S is a personal favorite stop for a little weekend pre-shopping or post-hangover eggs florentine and home fries. Esepcially for the price, which really isn't bad. If it were closer to Brighton, I'd probably go more often to sample more from the big menu and try some other things like matzo ball soup. But for now, I'll stick with recommending the breakfast food!
(4)Eric S.
First of all, my opinion may be skewed because of my perceptions of the place when I first ate there (when I was 4 or 5). I've always been sort-of creeped out by the lady that's painted everywhere in the restaurant. The food is nothing to brag about, but it's by no means bad. Everything seems clean and presented nicely. Wait staff-eh...they have been slow or have disappeared, but they always get the job done. Portions sometimes seem below expected size. I'll give them a pat on the back for providing so much space; the place is huge! Parking is confusing...so beware. PS: Pickles are good.
(3)Jessica E.
A very middle of the road breakfast experience. I live in the area, and there is a definite dearth of breakfast options in this area of Cambridge. The restaurant is cavernous and well-staffed. It also has a deli up front where you can grab sandwiches, cake, cookies, deli style stuff. The interior is bland. It reminds me of a Perkins- a Midwest chain of Denny's type places. They could do a lot more to make it more interesting looking, but I don't think that is a priority. The menu on their website has the wrong prices. For breakfast items, everything is $10. Good selection of omelets. Fresh squeezed orange juice. Large plates of food- everything comes with home fries, a chunky bagel, and a fruit bowl. It's a very busy joint, and it is filled with lots and lots of old people. I won't hate too much though, because the food was plentiful, there was no wait, and no item on my plate disappointed me. It just wasn't all new age spices and interesting ingredients or fancy whatever... the kind of stuff we Yelpers tend to O over. But hey, maybe that's okay.
(3)Stefanie G.
My mom loves S and S, so I have to go a lot, but I haven't drunk the proverbial Kool-Aid. The food is solid, but it is a little expensive and I hate the atmosphere. The salmon hash is dry but the regular hash is great. The reuben is also very good. I prefer the atmosphere of my other breakfast haunts, but I don't mind going here with mum on Saturday or Sunday morning, especially if it is early (before 9:30) and there is no wait. Followed by a cappuccino at the 1369.
(3)kyle c.
i came here for breakfast on a saturday morning with a friend of mine. the omelettes were amazing, i got the portobello one, assuming it would just be filled with mushrooms and was pleasantly surprised to find the egg mixed with pesto and filled with not just mushrooms but tomatos, onions and mozzarella cheese. the homefries were great, and they let me substitute an extra fruit cup instead of toast at no extra charge. my friend got a havarti dill omelette, which he said was also delicious. the omelette menu seems pretty innovative, everything looked great. service was average, no qualms with it, and my mimosa was a bit champagne heavy. overall a great breakfast experience, will definitely go there again.
(4)Layla P.
When I met my friend here they said "This DOES look like your kind of place" Why would they say that? Because there's BREAD and they serve breakfast all day. I asked the waitress which of the 3 french toasts (plus another that was on special) was the favorite. She suggested the croissant cinnamon french toast - and it was great! Nice crispy yet moist texture, cinnamon, sugar and butter oozing out of it and warm syrup to drizzle on top. You can substitute their comfy potatoes cooked with onion instead of bacon or ham and it also comes with a little side of fruit. The omelets were also good - no brown-ness on the outside (which I hate!). And they have FRESH squeezed orange juice yum! There's lot of potential here and I must return - for the other french toast dishes, but also for their hummus sandwich, soups and breads. There's take out lunch and dinner too.
(4)Scott M.
I don't understand why this place only gets 3.5 stars average. So it's not a cool decor little brunch spot full of hipsters... so what. You get a table fairly quickly even on very busy days, it has awesome history, classic service and consistently decent food. It is our staple brunch spot. The croissant french toast is amazing, the eggs benedict are good, the poached salmon is delicious as are the homefries. Thumbs up - keep it up for another 90 years.
(5)Tina C.
My regular brunch place. I order Eggs Copenhagen every time (poached eggs, sauteed onions, and smoked salmon on an english muffin) with the hollandaise on the side. Comes with fabulous potatoes (not quite hashbrowns or homefries, better!!) and a cup of fresh fruit. Love it. Been once for dinner and it was o.k. Service varies from waiter to waiter. I've come across a couple who were not good at all, and a few who were just great.
(4)Katie K.
I have only been here once, and all I can say is it's nothing special. The service was OK, not excellent and the food was pretty good but that's all. Nothing spectacular going on here. I heard such great things from friends of mine about this place but it didn't live up to it's ego AT ALL!! Also the wait was really long for the food. Not bad, I'd go back if I was in the area, but wouldn't go out of my way for it.
(2)Gabe M.
Quite a good place to grab some breakfast. Portion's are large, so its good idea to split with someone. Good service and good location at Inman Square.
(4)Joel R.
This place is great any time of day. It is the closest thing I've been able to find that's close to a NY diner or deli. The sandwiches are good and so are the breakfasts. My whole family loves this place...
(4)Larisa A.
What do I do? I eat at the S&S all the time. All the time, you say? Well, okay, a lot. It's close to home so we end up there at least once a week. Sunday or Saturday brunch is a favorite, and if you go there often enough you get a feeling for when the "slow" windows are. No, I'm not going to tell you when they are. Because I love the S&S and I don't want you going there and making it busier. In fact, maybe I should change this to 1 star and say how horrible it was! Yeah, actually, I bet that's what all those other people who gave it one star have done already. They secretly love the S&S as well and are just trying to keep the brunch lines down. But not me. Oh no, I'm too honest for all that. What do I love at the S&S? Omelettes. Corned beef hash & poached eggs (w/ a side of hollandaise for extra heart-attack love). The turkey dinner special (when they have it). Scallops & steak tips. I hear they have sandwiches, too, but I don't go for sandwiches. Why only 4 stars? The food is good & reliable, but I have had one or two omelettes come out a little browner than I'd like. The service is generally terse-but-polite, which is fine since I'd rather not have some obsequious turd take my order anyway. But it would be kind of nice if the servers we get ALL THE TIME would acknowledge that we're regulars. But maybe you need to go there every single day to be considered a "regular". And that might be a bit too much for me.
(4)Melissa B.
Come here for breakfast (it's served all day). I've been coming here for the better part of a decade & have always found their breakfast to be much better than their offerings for lunch or dinner. I grew up on a dairy farm so I know fresh eggs when I see 'em; S & S uses some of the freshest around. It makes all of the difference. They'll cook them however you prefer (poached is my favorite) & you can get them with bacon, ham or sausage. For omelette lovers, they have about 10 different kinds of omelettes with every filling imaginable. The pancakes are great as well (mmmm....blueberries) and their homemade corned beef hash is out of this world (it's certainly not that crap that comes in a can). Every breakfast comes with a bagel & cream cheese & a bowl of fresh fruit. Get it with some of their fresh squeezed OJ, some bottomless cups of coffee or a cappuccino and you've got yourself a fine meal. This is easily one of my favorite spots for breakfast, but be warned, it can be a bit of zoo for Sunday brunch, and the staff can be rough around the edges.
(5)Photon S.
S&S was pleased as punch when 14 of us showed up with practically no notice last night. Their menu is epic, making decision-making quite difficult. However, their strawberry mimosa was fantastic and the latkes are terrific. The food here could generally be a little better, but the triple layer sandwiches, the hummus plates for the vegans, and the various pastramis make this an excellent place to head with a mob or late at night. Bonus points for S&S being one of the few places open late on Sunday.
(4)Beth F.
The story tells it. A family business with good quality comfort food. You either love or hate the S&S. I like to go there and get something that makes me feel good - oh say for instance...french toast or chicken soup. Maybe a salad. The trick is to ignore the bratty kids running around..but it's all part of the deal.
(4)Nick S.
Totally dig this place - on the surface it's nothing special, but taking a look closer it is special - a throwback Jewish style family establishment. Long-time servers are pleasant, my food was great - lox plate (other dishes looked excellent), and you can tell the neighborhood really embraces it - lots of families enjoying themselves, happy people blissfully noshing. I look forward to the next time I can go, and will bring a friend or two to share the experience.
(4)Emma D.
I have no problem with S+S, but I could never figure out why people are obsessed. It's very decent deli food and good for brunch/breakfast. But honestly, it's a place that I usually have a serious craving for. If you want entertainment stop by on a random weekday afternoon. We did and ran into the phantom gourmet and tables full of old folks. The dinner food is definitely geared towards the tastes of the elderly. I encourage you to try it out (especially breakfast food or sandwiches), but for goodness sake don't wait in line or travel vast distances for it!!!
(3)Dottie D.
the s&s is solid. but, i wouldn't say that the s&s is good. i know people love it but i just don't. it's solid and i know i can get a decent omelete here but really, is that worth more than three stars? not in my yelping rubrick! the s&s has an outdated menu. there's nothing new and exciting there. i mean, that's fine and you know you can get some eggs, some bacon, a stack of pancakes, toast, etc. but, there's nothing amazing about the s&s. their food is decent and not too pricey so it's one of those places in my book that you can go and get some fine food that you know is reliable but doesn't thrill you. service is mostly fine... i was there on friday and our waitress was awesome but the kitchen was not. there were only one or two other people in the place but it took forever to get the food and when it did come, the order was wrong. our waitress was very nice about correcting this and when it was right it was fine but that's just it. if i want fine, i can make some eggs at home. anyway- i think the s&s is reliable but for me, that's only worth three stars at most, and one star is for having a decent parking situation (unless you come during the height of rush hour on the weekend and then the parking sucks there, too).
(3)Amy K.
It is generally hard to find a place serving breakfast foods that I can eat. As a vegetarian and one who cannot stand the smell or taste of eggs I am often left ordering a bagel with cream cheese at Au Bon Pain. I dislike most waffles and pancakes (too dry and too sweet). However, here at S&S I can get by looking like every other normal Joe (or Jill), enjoying his or her breakfast without requesting something the cooks have never heard of. That is why S&S gets four stars in my book. And of course because my SO can order some huge egg and meat or fish dish and it makes us both happy.
(4)Christopher W.
Now here is a place that deserves a diamond for food and a star for service. I prefacing anything this way set up for a fairly unpleasant review. When I first moved to the Boston area in the fall of 2000, I resided in Harvard Square. My best friend and I met up every Sunday for brunch to catch up on life. It was GREAT! However, as he now resides in Spain 10 months out of the year and I in North Andover, it has been tough keeping up this tradition. On a wonderful Sunday morning, I revisited a past favorite place to eat Sunday brunch. We met up with a mutual coupled friend of ours to show them a few more places to savor while he's away basking in the sun of Southern Spain for the next 10 months. We were seated rather quickly which I presumed would mean another stellar visit to an old stomping ground of mine. To my dismay, as our party of four were seated, our server, decided to drop our menus on the table and announce she would be back in a minute. Thus began one of the most horrid experiences I have ever had in a restaurant. Although the food was EXCELLENT and the conversation intuitive to the days agenda, our server just couldn't get passed or over that hump. To her defense, she frequented the table and inquired, while moving, if everything was ok, she just couldn't deliver the service which I had grown accustom. In the end she blew the lid off my rather lasses faire attitude by screwing up written directions. Disappointed, I left only a 15% tip and spoke with one of the co-owners about such disturbing service. I assured him that, although I will return (one bad visit won't deter me, my memories are very fond) service such as I received undermines the quality, taste and memories of his establishment.
(1)Von S.
I really like this place and never had a bad meal here. Let me correct that, I've never had a bad brunch or lunch here; couldn't honestly tell you about dinner but I'm sure it's not too shabby. The S&S is a quintessential neighborhood eatery with a good selection of food options, from your typical diner breakfast (steak and eggs) to the normal deli staples (turkey club, rueben sandwiches). It's a place you'd go to if you live around the area (it's too much of a hassle if you have to drive to get here) and don't want to think too much about what to eat on weekend afternoons. Prices are standard ($10-$15), I suppose, but for a cheapskate like myself, it's a bit pricey. The portions and quality, however, are well worth the price. I see the complaints about it not being a real jewish deli--- I don't know why these people expect the S&S to be a beacon of kosherdom --- it doesn't unfairly markets itself as such. To these folks, I ask, "Do you go to Burger King or Dairy Queen expecting to dine with royalties in a robe of ermine and sapphires?" For crying out loud. My favorite dish is the corned beef hash with poached eggs. Love it. The salmon hash with eggs isn't too bad but does anyone out there feel right eating salmon with eggs for brunch? The knockwurst, hot pastrami, and swiss cheese triple decker is a good kind of monstrosity. Pancakes are all delish. Further, they serve nearly every dish with a small ramekin of assorted fruits which helps refresh your palate in between bites. And it goes without saying that I love their strawberry mimosa--drinking champagne in the late morning always makes me feel a bit decadent. Free coffee refills here is a plus too. Get there before noon-- that's when the rest of the neighborhood realizes they don't have to look far to get wholesome heavy tasty brunch food.
(4)Quinn C.
S & S is a delicious treat that I look forward to every time I'm visiting the Boston area. There are tons of cookies and cakes and goodies like that, and a wonderful brunch. Their home fries kind of leave something to be desired, but other than that, I've always left full and smiling.
(3)Jules M.
For the most part, S&S can be a good experience with good food reasonably priced. There's a wide assortment of beer and the hard liquor drinks are decent also. The service time and server attitude, unfortunately, can vary widely. Service is usually slow if it's busy, so I avoid the place during rush times. But even if you go during a slow time, if the wait staff isn't attentive, it can get frustrating because they can disappear and it can be hard to get service. If you go there enough, you'll know which wait staff give the best service.
(4)Jesse M.
I was raised on this food since I grew up 3 blocks from the restaurant. The food is always good, though I seem to order the same thing almost every time I go. The service can leave something to be desired, some of the wait staff are top notch and some are just waiting until their next smoke break, but like a junkie I always return. Great bagels too.
(4)Jim C.
I go there almost every Sunday morning that I am home. The buffet omelet is the best and after eating it you are set for the day. If you haven't gone there, go and prepare for a good experience. You should try the peach belini....Its really good.
(5)Frank S.
This was the worst service experience I have had in a long time. Food was good, but the level of unfriendliness was simply unacceptable. Will never go there again.
(1)Liza H.
Great deli food. Wonderful sandwiches, latkes and breakfasts. Latkes served with sour cream and apple sauce. The service can be slow which breaks my heart when I am starvin marvin
(3)Jeremy S.
Solid breakfast and deli food. Maztoh ball soup is great. They also have fresh OJ and real maple syrup the two hallmarks of any great diner.
(3)Kelly N Z R.
No vegan options, vegetarian options limited to omelettes, pancakes, blintzes (which isn't a bad limitation, I must say). Though it tries to pass itself off as a Jewish deli, it clearly ain't-- they serve meat (including pork) and milk.
(3)Christina and Jaime F.
I had the triple decker turkey and havarti which was excellent, but my friends had brunch...I think next time I'll have the Belgian Waffle. YUM!!!!
(4)jack p.
I try not to write negative reviews, but I just had breakfast at this place, ordered the pumpkin and spice pancakes, and could taste neither pumpkin nor spice. They were spongy and tasteless. On the whole, the food was just extremely generic and not really worth it. Try Mass Ave Restaurant instead. The upside here is that the service was great. Doesn't make a meal though.
(2)Gil G.
Rude waitress. Food took FOREVER, and it was just "eh" when it finally came.
(2)Lalin A.
Had a sunday brunch there. One of the richest American breakfasts you can find in town (for the price)! Had the two eggs-bacon, bagel-cream cheese and coffee. What a good combination. Was overall a satisfying experience.
(4)Kristine M.
I like this place, especially for brunch. Good breakfast, good bagel/lox platter, and yummy knishes. I have to agree though, the people they hire to wait tables there are a bunch of jerks, which is a definitely turn off.
(4)Shine B.
I had a pretty bad time at S&S today. It BOTHERS me that they don't have a kids menu and they don't have any option to get just one pancake for a 2 year old. All of their pancake plates are 9 dollars (which I think is really expensive for Inman Square - we're not on 5th Avenue in NYC mind you) and they only give you three medium sized cakes, so its hard to share. Today I requested a blueberry pancake plate, and asked that one of the pancakes be made "plain". This wasn't possible I was told. Bull sh**. This really makes me mad. They see I have a young child with me and intentially want to 1)rip me off and 2)waste food. They are officially off my list because of this lack of flexibility and respect for my money.
(1)Huan z.
This restrurant deserves no star at all. But I have to pick at least one star other wise Yelp won't let me submit this review. on well. They have terrible service. My friend and I got stomch ache after eatten the irfood and had to use the bathroom after. Will never try there again!
(1)Eric C.
Simply awful. I've been to this place around 5 times over the past 3 years, mostly when I'm with a group of people who want to go. The food and service is consistently bad. Last time I was there, the bagel tasted like one of those plastic wrapped bagels in airline food, the hash browns were like mashed potatoes soaked in grease with some brown food coloring, the omelette tasted like it came from a cheap chain hotel restaurant, and the OJ seemed to be from concentrate. The service was even worse. Our waiter was downright rude. He literally slammed our drinks down on the table, causing them to spill somewhat. Then my girlfriend asked for more syrup and he audibly gasped, made a face, threw his hands up and walked away without saying a word. After that, he proceeded to get into an argument with the busboys about the tip left by the people at the table next to us. My guess is this place was good 70 years ago, and current owners are riding on that name.
(1)Ani G.
This place is pretty mediocre. It has 2 things going for it: an extensive menu (so if you have a large and picky party, probably everyone will find SOMETHING that they will eat) and free parking. The food is okay, but not stellar, and not cheap either, for what you get. I've been here several times for weekend brunch and have been consistently underwhelmed. The service is pretty inattentive. Do not expect to get drink refills (or your check, for that matter) unless you flag someone down.
(2)Mags L.
s&s or zaftigs? i'm always confused about which place people are talking about because they're pretty much the same place to me. one is north of the river, one is south. my sentiment for both are the same. breakfast is pretty good. lunch - whatevs. not good, not bad.
(3)Paul M.
This review comes with a caveat. The 4 stars I gave this place rate it in comparison to other Boston area delis. On its own this is a strong 3 star, but its not fair to compare a deli to restaurant. The wait is long, expect to wait in line for at least 15min on sunday. If you like a HUGE brunch on the cheap side this is the place. I have never been able to finish my plate. You get a bagel(really damn big bagel) with cream cheese, fruit and homefries as a side with brunch. The food is definitely on the heavy side.
(4)Katy T.
It's not gourmet food, but it most certainly is comfort food. I really like their varied menu, although the smell of fried fish can be a bit nauseating. The air conditioning in the summer can be very overpowering to the point of visible shivering, but it's what it is. We love the cheese blintzes, the ruben, the corned beef, and the french onion soup. It's the perfect place to go for comfort food!
(3)Netta L.
Yeah, the food is mostly good. How hard is service with a smile? The people here are consistently rude. RUDE! We go because it's the easiest place to park and the kids are always happy to have a bagel or $9.00 pancakes (note to S & S: a children's menu with smaller portions would be appreciated)
(2)Stephanie ..
Potato pancakes and waitresses that call you "sweetie" and "hun".
(4)ELLIS D.
Sadly in order to rate a restaurant you have to give it a star. S & S doesn't deserve one from my experience. We had the waitress from hell she was just down right nasty. We were a table of 7 and were treated as if we were a bus load of little old ladies sitting down for hot water and lemon. I don't think I have ever disliked a server as much as her. No one enjoyed the food. Having traveled all night the night before I wasn't into a big breakfast so I had the fruit and a bagel and cream cheese. Sarah Lee makes better bagels and my honey dew and cantaloupe couldn't have tasted more Green. Plain ole disgusting.The worst was the cream cheese, slathered in a plastic cup with brown streaks in it. When I asked for another she gave plenty of attitude and brought over another brown streaked cream cheese. I warn you all do not visit S&S unless it is to use their toilet!
(1)Laura E.
Used to go to S&S when I lived in Inman Sq years ago. I am glad I stopped going. Went yesterday for a late lunch and was disappointed from the minute we walked in. No one greeted us and we waited patiently at the sign that says PLEASE WAIT TO BE SEATED. I finally went to the cash register and was told to go back and wait. Got seated, viewed the menu and ordered. I'd ordered a Ruben, but with a Gardenburger rather than meat. About 20 minutes later the server came over and said they didn't have any more Gardenburger's left. So, I told him use a Potato Pancake (it is delicious that way) instead. He looked at me and said, "EWw. Weird." I certainly don't go out to eat to be judged. The kicker of all this... the entire time we were there - they were vacuuming the rug while people were eating. It was gross and really annoying. I complained to the manager and he really didn't seem to care. It was pathetic and disgusting.
(1)courtney d.
Ive come here so many times at a ridiculously late hour looking for french toast. I love all of their food, but the fact that they serve specific breakfast items at meal times other than (breakfast) completely earns my patronage. The sandwiches are always good and I know some that swear by their seafood. The service has always been great and while you wait, you can look at the ancient menus on the wall from when they first opened and omelettes were like a quarter.
(4)Steve N.
the manager waved me off my intended purchase of the whole smoked whitefish in the case. he told me to come back tomorrow for a fresh one. i did, and it was.
(3)Daphne M.
I have made quite a few trips to S&S, and while it's not your classic New York-style Jewish deli that I'd been hoping it was, it's still pretty damn good. The cheese blintzes are enough to make me come back time and again - they are out of this world delicious! It's all very homey and satisfying food, and I guess I haven't found much of that in Boston, so it's worth the price to me, even though it isn't cheap. The potato knish, coffee cake, and egg salad (my other favorites) are all delicious as well. I definitely need to try the french toast! I haven't been wild about their bagels, but I think it's not that they're poorly made, but that I always come there late in the afternoon when they're just not fresh enough anymore. The place is frequently packed and the service could be a little more efficient, but I still enjoy it quite a lot.
(4)Chris B.
In my opinion, S&S has always been a standard brunch place to fall back on even though it can be a bit of an annoying commute to get there from Charlestown (slow drivers on broadway, etc...). The food has always been consistently good and while the bartender during brunch is abrupt and less pleasant than i would like on a Sunday morning, i would return at least 2-3 times a month. Today was the last time i will see the S&S Deli. I finally let the rudeness get on my nerves and i won't be returning. It's too bad, really, because i am a polite, patient, and understanding patron of bars and restaurants. I've worked as a bartender and waiter, and have probably held every job a restaurant has to offer so i get the stress and i show my appreciation by tipping well. I've always noticed, however, that the good servers/bartenders understand that a pleasant demeanor even under the most stressful of circumstances will 9 times out of 10 earn a better than 18-20% tip. This morning after sitting at the bar for 15 minutes with my wife and trying to get the bartender's attention by asking for water and coffees (not shouting it out, mind you, just trying to take advantage of her being at my end of a full bar) with a "excuse me", "may we have" and "please" i was snapped at rudely with a "it's really busy" in a tone suggesting i should have noticed. Then she slams two waters onto the bar, slowly walks to get the coffee pot and one mug (which wasn't even for my wife or me!) fills everyone's coffees and provides a nice hot cup to the person next to me. I'm all set...needless to say, we left. My only other option was to sit through the attitude, have it take forever to get meals, and leave angrier than i was without leaving a tip (which i have never done). Goodbye S&S! The great restaurants flourish because the food is good but the service is great even when they are at their busiest...not sure what your secret is but the latter of the two is missing.
(1)Nic S.
Why is this place not 5 stars? I've been coming here for 2 and a half years. Its so good I keep coming back. Its my default place to go when I want to go out and not cook. The Chicken Florentine is the best chicken sandwich I've ever had. Its $10 bucks, and it worth it. Their French Onion Soup is about $5.50, and it is also the best I've ever had. The wait staff is surly, but that just adds to the charm. Its a wonderful place. Its a wood-paneled Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, only without the magic/tubes. Dessert is also really good! Mud Pie is about $5 bucks, and is fantastic.
(5)Karina B.
I cannot get enough of this place!!!! The food is so amazing and homey not to mention all the portion sizes are HUGE. The service is always spectacular. I recommend any of omelets for brunch they come with fruit salad, home fries, and a bagel ( I always get the lox spread), I've also had the nova scotia pizza here, the salads, and the chicken sandwich and I can't begin to tell you how great all of it is! The place is huge but also gets packed especially during brunch hours! I love this place so much though and always try to bring anyone there!
(5)Caitlin B.
Food is so-so; always have a hard time deciding what to settle on. Service is so-so; with exception to Gretchen, who is an absolute gem. I only return because of a relative that insists on dining here when we go out to eat. My main qualm with S&S is that the dining room and bar area are pretty filthy. I've seen a mouse in the dining room more than once, and the gnat/fruit fly situation is absolutely disgusting. Don't believe me? Check out the wall at the end of the bar. There are so many flies stuck to the wallpaper that it's become some kind off weird fly cemetery. I had to touch the wall to make sure that it wasn't just sticky fly-paper disguised as wallpaper. There's a lot of competition in Inman Square and surrounding communities. S&S can get on par with other establishments in the area if they improve the quality of the food (fresh not frozen), change-up the dinner menu, and take better care to maintain cleanliness.
(3)Kim G.
You WANT this place to be great - But its not. It's adequate. It's ok. It's... FOOD. But it is NOT great. If you want great - The Neighborhood is 5/10 minutes away (in Somerville) Zaftigs in Brookline Deluxe Town Diner in Watertown All 3 are TERRIFIC!!! The last time I gave S&S a shot was last week. Wanted to order a piece of quiche to go from the counter. Even though the girl working there SAW ME, she continued talking to her other employee friend until I had to interrupt and ask if I could order. Then, because I am assuming she was so engaged (still) in her private conversation I realized when I got home she gave me the wrong kind and I had to drive ALL THE WAY BACK. To add insult to injury, when I finally got to eat it, it was hard as a ROCK on top. I mean, it got a little softer after a microwaved the crap out of it but before that I literally could NOT stick a plastic fork in it. Solid. (Weird, right?) The other thing that I don't (other than the fact that the food is just ok) is that there is no kids menu. I mean, really? You want me to order my toddlers a $16.95 entree for dinner? No thanks.
(2)Al N.
Pro: this place has its own parking lot. Well known in this area for breakfast. Con: I think it is a little overrated. Breakfast is a little overpriced even though coffee is free.
(3)Yvonne P.
I'm a Boston native who moved to New York years ago but this is still my favorite place for wings! The sauce they use is perfect! This review is overdue but S&S will always be my go to for lunch in Cambridge. The pastrami sandwich is also a must have!
(5)Mike B.
Went for breakfast. The food was good but the service was horrible. The waiter seemed surprised that we gave a normal tip. Go in with low expectations for service and you'll be fine.
(3)Stephen C.
Excellent sandwiches. Been there forever! Just good old fashioned comfort food. Recommended for anyone who loves those deli delights!
(4)Chi B.
Great spot. Looks like they've been here for ages. Great breakfast menu. Very friendly and good service. I sat inside but looks like they have outdoor seating as well.
(5)Neary D.
I just completed brunch with my family and we were looking forward to a nice experience for my sisters birthday. Instead we had a waitress (Melissa - thin blonde hair) that was rude and had a bad attitude. To set the context of this email : - we were a table of 12 (8 adults and 4 toddlers) - the toddlers were moving the sugar packets from one container to another pretending that they were tickets Melissa upon seeing this stated to our faces in a very rude tone "Now I can't use the sugars and have to restock them". 4 of the adults at the table have worked in the food and beverage industry. Rule #1: don't make these types of comments in front of the customer. She then proceeded to complain about us within earshot of us to her co-workers. Rule #2: don't complain about the customers where the customers can hear you. My sister in law and I after paying the check went to voice our dissatisfaction with the service to the manager. The manager was very frazzled and busy and while she listened to us, I'm not sure she actually heard us. Rule #3: pretend to listen and hear the customer while they are voicing their concerns. What is truly sad about the whole experience is that the food is good and we were having a good time with our family and because our waitress was sour and rude during our whole dining experience we will never return and will never recommend your establishment to anyone. We will actually discourage our friends from it since we all have toddlers. I don't know if this message will get any responses back from anyone but we feel better that we are posting this message because hopefully this will help make someone else's experience who have toddlers better than ours.
(1)Richard H.
This place is huge, everything on the breakfast menu seems to come with a bagel, and despite plenty of other brunch options in the area, S & S checks all of the boxes of a decent diner with historical charm. I plan to return for lunch to try the widely-lauded pastrami sandwich. The wait system for a table is confusing, with no list, just some finger pointing around the room "two - three - group of six - another two" and all of your party must be present to be seated. On a Saturday morning, we were seated right away and promptly served ice water. As with most diners, there was a bottomless cup of coffee, though it took a few waves to get a refill. I ordered the "Brunch Omelette" - a special of bacon, spinach, Monterrey jack cheese, tomato, and pesto. The pesto was blended into the eggs, a nice touch. It was served with not-too-greasy home fries, a bagel with cream cheese, and a cup of fruit. Overall, a good, satisfying breakfast, especially to catch up with a friend. Service was satisfactory and our plates arrived quickly - though they should definitely have someone running around and topping off coffees. I'll be back to try the pastrami!
(3)Dennis M.
There catering manager is a heartless joke. While trying to formalize a post funeral reception, I was laughed at and told it was going to be a drunk fest. For whatever reason this pub considers themselves the only show in town. Let's be clear, this gum snapping, Flo wannabe new the reason for our inquiry, yet lacked any compassion. Any business done here would be a direct slap in the face to any Military Veteran, Father, Husband and dedicated public servant. AVOID AVOID AVOID
(1)David C.
The service is a joke, the food is over priced, the food is mediocre, and small portioned. All 5 people in my party were unhappy with our meals--mine in particular (the $17 ribs) came with 6 small pieces and only celery as a side. There are 10 better restaurants in a 2 block radius. DO NOT COME HERE, SAVE YOUR MONEY.
(1)Melissa B.
I was looking for a hearty dinner salad and the Chicken Salad Bowl hit the spot. The salad is pretty large and it comes with both crispy pitas, which I love, and a regular pita. The veggies were all very fresh and crisp. What really sold me was how delicious the chicken salad was. It is made in house with thick chunks of chicken. I already know I will be craving that plate again soon.
(5)Gilbert L.
The ingredients used make this place taste amazing!
(4)Monica T.
Good food and so many options!!! My quiche was overly full of cheese. Diner style atmosphere. My sister said The potatoes are awesome!! I stopped by and picked up some cake slices for my birthday and they were deliciousssss!
(4)Matt A.
Awful service, incompetent at takeout and generally unpleasant. Gave them a few chances and it's not worth it.
(1)David F.
If you ever get takeout here you MUST check it before you pay. I ordered a sandwich. They didn't toast the bread as I had ordered. The didn't switch the lethal French fries for coleslaw as I had ordered. The food was average at best. For these prices I expected more meat on the club sandwich.
(2)Butch M.
I HAVE BEEN GOING TO THE S&S SINCE 1977. NEVER AGAIN! At 8 AM last Mother's Day, while this restaurant was almost completely empty, the woman in charge, sitting on her very ample posterior, had a whole line of people lined up in the Deli section and refused them seats "until their other parties arrived". One of those in line was an elderly and apparently arthritic woman. REASON: "we have a lot of people coming in today, different rules for Mother's Day." Well, all those other people were not there, almost no one was being served, and nearly everyone was standing uncomfortably in line because of this chickens**t rule - that had nothing to do with the actual situation in that empty restaurant. The laughing, arrogant, and self-satisfied attitude of the woman enforcing this rule said everything. IT IS CERTAINLY NO LONGER ABOUT THE CUSTOMERS AT THE S&S. I LEFT. THAT WILL BE MY LAST VISIT TO THE S&S AFTER NEARLY 40 YEARS. I went elsewhere for brunch in Cambridge and was completely happy with the setting for a meeting with an old friend. No need to put up with insufferable attitudes.
(1)Adrienne B.
When I was a kid, we used to eat here all the time, and I only remember loving it. I recently returned as an adult and wasn't that impressed. I haven't had anything but brunch here- which is a pretty good- but not amazing. I got catering from S&S to my workplace last year for a party and it ws pretty good too- but I just can't give it more than 3 stars because I don't ever find myself yearning to go. Since its a classic I would say try it- but you might not return.
(3)Thomas M.
This place is pretty good, wide variety of menu choices, breakfast all day, bottles of wine that won't kill your wallet, etc...French fries and pickles are wicked good. Service is okay, food comes out fast.
(3)J Q.
Everyone has a bad day- but this waitress was having a REALLY bad day. The overall service was poor, at best. Not one of the staff seemed friendly or even happy to be there. That says something to me. As for the food- mediocre to poor. The eggs Benedict were runny and not cooked properly. I actually left feeling like it may have unsettled my stomach. In all fairness, after having eggs Benedict at Masa on Tremont, it is hard to go anywhere else. Despite the comparison- these were just bad. If all you want are large portions, this place is for you, but if you want good service, and quality food- don't waste your money or time at S & S Deli. The people who speak highly of this place are not interested in the food; they like that it has been a part of the community for so long. My feeling is- it is time for S&S to do a better job or move on so a new quality place can move in.
(1)Elvis K.
My favorite place to have a great breakfast! Food is fresh, hearty and has lots of flavor. The French Eggs are my favorite, home fries are tasty - along with other items on the menu. Place can get a little dirty - people wait an hour or more for a seat, so turn over and time to clean up after customers seems lax. MOST servers are friendly, attentive and quick. Cost of the food is on the higher end, but I think worth the $. I always make an effort to stop by here when visiting the Bay State.
(4)Lauren H.
I've always thought that Boston was severely lacking in delis. The New York City kind. This place comes close. I went for Sunday brunch, and the place was packed, so be ready to wait, but not for too terribly long. They have a fairly comprehensive brunch menu, lots of great Jewish delicatessen fare (lox, bagels, corned beef, etc), coffee, and even a bar. The food was pretty good. Not too fancy, but tasty. What I liked most was the dessert case full of pies and cakes--just like an NYC diner.
(3)Jeanette D.
A friend who lived here 8 years ago requested a brunch meet-up at S&S in Inman Square. I was admittedly curious about this place due to their ownership of 2 parking lots! Parking was a breeze, and our wait was relatively short... but the dining experience fell a bit flat. The service: Our waitress was nice, friendly with a touch of sass. Unfortunately, she had a booger hanging from her nose for the duration of the meal. My boyfriend was absolutely terrified that it would end up in his beer. Eww. The menu: A bit overwhelming. At the time we dined, it was brunch and lunch, so we had over 8 pages of options at our fingertips. I can see how this can be a good thing, but it actually turned us off. Also, we ended up feeling like some of the descriptions were misleading, such as the peach-granola pancakes... Sounds awesome, but it's actually regular pancakes with some canned peach slices and a scoop of granola served over-top. Eh. The food: Besides not quite fitting the description the food was okay. I had croissant French toast, which sounded amazing, but they fell prey to the too eggy French toast tendency. The home fries were tasty and seasoned just right and they did serve a nice fruit mixture on the side of breakfast dishes. Bottom line: I'd rather do Zaftigs for this type of feel. I wonder how S&S does as well as it does and keeps those parking lots filled???
(2)Jason A.
My first thought as I stepped into this place. Why did I wait so long to come here?!?! I was instantly transported to that foodie heaven Pike's Market in Seattle. I loved the menu's variety and all the fresh seafood! It took me longer to decide on what to eat than to actually eat it. First off, the clam chowder is phenomenal!!! Can I say that again? Phe-nom-enal! I'm picky about clam chowder so I tend to avoid but this time around. I was glad I didn't. It was thick, chunky tasty goodness. I don't even like sourdough but I ate some of the bread bowl because it was soaked with chowder. Chowdah! My friends and I even got unintentional entertainment by this local singer with the propensity for loud music. I'll have to give him credit for his music taste but dang, I like to have a conversation with my friends not mime to them. Food was fresh and cooked well. Service was quick. Prices were reasonable. The perfect dinning experience! Now where's my lobster tail.......
(5)Purvi R.
Gosh, I really wish I could just find one place that makes really good eggs. Is that too much to ask of a place reputed for its brunch? I guess it was too much to ask of S&S. This place does not make good eggs. In fact it makes really bad eggs. So overcooked that the bf had to send his back (and he is the least complainy person about food...ever), and I even considered sending mine back but didn't in an effort to just get the hell out of there so I didn't have to keep staring at my plate of rubber. The pickles are good though! errr.... note: Service was nice, and fast. Lots of families with cute babies to distract you from your bad food.
(2)Matheus C.
I have a little rule of thumb when it comes to dining. If your waitor or waitress is old enough to collect social security, you're pesos would be better spent elsewhere. The exception of course being a diner. Geriatric waitstaff thrive in trailor-like atmospheres, with there being no stairs and shorter kitchen-to-table distances. I could go on and on about why I've adopted this little eating maxim, but just take my word for it. S&S is wall-to-wall with waitors and waitresses with names like Dick, Helen, and Phyllis. And inconsequently, the service is what brings this place down. For whatever reason, my Dad loves this place so I've been dragged here enough times to notice that the service sucking isn't an isolated incident, but a pattern. For instance, we had this waitor one time that messed up a breakfast side. He was a sketchy looking old man. I concluded that he must have been a cat-burglar or some kind of deceptive airline steward that stole luggage or something because he had an olive-oil voice and thin moustache. So he brought us a bagel instead of toast. No biggie. But when we brought it to his attention he took the bagel back and brought back an English muffin. Then we never saw him again. Another time I went with the old man, we had some warship waitress named Sandy or Barb or something who used to fight bears for sporting purposes. We ordered some buffalo wings and chatted about who would inheret Uncle Oscar's shaving cream factory. You see in his will, he divided the company up 50/50 between me and my brother. However, my brother is a reckless business man, and both me and my father agreed he could destroy the worth of the shaving company with his precarious business habits. We concluded the best way to ensure the profitability of the company remains stable is for him to sign over his share of the company and we would have to enduce such an act by infiltrating his dreams. In any event, by the time we wrapped this conversation up, we were being served our entrees. My dad asked where the buffalo wings were and the waitress responded by saying we didn't order any. I claimed we did, and she apologized but insisted that we didn't. Well, fine, whatever lady. I've got bigger things to worry about like business settlements, but this is a nuisance. There are some really good things about S&S. The deli meat is superb, and they have good chocolate cake. Also, to my knowledge, there has never been a murder-suicide there which is also comforting. And its not like I would kick and scream if someone suggests we grab some stomach fuel there. The food isn't bad, but it certainly isn't good enough to offset the service. So if you're like me, and are annoyed by poor service, you may want to find another spot to discuss business ventures over brunch.
(2)Michael G.
Hey again! Yup, this is a great stand-by. Decent omelets, decent home fries. Good bagels and cream cheese - the chive is particularly good. Good onion soup - though they don't always cook the cheese enough. There's almost always space to sit - though the booths are a bit small. I mean, I'm a big guy - over 6 feet tall, but they are still a bit tight. Parking is usually pretty easy. The staff is efficient and friendly, but not obnoxiously friendly. The bakery section is good. The white-chocolate Florentine cookies are dynamite. A little sweeter than I usually go for, but delicious. They butterscotch cookie is great, too. I'm not a big chocolate fan, but my best friend loves their chocolate cookies - particularly the pecan cookie with the chocolate dollop on top. Try the salmon club if you like salmon and brie. It's oddly delicious. And they have nice, dry tuna. I hate drippy wet tuna, and this stuff fits the bill. Great on a bagle with red onion and lettuce. Mmmm. Oh! And they have those crispy french fries with the reconstituted potato on the outside. They're my favorite kind of chain-food french fry. YUM! Enjoy!
(4)Wayne W.
You call this a deli? It's okay for a sandwich if you're desperate, and nothing else is open, but Katz's it ain't. The long lines jamming the sidewalk outside on Sunday mornings never fail to make me shake my head in disbelief. Oh, yeah -- the half-sours are okay.
(2)Amanda L.
It's no secret that Boston and the surrounding neighborhoods are no NYC when it comes to two things: Delis and bagels. Having not enjoyed the pleasure of NYC bagels (those frozen ones that you can get at the grocery store don't count) and their fine delis, I have to settle for S&S. Located on the fairly busy section of Cambridge St. in Inman square, S&S is a better option than All Star Sandwich bar, in my opinion. Slightly less expensive and with a lot more options, S&S is a comfort when you want a good ol' sandwich without the oh-so-hip-I'm-better-than-you vibe that you can get at All Star. Their regular run of the mill sandwiches are fairly cheap (around $5.00) and they come with a sour pickle. For a few more dollars you can get a specialty sandwich for around $10.00 which does seem like a lot, but you get a bag of chips, a sour pickle and some coleslaw. The handful of times that I have been here have not been disappointing. I've only gotten take-out so I can't tell you much about the service, but the take out counter have always been pleasant. My sandwiches always taste fresh and they are actually pretty big which make them worth the sometimes higher pricing. I've not tried the knishes or the potato pancakes, but they display the knishes in a display case, so there is a chance they are not as fresh as they could be. The sour pickles taste too cucumbery to me, but they are nice and crunchy, which is a plus. I also enjoy their coleslaw, which has a slight vinegary taste to is, and it isn't loaded with tons of mayo like so many other slaws. While certainly not the best restaurant on the block, S&S serves its purpose. I assume if a native NYCer comes in here he or she will be sorely saddened, for I can tell it does not hold up to some of the Jewish deli's in NYC. But for good ol' Somerville, it'll have to do.
(3)Aditya M.
The food is always good, but the service is horrible everytime... It feels like I'm bothering them when I come into the place..
(3)Elizabeth P.
S&S is your old-fashioned Jewish deli (it's been around since the end of World War I!), and they seem to be doing a pretty good job of keeping things authentic. We came for brunch last weekend, and thought that everything was solidly good, with the exception of the service. Ambiance: The interior is perfectly acceptable, if nothing to really write home about. Essentially, it feels like an old Jewish deli should: a bit dated inside, but clean, with lots of memorabilia about the history of the place on the walls. The history student in me appreciated this touch--it was fun to see the old menus, photos, and statistics about how many eggs and cups of coffee S&S has served since it's been in operation! Service: Our server was clearly competent and experienced, but was managing way too many tables. My food was accidentally served to another table, which meant that by the time it arrived it was lukewarm and everyone else at my table had been hungrily staring at their plates for several minutes. In addition, there was a bit too much multi-tasking: our waitress took our orders as she was clearing a table to one side of ours and then took the orders of the table on the other side of ours as she was delivering our food. I understand that the restaurant is busy on weekends, but it really seemed like they could use another server or two. Menu: The food was tasty. As you'd expect, the brunch and lunch menus are quite large and consist of everything from omelets, quiches, pancakes, and french toast to steak, fish & chips, burgers, wraps, and sandwiches. There's something for everyone, and a nice mix of traditional options (chopped liver, lox on a bagel, smoked whitefish, pastrami, etc.) and more creative dishes (particularly when it comes to the daily specials). Food: After being highly tempted by the bagel & lox, I ordered the English omelet (cheddar, bacon, onions, and tomatoes), which I liked, but didn't love. I would have liked to have had some more cheese in the omelet, and in retrospect, a lot of the other dishes on the menu sound much more intriguing. There's always next time, I suppose! I preferred my bf's dish, the Quiche Lorraine. The crust was a bit too thick, but the quiche was nonetheless delicious: the bacon was crispier than the bacon in my omelet and there was plenty of cheddar. Both of our dishes came with a fruit cup of actual fresh fruit, tasty not-greasy home fries, and the option of bagel or toast (go for the bagel... it's a pretty good one!). My other dining companion ordered the Cobb Salad, which he proclaimed tasty, although it was so big, he ended up being a bit overwhelmed by it! That's definitely a trend here. Based on what we ordered and what I saw coming out of the kitchen for other tables, I'd describe the portions as very generous.
(3)Brandon V.
I've been going to the S&S for almost a decade and have always loved it. It's a constant, consistent staple of living in Cambridge. It's convenient location near Inman Square makes it a great spot to meet people that isn't near the much busier Central or Haravard Squares for lunch. Creative and edgy they are not, but this is what makes it a plus. You can always count on them to deliver for you. Their Buffalo wings are some of the best in the Boston area. If you want to know what wings actually taste like in Buffalo, this is a good example. A nice surprise. They have a HUGE menu and you can order most any deli item from it. They have the usual daily specials as well. Their ingredients are usually fresh. Prepare to wait in line for brunch on the weekend, but they do have nice, late brunch hours. The staff is gruff, but they generally do a good job and I have come to appreciate their no nonsense approach to the job.
(4)Tarah H.
S&S is one of those places I wanted to love. Kosher style right around the corner from the man's new digs? Matzo ball soup at my beck and call along side knishes, lox and pickles? Oy gavelt it would have made my heart plotz. Unfortunately, the matzo balls are grainy, the soup too salty, the latkes too crispy, the rest of the food mediocre and the staff - odd at best. I once requested a potato knish and was met with "you don't want the beef?" Did the waitress just.... yes. she just questioned my order. She then proceeded to not bring my soup and a few other things that made me wonder if I was not her favorite customer at the table. Sure I'll go back when I want comfort food and want it near by. But I'll still schlep to Brookline for any real cravings for the good stuff.
(3)Laura G.
Coming to Boston I realized I was going to have to do a lot of things (i.e. heavy lifting) myself since I was leaving my loving father and two brothers at home back in the Nati. Somehow I managed to scrap up a couple awesome guy friends since I've been up here that I just had to treat to lunch after they spent four hours moving a new bed and TV into my apartment for me. As soon as I saw this place I had visions of Crackle Barrel and Bob Evans dancing in my head, so clearly we had to dine here. I treated the boys and myself to beer, my Blue Moon was ice cold and served with an orange. I settled on the salmon kabobs for lunch, hoping the servings would be ridiculously big. Boy, was I right! I'm that girl who always cleans her plate completely and I couldn't get through it! The salmon and vegetables were grilled like my mom would do (huge plus) and the rice was really good as well. Instead of coleslaw I was able to substitute for the veggie of the day, corn on the cob. My friends enjoyed their food as well. Cheesecake was the finishing touch and I went into a food coma about 20 minutes later. My country bumpkin parents would love this place!
(4)Hubert H.
I just had some takeout tea and bagels here a while back, in the middle of being in a rush. The service was quick and I got what I needed in fair time. Will try to sit down next time.
(4)Patricia L.
Quick late lunch yesterday: Service was fast, wines are reasonably priced, a few appetizers were satisfying and yummy, but... a potato knish should never, ever, be reheated in the microwave, that's simply a capital sin; and they are guilty!
(3)Scott B.
I have been a fan of S&S since I was a little kid. My friends and I needed a good breakfast to start New Years day before heading to the Winter Classic at Fenway. So we decided on the best there is. We got there and got to our seats and ordered a round of Strawberry Mimosa's. MAN were they delicious. I had the french toast which was phenomenal as always. The bacon was cooked perfectly and how can you go wrong with a cup of fresh fruit to round it all off. S&S is a great start to any day. Especially with friends.
(5)Maxim L.
DISCLAIMER: My two-star review is based on a particularly bad experience I had with service. Based on the food alone, I would give S&S four stars for good (albeit inconsistent), old fashioned, diner style favorites. Why two stars, then? At the end of my meal, which cost approximately $14, I paid the waitress with a fifty dollar bill. This is very unusual because I almost never carry anything greater than twenties. I had just spent two weeks working in Bangor, Maine, which doesn't have a branch of citizens bank, my only bank. This forced me to cash my paycheck at Walmart and either collect a few fifties, or have a wallet bursting with cash. I chose fifties, so now I was unloading one of the last ones on my S&S waitress. As a former cashier and waiter, I had the good sense to say "fifty dollars" as I paid her and confirm one last time that it was indeed a gold colored fifty dollar bill. Two minutes later the waitress comes back with six dollars change and immediately walks away. I call her back again and remind her that I paid fifty dollars. She immediately agrees and walks over to the cashier and spends two minutes talking to him while I start to get really pissed off. She comes back and tells me that the cashier insists i paid twenty. I storm over there and threaten to call the police. He grins at me and shows me that there are no fifties in the register as proof that I'm nuts. Long story, short, I blew my top and the waitress talked to the manager, who ordered the cashier to give me proper change. Since the manager had the good sense to trust me over that snake at the register I continue to eat at S&S today. Just be careful with your money and pay with small bills or credit. This is a very high volume business with no camera over the register (!), so it's easy to make your money disappear if you are not paying very close attention.
(2)Ryan S.
My hamburger was boiled, the last time I had that was in my middle school cafeteria. Gross.
(2)Jenna P.
Brunch is really good and a good price. Bloody Mary's are very good and cheap ($5.95).
(4)Kate S.
If you are looking for food in Inman at 11 PM on Tuesday, go here. Otherwise, eh. This place is really very so-so. Sandwiches are okay, nothing to write home about. Most of their salads are of the old-school iceberg lettuce type. Their bagels are a disgrace to the Jewish deli tradition. All in all, not that impressive with the one exception of their matzoh ball soup which is pretty darn tasty.
(3)Melanie M.
I cannot state how much I enjoy S and S enough! They have excellent food and excellent customer service! The salads are delicious as well as most everything else on the menu. They can get crowded on the weekends because of their yummy breakfasts but there are usually seats at the decent sized bar! The desserts are worth a try as well!
(4)claudia g.
This place is really not so good. The service sucks (it takes forever and they are not very nice here), the food is was below average for a deli. This is definitely not New York (or Boca Raton, for that matter). I can't imagine how it has stayed open for so long. Then again, I don't know of many other delis in Boston/Cambridge. (Really, only Zaftig's in Brookline comes to mind, but that's kind of far and still not great.) The food is also pretty expensive especially considering the really mediocre quality. It also feels more like a big chain than an independent deli in here. I try to avoid coming here other than for a dozen bagles even though I live a few blocks away.
(2)Laura M.
The S & S is so yummy. My friends took me here one night and now we always go. They have the best boneless S&S wings defiantly recommend those for an appetizer. Its defiantly not a fancy place, but its comfortable. It almost has a diner feel to me, but it is so much bigger. Enjoy!
(5)Khalid S.
Been there couple times. First time was for breakfast which was delicious and filling. I had the Garden omelet which came with fruits and bagel. Very nice breakfast for a reasonable price. And today I had their cheesecake which was great as well.
(3)Michael L.
i just moved to the area. I really like S and S. You can get pretty good good for a pretty reasonable price and its good. I have the salmon and it's awesome!! only 12 bucks or so!!
(4)Carrie S.
After coming in on a red-eye, I got a take-out sandwich and a cup of soup, the turkey, ham and cheese triple decker on light rye and the chicken noodle. Highlights: Friendly, quick service for takeout, cucumber-y pickle still with enough vinegar to cut through the mayo, GREAT coleslaw and I'm not usually a big cabbage person, decent sandwich with good bread, does have parking for those not-in-the-neighborhood. Lowlights: Asked twice for bread toasted and it wasn't, chicken noodle very so-so, a little on the expensive side for a sandwich.
(3)Eli G.
After missing East Coast Grill brunch by 10 minutes, I headed across the street to S & S. I used to go here with my family all the time, but for some reason they stopped going and I haven't been since high-school. Not much has changed and it's comforting that they still have the wholesome family atmosphere, unfortunately the food didn't really impress me. It's party my fault for ordering a dish with crab meat in it (not a good choice for brunch), but the Bearnaise sauce had zero flavor. Next time I'll hit S & S for lunch and maybe a potato knish.
(3)Joanne B.
S&S is a great place for breakfast and lunch. The soups are great. They are very dear to my heart. I recently brought a bowl of the Italian Wedding soup to my mom while she was in a local hospital. She still swears that this was the turning point for her successful recovery! The salads are great, I especially love the the Wild Maine salad. Check this place out if you are in the Inman Square area.
(5)M. Deloris D.
S&S serves up reliable brunch on the regular. In fact they serve up a damn good brunch with mimosa's and bloody mary's. For brunch it should get five stars. The brunch selection is spectacular and if there were no wait, S&S would be the clinic I frequent to cure my hangovers and their latkes topped with lox and sour cream, washed down with a bloody mary would be my medicine of choice. Some complain about the service, but when lights are dancing, I don't really want a bouncy server cheering the specials at my table. I'm content in being just as surly as the server when I have a request. Besides, there's parking at S&S and that alone should earn a star in Inman. That said, my problem with S&S is that their lunch and dinner menus don't have the same oomph that the brunch menu does, the selections are ho hum. For a place with such an extensive and taste tempting brunch menu this is not acceptable. This, I can not forgive, and for this reason, I give S&S three stars.
(3)n w.
If I could give it zero stars, I would. Negative stars even. Maybe I chose the wrong thing to order from S+S but it shouldn't have been this horrible. The lemon chicken I ordered was covered in so much gravy I could barely make out that it was chicken underneath. The lemon flavor was indescribably gross. And on top of all that, the waitress' finger was in the gravy when she brought out the food! :( I asked for another plate to fish my chix out and thought it would be better w/o all that gravy, nope. Sigh. Maybe next time I should stick with the sandwiches...they're a deli after all...but unfortunately I don't think there'll be a next time.
(1)Andrea D.
I usually go here for Sunday brunch. They do have a pretty good selection of breakfast choices and I'm a lover of their omelets. They give you large portions and I can usually only eat about half of the meal. The omelet comes with a bagel and cream cheese, a fruit cup and home fries, which is a lot of food for a girl! The bar doesn't serve cocktails until 11, so no mimosas before then! I must say that the lines here on a Sunday can be pretty ridiculous. I've had days where I've waited upwards of an hour for a table. That can be pretty annoying as you stand there holding a ticket stub and they're calling off numbers, while you're hungover and in need of some food! I come here pretty much since it's right down the street and it's a decent priced meal. I've also been here a few times for lunch/dinner and they have a good salad/sandwich menu. I've never been too dissappointed with my choices and would come back again.
(3)Hamish M.
What a load of tripe....This place had, without doubt the slowest service, and the food was even worse. If you're into tasteless, super bland food, then this is the place for you. So much so that our one and only time there even the soft drinks were flat too...tasty? no chance. The bbq drowned chicken was clearly boiled for 24 hrs prior to it's dip in the bbq sauce, then dumped on a plate. The fish was just as bad - the odd thing was, that on the menu, it never mentioned bbq sauce on the fish, and lo and behold it was drowned in the stuff too. The best part of the restaurant was the exit door, back to sanity. Needless to say a quick stop to the ice cream store down the road would have satisfied my pallette for a fraction of the price. Sadly I had to give this one star...shame, what a waste of a star.
(1)Lauren C.
I've only been here twice, and had 2 different experiences, but I would still say overall its pretty great. The first time we had a great waiter, great food, the quiche lorraine is delectable...second time I thought the waiter was a little snippy, and I didn't particularly like what I ordered (one of the omelets) but everyone else had great food, especially the belgian waffles. They do have really great bagels and cream cheese...their breakfasts are really nice, with a good amount of food (with my omelet I got the bagel and cream cheese, homefries and fresh fruit). Even on Sunday when they are the most busy we didn't have to wait very long for a table. I'd like to go again and try lunch!
(4)Ruth P.
Okay, I just wrote a review for this place and yelp deleted it. (Nish, I blame this entirely on you). So anyhow... I wasn't too impressed with this place. As a non-meat eater (I'll do anything vegetarian and the occasional seafood dish) the options didn't make me drool. I ordered a fish dish which was decent but nothing to write home about. I can't remember exactly what the bill came to, but I left feeling like I really hadn't gotten my money's worth in this rather generic restaurant.
(3)Josh F.
A long-time favorite in Inman Square. Large and varied menu featuring steaks, seafood and deli sandwiches. Breakfast is served all day. Reasonaby priced ($10 average per plate) especially considering the huge portions they serve. For a restaurant with a Jewish/German heritage, I do wish they had more ethnic dishes. The potato pancakes are excellent. If you're vegetarian, you should think twice about going to a place with "deli" in the name.
(4)Daniel B.
S&S is pretty much the default when I am just hungry and don't want any trouble, or when I feel in the mood for some good brunch. The breadth of foods available in each of the menus is impressive. A couple times I found the food to be less than great. Once was when it seemed extremely busy and another time was late night. However, most of the time the food is average to very good.
(4)Joanna S.
came here for desserts after a concert at the lily pad (across the street) the dessert was great the waitress was not. it took her over 15 mins to get us the fruit salad. highly recommend this place as a family restaurant. very kid friendly.
(3)Sean H.
Their Sunday brunch is fantastic, but their monte cristo sandwich is to die for!
(4)L S.
I have had a lot of experience with this Deli and I don't like it. The service there is terrible! And the food is pricey yet not that good. I think the desserts and the S&S wings are yummy, but everything else is mediocre.
(3)Jessica H.
Okay, I like the S&S. Their food ain't bad! The meat is always fresh and delicious and I absolutely love the S&S wings. HOWEVER, the service is awful and the prices are through the roof. If you feel like spending a ton of money on a pretty good sandwich and some wings, go here!
(3)Sarah E.
The food is really good here, but the staff is extremely rude and unfriendly. I have only ever done take out here, but they have made me feel like its an incredible inconvenience to expect them to do their job. I would never want to stay and eat there, but will still continue to order out from them, because I love their breakfast menu.
(3)Jen M.
I love the S & S! The food is so delicious, the staff is so attentive, kind and down to earth, and the atmosphere is everything that I love about Cambridge. The prices are great, and the portions are perfect! They give you more than you would probably make for yourself, but they don't overwhelm you with too much food either!
(4)An-Chian K.
The food at the S & S is totally awesome! The service isn't the greatest but the food more than makes up for it. I love their breakfast foods, their sandwiches are yummy, & the S & S Wings totally rock. The desserts are delicious and their half sour pickles are fabulous. One of the biggest bonuses is that they have free parking lot a couple of doors down from the restaurant. A big plus in the always busy Inman Square area.
(5)Paul B.
May be a bit pricey, and the menu can be a bit overwhelming, but the sandwiches. Oh my are they tasty! The pastrami is killer.
(4)Melba L.
S & S a must every time we visit family in Boston and we just had a great lunch there. Works for lunch, brunch or a quick grab of tasty bits from the deli. Parking can be a challenge, but they do have a small lot. Chicken liver, knishes and corned beef Reuben are stand outs.
(4)Amanda D.
This is a review for service and management only. I've been coming to the S&S with my family since I was child. Despite the usually pleasant visits of my past, my recent experience was bad enough for me not to return in the future. My husband and I visited for brunch and the dining room was nearly empty. We waited to be sat. We stood directly in front of 3 employees, but were completely ignored. We had to interrupt their conversation to be sat. They actually seemed visibly annoyed that they had to help us! An employee asked a manager (in front of us) where to seat us and was told "the bar." After he led us past the sparsely seated dining room into the bar area, I was met with loud TVs featuring sports--not what I had in mind for brunch. I asked if we could move to the main dining room. The host fumbled trying to find us a spot, offering instead to seat us in another back room. I asked him (again) if we could sit in the main dining room at one of the MANY open booths. He left us standing in a hallway holding menus while he looked (?) at the dining room. Finally, after essentially arguing our way into the main room, he sat us at a tiny table (not the booth I'd asked for multiple times). We were very awkwardly sandwiched right in between 2 other occupied tables in a nearly empty room. We were also right at the edge of the room by the door. After this very strange experience we felt completely unwelcome and decided to go elsewhere. In short: Rude and unwelcoming service. Will not return.
(1)Ali M.
If you go here - get the chicken wings with S&S sauce, you won't be disapointed! Also, the knockworst/pastrami club sandwich was to die for! I could only eat half and had the second half at 10am the next morning, delicious!
(4)Gabi R.
Food: got the eggs Oscar and the eggs Maryland. Both were delicious- -the Oscar came on a crispy potato cake that was deliciously spiced and divine with the accompanying perfectly poached egg, and hollandais. Loved the asparagus touch - straight out of Italy -the Maryland was mounted on shrimp and crab cakes. -I loved the fact that in both cases, the eggs were mounted on something other than bread. That freed up room for a bagel...as S&S has the best bagels I've found in Boston :) Service: a little slow to bring food, but very quick to take orders, check water glasses. Also, just super sweet people with big smiles all around Ambience: homey feel of a Midwest diner, which I LOVED. Great spot for a cozy winter morning brunch with the bf. Can't wait to go back!
(5)Janis C.
Ohhhhhhhhhh sad. Daniel R was our server, bless his heart. :/ Took forever to order, then to get served, then received a well done burger instead of a medium rare burger, and I couldn't even send it back to the kitchen because enough time had elapsed since the server last visited us that were done with dinner by the time he finally came back to check on us. And then I told him the burger was well done, and I got a sorry, but no offers to rectify the situation. I'm probably not coming back. .... But, well, at least the fries were decent. AND HE DIDNT REFILL OUR WATER WHAT THE
(1)Mitch D.
I don't know where they get them from, but S&S has the best bagels and cream cheese in Cambridge, hands down. And for that I am grateful. Somehow the takeout counter staff have also worked a place in my heart...I don't know, maybe it's just the bagels having their way with my emotions.
(5)Noa C.
Coming from NY and NJ, finding a decent bagel in the Boston area is hard, if not impossible. S&S comes really really close to a great bagel! They have a nice crust, chew and dense crumb. They aren't just bagel-shaped bread. Their pastrami is also wonderful. And they are the perfect replica of a typical NJ diner! Complete with breakfast served anytime!
(5)Bob P.
We used to go to brunch at the S&S way back in the '80s and '90s. It was a special place to get brunch, and a bit of a social thing because you were going to spend half an hour or more, waiting in a line that stretched out the door and down the sidewalk. The food was worth waiting for. So when our kids wanted a good brunch place we thought it would be a special thing to drive all the way into Cambridge and go to the S&S. We were disappointed. Our first clue was the absence of that line. But then little things started adding up: the rather uninterested attitude of the waitress, the cheap opaque ketchup bottles that allow them to forget to keep them filled up, the rather unforgivable lack of real maple syrup, even on request. The home fries were undercooked, lacking even a slight hint of browned crust and with almost raw onions mixed in; the corned beef hash was flavorless. We searched for positive things to write here: the fresh squeezed orange juice was good, and the omelet was ok, if a bit under seasoned. It wasn't even busy enough to cut them some slack for being rushed. Nothing (other than the home fries) was actually bad, but if we wanted mediocre we could stay home and let me cook. I guess time has moved on and the days of the S&S being special are in the past.
(2)Court S.
I have always been a fan of the S&S wings for YEARS- but now I'm a vegetarian (10 months and counting) so I've found a new obsession. My mom's former boss hosted a retirement gathering for her here and it was great. The menu consisted of stuffed mushrooms (THESE WERE THE BEST I'VE EVER HAD). The stuffing was tremendous and the mushrooms were plump yet tender. We also had vegeterian and chicken kabobs- the veggie ones had a glazed sweet sauce on them that my mouth is still watering from, and rice and salad were great too. The service was extremely friendly and when I asked about the stuffed mushrooms, I was told that they are only offered on the catering menu for private parties. So I made sure I took home the leftovers so I could bring them in for lunch the next day. SO GOOD!
(5)Francesca M.
I went there just one time but i loved it so much! It was during my first week in US and i really enjoyed my first real american breakfast! I surely recommend it to everybody!
(5)Em A.
The food is good but not spectacular and the service is THE WORST. But in the end, I'll never stop going to S&S. It's oh so convenient. It's right there, always with tables available, so easy. I'll admit, 100% of my visits have been weekend mornings and for 50% of those visits I've either been hammered or getting there*. Those times, I LOVE this place (4 Star!). It's the sober times when I wonder about the real value of S&S (2 Star). *(I vacation in Cambridge often?...)
(3)Christine J.
a diner. whatelse do ya want? mediocre everything. not bad not great either. service is below avg, the older ladies are efficient but no smiles or anything. lol. just go there to eat and leave, when your restaurants are too crowded or closed.
(3)Nicole B.
I was here for brunch and had the most delicious blueberry pancakes. The blueberries were fresh and tart. I got a side of home fried potatoes which left something to be desired, however. More like a lumpy mess of potatoes than individually griddle-fried bits of goodness that I know and love from homefries. The atmosphere is typical American diner with nice-enough service and a line that moves deceivingly quick.
(4)Christina H.
Great place if you are looking for a good old-fashioned, hearty brunch. Most dishes are about $10 each. The Bavarian French Toast was quite amazing, but a little too much cream cheese for me. The Corn Beef Hash was the best I've had (fresh meats from their deli I assume). I'm coming back to try the potato pancakes next time!
(3)Jow O.
Been here multiple times now, classic Jewish deli. great food, great service, and they have their own parking lot. A new favorite spot of ours! open late on weeekends
(5)Lindsay M.
I was so happy to finally find a place nearby for breakfast...then I ate here. Now lemme start by saying we tried this place three times, mostly because there was nowhere else close by and my friend from out of town wasn't big on traveling far for bfast. The first visit was mediocre, at least I was seated! However after that it took forever to get any service, the food was mediocre as well and trying to get the check in time for our appointments was next to impossible! But hey everyone has their off days right? So we went back a second time figuring that was the case! The second time I arrived first, and the host refused to seat me (in a barely quarter full restaurant) until our whole party arrived (honestly this was just rude, had they been super busy I would've understood but as I said they were a quarter full!) again the food was just mediocre. I mean it was good it just wasn't great (as in it just doesn't hit the spot with the pancake craving!) our service again was so-so at best, a few things we ordered were forgotten and never ended up being brought out (my eggs for instance never showed up, even when I asked the second time!) and we had to wait so long for the check, I had to leave because I was already 10 min late for my appointment waiting for the check (and we still hadn't been able to ASK for it at that point!) my friend ended up having to take care of it (bless her I bought her dinner later-elsewhere)! So why did we go back the third time? Gluttons for punishment? Honestly no, we were just that hungry and pressed for time it was either try S&S again or go hungry, and going hungry wasn't really an option as I was starving! Again they wouldn't seat us until we both arrived (and ps it's really awkward to stand in their deli part waiting like that because you're in the way of people waiting for tables and people shopping at the deli counter!) the food was again adequate but it definitely didn't stand out, I would say if S&S is your only option for food, go there, their prices are a bit steep for bfast, not sure on any other meals, the food is decent enough it doesn't taste bad and the service is really a hit or miss, but if you can go somewhere else, I definitely recommend that!
(2)Vedic C.
My girlfriend and I had brunch on 6/20. The wait was long , the drinks weren't good ( Bloody Mary & orange juice) and the food was terrible.
(3)Leah M.
S&S is exactly what you expect it to be. A family restaurant that serves diner food and takes you back to childhood. The food was fine, nothing mind blowing, but as good as I expected it to be. They have a decent sized menu with standards as well as a few more specialty dishes like white fish salad. Good easy place to get a standard breakfast.
(3)Kiley S.
Great for brunch. A big fan of the classic eggs/home fries/bagle breakfast and turkey club. The burgers are so-so which is a shame. HUGE menu! Always our go-to spot in Inmann Square. No frills just good food. Great for large parties. Service has always been great! **PARKING LOT : which validates your spot for FREE! A huge plus/rarity in Cambridge!
(4)Andrea B.
The S & S Restaurant has been open in Cambridge's Inman Square since 1919, so you know they've gotta be doing something right! I have nothing but admiration for this family-owned business that has been offering expansive menus for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and brunch for almost a century. I came here for a luncheon after a funeral on a Saturday, and it was packed. Everyone that we spoke to on the staff was exceptionally accommodating and friendly to our party of about 25, which is no easy feat, so for service S & S gets a hands-down five stars. You need over 30 in order to reserve a banquet room. The wait times between being seated, ordering, and actually receiving our meals were pretty long, but I found that I enjoyed perusing the menus. In between their edible offerings, you could find awesome old photos with captions showing the restaurant's storefront from various times over the past century. Those same photos adorn the walls throughout S & S. As I mentioned above, it did take a long time to get our orders in, but I did end up needing the majority of that time simply to decide what I wanted. We were given brunch and lunch menus to look at, and both of them were full of a variety of interesting options in addition to traditional staples. There was something on the menu to satisfy every palate, that's for sure. But here's the thing. S & S may do all kinds of food, but it doesn't do any one thing outstandingly well. I finally decided to get the eggs Oscar - poached eggs served on top of potato pancakes, with crab meat, asparagus, toast, and fruit. How can all of that not be good? And overall, it was. But my potato pancakes were burnt (anyone who knows me at all knows how much I don't like that!). And none of the fruit was fresh. The poached eggs were wonderful, though. I tried a few of my dining companions' meals, including a California wrap, a burger, and Buffalo chicken wings, and while all of them were fine, none of them stood out as anything special. So yes, you can come to S & S and order pretty much anything your heart desires, which is awesome. It'll be a satisfactory meal, but will it be the best meal you've ever had? Probably not.
(3)Steve C.
Consistently good food. Amazing reuben, seriously, get the reuben. Don't screw around and order something you'll regret. Get the reuben and die happy knowing you got that checked off your list. Most of the sandwiches are pretty good. Service is a little slow at times. It took fifteen minutes to place an order the last time I came in. It is a little on the high-side for deli sandwiches, but worth it every once in a while.
(4)Philip T.
S&S is terribly inconsistent with the quality of their food. You can order 2 poached eggs and one week be perfect while the other week be overcooked with pieces of shell embedded in it. Half your homefries will be cooked and the other half will be raw. Best thing you can do is eat half your meal and dump the rest of it.
(3)Matt B.
S&S has been around for years and is an old favourite of the Doctoroff family. It was busy when we arrived around midday on a Friday. I has the sirloin steak tips with rice pilaf and fries, the portion was huge and I particularly enjoyed the fries. The others had breakfast. The service was fairly good and the total spend was only $45 for three of us including the tip.
(3)Mary M.
Good take out breakfast sandwiches (hence why I gave 3 stars vs 2), but I do not recommend doing sit down breakfast here. The waitress was rude - at first I didn't even know she was taking our order because of how she went about it. Then she practically threw our coffee at us like a beer gets slid down a bar, and it got everywhere. Regarding the food, it was half decent minus the home fries - those were dry, cold, and inedible. Typical diner food yet more expensive.
(3)Clysia M.
S&S is a great restaurant. Family oriented with plenty of searing. Food is great and service staff is very friendly. The food portions are generous and they offer a wide variety of breakfast lunch and dinner with creative menu options. Well worth the money spent each time.
(4)Lisa S.
Awesome breakfast options! But this place gets five stars for their "S&S Wings," which are by far the best chicken wings I've ever had! They come glazed in the most addictive sweet & spicy sauce you can dream up. Because we love them so much, we'll get them as an appetizer even when we are there for breakfast! If you're in the Cambridge area... This place is a good call. And it also has a HUGE menu that even the pickiest eater can find something yummy!
(5)Madhumita G.
We walked into S and S on a recommendation from a local who seemed to love the place. The decor of the restaurant was very welcoming and cute. However the food was mediocre. Our waitress was sweet but kept forgetting our order, brought the wrong food then when we corrected the order she forgot the bagels that come with the eggs. Overall a fairly forgettable experience!
(3)Alexandra G.
Came here for brunch on a Saturday and loved the food. It was around 2pm and while there were people in the restaurant, we didn't have to wait for a table, even though we were a pretty large group. Among us, we ordered a couple of different omelets, blueberry pancakes, and Belgian waffles. I am not exaggerating when I say that everything that we tried was delicious. The reason I am giving this place 4 stars and not 5 is that I was told they only have 1 kind of milk for cappuccino/latte drinks (just whole milk) which I found to be pretty limiting. Also, after we had our brunch, I stopped by the deli side to buy some cookies and the woman behind the counter was not very friendly and not very helpful. She looked like she was annoyed with me for wanting to buy something.
(4)Fred L.
I haven't been to S & S in about ten years, but paid a visit for lunch this week. My pastrami sandwich was perfect... the fries were the best... coleslaw was awesome. GREAT meal. Even the pickle was perfect! My friend, who is quite a picky eater (and I'm being kind!), ordered a corned beef and tongue sandwich. For the first time in years (seriously!) I thought he was going to explode from excitement. He loved EVERYTHING he ate (highly unusual), and actually hasn't stopped talking about S & S for the past 3 days. Just asked last night when were were going back! He bought a $30 tongue to go and has been eating it all week. He's been in heaven! Great service, great atmosphere, terrific food. Just as I remembered it to be.
(5)Chris M.
One of my favorite places to eat in all of Boston. Comfortable, good service, food is good, a little expensive but not outrageous. A good middle of the week kind of place. Kid friendly too. I've eaten there maybe 100+ times.
(5)Alyssa W.
I've been here twice and each time, it was just ok. Service wasnt amazing, we were seated in the bar area, so our waitress was the bartender, so sometimes it took her longer to help us that i'd like. She did her job and thats about it. Not very personable or anything. This is a family owned, no frills place. no more, no less. you get, what you get. I'd stick to the sandwhiches here, after all, it's a deli. but I didnt do that the first time. I got the special for that day, swordfish kabobs. lets just say what was supposed to be a light dinner was more like I ate the biggest burger ever. The cut of fish was so fatty it was like eating butter. Tasty, but oh. so. heavy. second time, pastrami melt. I with the bread was more toasted and the cheese more melted, but the pastrami was very lean and really tasty. I love their french fries. they are even better the next day after it's been toasted. And the whole set up is really awkward. If you enter at the back, it tells you to go to the front. We went to the front, no one from the bakery/deli side acknowledged us or even said, "someone should be right with you" instead we stood there not knowing if we were in the right place. Oh and if you buy from the bakery/deli side, the staff can't take cash, you have to walk over to the restaurant side to pay. yea, really weird system and you could end up literally chargin one cookie, $1.25...
(3)Elizabth V.
Service is always the worst here. Getting take out was not greeted even with a hello or one moment please. Instead the manager waves her hands at me and tells me "you're gonna have to wait" after the lady working behind the counter said she didn't know what order was this and I said its mine. Sooo rude.
(3)Doug G.
3 1/2 stars is a sham because this place is a local legend. Amazing Deli sandwiches for about 8 dollars. I am a pastrami fanatic and this place puts anywhere in greater Boston to shame. Also my go to brunch spot.
(5)Bill Z.
One of my friends enjoys bringing her friends here, and now I know why. It's a fun place for brunch. You might not think so immediately if you drove there and have to deal with navigating into one of the cozy (but existing) parking lots, or if you have to wait for a table. That would be all the more reason to add a bloody mary, bellini or mamosa (all roughly $5.95) to your meal. Many people at our table ordered some version of eggs, such as eggs benedict. They were generally well-received, though there were a few comments that they would have preferred them slightly more cooked. I sampled the accompanying home fries. They were by far the blandest home fries - in presentation and taste - that I have ever had. You can't substitute quantity for quality in a case like this. I think if you cut down on the amount of fries, cooked them in real butter a little longer, and added some more paprika, it would have rescued them. Since it was the first day of autumn, I ordered something appropriate for the season, pumpkin spice pancakes. These were fantastic - perfectly cooked, a rich intense flavor, and filled with bite-sized pieces of chopped walnuts. I try to order pumpkin pancakes whenever they are available somewhere, and these were by far the best I have ever had in a restaurant. The pancakes were accompanied by a ramekin of fresh fruit and your choice of bacon or sausage. Coffee was plentiful; we were given a generous amount of creamers immediately. Even though the waitress was obviously busy, she refilled our cups frequently. Overall, the food was probably only slightly above average. But for me, there was something about the ambiance here which says, "This is the place to bring 'the gang' for a fun brunch."
(4)Yvonne C.
The food here is actually very good and consistent. Lots of great options on the menu and you can have breakfast at all hours of the day- a huge bonus. Sadly I gave it a two because customer service is a disaster. We've been going to the S and S for about a year now and think of it is a "regular" place for us because the food is really decent. The mediocre service is something I tend to overlook, especially if the food comes out relatively quickly and there's no waiting around. Last night our experience was a disaster. We sat at the bar and the bartender didn't say hello for at least ten minutes, which was odd given that there were less than 5 people sitting at it. We finally ordered- okay, not too bad, I'm thinking. 10 minutes later we ask for bread and she says, "Sure." As in, Sure, we have bread but I will make absolutely zero effort to go and get you some. This is where I remind myself that maybe the bartender is having a bad day. Maybe her mom is sick. Maybe she has menstrual cramps. Maybe she's stressed out over finances. I try to make excuses for her. We ended up waiting almost 35 minutes for our appetizer (never mind the entrees) until we decided to walk out. So at this point I said, Maybe she just sucks at her job. Period. This was not the first time we received "eh" service, but it is the last because we don't plan to go there again.
(2)Chris T.
This place has a huge menu, it's kind of a perfect place to go when you don't have any food at home but want a home cooked meal.
(4)Jackie M.
When your boyfriend is standing in the middle of a busy Cambridge street, traffic all around, having snapped the handle off his mom's snow scraper, slowly beginning his transformation from Bruce Banner into the Incredible Hulk and is yelling (quite loudly), "Come on ... piece of ... goddammit ... fucking cunt of a car!!" Fists clenched, arms outstretched (this would be the part where his clothes begin to rip and he turns green) and then proceeds to kick slush and snow and dirt onto the car tires which are spinning, and spinning, and spinning (thanks to my artful gunning of the accelerator) and the car is going to nowheres-ville .... I'm not gonna lie, its kinda hot. This, after we had a delightful meal at the S&S ... part of the "this is where I used to go as a kid" tour of Boston. We walked in to the S&S on a Sunday at around 1 pm. It was crowded, but that was to be expected. We were given a raffle ticket with a number on it and told to stand in the deli area where I had ample time to ogle the cakes and pastries on display and think about which type I wanted to take home with me. Even though there were a lot of people waiting, the restaurant was fairly large and therefore, we waited for about 20 minutes. I felt like that was reasonable considering the day/time we were there. Since I am averse to brunch and brunch related food stuffs (at least when eating out) I was glad that the waitress gave us a regular lunch menu in conjunction with a brunch menu. I ordered the "Rachel" sandwich which consisted of: roast turkey, swiss cheese, russian dressing, and sauerkraut on marble rye. The sandwich came with coleslaw and I opted out of the potato chips and ordered fries instead (at the bf's request since he wanted fries and planned to eat mine). I think he ordered the chicken salad sandwich. Seeing as I'm 50% Jew and from New York, I do love me some rye bread ... oh, and the half sour pickles that we both got and which I ate (both). My sandwich was really good. The restaurant was clean and seemed to be run fairly efficiently. The servers seemed to be no nonsense and were congenial but in the business of turning over tables not impressing customers. Fine. I can respect that. I wasn't even put off by it. The S&S reminded me of some of the neighborhood diners I used to go to as a kid in Manhattan. Places which are hard to find nowadays because they've been replaced by chain restaurants. After the meal we went back to the deli counter and bought a piece of carrot cake and a piece of Boston cream pie. These were consumed later on that evening (post mom's-front wheel drive car-stuck-in-slushy-snowbank fiasco) and turned out to be quite delicious ... although almost unmanageable (even between 3 people) because the pieces we were given were so huge ... ...but who am I kidding? I always seem to manage where eating is concerned. Maybe not so much with front wheel drive in slushy snow. Whaddya gonna do?
(4)Kristen M.
Tried for the first time today. Great service great food. I got the eggs Oscar it had two potato cakes topped with poached eggs and crab meat delicious!! Tried a bagel with LOX (salmon) a Jewish specialty which was really tasty and different ! Huge portions decent pricing I will certainly return!
(5)Rebecca H.
I really love S & S, located in the heart of Inman Square, and frequented it often when I lived in East Cambridge. The S's in the name are a play on the Yiddish "ess" which means "eat" and what the restaurant claims the original owner would encourage of her customers "eat and eat." There is usually a line at peak brunch time but that's a sign of good food and it moves fairly quickly. Servings are generous. Eggs are nice and fresh, and of course the bagels are delish. I also recommend the matzoh ball soup.
(4)Robert C.
Arrived in Boston and this is where I came for breakfast! Good choice! I wanted a somewhat Bostonian style breakfast and that us what I got! The food was great! I did not know what to expect but I enjoyed the crab and shrimp cakes! I recommend this place... Great comfort food! The service was great!
(4)Bean C.
The wings are great! Loved the seafood casserole! We've been dining here for over 30 yrs. We've never had a bad meal here. The buffalo wings are comparable to the ones we get at Duff's in Buffalo! I love the S&S wings on the bone. Sweet, crunchy, with a little spice kick.
(5)Julia D.
My dad grew up around the corner from here so I've gone here over the years when we visit his family. It's got a real old-timey feel. On this last trip I got an omelette that came with bagel, hash browns, and fruit. Delicious. They have a huge bakery and to-go area that definitely seems good too.
(4)Day B.
Yes, the service is horrible...but that's why I ALWAYS ask to be in Sue's seating area. There are two Sues, and they are related funny enough, and they are wonderful and attentive. Which helps me to focus on the amazing brunch this place serves. Pancakes are great but the waffles are better, esp. with fruit and bacon. Mmmmmmm. Please give this place a chance.
(4)Ryan L.
excellent breakfast food. lines are insane on weekends. also the service can be a little slow, ok a lot slow. As good as this place is foodwise, it still can't touch the Town Diner of Watertown.
(4)Aaron S.
MMMM, S & S Deli, this place has by far the best breakfast in the greater Boston area...and they serve it all day long. It is a large place so the wait isn't usually very long if at all. Their omlettes are to die for, and they serve them up with bagels and cream cheese, potatoes and fruit salad. They really hook it up. The only bad thing about this place is that parking can be a bit of a pain in Inman Sq., though they now have two parking lots of their own.
(5)Megan B.
Mmmmm, I love S&S. They have all the Polish specialties you could ever ask for (and plenty that you didn't ask for) as well as a whole lineup of amazing food. The serve breakfast all day, but I'm a big fan of their sandwiches. They even have parking!!!
(5)Juliette V.
I really have wanted to like this place. It is a traditional deli reight around the corner from my house. But, I have found a only a few things on the menu worth getting. I have been disappointed with the service and the food on too many occasions. But that said, if you want a kinish in Cambridge, this is a good place to look.
(2)Shandra S.
Came here with my sister and the food was really good. She got the eggs benedict, I got the pumpkin spice pancakes. She got a mimosa and I got a margarita. Neither had much alcohol. I wish I could rate the service separately from the food. Colleen was our waitress and she wasn't very personable at all. Not rude, just kinda blahhh. Anyway, my pancakes came with a choice of meat and I ordered the bacon. When they got to me I had 4 sausages. I normally don't complain bacon is a necessity. I politely mentioned that I asked for bacon (I don't mess with people who are handling my food)and she apologized and said she would bring over the bacob. Before it was ready she came over with an empty plate and a fork. She reached over my plate and took the sausages off of my plate. I've never had anything like that happen. Was she going to give it to someone else!? It was just weird. Once my plate is in front of me don't touch it until I'm done. I would go back, just not if she were involved in the experience.
(3)Sarah R.
I can only speak for the wings, but they are so gooooood!! The S&S sauce is amazing.
(4)Joe G.
Menu was huge. Place was really packed. Service was just ok, they were understaffed. Food wasn't great but it hit the spot. Next time I'll get the bagel deli sandwich
(3)Lyndsey C.
A strong 4. Really enjoyed the expansive menu and everything we had was very good. Great selection and something for everyone. Pleasant staff, decently priced.
(4)Jess M.
Mediocre breakfast and lunch. I'm not really a fan, but I have had worse.
(3)Steve S.
I have eaten at S&S twice, once for brunch (on a Sunday) and once for dinner. I would not advise going here for dinner - the atmosphere reminded me of an old folks home. On Sunday for brunch, my party of 5 waited for over half an hour for a table after the hostess told us it would be 15 or 20 minutes. Waiting area was crowded and loud, general chaos. When it's your turn to be seated, your number is called out over an intercom (super classy) so you're forced to stand inside while waiting for your number to be called. Most of us ordered breakfast. The portion sizes were good, but my food came out lukewarm at best. I paid about $16 total for a coffee and an omelette with tax and tip. The waitress was nice and diligently refilled our coffees/waters. However, at one point, another member of the wait staff verbally berated our waitress (in full hearing range of costumers) - too complicated to get into here, but I felt extremely uncomfortable/sorry for our waitress. Can't remember the last time I witnessed something so unprofessional. I would not recommend this place and don't plan on going back if I can help it.
(2)Michelle D.
An institution in Inman Square, my mother took us here when we were young and I still eat at this restaurant. I have very fond memories of this place. You can't go wrong with the potato pancakes or the Monte Christo sandwich. The salads are gigantic and really well thought out, not just some iceberg lettuce and a slice of tomato. The menu is enormous and everyone will be able to find something they like. A liquor license rounds out the experience. It can get extremely crowded for brunch on the weekends but while you wait you can go next door to Stellabella toys and bring out your inner child.
(5)Christopher C.
I didn't know about this spot for the longest time but it's just a short walk from the central square t-stop and a perfect place to go for brunch on the weekends. Food is good and they have so many additions of everything...eggs benedict eggs Oscar I forget the rest but the list goes on. Also must say really like the corned beef here too. Most of the food is priced at around $10. Definitely give this a try there aren't too many places like it in the area
(4)Deborah B.
The best wings you'll ever have!! S&S wings on the bone. Trust me, you will fall in love with them. Croissant French toast is delicious. The quiche is really good too. And the pizzas are individual size and really good too. Very casual setting. Desserts and amazing too.
(5)Robin S.
Good food, horrible customer service. The restaurant cares more about making a buck than providing a welcoming atmosphere for its customers. The waiting system for a table is absurd even if you have a reservation. The management is by far one of the worst I have ever experienced and quite frankly speak to people in extremely nasty, rude and condescending tones. To think this is a family owned/run business is perplexing since it in no way creates a family friendly environment for customers, you know the people paying for a service and keeping their business running. I absolutely hate going there to dine in and will opt for takeout nine time out of ten simply because I want to have as little contact with their staff as possible. Even when ordering takeout however, they are abrupt on the phone and eager to hang up on you after order is placed. All around, this restaurant disappoints me every time. The staff, particularly manager, needs a major reality check and should learn how to treat people.
(1)Trevor J.
I had the Eggs Maryland and it was delicious. The shrimp and crab cakes were fantastic, home fries perfectly seasoned, and the everything bagel was better than expected. I'll definitely be going back.
(5)Ana R.
S&S gets a bum rap for being "nothing special" by jaded over-stimulated Cantabrigians, but I disagree! S&S is a solid deli, from brunch to lunch and all the way to dessert, there's nothing on the menu that isn't good and reliably so. Can't say that about every place in this area. Favorites are the classics. I recently had the BLT and it was huge and so yummy. The waitresses are lovely, and the prices are unbeaten.
(4)Corey L.
I would give this place a 3.5, but will lean to a 4 b/c I've always had good experiences there. They have a huge selection, deli stuff, breakfast/brunch stuff, good dinner options, and pretty good desserts. I've never been blown away by the food, but I've never been disappointed in it either. Solid meals, just not leaving going "wow!" Good desserts. And so big that you rarely have to wait
(4)Jeff S.
Going for the corn beef hash and poached eggs for lunch! So far, fast and friendly service. As expected, hash was delicious. Eggs cooked just right. Food is never a disappointment here. Always good!
(4)Dan G.
We called several days before because we had 8 in our party. We went for brunch on a sunday and we were not seated when we all got there because not everyone in our party was there yet, no big deal. Once everyone had arrived, we were seated prompty. The service was great, our waitress was very nice, attentive and helpful. I received a semi-burnt bagel and she offered to replace it but I didnt care. Everyone in our party enjoyed their meals. We had corned beef hash which was delicious, the ratio of egg to corned beef was off since there was more corned beef than enough egg to cover everything. Blueberry pancakes I heard were good, bagel with smoked salmon and fresh fruit was good as were omlettes and french toast. Everyone I was with was glad we went there for an easy and tasty brunch! Parking was easy as there is street parking as well as a parking lot behind the restaurant. We all will be back!
(4)Liz B.
We've been going to the S & S since before the restaurant renaissance in Inman Square. If we were hungry and near Cambridge to the S & S we went. After 100s of meals it remains our favorite local restaurant. Never a bad meal - which says a lot considering how many we've had there. The menu is varied enough that it's difficult to decide what to have. Some of our favorites include the omelettes (breakfast served all day), seafood, S & S Boneless Wings, the clam chowder (it's super but only served towards the end of the week I believe), and the sandwiches and wraps. There's plenty more on the menu but those are my tried and trues. You can check out the cookies and dessert offerings in the cases while you wait to be seated. The restaurant has grown over the years. There are plenty of comfortable booths - hurrah! and the blown up vintage photographs of the S & S and of Inman Square are fascinating and fun. We sat next to a view from Inman Square in 1967 the other day that looked like a movie still. Many on the wait staff have been here for years and the restaurant is family-run with everyone pitching in. In addition to the small lot out back there's an additional parking lot just a building or two away on Hampshire. Too many of the really good, classic non-chain restaurants in Massachusetts have closed. The S & S is a treasure and I'll opt to eat there any day over the latest trendy place or yet another uninspiring chain restaurant.
(5)Brendan R.
Been here numerous times for both Breakfast and Lunch. Lots of seating here so you really don't have to wait for a table usually, at least in my experience. There are a lot of options to choose from on the menu and I can confidently say you can't go wrong with any selection. I've gotten waffles, I've gotten pancakes and I've even got breakfast sandwiches here. Every time i try something new, it makes my decision making that much harder next time I go co everything is so good! For lunch, I've tried some of their wraps which are always a go-to choice for my girlfriend and her sister. I went with the Boursin Burger last time which sounded really interesting and it was! I love that whenever you order a dish that it will either come with fresh fruit or cole slaw, such a nice added touch to every dish! All in all, I would say this is a very dependable place to be able to get in, get out, and get on with your day no problem. Great selection, great food, great prices and great service!
(4)Bill O.
Not the best food but such a comfortable diner experience. The wait staff remind you of your mom, and the food makes you feel better after a long day. Great cookies at the counter too. I also love the beef knishes.
(4)Chloe M.
S&S is one of those restaurants that you keep coming back to. The place is clean and friendly, and the food is great! We love the fries here, and we always come here specifically for them. Great hidden gem!
(5)Juju W.
This restaurant is more like a 3.5 star. Since the service is good, I'm giving it a 4 star here. There's nothing impressive about the restaurant, but I appreciate that there's almost no wait. It's hard to find a no wait brunch place in Cambridge. Parking is free. Food is mediocre. They don't rush customers.
(4)Jay C.
This famous landmark and institution hardly needs another review, but I feel as if I discovered something new. My kids were promised a cheese pizza, and my wife said lets try inside the S&S. What? Crazy! But, I did what I was told. Yes, they can do pizza to go. Ordered one for the kids to split and the wife. They said a 20 minute wait, but it was quicker. The bag felt fairly heavy. When it was time to eat we were surprized to find that garden salads come with pizza. For less than $10 each, it makes for a nice take-home pizza for one adult, or for two small kids. Wife does not like pizza too much, but she likes the S&S pizza. The S&S Deli... who would ever guess? What is even better -- they now accept credit cards!
(4)Lisa T.
This diners been around for a really long time. Matzoh ball soup New York style amazing. Turkey club is really good it
(5)Jessica S.
Came here for brunch, post-birthday celebration for a roommate. For a Sunday morning at 11:30am, it was pretty crowded (line to the door) but our group of 5 was seated in 5 minutes. Brunch menu has some awesome options (croissant french toast?!). The portions are pretty substantial-- all the egg dishes come with a bagel, home fries, and fruit--which makes the prices worth it. "Homey" atmosphere and lots of families with little kids running around... I would be up for trying S&S for lunch or dinner.
(4)Michele H.
S&S--your strengths are in the sweets. Parisian French toast with fig jam and Brie, pumpkin pancakes, chocolate chunk scones. I've recently discovered your matzo ball soup, which was incredible the first time I tried it, and pretty good the second. Iggy's bagels with lox cream cheese can't be best. The fried matzo was greasy and disappointing, as are most eggy dishes here. Overall, a great place to indulge your sweet tooth.
(4)Paula A.
I've been going to the S&S for years, I've had dozens of meals there & you truly can't go wrong. The ambiance is somewhat non-existent, the service is fine but not supper. I laughed at someone's comment about it being their great-aunt's favorite restaurant, b/c it was my grampy's favorite too. the old folks love S&S -- understandable since its been there since 1919. My most recent trip was for brunch, they had a special, 3 words that changed my life: RED VELVET PANCAKES (RVP). The person who came up with that idea should win some sort of award. There were raspberries & chocolate chips drizzled on top, just delicious. Full Disclosure: I didn't order them, but I helped myself to my guy's plate. I had the egg's benny, a personal fave & they were perfect. Next time my fingers will be crossed that the RVP's make it back on the menue.
(5)Micah M.
S&S serves up standard deli fare in a cozy atmosphere with decent service. They have the best bagels in Cambridge, though the main competitors are Au Bon Pain and Dunkin Donuts. 3.5 stars.
(4)Ladyjane S.
S&S is a staple and one of my favorite Cambridge institutions. Always reliable and consistent. A bad sinus infection brought me here on my last visit after a doc appt in Cambridge. I opted for the matzo ball soup, in desperate need of some healing powers. Man, did it deliver. The soup was perfect in every way. It was so good, I wished they had an option for a larger bowl of it. They are all about the comfort food here.
(4)Qichen Z.
The Nova Scotia lox omelet was a little disappointing. I really like S&S for their amazing bagels (I really don't know what they do to make such amazing bagels, someone needs to hack into their recipe database), so I had high hopes for their brunch omelet dishes as well. It was only okay, the salmon wasn't the greatest, and the eggs were sort of cold when they arrived. The home fries were also kind of soggy, and the fruit bowl wasn't anything special. The only good part is that we got so much food for the price; couldn't really move for a good 15 minutes after finishing. Service is fast and friendly per usual. Wish the food was more consistent. Stick with the bagels if you want to play it safe.
(3)Logan J.
i was looking for a new place to go to brunch with a friend that was in cambridge, and we decided to try this place not really knowing much about it. we werent disappointed with what we got here, but it wasnt anything memorable or special. this is a very typical deli...it could have been anywhere--dennys, country kitchen, etc. we both had pretty standard breakfast items, and we both thought they were very standard. they werent bad...but they werent too great. we left knowing that we ate...that was about all we remembered. i reiterate: nothing too special here.
(3)Erica P.
S&S is your classic Jewish delicatessen with good food and surly waitresses. No seriously, I don't think I've ever seen a smile cross those lips. But I digress... When I lived in East Cambridge, S&S was THE place for brunch. My old stand-by was the Rachel (no Reuben for me, I hate corned beef) - the turkey was nice and moist, not that processed crap. The sauerkraut is fantastic, and the marble rye is amazing! On occasion, I would only eat half and take the other half home for lunch the next day: slightly soggy, but just as tasty. Generous portions, but the sandwiches come with chips instead of fries, so you have to pay extra if you want those crispy fries. The one major miss I had here was the Red Velvet cake. Totally underwhelming. The frosting wasn't real cream cheese frosting. I am a Red Velvet snob, so maybe that's why it wasn't to my liking, but meh. I kinda miss this place. Even if the waiter did spill coleslaw all over me last time I was there. If you're in the area, grab a beer at the Druid across the street, then come to S&S for some munchies!
(4)Robert S.
I had a GREAT lunch here at the end of Jan 2013. They have primarily a deli-style menu with some eastern european specialties. I had a salmon club on marble rye that was out-of-this-world. It came with chips and a glass of ice water for about $8. The place was clean and the waitresses were kind. I will definitely go back.
(4)Christina Z.
French onion soup - sweet sweet sweet, not salty like you're drinking an ocean, cheese that stretches for miles and miles Swordfish Kabobs, scrumptious, and fun spicy marinade. Thanks for the spicy-good rice pilaf. Caribbean Salad - go S&S, way to be inventive! The dressing is sublime, and the mangos and toasted coconut are fabulous. Winner: Mashed potatoes. Sour cream whipped into them. They are absolutely addictive. This place KNOWS comfort food. Only gripe: my shiraz was warm like bathwater. I like red wine on the room-temp side, but I didn't want it to lull me to sleep!
(5)Paul C.
As ever the food was excellent at S&S. But the service left a bit to be desired. The waitress actually scolded me for reaching for a bowl of cold soup which she was delivering to the table on tip toe after she failed to even excuse herself as she reached in front of another customers face. 'You never reach to take something from the hand of a waitress' was her comment. Well in my book the customer is always right and who wants to go to a a restaurant where the help feels than have the right to scold a paying customer ! And we actually left a tip ! Bad form S&S, you really need to train your help !
(1)Sean J.
I have only been here for brunch but if the meal I had was any indication of their dinner offerings then I would recommend them blindly. I got a huge western omelet with hash browns which was absolutely delicious. They also offer a wide selection of beers on tap during brunch, even on Sunday. There were only a few downsides to my experience, which will keep it from getting 5 stars. 1. Seating. You might have to wait a while before being served, especially at peak brunch hours. There are tons of old people and tourists coming in to eat. I went with my girlfriend, and while we didn't have to wait, we were crammed into a tiny table in the rear, which was in a very awkward situation. 2. The mimosas. 99.9% orange juice, .1% champagne. 3. The price. A little on the expensive side for a mid morning meal. They know that they are a very popular tourist spot and charge accordingly.
(3)Steve K.
Want a plethora of breakfast choices? Want to drown yourself in fresh fruit, towering pancakes, thick french toast and piles of eggs, home fries, and bacon? Get your ass over to the S & S! I went here for breakfast recently and I can tell you right now, that there is no shortage of choices for your breakfasting needs. Not only do they carry all the traditionals, but they also have a ridiculous array of interesting food combinations. French toast stuffed with brie? Yes please... The price is moderate, the place is huge, and the staff is quick. I'll be keeping S & S in my sights for future breakfasts... no doubt about that.
(3)Connie S.
Longtime Inman Square Jewish deli/diner. If you're looking for classic sandwiches and entrees in massive portions, and you have time to tolerate extremely leisurely-paced service, this is a solid bet. I was most impressed with - Seafood Casserole: they are not lying when they say the seafood is the finest quality available. Super fresh fish, scallops, shrimp lightly seasoned and baked with crumbs. It also comes with house-made Cole Slaw and fluffy Rice Pilaf that are both delish - Beef Knishes: the dough is chewier than I've had in knishes before, but very tasty, and served with gravy The Rachel (roast turkey, cheese, Russian dressing, sauerkraut on marble rye) was solid and I liked how they pan-fried the bread for extra toastiness. The Matzo Ball Soup was fine, but not all that hot by the time it got to the table. Downsides: - The service was noticeably slow, in bringing out appetizers and in paying the bill, which was a little perplexing because it wasn't all that crowded when we went for lunch on a weekday afternoon. - Wanted to pick up some non-cake baked goods from the pastries section after lunch, and there was only a sparse selection of mediocre-looking muffins and cookies (where were the challah, the rugelach, etc.?) Still, a good filler-upper for your Bubbe's food.
(3)Matt I.
I feel a little embarassed that I've lived in Cambridge for years and hadn't been here until just a few weeks ago. Really solid diner food. The first time we stopped in because my gf had a cold and wanted Matzoh ball soup, and theirs passed muster from a native New Yorker. Reubens, etc. looked really good. Breakfast was outstanding IMO. Corned beef hash (they make their own corned beef!) was one of the best I've ever had. Blueberry pancakes were really good, tasted like fresh berries. Haven't had much of the non-breakfast food, but stuff going by to other tables looked like typical diner fare. Homemade desserts were excellent. The chocolate peanut butter pie was a standout (more PB than chocolate, which is good because I hate desserts like that when they go way overboard with the chocolate.) Service can be slow. Depends on the time of day and the staff you get.
(4)Derek W.
I should have opted for some deli type meat, but i'm on a quest to taste every hamburger ever served in cambridge... This one was not good, I asked for it to be med rare, it came out well, appeared to be of the frozen variety. My eating partner ordered a roast beef sandwich of sorts, nice and rare, looked good. I had entree' envy for sure.... Place was dull, bar was nice, bartender well she was kinda whacky....
(2)Dara S.
This is not a fine dining restaurant people. This is NY style diner at its best. I love it. Everything I have ever eaten is delicious. I get my turkey for sandwiches from their deli because they oven roast that sucker in house. You can't beat fresh turkey. There is something for everyone, their menu is huge! Also, they have breakfast everyday - and at any time. They have Iggy's bread brought in - and amazing bagels. They even have lox spread - YAY! Yes - there is a rope you wait behind to get sat. Yes the waiter / or waitress might seem busy and slightly surly. That is what diners are all about. If you don't like it - go back to the south end. xoxo. Dara
(5)Gisela T.
This is a good place every now and then, but as of lately the customer service has not been what it has been in the last couple of years. Just today I ordered Potato skins without bacon and asked for extra chives its place and the woman told me it would be extra! I asked her why If I'm not getting bacon shouldn't I be able to have extra chives instead!!!! She told me that they add extra cheese in place of the bacon, adding chives will still cost extra. I just wish this place was as friendly and welcoming as it used to be. Other than that... Please try the S & S wings, they're the best ever!!!!
(3)Emily D.
I've only been to S&S for brunch, but it has never disappointed. The service is generally friendly, and their breakfast choices are extensive. The omelets cooked carefully (never with a burnt crisp) and they have a great selection of less common cheeses (havarti dill, boursin, muenster). You also get a huge selection of bread/toast with an omelet, many of which are house-made. The 12 grain is excellent. Their croissant french toast was out of this world--if you're a fan of cinnamon sugar, you shouldn't pass this one up. Also, the option of breakfast all day is always a winner with me. There's also ample seating (a rarity in Cambridge) and the vibe inside is calm and homey.
(4)Laura G.
This place is lame. It's the ugly stepchild of the Jewish Deli family. If you want a good Jewish deli, make the trek to Brookline and go to Zaftig's. I used to check this place out more times than I should have due to proximity to my old apartment. First time I went was for breakfast. The eggs were meh, the bacon was of the microwave variety and the orange juice was from concentrate yet still priced as though it was fresh OJ. Second time I needed a quick pit stop for lunch. The service was rude and they screwed up our entire order. They told me I could have a free meal on the house and to use so and so's name when ordering and that'd I'd be on a list. *eyebrow raise*. Skeptical alarm going off. Few weeks later I was too lazy to make dinner and my friend was sick so I thought laziness+matzo ball soup+free meal = me being somewhat productive for me and my friend. I call in the order and walk over to pick it up. I mention the "code name" as instructed and of course they have no idea what I was talking about. Annoyed that I was going to have to pay for the food I ordered I left vowing never to return. I get home, open the food and realize they had totally butchered my sandwich. It was covered in what I could only assume to be grey spinach and watery onions. I did not order either of these items on my sandwich. It was so watery and soggy in fact that the entire box was underwater and what once was the bun was no longer serving a purpose. I had to go back and have them fix it. Needless to say, the shitty service, even worse food have made it so I will never go to this place again. If you want food, do yourself a favor and walk across the street to City Girl Cafe.
(2)Steph P.
Hey guys, this a diner. Service is quick, but not really with a smile. The waitress isn't about to ask you if you are enjoying your French Toast. But the food comes out fast and hot and the coffee cup stays filled. We ditched our hopes of the Friendly Toast after finding out about the hour long wait. No wait at S&S for a party of four at 10:30 on Sunday. The croissant french toast was light (as far as french toast goes) and didn't leave that super heavy feeling in the belly, but the ends were a little eggy. The rustic raisin and pecan french toast was yummy with warm raisins and toasted pecans with a fruit accompaniment. These both came with a choice of bacon or sausage. The quiche Lorraine had a LOT of cheese on top, which masked the other flavors in there. The lox benedict was overflowing with lox and the eggs were poached right. Portions are large, prices are right and I would for sure come back.
(3)Kate L.
Some of the best bagels I've ever had. Great place to go if you want more breakfast than you can possibly ever eat. The food is incredible, so not only are the portions huge but the quality is high! Occasionally some of the staff has seemed a bit surly but my experience here has been positive generally. If you don't feel like sitting down you can get bagels to go. My friend is a fan of the lox spread, but you'll never get me near that stuff.
(4)Jamie H.
my parents took me to S&S today for lunch, and it was great. the waitress was really friendly, the food was delicious, and it wasn't too expensive either. we started with 3 beef knishes and a bowl of the matzo ball soup. the knishs were definitely the star appetizer, light on the beef and the dough very moist - too often, a knish is just way too dry and i was happy that this was not the case here. the soup was flavorful but light, and they definitely know how to do a matzo ball! i do wish it came with more carrots, celery, and chicken. my dad got the reuben sandwich, which he finished before i could even try a bite, but he said it was fantastic and was happy to get extra russian dressing. my mom got the corned beef on rye, and i went with turkey on 7 grain. both were good, but pretty standard sandwiches. mine came with lettuce, tomato, and onion. however, the real highlight for me was the half-sour pickle. i have found the perfect deli pickle! we ordered some matzo ball soup to go, and the best part is you can get extra matzo balls for $1. we also got some chopped liver, but i haven't tried that yet. for an enjoyable, tasty lunch with my parents, this really hit the spot.
(4)Manfred S.
Waiting 20 min to be seated for Easter Sunday brunch seemed reasonable. Cranky service is not. The food was edible and no one got sick. They claimed that the mimosas are made with fresh juicy and it is possible (but might not). Somewhat borderline, but at least gives you a light buzz. Recommendation --- okay if you have a big party and need booze. The place is big and has a liquor license. If you have cravings for a lot of good breakfast food with friendly service you are much better off at Ball Square Cafe.
(3)Ess P.
I tried this restaurant out for breakfast after dozens of friends raving about it. When I first walked in I stood behind the rope that said "please stand here & wait to be seated." There were two waitstaff standing right by me chit-chatting, they looked at me but didn't budge. Finally about five minutes later, a group of people just walked in & went right into the dining area. I went up to the waitstaff & asked why haven't I been seated!? They said they didn't know I was waiting to be seated, even though I was clearly standing In the waiting line! He apologized. The food was actually good. I got french toast, egg/cheese omlet, & home fries. I have no complaints about the actual food - it was delicious. Before I could finish my food, I got up to use the ladies room. When I came back, THEY CLEARED MY TABLE! They threw away all my food! The waitress said the busboy made a mistake & apologized and offered to make my food again. I declined, I was completely turned off & the manager took care of the bill. The waitstaff just seemed sketchy. I doubt I'll ever go back.
(2)Kza W.
the food was very good. as for the prices...ok not high not low. waiting time is not bad. interior, was homely. great place to bring anyone.
(4)Jess L.
I got here at 10 for brunch, and I didn't even have to wait (though I think a couple minutes later, I would have had to). The menu is surprisingly diverse, with lots of egg options and other fun things, like bavarian french toast and salmon hash. The staff seems a bit rushed, but the food quality is great, and there was no pressure to leave. The deli looks very enticing too - will get something on the way out next time. I got the omelet special, which included pesto, monterey jack cheese, onions, spinach, and bacon. Amazing, and not too greasy! My mother got the whitefish, and she got a large hunk. The sides of fruit and toast/bagel are also enough to fill you for the rest of the afternoon...
(4)Zinah A.
My family and I have been going to S&S for over 25 years. I brought all my nephews & nieces as kids....now they are grown and willing to split the check with Titi Zinah. S&S is home to us & to many. Many parties, mother's day & graduation celebration or just lunch date with mom. The food is always consistent you can't go wrong. Some favorites the S&S wings boneless some sweet & spicy simmered with honey & the crispy texture is perfect. My mom is a fan of their fish & chips always winner as I can grub from her plate. I love the brunch special they make outstanding omelets my favorite Lox omelet as well as eggs Benedict. Ad a bloody Mary and we are set for a delightful time at our second home S&S.
(5)Shaina P.
Line out the door? Be sure to take a ticket as soon as you get inside! S&S's waiting system has improved to the point where you don't wait more than 30 minutes. Don't be discouraged by the huge line because the restaurant is enormous and typically well staffed... Reasons to love S&S: 1. Hot Pastrami on Rye with Swiss Cheese and Double Batter Fried French Fries (or whatever they want to call those crispy, greasy thangs). 2. Breakfast Sandwich with Fries instead of Breakfast Potatoes. 3. Chicken Parmesan. 4. HOMEADE corned beef hash. Sooo frigin' tasty (oven-baked crisp and blackened on the edges). Served with two lovely poached eggs on top. Mmmm! Other Tidbits: 1. Patrons born in 1919 still go here. 2. Style of the restaurant is dated (to what date, I'm not sure, but it's not current). 3. Not known for it culinary creativity, but more so for its "classic" deli sandwiches (pastrami, roast beef, reuben) and homestyle cooking (chicken soup, quiche, pot pie?, breakfast all day). 4. Catering by S&S is popular, but not the best in the area as of late. I used to love S&S. It was a place to go to with co-workers for holiday lunch. But now that I've familiarized myself with other restaurants in Inman Square (international cuisine, unique atmospheres, younger crowd), S&S's popularity has dwarfed compared to others'.
(3)Lisa R.
This is a really great place to go for lunch on a weekend! My husband and I came here yesterday, because the All-Star Sandwich Bar was too packed, and we were not disappointed. He had the turkey club sandwich, and I had a turkey wrap with lettuce, tomato, and some kind of cranberry delicousness (I had them hold the cheese). The thing that impressed me was that they use REAL turkey, which is sliced nice and thin, It's not that processed crap you find in most places. My sandwich came with a nice fresh fruit cup and a bag of Cape Cod potato chips. The place kind of reminded me of a Bickford's, but I think this place was in business way before them. Back when I was a 16 year old kid I worked in a diner, and this place had that kind of feel to it. They had a humongous menu with ALL kinds of good stuff, so anyone can find something they like here. I highly recommend S & S!
(4)Allison R.
My neighborhood lazy kid takeout spot earns three solid stars. Highlights include the pastrami and knockwurst(!) triple decker sandwich, decidedly above average cheeseburger, and the matzo ball soup. The knishes in the takeout case look pretty delish too. If you're dining in, you'll never wait for a seat since this place is huge, and the service will be pleasantly brought to you by your surrogate jewish aunt or uncle. Your glass of water will be small, though. My major gripes with this place? "Same place" taste, somewhat overpriced, and the fries don't rock my world. They're the kind of breaded, crispy-yet-soggy ones. Bonus points though, for the tasty monte cristo, the gooey boston cream pie, and the fact that a breakfast all day establishment is a mere five minute walk from my home. It's like they saw me coming.
(3)Mike Z.
It was late Sunday night and there weren't that many restaurants opened, but luckily S & S didn't close til 10pm! My friend had wanted to come to this place because she had said that the food is very good and she usually frequented it for brunch. It was very hard to pick from the ginormous menu - I ended up ordering the corned beef with cow tongue triple decker sammy on dark rye - it was delicious! Definitely one of the better corned beef sammies I've had. There's a private parking lot and also plenty of street parking, so parking is not an issue. I will definitely come back to try out of the other items on the menu.
(4)Emily D.
As I sit here eating my leftover S&S boneless wings smothered in their house S&S sauce from last night's dinner.. I'm so upset that I didn't leave more for myself. Holy Smokes these wings are mighty good!! I wanna lick the plate here at work.. but umm yeah.. a little inappropriate you think? My hubby and I were working late and needed to catch a quick dinner before our next engagement. We rushed into S&S not knowing too much of the place. But, I'm going to be honest.. I really came in because I saw all the cakes and pastries on display in the deli area. No Really, they all looked amazing!! We were seated quickly... and given our menus. "WHOAA!! wait a min? this is the menu?" -- "Yes ma'am it is." "Oh, ok." The menu is extensive. I'm talking about 4 or 5 pages of everything you can think of. The restaurant kind of reminds me of a better version of a denny's or ihop. They serve breakfast all day and they also have plenty of dinner and lunch options. You could probably have anything here. It took us a while to figure out what we wanted... which wasn't so great since we were on a time crunch. We skimmed through and I ordered the boneless wings covered in their S&S sauce. While the hubs ordered their grilled chicken sandwich also covered in their famous sauce. The food came out pretty quickly... the waitress on the other hand didn't seem too happy last night. She probably has a long day. But, we didn't let that bother us. We enjoyed our dinner and were out of there in 45 min. The prices were good.. the food was good...Not Bad Over all... next time.. I wanna stay and try dessert!!! Red Velvet Cake is calling my name!
(3)amanda n.
My brothers and I have been semi-regulars here since we moved into the neighborhood in 2005. This is a great place to go if you like casual comfort, familiarity, and consistency. The food is fine -- nothing spectacular, but, again, consistent. The service staff is usually attentive and friendly. There is also a take-out counter that includes some good-looking desserts I've never tried. UPDATE 3/2/07 I had a really strange experience at the S&S last Saturday around 1PM. Since I wasn't very hungry, I ordered a cup of clam chowder. The server told me it's not served until 4PM. I said, "Are you sure?" a. It's on the menu that says lunch is served 11AM - ?? daily. and b. I can see people around me with matzo ball soup and another unidentified soup in a cup. Is clam chowder the only soup not served until 4? And why, then, is it on the menu? "If I go ask in the kitchen, they'll just tell me we don't serve it till 4." Since I didn't want anything else, our server apparently went to the kitchen and made a special request to the chef, who apparently obliged. Yes, I got what I ordered, but the whole experience was really weird because I was made to feel like I was putting them out or asking for some strange special order. He even asked, "Was it good?" when clearing our dishes. Weird. I usually feel at home at the S&S but this experience felt icky.
(3)Melissa B.
The only time I go to the S&S is when my long-time girlfriend is in town with her husband and horribly behaved toddler. It's the only place that I figure I won't be embarrased by the snot-nosed kid scrambling around the floor for fries. Life's too short to waste calories here.
(1)Karen M.
Used to go all the time when in Cambridge, now I am in the neighborhood less often, but I still can't find another restaurant that hits all the diner notes as well as this one. I had some friends from out of town, we wanted brunch with kids. Another time, a group wanted to meet somewhere after a Cambridge parade, also with kids. There are a million diners around so why do I keep coming back to S&S? *A waiting area with tables and deli things to look at and buy. Sunday brunch you have to wait everywhere, so why stand in a parking lot? *That said, they take reservations for parties over eight for Sunday brunch. *Next door to a toy store. In case the kids get restless--oh, all right, you can look in the toy store too! *Two small parking lots to take a little pressure off the Cambridge street parking. *The restaurant is big and roomy, so the lines tend to move fast. OK, enough about waiting. Once you get in: *Little cups of cream with the coffee for the kids to drink, play with. If you don't approve of this, well, go to a more elegant restaurant with proper creamers. And see how well the kids sit still without little cups of cream to drink. *There is a liquor license if the grownups feel like a Bloody Mary. *Service is always solid. I never have to ask for more coffee, more water, they just sense when I need it and they are right there before I even realized myself. *They serve the dinner menu as well as the brunch menu on Sunday. Some higher-end places only serve brunch on Sundays until dinner time. And some of us, by the time noon rolls around, are no longer interested in eggs and coffee. *The food is great, it is not high-end, for example, they have Log Cabin syrup, not real maple. But you definitely get what you pay for. They have good-sized but not obscene portions. *The steak is always cooked the way you ask in the steak and eggs. My eggs normandie with lox and hollandaise were excellent. The sunnyside eggs are just right, runny but not undercooked. The sausage got a thumbs up from the kids, it is link-style. And they have English muffins. Who would choose toast over English muffins? No gimmicks, but always reliable. Relax and enjoy a great diner.
(5)Beantown S.
I cannot say better things about this place. I have been almost every weekend for over a year and I have yet to find something I don't like. Word of advice, don't leave without trying the S & S wings on the bone...oh dear lord!
(5)Ann G.
I've been to S&S a few times now and have always enjoyed my meal. Today I spent many a minute waiting on the server. This seems to be the case at the restaurant, as time after time I've had to wait for the server to check in (if they every stop by) or take the check. Today our waitress didn't come back until it was time for the check! If you're ready to spend a few hours at the place, the food is good. I've had the french toast, french eggs, and a regular old egg dish (with toast, potatoes, and bacon). I don't like their potatoes much but the croissants and eggs are always good. Plus, I enjoy their drinks. All in all, the food is decent and there is often an open table. You will spend some time at the place so go on a day when you're feeling leisurely.
(3)Ina C.
It's nothing spectacular, but at the same time, nothing here will disappoint. They offer all of the brunch/breakfast standards, and it's all for a very reasonable price. You can get I-need-to-unbutton-my-pants full here without paying over $10. I usually get the bagel and lox, and it comes with tons of toppings and mountains of lox. The omelets are huge, the fresh squeezed orange juice is very...fresh, and the service is usually pretty friendly. There's plenty of seating and hardly ever a wait, which makes this place a stressless brunch choice, especially compared to all the line-out-the-door brunch places around. It also reminds me of Fridays in college when we made our weekly trips ALLL the way out here from Boston College. :)
(3)Kristine A.
I have heard so many things about this place that I finally went; totally glad I finally did too. I got these pumpkin & nut pancakes that were really delicious. Like I couldn't believe how good they were. I can't wait to go again & try their latkes.
(4)Silas S.
Best Corned Beef Hash. Repeat Best Corned Beef Hash. I love the stuff so I am always looking for the best stuff that is not from a can. Other than that, don't be discouraged if there is a line as it moves pretty fast. I will be back for more
(5)Samuel F.
Generally, the food is great and the service is attentive. Yes, for some of their offerings I have seen better, but others, like the bagel and lox platter, are fantastic. (My only complaint with that is perhaps they should provide two bagels to accommodate the vast array of fixings, far too much for a single sandwich.) Then again, it would have been hard for this place not to net four stars from me, since they're my most convenient choice for comfort food: Matzoh ball soup and deli sandwiches and breakfast all day and they're right near my house.
(4)Chris B.
I went in with a group of four people yesterday morning and waited 15 minutes for a table - not bad at the height of Sunday brunch hour! Unfortunately we waited for another 15 sitting at our booth and no server even dropped by to say hello or "I'll be right with you". Nothing. We walked out and told the hostess what happened. "Oh, sorry", she said. One star because zero is not possible.
(1)Deanna D.
Went back for a Veggie Quiche on Sun and was not very happy =( Way too much spinach, not creamy as the last time, and overall not as tasty. The line moved quickly but the service was also terribly slow and not very friendly this time around. So minus 1 star for no consistency.
(3)EricaLynn J.
I have deducted one star off what would have been an easy five-star rating due to the massive amount of waiting one has to do one a weekend to get into this place. We're talking out the door, around the corner. And unfortunately, out the door you have a choice of a hardware store and a clothing store from where I've seen absolutely no one buy anything. So you're waiting. But they give you raffle number tickets as your waiting number... so your mind may wander to the circus or something. Or your childhood! Look, a clown!!... But the staff are really sweet and kind and they *want* you to sit down. They feel bad for you waiting there. They don't have the normal sinister grin that most staff do in places like these where the lines grow their *own* sub-lines and they Unionize and things get all nuts. When you hand in your number they congratulate you. I really only get the same few things when I visit because I LOVE these things and if I've waited for 40 minutes to sit down, I want to go with what I know. So, eggs florentine, eggs benedict, matzoh ball soup, corned beef hash... all quite good. I love the little fruit dish. It almost makes me believe I'm eating healthy. Hollandaise what?! I've heard some not-so-great things about some other menu options; I think a friend of mine ordered a Reuben that is still giving him nightmares... and another friend of mine had some not-so-nice things to say about her omelette (apparently she ordered a veggie omelette and mentioned she's a vegetarian so she would prefer no bacon with her meal... so instead they brought her ham.) But I have yet to be disappointed.....
(4)Lynette S.
Huge menu!!!! The size of the menu reminds me of the Cheesecake Factory menu, only with simpler food, without the extra $$$$ and less impressive decor. But, in Cambridge, I think S & S has a great concept as it is an affordable alternative to all of the pricier (and also loveable) joints around that I frequent when in the mood to spend and dine... Food is great, nice portions. Some favorites: burgers (grrrrrreat!!!), soup, various chicken entress. Good for family dinners or groups,as they have a few large dining rooms. Desserts are good but pricey. Never had a wait at night. ******They have a few parking lots on Hampshire St. which is huge since Imnan Sq can be busy and parking is limited.
(4)Tod K.
That was the most HORRIBLE brunch experience within 30 miles of the Boston area. Oh boy, where do I begin, the service was real bad. We had to call on the waiter 3 times until he noticed us. Now I understand you may be busy because it is a weekend brunch period but if you know that you will be busy you might as well staff a few more people. Then comes the actual food. My omelet was not put together right. They use egg beaters and the vegetables inside were undercooked. A lot of people recommend this place which is why I decided to go, but my foot is not stepping there again.
(1)Harold S.
I had the corned beef hash with poached eggs. I can say the corned beef hash is the best I have ever had. The hash was lightly baked, so it was crispy on the outside. The wheat toast was a disappointment though as it was rubbery. The OJ was good, but the glass they used just came out of the wash so it was warm, making the OJ a bit warm as well. Overall, I had a good experience. I highly recommend their corned beef hash! And they have their own private parking lot, so you don't have to look for parking. The parking lot is on Hampshire Street. Very convenient!
(4)Sam S.
I grew up down the street from been but haven't been in a while. I always enjoyed the eating breakfast/brunch. I know my parents never took me for any other meal so maybe my 4 stars is biased. this was a hotspot for when bobi and zaydee were in town!
(4)Jess P.
Everything I get here tends to be a decent version of something that should be awesome in a really bad for you kind of way. That leaves me feeling kind of meh about the S&S, in an I'd go but only if someone invited me kind of way. The reubens are good but not great and the breakfast food is pretty unexciting, though fine. Knockwursts and beans were kind of off though. Deli should be comfort food to an excessive degree, and this place just doesn't get there for me, though it's clearly trying. B- for effort?
(3)Julie N.
I wandered into this place to only use the bathroom after we found that City Girl Cafe was closed that morning. There was construction going around the back door so I honestly couldn't even tell you what I thought I was walking in to. A market perhaps? A nursing home? Whatever, I just needed to pee. I took a look around and ran back outside to get the boy and tell him to get in here and grab a table. It smelled delicious and all other plans were immediately thrown out the window. The hash was amazing. Second best hash we've ever found. I got an omelet and it was STUFFED oozing out of itself with goodness and it came with homefries and a big fat bagel with cream cheese. Breakfast kicked ass. We ventured back a month later for lunch and the havarti burger was ridiculously good, but there was almost too much cheese (and there's never such a thing as too much cheese). I got a turkey club and was shocked that it wasn't oversized, it was just a normal turkey club that almost seemed on the smaller side. My jeans thanked you for that. We got the hash again and it was as good as it was the first time. The waitstaff is a funny group of people, they're not friendly and they take their sweet ass time to get to you, but it's a place you almost expect that to happen, so it didn't matter. I'm so glad I stumbled into S&S, it's a great "Let's cure the hangover and get fat in the process" type of place that's perfect for a weekend brunch.
(4)Stacy R.
A great place for a weekend breakfast/brunch in Inman Square. An order of pancakes is enormous & comes with way more syrup than you could ever want or need. The eggs benedict was great-- crispy english muffin, perfectly poached egg and loads of home fries. My only want was more hollandaise sauce. It wasn't a stingy amount, I just like to dip my home fries in it for the ultimate unhealthy treat. Hostess was a bit terse, but our waitress & her trainee were great. We'll definitely be back.
(4)Chris H.
I've been here for breakfast a few times. It is about what you would expect for a deli like this. The staff is friendly, the menu is big but predictable, and the food is pretty good. It's always busy on weekend mornings but is a huge space so you won't have to wait long. I recommend the bagel and lox.
(3)Molly F.
I went to S&S with a group of starving friends in the late afternoon a few Sundays ago, and we had a great time. Because we are gross, we ordered brunch plus two plates of wings. The wings were excellent; I particularly recommend the S&S sauce. For brunch, I had the French eggs with sausage, which came wrapped inside a croissant, plus--because, once I again, I am gross--a side of corned beef hash. Yum. As another reviewer mentioned, the length of the menu is overwhelming. For someone as indecisive as me, that poses a bit of a problem. But--unlike some have said--our waitress was really nice, and even bonded with one member of our party over the fact that they both played rugby.
(4)C E.
I have eaten here three or four times since moving to Somerville a month and a half ago - coworkers and friends told me how great it was. I ate there once or twice without incident - the food was alright, the wait staff a little edgy but that's alright. It did have sort of an awkward feel to it. BUT THEN I had a friend over, and we decided to get take-out food. We got 2 BLT's, and each came with a pickle in aluminum foil. The pickles were completely rotten! It was so gross! I went back again recently, and got a pickle of unknown age right on my plate. It was completely unappetizing. I have this visual image in my head of this 5-gallon bucket filled with festering pickles in the corner of the kitchen, completely unsanitary. I find this to be repulsive and will not be returning to this restaurant.
(1)Ryan M.
Old does not equal good. Rosebud, I'm looking at you, too. It's a really big greasy spoon that seems far more concerned with its advertising and wealth of parking than with the food or service. It's the most basic whatever breakfast/lunch you can imagine. Think Friendly's but without the Reese's Sundae that makes you forget that you just paid for cold cuts on toasted Wonder bread. It actually FEELS like a Friendly's, too. Nothing like a really old restaurant kept up to make it look and feel like a cookie-cutter franchise. I've only eaten breakfast/brunch here (three times), so their lunch may actually be delicious, but I don't think I'll be finding out. Nothing has ever been gross because they aim so low, but it's just not special. Now, I'm not saying there's no place for a greasy spoon. I gave the greasiest spoon 4 stars (Forest Hills Restaurant). The problem here is that the prices are the same as so many Boston/Cambridge breakfast/brunch spots that DO have real maple syrup at least AVAILABLE...that DO have jelly that doesn't appear on the table by the handful...that DO care about what they serve and strive for high quality and/or innovation. Go to the Friendly Toast, Druid, or Brookline Lunch to get something good for the same money or spend a couple bucks more for a real brunch treat at East Coast Grille (wowwo).
(2)Glenn N.
I've tried it a few times because so many friends love this place, but I just don't see the appeal. It's like Perkins or Bob Evans got turned into a wax museum and jacked up the prices.
(2)Michael G.
If this place was easily T Accessible, I would go every Sunday/Saturday for Brunch. Absolutely delicious for diner/deli food. Nice for those who do have a car and can get there without a lot of walking. S&S in Inman is definitely an institution in the area for breakfast/brunch, so be careful. it does get very busy and you may have to wait a few minutes. Like most people, I have never eaten dinner here. The service is the okay. It is usually busy and they have a lot going on. It is a process, but I am fine with that. I'm usually not in a hurry to get out of there.
(4)John S.
I describe the S&S as a restaurant owned by that particular grandmother that doesn't think you're eating enough. The food is comfort and the portions are large. It's just like you're at your Nana's. That is, if you were one of two hundred grandkids. As an Inman Square resident, I am well-acquainted with the quirks and foibles of the place. There are many, so I'm going to share them in the most efficient way possible - a bulleted list! -The service isn't bad, per se. You just need to know what to expect. After you're seated, a waiter is going to ask you what you want to drink. By the time they get back with your root beer, if you don't know what you want to eat, you're in trouble. "Give me one more minute" translates into "give me five more minutes". They're busy, and it shows in their methodolical sweeps of the floor, so throwing off their timing results in waits. -They serve breakfast all day, so don't be afraid to order breakfast all day. The strength of a good deli like this is their consistent and wonderful omelettes, pancakes and french toast. Sure, you can get a delicious burger or some S&S wings (they're great) at 9 p.m. But if you want some poaches eggs, get them. -If you want to eat breakfast in the morning, show up early. They don't take reservations and the wait can be over an hour if you're there with a big party. The place opens at 7 a.m. during the week and 8 a.m. during the weekend. Get there when they open the door. -They don't have "bests". You're not going to get the best grilled chicken or triple decker sandwich here. You're not going to find your favorite quiche. But what you will get is very tasty food without variance. I've never had a bad meal here, but they don't have menu items that I would only come here for. -If you live in the area, the take out is very convenient. If the place is packed and you want a meal, the kitchen is extremely responsive to take out requests. I could call them as I get off the T in Central and my food would be ready by the time I walk to Inman. It's a fun trick. If you want breakfast in Inman Square, this is your place. You won't be blown away, but you will be very full.
(3)Kathleen F.
At S&S you aren't going to find your typical trendy brunch experience. Instead you get a great atmosphere, very much a Jewish Diner vibe (and being from NY it makes me feel at home!), and a very filling and delish breakfast. Personal favorites of the BF and I have been: Quiche, Parisian French Toast, Steak and Eggs, and the smoked salmon platter if you are going for something a bit lighter. They also make a mean cappuccino (but don't ask for soy milk b/c they definitely don't do that!). Service is very fast as well and I kind of love the gruff no-nonsense waitresses it definitely adds to the experience! This is our go to when we're super hungry and just want a good classic breakfast.
(4)Mike B.
Delicious deli. Very family friendly. Great servers, service can be a little slow during peak hours but other than that no problem. Their classic burger is amazing and their buffalo wings are top 5 in all of Boston.
(4)Joshua M.
This place makes you think of the difference between the soulful and spiritual synagogues of Eastern Europe, where men prayed in wavering voices that recalled the ghosts of their ancestors, versus the clean suburban synagogue I went to growing up. Or think of some old Jews in southern Florida munching on the early bird special, then going home for a rousing episode of Jeopardy. The S & S is a pale impression of a Jewish deli, it's design evoking the Friendly's/Ihop/Applebees/Holiday Inn aesthetic. Basically, the Deli is an assimilated Jew, an assimilated Jew who assimilated in all the wrong ways and now represents something mind-numbing and void about American culture. Oh yeah...the food! It's OK and I actually think they have a really nice selection of French Toast options. The service ranges from sub-par to good. The huge selection is probably deceiving, since a lot of the items aren't worth getting. But there's a few "diamonds in the rough!" I liked the croissant french toast a lot.
(3)L L.
Great place to take the kids. Wide variety on the menu. Diner food and a little up from there.
(4)Kristen M.
YUM! The S&S is my go to breakfast/brunch joint. I typically get the "brunch eggs" which includes eggs, a choice of ham, bacon or sausage, toast, bagel or english muffin & fresh fruit! The portions are MORE than generous and you will literally be so full for the remainder of the day! Today, I tried the "croissant french toast" and it is absolutely my new favorite. The perfect blend of cinnamon and sugar atop light and fluffy french toast. The reason I only give 4 stars is because although the servers are friendly enough, they ALL seem to have amnesia! Very frustrating to have to wait 10 mins for a water refill :(. Otherwise, this place is the best. A must try!
(4)Kate S.
Great food for the price!! It's a diner--without too much grease! Monte cristo is amazing because the meat is sooooo good. The only problems here are the long lines and the old staff. The waiters and waitresses work hard, they just look like they've been taken out of retirement and shouldn't be working as hard as they are! Fairly good fries too!
(4)Wendy K.
I came here for the first time after hearing mixed reviews. The atmosphere was "eh," but doable, and we waited in a long line for a surprisingly short time. We sat down and I ordered a "large" apple juice (for whatever reason). The large apple juice was a normal-small sized apple juice and was maybe overpriced, but I guess I don't really care. I ordered a Rachel (a reuben with turkey instead of corned beef) which came with sauerkraut (which is what I like) instead of cole slaw (which I have seen at other restaurants) and it was very good. It was unfortunately not the best Rachel I have ever had, despite its $10+ price tag, and that is purely due to the uber-crispy toasted/grilled bread the sandwich came on, which also happened to be uber-greasy. When the bread is like that, it cuts my gums, and ya know, I just hate that. Otherwise, the service was very good despite the reviews I have read, and I didn't have to ask for a water refill at any time. I was mildly disturbed, however, by the fact that you must PAY EXTRA for tomatoeslettuceonions which ALWAYS comes with sandwiches and burgers. I will come for breakfast/brunch next time. Lastly, I am not a huge fan of pickles that aren't dill, and these weren't, but I can't judge a deli by it's pickle. The End.
(4)Christopher M.
"My throat tastes like burning" "You should get soup" "ZOMG you're right! I wish there was a Jewish deli near me." *pulls out iPhone* "There is?* I didn't even need a menu, I knew what I wanted. Lemon tea with honey, a bowl of matzoh ball soup and a corned beef sandwich on light rye. The tea was liptons but the honey was quite good! I was impressed that a place in that price range served quality clover honey with their tea! The matzoh ball soup came replete with carrots and celery. Not really how I like my matzoh meal and chicken fat, but ok. The ball itself had a reat consistency but I found the taste to be a little flat. That being said I was stuffed up so it may be just fine. I'm giving tghem the benefit of the doubt on this. The sandwich was half the size I wanted but twice the size I expected. So I'd say it was about perfect, especially for 4.99! End result? A great jewish deli with solid food. Next time though, I'll see if I can get a double stuffed sammich. mmmmmmmmmmmm
(4)Katelan Y.
This place has been here since my parents were in college and they still love going here. Great place for diner/deli food. Definitely have to recommend the S&S wings. They are addicting - crunchy, sweet and tangy. Reuben was good too.
(4)SM H.
It's a nice spot to grab brunch of a late-ish night meal. They get really high marks for service - always had nice wait staff take care of me while I'm at the place, which gives it a lovely home-y vibe. The food is fine - there are certainly better brunch spots out there, but S&S certainly delivers on large portions and some filling food (I like the Salmon Hash)
(3)Edwin O.
This place has been steadily declining over the past few years. On a regular day the food is mediocre, and at really busy times like Sunday brunch, it can be downright terrible. The same can be said for the service. And overpriced! Such a shame to see an institution like this go into decline. Just sad really. *sniff*
(2)Amy B.
Dante would have classified the S&S under the Third Circle of Hell. The food is not fresh, just as the rains of Dante's hell lack any sort of refreshing quality. The service is beyond poor. The customer should be paid to eat here. Also, there is no speedy escape as paying the bill seems to take several hours. Unfortunately, I am unwillingly dragged here every few months because my daughter loves the soup. Having tasted it, I would suggesting visiting your local supermarket and purchasing a can of Progresso - pleasant Shaw's staff and getting exactly what you pay for in a timely fashion. Fancy that! Of course, you have to heat it up yourself...which takes all of two and a half minutes. The hostess forces you to stand in line - with no one else waiting in the line, there are several open tables and bored waitstaff stare at you. When you are finally herded to a table, grumpy waitstaff shows up 15 minutes later to take your drink order. After disappearing for another 15 minutes, you are allowed to place your food order. Boy, are they doing you a favor by allowing you to order anything! Forty five minutes later, you will be treated to cold, congealed Eggs Benedict served on hockey pucks (meant to resemble English muffins). The waitress will slam down your drinks and food, then practice the fine art of ensuring there is food in everyone's mouth so you cannot respond when checking to see if the customer is satisfied. You are allotted one drink per meal. That is all. Don't even try to catch the waitress's eye. You are not worthy enough to look at her! I know some folks really like this place. Some people like bad food and poor treatment. Some people are into S&M. I guess I don't fit into any of those categories. The only good thing about this place is the free parking lot. Hmm, free parking in a congested part of Cambridge...gotta lure the bait somehow...
(1)Michelle L.
I've never been to the restaurant, just the deli area. So this review applies only to the deli counter and the products for sale there. I've heard the food in the restaurant half is mediocre and that service is slow, so I've just never been tempted to head over there. But: their bagels are fantastic. I've never had a New York bagel so some would say I'm not an expert on the matter, but it's one of the best I've ever had. Chewy and dense and, well, bagel-y. One of the best in all of Boston/Cambridge, and believe me, I've done my research. (I am also a huge fan of Bagel Rising, but that's neither here nor there.) I also tried a sticky bun, which was pretty yummy as well. If you come to S & S, why not head straight to the deli counter and get yourself a big bag of bagels. Maybe you'll have a better experience.
(4)Melanie H.
S&S is a great go-to place in the Cambridge area. I have only been here for brunch, but have been satisfied both times. They have a very nice selection of omelettes and also have nice brunch specials (waffles, french toast, sausage and eggs). There are so many good options on the S&S brunch menu that it is difficult to decide on what to eat. I went here on a Sunday with 3 others around 11:00am and was seated right away. We were given quick service and our food came out quickly as well. The portions on the omelettes are huge. I got the lox omelette and split it with a friend- for $10.95 the omelette specials come with home fries, fresh fruit, a bagel, and the omelette. Plenty of food for two people. My other friend got the sticky bun, which they raved about. It looked delicious! Also, the bloody mary's and mimosa's looked amazing! I would definitely recommend S&S for a great brunch on a weekend.
(4)Trudy L.
I am not sure what happened to the service of this restaurant over the years. I have been a loyal customer for over a decade and was saddened by the events that took place today. I had a friend and her teenage son meet me there for brunch today, while they waited the son was hungry so his mother ordered him an omelet, about an hour later I arrived. When I arrived I asked if we could please move to a booth, well this seemed to be an issue because I had to ask 2 servers and then a manager had to come over and explain the issue with changing seats. While she clearly explained what the issue would be regarding the changing of seats and I understood (thank you). It just seemed ridiculous. So seats changed my friends son decides to wrap up the remainder of his omelet to take home, the waiter comes and wraps it up for us very nice. As me and my friend were ordering our food her teenage son becomes hungry again and decides to finish his omelet. Well he opens it ans surprise he found hair in his food, his first instinct as a kid was to take the hair out of the food, which he did his mother asks the server is she would please throw it away, but the server says she is going to inform the manager. So we sit there and wait for at least 20 min and a supposedly manager (an older lady, has glasses, short brown hair usually sits in the back behind the main counter that holds all the pastries while I called to get the name of this person Amy informed me that she did not know which one I was talking about REALLY AMY so helpful and very rude over the phone THANK YOU AMY) comes over and informs us that they did not find the hair in the food. My friend explained to her that it was her son who found the hair and that he took it out, the manager informs us that he already ate most of it and not only that he should have left the hair in the food (which I can understand, but this was a kid reacting and not thinking about evidence that is needed). Mind you my friend had already spent about $30 feeding her son and then we spent another $50 so a total of $80 for all three of us. I was really surprised about how rude the supposedly manager was, not only did she make it seem like we were lying about the hair in the food but she also made it seem like we were trying to get a free meal. Not only did she embarrass us but she also humiliated us with these implications that all the other customers could here. Well by the end of this conversation our food arrived and we just decided to pack it up and leave. I am a foodie so I eat out very often and this by far the worst I have ever been treated. Even though most of the restaurants are high end I would expect good customer service, a friendly face, and an awesome meal, S&S had none of these and i will not be spending my money in that type of establishment. SO ALL BE WEARY. Thank you
(1)Adrienne T.
It's been awhile since I've been to S&S. I will say that, as I recall, they have the absolute best wings in town. Yum-yum. I remember waiting in excessively long lines for brunch, which wasn't all that fab, I remember it being kind of loud, and I recall that the service wasn't that great. I had been warned about bad service, but I never found it bad, just sort of "unconcerned". I don't recall anything on the menu being out of this world exceptional, except the wings. Note: be sure to get the wings with the bone, the drumettes, NOT the tenders with no bones. For some odd reason, they really taste different.
(3)Michael H.
The food was great. No complaints there. However, I have never had worse service at any restaurant in my life - and I am including fast food in that statement. Our server, Alfred, was a geriatric ass that was rude, inconsiderate, and paid almost no attention to our table. Our group, a party of 7, was seated at a booth. Alfred came over and lectured us for sitting at the wrong table (?) and was short and brusque even after we informed him this was where the hostess had seated us. He was angry, it turn ed out, because he had to go get us menus and silverware himself. When it came time to order, Alfred was impatient, pointing at each of us and demanding (not asking) "What do you want". When the food came, he walked up with 4 of the 7 dishes and yelled "Listen up!" and then started naming off our dishes (since he obviously was too old to remember who had ordered what). Throughout the entire meal, we only got refills on our water once, the only one of our party that had a drink (a diet coke) only got a single refill as well. Try this place, but if an old white man with bad teeth tries to serve you, ask for a different waiter. As someone who worked in restaurants for 6 years, I had never in my life stiffed someone until now. Go fuck yourself, Albert.
(1)Tina D.
Really loved my pastrami on focaccia...breaded fries also hit the spot (that's a good thing)
(5)Gloria L.
We love brunch! This place doesn't have the best food, but we do find ourselves back a couple of times a year -- their corned beef hash is pretty solid and I also really like their chive cream cheese. Their service depends on the server, but ranges from really good to just okay; today, the restaurant was half empty but it still took awhile for our server to come around to fill our waters. It helps that they have multiple parking lots, but sometimes the wait on the weekend can be ridiculous for what it is. We come back because we live so close.
(3)Bill P.
We had dinner at S & S for the first time the other night after hearing numerous recommendations and it definitely lived up to expectations! I ordered the steak tips (which I would highly recommend) and my girlfriend had the chicken and broccoli pasta dish. Both were delicious and came with salads which were good too. The dinner menu was pretty extensive and had a good variety of options. After dinner we had a slice of ice cream sundae cheese cake which was excellent - you can see a number of their scrumptious desserts in the freezer when you first walk into the restaurant. When we ate there last night we didn't sit at the bar, but for those of you looking for a good bar to catch the game at I'd say it's worth a try. They have two big flat screen TVs and the bartender seemed to be very friendly and good-humored. The only reason I'm not giving this restaurant five stars is that the waiter could have been a little bit more attentive. He was super friendly, but once we had our meals he hardly every checked back on us and was a bit slow to realize we needed drink refills and whatnot. But still, it's a minor complaint. Long and diverse menu, friendly service, and delicious food - give this place a try!
(4)Sarah C.
'Yay! I'm a fan.' I've always been a fan of S&S. It is a Cambridge breakfast staple. My Grandparents went there every Sunday for years decades ago. The wait-staff have all been there for AGES. It is CRAZY busy on Sundays. I usually always take public transit when I go because parking in Inman Square can be a trial. They've got the wait system down to a science on busy days and offer overflow to Ryles (decent Jazz brunch at Ryles on Sundays). They let you know what the wait is at Ryles and will send you there if you want. Great breakfast and lunch variety. Huge portions. They actually don't put fresh fruit on hot plates of food. They actually put sides of fruit in separate dishes unlike so many other breakfast places. PERFECT homefries. Well, I guess homefries are somewhat subjective.... these are my idea of perfect. Crispy/mushy potatoes pan seared with caramelized onions. I think due to their longevity they've got efficient service down pat. Sometimes the service is a little sterile but hey, if you've got your plate of food in front of you just the way you want in a timely manner, a full cup of coffee, and perhaps a mimosa plus good company... what more could you ask for?
(4)Debra L.
I only had about 25 minutes to eat and get out the door to a mtg. So, when I was about to be seated I politely said "You know, I really only have about 30 minutes and I've never been here before - do you think that will enough time?" (This was my gentle way of letting her know I needed my service quickly without actually saying that.) She said it was no problem and she was on the ball! Took my order right away, brought me over my check right after my salad so I wouldn't have to ask for it etc. I think she liked that I was kind of in a hurry - she knew I was going to free up the table quicky. I guess I could have just gone to the deli counter and ordered something pre-made but I was in the mood for something more fresh. My salad was delicious: mixed greens, grilled chicken, blue cheese, dried cranberries, pecans with a crusty wheat roll. For what I was looking for that night, my experience at S&S was perfect. Given the other reviews, I think I'm lucky that I ordered something pretty simple and didn't have to deal with any lines.
(4)Kristina D.
In almost two years of living within walking distance of S&S, I had never eaten its old-school deli goodness until this morning for brunch. The Mother's Day brunch crowd might be a tad different from the usual crowd, but I did appreciate the wide variety of clientele as compared to places that cater to hungover 20somethings. The menu also contains a huge variety of foods, so this review will likely get updated as I try more of them. Now, my ratings: -Bloody Mary (3 stars): pretty solid, but I would have liked more of a kick from horseradish, giant olives, tabasco, and lime juice. I have not yet found the elusive five-star Bloody Mary, but it will definitely have those qualities and perhaps also cucumber vodka. -Pecan sticky roll (5 stars): So adorbs. The roll part is sweet, light and croissanty--quite different than the typical dense cinnamon roll. I like putting butter all over the outer circumference of the roll and then fighting over division of the middle of the roll. -Continental omelette (4 stars): Included an omelette with Jarlsberg, mushrooms, and onions along with: a marble bagel & cream cheese, a tiny fruit cup, and home fries. In decreasing order of my liking: home fries, bagel + omelette, fruit cup. I like that they give a copious amount of whipped cream cheese.
(4)Emily O.
This place has deviated from what it once intended to be: a Jewish-style deli with hearty portions and great bagels. Jewish, it is not. How do I know? The matzoh ball soup isn't made with schmaltz. When I asked about kosher meats for a friend of mine, a waitress stared at me like I was crazy and said "I don't think anything we have is kosher." All of these things would be forgivable if the food wasn't so unremarkable. Chopped liver? Too fatty tasting, and since when do tomatoes, onions, and lettuce come only as "extras?" French toast is alright, but nothing to go wild about. Burgers are O.K. I would stick to typical diner fare or visit Brookline for much better food.
(3)John P.
Tasty, dependable brunch food. Inman Square already caters to a variety of tastes: good pub grub at Bukowski Tavern, good Indian at Punjabi Dhaba, good Mexican at Olecito, and so on. S&S wouldn't beat any of those in a straight up, Ali-vs-Wepner fight. S&S gets four stars by being open late, by serving good breakfast food round the clock, and by bringing a consistent diner atmosphere. You'll see all types here: young Cambridge couples with kids in strollers; massive families with all three generations dining at once; hipsters looking for a pre-bar brunch to soak up their alcohol. Protip: grilled cheese with tomato.
(4)Ryan H.
I tried this place the other day for the first time and i have to say it's probably my favorite breakfast place in Boston. I tried the corned beef hash, the stuffed french toast and the potato pancakes. All of it was great! The service was as expected at a place like this. The corned beef hash had a great flavor and you can tell it was homemade. The poached eggs were a little overdone but the bagel was good. The French toast wasnt the best i've ever had but it was good enough and big enough that i would order it again. The potato pancakes were crispy and flavorful but there were only three. If i ordered these alone it wouldn't have been enough. Overall the experience was great and ill definitely be back. I can see how this place has been open for almost 90 years.
(4)Ethan A.
My breakfast plate was more than enough food. Omelet, home fries, fruit cup, bagel and cream cheese for nine bucks. Unfortunately, nothing was good enough to want to try again. Omelet had a good mix of vegetables, but barely any cheese. Home fries had no flavor. Fruit cup was warm. Bagel was okay. The service was nice enough, though a bit slow. I wouldn't have minded a refill at some point. Still, it was cheap enough, and very plain. My fellow diner thought it was like the Ninety Nine, which is not a compliment. If it weren't just next door to the apartment, I would not consider ever going back.
(3)Jonathan H.
I've found myself coming hear less over the years, but I still consider it a brunch standard and often come here when old Boston friends return. There is one dish that both me and T will flat out crave every 2-3 months: S&S's corned beef hash and eggs. This is not from a can folks and I'm pretty sure you can order this any time of day. Everything else is pretty good, my other staples include their Turkey Club, Stuffed Chicken Breast (a little taste of Thanksgiving), and Quiche Lorraine. Service has been varied, certain times they are very attentive, other times we're flat out ignored. I just usually avoid the crazy brunch crowds on the weekend and I'm pretty happy.
(3)Peter P.
I've been going here on and off for years, I would have given it more stars, except the menu is hit or miss. The S&S wings or the S&S sandwich, are very good, the ruben on the other hand, is a complete disgrace for a jewish deli. breakfast I have found is always good. This is a great place to take people that like their food on the bland side, which is not an insult. You won't find anything spicy here, it was the perfect place to take my grandparents.
(3)S K.
their brunch is delicious. portions are big. my favorites are: corned beef hash extra crispy with over easy eggs, monte cristo sandwich, grilled bagels, stuffed chicken, and croissant french toast. the omelettes are just okay. a lot of seating so you don't have to wait too long.
(4)Melanie W.
I used to love going to S & S several years ago because of the wide selection of food and the delicious stuffed French toast served all day. However, the last time I went a few weeks ago left a lot to be desired. First off, no eating establishment should have carpet. Ever. This place has carpet that hasn't been cleaned in a while and smelled awful. Combined with the smell of stale beer from the bar, I was already put off. I ordered the half roasted chicken, which while plentiful, was tasteless. It was accompanied by rice pilaf and vegetables, which were not memorable. The chocolate peanut butter pie, however, saved the day and bumped the review to two stars. Rich and totally decadent, it was worth every last calorie. The service was very, very slow. It took a while to get our food and our waitress disappeared for long stretches of time. What a shame, maybe I'll go for take out, but I'm not sure I'll be back.
(2)Peter P.
This review is only based on one lunchtime take out experience (ate at table in deli area), so take it FWIW. I order the Monte Cristo which comes with fries and fruit salad "and strawberries" as the menu says, for $9.95 - seemed like a bargain. The sandwich was cut in quarters and sort of smashed into the takeout box, it did not look appealing nor was it the size I imagined (kind of small). Upon trying to eat the Monte Cristo I found it some what slapped together, the meat wasn't very well distributed (sort of in a ball in the middle), with the bread being very soggy and perhaps undercooked (as it's egg-battered). By the time I got to the last quarter I found a hair wrapped around it, none too appealing either and that's when I called it quits. The fries were a generous portion and had that sort of crispy/battery outside, very tasty. Though after finding a hair in my food I was pretty much over the whole situation. To their credit the staff was very apologetic and quick to offer me a refund, plus a fresh batch of fries to take away. Alas, by the time I got home the fries were soggy - so note they do not travel well. The fruit cup was sort of lackluster - some cantaloupe, blueberries and literally about 3 sour grapes -- no strawberries as advertised either. To sum it up I've given S&S two stars, but I'm willing to give them one more try. Everyone messes up once in a while, and the customer service was good enough for me to believe I may need to upgrade their rating after a second trip. We shall see...
(2)Mya T.
Really good chicken sandwich. Great location!
(4)Lee T.
This is my Seinfeld "Restaurant." Yes, I'm a dork, but there's never been a bad meal here which says a lot considering the size of the menu! Beginners will go right for the deli sandwich. The hot pastrami is excellent. The turkey with havarti dill triple decker club is two meals. The specials have that "like mom used to make" quality. The matzoh ball soup is super filling. Any time of day, any time of year, S&S has got it goin' ON! I especially love coming here after work. I sit at the bar after 7pm. It's quiet, there's TVs, and usually quick service.
(5)Lissy R.
This is one of my favorite places in the Boston/Cambridge area! It is consistently excellent for breakfast, brunch, and lunch! The menu is quite expansive. Be sure to save room for the chocolate cake!
(5)Sarah D.
Great brunch place. Actually got here around 1130 on Saturday and it was very crowded but we were seated right away. Waiter came promptly, took our order promptly, and food came out within 15ish minutes. They give HUGE portions here, so if you're hungry definitely come here. I got an omelette, which comes with homefries, a bagel or english muffin or toast, and fresh fruit. (their homefries were actually better than I expected) Not all of the food was warm- I would say lukewarm. Definitely not hot.. but I guess it depends on your own experience. But good value for the price. It took a little bit longer for us to get the check because he was waiting on many tables. We actually got his attention for the check by standing up and putting our coats on. Might come here again if I'm not looking to go to a neighborhoody-cafe type place.
(4)Brett H.
This is a really good place, especially if you have kids. I went there with my brother and his family including little Zoe and in Boston, there are few places we can take her without pissing a lot of people off. She's energetic. I had the french toast and it was solid. The food was good, the atmosphere was good and most importantly, they have their own parking!!!
(3)Max B.
This restaurant is terrible. Walked into a half empty place, yet still had to wait for five minutes before being rudely seated. The food is bad, the service is worse. Steer clear.
(1)Eating In The B.
Since I've eaten here twice in the past two weeks I figured I should actually post a review on it and share the wealth with others! This place has been open for 95 years which is absolutely incredible and is a central part of Inman Square. One of the first things I noticed upon getting there is every picture in the place is of Inman Square at different points in time and from different angles. It was really cool to see all of the history in the place (which includes a lifesized cardboard cutout of what I can only assume was the first waitress in the bakery - give me a break! I do enough reading for school, I'm not going to do research on who the blonde lady in the apron was). The food is what keeps me coming back beyond just the look though. I had the Croissant French Toast the first time I came which is basically just French toast with cinnamon and sugar. I described that as basic, but it's amazing. It comes with a bowl of fruit and your choice of bacon/sausage. I was in heaven to say the least. The second time I came back I had the "Breakfast Omelette" which was a special they were running (it says it's a special, but it was also there the first time I came so I'm guessing it's a fairly regular occurrence). It had pesto which intrigued/scared me and it turned out to be delicious. It also had more basic ingredients like ham, onions, tomatoes, etc, but the pesto is really what makes this unique. The omelette only costs $11 and also comes with a bagel, home fries and fruit so I'd say it's a pretty great deal since I wasn't hungry for the rest of the day.... If you're looking for a quick bite or a delicious baked good to go there's a separate bakery attached to the restaurant as well! eatinginthebean.wordpres…
(5)Emily G.
Major disclaimer: I came here when the mandated shelter-in notice went out and we were all forced to stay indoors in Cambridge and Watertown. As much as I try to abide by the law, we had absolutely no food in my friends apartment and needed to have at least one meal for the day. Luckily S&S was the only place open within walking distance, so off we went... carefully. Note to self: stock up on canned stuff for the next apocalyptic nightmare or Marshall law. So, how on earth do you rate a restaurant under the most unusual circumstances? What do you forgive and what do you bake into a #-star rating? The environment in the restaurant was straight out of a horror movie: the place was virtually empty except for the bar, the TV was on and loud on CNN reports, the staff was quiet and annoyed to be there (I would be too if I was the only person in my town forced to go into work) and the mood... well, you can imagine. But- we were starving, we needed food, and S&S had it. So on with the review. I got the roasted half chicken with mashed potatoes and a side salad. I noticed that they had a bunch of interesting salad dressings so I also ordered a side of their coconut-lime-curry dressing on the side to use as a dipping sauce for the chicken. At $9.99, this meal was huge. The "side-salad" was not very side-looking and their balsamic dressing packed a punch and a made it a great start to my only meal of the day. The half chicken must have been a mutant animal, because the 4 pieces of chicken I got served were HUGE. The chicken was extremely juicy and the mound of mashed potatoes was creamy and comforting. Using the dipping sauce on the chicken made the mashed-potato-chicken-sauce combo a wining taste. I was completely stuffed after just getting through half of my meal and dinner roll. I took the rest of it to go and kept it as a backup for later since we didn't know when we could venture outside again. So there you go. What I ordered was absolutely 4 stars worthy and a really great price for the amount of food, the flavors and quality of it. Maybe there is more that could've been said about the service or environment or wait-time, but all those things weren't "standard" today, and I don't think it would have been fair for me to judge a place under these circumstances. I was grateful for food, and an escape from fake house arrest, at least for an hour.
(4)Jennifer J.
We drive from Belmont for the S&S wings, potato skins and beef knishes ( if they have them). Delicious and a perfect takeout meal!
(4)J R.
If you like your poached eggs with runny yolks, make sure you order it that way... Otherwise your eggs bene won't be what you expect.. This place is always great!
(4)G G.
Went here when nearby places had huge lines. Decent food, quick service. I really enjoyed the matzoh ball soup and bagel and lox. Some of the items weren't as well received - the Salmon Hash was a bit under salted and bland. But overall a great brunch option.
(3)Angela A.
Reliably mediocre, with some redeeming features. The Inman Square brunch market is a pretty high-octane adventure. Are you willing to wait on the sidewalk in freezing cold temps for a preciously-cooked gorgonzola/prosciutto/salted caramel tagine thingie? (OK, I mock City Girl Caffe', but they are quite tasty.) Or is your soul weak (slash, hungover), and are you just looking for anything resembling heated eggs with cheese, cooked by someone else? If so, the industrial brunch of S&S is probably fine. Don't get me wrong. Some things are great at S&S. For one, the fact that it's like Harry Potter's camp tent, and seems to expand beyond the limits of physics. Don't worry if you have a party of 5. You'll be seated in no time. Then, if you agree to sticking by conservative, can't-fail menu items (choc chip pancakes, lox bagel), you'll be rewarded with something tasty. If, like me, you pick a more adventurous breakfast special omelet (as I did, that one time), you'll regret it. (Seriously, it was so gross.) Most of the stuff I can get at S&S I could probably cook at home, for less money, and more to my taste. But sometimes, it's Sunday and you're lazy and you want an easy treat. S&S is just that: convenient, not great, always available.
(3)Paulina B.
This has become a regular spot for my boyfriend and I on Sunday mornings for brunch. This diner/family style deli has a huge dining area that is always bustling. Even when the waiting area is packed with people, we never wait longer than 15 minutes for a table. I've had several things off the brunch menu, and I've loved every single one of them. The coffee is strong and tasty and the mimosas are made with fresh squeezed orange juice, which makes all the difference. I would definitely recommend this place for brunch - the meals are delicious and the servings are huge! I love some of their creative breakfast offerings, like Eggs Copenhagen and Eggs Benedict with Crab Cakes. Yummy!
(5)Tyler A.
The corned beef sandwich is good, the key lime pie is good, wings are awesome, delivery speed was good. This was for lunch at work one day; I enjoyed it so I decided to go for breakfast the following weekend. Breakfast was meh, (croissant with ham and hash browns) the morning cocktail I got had a trace hint of alcohol, I basically paid $6 for a $3 glass of orange juice. The food was overpriced for what it was and the service was less than impressive. I will not be back. There are MANY other places that do it for less and better. Tradition is not indicative of quality.
(2)Albert L.
I hate to write a bad review, but i had one of the worst restaurant experiences here. The only redeeming value was our sweet server. The food is terrible. Some of the worst I've had. I ordered the meatloaf, it tasted and looked like it was frozen and then reheated in a microwave. It was gray in color and tasted blander than cardboard. I don't remember what everyone else ate (went with the gf and 2 friends) but what I do remember were the portions were HUGE (and nothing else ordered looked too good). Who would want to eat that much bad food, i have no idea. I'm probably never coming back.
(2)Daisy C.
S&S was more of a stand-out than just a solid option yesterday. I had to write about and preserve this meal because it truly left me content. S&S is a safe bet: the staff are generally courteous, the food is consistently tasty, and the wallet doesn't feel too sad after a visit. We weren't really planning to go there today but, after dismissing a few other options, S&S was decided upon since we were in the area and precious minutes of lunchtime were disappearing. Promptly seated, we had a very nice waitress for our meal. While some may consider both of those anomalies at S&S, I've come to talk about the shrimp and crab cakes lunch special. This dish really called out to me. I saw it on the specials board, I flipped through the entire menu (even the breakfast options, which I usually get) and saw nothing else I wanted...I was looking forward to something different. I opted for cole slaw as my side. The two cakes were moist and had a good amount of whole shrimp and crab meat. The crumb coating outside was crisp but not oily. There was a satisfying hot dip, kind of like a heated vinaigrette with small tomato pieces. The rice pilaf was just barely more mushy than al dente, but I don't mind this sort of thing and it was not overly salty. The cole slaw had nice crunch and wasn't too creamy. The meal was very filling, well worth $8.95. Right place, right time. An aligning of celestial bodies. For serious.
(4)Séamus C.
I thought this place was pretty good, with a decent selection of traditional deli items. It was pretty lively both times I was there, and the food was delicious and filling. Certainly a place worth checking out...
(4)Stephanie P.
My sister and I stopped in here for a late breakfast on a Monday morning. At about 9am there was only one other table occupied in the establishment, but I'm sure they are more packed for lunch/dinner on weekdays. This place has been open for decades so they must be doing something right! They have a pretty extensive breakfast menu. Nothing unusual that jumps out at you, just classic, comfort breakfasts. My sister ordered an omelet with veggies and cheese which came with homefries and rye toast. Her omelet was very good but the homefries a little greasy. I ordered the french toast on egg bread. It wasn't as thick or crispy as I'd like but that didn't stop me from eating 3 slices... Decor is...well, it's boring. Their coffee was really good and service was prompt with the refills. $20 for two breakfasts and coffees.
(3)Shieun M.
They've got the best sour pickles!
(5)Sara M.
I used to live close to this place and walked here for a few brunches. Thankfully, there is also a parking lot if you have to drive. This place gets quite busy on the weekends so expect a wait even though it is large. It had your typical breakfast fare but with higher prices. I expected better quality food due to the hype but it was rather average. I felt the bagel and lox was good but I also have fond memories of this at home growing up. Good option for the area but I would drive farther for some kick-ass pancakes, like at Deluxe Town Diner.
(3)Tamara W.
Went there with my aunt and sister a few weeks ago for the first time in years... exactly what I would have expected: -old, angry waitress who was visibly rude after we ordered swordfish skewers but instead she gave us a swordfish stake and we corrected her. She changed the order but was not particularly friendly about it. -Had to do the thing where we stood up and asked for the check because our waitress was so lazy and probably on a smoke break -Food was good (swordfish was good, salmon was good, salad was decent) etc. but unless you are obese or in a food eating contest you will not finish your meal... the portions scream FAT AMERICA. -Parking is hard in the area, you need to do meter unless you are a Cambridge Resident. Overall, not planning to go back anytime soon... slash, never.
(2)Marnie S.
A poor review from me won't stop the busloads and busloads of tourists from stopping there every single day, so I feel I'm free to speak my mind. When I order a stack of chocolate chip raspberry pancakes, which are, by the way, marked up in price as a "sunday special," it's a little surprising to be given a stack of dry, crumbly plain wheat pancakes with -- I counted and photographed the evidence -- three raspberries and six chocolate chips scattered on top. Just as surprising as, say, being given zero coffee refills during an hour at the restaurant. Or water refills, which are sorely needed for those dry pancakes. My side of fruit was a cup full of green cantaloupe rinds. Okay, okay, it's just your standard Greek-joint-type breakfast place. But usually those places are redeemed by some sort of secret-goldmine wow factor (like, the best Omelettes on the eastern seaboard, or something), and S&S seems, in my opinion, to have none.
(1)Michael C.
Honestly, I hate to give this place a 2 star review because I am so nostaligic about it, but I think that is part of its effect. S & S offers your standard but expansive american breakfast menu, has a small deli, a full bar, and can accomodate large parties (12 in our case). Unfortunately the food here has fallen off in terms of quality. On my last visit my eggs benedict were cooked all the way through, which could be forgiven. Another person in our group ordered an omlette that was so undercooked the cheese on the inside was unmelted. My advice, stick to pancakes and waffles when you come here.
(2)Sarah G.
I can't believe how big this place is! I knew it had been a brunch staple since the early 1900's but having that much space in the Cambridge/Somerville area and having not one but TWO small parking lots, is just nuts. It is also nuts how quickly the line moves at this place for Sunday brunch! So definitely don't be discouraged! This place is one of those classic family owned restaurant/diner spots with a big menu that definitely has to has something on it for everyone. I got their salmon hash which was TONS of salmon (definitely not cheap on the amount of fish they use!) roasted with onions and spices and red potatoes with two poached eggs on top served with a little fruit cup and a bagel of course. It was $13 before tax and tip for that meal which kept me full until dinner for sure, BUT it was not the most amazing food I've ever had. Good, but not incredible, ya know? Matt J. got their eggs oscar which were served on potato pancakes and came also with fruit and bagel also for $13 and he like his stuff, but overall just thought it was a good brunch place, not an amazing brunch place. We did have to ask for water a few times, but they at least aren't the type of Sunday brunch place that rushes you when you are done eating, we even had to ask for our check :-)
(3)Anna R.
S&S is the quintessential diner experience in Inman. It's like a Perkins with a liquor license. I always get: -bottomless coffee -quiche lorraine -mimosa The meal is big enough to last for 2 days--a bagel and cream cheese, fruit, amazing homefries, and a slab of quiche with bacon and swiss. Those fries are right out of someone's hangover-cure cookbook, and completely delicious. I'm not one for Bloody Mary's, but my roommate always loves his and comments that they are made with a lot of vodka. The service is hit or miss--sometimes coffee is not refilled very quickly. But overall, the amazing food and homey atmosphere trumps all of that. If my roommates and I have a Seinfeld-esque diner, S&S is totally it.
(5)Jessica B.
Unfortunately, I don't quite get the appeal of S & S Restaurant Deli. I had a garden omelette without cheese and it was pretty average. It was huge, I will certainly give it that. I didn't think the coffee or my tomato juice was unusually good. Maybe I ordered wrong and should have gone for the Jew food. (I'm Jewish, I can say that.) The decor was pretty neutral. Comfortable booths, but I don't really remember anything standing out as nicer than a chain restaurant. Our waitress was sweet and called my husband "hon" and warmed up his coffee. Bottom line? Not bad. I would go again, but there are places I prefer.
(3)Nicholas G.
This place might be a lot of things but a deli it is not. They should be embarrassed to serve the pastrami that they do (tastes like stop & shop pastrami). They forgot my fries and the draft beer was flat. Do your self a favor and walk across the street to all-star and get a real sandwich.
(2)Stephanie L.
S&S is always a solid choice for brunch. There is nothing on the menu that is going to blow your mind, but also nothing that will arrive at your table and be a huge disappointment. They serve solid, consistent food with large portions at a great price. I've only been here for brunch, and have tried several of the offerings. The varieties of eggs benedict are all tasty, but again nothing really special or engaging. (Like, the reaction as it goes in your mouth is, "oh, breakfast food" not "oh my goodness, yo have to try a bite of this".) In fact, I don't think I've ever needed to have someone else try a bite of my food nor really needed to try someone else's dish here. The prices are fantastic for what you get. Breakfast cocktails (mimosas, bellinis, bloody mary's) are just $5.95 and a huge spread of food (really could be enough fo 2 people) is just $10-13. The ambiance here is pretty much non-existent, it is like a slightly more upscale Denny's, with tables and chairs instead of booths. But everything is clean and the service is prompt. There are also 2 parking lots, and I've always been able to find a spot for my car, even on busy weekend mornings.
(3)Genevieve B.
Every true Cantabrigian knows about S&S! Especially the S&S wings (on the bone of course)! They make their own special sweet and tangy sauce, which they coat a heaping plate of their crispy wings in and deliver to your table piping hot! Oh, and you can't forget their homemade blue cheese! (Fat note: my mouth is salivating as I write this, lol) Anywho, if you're not into chicken or wings, they have a pretty extensive menu, from club sandwiches and burgers, to seafood and salad or breakfast options which they serve all day. I personally love their quiche Lorraine, the seafood casserole and their Chatham Salad. They also have a number of dessert options and everything on their menu is available for takeout.
(4)Kim K.
Consistently good, fresh ingredients, fair prices. Take out is the way to go! Delicious sandwiches, amazingly creamy cole slaw which is my favorite go-to summer side. S&S, you are made of win.
(4)Shane R.
the first place i went for food w jk after a red eye to boston. corn beef hash was better than many others ive had, but i wouldnt go out of my way to come here. not particularly great or memorable.
(3)Kristine R.
Yess a yummy brunch place! Came here yesterday and had the croissant french toast. WOW! so tasty! It was a generous portion of about four pieces. It also came with fruit and three bacon strips. The french toast wasn't too sweet, which I liked. My friend ordered the raisin french toast which she liked. They are other options on the menu like omelettes, pancakes and waffles. Such an array of breakfast foods, it was a bit hard to decide. Service was lacking and the place itself reminds me of a Denny's. We luckily beat the rush and we were able to be seated right away. Once we left though, people were waiting in line. Great place for brunch and if you have a car they have a dedicated lot. I'm really starting to love Cambridge!
(4)Thomas P.
Add this to the list of places that could be really great, but for sad service. (Great service will often make up for mediocre food, but less than good service is hard to overcome, even with the best food.) Sunday brunch at the bar, and I could see the service staff swimming in the weeds... If management would put enough support staff on duty, and actually direct service, they'd not only provide better service, they'd be able to serve more guests.
(2)Reena S.
Awful. The eggs were soggy and the filling to egg ratio in the omelets was off. Pumpkin pancakes were good but rich so you could only eat one. Service was awful. We were brought to 3 different tables and the waiter couldn't remember anything we asked for. Not sure why this place has such great brunch reviews. It is not good
(1)Edwin P.
Good food. Great service.
(4)May L.
S & S is the only place in Inman Square that I don't like. You see - I really wanted to like it mainly because there's a lack of deli's in Cambridge. I wanted a good bagel. That's what I was excited about the day that I went. The bagel, however, wasn't good. It tasted the same as one of the frozen ones I take out of my freezer when I haven't gone grocery shopping and have nothing else to eat. That from a deli? Really? Obviously, we are not in NYC but still disappointing. The other major problems are the slow service and the expensive prices. Plan on staying there over an hour if you go. It's impossible to get the waitresses' attention. I was blown away when I paid $ 45 for two omelletes and one mimosa. Maybe we got a couple of juices but still - you can get the same kind of food at a cheap diner and if you're going to pay those kind of prices, find a place with a hip ambiance somewhere in Boston. It's still a mystery to me why there are so many senior citizens in the restauarant - it's literally a sea of white heads - given the prices. For a good diner go to Kelly's in Ball Square or if brunching in Inman, you're better off at City Girl or Trina's Starlite lounge.
(2)Robert O.
I've been coming here for years and I've never had a bad experience. The menu of options is expansive. I've come under moods. Sometimes I'm in the mood for their Specials menu. Sometimes I'm in the mood for my favorites. I bring my family here for brunch on the weekends. I come in at least once a week for a late lunch/early dinner. I've recently discovered a guilty pleasure----there's a bartender who can make a HOLY kicking chocolate martini, like you've never experienced. Sometimes I come in just for one of their deserts. This place is an Inman Oasis---always here for you, and there are so many reasons to come. NEVER disappointed. The best staff ever.
(5)Julia N.
Onion rings. Tuna salad sandwhich on marble rye. French onion soup. Or mazo ball soup here. Perfection. Not expensive. Nice service. Clean. Always good food. Slow service, especially on weekends.
(4)J R.
I don't know if A-OK is an accurate assessment of my Easter dining experience at S&S but we had a good waitress so that made up for the food. I ordered the french toast with brie and fig preserves and Canadian bacon. I was sooooooo excited because my favorite breakfast spot (Sugar's in Roslindale Square) made this same dish and they recently closed. I was really disappointed when I got a plate of French toast with 2 slices of brie in between. It was like an unfinished grilled cheese sandwich. The preserves were good, bacon okay. My mom had a seafood casserole which she enjoyed and my daughter had the crabcakes in some type of watery corn and pepper garnish/dressing. She didn't eat it and ordered tartar sauce. All in all it wasn't the S&S of my youth. I hope they revisit their menu and look at how other diining establishments are making dishes. Next Easter I'll go back to making my own meal.
(3)Steven D.
My fiancee has a mind of her own and is currently in S&S. Her waitress has been rude and as my fiancee eats her (none too special) bagel, the waitress is loudly complaining that her tips are too small and clearly expecting my fiancee to take teh hint and tip heavily. Rather than the waitress take the hint and not be obnoxious.
(1)Mike O.
S&S has been a longtime favorite of mine dating back to my late teen years. It's been a reliable stop for breakfast/brunch when in that section of Cambridge and has always offered a plethora of menu options, including those consistent with most Jewish delis. More often than not, meals are executed to a satisfactory or above average standard, and done so with generous portion sizes and with fresh ingredients. S&S is a bit kitschy in the sense that it brings you to a place that you'd rarely expect to find in the quasi-hip Inman Square, one of dated charm that wreaks of a post Depression era and the decor to boot. I am willing to bet that some of the staff have been working there for about as long, and while that can be comforting, it can also cause service to be a bit slow sometimes since it does get packed on the weekends and becomes noticeably stalled. This may not be entirely their fault, nor the fault of the kitchen, but perhaps it's simply the nature of a bustling dining room, but do not come here expecting to get in and out quickly. One important note: they serve breakfast ALL DAY so if you're in need of some good grease before (or during) the area bars, keep this fact in mind, but do so before they close; 10pm on weekdays (Su-We), 11pm on weekends (Th-Sa).
(3)c. wallace o.
Writing a review on S & S is like advocating for a change in the MBTA service. You know it's not really going to make a difference because they have a formula that works for enough people to be consistently frequented and profitable. And its a Cambridge Institution, so why change it now?! That being said I shall continue my futile writing exercise of the day. With S & S, what you see is basically what you get. Nothing is going to be surprisingly good or bad. The food is american comfort cuisine / ny diner. I had the chicken parmasean with pasta and a side salad. It was okay. My friends all got their 'famous' wings with the sweet and sour sauce. I tried them, they were okay. They had gross cycso foods french fries though as a side which was not okay in my book. Large portions. Friendly enough service. Its like they mastered the "Art of Mediocre", literally right down the middle, if for nothing else visit S & S and be a witness to this triumph of middle ground quality and service`balance. In terms of the ambiance, I agree with other reviews its a step above a denny's but barely. There are little signs of the longevity of the establishment and the Jewish American heritage sprinkled about (the walls, the menu, the counter, etc.) I'd summarize the food and ambiance of S & S as neighborhood diner meets touristy kitschy restaurant meets nursing home cafeteria.
(3)Theresa F.
Okay, I enjoyed this sandwich shop a lot. You basically walk up to the counter and let them know what you'd like, they give you a ticket with the details of your order.. Meanwhile you can wait and look at the delicious display cases filled with all types of sinfully yummy pies and cookies and all that jazz (if you're into that)... I passed up on all that and just got a turkey sandwich with lots of veggies and provolone on a pita.. YUM. and their soup was also served very hot and I think it was made in store. I'd eat here again and I would take friends.
(3)Leslie W.
Maybe because I'm a left coaster with a right brain kind of way of looking at customer service or maybe just because service on the east coast just is minimal, I had a hard time with my breakfast at S&S. Amy swooped me up from the airport and we set out for breakfast. The places that she wanted to try were closed, so we stumbled upon S&S. It was open, so we went in. (I'm always down to try a sit-down deli.) There were only a few people in the restaurant, which could mean that the food is bad or maybe it was just a slow morning. (More people started coming in, as we ate.) We sat at a table next to the window. It gave me an opportunity to do some people watching. Dark wood accents and furniture. Classic setting for a deli restaurant combo. There are the typical things that one would expect on a breakfast menu. I had decided that I wanted an omelet but I wasn't sure which one to get. I asked the waitress what was the special omelet for the day. She didn't know. That surprised me. I guess I'm just used to the servers learning the specials, when they come on shift. She came back and told us it was a sausage, tomato and onion omelet. Amy and I both ordered that. Rather than get bagels, we asked for toast. I asked for iced tea (of course) and Amy asked for coffee. We both asked for water. A few minutes later, the drinks arrived. A few minutes after that, the food arrived. (My drinks were both empty, at this point.) I tucked into my breakfast. The omelet was about 10 inches long and 4 inches wide. It had a delicate folded egg style wrapped around the filling. The sausage inside was absolutely delicious. The tomatoes didn't add much. Perhaps if they had used some cilantro or basil to set off the tomatoes, it would have been nicer. The potatoes were kinda mushy and had a strange orange sheen to them. They tasted like potatoes, but didn't look like much of anything. The wheat toast was excellent. Toasted to perfection, there were some sunflower seeds baked in and some oats on the crust. It had a delicious flavor and was a good complement to the omelet. My water glass was never refilled. I had to ask for more tea, twice. I'm a big drinker (of tea and water, that is) but these glasses were mostly filled with ice, so there isn't much room for liquid. It disappoints me to no end that a server doesn't recognize a glass is empty and should be refilled. She was pleasant and did what we requested, but that was it. She didn't check on us and we were her only table for most of the time we were there!
(3)Ben R.
After a few more times at S&S I've come to the conclusion that they have a lot of stuff on the menu, but none of it is really all that great. I've added it to my list of "do not go here" restaurants. I'm not sure what happened, but it doesn't do it for me anymore.
(2)Iannis R.
It's Sunday morning, the clock strikes nine I don't want to shlep all the way to Brookline For some decent latkes or a plate of corned beef Or else, corned beef hash (if you don't have no teef) Or other Yiddishkeit that may seem good Even if it really is fake Kosher food. The place is not perfect but is done pretty well But still nothing to make your Bubbe kvell.
(4)Amelia M.
I went here for brunch once and ordered the eggs Copenhagen (poached eggs, lox, sauteed onions, hollandaise sauce, English muffin, with home fries and fruit salad). It was a big serving and extra delicious. I would love to take my relatives here next time they're in town -- it has a great "family meal" feel, and is a nice sunny space for any weekend brunch stop-in. I definitely recommend it if you're in need of a tasty "rise and shine" kind of vibe.
(4)Dave S.
Corn beef hash is the best! Lox spread is a delicious bargain. Gotta get a Kosher dill, even for breakfast. Skip the home fries.
(4)Emily G.
Fantastic bagels! Their chive cream cheese is also really good. Great service, fast for to go. And easily the same price as Dunkin Donuts. Looking forward to trying them for dinner soon!
(5)Eric M.
More of a diner than a deli. It was satisfactory, but nothing to write home about.
(3)April T.
This family must be doing something right. You don't stay in business for almost a century otherwise. Went for crowded Sunday brunch but still got seated within five minutes. Everything was yummy, especially their Eggs Copenhagen! The Hollandaise sauce was light and clean, one of the best I've ever tried. Decent prices and good service.
(4)Chaya M.
The food is consistently great, but I have to give if two stars because the service is ALWAYS atrocious! I leave wondering why I put up with it. It's like the wait staff is trained to be rude and nasty.
(2)Kelsey L.
S&S has some really good aspects. French toast, muffins on the grill and sausage are all really good. However, this place is a little overpriced for what you get. A side of a few slices of bacon was $2.50 I think. We get takeout brunch there once in awhile, but I wish there was a cheaper diner nearby. I recommend it if you don't mind the price. Their takeout is usually ready very quickly, which is nice. Be careful when you order breakfast foods on the weekend, they might try to charge you off the brunch menu, which is slightly more expensive than the breakfast menu for some items.
(3)Cris E.
I've been coming here for over 20 years. I do agree with others that the breakfast is a little pricey but the omelets makes up for $$$. I really enjoy their burgers with the nice bulky buns and when I'm really Craving something heavy, I order their Ruben! Delicious! My all time favorite waiter at the s and s is Al, Aka, "butter". He's a character, great waiter plus his humor makes my food taste extra good!
(4)Mike G.
We are just visiting the Cambridge area for a few days and stopped in here for breakfast. The service is wonderful, atmosphere is great and prices right on for a breakfast place. Although the waitress typed part of our order in wrong, she quickly brought out the right good. Again, service and food were great!
(4)Eva K.
S&S is a notch above your run-of-the-mill breakfast place. Good place for breakfast on Saturdays - all the other restaurants in Inman tend to do Sunday brunch only. Unlike the other reviewers, I did not find the waitstaff to be rude. In fact, I found one of the waiters to be super-nice to my bf after said bf ordered a strawberry mimosa. What's up with that?!
(4)Laura H.
I love S&S. I've eaten there dozens of times. I've taken all my friends and out of town guests. I could probably eat there every day. I didn't even like Hollandaise sauce before I discovered S&S, and now I eat Eggs Florentine every chance I get. In fact, I love S&S so much that I can't bring myself to eat brunch anywhere else. I've tried most of the brunch menu at one time or another. The hash browns are delicious, I could drink the Hollandaise sauce, and the mimosas are tasty, cold, and refreshing. The croissant french toast is amazing. Even the corned beef hash is pretty good, and I'm generally not a fan. With that said, a couple of things for those who haven't been there: 1. The Hot chocolate, while delicious, is roughly 85% whipped cream. If you don't mind paying $3.50 for whipped cream, knock yourself out. Otherwise, if you want to taste warm, chocolately goodness, ask them to hold it. 2. Parking is obnoxious during the peak times, which is pretty much any time Saturday. They added a lot down the street, which is nice, but they recently implemented a plan where you need a token to exit the lots. The problem? You can't see that the lot is full until after you pull in, and then you can't leave. So, you're left with the options of waiting for someone to leave, or parking illegally while you go in and get a token. What that means to me is that I'm better off taking the T. 3. The place is almost too popular for its own good. If you go during peak brunch times on the weekend, be prepared to wait about an hour for a table. Still, it's amazing and delicious and worth the wait. 4. It gets warm in there when it's crowded (which is most of the time). Wear layers.
(4)Lana A.
Just okay, IMHO. Our waitstaff was not friendly or helpful. It seemed to take an overly long time to receive our orders. And then the food quality was just so-so. But maybe that's what the S and S stand for, I don't know. We've only been here once, so I gave it an okay rating on the basis of what our host had to say about past experiences which were better than ours.
(3)Phil C.
I've only had their brunch here and it's been generally positive. I've tried their pancakes on a couple of occasions and they've been decent. I really liked the pumpkin pancake (good flavor and spice), which shows up as a special from time-to-time. The prices are above what a diner around here would charge, but the quality of the food is slightly higher than a plain-jane diner. It's a tad bit pricey for me but S&S isn't cost-prohibitive. I'll try their deli the next time around...
(3)Kay S.
Like people mentioned, the food is kind of meh. Standard fare for breakfast -- I had the croissant french toast, which didn't taste any different from regular french toast. The fruit on the side was nice (not a lot of places in the area do that!), but 3/4 of it was cantaloupe....and this was a week after the cantaloupe scare. Not only a bit cheap of them, but there was no mention of "our cantaloupes don't come from Colorado" or anything like that. Coffee wasn't bad (though it was a bit weak), and they brought little milk packets if you didn't want half-and-half. I would have probably given 3 stars except for 3 reasons: Boston/Cambridge restaurants do brunch well -- probably the area's culinary forte. So for the same price of my french toast, fruit and coffee, I could have got an omelet, potatoes, coffee, juice and a baked good from Aquitiane, with a much nicer setting and better quality. The main thing S&S has going for it is that it's convenient for people around Inman and opens earlier than City Girl on the weekends (and has a better seating situation). I really wanted the pumpkin pancakes, but I just wanted to make sure there weren't any peanuts. I asked the waiter, and he freaked out, even after I explained that tree nuts are fine, and I only had a slight (not life-or-death) allergy (basically can eat anything 'made in a factory that processes peanuts'). He didn't let me order what I wanted because he said that the tree nuts could have been next to any peanuts (which they probably don't have during breakfast....if at all); under the same logic, wouldn't anything in the kitchen be unsafe? I know the restaurant has to watch its behind, but to not allow me to order what I want? Not cool. The other thing was that, when I checked my credit card statement later, I noticed that the final charge was higher than I put down including tip. I guess I could give the benefit of the doubt and say the waiter misread the number, but it gave him a $6 tip for breakfast for two. You think I tipped you 22%? Seriously? I would probably go back if a friend was hankering for comfort breakfast food, and I was too lazy to go past Inman, and City Girl was closed or had an uber-long wait.
(2)Jennifer N.
A long time ago, Inman Square was a sad, sad place with few dining options. In that world, S&S was a beacon of hope. Fast forward many years, and Inman Square overflows with options, which is pretty amazing considering that half of the so-called square is taken up by that auto-body center. So why, why, why with all of these options do people still eat at the S&S? Yes, the portions are large. But, um, since when do large portions make something good? At best, S&S is mediocre diner food served in a somewhat depressing room. This place is *not* a deli (though they have that faux deli in the front), it's not some foodie delight, it's an old diner with extremely unexceptional food. The only thing good about this place is that it has parking. And Lakota cookies.
(2)Geena P.
LOVE this place! My boyfriend got the Eggs Maryland (crab and shrimp cakes along with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce) while I got Nova Scotia omelette (lox and sautéed onions). Both were SO good! Weekends are busy 'cause that's the only time they serve brunch, but they seat you very quickly. Great food and great service. Definitely going to go here more often!
(5)Christine K.
This review is specifically about catering. I used S&S for an office event. They have an extremely varied menu for hors d'oeuvres, and that made it easier to accommodate a crowd with vegetarians and some other folks with food restrictions. I was also really excited about their new online ordering system, which allowed me to put in somewhat detailed notes. It was really important that the cake I was ordering be completely blank and undecorated on top, and I wrote that in the notes and specified that we would be using a photo cake sticker on it. There were some hitches along the way. The online ordering system allowed me to order 20 pieces each of various maki, and then S&S called and told me I had to order a minimum of 36 pieces each. We made the adjustment. The day of the order, they called again to ask if I needed paper products. I said no. The order arrived on time, but when I opened the packages, there were paper products included. I made a note to make sure we weren't charged for them. Then I opened the cake and had a mild panic. It was decorated with great big frosting flowers. I awkwardly scraped off some of the decorations, cut the photo sticker into a different shape, and managed to cover the mess by decorating with fruit (all in the last 15 minutes before the event began). The cake, when it was cut into, turned out to be the wrong flavor. On top of that, it was somewhat dry. The other food (chicken satay, maki rolls) was mostly average, nothing to write home about. I was kind of disappointed by the pear, almond, and brie tartlets, though. They just didn't taste like much of anything except fat. I called S&S and was hurriedly dealt with by a caterer who said they would offer us a credit. I suppose I prefer a credit and no apology to an apology and no credit, but overall, I don't think I'm going to be in a hurry to hire S&S again as a caterer.
(2)Lisa I.
If you like kicking it with the 60+ crowd, this is your place. We were probably the youngest people there by a margin of 40 years. It kind of reminded me of a Cracker Barrell. The menu was enormous, but the food was very mediocre and the atmosphere left a lot to be desired. We only came here because we were going next door to Ryles and were looking for a bite. Their house wings were good, but that's about it. Wouldn't go back.
(2)Amy H.
I don't like this place as much as others do. I think it may be me. Their food is your traditional Jewish diner food. I have ordered the potato pancakes and the fried fish. Both were just ok. The service is also ok; usually slow because of the large quantity of people who flow through here. I'd rather eat somewhere else if I had the choice. And in Inman Square, luckily you do!
(3)Katia M.
When I was a poor temp this place was a bit out of my price range for hangover brunch, but I've been here twice recently and gotten omelets with the bagel, home fries, and maybe a mimosa, and I have to say, it hits the spot. Good stuff.
(4)Heather G.
S&S is not crush-worthy. It's less like that guy you've been trying to talk to/get to notice you for ever but he just doesn't seem interested...and more like that guy in your class or at your office that you hang out with because he's nice, he's there, and he's funny. S&S certainly makes me happy when I am there, having breakfast. However, if I'm being honest with myself, I never crave S&S. I don't desire to spend time with it like I would, say, Ball Square Cafe or Cafe Luna. I like him when he's around, but I don't think about him when he's gone. That's not to say he's a bad guy...er...restaurant. It's just that he'll never be my first-choice date for Sunday morning breakfast. That was a very long-winded way of saying this place is just fine. Sure, I could make most of the egg dishes at home, but this place is so cheap that I don't have to bother, when all I want is some damn eggs and potatoes. There are few places where I find breakfast to be a culinary adventure. S&S isn't one of them, but they're consistent. They're consistently consistent. They offer up some solid go-to's, and you can always correctly-guess what you'll be getting when you order off the breakfast menu. Scrambles, benedicts, egg sandwiches - all are straightforward. They taste like they're supposed to. The portions are generous, the prices are low. The waitstaff calls ya "hun", which i happen to love, but they don't come around much. This is great if you're looking to catch up over a leisurely plate of eggs with a friend (here's lookin' at you, Sheridan, my lovely), but not so great when you're looking to have your water glass or coffee refilled. When do I go to S&S? 1. When I am craving diner food but don't want to shlep out to Ball Square, 2. when Cafe Luna has a ridiculous 1+ hour wait, or 3. When I'm in the area, hungry, and it's breakfast time. Bottom line: Love ya when you're around, don't miss ya when you're not.
(3)Josh S.
Before I begin I want to agree with Ryan M.'s observation of likening S&S to the atmosphere of Friendly's. In S&S's defense, I have been to many great delis in CT any NYC with a similar feel. Regardless, it doesn't make for a unique or overly inviting atmosphere. My review is based only on the one sandwich I ordered, but it is a deli staple; pastrami on rye. In a word, disappointing. First, for the $10 charged, I expected it to be topped sky high, like a true Jewish Deli should. Not here. Second, The pastrami was sliced paper thin and was way too salty. The pastrami I know and love is thick cut and never by a machine, with the blackened end pieces (which are treasure troves of flavor) poking out the sides of the rye. Third, I asked for mustard. I only assumed the kitchen could handle that since you cant have pastrami on rye without mustard (bot sides of the bread, please). Instead, what I got was a bottle of mustard for me to spread myself. If you cant get mustard on your sandwich, then good luck with special orders. I may return for their breakfast, but never for their sandwiches.
(2)Matt M.
The S&S is right up the street from my parents, so whenever I'm visiting, I end up stopping by. I really want to like the S&S more than I do, but the food never meets my expectations. On this visit, I had great service but it couldn't make up for the fact that the fruit tasted like it had gone (or was about to go) bad. The rest of the breakfast was ok but nothing special at all. It's a fine place to meet friends, but I would not recommend S&S based on the food alone. In a word, it's "average."
(2)J C.
Awesome place for brunch! The food is good and the prices are fair. I've never had a bad meal here. Also their burgers are really good too and don't forget the famous S&S Wings! Great place to bring friends from out of town --can't go wrong!
(4)Melissa S.
I lived in Inman Square for a decade and S&S was the fallback for when we didn't feel like cooking. Consistently good food, good service. And I particularly like they're homemade corned beef hash with poached eggs on top. Yum. Also, the potato pancakes are off the hook.
(4)Joanna A.
I pretty much only come here for breakfast.. and its really good. my faves so far are the blitzes which they make with cream cheese filling, not lump cottage cheesey filling. And the stuffed french toast is fantastic too. I also like the omelettes. And the little fruit salads that come on the side are surprisingly fresh and tasty. We've had slow service here in the past but i swear its getting better...
(4)David C.
The service is a joke, the food is over priced, the food is mediocre, and small portioned. All 5 people in my party were unhappy with our meals--mine in particular (the $17 ribs) came with 6 small pieces and only celery as a side. There are 10 better restaurants in a 2 block radius. DO NOT COME HERE, SAVE YOUR MONEY.
(1)Matt A.
Awful service, incompetent at takeout and generally unpleasant. Gave them a few chances and it's not worth it.
(1)David F.
If you ever get takeout here you MUST check it before you pay. I ordered a sandwich. They didn't toast the bread as I had ordered. The didn't switch the lethal French fries for coleslaw as I had ordered. The food was average at best. For these prices I expected more meat on the club sandwich.
(2)Nic S.
Why is this place not 5 stars? I've been coming here for 2 and a half years. Its so good I keep coming back. Its my default place to go when I want to go out and not cook. The Chicken Florentine is the best chicken sandwich I've ever had. Its $10 bucks, and it worth it. Their French Onion Soup is about $5.50, and it is also the best I've ever had. The wait staff is surly, but that just adds to the charm. Its a wonderful place. Its a wood-paneled Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, only without the magic/tubes. Dessert is also really good! Mud Pie is about $5 bucks, and is fantastic.
(5)Karina B.
I cannot get enough of this place!!!! The food is so amazing and homey not to mention all the portion sizes are HUGE. The service is always spectacular. I recommend any of omelets for brunch they come with fruit salad, home fries, and a bagel ( I always get the lox spread), I've also had the nova scotia pizza here, the salads, and the chicken sandwich and I can't begin to tell you how great all of it is! The place is huge but also gets packed especially during brunch hours! I love this place so much though and always try to bring anyone there!
(5)Caitlin B.
Food is so-so; always have a hard time deciding what to settle on. Service is so-so; with exception to Gretchen, who is an absolute gem. I only return because of a relative that insists on dining here when we go out to eat. My main qualm with S&S is that the dining room and bar area are pretty filthy. I've seen a mouse in the dining room more than once, and the gnat/fruit fly situation is absolutely disgusting. Don't believe me? Check out the wall at the end of the bar. There are so many flies stuck to the wallpaper that it's become some kind off weird fly cemetery. I had to touch the wall to make sure that it wasn't just sticky fly-paper disguised as wallpaper. There's a lot of competition in Inman Square and surrounding communities. S&S can get on par with other establishments in the area if they improve the quality of the food (fresh not frozen), change-up the dinner menu, and take better care to maintain cleanliness.
(3)Kim G.
You WANT this place to be great - But its not. It's adequate. It's ok. It's... FOOD. But it is NOT great. If you want great - The Neighborhood is 5/10 minutes away (in Somerville) Zaftigs in Brookline Deluxe Town Diner in Watertown All 3 are TERRIFIC!!! The last time I gave S&S a shot was last week. Wanted to order a piece of quiche to go from the counter. Even though the girl working there SAW ME, she continued talking to her other employee friend until I had to interrupt and ask if I could order. Then, because I am assuming she was so engaged (still) in her private conversation I realized when I got home she gave me the wrong kind and I had to drive ALL THE WAY BACK. To add insult to injury, when I finally got to eat it, it was hard as a ROCK on top. I mean, it got a little softer after a microwaved the crap out of it but before that I literally could NOT stick a plastic fork in it. Solid. (Weird, right?) The other thing that I don't (other than the fact that the food is just ok) is that there is no kids menu. I mean, really? You want me to order my toddlers a $16.95 entree for dinner? No thanks.
(2)Al N.
Pro: this place has its own parking lot. Well known in this area for breakfast. Con: I think it is a little overrated. Breakfast is a little overpriced even though coffee is free.
(3)Yvonne P.
I'm a Boston native who moved to New York years ago but this is still my favorite place for wings! The sauce they use is perfect! This review is overdue but S&S will always be my go to for lunch in Cambridge. The pastrami sandwich is also a must have!
(5)Mike B.
Went for breakfast. The food was good but the service was horrible. The waiter seemed surprised that we gave a normal tip. Go in with low expectations for service and you'll be fine.
(3)Stephen C.
Excellent sandwiches. Been there forever! Just good old fashioned comfort food. Recommended for anyone who loves those deli delights!
(4)Chi B.
Great spot. Looks like they've been here for ages. Great breakfast menu. Very friendly and good service. I sat inside but looks like they have outdoor seating as well.
(5)Neary D.
I just completed brunch with my family and we were looking forward to a nice experience for my sisters birthday. Instead we had a waitress (Melissa - thin blonde hair) that was rude and had a bad attitude. To set the context of this email : - we were a table of 12 (8 adults and 4 toddlers) - the toddlers were moving the sugar packets from one container to another pretending that they were tickets Melissa upon seeing this stated to our faces in a very rude tone "Now I can't use the sugars and have to restock them". 4 of the adults at the table have worked in the food and beverage industry. Rule #1: don't make these types of comments in front of the customer. She then proceeded to complain about us within earshot of us to her co-workers. Rule #2: don't complain about the customers where the customers can hear you. My sister in law and I after paying the check went to voice our dissatisfaction with the service to the manager. The manager was very frazzled and busy and while she listened to us, I'm not sure she actually heard us. Rule #3: pretend to listen and hear the customer while they are voicing their concerns. What is truly sad about the whole experience is that the food is good and we were having a good time with our family and because our waitress was sour and rude during our whole dining experience we will never return and will never recommend your establishment to anyone. We will actually discourage our friends from it since we all have toddlers. I don't know if this message will get any responses back from anyone but we feel better that we are posting this message because hopefully this will help make someone else's experience who have toddlers better than ours.
(1)Richard H.
This place is huge, everything on the breakfast menu seems to come with a bagel, and despite plenty of other brunch options in the area, S & S checks all of the boxes of a decent diner with historical charm. I plan to return for lunch to try the widely-lauded pastrami sandwich. The wait system for a table is confusing, with no list, just some finger pointing around the room "two - three - group of six - another two" and all of your party must be present to be seated. On a Saturday morning, we were seated right away and promptly served ice water. As with most diners, there was a bottomless cup of coffee, though it took a few waves to get a refill. I ordered the "Brunch Omelette" - a special of bacon, spinach, Monterrey jack cheese, tomato, and pesto. The pesto was blended into the eggs, a nice touch. It was served with not-too-greasy home fries, a bagel with cream cheese, and a cup of fruit. Overall, a good, satisfying breakfast, especially to catch up with a friend. Service was satisfactory and our plates arrived quickly - though they should definitely have someone running around and topping off coffees. I'll be back to try the pastrami!
(3)Dennis M.
There catering manager is a heartless joke. While trying to formalize a post funeral reception, I was laughed at and told it was going to be a drunk fest. For whatever reason this pub considers themselves the only show in town. Let's be clear, this gum snapping, Flo wannabe new the reason for our inquiry, yet lacked any compassion. Any business done here would be a direct slap in the face to any Military Veteran, Father, Husband and dedicated public servant. AVOID AVOID AVOID
(1)Butch M.
I HAVE BEEN GOING TO THE S&S SINCE 1977. NEVER AGAIN! At 8 AM last Mother's Day, while this restaurant was almost completely empty, the woman in charge, sitting on her very ample posterior, had a whole line of people lined up in the Deli section and refused them seats "until their other parties arrived". One of those in line was an elderly and apparently arthritic woman. REASON: "we have a lot of people coming in today, different rules for Mother's Day." Well, all those other people were not there, almost no one was being served, and nearly everyone was standing uncomfortably in line because of this chickens**t rule - that had nothing to do with the actual situation in that empty restaurant. The laughing, arrogant, and self-satisfied attitude of the woman enforcing this rule said everything. IT IS CERTAINLY NO LONGER ABOUT THE CUSTOMERS AT THE S&S. I LEFT. THAT WILL BE MY LAST VISIT TO THE S&S AFTER NEARLY 40 YEARS. I went elsewhere for brunch in Cambridge and was completely happy with the setting for a meeting with an old friend. No need to put up with insufferable attitudes.
(1)Paul B.
May be a bit pricey, and the menu can be a bit overwhelming, but the sandwiches. Oh my are they tasty! The pastrami is killer.
(4)Melba L.
S & S a must every time we visit family in Boston and we just had a great lunch there. Works for lunch, brunch or a quick grab of tasty bits from the deli. Parking can be a challenge, but they do have a small lot. Chicken liver, knishes and corned beef Reuben are stand outs.
(4)Amanda D.
This is a review for service and management only. I've been coming to the S&S with my family since I was child. Despite the usually pleasant visits of my past, my recent experience was bad enough for me not to return in the future. My husband and I visited for brunch and the dining room was nearly empty. We waited to be sat. We stood directly in front of 3 employees, but were completely ignored. We had to interrupt their conversation to be sat. They actually seemed visibly annoyed that they had to help us! An employee asked a manager (in front of us) where to seat us and was told "the bar." After he led us past the sparsely seated dining room into the bar area, I was met with loud TVs featuring sports--not what I had in mind for brunch. I asked if we could move to the main dining room. The host fumbled trying to find us a spot, offering instead to seat us in another back room. I asked him (again) if we could sit in the main dining room at one of the MANY open booths. He left us standing in a hallway holding menus while he looked (?) at the dining room. Finally, after essentially arguing our way into the main room, he sat us at a tiny table (not the booth I'd asked for multiple times). We were very awkwardly sandwiched right in between 2 other occupied tables in a nearly empty room. We were also right at the edge of the room by the door. After this very strange experience we felt completely unwelcome and decided to go elsewhere. In short: Rude and unwelcoming service. Will not return.
(1)Ali M.
If you go here - get the chicken wings with S&S sauce, you won't be disapointed! Also, the knockworst/pastrami club sandwich was to die for! I could only eat half and had the second half at 10am the next morning, delicious!
(4)Gabi R.
Food: got the eggs Oscar and the eggs Maryland. Both were delicious- -the Oscar came on a crispy potato cake that was deliciously spiced and divine with the accompanying perfectly poached egg, and hollandais. Loved the asparagus touch - straight out of Italy -the Maryland was mounted on shrimp and crab cakes. -I loved the fact that in both cases, the eggs were mounted on something other than bread. That freed up room for a bagel...as S&S has the best bagels I've found in Boston :) Service: a little slow to bring food, but very quick to take orders, check water glasses. Also, just super sweet people with big smiles all around Ambience: homey feel of a Midwest diner, which I LOVED. Great spot for a cozy winter morning brunch with the bf. Can't wait to go back!
(5)Janis C.
Ohhhhhhhhhh sad. Daniel R was our server, bless his heart. :/ Took forever to order, then to get served, then received a well done burger instead of a medium rare burger, and I couldn't even send it back to the kitchen because enough time had elapsed since the server last visited us that were done with dinner by the time he finally came back to check on us. And then I told him the burger was well done, and I got a sorry, but no offers to rectify the situation. I'm probably not coming back. .... But, well, at least the fries were decent. AND HE DIDNT REFILL OUR WATER WHAT THE
(1)Mitch D.
I don't know where they get them from, but S&S has the best bagels and cream cheese in Cambridge, hands down. And for that I am grateful. Somehow the takeout counter staff have also worked a place in my heart...I don't know, maybe it's just the bagels having their way with my emotions.
(5)Noa C.
Coming from NY and NJ, finding a decent bagel in the Boston area is hard, if not impossible. S&S comes really really close to a great bagel! They have a nice crust, chew and dense crumb. They aren't just bagel-shaped bread. Their pastrami is also wonderful. And they are the perfect replica of a typical NJ diner! Complete with breakfast served anytime!
(5)Bob P.
We used to go to brunch at the S&S way back in the '80s and '90s. It was a special place to get brunch, and a bit of a social thing because you were going to spend half an hour or more, waiting in a line that stretched out the door and down the sidewalk. The food was worth waiting for. So when our kids wanted a good brunch place we thought it would be a special thing to drive all the way into Cambridge and go to the S&S. We were disappointed. Our first clue was the absence of that line. But then little things started adding up: the rather uninterested attitude of the waitress, the cheap opaque ketchup bottles that allow them to forget to keep them filled up, the rather unforgivable lack of real maple syrup, even on request. The home fries were undercooked, lacking even a slight hint of browned crust and with almost raw onions mixed in; the corned beef hash was flavorless. We searched for positive things to write here: the fresh squeezed orange juice was good, and the omelet was ok, if a bit under seasoned. It wasn't even busy enough to cut them some slack for being rushed. Nothing (other than the home fries) was actually bad, but if we wanted mediocre we could stay home and let me cook. I guess time has moved on and the days of the S&S being special are in the past.
(2)Court S.
I have always been a fan of the S&S wings for YEARS- but now I'm a vegetarian (10 months and counting) so I've found a new obsession. My mom's former boss hosted a retirement gathering for her here and it was great. The menu consisted of stuffed mushrooms (THESE WERE THE BEST I'VE EVER HAD). The stuffing was tremendous and the mushrooms were plump yet tender. We also had vegeterian and chicken kabobs- the veggie ones had a glazed sweet sauce on them that my mouth is still watering from, and rice and salad were great too. The service was extremely friendly and when I asked about the stuffed mushrooms, I was told that they are only offered on the catering menu for private parties. So I made sure I took home the leftovers so I could bring them in for lunch the next day. SO GOOD!
(5)Francesca M.
I went there just one time but i loved it so much! It was during my first week in US and i really enjoyed my first real american breakfast! I surely recommend it to everybody!
(5)Em A.
The food is good but not spectacular and the service is THE WORST. But in the end, I'll never stop going to S&S. It's oh so convenient. It's right there, always with tables available, so easy. I'll admit, 100% of my visits have been weekend mornings and for 50% of those visits I've either been hammered or getting there*. Those times, I LOVE this place (4 Star!). It's the sober times when I wonder about the real value of S&S (2 Star). *(I vacation in Cambridge often?...)
(3)Christine J.
a diner. whatelse do ya want? mediocre everything. not bad not great either. service is below avg, the older ladies are efficient but no smiles or anything. lol. just go there to eat and leave, when your restaurants are too crowded or closed.
(3)Nicole B.
I was here for brunch and had the most delicious blueberry pancakes. The blueberries were fresh and tart. I got a side of home fried potatoes which left something to be desired, however. More like a lumpy mess of potatoes than individually griddle-fried bits of goodness that I know and love from homefries. The atmosphere is typical American diner with nice-enough service and a line that moves deceivingly quick.
(4)Christina H.
Great place if you are looking for a good old-fashioned, hearty brunch. Most dishes are about $10 each. The Bavarian French Toast was quite amazing, but a little too much cream cheese for me. The Corn Beef Hash was the best I've had (fresh meats from their deli I assume). I'm coming back to try the potato pancakes next time!
(3)Jow O.
Been here multiple times now, classic Jewish deli. great food, great service, and they have their own parking lot. A new favorite spot of ours! open late on weeekends
(5)Lindsay M.
I was so happy to finally find a place nearby for breakfast...then I ate here. Now lemme start by saying we tried this place three times, mostly because there was nowhere else close by and my friend from out of town wasn't big on traveling far for bfast. The first visit was mediocre, at least I was seated! However after that it took forever to get any service, the food was mediocre as well and trying to get the check in time for our appointments was next to impossible! But hey everyone has their off days right? So we went back a second time figuring that was the case! The second time I arrived first, and the host refused to seat me (in a barely quarter full restaurant) until our whole party arrived (honestly this was just rude, had they been super busy I would've understood but as I said they were a quarter full!) again the food was just mediocre. I mean it was good it just wasn't great (as in it just doesn't hit the spot with the pancake craving!) our service again was so-so at best, a few things we ordered were forgotten and never ended up being brought out (my eggs for instance never showed up, even when I asked the second time!) and we had to wait so long for the check, I had to leave because I was already 10 min late for my appointment waiting for the check (and we still hadn't been able to ASK for it at that point!) my friend ended up having to take care of it (bless her I bought her dinner later-elsewhere)! So why did we go back the third time? Gluttons for punishment? Honestly no, we were just that hungry and pressed for time it was either try S&S again or go hungry, and going hungry wasn't really an option as I was starving! Again they wouldn't seat us until we both arrived (and ps it's really awkward to stand in their deli part waiting like that because you're in the way of people waiting for tables and people shopping at the deli counter!) the food was again adequate but it definitely didn't stand out, I would say if S&S is your only option for food, go there, their prices are a bit steep for bfast, not sure on any other meals, the food is decent enough it doesn't taste bad and the service is really a hit or miss, but if you can go somewhere else, I definitely recommend that!
(2)Vedic C.
My girlfriend and I had brunch on 6/20. The wait was long , the drinks weren't good ( Bloody Mary & orange juice) and the food was terrible.
(3)Leah M.
S&S is exactly what you expect it to be. A family restaurant that serves diner food and takes you back to childhood. The food was fine, nothing mind blowing, but as good as I expected it to be. They have a decent sized menu with standards as well as a few more specialty dishes like white fish salad. Good easy place to get a standard breakfast.
(3)Kiley S.
Great for brunch. A big fan of the classic eggs/home fries/bagle breakfast and turkey club. The burgers are so-so which is a shame. HUGE menu! Always our go-to spot in Inmann Square. No frills just good food. Great for large parties. Service has always been great! **PARKING LOT : which validates your spot for FREE! A huge plus/rarity in Cambridge!
(4)Andrea B.
The S & S Restaurant has been open in Cambridge's Inman Square since 1919, so you know they've gotta be doing something right! I have nothing but admiration for this family-owned business that has been offering expansive menus for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and brunch for almost a century. I came here for a luncheon after a funeral on a Saturday, and it was packed. Everyone that we spoke to on the staff was exceptionally accommodating and friendly to our party of about 25, which is no easy feat, so for service S & S gets a hands-down five stars. You need over 30 in order to reserve a banquet room. The wait times between being seated, ordering, and actually receiving our meals were pretty long, but I found that I enjoyed perusing the menus. In between their edible offerings, you could find awesome old photos with captions showing the restaurant's storefront from various times over the past century. Those same photos adorn the walls throughout S & S. As I mentioned above, it did take a long time to get our orders in, but I did end up needing the majority of that time simply to decide what I wanted. We were given brunch and lunch menus to look at, and both of them were full of a variety of interesting options in addition to traditional staples. There was something on the menu to satisfy every palate, that's for sure. But here's the thing. S & S may do all kinds of food, but it doesn't do any one thing outstandingly well. I finally decided to get the eggs Oscar - poached eggs served on top of potato pancakes, with crab meat, asparagus, toast, and fruit. How can all of that not be good? And overall, it was. But my potato pancakes were burnt (anyone who knows me at all knows how much I don't like that!). And none of the fruit was fresh. The poached eggs were wonderful, though. I tried a few of my dining companions' meals, including a California wrap, a burger, and Buffalo chicken wings, and while all of them were fine, none of them stood out as anything special. So yes, you can come to S & S and order pretty much anything your heart desires, which is awesome. It'll be a satisfactory meal, but will it be the best meal you've ever had? Probably not.
(3)Sarah D.
Great brunch place. Actually got here around 1130 on Saturday and it was very crowded but we were seated right away. Waiter came promptly, took our order promptly, and food came out within 15ish minutes. They give HUGE portions here, so if you're hungry definitely come here. I got an omelette, which comes with homefries, a bagel or english muffin or toast, and fresh fruit. (their homefries were actually better than I expected) Not all of the food was warm- I would say lukewarm. Definitely not hot.. but I guess it depends on your own experience. But good value for the price. It took a little bit longer for us to get the check because he was waiting on many tables. We actually got his attention for the check by standing up and putting our coats on. Might come here again if I'm not looking to go to a neighborhoody-cafe type place.
(4)Brett H.
This is a really good place, especially if you have kids. I went there with my brother and his family including little Zoe and in Boston, there are few places we can take her without pissing a lot of people off. She's energetic. I had the french toast and it was solid. The food was good, the atmosphere was good and most importantly, they have their own parking!!!
(3)Max B.
This restaurant is terrible. Walked into a half empty place, yet still had to wait for five minutes before being rudely seated. The food is bad, the service is worse. Steer clear.
(1)Steve C.
Consistently good food. Amazing reuben, seriously, get the reuben. Don't screw around and order something you'll regret. Get the reuben and die happy knowing you got that checked off your list. Most of the sandwiches are pretty good. Service is a little slow at times. It took fifteen minutes to place an order the last time I came in. It is a little on the high-side for deli sandwiches, but worth it every once in a while.
(4)Philip T.
S&S is terribly inconsistent with the quality of their food. You can order 2 poached eggs and one week be perfect while the other week be overcooked with pieces of shell embedded in it. Half your homefries will be cooked and the other half will be raw. Best thing you can do is eat half your meal and dump the rest of it.
(3)Matt B.
S&S has been around for years and is an old favourite of the Doctoroff family. It was busy when we arrived around midday on a Friday. I has the sirloin steak tips with rice pilaf and fries, the portion was huge and I particularly enjoyed the fries. The others had breakfast. The service was fairly good and the total spend was only $45 for three of us including the tip.
(3)Emily G.
Major disclaimer: I came here when the mandated shelter-in notice went out and we were all forced to stay indoors in Cambridge and Watertown. As much as I try to abide by the law, we had absolutely no food in my friends apartment and needed to have at least one meal for the day. Luckily S&S was the only place open within walking distance, so off we went... carefully. Note to self: stock up on canned stuff for the next apocalyptic nightmare or Marshall law. So, how on earth do you rate a restaurant under the most unusual circumstances? What do you forgive and what do you bake into a #-star rating? The environment in the restaurant was straight out of a horror movie: the place was virtually empty except for the bar, the TV was on and loud on CNN reports, the staff was quiet and annoyed to be there (I would be too if I was the only person in my town forced to go into work) and the mood... well, you can imagine. But- we were starving, we needed food, and S&S had it. So on with the review. I got the roasted half chicken with mashed potatoes and a side salad. I noticed that they had a bunch of interesting salad dressings so I also ordered a side of their coconut-lime-curry dressing on the side to use as a dipping sauce for the chicken. At $9.99, this meal was huge. The "side-salad" was not very side-looking and their balsamic dressing packed a punch and a made it a great start to my only meal of the day. The half chicken must have been a mutant animal, because the 4 pieces of chicken I got served were HUGE. The chicken was extremely juicy and the mound of mashed potatoes was creamy and comforting. Using the dipping sauce on the chicken made the mashed-potato-chicken-sauce combo a wining taste. I was completely stuffed after just getting through half of my meal and dinner roll. I took the rest of it to go and kept it as a backup for later since we didn't know when we could venture outside again. So there you go. What I ordered was absolutely 4 stars worthy and a really great price for the amount of food, the flavors and quality of it. Maybe there is more that could've been said about the service or environment or wait-time, but all those things weren't "standard" today, and I don't think it would have been fair for me to judge a place under these circumstances. I was grateful for food, and an escape from fake house arrest, at least for an hour.
(4)Jennifer J.
We drive from Belmont for the S&S wings, potato skins and beef knishes ( if they have them). Delicious and a perfect takeout meal!
(4)J R.
If you like your poached eggs with runny yolks, make sure you order it that way... Otherwise your eggs bene won't be what you expect.. This place is always great!
(4)Mary M.
Good take out breakfast sandwiches (hence why I gave 3 stars vs 2), but I do not recommend doing sit down breakfast here. The waitress was rude - at first I didn't even know she was taking our order because of how she went about it. Then she practically threw our coffee at us like a beer gets slid down a bar, and it got everywhere. Regarding the food, it was half decent minus the home fries - those were dry, cold, and inedible. Typical diner food yet more expensive.
(3)Clysia M.
S&S is a great restaurant. Family oriented with plenty of searing. Food is great and service staff is very friendly. The food portions are generous and they offer a wide variety of breakfast lunch and dinner with creative menu options. Well worth the money spent each time.
(4)Lisa S.
Awesome breakfast options! But this place gets five stars for their "S&S Wings," which are by far the best chicken wings I've ever had! They come glazed in the most addictive sweet & spicy sauce you can dream up. Because we love them so much, we'll get them as an appetizer even when we are there for breakfast! If you're in the Cambridge area... This place is a good call. And it also has a HUGE menu that even the pickiest eater can find something yummy!
(5)Madhumita G.
We walked into S and S on a recommendation from a local who seemed to love the place. The decor of the restaurant was very welcoming and cute. However the food was mediocre. Our waitress was sweet but kept forgetting our order, brought the wrong food then when we corrected the order she forgot the bagels that come with the eggs. Overall a fairly forgettable experience!
(3)Tamara W.
Went there with my aunt and sister a few weeks ago for the first time in years... exactly what I would have expected: -old, angry waitress who was visibly rude after we ordered swordfish skewers but instead she gave us a swordfish stake and we corrected her. She changed the order but was not particularly friendly about it. -Had to do the thing where we stood up and asked for the check because our waitress was so lazy and probably on a smoke break -Food was good (swordfish was good, salmon was good, salad was decent) etc. but unless you are obese or in a food eating contest you will not finish your meal... the portions scream FAT AMERICA. -Parking is hard in the area, you need to do meter unless you are a Cambridge Resident. Overall, not planning to go back anytime soon... slash, never.
(2)Marnie S.
A poor review from me won't stop the busloads and busloads of tourists from stopping there every single day, so I feel I'm free to speak my mind. When I order a stack of chocolate chip raspberry pancakes, which are, by the way, marked up in price as a "sunday special," it's a little surprising to be given a stack of dry, crumbly plain wheat pancakes with -- I counted and photographed the evidence -- three raspberries and six chocolate chips scattered on top. Just as surprising as, say, being given zero coffee refills during an hour at the restaurant. Or water refills, which are sorely needed for those dry pancakes. My side of fruit was a cup full of green cantaloupe rinds. Okay, okay, it's just your standard Greek-joint-type breakfast place. But usually those places are redeemed by some sort of secret-goldmine wow factor (like, the best Omelettes on the eastern seaboard, or something), and S&S seems, in my opinion, to have none.
(1)Michael C.
Honestly, I hate to give this place a 2 star review because I am so nostaligic about it, but I think that is part of its effect. S & S offers your standard but expansive american breakfast menu, has a small deli, a full bar, and can accomodate large parties (12 in our case). Unfortunately the food here has fallen off in terms of quality. On my last visit my eggs benedict were cooked all the way through, which could be forgiven. Another person in our group ordered an omlette that was so undercooked the cheese on the inside was unmelted. My advice, stick to pancakes and waffles when you come here.
(2)Sarah G.
I can't believe how big this place is! I knew it had been a brunch staple since the early 1900's but having that much space in the Cambridge/Somerville area and having not one but TWO small parking lots, is just nuts. It is also nuts how quickly the line moves at this place for Sunday brunch! So definitely don't be discouraged! This place is one of those classic family owned restaurant/diner spots with a big menu that definitely has to has something on it for everyone. I got their salmon hash which was TONS of salmon (definitely not cheap on the amount of fish they use!) roasted with onions and spices and red potatoes with two poached eggs on top served with a little fruit cup and a bagel of course. It was $13 before tax and tip for that meal which kept me full until dinner for sure, BUT it was not the most amazing food I've ever had. Good, but not incredible, ya know? Matt J. got their eggs oscar which were served on potato pancakes and came also with fruit and bagel also for $13 and he like his stuff, but overall just thought it was a good brunch place, not an amazing brunch place. We did have to ask for water a few times, but they at least aren't the type of Sunday brunch place that rushes you when you are done eating, we even had to ask for our check :-)
(3)Anna R.
S&S is the quintessential diner experience in Inman. It's like a Perkins with a liquor license. I always get: -bottomless coffee -quiche lorraine -mimosa The meal is big enough to last for 2 days--a bagel and cream cheese, fruit, amazing homefries, and a slab of quiche with bacon and swiss. Those fries are right out of someone's hangover-cure cookbook, and completely delicious. I'm not one for Bloody Mary's, but my roommate always loves his and comments that they are made with a lot of vodka. The service is hit or miss--sometimes coffee is not refilled very quickly. But overall, the amazing food and homey atmosphere trumps all of that. If my roommates and I have a Seinfeld-esque diner, S&S is totally it.
(5)Jessica B.
Unfortunately, I don't quite get the appeal of S & S Restaurant Deli. I had a garden omelette without cheese and it was pretty average. It was huge, I will certainly give it that. I didn't think the coffee or my tomato juice was unusually good. Maybe I ordered wrong and should have gone for the Jew food. (I'm Jewish, I can say that.) The decor was pretty neutral. Comfortable booths, but I don't really remember anything standing out as nicer than a chain restaurant. Our waitress was sweet and called my husband "hon" and warmed up his coffee. Bottom line? Not bad. I would go again, but there are places I prefer.
(3)Nicholas G.
This place might be a lot of things but a deli it is not. They should be embarrassed to serve the pastrami that they do (tastes like stop & shop pastrami). They forgot my fries and the draft beer was flat. Do your self a favor and walk across the street to all-star and get a real sandwich.
(2)Stephanie L.
S&S is always a solid choice for brunch. There is nothing on the menu that is going to blow your mind, but also nothing that will arrive at your table and be a huge disappointment. They serve solid, consistent food with large portions at a great price. I've only been here for brunch, and have tried several of the offerings. The varieties of eggs benedict are all tasty, but again nothing really special or engaging. (Like, the reaction as it goes in your mouth is, "oh, breakfast food" not "oh my goodness, yo have to try a bite of this".) In fact, I don't think I've ever needed to have someone else try a bite of my food nor really needed to try someone else's dish here. The prices are fantastic for what you get. Breakfast cocktails (mimosas, bellinis, bloody mary's) are just $5.95 and a huge spread of food (really could be enough fo 2 people) is just $10-13. The ambiance here is pretty much non-existent, it is like a slightly more upscale Denny's, with tables and chairs instead of booths. But everything is clean and the service is prompt. There are also 2 parking lots, and I've always been able to find a spot for my car, even on busy weekend mornings.
(3)Genevieve B.
Every true Cantabrigian knows about S&S! Especially the S&S wings (on the bone of course)! They make their own special sweet and tangy sauce, which they coat a heaping plate of their crispy wings in and deliver to your table piping hot! Oh, and you can't forget their homemade blue cheese! (Fat note: my mouth is salivating as I write this, lol) Anywho, if you're not into chicken or wings, they have a pretty extensive menu, from club sandwiches and burgers, to seafood and salad or breakfast options which they serve all day. I personally love their quiche Lorraine, the seafood casserole and their Chatham Salad. They also have a number of dessert options and everything on their menu is available for takeout.
(4)Kim K.
Consistently good, fresh ingredients, fair prices. Take out is the way to go! Delicious sandwiches, amazingly creamy cole slaw which is my favorite go-to summer side. S&S, you are made of win.
(4)Shane R.
the first place i went for food w jk after a red eye to boston. corn beef hash was better than many others ive had, but i wouldnt go out of my way to come here. not particularly great or memorable.
(3)Kristine R.
Yess a yummy brunch place! Came here yesterday and had the croissant french toast. WOW! so tasty! It was a generous portion of about four pieces. It also came with fruit and three bacon strips. The french toast wasn't too sweet, which I liked. My friend ordered the raisin french toast which she liked. They are other options on the menu like omelettes, pancakes and waffles. Such an array of breakfast foods, it was a bit hard to decide. Service was lacking and the place itself reminds me of a Denny's. We luckily beat the rush and we were able to be seated right away. Once we left though, people were waiting in line. Great place for brunch and if you have a car they have a dedicated lot. I'm really starting to love Cambridge!
(4)Albert L.
I hate to write a bad review, but i had one of the worst restaurant experiences here. The only redeeming value was our sweet server. The food is terrible. Some of the worst I've had. I ordered the meatloaf, it tasted and looked like it was frozen and then reheated in a microwave. It was gray in color and tasted blander than cardboard. I don't remember what everyone else ate (went with the gf and 2 friends) but what I do remember were the portions were HUGE (and nothing else ordered looked too good). Who would want to eat that much bad food, i have no idea. I'm probably never coming back.
(2)Edwin P.
Good food. Great service.
(4)Thomas P.
Add this to the list of places that could be really great, but for sad service. (Great service will often make up for mediocre food, but less than good service is hard to overcome, even with the best food.) Sunday brunch at the bar, and I could see the service staff swimming in the weeds... If management would put enough support staff on duty, and actually direct service, they'd not only provide better service, they'd be able to serve more guests.
(2)Reena S.
Awful. The eggs were soggy and the filling to egg ratio in the omelets was off. Pumpkin pancakes were good but rich so you could only eat one. Service was awful. We were brought to 3 different tables and the waiter couldn't remember anything we asked for. Not sure why this place has such great brunch reviews. It is not good
(1)May L.
S & S is the only place in Inman Square that I don't like. You see - I really wanted to like it mainly because there's a lack of deli's in Cambridge. I wanted a good bagel. That's what I was excited about the day that I went. The bagel, however, wasn't good. It tasted the same as one of the frozen ones I take out of my freezer when I haven't gone grocery shopping and have nothing else to eat. That from a deli? Really? Obviously, we are not in NYC but still disappointing. The other major problems are the slow service and the expensive prices. Plan on staying there over an hour if you go. It's impossible to get the waitresses' attention. I was blown away when I paid $ 45 for two omelletes and one mimosa. Maybe we got a couple of juices but still - you can get the same kind of food at a cheap diner and if you're going to pay those kind of prices, find a place with a hip ambiance somewhere in Boston. It's still a mystery to me why there are so many senior citizens in the restauarant - it's literally a sea of white heads - given the prices. For a good diner go to Kelly's in Ball Square or if brunching in Inman, you're better off at City Girl or Trina's Starlite lounge.
(2)Robert O.
I've been coming here for years and I've never had a bad experience. The menu of options is expansive. I've come under moods. Sometimes I'm in the mood for their Specials menu. Sometimes I'm in the mood for my favorites. I bring my family here for brunch on the weekends. I come in at least once a week for a late lunch/early dinner. I've recently discovered a guilty pleasure----there's a bartender who can make a HOLY kicking chocolate martini, like you've never experienced. Sometimes I come in just for one of their deserts. This place is an Inman Oasis---always here for you, and there are so many reasons to come. NEVER disappointed. The best staff ever.
(5)Julia N.
Onion rings. Tuna salad sandwhich on marble rye. French onion soup. Or mazo ball soup here. Perfection. Not expensive. Nice service. Clean. Always good food. Slow service, especially on weekends.
(4)J R.
I don't know if A-OK is an accurate assessment of my Easter dining experience at S&S but we had a good waitress so that made up for the food. I ordered the french toast with brie and fig preserves and Canadian bacon. I was sooooooo excited because my favorite breakfast spot (Sugar's in Roslindale Square) made this same dish and they recently closed. I was really disappointed when I got a plate of French toast with 2 slices of brie in between. It was like an unfinished grilled cheese sandwich. The preserves were good, bacon okay. My mom had a seafood casserole which she enjoyed and my daughter had the crabcakes in some type of watery corn and pepper garnish/dressing. She didn't eat it and ordered tartar sauce. All in all it wasn't the S&S of my youth. I hope they revisit their menu and look at how other diining establishments are making dishes. Next Easter I'll go back to making my own meal.
(3)Steven D.
My fiancee has a mind of her own and is currently in S&S. Her waitress has been rude and as my fiancee eats her (none too special) bagel, the waitress is loudly complaining that her tips are too small and clearly expecting my fiancee to take teh hint and tip heavily. Rather than the waitress take the hint and not be obnoxious.
(1)Mike O.
S&S has been a longtime favorite of mine dating back to my late teen years. It's been a reliable stop for breakfast/brunch when in that section of Cambridge and has always offered a plethora of menu options, including those consistent with most Jewish delis. More often than not, meals are executed to a satisfactory or above average standard, and done so with generous portion sizes and with fresh ingredients. S&S is a bit kitschy in the sense that it brings you to a place that you'd rarely expect to find in the quasi-hip Inman Square, one of dated charm that wreaks of a post Depression era and the decor to boot. I am willing to bet that some of the staff have been working there for about as long, and while that can be comforting, it can also cause service to be a bit slow sometimes since it does get packed on the weekends and becomes noticeably stalled. This may not be entirely their fault, nor the fault of the kitchen, but perhaps it's simply the nature of a bustling dining room, but do not come here expecting to get in and out quickly. One important note: they serve breakfast ALL DAY so if you're in need of some good grease before (or during) the area bars, keep this fact in mind, but do so before they close; 10pm on weekdays (Su-We), 11pm on weekends (Th-Sa).
(3)c. wallace o.
Writing a review on S & S is like advocating for a change in the MBTA service. You know it's not really going to make a difference because they have a formula that works for enough people to be consistently frequented and profitable. And its a Cambridge Institution, so why change it now?! That being said I shall continue my futile writing exercise of the day. With S & S, what you see is basically what you get. Nothing is going to be surprisingly good or bad. The food is american comfort cuisine / ny diner. I had the chicken parmasean with pasta and a side salad. It was okay. My friends all got their 'famous' wings with the sweet and sour sauce. I tried them, they were okay. They had gross cycso foods french fries though as a side which was not okay in my book. Large portions. Friendly enough service. Its like they mastered the "Art of Mediocre", literally right down the middle, if for nothing else visit S & S and be a witness to this triumph of middle ground quality and service`balance. In terms of the ambiance, I agree with other reviews its a step above a denny's but barely. There are little signs of the longevity of the establishment and the Jewish American heritage sprinkled about (the walls, the menu, the counter, etc.) I'd summarize the food and ambiance of S & S as neighborhood diner meets touristy kitschy restaurant meets nursing home cafeteria.
(3)Theresa F.
Okay, I enjoyed this sandwich shop a lot. You basically walk up to the counter and let them know what you'd like, they give you a ticket with the details of your order.. Meanwhile you can wait and look at the delicious display cases filled with all types of sinfully yummy pies and cookies and all that jazz (if you're into that)... I passed up on all that and just got a turkey sandwich with lots of veggies and provolone on a pita.. YUM. and their soup was also served very hot and I think it was made in store. I'd eat here again and I would take friends.
(3)Leslie W.
Maybe because I'm a left coaster with a right brain kind of way of looking at customer service or maybe just because service on the east coast just is minimal, I had a hard time with my breakfast at S&S. Amy swooped me up from the airport and we set out for breakfast. The places that she wanted to try were closed, so we stumbled upon S&S. It was open, so we went in. (I'm always down to try a sit-down deli.) There were only a few people in the restaurant, which could mean that the food is bad or maybe it was just a slow morning. (More people started coming in, as we ate.) We sat at a table next to the window. It gave me an opportunity to do some people watching. Dark wood accents and furniture. Classic setting for a deli restaurant combo. There are the typical things that one would expect on a breakfast menu. I had decided that I wanted an omelet but I wasn't sure which one to get. I asked the waitress what was the special omelet for the day. She didn't know. That surprised me. I guess I'm just used to the servers learning the specials, when they come on shift. She came back and told us it was a sausage, tomato and onion omelet. Amy and I both ordered that. Rather than get bagels, we asked for toast. I asked for iced tea (of course) and Amy asked for coffee. We both asked for water. A few minutes later, the drinks arrived. A few minutes after that, the food arrived. (My drinks were both empty, at this point.) I tucked into my breakfast. The omelet was about 10 inches long and 4 inches wide. It had a delicate folded egg style wrapped around the filling. The sausage inside was absolutely delicious. The tomatoes didn't add much. Perhaps if they had used some cilantro or basil to set off the tomatoes, it would have been nicer. The potatoes were kinda mushy and had a strange orange sheen to them. They tasted like potatoes, but didn't look like much of anything. The wheat toast was excellent. Toasted to perfection, there were some sunflower seeds baked in and some oats on the crust. It had a delicious flavor and was a good complement to the omelet. My water glass was never refilled. I had to ask for more tea, twice. I'm a big drinker (of tea and water, that is) but these glasses were mostly filled with ice, so there isn't much room for liquid. It disappoints me to no end that a server doesn't recognize a glass is empty and should be refilled. She was pleasant and did what we requested, but that was it. She didn't check on us and we were her only table for most of the time we were there!
(3)Harold S.
I had the corned beef hash with poached eggs. I can say the corned beef hash is the best I have ever had. The hash was lightly baked, so it was crispy on the outside. The wheat toast was a disappointment though as it was rubbery. The OJ was good, but the glass they used just came out of the wash so it was warm, making the OJ a bit warm as well. Overall, I had a good experience. I highly recommend their corned beef hash! And they have their own private parking lot, so you don't have to look for parking. The parking lot is on Hampshire Street. Very convenient!
(4)Gisela T.
This is a good place every now and then, but as of lately the customer service has not been what it has been in the last couple of years. Just today I ordered Potato skins without bacon and asked for extra chives its place and the woman told me it would be extra! I asked her why If I'm not getting bacon shouldn't I be able to have extra chives instead!!!! She told me that they add extra cheese in place of the bacon, adding chives will still cost extra. I just wish this place was as friendly and welcoming as it used to be. Other than that... Please try the S & S wings, they're the best ever!!!!
(3)Emily D.
I've only been to S&S for brunch, but it has never disappointed. The service is generally friendly, and their breakfast choices are extensive. The omelets cooked carefully (never with a burnt crisp) and they have a great selection of less common cheeses (havarti dill, boursin, muenster). You also get a huge selection of bread/toast with an omelet, many of which are house-made. The 12 grain is excellent. Their croissant french toast was out of this world--if you're a fan of cinnamon sugar, you shouldn't pass this one up. Also, the option of breakfast all day is always a winner with me. There's also ample seating (a rarity in Cambridge) and the vibe inside is calm and homey.
(4)Rebecca H.
I really love S & S, located in the heart of Inman Square, and frequented it often when I lived in East Cambridge. The S's in the name are a play on the Yiddish "ess" which means "eat" and what the restaurant claims the original owner would encourage of her customers "eat and eat." There is usually a line at peak brunch time but that's a sign of good food and it moves fairly quickly. Servings are generous. Eggs are nice and fresh, and of course the bagels are delish. I also recommend the matzoh ball soup.
(4)Julie N.
I wandered into this place to only use the bathroom after we found that City Girl Cafe was closed that morning. There was construction going around the back door so I honestly couldn't even tell you what I thought I was walking in to. A market perhaps? A nursing home? Whatever, I just needed to pee. I took a look around and ran back outside to get the boy and tell him to get in here and grab a table. It smelled delicious and all other plans were immediately thrown out the window. The hash was amazing. Second best hash we've ever found. I got an omelet and it was STUFFED oozing out of itself with goodness and it came with homefries and a big fat bagel with cream cheese. Breakfast kicked ass. We ventured back a month later for lunch and the havarti burger was ridiculously good, but there was almost too much cheese (and there's never such a thing as too much cheese). I got a turkey club and was shocked that it wasn't oversized, it was just a normal turkey club that almost seemed on the smaller side. My jeans thanked you for that. We got the hash again and it was as good as it was the first time. The waitstaff is a funny group of people, they're not friendly and they take their sweet ass time to get to you, but it's a place you almost expect that to happen, so it didn't matter. I'm so glad I stumbled into S&S, it's a great "Let's cure the hangover and get fat in the process" type of place that's perfect for a weekend brunch.
(4)Stacy R.
A great place for a weekend breakfast/brunch in Inman Square. An order of pancakes is enormous & comes with way more syrup than you could ever want or need. The eggs benedict was great-- crispy english muffin, perfectly poached egg and loads of home fries. My only want was more hollandaise sauce. It wasn't a stingy amount, I just like to dip my home fries in it for the ultimate unhealthy treat. Hostess was a bit terse, but our waitress & her trainee were great. We'll definitely be back.
(4)C E.
I have eaten here three or four times since moving to Somerville a month and a half ago - coworkers and friends told me how great it was. I ate there once or twice without incident - the food was alright, the wait staff a little edgy but that's alright. It did have sort of an awkward feel to it. BUT THEN I had a friend over, and we decided to get take-out food. We got 2 BLT's, and each came with a pickle in aluminum foil. The pickles were completely rotten! It was so gross! I went back again recently, and got a pickle of unknown age right on my plate. It was completely unappetizing. I have this visual image in my head of this 5-gallon bucket filled with festering pickles in the corner of the kitchen, completely unsanitary. I find this to be repulsive and will not be returning to this restaurant.
(1)Ryan M.
Old does not equal good. Rosebud, I'm looking at you, too. It's a really big greasy spoon that seems far more concerned with its advertising and wealth of parking than with the food or service. It's the most basic whatever breakfast/lunch you can imagine. Think Friendly's but without the Reese's Sundae that makes you forget that you just paid for cold cuts on toasted Wonder bread. It actually FEELS like a Friendly's, too. Nothing like a really old restaurant kept up to make it look and feel like a cookie-cutter franchise. I've only eaten breakfast/brunch here (three times), so their lunch may actually be delicious, but I don't think I'll be finding out. Nothing has ever been gross because they aim so low, but it's just not special. Now, I'm not saying there's no place for a greasy spoon. I gave the greasiest spoon 4 stars (Forest Hills Restaurant). The problem here is that the prices are the same as so many Boston/Cambridge breakfast/brunch spots that DO have real maple syrup at least AVAILABLE...that DO have jelly that doesn't appear on the table by the handful...that DO care about what they serve and strive for high quality and/or innovation. Go to the Friendly Toast, Druid, or Brookline Lunch to get something good for the same money or spend a couple bucks more for a real brunch treat at East Coast Grille (wowwo).
(2)Glenn N.
I've tried it a few times because so many friends love this place, but I just don't see the appeal. It's like Perkins or Bob Evans got turned into a wax museum and jacked up the prices.
(2)John S.
I describe the S&S as a restaurant owned by that particular grandmother that doesn't think you're eating enough. The food is comfort and the portions are large. It's just like you're at your Nana's. That is, if you were one of two hundred grandkids. As an Inman Square resident, I am well-acquainted with the quirks and foibles of the place. There are many, so I'm going to share them in the most efficient way possible - a bulleted list! -The service isn't bad, per se. You just need to know what to expect. After you're seated, a waiter is going to ask you what you want to drink. By the time they get back with your root beer, if you don't know what you want to eat, you're in trouble. "Give me one more minute" translates into "give me five more minutes". They're busy, and it shows in their methodolical sweeps of the floor, so throwing off their timing results in waits. -They serve breakfast all day, so don't be afraid to order breakfast all day. The strength of a good deli like this is their consistent and wonderful omelettes, pancakes and french toast. Sure, you can get a delicious burger or some S&S wings (they're great) at 9 p.m. But if you want some poaches eggs, get them. -If you want to eat breakfast in the morning, show up early. They don't take reservations and the wait can be over an hour if you're there with a big party. The place opens at 7 a.m. during the week and 8 a.m. during the weekend. Get there when they open the door. -They don't have "bests". You're not going to get the best grilled chicken or triple decker sandwich here. You're not going to find your favorite quiche. But what you will get is very tasty food without variance. I've never had a bad meal here, but they don't have menu items that I would only come here for. -If you live in the area, the take out is very convenient. If the place is packed and you want a meal, the kitchen is extremely responsive to take out requests. I could call them as I get off the T in Central and my food would be ready by the time I walk to Inman. It's a fun trick. If you want breakfast in Inman Square, this is your place. You won't be blown away, but you will be very full.
(3)Kathleen F.
At S&S you aren't going to find your typical trendy brunch experience. Instead you get a great atmosphere, very much a Jewish Diner vibe (and being from NY it makes me feel at home!), and a very filling and delish breakfast. Personal favorites of the BF and I have been: Quiche, Parisian French Toast, Steak and Eggs, and the smoked salmon platter if you are going for something a bit lighter. They also make a mean cappuccino (but don't ask for soy milk b/c they definitely don't do that!). Service is very fast as well and I kind of love the gruff no-nonsense waitresses it definitely adds to the experience! This is our go to when we're super hungry and just want a good classic breakfast.
(4)Mike B.
Delicious deli. Very family friendly. Great servers, service can be a little slow during peak hours but other than that no problem. Their classic burger is amazing and their buffalo wings are top 5 in all of Boston.
(4)Joshua M.
This place makes you think of the difference between the soulful and spiritual synagogues of Eastern Europe, where men prayed in wavering voices that recalled the ghosts of their ancestors, versus the clean suburban synagogue I went to growing up. Or think of some old Jews in southern Florida munching on the early bird special, then going home for a rousing episode of Jeopardy. The S & S is a pale impression of a Jewish deli, it's design evoking the Friendly's/Ihop/Applebees/Holiday Inn aesthetic. Basically, the Deli is an assimilated Jew, an assimilated Jew who assimilated in all the wrong ways and now represents something mind-numbing and void about American culture. Oh yeah...the food! It's OK and I actually think they have a really nice selection of French Toast options. The service ranges from sub-par to good. The huge selection is probably deceiving, since a lot of the items aren't worth getting. But there's a few "diamonds in the rough!" I liked the croissant french toast a lot.
(3)L L.
Great place to take the kids. Wide variety on the menu. Diner food and a little up from there.
(4)Kristen M.
YUM! The S&S is my go to breakfast/brunch joint. I typically get the "brunch eggs" which includes eggs, a choice of ham, bacon or sausage, toast, bagel or english muffin & fresh fruit! The portions are MORE than generous and you will literally be so full for the remainder of the day! Today, I tried the "croissant french toast" and it is absolutely my new favorite. The perfect blend of cinnamon and sugar atop light and fluffy french toast. The reason I only give 4 stars is because although the servers are friendly enough, they ALL seem to have amnesia! Very frustrating to have to wait 10 mins for a water refill :(. Otherwise, this place is the best. A must try!
(4)Kate S.
Great food for the price!! It's a diner--without too much grease! Monte cristo is amazing because the meat is sooooo good. The only problems here are the long lines and the old staff. The waiters and waitresses work hard, they just look like they've been taken out of retirement and shouldn't be working as hard as they are! Fairly good fries too!
(4)Wendy K.
I came here for the first time after hearing mixed reviews. The atmosphere was "eh," but doable, and we waited in a long line for a surprisingly short time. We sat down and I ordered a "large" apple juice (for whatever reason). The large apple juice was a normal-small sized apple juice and was maybe overpriced, but I guess I don't really care. I ordered a Rachel (a reuben with turkey instead of corned beef) which came with sauerkraut (which is what I like) instead of cole slaw (which I have seen at other restaurants) and it was very good. It was unfortunately not the best Rachel I have ever had, despite its $10+ price tag, and that is purely due to the uber-crispy toasted/grilled bread the sandwich came on, which also happened to be uber-greasy. When the bread is like that, it cuts my gums, and ya know, I just hate that. Otherwise, the service was very good despite the reviews I have read, and I didn't have to ask for a water refill at any time. I was mildly disturbed, however, by the fact that you must PAY EXTRA for tomatoeslettuceonions which ALWAYS comes with sandwiches and burgers. I will come for breakfast/brunch next time. Lastly, I am not a huge fan of pickles that aren't dill, and these weren't, but I can't judge a deli by it's pickle. The End.
(4)Christopher M.
"My throat tastes like burning" "You should get soup" "ZOMG you're right! I wish there was a Jewish deli near me." *pulls out iPhone* "There is?* I didn't even need a menu, I knew what I wanted. Lemon tea with honey, a bowl of matzoh ball soup and a corned beef sandwich on light rye. The tea was liptons but the honey was quite good! I was impressed that a place in that price range served quality clover honey with their tea! The matzoh ball soup came replete with carrots and celery. Not really how I like my matzoh meal and chicken fat, but ok. The ball itself had a reat consistency but I found the taste to be a little flat. That being said I was stuffed up so it may be just fine. I'm giving tghem the benefit of the doubt on this. The sandwich was half the size I wanted but twice the size I expected. So I'd say it was about perfect, especially for 4.99! End result? A great jewish deli with solid food. Next time though, I'll see if I can get a double stuffed sammich. mmmmmmmmmmmm
(4)Katelan Y.
This place has been here since my parents were in college and they still love going here. Great place for diner/deli food. Definitely have to recommend the S&S wings. They are addicting - crunchy, sweet and tangy. Reuben was good too.
(4)SM H.
It's a nice spot to grab brunch of a late-ish night meal. They get really high marks for service - always had nice wait staff take care of me while I'm at the place, which gives it a lovely home-y vibe. The food is fine - there are certainly better brunch spots out there, but S&S certainly delivers on large portions and some filling food (I like the Salmon Hash)
(3)Edwin O.
This place has been steadily declining over the past few years. On a regular day the food is mediocre, and at really busy times like Sunday brunch, it can be downright terrible. The same can be said for the service. And overpriced! Such a shame to see an institution like this go into decline. Just sad really. *sniff*
(2)Amy B.
Dante would have classified the S&S under the Third Circle of Hell. The food is not fresh, just as the rains of Dante's hell lack any sort of refreshing quality. The service is beyond poor. The customer should be paid to eat here. Also, there is no speedy escape as paying the bill seems to take several hours. Unfortunately, I am unwillingly dragged here every few months because my daughter loves the soup. Having tasted it, I would suggesting visiting your local supermarket and purchasing a can of Progresso - pleasant Shaw's staff and getting exactly what you pay for in a timely fashion. Fancy that! Of course, you have to heat it up yourself...which takes all of two and a half minutes. The hostess forces you to stand in line - with no one else waiting in the line, there are several open tables and bored waitstaff stare at you. When you are finally herded to a table, grumpy waitstaff shows up 15 minutes later to take your drink order. After disappearing for another 15 minutes, you are allowed to place your food order. Boy, are they doing you a favor by allowing you to order anything! Forty five minutes later, you will be treated to cold, congealed Eggs Benedict served on hockey pucks (meant to resemble English muffins). The waitress will slam down your drinks and food, then practice the fine art of ensuring there is food in everyone's mouth so you cannot respond when checking to see if the customer is satisfied. You are allotted one drink per meal. That is all. Don't even try to catch the waitress's eye. You are not worthy enough to look at her! I know some folks really like this place. Some people like bad food and poor treatment. Some people are into S&M. I guess I don't fit into any of those categories. The only good thing about this place is the free parking lot. Hmm, free parking in a congested part of Cambridge...gotta lure the bait somehow...
(1)Michelle L.
I've never been to the restaurant, just the deli area. So this review applies only to the deli counter and the products for sale there. I've heard the food in the restaurant half is mediocre and that service is slow, so I've just never been tempted to head over there. But: their bagels are fantastic. I've never had a New York bagel so some would say I'm not an expert on the matter, but it's one of the best I've ever had. Chewy and dense and, well, bagel-y. One of the best in all of Boston/Cambridge, and believe me, I've done my research. (I am also a huge fan of Bagel Rising, but that's neither here nor there.) I also tried a sticky bun, which was pretty yummy as well. If you come to S & S, why not head straight to the deli counter and get yourself a big bag of bagels. Maybe you'll have a better experience.
(4)Melanie H.
S&S is a great go-to place in the Cambridge area. I have only been here for brunch, but have been satisfied both times. They have a very nice selection of omelettes and also have nice brunch specials (waffles, french toast, sausage and eggs). There are so many good options on the S&S brunch menu that it is difficult to decide on what to eat. I went here on a Sunday with 3 others around 11:00am and was seated right away. We were given quick service and our food came out quickly as well. The portions on the omelettes are huge. I got the lox omelette and split it with a friend- for $10.95 the omelette specials come with home fries, fresh fruit, a bagel, and the omelette. Plenty of food for two people. My other friend got the sticky bun, which they raved about. It looked delicious! Also, the bloody mary's and mimosa's looked amazing! I would definitely recommend S&S for a great brunch on a weekend.
(4)Trudy L.
I am not sure what happened to the service of this restaurant over the years. I have been a loyal customer for over a decade and was saddened by the events that took place today. I had a friend and her teenage son meet me there for brunch today, while they waited the son was hungry so his mother ordered him an omelet, about an hour later I arrived. When I arrived I asked if we could please move to a booth, well this seemed to be an issue because I had to ask 2 servers and then a manager had to come over and explain the issue with changing seats. While she clearly explained what the issue would be regarding the changing of seats and I understood (thank you). It just seemed ridiculous. So seats changed my friends son decides to wrap up the remainder of his omelet to take home, the waiter comes and wraps it up for us very nice. As me and my friend were ordering our food her teenage son becomes hungry again and decides to finish his omelet. Well he opens it ans surprise he found hair in his food, his first instinct as a kid was to take the hair out of the food, which he did his mother asks the server is she would please throw it away, but the server says she is going to inform the manager. So we sit there and wait for at least 20 min and a supposedly manager (an older lady, has glasses, short brown hair usually sits in the back behind the main counter that holds all the pastries while I called to get the name of this person Amy informed me that she did not know which one I was talking about REALLY AMY so helpful and very rude over the phone THANK YOU AMY) comes over and informs us that they did not find the hair in the food. My friend explained to her that it was her son who found the hair and that he took it out, the manager informs us that he already ate most of it and not only that he should have left the hair in the food (which I can understand, but this was a kid reacting and not thinking about evidence that is needed). Mind you my friend had already spent about $30 feeding her son and then we spent another $50 so a total of $80 for all three of us. I was really surprised about how rude the supposedly manager was, not only did she make it seem like we were lying about the hair in the food but she also made it seem like we were trying to get a free meal. Not only did she embarrass us but she also humiliated us with these implications that all the other customers could here. Well by the end of this conversation our food arrived and we just decided to pack it up and leave. I am a foodie so I eat out very often and this by far the worst I have ever been treated. Even though most of the restaurants are high end I would expect good customer service, a friendly face, and an awesome meal, S&S had none of these and i will not be spending my money in that type of establishment. SO ALL BE WEARY. Thank you
(1)Adrienne T.
It's been awhile since I've been to S&S. I will say that, as I recall, they have the absolute best wings in town. Yum-yum. I remember waiting in excessively long lines for brunch, which wasn't all that fab, I remember it being kind of loud, and I recall that the service wasn't that great. I had been warned about bad service, but I never found it bad, just sort of "unconcerned". I don't recall anything on the menu being out of this world exceptional, except the wings. Note: be sure to get the wings with the bone, the drumettes, NOT the tenders with no bones. For some odd reason, they really taste different.
(3)Michael H.
The food was great. No complaints there. However, I have never had worse service at any restaurant in my life - and I am including fast food in that statement. Our server, Alfred, was a geriatric ass that was rude, inconsiderate, and paid almost no attention to our table. Our group, a party of 7, was seated at a booth. Alfred came over and lectured us for sitting at the wrong table (?) and was short and brusque even after we informed him this was where the hostess had seated us. He was angry, it turn ed out, because he had to go get us menus and silverware himself. When it came time to order, Alfred was impatient, pointing at each of us and demanding (not asking) "What do you want". When the food came, he walked up with 4 of the 7 dishes and yelled "Listen up!" and then started naming off our dishes (since he obviously was too old to remember who had ordered what). Throughout the entire meal, we only got refills on our water once, the only one of our party that had a drink (a diet coke) only got a single refill as well. Try this place, but if an old white man with bad teeth tries to serve you, ask for a different waiter. As someone who worked in restaurants for 6 years, I had never in my life stiffed someone until now. Go fuck yourself, Albert.
(1)Tina D.
Really loved my pastrami on focaccia...breaded fries also hit the spot (that's a good thing)
(5)Gloria L.
We love brunch! This place doesn't have the best food, but we do find ourselves back a couple of times a year -- their corned beef hash is pretty solid and I also really like their chive cream cheese. Their service depends on the server, but ranges from really good to just okay; today, the restaurant was half empty but it still took awhile for our server to come around to fill our waters. It helps that they have multiple parking lots, but sometimes the wait on the weekend can be ridiculous for what it is. We come back because we live so close.
(3)Bill P.
We had dinner at S & S for the first time the other night after hearing numerous recommendations and it definitely lived up to expectations! I ordered the steak tips (which I would highly recommend) and my girlfriend had the chicken and broccoli pasta dish. Both were delicious and came with salads which were good too. The dinner menu was pretty extensive and had a good variety of options. After dinner we had a slice of ice cream sundae cheese cake which was excellent - you can see a number of their scrumptious desserts in the freezer when you first walk into the restaurant. When we ate there last night we didn't sit at the bar, but for those of you looking for a good bar to catch the game at I'd say it's worth a try. They have two big flat screen TVs and the bartender seemed to be very friendly and good-humored. The only reason I'm not giving this restaurant five stars is that the waiter could have been a little bit more attentive. He was super friendly, but once we had our meals he hardly every checked back on us and was a bit slow to realize we needed drink refills and whatnot. But still, it's a minor complaint. Long and diverse menu, friendly service, and delicious food - give this place a try!
(4)Sarah C.
'Yay! I'm a fan.' I've always been a fan of S&S. It is a Cambridge breakfast staple. My Grandparents went there every Sunday for years decades ago. The wait-staff have all been there for AGES. It is CRAZY busy on Sundays. I usually always take public transit when I go because parking in Inman Square can be a trial. They've got the wait system down to a science on busy days and offer overflow to Ryles (decent Jazz brunch at Ryles on Sundays). They let you know what the wait is at Ryles and will send you there if you want. Great breakfast and lunch variety. Huge portions. They actually don't put fresh fruit on hot plates of food. They actually put sides of fruit in separate dishes unlike so many other breakfast places. PERFECT homefries. Well, I guess homefries are somewhat subjective.... these are my idea of perfect. Crispy/mushy potatoes pan seared with caramelized onions. I think due to their longevity they've got efficient service down pat. Sometimes the service is a little sterile but hey, if you've got your plate of food in front of you just the way you want in a timely manner, a full cup of coffee, and perhaps a mimosa plus good company... what more could you ask for?
(4)Debra L.
I only had about 25 minutes to eat and get out the door to a mtg. So, when I was about to be seated I politely said "You know, I really only have about 30 minutes and I've never been here before - do you think that will enough time?" (This was my gentle way of letting her know I needed my service quickly without actually saying that.) She said it was no problem and she was on the ball! Took my order right away, brought me over my check right after my salad so I wouldn't have to ask for it etc. I think she liked that I was kind of in a hurry - she knew I was going to free up the table quicky. I guess I could have just gone to the deli counter and ordered something pre-made but I was in the mood for something more fresh. My salad was delicious: mixed greens, grilled chicken, blue cheese, dried cranberries, pecans with a crusty wheat roll. For what I was looking for that night, my experience at S&S was perfect. Given the other reviews, I think I'm lucky that I ordered something pretty simple and didn't have to deal with any lines.
(4)Kristina D.
In almost two years of living within walking distance of S&S, I had never eaten its old-school deli goodness until this morning for brunch. The Mother's Day brunch crowd might be a tad different from the usual crowd, but I did appreciate the wide variety of clientele as compared to places that cater to hungover 20somethings. The menu also contains a huge variety of foods, so this review will likely get updated as I try more of them. Now, my ratings: -Bloody Mary (3 stars): pretty solid, but I would have liked more of a kick from horseradish, giant olives, tabasco, and lime juice. I have not yet found the elusive five-star Bloody Mary, but it will definitely have those qualities and perhaps also cucumber vodka. -Pecan sticky roll (5 stars): So adorbs. The roll part is sweet, light and croissanty--quite different than the typical dense cinnamon roll. I like putting butter all over the outer circumference of the roll and then fighting over division of the middle of the roll. -Continental omelette (4 stars): Included an omelette with Jarlsberg, mushrooms, and onions along with: a marble bagel & cream cheese, a tiny fruit cup, and home fries. In decreasing order of my liking: home fries, bagel + omelette, fruit cup. I like that they give a copious amount of whipped cream cheese.
(4)Emily O.
This place has deviated from what it once intended to be: a Jewish-style deli with hearty portions and great bagels. Jewish, it is not. How do I know? The matzoh ball soup isn't made with schmaltz. When I asked about kosher meats for a friend of mine, a waitress stared at me like I was crazy and said "I don't think anything we have is kosher." All of these things would be forgivable if the food wasn't so unremarkable. Chopped liver? Too fatty tasting, and since when do tomatoes, onions, and lettuce come only as "extras?" French toast is alright, but nothing to go wild about. Burgers are O.K. I would stick to typical diner fare or visit Brookline for much better food.
(3)John P.
Tasty, dependable brunch food. Inman Square already caters to a variety of tastes: good pub grub at Bukowski Tavern, good Indian at Punjabi Dhaba, good Mexican at Olecito, and so on. S&S wouldn't beat any of those in a straight up, Ali-vs-Wepner fight. S&S gets four stars by being open late, by serving good breakfast food round the clock, and by bringing a consistent diner atmosphere. You'll see all types here: young Cambridge couples with kids in strollers; massive families with all three generations dining at once; hipsters looking for a pre-bar brunch to soak up their alcohol. Protip: grilled cheese with tomato.
(4)Ryan H.
I tried this place the other day for the first time and i have to say it's probably my favorite breakfast place in Boston. I tried the corned beef hash, the stuffed french toast and the potato pancakes. All of it was great! The service was as expected at a place like this. The corned beef hash had a great flavor and you can tell it was homemade. The poached eggs were a little overdone but the bagel was good. The French toast wasnt the best i've ever had but it was good enough and big enough that i would order it again. The potato pancakes were crispy and flavorful but there were only three. If i ordered these alone it wouldn't have been enough. Overall the experience was great and ill definitely be back. I can see how this place has been open for almost 90 years.
(4)Ethan A.
My breakfast plate was more than enough food. Omelet, home fries, fruit cup, bagel and cream cheese for nine bucks. Unfortunately, nothing was good enough to want to try again. Omelet had a good mix of vegetables, but barely any cheese. Home fries had no flavor. Fruit cup was warm. Bagel was okay. The service was nice enough, though a bit slow. I wouldn't have minded a refill at some point. Still, it was cheap enough, and very plain. My fellow diner thought it was like the Ninety Nine, which is not a compliment. If it weren't just next door to the apartment, I would not consider ever going back.
(3)Jonathan H.
I've found myself coming hear less over the years, but I still consider it a brunch standard and often come here when old Boston friends return. There is one dish that both me and T will flat out crave every 2-3 months: S&S's corned beef hash and eggs. This is not from a can folks and I'm pretty sure you can order this any time of day. Everything else is pretty good, my other staples include their Turkey Club, Stuffed Chicken Breast (a little taste of Thanksgiving), and Quiche Lorraine. Service has been varied, certain times they are very attentive, other times we're flat out ignored. I just usually avoid the crazy brunch crowds on the weekend and I'm pretty happy.
(3)Wayne W.
You call this a deli? It's okay for a sandwich if you're desperate, and nothing else is open, but Katz's it ain't. The long lines jamming the sidewalk outside on Sunday mornings never fail to make me shake my head in disbelief. Oh, yeah -- the half-sours are okay.
(2)Purvi R.
Gosh, I really wish I could just find one place that makes really good eggs. Is that too much to ask of a place reputed for its brunch? I guess it was too much to ask of S&S. This place does not make good eggs. In fact it makes really bad eggs. So overcooked that the bf had to send his back (and he is the least complainy person about food...ever), and I even considered sending mine back but didn't in an effort to just get the hell out of there so I didn't have to keep staring at my plate of rubber. The pickles are good though! errr.... note: Service was nice, and fast. Lots of families with cute babies to distract you from your bad food.
(2)Michael G.
If this place was easily T Accessible, I would go every Sunday/Saturday for Brunch. Absolutely delicious for diner/deli food. Nice for those who do have a car and can get there without a lot of walking. S&S in Inman is definitely an institution in the area for breakfast/brunch, so be careful. it does get very busy and you may have to wait a few minutes. Like most people, I have never eaten dinner here. The service is the okay. It is usually busy and they have a lot going on. It is a process, but I am fine with that. I'm usually not in a hurry to get out of there.
(4)Elizabeth P.
S&S is your old-fashioned Jewish deli (it's been around since the end of World War I!), and they seem to be doing a pretty good job of keeping things authentic. We came for brunch last weekend, and thought that everything was solidly good, with the exception of the service. Ambiance: The interior is perfectly acceptable, if nothing to really write home about. Essentially, it feels like an old Jewish deli should: a bit dated inside, but clean, with lots of memorabilia about the history of the place on the walls. The history student in me appreciated this touch--it was fun to see the old menus, photos, and statistics about how many eggs and cups of coffee S&S has served since it's been in operation! Service: Our server was clearly competent and experienced, but was managing way too many tables. My food was accidentally served to another table, which meant that by the time it arrived it was lukewarm and everyone else at my table had been hungrily staring at their plates for several minutes. In addition, there was a bit too much multi-tasking: our waitress took our orders as she was clearing a table to one side of ours and then took the orders of the table on the other side of ours as she was delivering our food. I understand that the restaurant is busy on weekends, but it really seemed like they could use another server or two. Menu: The food was tasty. As you'd expect, the brunch and lunch menus are quite large and consist of everything from omelets, quiches, pancakes, and french toast to steak, fish & chips, burgers, wraps, and sandwiches. There's something for everyone, and a nice mix of traditional options (chopped liver, lox on a bagel, smoked whitefish, pastrami, etc.) and more creative dishes (particularly when it comes to the daily specials). Food: After being highly tempted by the bagel & lox, I ordered the English omelet (cheddar, bacon, onions, and tomatoes), which I liked, but didn't love. I would have liked to have had some more cheese in the omelet, and in retrospect, a lot of the other dishes on the menu sound much more intriguing. There's always next time, I suppose! I preferred my bf's dish, the Quiche Lorraine. The crust was a bit too thick, but the quiche was nonetheless delicious: the bacon was crispier than the bacon in my omelet and there was plenty of cheddar. Both of our dishes came with a fruit cup of actual fresh fruit, tasty not-greasy home fries, and the option of bagel or toast (go for the bagel... it's a pretty good one!). My other dining companion ordered the Cobb Salad, which he proclaimed tasty, although it was so big, he ended up being a bit overwhelmed by it! That's definitely a trend here. Based on what we ordered and what I saw coming out of the kitchen for other tables, I'd describe the portions as very generous.
(3)Brandon V.
I've been going to the S&S for almost a decade and have always loved it. It's a constant, consistent staple of living in Cambridge. It's convenient location near Inman Square makes it a great spot to meet people that isn't near the much busier Central or Haravard Squares for lunch. Creative and edgy they are not, but this is what makes it a plus. You can always count on them to deliver for you. Their Buffalo wings are some of the best in the Boston area. If you want to know what wings actually taste like in Buffalo, this is a good example. A nice surprise. They have a HUGE menu and you can order most any deli item from it. They have the usual daily specials as well. Their ingredients are usually fresh. Prepare to wait in line for brunch on the weekend, but they do have nice, late brunch hours. The staff is gruff, but they generally do a good job and I have come to appreciate their no nonsense approach to the job.
(4)Amanda L.
It's no secret that Boston and the surrounding neighborhoods are no NYC when it comes to two things: Delis and bagels. Having not enjoyed the pleasure of NYC bagels (those frozen ones that you can get at the grocery store don't count) and their fine delis, I have to settle for S&S. Located on the fairly busy section of Cambridge St. in Inman square, S&S is a better option than All Star Sandwich bar, in my opinion. Slightly less expensive and with a lot more options, S&S is a comfort when you want a good ol' sandwich without the oh-so-hip-I'm-better-than-you vibe that you can get at All Star. Their regular run of the mill sandwiches are fairly cheap (around $5.00) and they come with a sour pickle. For a few more dollars you can get a specialty sandwich for around $10.00 which does seem like a lot, but you get a bag of chips, a sour pickle and some coleslaw. The handful of times that I have been here have not been disappointing. I've only gotten take-out so I can't tell you much about the service, but the take out counter have always been pleasant. My sandwiches always taste fresh and they are actually pretty big which make them worth the sometimes higher pricing. I've not tried the knishes or the potato pancakes, but they display the knishes in a display case, so there is a chance they are not as fresh as they could be. The sour pickles taste too cucumbery to me, but they are nice and crunchy, which is a plus. I also enjoy their coleslaw, which has a slight vinegary taste to is, and it isn't loaded with tons of mayo like so many other slaws. While certainly not the best restaurant on the block, S&S serves its purpose. I assume if a native NYCer comes in here he or she will be sorely saddened, for I can tell it does not hold up to some of the Jewish deli's in NYC. But for good ol' Somerville, it'll have to do.
(3)Aditya M.
The food is always good, but the service is horrible everytime... It feels like I'm bothering them when I come into the place..
(3)Melissa S.
I lived in Inman Square for a decade and S&S was the fallback for when we didn't feel like cooking. Consistently good food, good service. And I particularly like they're homemade corned beef hash with poached eggs on top. Yum. Also, the potato pancakes are off the hook.
(4)Joanna A.
I pretty much only come here for breakfast.. and its really good. my faves so far are the blitzes which they make with cream cheese filling, not lump cottage cheesey filling. And the stuffed french toast is fantastic too. I also like the omelettes. And the little fruit salads that come on the side are surprisingly fresh and tasty. We've had slow service here in the past but i swear its getting better...
(4)Tarah H.
S&S is one of those places I wanted to love. Kosher style right around the corner from the man's new digs? Matzo ball soup at my beck and call along side knishes, lox and pickles? Oy gavelt it would have made my heart plotz. Unfortunately, the matzo balls are grainy, the soup too salty, the latkes too crispy, the rest of the food mediocre and the staff - odd at best. I once requested a potato knish and was met with "you don't want the beef?" Did the waitress just.... yes. she just questioned my order. She then proceeded to not bring my soup and a few other things that made me wonder if I was not her favorite customer at the table. Sure I'll go back when I want comfort food and want it near by. But I'll still schlep to Brookline for any real cravings for the good stuff.
(3)Laura G.
Coming to Boston I realized I was going to have to do a lot of things (i.e. heavy lifting) myself since I was leaving my loving father and two brothers at home back in the Nati. Somehow I managed to scrap up a couple awesome guy friends since I've been up here that I just had to treat to lunch after they spent four hours moving a new bed and TV into my apartment for me. As soon as I saw this place I had visions of Crackle Barrel and Bob Evans dancing in my head, so clearly we had to dine here. I treated the boys and myself to beer, my Blue Moon was ice cold and served with an orange. I settled on the salmon kabobs for lunch, hoping the servings would be ridiculously big. Boy, was I right! I'm that girl who always cleans her plate completely and I couldn't get through it! The salmon and vegetables were grilled like my mom would do (huge plus) and the rice was really good as well. Instead of coleslaw I was able to substitute for the veggie of the day, corn on the cob. My friends enjoyed their food as well. Cheesecake was the finishing touch and I went into a food coma about 20 minutes later. My country bumpkin parents would love this place!
(4)Hubert H.
I just had some takeout tea and bagels here a while back, in the middle of being in a rush. The service was quick and I got what I needed in fair time. Will try to sit down next time.
(4)Patricia L.
Quick late lunch yesterday: Service was fast, wines are reasonably priced, a few appetizers were satisfying and yummy, but... a potato knish should never, ever, be reheated in the microwave, that's simply a capital sin; and they are guilty!
(3)Scott B.
I have been a fan of S&S since I was a little kid. My friends and I needed a good breakfast to start New Years day before heading to the Winter Classic at Fenway. So we decided on the best there is. We got there and got to our seats and ordered a round of Strawberry Mimosa's. MAN were they delicious. I had the french toast which was phenomenal as always. The bacon was cooked perfectly and how can you go wrong with a cup of fresh fruit to round it all off. S&S is a great start to any day. Especially with friends.
(5)Maxim L.
DISCLAIMER: My two-star review is based on a particularly bad experience I had with service. Based on the food alone, I would give S&S four stars for good (albeit inconsistent), old fashioned, diner style favorites. Why two stars, then? At the end of my meal, which cost approximately $14, I paid the waitress with a fifty dollar bill. This is very unusual because I almost never carry anything greater than twenties. I had just spent two weeks working in Bangor, Maine, which doesn't have a branch of citizens bank, my only bank. This forced me to cash my paycheck at Walmart and either collect a few fifties, or have a wallet bursting with cash. I chose fifties, so now I was unloading one of the last ones on my S&S waitress. As a former cashier and waiter, I had the good sense to say "fifty dollars" as I paid her and confirm one last time that it was indeed a gold colored fifty dollar bill. Two minutes later the waitress comes back with six dollars change and immediately walks away. I call her back again and remind her that I paid fifty dollars. She immediately agrees and walks over to the cashier and spends two minutes talking to him while I start to get really pissed off. She comes back and tells me that the cashier insists i paid twenty. I storm over there and threaten to call the police. He grins at me and shows me that there are no fifties in the register as proof that I'm nuts. Long story, short, I blew my top and the waitress talked to the manager, who ordered the cashier to give me proper change. Since the manager had the good sense to trust me over that snake at the register I continue to eat at S&S today. Just be careful with your money and pay with small bills or credit. This is a very high volume business with no camera over the register (!), so it's easy to make your money disappear if you are not paying very close attention.
(2)Ryan S.
My hamburger was boiled, the last time I had that was in my middle school cafeteria. Gross.
(2)Jenna P.
Brunch is really good and a good price. Bloody Mary's are very good and cheap ($5.95).
(4)Amy H.
I don't like this place as much as others do. I think it may be me. Their food is your traditional Jewish diner food. I have ordered the potato pancakes and the fried fish. Both were just ok. The service is also ok; usually slow because of the large quantity of people who flow through here. I'd rather eat somewhere else if I had the choice. And in Inman Square, luckily you do!
(3)Katia M.
When I was a poor temp this place was a bit out of my price range for hangover brunch, but I've been here twice recently and gotten omelets with the bagel, home fries, and maybe a mimosa, and I have to say, it hits the spot. Good stuff.
(4)Greg C.
I live up the street from S&S and have eaten there numerous times, both dine-in and take-out. Honestly, the take-out is the ONLY reason this place gets a second star. The food here is good, when you can finally flag down a server to take your order and if you can wait the 30 or so minutes it takes to make the food. I suppose I should qualify "food" - I mean breakfast. I think I've had other meals here once or twice, but I can't really remember anything about them. Anyway, the service in this place just plain sucks. Some of the servers are nice-ish, but don't go thirsty, cause you'll be lucky to get even one refill of your coffee or water. I really wish I knew what this place was like back in the days of Ma Edelstein, cause I think she'd be rolling over in her grave now if she saw the way patrons were treated there. My advice is call ahead to order your food, then just go to the deli counter and pay with a card (to avoid walking from the deli to the register and back to the deli, which can be a pain if the place is jammed). Even the lady who is usually working the deli when go to pick up my food always seems like my mere presence is annoying her, and she appears to be one of the management/owners! I don't get it. I just don't understand how a restaurant like this thrives with such shitty, shitty service. Oh right, there is a general lack of dinner-type restaurants in the Boston area. I will say that one neat thing about the place is all the old school photos of Inman Square on the walls. But I probably only find that interesting cause I live there.
(2)Amanda G.
Great fantastic brunch, although not so great when I'm so hungover it just comes back up (oops). Eggs benedict is my fave. Huge place, but packed weekend morns. Went for lunch one time, but different vibe - felt like a nicer Friendly's. Local lunch crowd is interesting though. As usual, the inman mix of people is lovely - your yuppees, locals, and poor kids.
(4)Matt K.
If some lower end but dependable commercial restaurant chain was to get a little drink and decide to "experiment" with a local neighborhood eatery, in nine months time you would get the S&S. The menu is varied and has a good selection for different taste. Steaks and eggs can be found for breakfast and staples like steak tips are represented and done fairly, but not usually something you'll crave or use as the high mark all other meals are compared to. The staff is one of the reasons I go here. While most restaurants I go to are staffed by cute perky coeds, the S&S dares to be different by utilizing a collection of femme fatales who could pass for my 50 year old mother. Almost always sweet, but not above giving problem customers some attitude. One of my first times there my waitress actually came up to my table told us that her shift was almost over, we were her last customers of the night and asked if she could just give us our bill halfway through dinner so she could go home. If any other waitress at another place had asked that I would have been insulted and never returned, but since our waitress asked politely and had a sweet face we of course took our check early. I just realized I didn't really give a idea of what the food there is really like. If you have ever eaten at a Denny's, IHOP, or a Village Inn, then you have eaten at the S&S. Everything is slightly under seasoned, but has a bit of homey quality. It's great for when your having a bad day, or maybe are treating a hang over on a Sunday morning. In a world of molecular gastronomy and "fusion" cook styles, sometimes it's nice to just have access to an old staple
(3)Danny L.
This place was never anything amazing, but it seems to get a little worse each time I go. I've lived in Inman Square for the last 5 years. I always thought of S&S as the kind of place you go when you need breakfast and nothing else is serving, or it's sunday afternoon, you've exhausted the other options in the area for the week, and you just want a sandwich or something. The food is never amazing, but consistently decent. Until they started hiking up the prices. I expect some price increase over time but they started skimping on a few things. I notice this most on weekends during breakfast time, when they're at their absolute busiest. I've made 2 egg omelettes at home that are twice the size of their "three egg omelette". If you look at all the options, like 8 out of their 10 specialty omelettes include onions, and when it comes out, it's like a big pile of onions wrapped with a thin egg crepe-like-thing with some other stuff mixed in. I ordered one without onions once, it was the saddest thing I'd ever seen. Each time we go now, whether it's due to the extremely rude and hostile owner who usually seats people as if their ruining her day by walking in, or feeling shortchanged by what we ordered, we say "OK, that's the last time we're going there." but sometimes, you just want breakfast in the evening without hiking out to Ball Square or IHOP in Harvard. Last time in, we got there around 9:20. Took a little while to get a server, but she was very polite. We ordered drinks, and got our food order in by 9:30pm. They close at 10. Place was still busy, and they start flashing lights at 9:35 like it's last call and then they cut half the lights off and start stacking chairs up right next to all our tables. I never felt so rushed out of a restaurant. We ate, tried to leave, and had to get someone to unlock the doors on the Cambridge street side. It was 10:05, and there was still at least 8 tables still seated. They wanted us to leave on the Hampshire street side and walk around the block to go home because they didn't feel like getting a key! Eventually they opened it and let us out, and as we walked home, we said "That's it, that's the last time we're going there..." No, for real this time.
(1)Kimberlee B.
LOVE S&S. We have been using their catering service option and they are consistent, well priced and innovative. The food is great. No week is the same. Their selection is expansive with great fresh fish one night and chicken parm and pasta the next. Their desserts are even better than the food. These people do not mess around. Their cupcakes are some of the best in Boston. I recommend the chocolate bottom, peanut butter frosted (yum)! Just learned that their sister restaurant is Ryles and I can't wait to check that out too!
(5)Lauren H.
Stick to the wings. The breakfast was a huge disappointment. Homes fries, if that's what you want to call them were colorless, ice cold and had onions in them. The Florentine Benedict was OK but again, onions?? Thats a first. Half my plate was onions and nothing else. On top of it, I couldn't help notice that an older, blonde waitress who was complaining about her tables to other staff members moments after walking away from their tables. Good thing she didn't wait on me. I won't return for breakfast but will get wings for take out.
(1)Kris M.
Eaten here twice now, and both times it's been absolutely delicious. First time was my first free day in Boston, having just gotten here the evening before. Was wandering around Inman looking for a place to have lunch and found S & S. Aside from the hostess looking utterly bored and possibly slightly disgusted the entire time I was there, the service was more than decent. It was also the first time I heard an authentic Boston accent: When I ordered a pastrami and cheese, the waitress exclaimed, in a thick Boston accent, "Oh, yah gonnah love it, I had the pastrahmi eahlieah and it's wicked awesome." In my head I was going, wow, people actually do talk like that here! Accent aside, she was right - pastrami and havarti dill on grilled ciabatta was delicious. Later that week, my mom and I visited for dinner. Again, the bored/disgusted hostess showed us to our seats, and a lovely older gentleman waiter came to take our orders. Mom says he reminds her of Quilleran, from the Lillian Jackson Braun series of novels (The Cat Who...) We splurged a bit, salmon for mom and a full rack of ribs for me. In addition to the portion size being huge, the food was quite delicious, literally enough to make two meals out of (we had our leftovers for dinner the next night, not needing to add anything extra!). Prices here are consistent across the board, for lunch or dinner most things are around $9-11. My full rack of ribs was $15, and while not the best ribs I've had they were certainly not bad and great for the price. Someday I want to actually buy something from their deli, which looks impressive and authentic. Would recommend the place to any visitors with less adventuresome palates (such as parents).
(4)Andrea M.
In my mind, these are the mixed positives of S&S: 1. They're open late, comparatively (Punjabi Dhaba is open later, and has better food). 2. They have matzoh ball soup (I reserve this for craving emergencies only, since it's only so-so and has noodles in it). 3. They can accommodate many different tastes of food (just not deliciously), so it's a good place to go with a fussy group. 4. You can get breakfast anytime of day. 5. They can do large groups (but not consistently at *all* times of day). That said, even though I live around the corner from S&S, I don't go there much. It's just not all that great. For the most part, my experience with the service has been good, and the food is serviceable, but not fantastic, and certainly not worth their prices. And the accoustics in the dining room are awful, so when it gets loud, it's *really* loud; often, that kid crying on the other side of the dining rooms sounds like it's right next to you. :\ It's definitely not on my list of go-to places in my neighborhood. And it sounds like they *were* good, once upon a time. ::sigh::
(2)Jeffrey L.
I like a traditional Bacon, Eggs, Homefries, and toast breakfast and feel it is a good way to compare one restaurant to another. I was underwhelmed with my breakfast this morning... Eggs - Cooked to my liking - over easy Bacon - Two thin and less than crispy sheets of bacon paper Homefries - Kinda mushy but ok Toast - Toasted and delicious... with a rock hard side of butter Although this breakfast did not exactly satisfy my breakfast craving I am willing to give this place another shot... The service was friendly, the dishes were clean, and the deli looks tasty.
(3)Benjamin S.
Several weeks ago, I had a lovely dinner here with my parents and brother, with a standout potato knish and prodigious quantities of starch. In retrospect, though, most of the aforementioned loveliness can be attributed to the company: the sandwiches and other foods, while passable all, weren't anything to write bubbe about. With company over last weekend, I thought I'd give it a second shot for carry-out bagels and cream-cheese at the rather parsimoniously stocked deli counter. With no line and barely anyone else in the restaurant, it took me twelve minutes to order twelve bagels and cream cheese. (Can some math whiz help me out here?) Those twelve laborious minutes do not take into account the three minutes I spent with the cashier on the other side of the deli, who couldn't be bothered to look up from the register, or nay, even respond with anything but an indifferent grunt to repeated "thank-yous." The bagels? Stale. The cream cheese? Gummy. And while it's not my fight to pick, the gentleman in front of me was told that he needed to wait for the other member of his party of two to arrive before he could be seated -- in spite of the half-empty restaurant. I came in with high hopes, thinking that I might have a deli in the mold of Toronto's superlative United Bankers. Host du bie mir an avleh!
(3)Larissa C.
I get brunch here about once a month, and it's always amazing. They serve both brunch and lunch, so you can choose from a fantastic variety of food. Also, the portions are to die for, you will never leave this place still feeling hungry. Be prepared, however, on Sunday you will wait in line for a seat (I go around 2 to avoid this but I am a late brunch-er). Enjoy!
(5)Tom D.
Wow. 185 reviews of this place already. Oh well, I'll still add my two cents. LOVE this place! Definitely one of the places I've missed ever since moving up to Lowell. Thankfully, I spent New Year's Eve in Boston, so it was a perfect excuse to stop in for a Thursday brunch with some friends. We arrived early and got a number, even though our party wasn't all there yet. Their policy is to only seat complete parties, which given how busy they are, I can totally understand. They've added a PA system since the last time I visited, so there's no way you'll miss your number being called. After our whole party arrived, I notified the hostess and it was a short (though it felt like eternity given how hungry we were) 15 minute wait for a table. Our server was friendly and humorous. The place was packed, so our food was a little slow to come out, but she kept on bringing the waters and sodas while we waited. A couple people I was with ordered mimosas and bloody marys. Both were tasty and in generous tall glasses. For my meal, I had the portabella mushroom omelette with a side of home fries and a bagel. Delicious! I love the side of fresh fruit they give you. Where are they getting such plump blackberries this time of year? You definitely get your money's worth at this place. I highly recommend it. They do have a small parking lot, but I've rarely been able to get a space in there. But, God bless Cambridge, if you go on Sunday, you can park in any spot on the street for free, including resident-only areas. If only Boston did that!
(5)E K.
I wanted to have a breakfast catered for my clients on Friday but I was sick of ordered the same thing from Panera (my clients were as well!). I came accross S&S and gave them a try. The 10 person spread they delivered was incredible. Rather than a tote, they delivered a pot of coffee, which helped it last so much longer. Rather than the usual breakfast sandwich platter, I ordered trays of scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausages etc: the essentials for a solid breakfast that you'd actually want to eat in the office. Everything was set up in buffet trays which always looks nicer to me. I loved that everything on the menu was customizable and they called me twice to confirm my order and put my mind at ease. Everything was delivered on time and tasted great. I highly recommend this place for your event or for personal menu. Oh, and the red velvet pancakes are TO DIE FOR.
(4)Shukry L.
Well, this place is terrible. I've never seen such disinterested waitresses in an establishment. I ordered fish and chips, and apparently Boston Scrod is disgusting compared to cod. I once had a friend fart in my mouth and it tasted better than this horseshit. The chicken was burnt and uncuttable. The waitresses was so rude to our friends, basically kicking them out. And I'm pretty sure they're racist. We showed up and and there was a black family waiting, and we were seated immediately. And they don't even have malt vinegar.
(1)Joshua L.
Sort of old-school diner ambiance. Prices are pretty good, with a few strange outliers. If it were just for the food, decor, prices, and location, they'd be an easy 3, and probably 4 stars. The problem is, I have never once gotten good service here. 20 minutes sitting with menus and nobody takes our order. Water and coffee NEVER refilled (I've had to get up and find our server to ask, as they never stop by the tables unless they're bringing your order). We're in our mid-20s, younger than most of their clientele, so maybe they expect a bad tip, and don't bother? I just don't understand how a place with such consistently bad service stays in business, given how many good and reasonably-priced restaurants there are in the area.
(2)Abbey B.
The only thing I get here is the Greek wrap, and I'm obsessed with Greek salad. I've heard breakfast is good. But really, most of it's nothing special. They've got a lot on the menu, I'll give them that.
(2)Liz K.
Bad catering service. The Catering manager is not very pleasant. We used to order constantly from there with different accounts and she would charge the wrong account. I have never dined in the resturaunt, however If i wanted to I wouldn't be able to find a parking spot. FERSHTINKINER!!!!! (yiddish)
(1)JeNnIfEr S.
Overall, I enjoy going to the S & S Restaurant Deli. Clam Chowder, Burgers, Tuna Melt, Buffalo Wings, Eggs and Corn Beef Hash.... Those are pretty much my staples at this place. I have deviated from my standard food selections from time to time- with not much success. Stick to the basics and you'll do fine!
(3)Esther Z.
The best thing about S & S is the variety. The free parking lot is the second best! You can come here and enjoy just about everything - pizza? check. eggs benedict? check. blood mary? check. hummus and pita? check. Everyone can come here and have something decent - now what's not to love?
(4)Omoniyi A.
Ok, S&S, whats with the not taking reservations? Im not even going to bother to write about the awesomeness of the food, or the generous portions and super extensive brunch menu. I means, its a given, we all appreciate brunch here is awesome. And thats part of the problem. EVERYONE comes here for brunch, people probably drive to Mass from other states to come here for brunch. And you dont take reservations!? Come on! To be fair though, the wait is never too ridiculous, i think its been like 25 minutes, so if you come earlier than you want to eat you might be set. Its just, to me, a bad policy. But its def not one thats hampering business!
(4)Maryann S.
I am orignally from lawnguyland and when I moved to this 'hood I was so excited to see that I could get breakfast or lunch at a "real live deli". hmpft. The first time I went there I was severely disappointed because the sammies seemed like pale versions of the real thing and everything was more expensive than it should be for the level of quality. I gave it a second shot after re-adjusting my expectations (you live in Cambridge now - they don't have "real" delis. Deal with it), but I was just as disappointed. Because it is the only place of its kind in the area it is jam packed all weekend long and there is always a ridiculous wait. If I'm out to get my brekkie on over the weekend, it is prolly because I am hung over (so what? don't judge) and the servers are rude and slow. If you want more water or coffee just forget it. You are dreaming. Be prepared to be ignored and have at least some of your order forgotten. I know, I know, it's crowded but it's ALWAYS crowded on weekends - that can't be an excuse for poor service and mediocre food. Go to the down the road a bit to Cambridge Coffee shop (if you want a quick egg sammy for practically no money) or go to Atwoods for brunch.
(1)Courtney H.
I am extremely puzzled by all the negative reviews. I love this place. The eggs copenhagen are amazing, as is the vegetable quiche. I like that their breakfast menu is more brunch than breakfast, and that you can order breakfast items all day. The service isn't kiss-your-butt, but that's not what I care about when I eat here. I care about the food. I'm very picky about homefries, and theirs are yummy. The fruit cup is a nice touch. Also, in one of the bad reviews, someone complained about not being able to order anything small for kids, but that isn't true. One of my breakfast companions had two little kids, and she was able to order just two pancakes for the little one and a chicken finger platter for the older one (which wasn't even available for adults yet).
(5)Cara P.
It is pretty hard to fuck up French toast. I have been to SnS twice and although my French toast was good. ...and I emphasize just good....I don't feel I can give my entire experience more than three stars. The place was ridiculously packed and our service was super, super slow. I also had to send back silverware because it was dirty. I am not one of "those" people at restaurants. I usually eat my food, even if it isn't quite up to par and chalk it up to a bad experience. Also I am a sweet junkie or in other words, pig, so anything drenched in maple syrup is pretty much perfectly gourmet in my book. Or should I say "perfect and gourmet"...either way. It'll get 'er done for me. The other time I ordered the bagel and lox with Matzo Ball soup. Hoping that SnS would live up to its "legacy" as authentic "deli" eats and I would be able to close my eyes and transport myself back to New York a few years back when I had the freshest lox in the world literally jump into my throat. Park the DeLorean. It ain't happenin. Although the portions are huge, it did not conjure up warm and fuzzy feelings inside nor qualify for Jewish eats. Shame on you SnS......just because you have a deli counter don't try and pull the wool over my eyes. Your prices and menu might say New York, but your salty lox and bland Matzo Soup are ALL Innman. The Doc agrees!
(3)Gracie B.
You want to like them, you pretend they are better than they are - but they aren't and that is a sad little fact. I believe they once were as great as all their self promoting publicity says they still are. And, they do have a LOT more personalized attention to regulars than a place like Denny's.. They still feel like a "neighborhood place" and I think they make the locals feel pretty good most of the time. (i.e. - remembering little details about each person's preferences) But the food is exactly as described by everyone else on Yelp. It's kind of bland and not too healthy. Everything feels like it comes covered in creams and glazes. A lot of their dishes have a TV-dinner feel to them. There are some exceptions on the menu, but in the end it's just not an appetizing spot for me. It has been a last resort on several occasions. I wish they would re-invest in themselves. They could turn it around by including some healthier menu items and warming up the decor. I'm hoping they do because at this rate I'm not sure how much longer they can last. I'd hate to see this old local business disappear. I'd still go here over IHOP ANY day!
(3)S. M. S.
First time back to S&S in about a year but was craving real Pastrami and real deli potato salad. What a disappointment! Pastrami was rubbery, salty and tasted like it came out of a Sysco plastic bag. Cole slaw was definitely out of a container, KFC is better. And--they were out of potato salad. Looks like Zaftig's is the only game in town now. Steer clear of S&S if you have any deli standards.
(1)Melissa M.
Any place that serves breakfast all day is a good place in my book. They have a lot of things to choose from here. I think this is the type of place that you can go to with a craving from a bagel and lox to steak and eggs and they'll have it. They will make it for you and you will enjoy it. I did order a breakfast sandwich at 9pm (after having a hankering for one all day), it didn't truly deliver as I requested it to be scrambled, and it was 2 fried eggs and a lump o cheese with 3 sausage links atop. (I know, this is NOT on my diet). But, I was hungry. The english muffin was good though. I'll will absolutely give S&S another chance and will recommend them to anyone who wants honest to goodness food.
(4)Janak S.
The pizza at this place is criminally bad! It was disgusting to even look at and it was even worse to eat =( Another time I had the Grilled Cheese and Tomato sandwich on some kind-of interesting bread. The bread was darkly colored and had a very interesting taste to it (Marble? Rye?). The sandwich was quite nice. The chairs were comfortable and they have their own parking lot, so you never have to worry about not having a seat =) Had the Chocolate Lava Divine for dessert and that was quite tasty! =)
(3)Scott F.
OK, I'm conflicted. The S&S was a staple of my nice-jewish-boy youth. I salivate at the thought of strolling in on a Sunday morning for a lovely bagel 'n' lox (chive cheese, capers, and onions please....). Problem is, they've slid a bit over the years. The waitstaff ranges from exceptional to occasional, and the food (excluding the salmon hash...) is all over the place. Still a good bet, but thanks for the memories.....
(3)J Q.
Everyone has a bad day- but this waitress was having a REALLY bad day. The overall service was poor, at best. Not one of the staff seemed friendly or even happy to be there. That says something to me. As for the food- mediocre to poor. The eggs Benedict were runny and not cooked properly. I actually left feeling like it may have unsettled my stomach. In all fairness, after having eggs Benedict at Masa on Tremont, it is hard to go anywhere else. Despite the comparison- these were just bad. If all you want are large portions, this place is for you, but if you want good service, and quality food- don't waste your money or time at S & S Deli. The people who speak highly of this place are not interested in the food; they like that it has been a part of the community for so long. My feeling is- it is time for S&S to do a better job or move on so a new quality place can move in.
(1)Elvis K.
My favorite place to have a great breakfast! Food is fresh, hearty and has lots of flavor. The French Eggs are my favorite, home fries are tasty - along with other items on the menu. Place can get a little dirty - people wait an hour or more for a seat, so turn over and time to clean up after customers seems lax. MOST servers are friendly, attentive and quick. Cost of the food is on the higher end, but I think worth the $. I always make an effort to stop by here when visiting the Bay State.
(4)Lauren H.
I've always thought that Boston was severely lacking in delis. The New York City kind. This place comes close. I went for Sunday brunch, and the place was packed, so be ready to wait, but not for too terribly long. They have a fairly comprehensive brunch menu, lots of great Jewish delicatessen fare (lox, bagels, corned beef, etc), coffee, and even a bar. The food was pretty good. Not too fancy, but tasty. What I liked most was the dessert case full of pies and cakes--just like an NYC diner.
(3)Jeanette D.
A friend who lived here 8 years ago requested a brunch meet-up at S&S in Inman Square. I was admittedly curious about this place due to their ownership of 2 parking lots! Parking was a breeze, and our wait was relatively short... but the dining experience fell a bit flat. The service: Our waitress was nice, friendly with a touch of sass. Unfortunately, she had a booger hanging from her nose for the duration of the meal. My boyfriend was absolutely terrified that it would end up in his beer. Eww. The menu: A bit overwhelming. At the time we dined, it was brunch and lunch, so we had over 8 pages of options at our fingertips. I can see how this can be a good thing, but it actually turned us off. Also, we ended up feeling like some of the descriptions were misleading, such as the peach-granola pancakes... Sounds awesome, but it's actually regular pancakes with some canned peach slices and a scoop of granola served over-top. Eh. The food: Besides not quite fitting the description the food was okay. I had croissant French toast, which sounded amazing, but they fell prey to the too eggy French toast tendency. The home fries were tasty and seasoned just right and they did serve a nice fruit mixture on the side of breakfast dishes. Bottom line: I'd rather do Zaftigs for this type of feel. I wonder how S&S does as well as it does and keeps those parking lots filled???
(2)Jason A.
My first thought as I stepped into this place. Why did I wait so long to come here?!?! I was instantly transported to that foodie heaven Pike's Market in Seattle. I loved the menu's variety and all the fresh seafood! It took me longer to decide on what to eat than to actually eat it. First off, the clam chowder is phenomenal!!! Can I say that again? Phe-nom-enal! I'm picky about clam chowder so I tend to avoid but this time around. I was glad I didn't. It was thick, chunky tasty goodness. I don't even like sourdough but I ate some of the bread bowl because it was soaked with chowder. Chowdah! My friends and I even got unintentional entertainment by this local singer with the propensity for loud music. I'll have to give him credit for his music taste but dang, I like to have a conversation with my friends not mime to them. Food was fresh and cooked well. Service was quick. Prices were reasonable. The perfect dinning experience! Now where's my lobster tail.......
(5)Matheus C.
I have a little rule of thumb when it comes to dining. If your waitor or waitress is old enough to collect social security, you're pesos would be better spent elsewhere. The exception of course being a diner. Geriatric waitstaff thrive in trailor-like atmospheres, with there being no stairs and shorter kitchen-to-table distances. I could go on and on about why I've adopted this little eating maxim, but just take my word for it. S&S is wall-to-wall with waitors and waitresses with names like Dick, Helen, and Phyllis. And inconsequently, the service is what brings this place down. For whatever reason, my Dad loves this place so I've been dragged here enough times to notice that the service sucking isn't an isolated incident, but a pattern. For instance, we had this waitor one time that messed up a breakfast side. He was a sketchy looking old man. I concluded that he must have been a cat-burglar or some kind of deceptive airline steward that stole luggage or something because he had an olive-oil voice and thin moustache. So he brought us a bagel instead of toast. No biggie. But when we brought it to his attention he took the bagel back and brought back an English muffin. Then we never saw him again. Another time I went with the old man, we had some warship waitress named Sandy or Barb or something who used to fight bears for sporting purposes. We ordered some buffalo wings and chatted about who would inheret Uncle Oscar's shaving cream factory. You see in his will, he divided the company up 50/50 between me and my brother. However, my brother is a reckless business man, and both me and my father agreed he could destroy the worth of the shaving company with his precarious business habits. We concluded the best way to ensure the profitability of the company remains stable is for him to sign over his share of the company and we would have to enduce such an act by infiltrating his dreams. In any event, by the time we wrapped this conversation up, we were being served our entrees. My dad asked where the buffalo wings were and the waitress responded by saying we didn't order any. I claimed we did, and she apologized but insisted that we didn't. Well, fine, whatever lady. I've got bigger things to worry about like business settlements, but this is a nuisance. There are some really good things about S&S. The deli meat is superb, and they have good chocolate cake. Also, to my knowledge, there has never been a murder-suicide there which is also comforting. And its not like I would kick and scream if someone suggests we grab some stomach fuel there. The food isn't bad, but it certainly isn't good enough to offset the service. So if you're like me, and are annoyed by poor service, you may want to find another spot to discuss business ventures over brunch.
(2)Michael G.
Hey again! Yup, this is a great stand-by. Decent omelets, decent home fries. Good bagels and cream cheese - the chive is particularly good. Good onion soup - though they don't always cook the cheese enough. There's almost always space to sit - though the booths are a bit small. I mean, I'm a big guy - over 6 feet tall, but they are still a bit tight. Parking is usually pretty easy. The staff is efficient and friendly, but not obnoxiously friendly. The bakery section is good. The white-chocolate Florentine cookies are dynamite. A little sweeter than I usually go for, but delicious. They butterscotch cookie is great, too. I'm not a big chocolate fan, but my best friend loves their chocolate cookies - particularly the pecan cookie with the chocolate dollop on top. Try the salmon club if you like salmon and brie. It's oddly delicious. And they have nice, dry tuna. I hate drippy wet tuna, and this stuff fits the bill. Great on a bagle with red onion and lettuce. Mmmm. Oh! And they have those crispy french fries with the reconstituted potato on the outside. They're my favorite kind of chain-food french fry. YUM! Enjoy!
(4)pete g.
Should a deli be allowed to fuck up a Reuben? The S&S and I disagree.
(2)Jason C.
The food is ok for what you are paying. Most items are a little bland. So many better brunch options in the area. Their sandwiches and bakery are pretty good. Great place for children. If crowded, go to the bar. Better and faster service.
(2)Danielle W.
An old neighborhood deli-turned yuppy hang-out serving EXCELLENT comfort food (S&S wings! meatloaf! juicy burgers!), great drinks (wide variety of beers on draft! martinis! decent wine list!), delectable desserts! (chocolate cake! fruit tarts! ice cream! oh my!) . The only quasi-bummer are the frumpy grumpies they've got serving your food. Truly, borderline hemorhoiddal lemon-suckers, at best. But, it's really no bother, because they are prompt and accurate. Perhaps a hefty boinking will rid them of the biatch-ness. But, I suppose that's none of my business.
(4)Orly M.
The food here is good. I really like the 1/2 BBQ Chicken and the Turkey Dinner Special and Lasagna Special when they have it. Seriously, what are you people doing ordering Jewish food here? Any deli that serves pork probably won't have decent Jewish food. This is faux Jewish like Zaftigs. If you want the real deal, go to Ruben's or have my grandma make you some matzoh ball soup. I'll make you some latkes if you want. Go to the S&S and stick to "American" food and your tummy will be warm and happy.
(4)Lauren V.
S & S Deli was delicious. My boyfriend and I wavered on what to order and finally decided to split the cheeseburger club and the reuben. They both looked tasty but upon further inspection, the cheeseburger club was slathered in mayo (disgusting!) so I stuck to the reuben. The menu didn't mention any mayo so that was disappointing. Mayo is repulsive. Anyways, the reuben was really good and I scarfed it down pretty damn quickly. The meat wasn't stringy like it can sometimes be. Extra points for that. Apparently, this is a great place for breakfast on the weekend so I will definitely be back. The service was quick and the waiter and busser were attentive and polite.
(4)Tessa C.
I used to love going here as a student, but my last visit was awful. S&S has a great selection of brunch fare - sandwiches, eggs, pancakes, french toast, and quiche. The side fruit salad was moldy and in edible. Service was slow as well. Location is nice in Inman Sq, but parking is challenging. There are two small parking lots on Cambridge St. Otherwise, you are left to fend for yourself.
(2)Meredith K.
The lines can be very long here, but if you hit this place on a Saturday or Sunday you just may get lucky and sit down pretty quickly. Overall I think they have all the breakfast standards and a few specialties that I specifically really like. My favorites are the Bavarian French Toast - it's French toast stuffed with cream cheese and strawberry jelly - yum! And the Latkes (potato pancakes to some of you) with sour cream or applesauce. I don't eat eggs (unless cooked in food and I can't taste them - like the french toast is). So it's always a bit difficult to find breakfast places that over something other than eggs - which is why I like S&S lots of choices for me.
(3)Terry S.
I am pretty much into this place. Albeit the confusing interior decor and "chain-restaurant-style" seating, this place makes a pretty decent breakfast. The prices are on par for what you would expect out of pretty common ingredients and the created food definitely fills you up. Seems like they should step up the homestyle feeling by changing the insides up a bit and, you know.. sometimes that changes the way food actually tastes. The brain is weird. Expect a decent wait time for weekend post-boozing breakfasts... sometimes better to show up after noon and slide right on in.
(4)Joe R.
Eat here pretty often, too often now that I think of it, never anything exotic, but if you want some old standards, turkey dinner, great burgers, generous sized deli sandwiches, S & S never fails. Agree with the other comments, it's a family place, not going to impress a date with the menu or the decor, but I've never had a bad meal. My wife loves having breakfast available all day, all of the breakfast dishes are great, again nothing too innovative (or innovative at all for that matter), but if you just want french toast or an eggs bene, you'll be happy.
(4)Andrea K.
I enjoy going to S&S Deli just because its laid back and they dont rush you at all so you can just relax and eat your food. I typically go for lunch/dinner but I have tried their breakfast before and it is alright it has more of a jewish (i believe) type of things for breakfast but you can get your basic eggs and home fries as well, my favorite for breakfast is a mushroom and onion omelet. YUM. Favorite dinner dishes would be pastrami sandwich, tuna sandwich, turkey club (no tomatos), baked haddock is very fresh and juicy, oh and their buffalo wings are to boot! I always have to get them there and definitely satisfies my cravings for buffalo wings and they are boneless so that is another plus in my book. Their herb chicken also is very good with the rice, the chicken is very well seasoned and juicy inside. They have plenty of parking in their own parking lot (remember to get a token if the gate bar is down!) and there is on street parking as well. The service is quick and straight to the point with a lot of menu options as well. This is a regular deli place for me and I enjoy it every time.
(4)Emjay M.
Ok, I am 42 years old. My brother is 47. My mom used to go to the S&S when she was pregnant for my brother. So my opinion of the S&S is one formed over many, many years of patronage. This place used to be the place to go to when my family lived in Cambridge and we had a little extra cash and wanted to splurge. That was during the 1970's. Back then the S&S wasn't so yuppified and stuck up. I can't say the same for the place these days. I was just there the other day for lunch. I have never in my life had a more disrespectful, rude waiter. It was the only time in my entire life I have not left a tip at a restaurant. The waiter practically threw the dishes at my 80 year old father and I and acted put out when my father asked for cream for his coffee. The entire time we were eating I could see and hear our waiter ranting and raving, screaming, and throwing things up at the counter over something that was obviously making him mad that had happened to him that day. No offense, but, buddy, don't take it out on your customers !!! That isolated incident being the last straw for me with the S&S....here are my biggest complaints about this place and why I have decided not to eat here anymore. 1) Their menu sucks. They took off all of the great dishes that made this place great. Why, why, why did you remove the French Dip, Turkey Classic, and London Broil dinner from your menu ? I will never understand it. I used to loooooove the french dip on a the soft croissant. It was delicious. I would even put up with your rude staff if it meant I could enjoy one of those sandwiches again !!! 2) For all of the years my family and I have gone to the S&S, my elderly parents never even get so much as a "how are you" when they walk in the door. This place, from the owner down have no respect for loyal customers. They act like your are lucky to be there. Personally they don't have to kiss my butt at 42 years old, but it would go a long with me if they paid extra attention to my elderly parents who have been loyal customers for decades. I am done with the S&S. I would rather get a cheaper lunch somewhere else where they appreciate their customers.
(1)Will E.
A solid deli in the heart of Inman. I'm from the Boston area but I lived in NYC for a while so I hope I won't sound like a New York snob when I say that by NYC standards, this would only be a 3. However, in the Boston area there is a serious lack of delis and this place fits the bill. I've been there a few times. The meals were good but not spectacular. This morning I was there for a new year's brunch and everyone was pretty happy with the food. I got the Eggs Copenhagen which is like Eggs Benedict but with smoked salmon. Very good. Little heavy. My wife got the blueberry pancakes and liked them. The other folks we were with liked their meals. Plus we got to the restaurant at 10am and beat the crowds. By the time we left at 11am there was quite a line. Anyway, if you're in the mood for a deli sandwich or a bagel with some smoked fish, this is the place. Two disappointments: they were out of smoked whitefish today, which is pretty sad for a deli. And they don't seem to have chopped chicken liver on the menu - also kind of sad. But overall a 4 because they are there doing the deli thing.
(4)James J.
Hot food, warm atmosphere, but cold service. They seem to treat groups of locals better than generic student wandering through. Also pricey as diner food goes.
(3)Betsy K.
They get three stars for one thing (or groups of things) only: their breakfast fish platters. Smoked salmon, whitefish, etc... We go there for that only. They are excellent and a value. Lot's of veggies, egg, fish. The missing stars are for the simple fact that every other thing I have had there is not very good. The omelettes always come out cold. The latkes are too eggy or matzo-y. And service...one time the waiter spilled three bloody mary's on my huz , himself, and our friend Dan. He said "No big deal, I just live across the street I can go change my shirt". And that is what he did. He left us, with most of our party looking like Carrie on prom night. When he finally came back-we had to ask for more drinks and he charged us for all of them-even the spilled! We were pretty hysterical over it as it was unbelievable. Or we were hysterical because we were still drunk. Not sure.
(3)Vanessa C.
I should start by saying this review & rating is ONLY for the breakfast (& soup). I'm a big fan of anything with the lox here - the eggs copenhagen are delicious. although I agree that the bagels are not so great, they are about the size of your face so if you're hungry, you'll at least get your moneys worth. opt for the lox platter with rye toast instead of the bagel. a side of fruit is served with every meal. the portions of quiche are mammoth & the french eggs are outstanding. for a splurge, I LOVE their stuffed french toast. and their croissant french toast. basically, everything they do with french toast is totally yummie! I can never finish everything on my plate & almost always after eating here I'm ready for a nap (not so great for weekend productivity!) the other thing that swayed my five star rating is the matzo ball soup! so so delicious - great flavor & a giant bowl of it! even when the line is through the door I've never had to wait more than 15 minutes. the desserts in the deli case always look enticing but I've yet to try them. I have only eaten dinner here once & it was really disappointing. so my overall rating would be a three and a half. still, I'm compelled to give it five stars because it really is one of my favorite places for breakfast ever.
(4)Sandra M.
This is diner quality food with bistro quality prices. Nothing is kosher, it is marketed slightly as a jewish deli but I would consider some of their menus to be jewish-inspired. They fail at authenticity.
(2)Nay M.
This place is pretty good at best. I have come here for brunch and I like that they add fresh fruit to your plate. Other than that, I can't say that I have found a dish worth remarking the few times I have been (a friend of mine is a devout S&S fan). One thing that I will recommend is the Bloody Mary - yum. I am spoiled, however, because as long as there is a Zaftig's, nothing will compare.
(3)Jenna C.
I just came here for a take-out bagel for breakfast. The service was quick and the cashiers were friendly. Plus I got a bagel AND an iced coffee for less than $4... which is practically unheard of now.
(4)Candi S.
Yes, every once in a while we cave and get some of the microwaved soup or soggy breakfast or the delicous iggys bagels here. The food and atmosphere really isn't that good. The staff, on the otherhand is really amazing. They are always super sweet and informative.
(2)Linda S.
The only reason the S&S gets 3 stars is because of their Canadian burgers -- the combination of Canadian bacon, Munster cheese & sirloin is perfect and they rarely screw it up. If it weren't for the Canadian burger & that it is 2 blocks from where I live I wouldn't go out of my way to eat here. The last time we ate here (a few days ago) our waitress was very friendly & personable. That's a + since every other time we go there the waitstaff isn't very friendly but rather cranky.
(3)Sara G.
You know, everyone was RAVING about this place. I jumped on the good vibe train and went in with happy thoughts. Since I am not a Sheep, I have to be honest. It wasn't rave-able. I ordered a Ruben. The sandwich had barely any flavor. Perhaps I don't understand the 1/2 sour pickle. But this is the Home of the Brave and Land of the Free, so I don't have to understand the 1/2 sour pickle. It mostly tasted like an accident. The waitress acted like she was displeased with our general presence. perhaps that was because of our large work group. no one can be too sure. If i had to pay for this experience I would have been more upset, fortunately, lunch was on the company. Bottom line, if you're craving a Ruben, don't go here. if you're craving a real pickle, don't bother. They probably have other food that is good and that would make me feel all happy and toasty, but, I won't be going back. I do not enjoy being treated poorly by wait staff or lack luster food.
(2)l. a.
the menu is extensive, the food is good, but the service is slow. if you're looking to head to a deli for lunch or brunch, then i would definitely check out s&s. tip: there are two FREE parking lots behind S&S. this is great if you have a car.
(3)Jonathan G.
This place gives me the creeps, kind of like a creepy retirement home. The place is always too quiet, with faint Al Jolson covers playing on the speakers, and the octagenarian staff is the slowest ever. Ok, maybe that was a low blow, but seriously this place has unbelievably slow service. Everytime I have been there, there has been almost no line, yet the hostess seems to make me wait 5 minutes before acknowledging me. Then, during the interim between sitting and seeing my waitress, I have grown a handsome beard. The food arrives fairly quickly, but after I eat it comes the "waiting for the check" purgatory. FINALLY that comes, and I emerge out of the restaurant asking what month it is. Slow service...that's all I am really trying to say. Tasty turkey and dill havarti triple decker, though. Gotta give them that. Their reuben is a little "eh", so it doesn't make up for it.
(3)Julie A.
I used to be in Inman a lot for work and play and S& S saved me every time. There isn't (or at least wasn't) much of a selection for lunch around there. S&S has a very big menu so I could eat a totally different meal from them 5 days a week. I will say that the BLT quickly became a favorite though. The veggie burgers were pretty good, fries good, prices good. The breakfasts are also amazing, and never had a bad one. Yeah, they have free parking, but I have never gotten a space there. It's also a very greasy restaurant. do not go here if you are on a diet. but it's AWESOME to go to when you have a hangover. I want to give the food and service 3.5 stars but the selection is a 5 star rating, so 4 seems like a good place to end up. Good place!!!
(4)Marie R.
Breakfast is so yummy!! I would say I am a fan of the food for sure. But I agree with everyone else that the wait staff leaves something to be desired. Go here for the food (breakfast is my only experience) and expect bad service so you won't be disappointed. I had the most amazing breakfast EVER in their Croissant French toast! OMG!!! I could eat that EVERY morning.
(4)Alexis L.
I have been to S&S plenty of times. Each time, the owners have seated my party and I, usually family..always with kindness..They made me feel as though I was their long lost granddaughter, if I was Jewish of course (teehee). But anyways, the food is standard and homey. The hummus plate is a great appetizer, or even an entree in my case. Also, their chicken wings, matzo ball soup and chicken soup are yummy and comforting too. My family celebrated a few anniversaries and Mother's days there, all of which we ordered brunch at..and they turned out delicious. Definitely a family place...relaxed and cozy. Perfect for a quick, relaxing bite before an Indie flick in Kendall Sq.! The only reason I won't give more stars is because I got a dirty mug once..but they replaced it. lol.
(3)Hagan B.
I've been there for breakfast a few times an it's heavenly. I have to say, I've only had two items on the menu (the filet and eggs benedict and the lox bagel) but both were exemplary. The Filet was cooked to a perfect medium rare both times and the lox bagel platter didn't leave me wanting any more salmon. The waiter we had both times had an air of superiority, but his service was great regardless. We didn't have to wait long for a table either time. You MUST get the potato pancakes when you come here. Trust me, just order them on the side if no one in your party is interested in the breakfasts that come with them. You'll be impressed.
(4)Liz L.
Oh man o man! After discovering this yummy yummy yummy restaurant, i was extremely happy. For some reason I have been unable to find restaurants that aren't trendy overpriced ethnic restaurants or cheap greasy restaurants. But this place is AWESOME. Their breakfast is so awesome. They know how to make an omelet. And they know to make some homefry potatos. Waiting to be seated, even when the restaurant isnt full, can take a bit long and I'm not sure why... and also some of the staff isn't as quick with refills or exactly super friendly. But I really dont care... because the food, aroma, cleanliness and selection of food is so great.
(5)Doris K.
We finally decided to try S&S after several years of avoiding the place because I thought that they only served cold sandwiches. I was wrong. This place is great. Their menu is partically 4-5 pages long with breakfast foods, sandwiches, tons of seafood, and other entrees. Their drink prices are so reasonable - $6 for a good glass of wine! The hubby had a roast beef and cheddar cheese sandwich while I had the potato crusted salmon. His was much better than mine. Although mine was fine, it just had a lot more potato than salmon, like a 2:0.5 ratio. The best thing about the entree dinner was the dessert! Amazing red velvet cake! If you don't come from anything else then come for the dessert.
(4)Christine L.
Today was my first time, and I wasn't that impressed. The amount of food was just right (I got the French toast with cream and strawberries, a fruit cup and sausage) but the fruit was warm, the waiter never came over to see how we were doing or refill our water glasses, and service in general was slow. The French toast was yummy but overall, for the price, I'm probably not going to go back.
(2)M M.
We order delivery for lunch meetings. Good food with fast delivery. When you request the paper goods, you usually get a disposable "tablecloth" that really classes up lunchtime.
(4)Jeannie C.
French onion soup, Cobb Salad...you can't find any place better. The art on the outside of the building...the giant poster of the founder...and the whole atmosphere is great. The coffee isn't the best. The wait staff is classic deli. I love the S&S for food that is well prepared; consistent and nourishing in that "taking care of yourself" kind of way.
(5)Julia F.
My last experience was the worst one I've had at S&S. Other than that, I have always loved this place. Total staple in our family for brunches. The wait is always really long. But totally worth it once the food gets to the table.
(3)J N.
I really want to like S&S. It's convenient to get to (even has its own parking lot!), always has seating available, and the food seems like it should be good. But I've been there three times in two months at different times of the day (weekend brunch, weekday lunch, and weekday dinner) and my experiences have all been bad. Servers are always incredibly rude. The bathroom is always dirty. There is no kids menu (who wants to pay $10 for pancakes for a three-year old!?). And maybe I'm ordering the wrong things, but none of the food I've had is good. The last straw for me was this weekend for Saturday brunch. We ordered coffee cake for our table of three to share. It never came, and we didn't see our server for the 25 minutes between the time we ordered, to the time he delivered our entrees, so we never got our coffee cake. The potatoes with my eggs benedict were not just warm or lukewarm, but cold. Gross. My husband had an entree that came with fruit that was about three days past it's prime. And the salmon hash just looked disgusting, not to mention the strange aftertaste. This is the last time we will waste our money here. Like I said, I really want to like this place, but just keep having bad experiences. I know that S&S prides itself on being a family owned and operated, but I think it's probably time to shake it up a bit and consider new management.
(1)Patrick N.
If your craving a trip to the past S&S is the place to go. They are the definition of old school in a good way. Everything is made in house. I try to go for brunch on the weekends as much as possible. The corned beef hash is amazing. All the bread products are freshly baked and they usually arrive warm. I have never left this place hungry as the portions are very large. The wait for a table usually takes less then 10 minutes. Once your seated the service is always friendly and quick. For a blast from the past that will cure a hangover S&S is always a safe bet.
(4)Michael C.
It's a decent deli, but wasn't quite satisfying. If you really want to get your deli experience on, go to Zaftig's in Brookline instead.
(2)Mary R.
Loved the atmosphere, disliked my food. It has the feel of a diner you'd find in NY or NJ, something MA is seriously lacking, but unfortunately the food wasn't that great, although maybe I should have stayed with the basics. I ordered the spinach quiche, which came with a side salad. The salad had way too much dressing, but was otherwise a good size. The quiche was greasy. It just wasn't good. We had the S&S wings as an appetizer, which were good, but not something I'd race back to have again. Maybe I'll try a basic diner meal next time.
(3)Erin B.
I USED to really like this place. But recently, my experiences there haven't been mainly on the "poor" side. The food IS "comforting", and it's still good for Sunday brunch or when you're "recovering" from partying the night before.. As a matter of fact, it was a Sunday ritual for some friends and I for quite some time. Their wait staff are STILL very attentive and friendly. I used to joke that they had their tables bugged or something. :P My main problem, however is that the menu is WAY overpriced for what you receive. If the prices were adjusted, I'd consider going back. That is why S&S has lost a star since my initial review. Otherwise, it's a cozy and relaxed place to eat.
(3)Sarah G.
Ehh...1/2 a star for being so close to my hungover, lazy self on Sundays. Food is not great, but brunch is definitely the best option if you go. Maryann S. is right - if you go expecting a great pastrami on rye a la NY deli, you will be disappointed. My mother came up to visit from L.I. and the tongue and pastrami sandwich was so small ("I can fit all this meat on one slice of rye! Are they kidding me with this sandwich?") and dry that it not only ruined her day, but her entire perception of Boston-area cuisine. I also don't like that their draft beers come in 10 ounce glasses, but cost more than the 12 ounce bottles on the menu. However, if you want to stuff yourself with fat and carbs after a bender, S&S is the place to go. Actually, you can go to Ryles too, as they have the same menu and you can watch the servers wheel carts of bagels across the street from one to the other during brunch. They have the best red velvet cake I've found in the area, and the pieces are huge.
(3)Melissa W.
Great for brunch - chill, local diner/family restaurant feel, but with better acoustics, nice windows, and fab quiche. So-so for dinner. The dinner was overpriced and bland, but not bad. I was impressed with the coleslaw. Not impressed with the avocado puree from a ziploc pouch that passed for "avocado" on my turkey sandwich. In fact the whole sandwich was kinda "ehh". Luckily they serve breakfast all day. I would recommend sticking to that menu.
(3)stacey l.
I like this place, but it's more of a fall back for me. It has great variety and quick service, but I feel like it's too big to have that authentic Jewish Deli feel. It's more like a diner kicked up a notch, and that doesn't warrant the prices they charge for their meals. I've had worse and I've had better...this place is consistently OK.
(3)D M.
I am giving the S&S four stars instead of five because the service in the last six months has been hit or miss. I would estimate we go there on average once every two weeks, sometimes with family and sometimes with friends, so the service clearly doesn't bother us that much. I like going to the S&S for the good variety of foods, excellent breakfasts, and bottomless cups of cheap coffee. I would highly recommend any of the omelettes, my favorite being the garden omelette or the brunch omelette, though I get mine bacon free. The portions are huge, so it's good if you go there while you're really hungry. They have good monster sandwiches, and the salads are awesome......definitely more substance to them them most other places, which is good and bad. Nothing on the menu is really light, unless you get a fruit plate. If you're in the mood for breakfast, this is the place to go any time of day. One warning: the bagels are made in the morning, so they do tend to get kinda shitty by the afternoon if you're like me and like breakfast for dinner.
(4)Fionna L.
I see that this place is getting a lot of not-so-good reviews, so let me just say this. I've been coming here since I was a wee one, and yes, some of the food is pretty blah, BUT! The S&S has the best gardenburger I've ever had, and I've had a few.. Also the boneless buffalo wings are amazing, just be prepared to be getting the sauce off your hands and face (and arms??) for hours. The wait on Sunday is hardly worth it so come any other day of the week and you'll be fine.
(4)Jen L.
Good neighborhood place for weekend brunch. What I like: smoked whitefish, Nova omelet, and Eggs Oscar. What I love: cheap brunch drinks (as in, around $6 - not bad) Things I don't like: the latkes are dry, which does somewhat inhibit my enjoyment of Eggs Oscar since that is part of the order but I'm pretty much over it.
(3)ILLAN K.
I was excited to have a deli/breakfast joint in my neighbourhood and even convinced myself that it was a great place the first few times I went there. then I remembered that breakfast joints are better the greasier they are and the dirtier they are. I'd rather eat a $3 breakfast at Brookline Lunch than a $13 breakfast at S & S. Seriously - it's really expensive for a couple of eggs and some home fries.
(2)Julianne M.
I found the wait staff very nice and friendly, even though we looked like drowned rats after a Saturday run in the rain. They usually don't seat you unless your whole party is there, but they took pity on us and gave us a seat. Brunch was ok - nothing spectacular and a little overpriced. I won't go out of my way to eat here.
(3)jylcat R.
I've been to S&S a few times over the past five years or so, and it's gone seriously downhill. I'd been a few times for brunch maybe 2-5 years ago, and had FANTASTIC salmon hash, and pancakes that were reasonably delicious. I would have given it 3-4 stars in the past, however I went there for dinner one recent Saturday and it was, in a word: HORRIBLE. The food was just okay, not as good as I remembered it. A friend got the matzo soup and that was good. The chicken wings had good sauce but it was weirdly sweet and goopy. I had blueberry pancakes which were just all right., but the syrup was the worst. A very very fake plasticky-tasting syrup a la IHOP. BLECK. The service stood out as the worst. The worst service I've had at S&S... in fact, one of the worst I've had ever. EVER. That's kind of surprising right? I'm not exaggerating. We were seated right next to the bussing station... and every time anyone went to put anything there, they THREW it down, SLAMMING dishes every few minutes about a foot from our heads. And our server... was mean. Just mean. He was obviously overworked and they were understaffed, but jeez. I was afraid to ask him for anything, because when we did ask for something necessary like mustard for the pastrami sandwich or, you know... water.... he would snap "hold on", run to another table, throw some food at them, come back and say "what?". He yelled at the bus boy right in front of us. So rude. We didn't even finish eating, just left halfway through dinner (paid of course, but even the guy at the register was a jerk). I'm really disappointed. This wasn't even kitchy soup-nazi type nastiness, just unpleasant service that made me determined never to come back.
(1)Kevin M.
I've been going here since I was 4 years old, maybe younger... holds lots of nostalgia for me. Their brunch is great, as are their sandwiches/desserts... If you are there for lunch/dinner try the boneless s&S wings... they are amazing!
(4)Bene K.
No matter the time or day, the service and good quality and taste of the food at S&S has always been excellent!! The definitely deserved 5 Stars and hopefully I'll make it over there sooner than later. You can get delicious sandwhiches--lunch -brunch and don't forget Breakfast!! Also, try the drink menu--pretty tasty.!! You will NOT be dissapointed!!!
(5)Wade L.
I've been here a few times now, always for brunch and always on the weekend. Not only have I never waited terribly long, I've never found it as disappointing as other reviewers. One thing is probably that I showed up somewhat early, but I don't think that 9:30 or 10 AM on Sunday is exactly beating the breakfast rush. Still, we didn't wait a minute for our table for 4. The food is consistently good and what sets S & S apart from lesser breakfast places are the following: 1. kickass hollandaise sauce that doesn't use Lemon like a blunt object, bashing in the flavor. 2. equally kickass fresh fruit that doesn't taste like like tin cans like oh-so-many-breakfast joints. 3. cooks who understand that homefries are not supposed to be deep-fried, greasy piles of brown crusty stuff, but actual potatoes that are cooked correctly. I'll keep going to S & S every time I'm in town.
(4)Jennifer D.
Both stars for the very sweet waitress who served us. People are nice here, but the food is really not good. We are visiting from out of town, and one of my sons said it reminded him of the dining room at my 91 year-old grandma's nursing home. Too true. Bland, boring, really not good food. The only seasoning you could taste in any dish was salt, salt and more salt. Plus quite expensive, given the quality. And they were out of 50% of what we ordered the first time around. My kids didn't even like the desserts here...they had a "chemical" taste like they were made out of a box. It seems this place is a family tradition for many, but if it's not already your family tradition, you can probably skip it.
(2)Kim L.
Breakfast here. AMAZING! If you're here on a weekend, there's gunna be a wait. But it is worth it. I had the BEST quiche Lorraine I've ever eaten. Thinking about it makes my mouth water. The portions are huge, and you can order regular or strawberry mimosas with your brunch....need I say more. I can't wait to go back for dinner sometime. I went back for dinner. Meh. Not bad, but breakfast is by far superior here.
(4)H T.
(^o^) the fattymonster in me wanted some french toast. OoOo french toast (O.O;) the fattymonster wanted some french toast stuffed with cream cheese and bath it in warm maple syrup O! O! O! (X_X) restraining the temptation, the fattymonster backed off (^_^;) because fattymonster had a LARGE cup of ice cream w/o any breakfast or lunch (^_-) fattymonster naughty- (*^.^*) but fattymonster happy ......... one note- fattymonster was unsatisfied with the flimsy, pricy "thick cut" french toast, average mimosa and long wait. grrr...ouchy. (=x_x=) It wasn't good... ......... (2.5 Stars)
(2)Tom E.
I came here on a Saturday lunch with Hana T and CK. Parked the car in their lot, took a number, waited in line for ages, yada, yada, yada... We ordered a bunch of typical brunch stuff - eggs, bagels, matzo ball soup, mimosa, french toast, bacon, yada, yada, yada... Parking was good, matzo ball soup was good but everything else was disappointing - waiting, eggs, decor, seats, atmosphere, yada, yada, yada... Afterwards I took the two girls back to my house, and, you know, yada, yada, yada... (ok, not really)
(2)John H.
Went for breakfast and had the french eggs. Food and service are good but parking can be tough.
(4)Aaron B.
Aside from decent sized portions, there's not a whole lot thats great I can say about this place. I've been there mostly for brunch and always just find it really ok. I've also gotten a corned-beef sandwich from here and I've got a pretty high standard for Jewish deli corned beef. Can't say I was thrilled. It was kinda tasteless and had an ok portion of meat. When I think corned-beef sandwich from a deli, I want that thing packed to the roof. I want meat sweats. Not here.
(2)Ellen N.
This restaurant is a a step up from your average dinner / deli experience. However, I would have to agree with my fellow yelpers assessment of the service. After arriving, the hostess began to show my boyfriend and I to our seats, she then turned to us and said "never mind" and walked away. Hmmm I guess that means we will show ourselves to the waiting area? I quickly forgot my initial bad impression when the "waiting area" turned out to be a very nice deli. More on that later. I originally went seeking out a late brunch, and instead opted for a burger. The burger was good, the roles that Burger was served on were even better! I continued to be underwhelmed by the service, but it wasn't terrible enough for me to regret coming. I ended my experience in the bakery. I bought a bunch of sugar cookies covered in white chocolate's very good decision indeed! Overall I rate this establishment a B+, Although the fact that they have two FREE parking lots might push them up to an A.
(3)Mckenzie Y.
Food is decent, not amazing. Price is a little bit more than I would expect for the quality. But it delivers as a morning after hangover nurser!
(2)Ligaya T.
From the back of the S&S Menu: Since 1919 We've Served 64 million cups of coffee 36 million fresh eggs 10 million turkey sandwiches 18 million half sour pickles And 3.4 million bagels and lox with 79 trillion mgs of sodium. Their lox is so damn salty that I had an iodine headache afterwards. Luckily I had pulpy OJ to keep me from keeling over. Their latkes (potato pancakes) are deep fried, their passion fruit smoothie is more like an icee with whipped cream on top. Service is surly and slow. But after eating at so many 'hip' restaurants catered to our demographic it's really nice to be around families and folks of different ages.
(3)Leighann F.
At this point in time with my S&S experiences, I really can't say that I have too much to complain about. My breakfast plate more than I could finish, the freshly squeezed orange juice was absolutely delicious and the service was okay. If i had a full agenda for the day or was in some sort of rush, the service could have been a problem. It was a little slow, but somehow that doesn't matter when all you have ahead of you is a day of gallivanting around in the sunshine without much to do. To me, S&S is great because it is local. But upon walking in and checking out the decor, the menu and the service, it seems to be like any other diner-type place in the area. As one of the oldest restaurants in the area, it leaves me to wonder about how their menu has changed or what it is that has made them able to stick around through the ups and downs of the finicky restaurant business. Maybe it has something to do with their deli? Or just a solid local following? Whatever it is, they're here for a reason. The deli deserves a try, which I'll get to eventually, and this will definitely end up being my breakfast spot when I'm in the In man area.
(3)Kristen V.
I live close to S&S making it difficult to stop myself from going there for breakfast on Saturdays and Sundays. Quick service, perfectly cooked food, never-ending cups of coffee, awesome bagels and a fruit cup with every meal! Even my mother liked it... my mother!
(5)Ron N.
First time back after years away and am just delighted that it is as good as ever! Food is great, value is great. Service is friendly. And the nostalgia from eating here in our student days is wonderful.
(5)Bre M.
Went for the first time yesterday for lunch. Had the reuben, subbed fries for chips. It was a great reuben and there are not too many of those around. The service was fantastic. My girlfriend and I hadn't seen it each other in months, so we gabbed for a while. The server could not have been more accommodating. Will certainly go back to try some items on the brunch menu. It's a great lunch spot for sure!
(4)Melissa B.
I was looking for a hearty dinner salad and the Chicken Salad Bowl hit the spot. The salad is pretty large and it comes with both crispy pitas, which I love, and a regular pita. The veggies were all very fresh and crisp. What really sold me was how delicious the chicken salad was. It is made in house with thick chunks of chicken. I already know I will be craving that plate again soon.
(5)Gilbert L.
The ingredients used make this place taste amazing!
(4)Monica T.
Good food and so many options!!! My quiche was overly full of cheese. Diner style atmosphere. My sister said The potatoes are awesome!! I stopped by and picked up some cake slices for my birthday and they were deliciousssss!
(4)Alexandra G.
Came here for brunch on a Saturday and loved the food. It was around 2pm and while there were people in the restaurant, we didn't have to wait for a table, even though we were a pretty large group. Among us, we ordered a couple of different omelets, blueberry pancakes, and Belgian waffles. I am not exaggerating when I say that everything that we tried was delicious. The reason I am giving this place 4 stars and not 5 is that I was told they only have 1 kind of milk for cappuccino/latte drinks (just whole milk) which I found to be pretty limiting. Also, after we had our brunch, I stopped by the deli side to buy some cookies and the woman behind the counter was not very friendly and not very helpful. She looked like she was annoyed with me for wanting to buy something.
(4)Fred L.
I haven't been to S & S in about ten years, but paid a visit for lunch this week. My pastrami sandwich was perfect... the fries were the best... coleslaw was awesome. GREAT meal. Even the pickle was perfect! My friend, who is quite a picky eater (and I'm being kind!), ordered a corned beef and tongue sandwich. For the first time in years (seriously!) I thought he was going to explode from excitement. He loved EVERYTHING he ate (highly unusual), and actually hasn't stopped talking about S & S for the past 3 days. Just asked last night when were were going back! He bought a $30 tongue to go and has been eating it all week. He's been in heaven! Great service, great atmosphere, terrific food. Just as I remembered it to be.
(5)Chris M.
One of my favorite places to eat in all of Boston. Comfortable, good service, food is good, a little expensive but not outrageous. A good middle of the week kind of place. Kid friendly too. I've eaten there maybe 100+ times.
(5)Sarah E.
The food is really good here, but the staff is extremely rude and unfriendly. I have only ever done take out here, but they have made me feel like its an incredible inconvenience to expect them to do their job. I would never want to stay and eat there, but will still continue to order out from them, because I love their breakfast menu.
(3)Alyssa W.
I've been here twice and each time, it was just ok. Service wasnt amazing, we were seated in the bar area, so our waitress was the bartender, so sometimes it took her longer to help us that i'd like. She did her job and thats about it. Not very personable or anything. This is a family owned, no frills place. no more, no less. you get, what you get. I'd stick to the sandwhiches here, after all, it's a deli. but I didnt do that the first time. I got the special for that day, swordfish kabobs. lets just say what was supposed to be a light dinner was more like I ate the biggest burger ever. The cut of fish was so fatty it was like eating butter. Tasty, but oh. so. heavy. second time, pastrami melt. I with the bread was more toasted and the cheese more melted, but the pastrami was very lean and really tasty. I love their french fries. they are even better the next day after it's been toasted. And the whole set up is really awkward. If you enter at the back, it tells you to go to the front. We went to the front, no one from the bakery/deli side acknowledged us or even said, "someone should be right with you" instead we stood there not knowing if we were in the right place. Oh and if you buy from the bakery/deli side, the staff can't take cash, you have to walk over to the restaurant side to pay. yea, really weird system and you could end up literally chargin one cookie, $1.25...
(3)Elizabth V.
Service is always the worst here. Getting take out was not greeted even with a hello or one moment please. Instead the manager waves her hands at me and tells me "you're gonna have to wait" after the lady working behind the counter said she didn't know what order was this and I said its mine. Sooo rude.
(3)Doug G.
3 1/2 stars is a sham because this place is a local legend. Amazing Deli sandwiches for about 8 dollars. I am a pastrami fanatic and this place puts anywhere in greater Boston to shame. Also my go to brunch spot.
(5)Robert C.
Arrived in Boston and this is where I came for breakfast! Good choice! I wanted a somewhat Bostonian style breakfast and that us what I got! The food was great! I did not know what to expect but I enjoyed the crab and shrimp cakes! I recommend this place... Great comfort food! The service was great!
(4)Bean C.
The wings are great! Loved the seafood casserole! We've been dining here for over 30 yrs. We've never had a bad meal here. The buffalo wings are comparable to the ones we get at Duff's in Buffalo! I love the S&S wings on the bone. Sweet, crunchy, with a little spice kick.
(5)Shiksa H.
You cannot go wrong with any of their sandwiches. It's a decent place with kids and Mac and Cheese is approved by my Six year old who eats same thing wherever we go. But prepare to wait a little since they are busy and parking is a challenge unless the lot is open.
(4)Bill Z.
One of my friends enjoys bringing her friends here, and now I know why. It's a fun place for brunch. You might not think so immediately if you drove there and have to deal with navigating into one of the cozy (but existing) parking lots, or if you have to wait for a table. That would be all the more reason to add a bloody mary, bellini or mamosa (all roughly $5.95) to your meal. Many people at our table ordered some version of eggs, such as eggs benedict. They were generally well-received, though there were a few comments that they would have preferred them slightly more cooked. I sampled the accompanying home fries. They were by far the blandest home fries - in presentation and taste - that I have ever had. You can't substitute quantity for quality in a case like this. I think if you cut down on the amount of fries, cooked them in real butter a little longer, and added some more paprika, it would have rescued them. Since it was the first day of autumn, I ordered something appropriate for the season, pumpkin spice pancakes. These were fantastic - perfectly cooked, a rich intense flavor, and filled with bite-sized pieces of chopped walnuts. I try to order pumpkin pancakes whenever they are available somewhere, and these were by far the best I have ever had in a restaurant. The pancakes were accompanied by a ramekin of fresh fruit and your choice of bacon or sausage. Coffee was plentiful; we were given a generous amount of creamers immediately. Even though the waitress was obviously busy, she refilled our cups frequently. Overall, the food was probably only slightly above average. But for me, there was something about the ambiance here which says, "This is the place to bring 'the gang' for a fun brunch."
(4)Yvonne C.
The food here is actually very good and consistent. Lots of great options on the menu and you can have breakfast at all hours of the day- a huge bonus. Sadly I gave it a two because customer service is a disaster. We've been going to the S and S for about a year now and think of it is a "regular" place for us because the food is really decent. The mediocre service is something I tend to overlook, especially if the food comes out relatively quickly and there's no waiting around. Last night our experience was a disaster. We sat at the bar and the bartender didn't say hello for at least ten minutes, which was odd given that there were less than 5 people sitting at it. We finally ordered- okay, not too bad, I'm thinking. 10 minutes later we ask for bread and she says, "Sure." As in, Sure, we have bread but I will make absolutely zero effort to go and get you some. This is where I remind myself that maybe the bartender is having a bad day. Maybe her mom is sick. Maybe she has menstrual cramps. Maybe she's stressed out over finances. I try to make excuses for her. We ended up waiting almost 35 minutes for our appetizer (never mind the entrees) until we decided to walk out. So at this point I said, Maybe she just sucks at her job. Period. This was not the first time we received "eh" service, but it is the last because we don't plan to go there again.
(2)Chris T.
This place has a huge menu, it's kind of a perfect place to go when you don't have any food at home but want a home cooked meal.
(4)Jess M.
Mediocre breakfast and lunch. I'm not really a fan, but I have had worse.
(3)Robin S.
Good food, horrible customer service. The restaurant cares more about making a buck than providing a welcoming atmosphere for its customers. The waiting system for a table is absurd even if you have a reservation. The management is by far one of the worst I have ever experienced and quite frankly speak to people in extremely nasty, rude and condescending tones. To think this is a family owned/run business is perplexing since it in no way creates a family friendly environment for customers, you know the people paying for a service and keeping their business running. I absolutely hate going there to dine in and will opt for takeout nine time out of ten simply because I want to have as little contact with their staff as possible. Even when ordering takeout however, they are abrupt on the phone and eager to hang up on you after order is placed. All around, this restaurant disappoints me every time. The staff, particularly manager, needs a major reality check and should learn how to treat people.
(1)Trevor J.
I had the Eggs Maryland and it was delicious. The shrimp and crab cakes were fantastic, home fries perfectly seasoned, and the everything bagel was better than expected. I'll definitely be going back.
(5)Ana R.
S&S gets a bum rap for being "nothing special" by jaded over-stimulated Cantabrigians, but I disagree! S&S is a solid deli, from brunch to lunch and all the way to dessert, there's nothing on the menu that isn't good and reliably so. Can't say that about every place in this area. Favorites are the classics. I recently had the BLT and it was huge and so yummy. The waitresses are lovely, and the prices are unbeaten.
(4)Corey L.
I would give this place a 3.5, but will lean to a 4 b/c I've always had good experiences there. They have a huge selection, deli stuff, breakfast/brunch stuff, good dinner options, and pretty good desserts. I've never been blown away by the food, but I've never been disappointed in it either. Solid meals, just not leaving going "wow!" Good desserts. And so big that you rarely have to wait
(4)Jeff S.
Going for the corn beef hash and poached eggs for lunch! So far, fast and friendly service. As expected, hash was delicious. Eggs cooked just right. Food is never a disappointment here. Always good!
(4)Dan G.
We called several days before because we had 8 in our party. We went for brunch on a sunday and we were not seated when we all got there because not everyone in our party was there yet, no big deal. Once everyone had arrived, we were seated prompty. The service was great, our waitress was very nice, attentive and helpful. I received a semi-burnt bagel and she offered to replace it but I didnt care. Everyone in our party enjoyed their meals. We had corned beef hash which was delicious, the ratio of egg to corned beef was off since there was more corned beef than enough egg to cover everything. Blueberry pancakes I heard were good, bagel with smoked salmon and fresh fruit was good as were omlettes and french toast. Everyone I was with was glad we went there for an easy and tasty brunch! Parking was easy as there is street parking as well as a parking lot behind the restaurant. We all will be back!
(4)Ro G.
Great food! Big portions. We had the lox and bagel (tons of lox), the potato pancakes (some of the best I've had!) And a vegetarian breakfast sandwich, to go. The atmosphere seems nice though, we'll be dining in soon. Only downside is our iced coffee was a little meh, but thumbs way up otherwise.
(5)Liz B.
We've been going to the S & S since before the restaurant renaissance in Inman Square. If we were hungry and near Cambridge to the S & S we went. After 100s of meals it remains our favorite local restaurant. Never a bad meal - which says a lot considering how many we've had there. The menu is varied enough that it's difficult to decide what to have. Some of our favorites include the omelettes (breakfast served all day), seafood, S & S Boneless Wings, the clam chowder (it's super but only served towards the end of the week I believe), and the sandwiches and wraps. There's plenty more on the menu but those are my tried and trues. You can check out the cookies and dessert offerings in the cases while you wait to be seated. The restaurant has grown over the years. There are plenty of comfortable booths - hurrah! and the blown up vintage photographs of the S & S and of Inman Square are fascinating and fun. We sat next to a view from Inman Square in 1967 the other day that looked like a movie still. Many on the wait staff have been here for years and the restaurant is family-run with everyone pitching in. In addition to the small lot out back there's an additional parking lot just a building or two away on Hampshire. Too many of the really good, classic non-chain restaurants in Massachusetts have closed. The S & S is a treasure and I'll opt to eat there any day over the latest trendy place or yet another uninspiring chain restaurant.
(5)Brendan R.
Been here numerous times for both Breakfast and Lunch. Lots of seating here so you really don't have to wait for a table usually, at least in my experience. There are a lot of options to choose from on the menu and I can confidently say you can't go wrong with any selection. I've gotten waffles, I've gotten pancakes and I've even got breakfast sandwiches here. Every time i try something new, it makes my decision making that much harder next time I go co everything is so good! For lunch, I've tried some of their wraps which are always a go-to choice for my girlfriend and her sister. I went with the Boursin Burger last time which sounded really interesting and it was! I love that whenever you order a dish that it will either come with fresh fruit or cole slaw, such a nice added touch to every dish! All in all, I would say this is a very dependable place to be able to get in, get out, and get on with your day no problem. Great selection, great food, great prices and great service!
(4)Bill O.
Not the best food but such a comfortable diner experience. The wait staff remind you of your mom, and the food makes you feel better after a long day. Great cookies at the counter too. I also love the beef knishes.
(4)Chloe M.
S&S is one of those restaurants that you keep coming back to. The place is clean and friendly, and the food is great! We love the fries here, and we always come here specifically for them. Great hidden gem!
(5)Juju W.
This restaurant is more like a 3.5 star. Since the service is good, I'm giving it a 4 star here. There's nothing impressive about the restaurant, but I appreciate that there's almost no wait. It's hard to find a no wait brunch place in Cambridge. Parking is free. Food is mediocre. They don't rush customers.
(4)Julia D.
My dad grew up around the corner from here so I've gone here over the years when we visit his family. It's got a real old-timey feel. On this last trip I got an omelette that came with bagel, hash browns, and fruit. Delicious. They have a huge bakery and to-go area that definitely seems good too.
(4)Christopher C.
I didn't know about this spot for the longest time but it's just a short walk from the central square t-stop and a perfect place to go for brunch on the weekends. Food is good and they have so many additions of everything...eggs benedict eggs Oscar I forget the rest but the list goes on. Also must say really like the corned beef here too. Most of the food is priced at around $10. Definitely give this a try there aren't too many places like it in the area
(4)Deborah B.
The best wings you'll ever have!! S&S wings on the bone. Trust me, you will fall in love with them. Croissant French toast is delicious. The quiche is really good too. And the pizzas are individual size and really good too. Very casual setting. Desserts and amazing too.
(5)Jay C.
This famous landmark and institution hardly needs another review, but I feel as if I discovered something new. My kids were promised a cheese pizza, and my wife said lets try inside the S&S. What? Crazy! But, I did what I was told. Yes, they can do pizza to go. Ordered one for the kids to split and the wife. They said a 20 minute wait, but it was quicker. The bag felt fairly heavy. When it was time to eat we were surprized to find that garden salads come with pizza. For less than $10 each, it makes for a nice take-home pizza for one adult, or for two small kids. Wife does not like pizza too much, but she likes the S&S pizza. The S&S Deli... who would ever guess? What is even better -- they now accept credit cards!
(4)Lisa T.
This diners been around for a really long time. Matzoh ball soup New York style amazing. Turkey club is really good it
(5)Jessica S.
Came here for brunch, post-birthday celebration for a roommate. For a Sunday morning at 11:30am, it was pretty crowded (line to the door) but our group of 5 was seated in 5 minutes. Brunch menu has some awesome options (croissant french toast?!). The portions are pretty substantial-- all the egg dishes come with a bagel, home fries, and fruit--which makes the prices worth it. "Homey" atmosphere and lots of families with little kids running around... I would be up for trying S&S for lunch or dinner.
(4)Michele H.
S&S--your strengths are in the sweets. Parisian French toast with fig jam and Brie, pumpkin pancakes, chocolate chunk scones. I've recently discovered your matzo ball soup, which was incredible the first time I tried it, and pretty good the second. Iggy's bagels with lox cream cheese can't be best. The fried matzo was greasy and disappointing, as are most eggy dishes here. Overall, a great place to indulge your sweet tooth.
(4)Annie P.
S&S wings S&S matzo ball soup S&S omelettes w/ bagel and cream cheese S&S triple deckers S&S buffalo chicken sandwich S&S iced tea AHHHHHHHH. greatness. perfection of clean diner food. Take some major time out of your schedule though. This isn't a quick paced place even though it seems like it. Sitting at the bar doesnt help either. I do like watching Oprah with the bartender though. haha. This week I had the Corned Beef Hash with Scrambled Eggs (not Poached eggs like on menu) and Havarti on top. It was baked and hearty. Too much food.. but I asked for it right? I like those cut out stickers of neighborhood people on the windows. Sunday morning lines seem never ending.. but it ends... and it's fun to look over the menu with pals and strangers and decide what to get...plus it';s usually worth the wait. Who on earth runs that kitchen? Anybody been in there? I don;t get how they do it so well for so many people.
(4)Stephanie H.
I went here for lunch yesterday, for the first time. I liked the atmosphere for the most part. It was kind of a noisy place and hard to here people you were seated with. Our waitress was attentive and friendly and gave us prompt service. I had the turkey club that came with a pickle spear and a bag of Cape Cod chips. I liked the sandwich, it was huge. The chips were good as was the pickle spear. I left stuffed. My sister ordered the veggie quiche and it was huge and came with fresh fruit (didn't look quite fresh but the touch was nice) and toast and hash browns. Huge portions for a decent price. Mine was 8.95 and hers was 9.95. I would go back for sure. The wait was not as bad as I first thought it would be.
(3)Nicole M.
I don't get the hype. So many of my friends rave about this place and start drooling at the mere mention of it, but I've eaten here a handful of times and still don't get it. I just don't like the food. Nor do I like the atmosphere. It feels like a glorified IHOP with a longer line. There are much better places around here for brunch!
(1)Maryn H.
This place is great. It's a laid back deli in Cambridge that serves HUGE portions. A good place to go for brunch on Sunday when you're hungover from the night before. The waitstaff is sassy, but that's what makes this place endearing. Their cobb salad is my favorite. It's comparable to Zaftig's, just without all the flash.
(3)D. C.
I'd give it a 3.5 if there was a choice. I love their half sour pickles!!!! If you want a good family friendly restaurant, this place is it. There's pictures of the "grandma" everywhere, which kinda creeps me out. Their reuben was great and their matzo ball soup was good too. Caesar salad was over dressed, so I'd ask for the dressing on the side next time. I don't know why I ordered pizza one time, but I didn't like the cornmeal crust. It tasted like a frozen pizza, but maybe thats just me. Overall, I like this place and they're open late so thats a big plus.
(4)Liz D.
I've only been here for brunch but it's my favorite brunch place in the area. The omelets are great and they always give you fresh fruit. The service is some times rushed but I've never had them make mistakes. I can never seem to find the restrooms though!
(4)greta C.
I'm surprised this place is still open. Not only because the board of health should close it down, but the food has gone down hill since I started going there ten years ago. Yuck.
(1)Leif H.
A wide selection of food offered in a restaurant with a cozy sprawling floor plan. My date and I tried their hummus appetizer, which was good, portioning was weak however for the $5 dollar price tag. The entrees we both ordered came with two generous plates of salad with warm dill rolls. Our drinks arrived promptly before our meals and our server was attentive yet not over bearing. The prices tend to be a bit steap for what one would normally expect from a deli styled joint; however when you consider that they are located in trendy (pricey) Inman Square it makes sense.
(3)S. C.
I've been there a few times for breakfast. The first time I went there, I expected to pay over $30 for my meal. It was that good. It was even better when I realized I only had to pay about $15. I am a simple person. No matter where I go for breakfast, I would skip the menu and order eggs, sausages, toast, and home fries. I have been to many places and I have to say, S&S is the best.
(5)Aretha B.
I will make this review simple S&S Pros: tuna melt on herbed foccacia with red onion THE COLESLAW ROCKS - seriously good pickles good omeletts eggs benedict fresh OJ S&S WINGS are the best friggin wings I've ever had. So sweet, nice heat... with cool blue cheese and celery. AH! so good... matzoh ball soup decent, pleasant service S&S Cons: only log cabin corn syrup for pancakes, no real maple syrup? wtf kind of new england breakfast restaurant doesn't offer maple syrup? Seriously - that disturbs me. Overall, good restaurant to fill you up. Nothing too fancy or imaginative, but quality ingredients for sure. I like the sesame bagles.
(4)Alicia Y.
Lukewarm = my feelings about S&S, and very possibly the temperature of your drink when it's brought to your table. S&S is a place where my family often winds up when they visit because it's good for seating groups and has a parking lot (albeit a teeny, tiny one), but if I did not keep getting taken there as a part of family outings I would not seek it out on my own. For one, I can never make up my mind about what to order because their menu is absurdly large. I'm all for having options, but I feel like they spread themselves a bit too thin in trying to cover so many different types of food. I also have the problem of wondering if anything I order will be terribly worth eating: the food here is okay, but there's nothing memorable whatsoever about it. I know that I had a burger once... that was fine. The French toast... was fine. The Caesar salad... boringly fine. There's just nothing interesting about it to me. When I find myself thinking, "Hmm, I kind of wish I was at KFC right now, at least I know that chicken has flavor" when I am eating at a sit-down restaurant, something is very wrong, no?
(2)Melissa W.
I love this place! I work across the street and often stop in for lunch at least once a week... my favorite is the turkey club. I had an opportunity to go in for brunch yesterday and had the eggs benedict. It was probably the best benedict I've had in a LONG time! Service was great as well.
(5)Diane D.
I've never been to S&S for anything other than weekend brunch, and let me just say, that for that alone, it is awesome. With several friends living in the Inman area, the S&S is a personal favorite stop for a little weekend pre-shopping or post-hangover eggs florentine and home fries. Esepcially for the price, which really isn't bad. If it were closer to Brighton, I'd probably go more often to sample more from the big menu and try some other things like matzo ball soup. But for now, I'll stick with recommending the breakfast food!
(4)Eric S.
First of all, my opinion may be skewed because of my perceptions of the place when I first ate there (when I was 4 or 5). I've always been sort-of creeped out by the lady that's painted everywhere in the restaurant. The food is nothing to brag about, but it's by no means bad. Everything seems clean and presented nicely. Wait staff-eh...they have been slow or have disappeared, but they always get the job done. Portions sometimes seem below expected size. I'll give them a pat on the back for providing so much space; the place is huge! Parking is confusing...so beware. PS: Pickles are good.
(3)Jessica E.
A very middle of the road breakfast experience. I live in the area, and there is a definite dearth of breakfast options in this area of Cambridge. The restaurant is cavernous and well-staffed. It also has a deli up front where you can grab sandwiches, cake, cookies, deli style stuff. The interior is bland. It reminds me of a Perkins- a Midwest chain of Denny's type places. They could do a lot more to make it more interesting looking, but I don't think that is a priority. The menu on their website has the wrong prices. For breakfast items, everything is $10. Good selection of omelets. Fresh squeezed orange juice. Large plates of food- everything comes with home fries, a chunky bagel, and a fruit bowl. It's a very busy joint, and it is filled with lots and lots of old people. I won't hate too much though, because the food was plentiful, there was no wait, and no item on my plate disappointed me. It just wasn't all new age spices and interesting ingredients or fancy whatever... the kind of stuff we Yelpers tend to O over. But hey, maybe that's okay.
(3)Stefanie G.
My mom loves S and S, so I have to go a lot, but I haven't drunk the proverbial Kool-Aid. The food is solid, but it is a little expensive and I hate the atmosphere. The salmon hash is dry but the regular hash is great. The reuben is also very good. I prefer the atmosphere of my other breakfast haunts, but I don't mind going here with mum on Saturday or Sunday morning, especially if it is early (before 9:30) and there is no wait. Followed by a cappuccino at the 1369.
(3)kyle c.
i came here for breakfast on a saturday morning with a friend of mine. the omelettes were amazing, i got the portobello one, assuming it would just be filled with mushrooms and was pleasantly surprised to find the egg mixed with pesto and filled with not just mushrooms but tomatos, onions and mozzarella cheese. the homefries were great, and they let me substitute an extra fruit cup instead of toast at no extra charge. my friend got a havarti dill omelette, which he said was also delicious. the omelette menu seems pretty innovative, everything looked great. service was average, no qualms with it, and my mimosa was a bit champagne heavy. overall a great breakfast experience, will definitely go there again.
(4)Layla P.
When I met my friend here they said "This DOES look like your kind of place" Why would they say that? Because there's BREAD and they serve breakfast all day. I asked the waitress which of the 3 french toasts (plus another that was on special) was the favorite. She suggested the croissant cinnamon french toast - and it was great! Nice crispy yet moist texture, cinnamon, sugar and butter oozing out of it and warm syrup to drizzle on top. You can substitute their comfy potatoes cooked with onion instead of bacon or ham and it also comes with a little side of fruit. The omelets were also good - no brown-ness on the outside (which I hate!). And they have FRESH squeezed orange juice yum! There's lot of potential here and I must return - for the other french toast dishes, but also for their hummus sandwich, soups and breads. There's take out lunch and dinner too.
(4)Scott M.
I don't understand why this place only gets 3.5 stars average. So it's not a cool decor little brunch spot full of hipsters... so what. You get a table fairly quickly even on very busy days, it has awesome history, classic service and consistently decent food. It is our staple brunch spot. The croissant french toast is amazing, the eggs benedict are good, the poached salmon is delicious as are the homefries. Thumbs up - keep it up for another 90 years.
(5)Tina C.
My regular brunch place. I order Eggs Copenhagen every time (poached eggs, sauteed onions, and smoked salmon on an english muffin) with the hollandaise on the side. Comes with fabulous potatoes (not quite hashbrowns or homefries, better!!) and a cup of fresh fruit. Love it. Been once for dinner and it was o.k. Service varies from waiter to waiter. I've come across a couple who were not good at all, and a few who were just great.
(4)Katie K.
I have only been here once, and all I can say is it's nothing special. The service was OK, not excellent and the food was pretty good but that's all. Nothing spectacular going on here. I heard such great things from friends of mine about this place but it didn't live up to it's ego AT ALL!! Also the wait was really long for the food. Not bad, I'd go back if I was in the area, but wouldn't go out of my way for it.
(2)Gabe M.
Quite a good place to grab some breakfast. Portion's are large, so its good idea to split with someone. Good service and good location at Inman Square.
(4)Joel R.
This place is great any time of day. It is the closest thing I've been able to find that's close to a NY diner or deli. The sandwiches are good and so are the breakfasts. My whole family loves this place...
(4)Larisa A.
What do I do? I eat at the S&S all the time. All the time, you say? Well, okay, a lot. It's close to home so we end up there at least once a week. Sunday or Saturday brunch is a favorite, and if you go there often enough you get a feeling for when the "slow" windows are. No, I'm not going to tell you when they are. Because I love the S&S and I don't want you going there and making it busier. In fact, maybe I should change this to 1 star and say how horrible it was! Yeah, actually, I bet that's what all those other people who gave it one star have done already. They secretly love the S&S as well and are just trying to keep the brunch lines down. But not me. Oh no, I'm too honest for all that. What do I love at the S&S? Omelettes. Corned beef hash & poached eggs (w/ a side of hollandaise for extra heart-attack love). The turkey dinner special (when they have it). Scallops & steak tips. I hear they have sandwiches, too, but I don't go for sandwiches. Why only 4 stars? The food is good & reliable, but I have had one or two omelettes come out a little browner than I'd like. The service is generally terse-but-polite, which is fine since I'd rather not have some obsequious turd take my order anyway. But it would be kind of nice if the servers we get ALL THE TIME would acknowledge that we're regulars. But maybe you need to go there every single day to be considered a "regular". And that might be a bit too much for me.
(4)Melissa B.
Come here for breakfast (it's served all day). I've been coming here for the better part of a decade & have always found their breakfast to be much better than their offerings for lunch or dinner. I grew up on a dairy farm so I know fresh eggs when I see 'em; S & S uses some of the freshest around. It makes all of the difference. They'll cook them however you prefer (poached is my favorite) & you can get them with bacon, ham or sausage. For omelette lovers, they have about 10 different kinds of omelettes with every filling imaginable. The pancakes are great as well (mmmm....blueberries) and their homemade corned beef hash is out of this world (it's certainly not that crap that comes in a can). Every breakfast comes with a bagel & cream cheese & a bowl of fresh fruit. Get it with some of their fresh squeezed OJ, some bottomless cups of coffee or a cappuccino and you've got yourself a fine meal. This is easily one of my favorite spots for breakfast, but be warned, it can be a bit of zoo for Sunday brunch, and the staff can be rough around the edges.
(5)Photon S.
S&S was pleased as punch when 14 of us showed up with practically no notice last night. Their menu is epic, making decision-making quite difficult. However, their strawberry mimosa was fantastic and the latkes are terrific. The food here could generally be a little better, but the triple layer sandwiches, the hummus plates for the vegans, and the various pastramis make this an excellent place to head with a mob or late at night. Bonus points for S&S being one of the few places open late on Sunday.
(4)Beth F.
The story tells it. A family business with good quality comfort food. You either love or hate the S&S. I like to go there and get something that makes me feel good - oh say for instance...french toast or chicken soup. Maybe a salad. The trick is to ignore the bratty kids running around..but it's all part of the deal.
(4)Nick S.
Totally dig this place - on the surface it's nothing special, but taking a look closer it is special - a throwback Jewish style family establishment. Long-time servers are pleasant, my food was great - lox plate (other dishes looked excellent), and you can tell the neighborhood really embraces it - lots of families enjoying themselves, happy people blissfully noshing. I look forward to the next time I can go, and will bring a friend or two to share the experience.
(4)Emma D.
I have no problem with S+S, but I could never figure out why people are obsessed. It's very decent deli food and good for brunch/breakfast. But honestly, it's a place that I usually have a serious craving for. If you want entertainment stop by on a random weekday afternoon. We did and ran into the phantom gourmet and tables full of old folks. The dinner food is definitely geared towards the tastes of the elderly. I encourage you to try it out (especially breakfast food or sandwiches), but for goodness sake don't wait in line or travel vast distances for it!!!
(3)Dottie D.
the s&s is solid. but, i wouldn't say that the s&s is good. i know people love it but i just don't. it's solid and i know i can get a decent omelete here but really, is that worth more than three stars? not in my yelping rubrick! the s&s has an outdated menu. there's nothing new and exciting there. i mean, that's fine and you know you can get some eggs, some bacon, a stack of pancakes, toast, etc. but, there's nothing amazing about the s&s. their food is decent and not too pricey so it's one of those places in my book that you can go and get some fine food that you know is reliable but doesn't thrill you. service is mostly fine... i was there on friday and our waitress was awesome but the kitchen was not. there were only one or two other people in the place but it took forever to get the food and when it did come, the order was wrong. our waitress was very nice about correcting this and when it was right it was fine but that's just it. if i want fine, i can make some eggs at home. anyway- i think the s&s is reliable but for me, that's only worth three stars at most, and one star is for having a decent parking situation (unless you come during the height of rush hour on the weekend and then the parking sucks there, too).
(3)Amy K.
It is generally hard to find a place serving breakfast foods that I can eat. As a vegetarian and one who cannot stand the smell or taste of eggs I am often left ordering a bagel with cream cheese at Au Bon Pain. I dislike most waffles and pancakes (too dry and too sweet). However, here at S&S I can get by looking like every other normal Joe (or Jill), enjoying his or her breakfast without requesting something the cooks have never heard of. That is why S&S gets four stars in my book. And of course because my SO can order some huge egg and meat or fish dish and it makes us both happy.
(4)Christopher W.
Now here is a place that deserves a diamond for food and a star for service. I prefacing anything this way set up for a fairly unpleasant review. When I first moved to the Boston area in the fall of 2000, I resided in Harvard Square. My best friend and I met up every Sunday for brunch to catch up on life. It was GREAT! However, as he now resides in Spain 10 months out of the year and I in North Andover, it has been tough keeping up this tradition. On a wonderful Sunday morning, I revisited a past favorite place to eat Sunday brunch. We met up with a mutual coupled friend of ours to show them a few more places to savor while he's away basking in the sun of Southern Spain for the next 10 months. We were seated rather quickly which I presumed would mean another stellar visit to an old stomping ground of mine. To my dismay, as our party of four were seated, our server, decided to drop our menus on the table and announce she would be back in a minute. Thus began one of the most horrid experiences I have ever had in a restaurant. Although the food was EXCELLENT and the conversation intuitive to the days agenda, our server just couldn't get passed or over that hump. To her defense, she frequented the table and inquired, while moving, if everything was ok, she just couldn't deliver the service which I had grown accustom. In the end she blew the lid off my rather lasses faire attitude by screwing up written directions. Disappointed, I left only a 15% tip and spoke with one of the co-owners about such disturbing service. I assured him that, although I will return (one bad visit won't deter me, my memories are very fond) service such as I received undermines the quality, taste and memories of his establishment.
(1)Von S.
I really like this place and never had a bad meal here. Let me correct that, I've never had a bad brunch or lunch here; couldn't honestly tell you about dinner but I'm sure it's not too shabby. The S&S is a quintessential neighborhood eatery with a good selection of food options, from your typical diner breakfast (steak and eggs) to the normal deli staples (turkey club, rueben sandwiches). It's a place you'd go to if you live around the area (it's too much of a hassle if you have to drive to get here) and don't want to think too much about what to eat on weekend afternoons. Prices are standard ($10-$15), I suppose, but for a cheapskate like myself, it's a bit pricey. The portions and quality, however, are well worth the price. I see the complaints about it not being a real jewish deli--- I don't know why these people expect the S&S to be a beacon of kosherdom --- it doesn't unfairly markets itself as such. To these folks, I ask, "Do you go to Burger King or Dairy Queen expecting to dine with royalties in a robe of ermine and sapphires?" For crying out loud. My favorite dish is the corned beef hash with poached eggs. Love it. The salmon hash with eggs isn't too bad but does anyone out there feel right eating salmon with eggs for brunch? The knockwurst, hot pastrami, and swiss cheese triple decker is a good kind of monstrosity. Pancakes are all delish. Further, they serve nearly every dish with a small ramekin of assorted fruits which helps refresh your palate in between bites. And it goes without saying that I love their strawberry mimosa--drinking champagne in the late morning always makes me feel a bit decadent. Free coffee refills here is a plus too. Get there before noon-- that's when the rest of the neighborhood realizes they don't have to look far to get wholesome heavy tasty brunch food.
(4)Quinn C.
S & S is a delicious treat that I look forward to every time I'm visiting the Boston area. There are tons of cookies and cakes and goodies like that, and a wonderful brunch. Their home fries kind of leave something to be desired, but other than that, I've always left full and smiling.
(3)Jules M.
For the most part, S&S can be a good experience with good food reasonably priced. There's a wide assortment of beer and the hard liquor drinks are decent also. The service time and server attitude, unfortunately, can vary widely. Service is usually slow if it's busy, so I avoid the place during rush times. But even if you go during a slow time, if the wait staff isn't attentive, it can get frustrating because they can disappear and it can be hard to get service. If you go there enough, you'll know which wait staff give the best service.
(4)Jesse M.
I was raised on this food since I grew up 3 blocks from the restaurant. The food is always good, though I seem to order the same thing almost every time I go. The service can leave something to be desired, some of the wait staff are top notch and some are just waiting until their next smoke break, but like a junkie I always return. Great bagels too.
(4)Jim C.
I go there almost every Sunday morning that I am home. The buffet omelet is the best and after eating it you are set for the day. If you haven't gone there, go and prepare for a good experience. You should try the peach belini....Its really good.
(5)Frank S.
This was the worst service experience I have had in a long time. Food was good, but the level of unfriendliness was simply unacceptable. Will never go there again.
(1)Liza H.
Great deli food. Wonderful sandwiches, latkes and breakfasts. Latkes served with sour cream and apple sauce. The service can be slow which breaks my heart when I am starvin marvin
(3)Jeremy S.
Solid breakfast and deli food. Maztoh ball soup is great. They also have fresh OJ and real maple syrup the two hallmarks of any great diner.
(3)Kelly N Z R.
No vegan options, vegetarian options limited to omelettes, pancakes, blintzes (which isn't a bad limitation, I must say). Though it tries to pass itself off as a Jewish deli, it clearly ain't-- they serve meat (including pork) and milk.
(3)Christina and Jaime F.
I had the triple decker turkey and havarti which was excellent, but my friends had brunch...I think next time I'll have the Belgian Waffle. YUM!!!!
(4)jack p.
I try not to write negative reviews, but I just had breakfast at this place, ordered the pumpkin and spice pancakes, and could taste neither pumpkin nor spice. They were spongy and tasteless. On the whole, the food was just extremely generic and not really worth it. Try Mass Ave Restaurant instead. The upside here is that the service was great. Doesn't make a meal though.
(2)Mags L.
s&s or zaftigs? i'm always confused about which place people are talking about because they're pretty much the same place to me. one is north of the river, one is south. my sentiment for both are the same. breakfast is pretty good. lunch - whatevs. not good, not bad.
(3)Paul M.
This review comes with a caveat. The 4 stars I gave this place rate it in comparison to other Boston area delis. On its own this is a strong 3 star, but its not fair to compare a deli to restaurant. The wait is long, expect to wait in line for at least 15min on sunday. If you like a HUGE brunch on the cheap side this is the place. I have never been able to finish my plate. You get a bagel(really damn big bagel) with cream cheese, fruit and homefries as a side with brunch. The food is definitely on the heavy side.
(4)Katy T.
It's not gourmet food, but it most certainly is comfort food. I really like their varied menu, although the smell of fried fish can be a bit nauseating. The air conditioning in the summer can be very overpowering to the point of visible shivering, but it's what it is. We love the cheese blintzes, the ruben, the corned beef, and the french onion soup. It's the perfect place to go for comfort food!
(3)Netta L.
Yeah, the food is mostly good. How hard is service with a smile? The people here are consistently rude. RUDE! We go because it's the easiest place to park and the kids are always happy to have a bagel or $9.00 pancakes (note to S & S: a children's menu with smaller portions would be appreciated)
(2)Stephanie ..
Potato pancakes and waitresses that call you "sweetie" and "hun".
(4)ELLIS D.
Sadly in order to rate a restaurant you have to give it a star. S & S doesn't deserve one from my experience. We had the waitress from hell she was just down right nasty. We were a table of 7 and were treated as if we were a bus load of little old ladies sitting down for hot water and lemon. I don't think I have ever disliked a server as much as her. No one enjoyed the food. Having traveled all night the night before I wasn't into a big breakfast so I had the fruit and a bagel and cream cheese. Sarah Lee makes better bagels and my honey dew and cantaloupe couldn't have tasted more Green. Plain ole disgusting.The worst was the cream cheese, slathered in a plastic cup with brown streaks in it. When I asked for another she gave plenty of attitude and brought over another brown streaked cream cheese. I warn you all do not visit S&S unless it is to use their toilet!
(1)Laura E.
Used to go to S&S when I lived in Inman Sq years ago. I am glad I stopped going. Went yesterday for a late lunch and was disappointed from the minute we walked in. No one greeted us and we waited patiently at the sign that says PLEASE WAIT TO BE SEATED. I finally went to the cash register and was told to go back and wait. Got seated, viewed the menu and ordered. I'd ordered a Ruben, but with a Gardenburger rather than meat. About 20 minutes later the server came over and said they didn't have any more Gardenburger's left. So, I told him use a Potato Pancake (it is delicious that way) instead. He looked at me and said, "EWw. Weird." I certainly don't go out to eat to be judged. The kicker of all this... the entire time we were there - they were vacuuming the rug while people were eating. It was gross and really annoying. I complained to the manager and he really didn't seem to care. It was pathetic and disgusting.
(1)courtney d.
Ive come here so many times at a ridiculously late hour looking for french toast. I love all of their food, but the fact that they serve specific breakfast items at meal times other than (breakfast) completely earns my patronage. The sandwiches are always good and I know some that swear by their seafood. The service has always been great and while you wait, you can look at the ancient menus on the wall from when they first opened and omelettes were like a quarter.
(4)Steve N.
the manager waved me off my intended purchase of the whole smoked whitefish in the case. he told me to come back tomorrow for a fresh one. i did, and it was.
(3)Daphne M.
I have made quite a few trips to S&S, and while it's not your classic New York-style Jewish deli that I'd been hoping it was, it's still pretty damn good. The cheese blintzes are enough to make me come back time and again - they are out of this world delicious! It's all very homey and satisfying food, and I guess I haven't found much of that in Boston, so it's worth the price to me, even though it isn't cheap. The potato knish, coffee cake, and egg salad (my other favorites) are all delicious as well. I definitely need to try the french toast! I haven't been wild about their bagels, but I think it's not that they're poorly made, but that I always come there late in the afternoon when they're just not fresh enough anymore. The place is frequently packed and the service could be a little more efficient, but I still enjoy it quite a lot.
(4)Sam S.
I grew up down the street from been but haven't been in a while. I always enjoyed the eating breakfast/brunch. I know my parents never took me for any other meal so maybe my 4 stars is biased. this was a hotspot for when bobi and zaydee were in town!
(4)Jess P.
Everything I get here tends to be a decent version of something that should be awesome in a really bad for you kind of way. That leaves me feeling kind of meh about the S&S, in an I'd go but only if someone invited me kind of way. The reubens are good but not great and the breakfast food is pretty unexciting, though fine. Knockwursts and beans were kind of off though. Deli should be comfort food to an excessive degree, and this place just doesn't get there for me, though it's clearly trying. B- for effort?
(3)Chris B.
In my opinion, S&S has always been a standard brunch place to fall back on even though it can be a bit of an annoying commute to get there from Charlestown (slow drivers on broadway, etc...). The food has always been consistently good and while the bartender during brunch is abrupt and less pleasant than i would like on a Sunday morning, i would return at least 2-3 times a month. Today was the last time i will see the S&S Deli. I finally let the rudeness get on my nerves and i won't be returning. It's too bad, really, because i am a polite, patient, and understanding patron of bars and restaurants. I've worked as a bartender and waiter, and have probably held every job a restaurant has to offer so i get the stress and i show my appreciation by tipping well. I've always noticed, however, that the good servers/bartenders understand that a pleasant demeanor even under the most stressful of circumstances will 9 times out of 10 earn a better than 18-20% tip. This morning after sitting at the bar for 15 minutes with my wife and trying to get the bartender's attention by asking for water and coffees (not shouting it out, mind you, just trying to take advantage of her being at my end of a full bar) with a "excuse me", "may we have" and "please" i was snapped at rudely with a "it's really busy" in a tone suggesting i should have noticed. Then she slams two waters onto the bar, slowly walks to get the coffee pot and one mug (which wasn't even for my wife or me!) fills everyone's coffees and provides a nice hot cup to the person next to me. I'm all set...needless to say, we left. My only other option was to sit through the attitude, have it take forever to get meals, and leave angrier than i was without leaving a tip (which i have never done). Goodbye S&S! The great restaurants flourish because the food is good but the service is great even when they are at their busiest...not sure what your secret is but the latter of the two is missing.
(1)Kate S.
If you are looking for food in Inman at 11 PM on Tuesday, go here. Otherwise, eh. This place is really very so-so. Sandwiches are okay, nothing to write home about. Most of their salads are of the old-school iceberg lettuce type. Their bagels are a disgrace to the Jewish deli tradition. All in all, not that impressive with the one exception of their matzoh ball soup which is pretty darn tasty.
(3)Melanie M.
I cannot state how much I enjoy S and S enough! They have excellent food and excellent customer service! The salads are delicious as well as most everything else on the menu. They can get crowded on the weekends because of their yummy breakfasts but there are usually seats at the decent sized bar! The desserts are worth a try as well!
(4)An-Chian K.
The food at the S & S is totally awesome! The service isn't the greatest but the food more than makes up for it. I love their breakfast foods, their sandwiches are yummy, & the S & S Wings totally rock. The desserts are delicious and their half sour pickles are fabulous. One of the biggest bonuses is that they have free parking lot a couple of doors down from the restaurant. A big plus in the always busy Inman Square area.
(5)claudia g.
This place is really not so good. The service sucks (it takes forever and they are not very nice here), the food is was below average for a deli. This is definitely not New York (or Boca Raton, for that matter). I can't imagine how it has stayed open for so long. Then again, I don't know of many other delis in Boston/Cambridge. (Really, only Zaftig's in Brookline comes to mind, but that's kind of far and still not great.) The food is also pretty expensive especially considering the really mediocre quality. It also feels more like a big chain than an independent deli in here. I try to avoid coming here other than for a dozen bagles even though I live a few blocks away.
(2)Laura M.
The S & S is so yummy. My friends took me here one night and now we always go. They have the best boneless S&S wings defiantly recommend those for an appetizer. Its defiantly not a fancy place, but its comfortable. It almost has a diner feel to me, but it is so much bigger. Enjoy!
(5)Khalid S.
Been there couple times. First time was for breakfast which was delicious and filling. I had the Garden omelet which came with fruits and bagel. Very nice breakfast for a reasonable price. And today I had their cheesecake which was great as well.
(3)Michael L.
i just moved to the area. I really like S and S. You can get pretty good good for a pretty reasonable price and its good. I have the salmon and it's awesome!! only 12 bucks or so!!
(4)Carrie S.
After coming in on a red-eye, I got a take-out sandwich and a cup of soup, the turkey, ham and cheese triple decker on light rye and the chicken noodle. Highlights: Friendly, quick service for takeout, cucumber-y pickle still with enough vinegar to cut through the mayo, GREAT coleslaw and I'm not usually a big cabbage person, decent sandwich with good bread, does have parking for those not-in-the-neighborhood. Lowlights: Asked twice for bread toasted and it wasn't, chicken noodle very so-so, a little on the expensive side for a sandwich.
(3)Eli G.
After missing East Coast Grill brunch by 10 minutes, I headed across the street to S & S. I used to go here with my family all the time, but for some reason they stopped going and I haven't been since high-school. Not much has changed and it's comforting that they still have the wholesome family atmosphere, unfortunately the food didn't really impress me. It's party my fault for ordering a dish with crab meat in it (not a good choice for brunch), but the Bearnaise sauce had zero flavor. Next time I'll hit S & S for lunch and maybe a potato knish.
(3)Joanne B.
S&S is a great place for breakfast and lunch. The soups are great. They are very dear to my heart. I recently brought a bowl of the Italian Wedding soup to my mom while she was in a local hospital. She still swears that this was the turning point for her successful recovery! The salads are great, I especially love the the Wild Maine salad. Check this place out if you are in the Inman Square area.
(5)Peter P.
I've been going here on and off for years, I would have given it more stars, except the menu is hit or miss. The S&S wings or the S&S sandwich, are very good, the ruben on the other hand, is a complete disgrace for a jewish deli. breakfast I have found is always good. This is a great place to take people that like their food on the bland side, which is not an insult. You won't find anything spicy here, it was the perfect place to take my grandparents.
(3)S K.
their brunch is delicious. portions are big. my favorites are: corned beef hash extra crispy with over easy eggs, monte cristo sandwich, grilled bagels, stuffed chicken, and croissant french toast. the omelettes are just okay. a lot of seating so you don't have to wait too long.
(4)J C.
Awesome place for brunch! The food is good and the prices are fair. I've never had a bad meal here. Also their burgers are really good too and don't forget the famous S&S Wings! Great place to bring friends from out of town --can't go wrong!
(4)Adrienne B.
When I was a kid, we used to eat here all the time, and I only remember loving it. I recently returned as an adult and wasn't that impressed. I haven't had anything but brunch here- which is a pretty good- but not amazing. I got catering from S&S to my workplace last year for a party and it ws pretty good too- but I just can't give it more than 3 stars because I don't ever find myself yearning to go. Since its a classic I would say try it- but you might not return.
(3)Thomas M.
This place is pretty good, wide variety of menu choices, breakfast all day, bottles of wine that won't kill your wallet, etc...French fries and pickles are wicked good. Service is okay, food comes out fast.
(3)Kza W.
the food was very good. as for the prices...ok not high not low. waiting time is not bad. interior, was homely. great place to bring anyone.
(4)M. Deloris D.
S&S serves up reliable brunch on the regular. In fact they serve up a damn good brunch with mimosa's and bloody mary's. For brunch it should get five stars. The brunch selection is spectacular and if there were no wait, S&S would be the clinic I frequent to cure my hangovers and their latkes topped with lox and sour cream, washed down with a bloody mary would be my medicine of choice. Some complain about the service, but when lights are dancing, I don't really want a bouncy server cheering the specials at my table. I'm content in being just as surly as the server when I have a request. Besides, there's parking at S&S and that alone should earn a star in Inman. That said, my problem with S&S is that their lunch and dinner menus don't have the same oomph that the brunch menu does, the selections are ho hum. For a place with such an extensive and taste tempting brunch menu this is not acceptable. This, I can not forgive, and for this reason, I give S&S three stars.
(3)n w.
If I could give it zero stars, I would. Negative stars even. Maybe I chose the wrong thing to order from S+S but it shouldn't have been this horrible. The lemon chicken I ordered was covered in so much gravy I could barely make out that it was chicken underneath. The lemon flavor was indescribably gross. And on top of all that, the waitress' finger was in the gravy when she brought out the food! :( I asked for another plate to fish my chix out and thought it would be better w/o all that gravy, nope. Sigh. Maybe next time I should stick with the sandwiches...they're a deli after all...but unfortunately I don't think there'll be a next time.
(1)Andrea D.
I usually go here for Sunday brunch. They do have a pretty good selection of breakfast choices and I'm a lover of their omelets. They give you large portions and I can usually only eat about half of the meal. The omelet comes with a bagel and cream cheese, a fruit cup and home fries, which is a lot of food for a girl! The bar doesn't serve cocktails until 11, so no mimosas before then! I must say that the lines here on a Sunday can be pretty ridiculous. I've had days where I've waited upwards of an hour for a table. That can be pretty annoying as you stand there holding a ticket stub and they're calling off numbers, while you're hungover and in need of some food! I come here pretty much since it's right down the street and it's a decent priced meal. I've also been here a few times for lunch/dinner and they have a good salad/sandwich menu. I've never been too dissappointed with my choices and would come back again.
(3)Hamish M.
What a load of tripe....This place had, without doubt the slowest service, and the food was even worse. If you're into tasteless, super bland food, then this is the place for you. So much so that our one and only time there even the soft drinks were flat too...tasty? no chance. The bbq drowned chicken was clearly boiled for 24 hrs prior to it's dip in the bbq sauce, then dumped on a plate. The fish was just as bad - the odd thing was, that on the menu, it never mentioned bbq sauce on the fish, and lo and behold it was drowned in the stuff too. The best part of the restaurant was the exit door, back to sanity. Needless to say a quick stop to the ice cream store down the road would have satisfied my pallette for a fraction of the price. Sadly I had to give this one star...shame, what a waste of a star.
(1)amanda n.
My brothers and I have been semi-regulars here since we moved into the neighborhood in 2005. This is a great place to go if you like casual comfort, familiarity, and consistency. The food is fine -- nothing spectacular, but, again, consistent. The service staff is usually attentive and friendly. There is also a take-out counter that includes some good-looking desserts I've never tried. UPDATE 3/2/07 I had a really strange experience at the S&S last Saturday around 1PM. Since I wasn't very hungry, I ordered a cup of clam chowder. The server told me it's not served until 4PM. I said, "Are you sure?" a. It's on the menu that says lunch is served 11AM - ?? daily. and b. I can see people around me with matzo ball soup and another unidentified soup in a cup. Is clam chowder the only soup not served until 4? And why, then, is it on the menu? "If I go ask in the kitchen, they'll just tell me we don't serve it till 4." Since I didn't want anything else, our server apparently went to the kitchen and made a special request to the chef, who apparently obliged. Yes, I got what I ordered, but the whole experience was really weird because I was made to feel like I was putting them out or asking for some strange special order. He even asked, "Was it good?" when clearing our dishes. Weird. I usually feel at home at the S&S but this experience felt icky.
(3)Ben R.
After a few more times at S&S I've come to the conclusion that they have a lot of stuff on the menu, but none of it is really all that great. I've added it to my list of "do not go here" restaurants. I'm not sure what happened, but it doesn't do it for me anymore.
(2)Iannis R.
It's Sunday morning, the clock strikes nine I don't want to shlep all the way to Brookline For some decent latkes or a plate of corned beef Or else, corned beef hash (if you don't have no teef) Or other Yiddishkeit that may seem good Even if it really is fake Kosher food. The place is not perfect but is done pretty well But still nothing to make your Bubbe kvell.
(4)Amelia M.
I went here for brunch once and ordered the eggs Copenhagen (poached eggs, lox, sauteed onions, hollandaise sauce, English muffin, with home fries and fruit salad). It was a big serving and extra delicious. I would love to take my relatives here next time they're in town -- it has a great "family meal" feel, and is a nice sunny space for any weekend brunch stop-in. I definitely recommend it if you're in need of a tasty "rise and shine" kind of vibe.
(4)Dave S.
Corn beef hash is the best! Lox spread is a delicious bargain. Gotta get a Kosher dill, even for breakfast. Skip the home fries.
(4)Emily G.
Fantastic bagels! Their chive cream cheese is also really good. Great service, fast for to go. And easily the same price as Dunkin Donuts. Looking forward to trying them for dinner soon!
(5)Eric M.
More of a diner than a deli. It was satisfactory, but nothing to write home about.
(3)April T.
This family must be doing something right. You don't stay in business for almost a century otherwise. Went for crowded Sunday brunch but still got seated within five minutes. Everything was yummy, especially their Eggs Copenhagen! The Hollandaise sauce was light and clean, one of the best I've ever tried. Decent prices and good service.
(4)Chaya M.
The food is consistently great, but I have to give if two stars because the service is ALWAYS atrocious! I leave wondering why I put up with it. It's like the wait staff is trained to be rude and nasty.
(2)Kelsey L.
S&S has some really good aspects. French toast, muffins on the grill and sausage are all really good. However, this place is a little overpriced for what you get. A side of a few slices of bacon was $2.50 I think. We get takeout brunch there once in awhile, but I wish there was a cheaper diner nearby. I recommend it if you don't mind the price. Their takeout is usually ready very quickly, which is nice. Be careful when you order breakfast foods on the weekend, they might try to charge you off the brunch menu, which is slightly more expensive than the breakfast menu for some items.
(3)Cris E.
I've been coming here for over 20 years. I do agree with others that the breakfast is a little pricey but the omelets makes up for $$$. I really enjoy their burgers with the nice bulky buns and when I'm really Craving something heavy, I order their Ruben! Delicious! My all time favorite waiter at the s and s is Al, Aka, "butter". He's a character, great waiter plus his humor makes my food taste extra good!
(4)Mike G.
We are just visiting the Cambridge area for a few days and stopped in here for breakfast. The service is wonderful, atmosphere is great and prices right on for a breakfast place. Although the waitress typed part of our order in wrong, she quickly brought out the right good. Again, service and food were great!
(4)Eva K.
S&S is a notch above your run-of-the-mill breakfast place. Good place for breakfast on Saturdays - all the other restaurants in Inman tend to do Sunday brunch only. Unlike the other reviewers, I did not find the waitstaff to be rude. In fact, I found one of the waiters to be super-nice to my bf after said bf ordered a strawberry mimosa. What's up with that?!
(4)Laura H.
I love S&S. I've eaten there dozens of times. I've taken all my friends and out of town guests. I could probably eat there every day. I didn't even like Hollandaise sauce before I discovered S&S, and now I eat Eggs Florentine every chance I get. In fact, I love S&S so much that I can't bring myself to eat brunch anywhere else. I've tried most of the brunch menu at one time or another. The hash browns are delicious, I could drink the Hollandaise sauce, and the mimosas are tasty, cold, and refreshing. The croissant french toast is amazing. Even the corned beef hash is pretty good, and I'm generally not a fan. With that said, a couple of things for those who haven't been there: 1. The Hot chocolate, while delicious, is roughly 85% whipped cream. If you don't mind paying $3.50 for whipped cream, knock yourself out. Otherwise, if you want to taste warm, chocolately goodness, ask them to hold it. 2. Parking is obnoxious during the peak times, which is pretty much any time Saturday. They added a lot down the street, which is nice, but they recently implemented a plan where you need a token to exit the lots. The problem? You can't see that the lot is full until after you pull in, and then you can't leave. So, you're left with the options of waiting for someone to leave, or parking illegally while you go in and get a token. What that means to me is that I'm better off taking the T. 3. The place is almost too popular for its own good. If you go during peak brunch times on the weekend, be prepared to wait about an hour for a table. Still, it's amazing and delicious and worth the wait. 4. It gets warm in there when it's crowded (which is most of the time). Wear layers.
(4)Kay S.
Like people mentioned, the food is kind of meh. Standard fare for breakfast -- I had the croissant french toast, which didn't taste any different from regular french toast. The fruit on the side was nice (not a lot of places in the area do that!), but 3/4 of it was cantaloupe....and this was a week after the cantaloupe scare. Not only a bit cheap of them, but there was no mention of "our cantaloupes don't come from Colorado" or anything like that. Coffee wasn't bad (though it was a bit weak), and they brought little milk packets if you didn't want half-and-half. I would have probably given 3 stars except for 3 reasons: Boston/Cambridge restaurants do brunch well -- probably the area's culinary forte. So for the same price of my french toast, fruit and coffee, I could have got an omelet, potatoes, coffee, juice and a baked good from Aquitiane, with a much nicer setting and better quality. The main thing S&S has going for it is that it's convenient for people around Inman and opens earlier than City Girl on the weekends (and has a better seating situation). I really wanted the pumpkin pancakes, but I just wanted to make sure there weren't any peanuts. I asked the waiter, and he freaked out, even after I explained that tree nuts are fine, and I only had a slight (not life-or-death) allergy (basically can eat anything 'made in a factory that processes peanuts'). He didn't let me order what I wanted because he said that the tree nuts could have been next to any peanuts (which they probably don't have during breakfast....if at all); under the same logic, wouldn't anything in the kitchen be unsafe? I know the restaurant has to watch its behind, but to not allow me to order what I want? Not cool. The other thing was that, when I checked my credit card statement later, I noticed that the final charge was higher than I put down including tip. I guess I could give the benefit of the doubt and say the waiter misread the number, but it gave him a $6 tip for breakfast for two. You think I tipped you 22%? Seriously? I would probably go back if a friend was hankering for comfort breakfast food, and I was too lazy to go past Inman, and City Girl was closed or had an uber-long wait.
(2)Jennifer N.
A long time ago, Inman Square was a sad, sad place with few dining options. In that world, S&S was a beacon of hope. Fast forward many years, and Inman Square overflows with options, which is pretty amazing considering that half of the so-called square is taken up by that auto-body center. So why, why, why with all of these options do people still eat at the S&S? Yes, the portions are large. But, um, since when do large portions make something good? At best, S&S is mediocre diner food served in a somewhat depressing room. This place is *not* a deli (though they have that faux deli in the front), it's not some foodie delight, it's an old diner with extremely unexceptional food. The only thing good about this place is that it has parking. And Lakota cookies.
(2)Geena P.
LOVE this place! My boyfriend got the Eggs Maryland (crab and shrimp cakes along with poached eggs and hollandaise sauce) while I got Nova Scotia omelette (lox and sautéed onions). Both were SO good! Weekends are busy 'cause that's the only time they serve brunch, but they seat you very quickly. Great food and great service. Definitely going to go here more often!
(5)Christine K.
This review is specifically about catering. I used S&S for an office event. They have an extremely varied menu for hors d'oeuvres, and that made it easier to accommodate a crowd with vegetarians and some other folks with food restrictions. I was also really excited about their new online ordering system, which allowed me to put in somewhat detailed notes. It was really important that the cake I was ordering be completely blank and undecorated on top, and I wrote that in the notes and specified that we would be using a photo cake sticker on it. There were some hitches along the way. The online ordering system allowed me to order 20 pieces each of various maki, and then S&S called and told me I had to order a minimum of 36 pieces each. We made the adjustment. The day of the order, they called again to ask if I needed paper products. I said no. The order arrived on time, but when I opened the packages, there were paper products included. I made a note to make sure we weren't charged for them. Then I opened the cake and had a mild panic. It was decorated with great big frosting flowers. I awkwardly scraped off some of the decorations, cut the photo sticker into a different shape, and managed to cover the mess by decorating with fruit (all in the last 15 minutes before the event began). The cake, when it was cut into, turned out to be the wrong flavor. On top of that, it was somewhat dry. The other food (chicken satay, maki rolls) was mostly average, nothing to write home about. I was kind of disappointed by the pear, almond, and brie tartlets, though. They just didn't taste like much of anything except fat. I called S&S and was hurriedly dealt with by a caterer who said they would offer us a credit. I suppose I prefer a credit and no apology to an apology and no credit, but overall, I don't think I'm going to be in a hurry to hire S&S again as a caterer.
(2)Lisa I.
If you like kicking it with the 60+ crowd, this is your place. We were probably the youngest people there by a margin of 40 years. It kind of reminded me of a Cracker Barrell. The menu was enormous, but the food was very mediocre and the atmosphere left a lot to be desired. We only came here because we were going next door to Ryles and were looking for a bite. Their house wings were good, but that's about it. Wouldn't go back.
(2)Lana A.
Just okay, IMHO. Our waitstaff was not friendly or helpful. It seemed to take an overly long time to receive our orders. And then the food quality was just so-so. But maybe that's what the S and S stand for, I don't know. We've only been here once, so I gave it an okay rating on the basis of what our host had to say about past experiences which were better than ours.
(3)Heather G.
S&S is not crush-worthy. It's less like that guy you've been trying to talk to/get to notice you for ever but he just doesn't seem interested...and more like that guy in your class or at your office that you hang out with because he's nice, he's there, and he's funny. S&S certainly makes me happy when I am there, having breakfast. However, if I'm being honest with myself, I never crave S&S. I don't desire to spend time with it like I would, say, Ball Square Cafe or Cafe Luna. I like him when he's around, but I don't think about him when he's gone. That's not to say he's a bad guy...er...restaurant. It's just that he'll never be my first-choice date for Sunday morning breakfast. That was a very long-winded way of saying this place is just fine. Sure, I could make most of the egg dishes at home, but this place is so cheap that I don't have to bother, when all I want is some damn eggs and potatoes. There are few places where I find breakfast to be a culinary adventure. S&S isn't one of them, but they're consistent. They're consistently consistent. They offer up some solid go-to's, and you can always correctly-guess what you'll be getting when you order off the breakfast menu. Scrambles, benedicts, egg sandwiches - all are straightforward. They taste like they're supposed to. The portions are generous, the prices are low. The waitstaff calls ya "hun", which i happen to love, but they don't come around much. This is great if you're looking to catch up over a leisurely plate of eggs with a friend (here's lookin' at you, Sheridan, my lovely), but not so great when you're looking to have your water glass or coffee refilled. When do I go to S&S? 1. When I am craving diner food but don't want to shlep out to Ball Square, 2. when Cafe Luna has a ridiculous 1+ hour wait, or 3. When I'm in the area, hungry, and it's breakfast time. Bottom line: Love ya when you're around, don't miss ya when you're not.
(3)Josh S.
Before I begin I want to agree with Ryan M.'s observation of likening S&S to the atmosphere of Friendly's. In S&S's defense, I have been to many great delis in CT any NYC with a similar feel. Regardless, it doesn't make for a unique or overly inviting atmosphere. My review is based only on the one sandwich I ordered, but it is a deli staple; pastrami on rye. In a word, disappointing. First, for the $10 charged, I expected it to be topped sky high, like a true Jewish Deli should. Not here. Second, The pastrami was sliced paper thin and was way too salty. The pastrami I know and love is thick cut and never by a machine, with the blackened end pieces (which are treasure troves of flavor) poking out the sides of the rye. Third, I asked for mustard. I only assumed the kitchen could handle that since you cant have pastrami on rye without mustard (bot sides of the bread, please). Instead, what I got was a bottle of mustard for me to spread myself. If you cant get mustard on your sandwich, then good luck with special orders. I may return for their breakfast, but never for their sandwiches.
(2)Matt M.
The S&S is right up the street from my parents, so whenever I'm visiting, I end up stopping by. I really want to like the S&S more than I do, but the food never meets my expectations. On this visit, I had great service but it couldn't make up for the fact that the fruit tasted like it had gone (or was about to go) bad. The rest of the breakfast was ok but nothing special at all. It's a fine place to meet friends, but I would not recommend S&S based on the food alone. In a word, it's "average."
(2)Jeremy K.
This place has over 230 reviews so I have very little to ad that hasn't already been said. Been there many times and always love to see local business as such strive, especially one that has been around since 1919 like this one. It's full of history and they stay close to it. Their menu has a bit of history and that's a neat thing that should stay close to them as they continue on. The service is quick. The food is well priced and plentiful. I pretty much always get the same thing: a reuben no toasted white bread (I don't like rye. Don't judge me. Shut up.) - Comes with a pickle spear and coleslaw - pretty standard. The place gets packed for brunch on Sundays and you'll most likely have to wait in line despite the fact that the place is huge. It's worth it though. Their menu is extensive and covers every range of American food you can think of, including wings and even Jewish specialities like knishes and such. They have not one but two parking lots, one small one near the back entrance and one a half a block further which is a lot bigger. Oh and did I mention they have takeout? And a lot of cakes you can buy by the slice? Anything from cheesecake, carrot cake and red velvet? If you want tradition, good value and a reliable meal, this is the place!
(4)rose n.
I love S&S. Head over heels, love this place. I went here for a late lunch on a Saturday and the place was packed. Most of the other reviews cover it nicely but I love the cute little families, college students, and academic looking sorts. Our waitress was older and kind of cranky but she was very polite when she spoke and brought our food out on time. One problem was that she forgot my BF's beer, but they had Sam Light so he was happy. The restaurant is nice and clean (as are the bathrooms) and they have cute photos of 1920s and 1930s Inman Square. We started with onion rings which were homemade and super thick and crispy. I ordered a cheese pizza and I got a caesar salad and delicious little challah roll beforehand. I was full pretty much before my meal came. The BF got a monte cristo which he loved. He had it here with one of his buddies and I was worried it wouldn't fill him up. It did, which never happens with this kid! It was full of meat and came with yummy fries. I only could eat a piece of my pizza but the cheese was soooo good. It was a delicious deep dish with a nice blend of cheese, and I got leftovers to take home for dinner. For only $8, it was a pretty sweet dinner with salad, roll, and pizza. It was under $35 with tip total which is about how much I would pay to go to a terrible chain like Chili's. I would much rather give S&S my business!!!
(5)G S.
Absolutely, without a doubt, the worst costumer service I've ever experienced; was chased out after an hour by increasingly threatening confrontations with foul-tempered townie waitstaff/supervisors. Apparently an hour is too long to spend eating breakfast at this hole on a Saturday morning ... even when only 2 or 3 parties were waiting for tables as I left. Food is a slightly less antiseptic, slightly more 'homestyle' than a Denny's. My advice: stay away. There are so many other options in Cambridge / Somerville to waste even one meal in this place. (to be fair, this was in 2006, so perhaps things have improved, but I seriously doubt it)
(1)Eating In The B.
Since I've eaten here twice in the past two weeks I figured I should actually post a review on it and share the wealth with others! This place has been open for 95 years which is absolutely incredible and is a central part of Inman Square. One of the first things I noticed upon getting there is every picture in the place is of Inman Square at different points in time and from different angles. It was really cool to see all of the history in the place (which includes a lifesized cardboard cutout of what I can only assume was the first waitress in the bakery - give me a break! I do enough reading for school, I'm not going to do research on who the blonde lady in the apron was). The food is what keeps me coming back beyond just the look though. I had the Croissant French Toast the first time I came which is basically just French toast with cinnamon and sugar. I described that as basic, but it's amazing. It comes with a bowl of fruit and your choice of bacon/sausage. I was in heaven to say the least. The second time I came back I had the "Breakfast Omelette" which was a special they were running (it says it's a special, but it was also there the first time I came so I'm guessing it's a fairly regular occurrence). It had pesto which intrigued/scared me and it turned out to be delicious. It also had more basic ingredients like ham, onions, tomatoes, etc, but the pesto is really what makes this unique. The omelette only costs $11 and also comes with a bagel, home fries and fruit so I'd say it's a pretty great deal since I wasn't hungry for the rest of the day.... If you're looking for a quick bite or a delicious baked good to go there's a separate bakery attached to the restaurant as well! eatinginthebean.wordpres…
(5)G G.
Went here when nearby places had huge lines. Decent food, quick service. I really enjoyed the matzoh ball soup and bagel and lox. Some of the items weren't as well received - the Salmon Hash was a bit under salted and bland. But overall a great brunch option.
(3)Angela A.
Reliably mediocre, with some redeeming features. The Inman Square brunch market is a pretty high-octane adventure. Are you willing to wait on the sidewalk in freezing cold temps for a preciously-cooked gorgonzola/prosciutto/salted caramel tagine thingie? (OK, I mock City Girl Caffe', but they are quite tasty.) Or is your soul weak (slash, hungover), and are you just looking for anything resembling heated eggs with cheese, cooked by someone else? If so, the industrial brunch of S&S is probably fine. Don't get me wrong. Some things are great at S&S. For one, the fact that it's like Harry Potter's camp tent, and seems to expand beyond the limits of physics. Don't worry if you have a party of 5. You'll be seated in no time. Then, if you agree to sticking by conservative, can't-fail menu items (choc chip pancakes, lox bagel), you'll be rewarded with something tasty. If, like me, you pick a more adventurous breakfast special omelet (as I did, that one time), you'll regret it. (Seriously, it was so gross.) Most of the stuff I can get at S&S I could probably cook at home, for less money, and more to my taste. But sometimes, it's Sunday and you're lazy and you want an easy treat. S&S is just that: convenient, not great, always available.
(3)Paulina B.
This has become a regular spot for my boyfriend and I on Sunday mornings for brunch. This diner/family style deli has a huge dining area that is always bustling. Even when the waiting area is packed with people, we never wait longer than 15 minutes for a table. I've had several things off the brunch menu, and I've loved every single one of them. The coffee is strong and tasty and the mimosas are made with fresh squeezed orange juice, which makes all the difference. I would definitely recommend this place for brunch - the meals are delicious and the servings are huge! I love some of their creative breakfast offerings, like Eggs Copenhagen and Eggs Benedict with Crab Cakes. Yummy!
(5)Tyler A.
The corned beef sandwich is good, the key lime pie is good, wings are awesome, delivery speed was good. This was for lunch at work one day; I enjoyed it so I decided to go for breakfast the following weekend. Breakfast was meh, (croissant with ham and hash browns) the morning cocktail I got had a trace hint of alcohol, I basically paid $6 for a $3 glass of orange juice. The food was overpriced for what it was and the service was less than impressive. I will not be back. There are MANY other places that do it for less and better. Tradition is not indicative of quality.
(2)Daisy C.
S&S was more of a stand-out than just a solid option yesterday. I had to write about and preserve this meal because it truly left me content. S&S is a safe bet: the staff are generally courteous, the food is consistently tasty, and the wallet doesn't feel too sad after a visit. We weren't really planning to go there today but, after dismissing a few other options, S&S was decided upon since we were in the area and precious minutes of lunchtime were disappearing. Promptly seated, we had a very nice waitress for our meal. While some may consider both of those anomalies at S&S, I've come to talk about the shrimp and crab cakes lunch special. This dish really called out to me. I saw it on the specials board, I flipped through the entire menu (even the breakfast options, which I usually get) and saw nothing else I wanted...I was looking forward to something different. I opted for cole slaw as my side. The two cakes were moist and had a good amount of whole shrimp and crab meat. The crumb coating outside was crisp but not oily. There was a satisfying hot dip, kind of like a heated vinaigrette with small tomato pieces. The rice pilaf was just barely more mushy than al dente, but I don't mind this sort of thing and it was not overly salty. The cole slaw had nice crunch and wasn't too creamy. The meal was very filling, well worth $8.95. Right place, right time. An aligning of celestial bodies. For serious.
(4)Séamus C.
I thought this place was pretty good, with a decent selection of traditional deli items. It was pretty lively both times I was there, and the food was delicious and filling. Certainly a place worth checking out...
(4)Stephanie P.
My sister and I stopped in here for a late breakfast on a Monday morning. At about 9am there was only one other table occupied in the establishment, but I'm sure they are more packed for lunch/dinner on weekdays. This place has been open for decades so they must be doing something right! They have a pretty extensive breakfast menu. Nothing unusual that jumps out at you, just classic, comfort breakfasts. My sister ordered an omelet with veggies and cheese which came with homefries and rye toast. Her omelet was very good but the homefries a little greasy. I ordered the french toast on egg bread. It wasn't as thick or crispy as I'd like but that didn't stop me from eating 3 slices... Decor is...well, it's boring. Their coffee was really good and service was prompt with the refills. $20 for two breakfasts and coffees.
(3)Shieun M.
They've got the best sour pickles!
(5)Sara M.
I used to live close to this place and walked here for a few brunches. Thankfully, there is also a parking lot if you have to drive. This place gets quite busy on the weekends so expect a wait even though it is large. It had your typical breakfast fare but with higher prices. I expected better quality food due to the hype but it was rather average. I felt the bagel and lox was good but I also have fond memories of this at home growing up. Good option for the area but I would drive farther for some kick-ass pancakes, like at Deluxe Town Diner.
(3)Paula A.
I've been going to the S&S for years, I've had dozens of meals there & you truly can't go wrong. The ambiance is somewhat non-existent, the service is fine but not supper. I laughed at someone's comment about it being their great-aunt's favorite restaurant, b/c it was my grampy's favorite too. the old folks love S&S -- understandable since its been there since 1919. My most recent trip was for brunch, they had a special, 3 words that changed my life: RED VELVET PANCAKES (RVP). The person who came up with that idea should win some sort of award. There were raspberries & chocolate chips drizzled on top, just delicious. Full Disclosure: I didn't order them, but I helped myself to my guy's plate. I had the egg's benny, a personal fave & they were perfect. Next time my fingers will be crossed that the RVP's make it back on the menue.
(5)Micah M.
S&S serves up standard deli fare in a cozy atmosphere with decent service. They have the best bagels in Cambridge, though the main competitors are Au Bon Pain and Dunkin Donuts. 3.5 stars.
(4)Ladyjane S.
S&S is a staple and one of my favorite Cambridge institutions. Always reliable and consistent. A bad sinus infection brought me here on my last visit after a doc appt in Cambridge. I opted for the matzo ball soup, in desperate need of some healing powers. Man, did it deliver. The soup was perfect in every way. It was so good, I wished they had an option for a larger bowl of it. They are all about the comfort food here.
(4)Qichen Z.
The Nova Scotia lox omelet was a little disappointing. I really like S&S for their amazing bagels (I really don't know what they do to make such amazing bagels, someone needs to hack into their recipe database), so I had high hopes for their brunch omelet dishes as well. It was only okay, the salmon wasn't the greatest, and the eggs were sort of cold when they arrived. The home fries were also kind of soggy, and the fruit bowl wasn't anything special. The only good part is that we got so much food for the price; couldn't really move for a good 15 minutes after finishing. Service is fast and friendly per usual. Wish the food was more consistent. Stick with the bagels if you want to play it safe.
(3)Logan J.
i was looking for a new place to go to brunch with a friend that was in cambridge, and we decided to try this place not really knowing much about it. we werent disappointed with what we got here, but it wasnt anything memorable or special. this is a very typical deli...it could have been anywhere--dennys, country kitchen, etc. we both had pretty standard breakfast items, and we both thought they were very standard. they werent bad...but they werent too great. we left knowing that we ate...that was about all we remembered. i reiterate: nothing too special here.
(3)Erica P.
S&S is your classic Jewish delicatessen with good food and surly waitresses. No seriously, I don't think I've ever seen a smile cross those lips. But I digress... When I lived in East Cambridge, S&S was THE place for brunch. My old stand-by was the Rachel (no Reuben for me, I hate corned beef) - the turkey was nice and moist, not that processed crap. The sauerkraut is fantastic, and the marble rye is amazing! On occasion, I would only eat half and take the other half home for lunch the next day: slightly soggy, but just as tasty. Generous portions, but the sandwiches come with chips instead of fries, so you have to pay extra if you want those crispy fries. The one major miss I had here was the Red Velvet cake. Totally underwhelming. The frosting wasn't real cream cheese frosting. I am a Red Velvet snob, so maybe that's why it wasn't to my liking, but meh. I kinda miss this place. Even if the waiter did spill coleslaw all over me last time I was there. If you're in the area, grab a beer at the Druid across the street, then come to S&S for some munchies!
(4)Robert S.
I had a GREAT lunch here at the end of Jan 2013. They have primarily a deli-style menu with some eastern european specialties. I had a salmon club on marble rye that was out-of-this-world. It came with chips and a glass of ice water for about $8. The place was clean and the waitresses were kind. I will definitely go back.
(4)Christina Z.
French onion soup - sweet sweet sweet, not salty like you're drinking an ocean, cheese that stretches for miles and miles Swordfish Kabobs, scrumptious, and fun spicy marinade. Thanks for the spicy-good rice pilaf. Caribbean Salad - go S&S, way to be inventive! The dressing is sublime, and the mangos and toasted coconut are fabulous. Winner: Mashed potatoes. Sour cream whipped into them. They are absolutely addictive. This place KNOWS comfort food. Only gripe: my shiraz was warm like bathwater. I like red wine on the room-temp side, but I didn't want it to lull me to sleep!
(5)Paul C.
As ever the food was excellent at S&S. But the service left a bit to be desired. The waitress actually scolded me for reaching for a bowl of cold soup which she was delivering to the table on tip toe after she failed to even excuse herself as she reached in front of another customers face. 'You never reach to take something from the hand of a waitress' was her comment. Well in my book the customer is always right and who wants to go to a a restaurant where the help feels than have the right to scold a paying customer ! And we actually left a tip ! Bad form S&S, you really need to train your help !
(1)Sean J.
I have only been here for brunch but if the meal I had was any indication of their dinner offerings then I would recommend them blindly. I got a huge western omelet with hash browns which was absolutely delicious. They also offer a wide selection of beers on tap during brunch, even on Sunday. There were only a few downsides to my experience, which will keep it from getting 5 stars. 1. Seating. You might have to wait a while before being served, especially at peak brunch hours. There are tons of old people and tourists coming in to eat. I went with my girlfriend, and while we didn't have to wait, we were crammed into a tiny table in the rear, which was in a very awkward situation. 2. The mimosas. 99.9% orange juice, .1% champagne. 3. The price. A little on the expensive side for a mid morning meal. They know that they are a very popular tourist spot and charge accordingly.
(3)Steve K.
Want a plethora of breakfast choices? Want to drown yourself in fresh fruit, towering pancakes, thick french toast and piles of eggs, home fries, and bacon? Get your ass over to the S & S! I went here for breakfast recently and I can tell you right now, that there is no shortage of choices for your breakfasting needs. Not only do they carry all the traditionals, but they also have a ridiculous array of interesting food combinations. French toast stuffed with brie? Yes please... The price is moderate, the place is huge, and the staff is quick. I'll be keeping S & S in my sights for future breakfasts... no doubt about that.
(3)Connie S.
Longtime Inman Square Jewish deli/diner. If you're looking for classic sandwiches and entrees in massive portions, and you have time to tolerate extremely leisurely-paced service, this is a solid bet. I was most impressed with - Seafood Casserole: they are not lying when they say the seafood is the finest quality available. Super fresh fish, scallops, shrimp lightly seasoned and baked with crumbs. It also comes with house-made Cole Slaw and fluffy Rice Pilaf that are both delish - Beef Knishes: the dough is chewier than I've had in knishes before, but very tasty, and served with gravy The Rachel (roast turkey, cheese, Russian dressing, sauerkraut on marble rye) was solid and I liked how they pan-fried the bread for extra toastiness. The Matzo Ball Soup was fine, but not all that hot by the time it got to the table. Downsides: - The service was noticeably slow, in bringing out appetizers and in paying the bill, which was a little perplexing because it wasn't all that crowded when we went for lunch on a weekday afternoon. - Wanted to pick up some non-cake baked goods from the pastries section after lunch, and there was only a sparse selection of mediocre-looking muffins and cookies (where were the challah, the rugelach, etc.?) Still, a good filler-upper for your Bubbe's food.
(3)Matt I.
I feel a little embarassed that I've lived in Cambridge for years and hadn't been here until just a few weeks ago. Really solid diner food. The first time we stopped in because my gf had a cold and wanted Matzoh ball soup, and theirs passed muster from a native New Yorker. Reubens, etc. looked really good. Breakfast was outstanding IMO. Corned beef hash (they make their own corned beef!) was one of the best I've ever had. Blueberry pancakes were really good, tasted like fresh berries. Haven't had much of the non-breakfast food, but stuff going by to other tables looked like typical diner fare. Homemade desserts were excellent. The chocolate peanut butter pie was a standout (more PB than chocolate, which is good because I hate desserts like that when they go way overboard with the chocolate.) Service can be slow. Depends on the time of day and the staff you get.
(4)Derek W.
I should have opted for some deli type meat, but i'm on a quest to taste every hamburger ever served in cambridge... This one was not good, I asked for it to be med rare, it came out well, appeared to be of the frozen variety. My eating partner ordered a roast beef sandwich of sorts, nice and rare, looked good. I had entree' envy for sure.... Place was dull, bar was nice, bartender well she was kinda whacky....
(2)Dara S.
This is not a fine dining restaurant people. This is NY style diner at its best. I love it. Everything I have ever eaten is delicious. I get my turkey for sandwiches from their deli because they oven roast that sucker in house. You can't beat fresh turkey. There is something for everyone, their menu is huge! Also, they have breakfast everyday - and at any time. They have Iggy's bread brought in - and amazing bagels. They even have lox spread - YAY! Yes - there is a rope you wait behind to get sat. Yes the waiter / or waitress might seem busy and slightly surly. That is what diners are all about. If you don't like it - go back to the south end. xoxo. Dara
(5)Laura G.
This place is lame. It's the ugly stepchild of the Jewish Deli family. If you want a good Jewish deli, make the trek to Brookline and go to Zaftig's. I used to check this place out more times than I should have due to proximity to my old apartment. First time I went was for breakfast. The eggs were meh, the bacon was of the microwave variety and the orange juice was from concentrate yet still priced as though it was fresh OJ. Second time I needed a quick pit stop for lunch. The service was rude and they screwed up our entire order. They told me I could have a free meal on the house and to use so and so's name when ordering and that'd I'd be on a list. *eyebrow raise*. Skeptical alarm going off. Few weeks later I was too lazy to make dinner and my friend was sick so I thought laziness+matzo ball soup+free meal = me being somewhat productive for me and my friend. I call in the order and walk over to pick it up. I mention the "code name" as instructed and of course they have no idea what I was talking about. Annoyed that I was going to have to pay for the food I ordered I left vowing never to return. I get home, open the food and realize they had totally butchered my sandwich. It was covered in what I could only assume to be grey spinach and watery onions. I did not order either of these items on my sandwich. It was so watery and soggy in fact that the entire box was underwater and what once was the bun was no longer serving a purpose. I had to go back and have them fix it. Needless to say, the shitty service, even worse food have made it so I will never go to this place again. If you want food, do yourself a favor and walk across the street to City Girl Cafe.
(2)Steph P.
Hey guys, this a diner. Service is quick, but not really with a smile. The waitress isn't about to ask you if you are enjoying your French Toast. But the food comes out fast and hot and the coffee cup stays filled. We ditched our hopes of the Friendly Toast after finding out about the hour long wait. No wait at S&S for a party of four at 10:30 on Sunday. The croissant french toast was light (as far as french toast goes) and didn't leave that super heavy feeling in the belly, but the ends were a little eggy. The rustic raisin and pecan french toast was yummy with warm raisins and toasted pecans with a fruit accompaniment. These both came with a choice of bacon or sausage. The quiche Lorraine had a LOT of cheese on top, which masked the other flavors in there. The lox benedict was overflowing with lox and the eggs were poached right. Portions are large, prices are right and I would for sure come back.
(3)Kate L.
Some of the best bagels I've ever had. Great place to go if you want more breakfast than you can possibly ever eat. The food is incredible, so not only are the portions huge but the quality is high! Occasionally some of the staff has seemed a bit surly but my experience here has been positive generally. If you don't feel like sitting down you can get bagels to go. My friend is a fan of the lox spread, but you'll never get me near that stuff.
(4)Jamie H.
my parents took me to S&S today for lunch, and it was great. the waitress was really friendly, the food was delicious, and it wasn't too expensive either. we started with 3 beef knishes and a bowl of the matzo ball soup. the knishs were definitely the star appetizer, light on the beef and the dough very moist - too often, a knish is just way too dry and i was happy that this was not the case here. the soup was flavorful but light, and they definitely know how to do a matzo ball! i do wish it came with more carrots, celery, and chicken. my dad got the reuben sandwich, which he finished before i could even try a bite, but he said it was fantastic and was happy to get extra russian dressing. my mom got the corned beef on rye, and i went with turkey on 7 grain. both were good, but pretty standard sandwiches. mine came with lettuce, tomato, and onion. however, the real highlight for me was the half-sour pickle. i have found the perfect deli pickle! we ordered some matzo ball soup to go, and the best part is you can get extra matzo balls for $1. we also got some chopped liver, but i haven't tried that yet. for an enjoyable, tasty lunch with my parents, this really hit the spot.
(4)Manfred S.
Waiting 20 min to be seated for Easter Sunday brunch seemed reasonable. Cranky service is not. The food was edible and no one got sick. They claimed that the mimosas are made with fresh juicy and it is possible (but might not). Somewhat borderline, but at least gives you a light buzz. Recommendation --- okay if you have a big party and need booze. The place is big and has a liquor license. If you have cravings for a lot of good breakfast food with friendly service you are much better off at Ball Square Cafe.
(3)Ess P.
I tried this restaurant out for breakfast after dozens of friends raving about it. When I first walked in I stood behind the rope that said "please stand here & wait to be seated." There were two waitstaff standing right by me chit-chatting, they looked at me but didn't budge. Finally about five minutes later, a group of people just walked in & went right into the dining area. I went up to the waitstaff & asked why haven't I been seated!? They said they didn't know I was waiting to be seated, even though I was clearly standing In the waiting line! He apologized. The food was actually good. I got french toast, egg/cheese omlet, & home fries. I have no complaints about the actual food - it was delicious. Before I could finish my food, I got up to use the ladies room. When I came back, THEY CLEARED MY TABLE! They threw away all my food! The waitress said the busboy made a mistake & apologized and offered to make my food again. I declined, I was completely turned off & the manager took care of the bill. The waitstaff just seemed sketchy. I doubt I'll ever go back.
(2)Jess L.
I got here at 10 for brunch, and I didn't even have to wait (though I think a couple minutes later, I would have had to). The menu is surprisingly diverse, with lots of egg options and other fun things, like bavarian french toast and salmon hash. The staff seems a bit rushed, but the food quality is great, and there was no pressure to leave. The deli looks very enticing too - will get something on the way out next time. I got the omelet special, which included pesto, monterey jack cheese, onions, spinach, and bacon. Amazing, and not too greasy! My mother got the whitefish, and she got a large hunk. The sides of fruit and toast/bagel are also enough to fill you for the rest of the afternoon...
(4)Zinah A.
My family and I have been going to S&S for over 25 years. I brought all my nephews & nieces as kids....now they are grown and willing to split the check with Titi Zinah. S&S is home to us & to many. Many parties, mother's day & graduation celebration or just lunch date with mom. The food is always consistent you can't go wrong. Some favorites the S&S wings boneless some sweet & spicy simmered with honey & the crispy texture is perfect. My mom is a fan of their fish & chips always winner as I can grub from her plate. I love the brunch special they make outstanding omelets my favorite Lox omelet as well as eggs Benedict. Ad a bloody Mary and we are set for a delightful time at our second home S&S.
(5)Shaina P.
Line out the door? Be sure to take a ticket as soon as you get inside! S&S's waiting system has improved to the point where you don't wait more than 30 minutes. Don't be discouraged by the huge line because the restaurant is enormous and typically well staffed... Reasons to love S&S: 1. Hot Pastrami on Rye with Swiss Cheese and Double Batter Fried French Fries (or whatever they want to call those crispy, greasy thangs). 2. Breakfast Sandwich with Fries instead of Breakfast Potatoes. 3. Chicken Parmesan. 4. HOMEADE corned beef hash. Sooo frigin' tasty (oven-baked crisp and blackened on the edges). Served with two lovely poached eggs on top. Mmmm! Other Tidbits: 1. Patrons born in 1919 still go here. 2. Style of the restaurant is dated (to what date, I'm not sure, but it's not current). 3. Not known for it culinary creativity, but more so for its "classic" deli sandwiches (pastrami, roast beef, reuben) and homestyle cooking (chicken soup, quiche, pot pie?, breakfast all day). 4. Catering by S&S is popular, but not the best in the area as of late. I used to love S&S. It was a place to go to with co-workers for holiday lunch. But now that I've familiarized myself with other restaurants in Inman Square (international cuisine, unique atmospheres, younger crowd), S&S's popularity has dwarfed compared to others'.
(3)Lisa R.
This is a really great place to go for lunch on a weekend! My husband and I came here yesterday, because the All-Star Sandwich Bar was too packed, and we were not disappointed. He had the turkey club sandwich, and I had a turkey wrap with lettuce, tomato, and some kind of cranberry delicousness (I had them hold the cheese). The thing that impressed me was that they use REAL turkey, which is sliced nice and thin, It's not that processed crap you find in most places. My sandwich came with a nice fresh fruit cup and a bag of Cape Cod potato chips. The place kind of reminded me of a Bickford's, but I think this place was in business way before them. Back when I was a 16 year old kid I worked in a diner, and this place had that kind of feel to it. They had a humongous menu with ALL kinds of good stuff, so anyone can find something they like here. I highly recommend S & S!
(4)Allison R.
My neighborhood lazy kid takeout spot earns three solid stars. Highlights include the pastrami and knockwurst(!) triple decker sandwich, decidedly above average cheeseburger, and the matzo ball soup. The knishes in the takeout case look pretty delish too. If you're dining in, you'll never wait for a seat since this place is huge, and the service will be pleasantly brought to you by your surrogate jewish aunt or uncle. Your glass of water will be small, though. My major gripes with this place? "Same place" taste, somewhat overpriced, and the fries don't rock my world. They're the kind of breaded, crispy-yet-soggy ones. Bonus points though, for the tasty monte cristo, the gooey boston cream pie, and the fact that a breakfast all day establishment is a mere five minute walk from my home. It's like they saw me coming.
(3)Mike Z.
It was late Sunday night and there weren't that many restaurants opened, but luckily S & S didn't close til 10pm! My friend had wanted to come to this place because she had said that the food is very good and she usually frequented it for brunch. It was very hard to pick from the ginormous menu - I ended up ordering the corned beef with cow tongue triple decker sammy on dark rye - it was delicious! Definitely one of the better corned beef sammies I've had. There's a private parking lot and also plenty of street parking, so parking is not an issue. I will definitely come back to try out of the other items on the menu.
(4)Emily D.
As I sit here eating my leftover S&S boneless wings smothered in their house S&S sauce from last night's dinner.. I'm so upset that I didn't leave more for myself. Holy Smokes these wings are mighty good!! I wanna lick the plate here at work.. but umm yeah.. a little inappropriate you think? My hubby and I were working late and needed to catch a quick dinner before our next engagement. We rushed into S&S not knowing too much of the place. But, I'm going to be honest.. I really came in because I saw all the cakes and pastries on display in the deli area. No Really, they all looked amazing!! We were seated quickly... and given our menus. "WHOAA!! wait a min? this is the menu?" -- "Yes ma'am it is." "Oh, ok." The menu is extensive. I'm talking about 4 or 5 pages of everything you can think of. The restaurant kind of reminds me of a better version of a denny's or ihop. They serve breakfast all day and they also have plenty of dinner and lunch options. You could probably have anything here. It took us a while to figure out what we wanted... which wasn't so great since we were on a time crunch. We skimmed through and I ordered the boneless wings covered in their S&S sauce. While the hubs ordered their grilled chicken sandwich also covered in their famous sauce. The food came out pretty quickly... the waitress on the other hand didn't seem too happy last night. She probably has a long day. But, we didn't let that bother us. We enjoyed our dinner and were out of there in 45 min. The prices were good.. the food was good...Not Bad Over all... next time.. I wanna stay and try dessert!!! Red Velvet Cake is calling my name!
(3)Karen M.
Used to go all the time when in Cambridge, now I am in the neighborhood less often, but I still can't find another restaurant that hits all the diner notes as well as this one. I had some friends from out of town, we wanted brunch with kids. Another time, a group wanted to meet somewhere after a Cambridge parade, also with kids. There are a million diners around so why do I keep coming back to S&S? *A waiting area with tables and deli things to look at and buy. Sunday brunch you have to wait everywhere, so why stand in a parking lot? *That said, they take reservations for parties over eight for Sunday brunch. *Next door to a toy store. In case the kids get restless--oh, all right, you can look in the toy store too! *Two small parking lots to take a little pressure off the Cambridge street parking. *The restaurant is big and roomy, so the lines tend to move fast. OK, enough about waiting. Once you get in: *Little cups of cream with the coffee for the kids to drink, play with. If you don't approve of this, well, go to a more elegant restaurant with proper creamers. And see how well the kids sit still without little cups of cream to drink. *There is a liquor license if the grownups feel like a Bloody Mary. *Service is always solid. I never have to ask for more coffee, more water, they just sense when I need it and they are right there before I even realized myself. *They serve the dinner menu as well as the brunch menu on Sunday. Some higher-end places only serve brunch on Sundays until dinner time. And some of us, by the time noon rolls around, are no longer interested in eggs and coffee. *The food is great, it is not high-end, for example, they have Log Cabin syrup, not real maple. But you definitely get what you pay for. They have good-sized but not obscene portions. *The steak is always cooked the way you ask in the steak and eggs. My eggs normandie with lox and hollandaise were excellent. The sunnyside eggs are just right, runny but not undercooked. The sausage got a thumbs up from the kids, it is link-style. And they have English muffins. Who would choose toast over English muffins? No gimmicks, but always reliable. Relax and enjoy a great diner.
(5)Beantown S.
I cannot say better things about this place. I have been almost every weekend for over a year and I have yet to find something I don't like. Word of advice, don't leave without trying the S & S wings on the bone...oh dear lord!
(5)Ann G.
I've been to S&S a few times now and have always enjoyed my meal. Today I spent many a minute waiting on the server. This seems to be the case at the restaurant, as time after time I've had to wait for the server to check in (if they every stop by) or take the check. Today our waitress didn't come back until it was time for the check! If you're ready to spend a few hours at the place, the food is good. I've had the french toast, french eggs, and a regular old egg dish (with toast, potatoes, and bacon). I don't like their potatoes much but the croissants and eggs are always good. Plus, I enjoy their drinks. All in all, the food is decent and there is often an open table. You will spend some time at the place so go on a day when you're feeling leisurely.
(3)Ina C.
It's nothing spectacular, but at the same time, nothing here will disappoint. They offer all of the brunch/breakfast standards, and it's all for a very reasonable price. You can get I-need-to-unbutton-my-pants full here without paying over $10. I usually get the bagel and lox, and it comes with tons of toppings and mountains of lox. The omelets are huge, the fresh squeezed orange juice is very...fresh, and the service is usually pretty friendly. There's plenty of seating and hardly ever a wait, which makes this place a stressless brunch choice, especially compared to all the line-out-the-door brunch places around. It also reminds me of Fridays in college when we made our weekly trips ALLL the way out here from Boston College. :)
(3)Kristine A.
I have heard so many things about this place that I finally went; totally glad I finally did too. I got these pumpkin & nut pancakes that were really delicious. Like I couldn't believe how good they were. I can't wait to go again & try their latkes.
(4)Silas S.
Best Corned Beef Hash. Repeat Best Corned Beef Hash. I love the stuff so I am always looking for the best stuff that is not from a can. Other than that, don't be discouraged if there is a line as it moves pretty fast. I will be back for more
(5)Samuel F.
Generally, the food is great and the service is attentive. Yes, for some of their offerings I have seen better, but others, like the bagel and lox platter, are fantastic. (My only complaint with that is perhaps they should provide two bagels to accommodate the vast array of fixings, far too much for a single sandwich.) Then again, it would have been hard for this place not to net four stars from me, since they're my most convenient choice for comfort food: Matzoh ball soup and deli sandwiches and breakfast all day and they're right near my house.
(4)Chris B.
I went in with a group of four people yesterday morning and waited 15 minutes for a table - not bad at the height of Sunday brunch hour! Unfortunately we waited for another 15 sitting at our booth and no server even dropped by to say hello or "I'll be right with you". Nothing. We walked out and told the hostess what happened. "Oh, sorry", she said. One star because zero is not possible.
(1)Deanna D.
Went back for a Veggie Quiche on Sun and was not very happy =( Way too much spinach, not creamy as the last time, and overall not as tasty. The line moved quickly but the service was also terribly slow and not very friendly this time around. So minus 1 star for no consistency.
(3)EricaLynn J.
I have deducted one star off what would have been an easy five-star rating due to the massive amount of waiting one has to do one a weekend to get into this place. We're talking out the door, around the corner. And unfortunately, out the door you have a choice of a hardware store and a clothing store from where I've seen absolutely no one buy anything. So you're waiting. But they give you raffle number tickets as your waiting number... so your mind may wander to the circus or something. Or your childhood! Look, a clown!!... But the staff are really sweet and kind and they *want* you to sit down. They feel bad for you waiting there. They don't have the normal sinister grin that most staff do in places like these where the lines grow their *own* sub-lines and they Unionize and things get all nuts. When you hand in your number they congratulate you. I really only get the same few things when I visit because I LOVE these things and if I've waited for 40 minutes to sit down, I want to go with what I know. So, eggs florentine, eggs benedict, matzoh ball soup, corned beef hash... all quite good. I love the little fruit dish. It almost makes me believe I'm eating healthy. Hollandaise what?! I've heard some not-so-great things about some other menu options; I think a friend of mine ordered a Reuben that is still giving him nightmares... and another friend of mine had some not-so-nice things to say about her omelette (apparently she ordered a veggie omelette and mentioned she's a vegetarian so she would prefer no bacon with her meal... so instead they brought her ham.) But I have yet to be disappointed.....
(4)Lynette S.
Huge menu!!!! The size of the menu reminds me of the Cheesecake Factory menu, only with simpler food, without the extra $$$$ and less impressive decor. But, in Cambridge, I think S & S has a great concept as it is an affordable alternative to all of the pricier (and also loveable) joints around that I frequent when in the mood to spend and dine... Food is great, nice portions. Some favorites: burgers (grrrrrreat!!!), soup, various chicken entress. Good for family dinners or groups,as they have a few large dining rooms. Desserts are good but pricey. Never had a wait at night. ******They have a few parking lots on Hampshire St. which is huge since Imnan Sq can be busy and parking is limited.
(4)Tod K.
That was the most HORRIBLE brunch experience within 30 miles of the Boston area. Oh boy, where do I begin, the service was real bad. We had to call on the waiter 3 times until he noticed us. Now I understand you may be busy because it is a weekend brunch period but if you know that you will be busy you might as well staff a few more people. Then comes the actual food. My omelet was not put together right. They use egg beaters and the vegetables inside were undercooked. A lot of people recommend this place which is why I decided to go, but my foot is not stepping there again.
(1)Chris H.
I've been here for breakfast a few times. It is about what you would expect for a deli like this. The staff is friendly, the menu is big but predictable, and the food is pretty good. It's always busy on weekend mornings but is a huge space so you won't have to wait long. I recommend the bagel and lox.
(3)Molly F.
I went to S&S with a group of starving friends in the late afternoon a few Sundays ago, and we had a great time. Because we are gross, we ordered brunch plus two plates of wings. The wings were excellent; I particularly recommend the S&S sauce. For brunch, I had the French eggs with sausage, which came wrapped inside a croissant, plus--because, once I again, I am gross--a side of corned beef hash. Yum. As another reviewer mentioned, the length of the menu is overwhelming. For someone as indecisive as me, that poses a bit of a problem. But--unlike some have said--our waitress was really nice, and even bonded with one member of our party over the fact that they both played rugby.
(4)Jackie M.
When your boyfriend is standing in the middle of a busy Cambridge street, traffic all around, having snapped the handle off his mom's snow scraper, slowly beginning his transformation from Bruce Banner into the Incredible Hulk and is yelling (quite loudly), "Come on ... piece of ... goddammit ... fucking cunt of a car!!" Fists clenched, arms outstretched (this would be the part where his clothes begin to rip and he turns green) and then proceeds to kick slush and snow and dirt onto the car tires which are spinning, and spinning, and spinning (thanks to my artful gunning of the accelerator) and the car is going to nowheres-ville .... I'm not gonna lie, its kinda hot. This, after we had a delightful meal at the S&S ... part of the "this is where I used to go as a kid" tour of Boston. We walked in to the S&S on a Sunday at around 1 pm. It was crowded, but that was to be expected. We were given a raffle ticket with a number on it and told to stand in the deli area where I had ample time to ogle the cakes and pastries on display and think about which type I wanted to take home with me. Even though there were a lot of people waiting, the restaurant was fairly large and therefore, we waited for about 20 minutes. I felt like that was reasonable considering the day/time we were there. Since I am averse to brunch and brunch related food stuffs (at least when eating out) I was glad that the waitress gave us a regular lunch menu in conjunction with a brunch menu. I ordered the "Rachel" sandwich which consisted of: roast turkey, swiss cheese, russian dressing, and sauerkraut on marble rye. The sandwich came with coleslaw and I opted out of the potato chips and ordered fries instead (at the bf's request since he wanted fries and planned to eat mine). I think he ordered the chicken salad sandwich. Seeing as I'm 50% Jew and from New York, I do love me some rye bread ... oh, and the half sour pickles that we both got and which I ate (both). My sandwich was really good. The restaurant was clean and seemed to be run fairly efficiently. The servers seemed to be no nonsense and were congenial but in the business of turning over tables not impressing customers. Fine. I can respect that. I wasn't even put off by it. The S&S reminded me of some of the neighborhood diners I used to go to as a kid in Manhattan. Places which are hard to find nowadays because they've been replaced by chain restaurants. After the meal we went back to the deli counter and bought a piece of carrot cake and a piece of Boston cream pie. These were consumed later on that evening (post mom's-front wheel drive car-stuck-in-slushy-snowbank fiasco) and turned out to be quite delicious ... although almost unmanageable (even between 3 people) because the pieces we were given were so huge ... ...but who am I kidding? I always seem to manage where eating is concerned. Maybe not so much with front wheel drive in slushy snow. Whaddya gonna do?
(4)Kristen M.
Tried for the first time today. Great service great food. I got the eggs Oscar it had two potato cakes topped with poached eggs and crab meat delicious!! Tried a bagel with LOX (salmon) a Jewish specialty which was really tasty and different ! Huge portions decent pricing I will certainly return!
(5)Phil C.
I've only had their brunch here and it's been generally positive. I've tried their pancakes on a couple of occasions and they've been decent. I really liked the pumpkin pancake (good flavor and spice), which shows up as a special from time-to-time. The prices are above what a diner around here would charge, but the quality of the food is slightly higher than a plain-jane diner. It's a tad bit pricey for me but S&S isn't cost-prohibitive. I'll try their deli the next time around...
(3)Julia S.
S&S is what you would expect from a longstanding deli; the prices are, well, pricey, but the food (especially the meat) is high quality. I went here recently for breakfast and their bagel & lox platter was well worth the trip....reminds me of the fancy breakfast/brunch spread my mom prepares for guests. You'd be hard-pressed to find lox this good at another cafe or restaurant. And the service was good, almost obsessive.
(4)Sean E.
Eggs. I like eggs. I like them fried, scrambled, poached, omelets, hard boiled, soft-boiled, over-easy, over-hard, sunny-side up, as part of a sandwich, or with my salad, as breakfast, brunch, lunch or even diner -- I like eggs. And I'm hard pressed to find any place that does them better than S&S. I know what you're thinking, what's so hard about eggs -- how do you make normal scrabbled eggs special? I'm not even sure. Maybe it's in the egg, the technique, secret ingredients? I can't be positive, but they are indeed special. They even have a special way of doing omelets that makes it kind of like a burrito made out of egg instead of a tortilla. And the French Egg dish is fit for a king. Their other dishes are good too. Or so I've heard anyway. I can't really cross my heart on that because I've only come here for breakfast/brunch to get one of their numerous egg dishes. But I can tell you definitively that they do make a mean bloody mary.
(4)reese w.
Ok, so this place is kinda cool, but I also think it's a little expensive for what you get. Eh... They give you a lot of food, but I'm not sure that I really WANT that much of that food. For me it's a little too salty, but maybe other people like that. Yeah... I'm all anti-salt like that. Spicy or sour please not too much salt. You know, maybe if I ate more salt, I would quit having such low blood pressure. Hmm... maybe I DO need more salt. Maybe I need to come eat here more often then!!
(3)buckminster f.
This review is based on the lemon cake that I had there tonight. Ick. $5 a slice for something that tastes like it came straight out of a box and with plasticky icing? Next time, I'll pick up something at 1369 or Rosie's, and if those two places are closed, at the convenient store.
(2)Georgia Y.
S & S is the kind of place that encourages STRONG emotions. Most people I know either love it or hate it. I don't think it really deserves that treatment. To me, the S & S is boring. I'll go there for food, especially if it's breakfasty food, but I'm pretty indifferent to this place - I'll never suggest it, and I'll really only pop in if I'm in Inman Square and nothing else appeals. I used to hate coming here for weekend brunch, because the line was so long. So that's that: breakfasty foods here are perfectly fine, the waitstaff is fine, the S & S is fine. What's all the shouting (out of love OR hate) about?
(3)Arun C.
The place made a good first impression because they had tall glasses of fresh oj and very tasty brunch options. I got the Copenhagen egg breakfast and loved it: poached eggs, lox, new potatoes...I'm getting hungry thinking about it. It didn't take long to get a table at about 11am Sunday, but parking was tricky. They have additional parking just down the road from the small one in front of the restaurant.
(4)James M.
Living right around the corner, I've been to S&S probably a dozen times in past year. Not because it's good--it isn't--but because it offers such a silly variety of food. If I want pancakes at 2pm or a cheeseburger club sandwich for breakfast, I can get it. They've got everything from sandwiches, to breakfast food, to seafood dishes. That being said, none of it tastes that good. It's definitely passable, but not worth anything near what they charge. You'll find a much better burger (for right around the same price) across the street at the Druid. You can get better sandwiches (again, at a similar price point) at All-Star. S&S has little going for it other than its size and variety. Also, they have the worst service in Inman, hands down. Worse than Bukowski, which is pretty damn bad. The wait staff is almost completely composed of 50 or 60 year old men and women who are as attentive and caring as you'd expect a 15 year old to be. They really don't give two tugs about good service. Again, I've waited almost a year to write this review to see if the bad service was an exception, but, unfortunately, it seems to be the rule.
(2)Gino T.
I really enjoy coming to this deli. I have to say that during the lunch hour the clientele seems a bit..... "old school" but that doesn't take away from the food. I had the Focaccia lunch special, great price and very delicious. Grilled chicken club, perfect. Had the turtle cheese cake, best I've had in Cambridge. Try this place if you enjoy deli style dining , casual, laid back, and breakfast all dang day! It's little bit pricier than say Zoe's but a lot nicer.
(4)Roni E.
My boyfriend had introduced me to this place about a month and a half ago. As soon as we walked in it was like sardines in a can. I didn't really understand why because the place looked huge and takes up about 3 buildings. They do have a large restaurant with plenty of seating. However, this place does get packed on the weekends for brunch and with good reason. Their food is spectacular and was well worth the wait. The best part it was cheap too! I have never eaten so much food in my life for so little. I would definitely like to go a little earlier though next time to see if I can beat that mid-morning crowd and be a lil early bird.
(4)Caitlin C.
Now, my roommate had been telling me about the merits of S&S for several months now and this past Sunday we finally went. Well, actually, we intended to go to Friendly Toast, but the wait was totally Unfriendly, so we headed over to Inman to cure our post-night-of-Bacchanalian-revelry hunger. Ok, so our waitress was not particularly attentive, but that did not detract from the superb brunch we were presented with. After much deliberation, I finally choose the French Eggs (scrambled eggs piled onto a crispy croissant, accompanied by home fries and fruit). The home fries were absolutely out of this world! I would gladly have eaten two more helpings. Also, I can't wait to go back to sample their bagels and latkes. Yum!
(4)Benjamin B.
S&S sucks. Seriously, I'm pretty sure this place is just a Denny's or Eatin Park gussied up a bit and disguised as a reasonable restaurant. With all the options available in Cambridge, heck Inman square, there is no reason to ever eat here.
(1)Brian M.
S&S is the place to go in Central / Inman when you want your food needs met without any hoopla or drama - you're hungry and maybe a little tired, not feeling adventurous, you just want a good feed. The food is consistently good - I've been coming here regularly for a year and a half and in that time I've had exactly one duff meal - an off-day I guess. The service is generally good, although they do have one or two servers that are distinctly lacking in sunny bonhomie, but I guess that's about average. It's not exciting, it's not cool, but the food is great, the menu is broad and the drinks are cold (I love places that serve beer in chilled glasses). Everything is good, especially the bagels, the club sandwiches and the mixed drinks. One thing to be aware of; they take their 'seating for full parties only' policy VERY seriously. They can be quite abrupt if you even ask about squeezing a latecomer in. It's fair enough I suppose; the volume of people (esp. on Sunday mornings) would make it unworkable otherwise. Just be aware, they won't make an exception, even for you...
(4)D S.
I came here for brunch and it was a cute restaurant but nothing outstanding. I ordered Belgan waffles ($8.95) and recieved a decent serving. The place was packed, however.. the line sure went on. A nice place to stumble upon but not so much to plan ahead to visit.
(3)Al A.
Bad service (slow and inattentive). Bad food. Not really a diner anymore. Expensive for the quality you get. I have no idea how this place is still in business in such a competitive restaurant hub.
(2)Rachel P.
I miss S&S sooo much! This is such a good diner. My sister lived down the street from S&S and we would go there, get take out, delivery etc all the time! I love their wraps: greek is sooo good. They always give fries and a side of fruit too. They have been around forever!!!
(5)Madison S.
I love jewish delis. Sometimes I just want to go somewhere quiet with good food(healthy, consistent, simple food). Waitstaff are either really nice or a bit abrupt. I wouldn't order the fish and chips again. Breakfast/Brunch menu is great.
(5)Meaghan S.
My mom grew up in Cambridge and remembers this restaurant fondly. She used to take me here from time to time when I was a kid and even then I wasn't impressed. I don't know exactly what it is, but the S & S has never really done it for me. The food is just not good, and if I want old people chow I definitely prefer Jimmy's Steer House in Arlington. I was told "Try the brunch!" and I did. And it was pretty lackluster. In fact I've eaten at S &S probably 20 times in my 27 years and I do not remember ONE outstanding thing about it. From the Bickfordsesque decor to the bland-ass food, I never find myself thinking about this place when I want a meal.
(3)Jocelyn C.
This is by far the most genuine deli (and diner) that I've been to outside of NYC. When I moved to Boston, the only thing I really missed was the ability to get a real deli-style sandwich that didn't cost a month's pay, or be able to eat breakfast past 11am. S & S fulfills both of those desires. I also love the pictures surrounding the restaurant of old-time Cambridge, so you get excellent food and a little history lesson of the neighborhood at the same time! If you eat here, you will NOT be disappointed.
(5)Jon R.
Meh. The food is ok. The service is pretty bad. Everyone goes nuts over the latkes, but I've had better. The menu has a lot of variety, but it would be great if they didn't pride themselves on the fact that they do absolutely no substitutions whatsoever. Which is fine, if you're a fancy restaurant. Or even a mid-range restaurant. But come on, you're a freaking deli. Some of your sandwiches come with fruit, others with chips, others with fries, and others with a pickle. Just give me a damn choice and charge me extra if it costs more. But come on, you can't bring me a single kosher dill spear instead of a fruit cup with my sandwich? Because of your "No Substitutions" policy? Get over yourself. If you get take-out, S&S is fine. But I wouldn't bother to eat here.
(2)michael l.
This place is generally overrated. I mean its like diner food so it's likely what you would expect. I do enjoy a simple roast beef sandwhich on a bulky roll when i go there. The breakfast though just doesn't cut it. I do better with eggs at home, hungover and all.
(2)Jimmie L.
I never thought about having appetizers with breakfast or brunch until I ate at S & S. A bowl of their matzo ball soup is just the thing to start your day out healthy (physically and emotionally). I haven't had a meal there that I didn't like. My wife on occasion gets eggs benedict when we go out, and always asks for the sauce on the side, and it seems like EVERY time she gets it at S & S they don't help her out. Otherwise, a bowl of soup and some salmon hash....perfecto !
(4)Michael W.
The same fateful trip that introduced me to Bartely's, Red Sox baseball and pesky's poll, also brought me to the S&S about 16 years ago. I have been coming back year after after year with my family and even more now that I live here. Its a great place to meet people for brunch and not get lost in the Boston mess... Usual wait time on a Saturday or Sunday can be at most 25mins to as little as, give us two seconds to set the table. When looking for parking check the lot first and then good luck, I always have some kind of success, even if it means walking a block or four... They offer different menus at different times, the full lunch or dinner menu has tons of dishes ranging from just a sandwich to a whole section of clubs to actual full dinners. I have heard the chicken is good... I usually start off with their matzo ball soup, which is a huge bowl that comes out very hot and just awesome. The soup has a great flavor, veggies are not mush and has a good amount of chicken in it... much better than other places.... u know what I am talking about, read my other reviews... The turkey club is always awesome and is my fall back sandwich here... I recently had the stuffed crab and potato pancake which is topped with a poached egg and hollandaise sauce. It was very tasty, I added a side of lox, which was exactly what i was looking for. Their bagels are good, and sometimes, when feeling indecisive, I just get the lox plate and bagel and is always satisfying... There are many options here, and as i said before, just be careful of what time you go, there are several menus during the day, and some are more limited than others... This place is just so much better than its kinda counterpart Zaftigs... People, there is nothing scary about crossing the river, Cambridge is fun, and exciting... do it... its ok... i wont tell any one...
(5)Gwen K.
Service: slow but friendly. Coffee: drinkable, but definitely needed cream and sugar. Food: tasty, creamy, salty, copious, rich. (Exception: bagels. Dense, bready, not worth the stomach space they take up.) Overall experience: pleasant, comforting, not for those in a hurry.
(4)Ashlee C.
Bordering on just OK to don't even bother. While the S&S has a huge menu that likely has something to please everybody, nothing stands out and it is all just mediocre. In addition, the offerings are quite expensive for what actually hits the table. $9 for a cheeseburger and french fries is a little excessive, and The Druid serves a $9 burger and hand cut fries that blows this out of the water. I can't think of one good thing about the S&S other than the fact that they serve beer.
(2)Erica E.
This is on the top of our list for local brunch places. They make THE best french toast around. It is eggy and fluffy, it's perfect! There is usually a wait on the weekend, but it's never too long. They serve brunch all day, every day which is somewhat of a rarity. It's a fun place to go in the evening when you're in the mood for cocktails AND breakfast food. They also are willing to substitute hash browns or fries for the meat that come with any of the breakfast entrees. Overall, a great local breakfast place!
(4)Nick B.
I've been here for every meal, but really it's the brunch that sets S&S apart. So filling, that you can probably make it your only meal of the day (Omolette, Home Fries, Fruit Cup, AND a Bagel?? Brace yourself.). Now in it's 87th year, S&S is truly an Inman Square institution. Pig out among the photographs of the restaurant throughout the ages and be thankful that you live in a place like Boston that is so steeped in History. Just be prepared to wait on a Sunday morning. Dinner is also good, though the atmosphere is what I have affectionately termed "Take Grandma to Dinner Night." That said, Grandma can be pretty amusing if she thinks her Irish coffee isn't strong enough.
(4)Jamie S.
The boneless S & S wings are TO DIE FOR. I taste them and reminisce back to my childhood. Cambridge has a lot to offer when it comes to great food. Try the deli, stop by and pick up some food on your way home from work. The family style is great. I can never leave S & S without a slice of the chocolate peanut butter pie, (warning, very filling and addicting!), all the desserts are homemade and satisfying. Why the missing star? The food is so good, yet the service is blah. Take it for what it is, and savor the food!
(4)John F.
Scene: Sunday morning/afternoon. You had quite the night with your friends, most of which you don't remember. The turbo button in your brain is firmly in the 'off' position. Your friends feel approximately the same way. You need to regroup, and piece together what happened. And you need food in a bad way. But where to go? The answer is, of course, the S&S Restaurant Deli. In all seriousness, though, S&S offers some great food, whether or not you're hungover. The omelettes are really the main draw; I'm a huge fan of a somewhat modified English omelette. I've never touched the lunch menu, because I just cannot pull myself away from these breakfasts. Definitely a place to check out.
(4)J R.
So I will start by saying as a disclaimer that I've a vegetarian, and realize there is some bias here as I am reviewing a deli. But as S & S makes an effort to include a variety of vegetarian options for both brunch and dinner, I feel they've opened the door here. I've eating here several times, and while I've never had a "bad" meal or "bad" service, I've also never been particularly impressed. The wraps are tasty enough I guess, but not very interesting. Brunch is filling, but nothing I couldn't make myself with a few slices of cheese and a couple of eggs. Coffee is cheap diner quality and the carpets always seem covered in other people's food scraps. I know it's an Inman institution, so go if you want, but don't expect to be wowed.
(2)Scoobie U.
My husband and I were walking around, looking for a breakfast place. They serve breakfast here all day! The price was extremely good for what we got, the breakfast plates are definitely filling. I can see why this place has been in business for so long! The decor was a little on the older side, but that didn't take away from the meal. From the outside we were expecting a more restaurant feel, however it was more like a diner.
(5)Mike M.
I have come here a number of times. Three times for breakfast, twice for lunch, and twice for dinner. Every single time I have eaten here has been enjoyable and pleasant, but nothing striking or out of the ordinary. If you have ever eaten at New Jersey diner, the experience is similar. It's not exactly the nicest place in the world, but you know what to expect when it comes out of the kitchen, and that is quality. The servers come around, crack some jokes, take your order and leave you alone. My favorite thing to eat here are the burgers because they taste fresh, and are always plentiful and filling. Prices here are moderate. Being an ex deli man it seems to me that their deli is very clean and well kept so I would recommend it also, which is why I gave S&S 4 stars instead of three.
(4)Mats K.
I do enjoy S&S, though maybe not as much as I used to. Its usually a nice place to go for brunch after a night out on the town. The portions are pretty large, the prices pretty decent and the atmosphere nice enough. They serve a decent combination of American and Jewish breakfast dishes usually with a bagel, cream cheese and a fruit bowl on the side, which should be enough to fill pretty much anyone up. Be prepared to wait on a Sunday morning though, as the place fills up very quickly!
(4)Dachary C.
The S&S is one of my favorite places to eat. Period. However, if you're one of those nosy types who wants a few more details, I shall do my best to satisfy your curiosity: They have separate breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner menus. They have daily specials. They are one of a few restaurants in Cambridge open until 11 on Weekdays and 12 on the weekends, which, in my opinion, gives it major points. Their menu is full of yummy, traditional staples. Their sandwiches are great, their entrees are great, their breakfast items are great, their appetizers are great, their soups are great... do we sense a theme here? Good stuff. Check out their website for menus. Parking in Inman Square is always a challenge, and dining at the S&S is no exception. They have two parking lots, as well as access to meter parking on Hampshire and Cambridge Streets, but finding a spot can be hit-and-miss during peak times. Sunday brunch waiting time is generally 15-25 minutes. I dine-in by myself, with a date, and with a large group (10+) frequently. I also get take out frequently, and have even had the S&S cater work functions. The food is very consistent in quality. For the number of times I've dined-in, I've had very few service problems - sometimes slow service with the group of 10+ late at night, and once a surly waitress, but generally it's a pleasant experience. However, one big complaint is that S&S is notorious for running out of their daily specials. Another nice point: the S&S comes complete with bakery and deli. The deli selection is better at a place like Whole Foods, but if you're in the neighborhood of the S&S, it's a convenient stop. And the cookies, cookie bars, pies, and cakes available from the bakery are always fantastic. Ordering and picking up take-out is quick and easy - I've never had an experience when it wasn't ready within 10-15 minutes. The website lists the S&S Restaurant and Deli as 'A Cambridge tradition since 1919.' Check it out and you'll see why people return again and again.
(5)Crystal G.
Husband and I went here for breakfast today. Meal was decent..we both got omelets and they were pretty good. Not too eggy, but full of fillings. I'm giving it three stars though, for two reasons: a) it was a little overpriced for its location, drab Dennys'/ Friendlys-like atmosphere, and food quality (-1 star), and b) horrible service (-2 stars). The woman (who I can't call a hostess) who seated us didn't say a word, and placed us in a far corner although most of the restaurant was empty. This sucked even more when we got the slowest waitress in the place. She walked out at a annoyingly slow pace, bringing 1 drink at a time (who does that?!?), never refilled our "bottomless" cups of coffee (at breakfast!), wasn't sure what kind of tea they had, messed up our check, and when I asked for napkins, she just grabbed some from under nearby cutlery. Despite what the menu pronounces, this place is not "a find". I
(2)JJ G.
I think this might be a place that you get into a groove on, go once a week, always order the same thing and then it's hard to explain to anyone why you like it. Of course, there is the advantage of plenty of space and high chairs for those of us who are burden with wee people. And it's a great place to go with multiple generations (e.g. grandma and grandpa want to have dinner with the kids) cuz it's a something for everyone joint, but if you are looking for a real deli, like a NY style place, this is sadly going to pale. Still and all, I like it; my kids like it; my husband likes it; my parents like it, and that's enough for this family
(4)Heather H.
S&S is a great brunch spot with good mimosas (after noon on Sundays, but earlier on Saturdays) and tasty brunch options. I've enjoyed everything I've ordered from quiche to omelets to waffles. Some of their prices are a little steep, but I think the food is good enough and I never feel rushed. Wait staff can range from calling you hon to being a little surly, but I've never had a truly bad experience. Their catering is fantastic. I've enjoyed lunches from them several times at work functions and never been disappointed.
(4)Rod B.
I love popping into S&S for brunch, or some wings. Top tip: If you're in a rush, sit at the bar. The service is much faster there than the table service.
(4)Dorothy C.
Service at lunchtime was slow, and the coffee old. BUT the chatham salad rocks my world - raspberry vinaigrette on mixed greens with blue cheese and candied pecans... fried pita wedges decorate the edge. yummy. Also recommended: Monte Cristo Sandwich [=french-toast sweet with salty deli meats...], S&S Boneless Wings [=sweet & hot], Carrot Cake [=divine cream cheese icing], & matzo ball soup [superior to the chicken soup, b/c it has fewer onions & celery pieces, and one big ol' matzo ball].
(4)C.M. M.
Ok for the food - our service was less than acceptable but it was a busy place.
(3)Rylan H.
This place is really hit or miss. Sometimes it's a nice place to go to get a "decent" meal. Sometimes you go when there are 5 people in the restaurant, and the service is still slow and you almost seem to bother them. I really wish this could be a rock star deli b/c we need one in Inman.
(2)Melanie W.
I used to love going to S & S several years ago because of the wide selection of food and the delicious stuffed French toast served all day. However, the last time I went a few weeks ago left a lot to be desired. First off, no eating establishment should have carpet. Ever. This place has carpet that hasn't been cleaned in a while and smelled awful. Combined with the smell of stale beer from the bar, I was already put off. I ordered the half roasted chicken, which while plentiful, was tasteless. It was accompanied by rice pilaf and vegetables, which were not memorable. The chocolate peanut butter pie, however, saved the day and bumped the review to two stars. Rich and totally decadent, it was worth every last calorie. The service was very, very slow. It took a while to get our food and our waitress disappeared for long stretches of time. What a shame, maybe I'll go for take out, but I'm not sure I'll be back.
(2)Peter P.
This review is only based on one lunchtime take out experience (ate at table in deli area), so take it FWIW. I order the Monte Cristo which comes with fries and fruit salad "and strawberries" as the menu says, for $9.95 - seemed like a bargain. The sandwich was cut in quarters and sort of smashed into the takeout box, it did not look appealing nor was it the size I imagined (kind of small). Upon trying to eat the Monte Cristo I found it some what slapped together, the meat wasn't very well distributed (sort of in a ball in the middle), with the bread being very soggy and perhaps undercooked (as it's egg-battered). By the time I got to the last quarter I found a hair wrapped around it, none too appealing either and that's when I called it quits. The fries were a generous portion and had that sort of crispy/battery outside, very tasty. Though after finding a hair in my food I was pretty much over the whole situation. To their credit the staff was very apologetic and quick to offer me a refund, plus a fresh batch of fries to take away. Alas, by the time I got home the fries were soggy - so note they do not travel well. The fruit cup was sort of lackluster - some cantaloupe, blueberries and literally about 3 sour grapes -- no strawberries as advertised either. To sum it up I've given S&S two stars, but I'm willing to give them one more try. Everyone messes up once in a while, and the customer service was good enough for me to believe I may need to upgrade their rating after a second trip. We shall see...
(2)Mya T.
Really good chicken sandwich. Great location!
(4)Lee T.
This is my Seinfeld "Restaurant." Yes, I'm a dork, but there's never been a bad meal here which says a lot considering the size of the menu! Beginners will go right for the deli sandwich. The hot pastrami is excellent. The turkey with havarti dill triple decker club is two meals. The specials have that "like mom used to make" quality. The matzoh ball soup is super filling. Any time of day, any time of year, S&S has got it goin' ON! I especially love coming here after work. I sit at the bar after 7pm. It's quiet, there's TVs, and usually quick service.
(5)Lissy R.
This is one of my favorite places in the Boston/Cambridge area! It is consistently excellent for breakfast, brunch, and lunch! The menu is quite expansive. Be sure to save room for the chocolate cake!
(5)Jen M.
I love the S & S! The food is so delicious, the staff is so attentive, kind and down to earth, and the atmosphere is everything that I love about Cambridge. The prices are great, and the portions are perfect! They give you more than you would probably make for yourself, but they don't overwhelm you with too much food either!
(4)Steve S.
I have eaten at S&S twice, once for brunch (on a Sunday) and once for dinner. I would not advise going here for dinner - the atmosphere reminded me of an old folks home. On Sunday for brunch, my party of 5 waited for over half an hour for a table after the hostess told us it would be 15 or 20 minutes. Waiting area was crowded and loud, general chaos. When it's your turn to be seated, your number is called out over an intercom (super classy) so you're forced to stand inside while waiting for your number to be called. Most of us ordered breakfast. The portion sizes were good, but my food came out lukewarm at best. I paid about $16 total for a coffee and an omelette with tax and tip. The waitress was nice and diligently refilled our coffees/waters. However, at one point, another member of the wait staff verbally berated our waitress (in full hearing range of costumers) - too complicated to get into here, but I felt extremely uncomfortable/sorry for our waitress. Can't remember the last time I witnessed something so unprofessional. I would not recommend this place and don't plan on going back if I can help it.
(2)Shandra S.
Came here with my sister and the food was really good. She got the eggs benedict, I got the pumpkin spice pancakes. She got a mimosa and I got a margarita. Neither had much alcohol. I wish I could rate the service separately from the food. Colleen was our waitress and she wasn't very personable at all. Not rude, just kinda blahhh. Anyway, my pancakes came with a choice of meat and I ordered the bacon. When they got to me I had 4 sausages. I normally don't complain bacon is a necessity. I politely mentioned that I asked for bacon (I don't mess with people who are handling my food)and she apologized and said she would bring over the bacob. Before it was ready she came over with an empty plate and a fork. She reached over my plate and took the sausages off of my plate. I've never had anything like that happen. Was she going to give it to someone else!? It was just weird. Once my plate is in front of me don't touch it until I'm done. I would go back, just not if she were involved in the experience.
(3)Sarah R.
I can only speak for the wings, but they are so gooooood!! The S&S sauce is amazing.
(4)Joe G.
Menu was huge. Place was really packed. Service was just ok, they were understaffed. Food wasn't great but it hit the spot. Next time I'll get the bagel deli sandwich
(3)Lyndsey C.
A strong 4. Really enjoyed the expansive menu and everything we had was very good. Great selection and something for everyone. Pleasant staff, decently priced.
(4)Melissa B.
The only time I go to the S&S is when my long-time girlfriend is in town with her husband and horribly behaved toddler. It's the only place that I figure I won't be embarrased by the snot-nosed kid scrambling around the floor for fries. Life's too short to waste calories here.
(1)Michelle D.
An institution in Inman Square, my mother took us here when we were young and I still eat at this restaurant. I have very fond memories of this place. You can't go wrong with the potato pancakes or the Monte Christo sandwich. The salads are gigantic and really well thought out, not just some iceberg lettuce and a slice of tomato. The menu is enormous and everyone will be able to find something they like. A liquor license rounds out the experience. It can get extremely crowded for brunch on the weekends but while you wait you can go next door to Stellabella toys and bring out your inner child.
(5)Day B.
Yes, the service is horrible...but that's why I ALWAYS ask to be in Sue's seating area. There are two Sues, and they are related funny enough, and they are wonderful and attentive. Which helps me to focus on the amazing brunch this place serves. Pancakes are great but the waffles are better, esp. with fruit and bacon. Mmmmmmm. Please give this place a chance.
(4)Ryan L.
excellent breakfast food. lines are insane on weekends. also the service can be a little slow, ok a lot slow. As good as this place is foodwise, it still can't touch the Town Diner of Watertown.
(4)Aaron S.
MMMM, S & S Deli, this place has by far the best breakfast in the greater Boston area...and they serve it all day long. It is a large place so the wait isn't usually very long if at all. Their omlettes are to die for, and they serve them up with bagels and cream cheese, potatoes and fruit salad. They really hook it up. The only bad thing about this place is that parking can be a bit of a pain in Inman Sq., though they now have two parking lots of their own.
(5)Lauren C.
I've only been here twice, and had 2 different experiences, but I would still say overall its pretty great. The first time we had a great waiter, great food, the quiche lorraine is delectable...second time I thought the waiter was a little snippy, and I didn't particularly like what I ordered (one of the omelets) but everyone else had great food, especially the belgian waffles. They do have really great bagels and cream cheese...their breakfasts are really nice, with a good amount of food (with my omelet I got the bagel and cream cheese, homefries and fresh fruit). Even on Sunday when they are the most busy we didn't have to wait very long for a table. I'd like to go again and try lunch!
(4)Ruth P.
Okay, I just wrote a review for this place and yelp deleted it. (Nish, I blame this entirely on you). So anyhow... I wasn't too impressed with this place. As a non-meat eater (I'll do anything vegetarian and the occasional seafood dish) the options didn't make me drool. I ordered a fish dish which was decent but nothing to write home about. I can't remember exactly what the bill came to, but I left feeling like I really hadn't gotten my money's worth in this rather generic restaurant.
(3)Josh F.
A long-time favorite in Inman Square. Large and varied menu featuring steaks, seafood and deli sandwiches. Breakfast is served all day. Reasonaby priced ($10 average per plate) especially considering the huge portions they serve. For a restaurant with a Jewish/German heritage, I do wish they had more ethnic dishes. The potato pancakes are excellent. If you're vegetarian, you should think twice about going to a place with "deli" in the name.
(4)Daniel B.
S&S is pretty much the default when I am just hungry and don't want any trouble, or when I feel in the mood for some good brunch. The breadth of foods available in each of the menus is impressive. A couple times I found the food to be less than great. Once was when it seemed extremely busy and another time was late night. However, most of the time the food is average to very good.
(4)Joanna S.
came here for desserts after a concert at the lily pad (across the street) the dessert was great the waitress was not. it took her over 15 mins to get us the fruit salad. highly recommend this place as a family restaurant. very kid friendly.
(3)Sean H.
Their Sunday brunch is fantastic, but their monte cristo sandwich is to die for!
(4)L S.
I have had a lot of experience with this Deli and I don't like it. The service there is terrible! And the food is pricey yet not that good. I think the desserts and the S&S wings are yummy, but everything else is mediocre.
(3)Jessica H.
Okay, I like the S&S. Their food ain't bad! The meat is always fresh and delicious and I absolutely love the S&S wings. HOWEVER, the service is awful and the prices are through the roof. If you feel like spending a ton of money on a pretty good sandwich and some wings, go here!
(3)Megan B.
Mmmmm, I love S&S. They have all the Polish specialties you could ever ask for (and plenty that you didn't ask for) as well as a whole lineup of amazing food. The serve breakfast all day, but I'm a big fan of their sandwiches. They even have parking!!!
(5)Juliette V.
I really have wanted to like this place. It is a traditional deli reight around the corner from my house. But, I have found a only a few things on the menu worth getting. I have been disappointed with the service and the food on too many occasions. But that said, if you want a kinish in Cambridge, this is a good place to look.
(2)Gil G.
Rude waitress. Food took FOREVER, and it was just "eh" when it finally came.
(2)Lalin A.
Had a sunday brunch there. One of the richest American breakfasts you can find in town (for the price)! Had the two eggs-bacon, bagel-cream cheese and coffee. What a good combination. Was overall a satisfying experience.
(4)Kristine M.
I like this place, especially for brunch. Good breakfast, good bagel/lox platter, and yummy knishes. I have to agree though, the people they hire to wait tables there are a bunch of jerks, which is a definitely turn off.
(4)Shine B.
I had a pretty bad time at S&S today. It BOTHERS me that they don't have a kids menu and they don't have any option to get just one pancake for a 2 year old. All of their pancake plates are 9 dollars (which I think is really expensive for Inman Square - we're not on 5th Avenue in NYC mind you) and they only give you three medium sized cakes, so its hard to share. Today I requested a blueberry pancake plate, and asked that one of the pancakes be made "plain". This wasn't possible I was told. Bull sh**. This really makes me mad. They see I have a young child with me and intentially want to 1)rip me off and 2)waste food. They are officially off my list because of this lack of flexibility and respect for my money.
(1)Huan z.
This restrurant deserves no star at all. But I have to pick at least one star other wise Yelp won't let me submit this review. on well. They have terrible service. My friend and I got stomch ache after eatten the irfood and had to use the bathroom after. Will never try there again!
(1)Eric C.
Simply awful. I've been to this place around 5 times over the past 3 years, mostly when I'm with a group of people who want to go. The food and service is consistently bad. Last time I was there, the bagel tasted like one of those plastic wrapped bagels in airline food, the hash browns were like mashed potatoes soaked in grease with some brown food coloring, the omelette tasted like it came from a cheap chain hotel restaurant, and the OJ seemed to be from concentrate. The service was even worse. Our waiter was downright rude. He literally slammed our drinks down on the table, causing them to spill somewhat. Then my girlfriend asked for more syrup and he audibly gasped, made a face, threw his hands up and walked away without saying a word. After that, he proceeded to get into an argument with the busboys about the tip left by the people at the table next to us. My guess is this place was good 70 years ago, and current owners are riding on that name.
(1)Ani G.
This place is pretty mediocre. It has 2 things going for it: an extensive menu (so if you have a large and picky party, probably everyone will find SOMETHING that they will eat) and free parking. The food is okay, but not stellar, and not cheap either, for what you get. I've been here several times for weekend brunch and have been consistently underwhelmed. The service is pretty inattentive. Do not expect to get drink refills (or your check, for that matter) unless you flag someone down.
(2)