Drifter's Tale

Name: Drifter's Tale
Address: 1281 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA, United States, 02139
Telephone: (617) 714-5712
Price range: $31 to $50
Rating: 4.1

4.1

14 Reviews

$31 to $50

Gastro Pub

Innovative
Neighbourhood gem
Great for outdoor dining

This globe-trotting menu, created by Executive Chef Scott McCarthy, offers comfort classics and dishes inspired by flavors from around the world, as well as an impressive list of local beer and thoughtful craft cocktails.

Although the atmosphere is very comfortable and casual, there are no details spared. From the sausage made in the Drifter’s scratch kitchen to the playful cocktail names (i.e. ‘Resting Spritz Face’), the team works to create a neighborhood environment without compromising the quality.

Located conveniently on Cambridge St. in Inman Square, in between Harvard Sq. and Kendall Sq.

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Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Gastro Pub, Tapas / Small Plates
Hours of Operation
Wed–Fri 4:00 pm–11:30 pm Sat 4:00 pm–12:30 am Sun 4:00 pm–10:30 pm Bar Wed–Fri 4:00 pm–11:30 pm Sat 4:00 pm–12:00 am Sun 4:00 pm–10:30 pm Dinner Wed, Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:45 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:45 pm
Phone number
(617) 714-5712
Website
https://www.drifterstale.com/
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive Chef
Scott McCarthy

Location
1281 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139
Area
Cambridge
Parking details
Street Parking
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Entertainment, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Wheelchair Access, Wine

White Bean DipUSD 10.00
olive & artichoke tapenade, pita chips
Chicken WingsUSD 13.00
buffalo & blue cheese, BBQ dry rub, or garlic parmesan
Chickpea FrittersUSD 10.00
spicy avocado piccalilli sauce
Crispy CauliflowerUSD 9.00
sour cream & charred onion dip, chives
Blackened Fish Tacos*USD 14.00
quick pickled red cabbage, thai chili aioli, radish, cilantro & lime
Argentinian EmpanadasUSD 13.00
painted hills beef, olives, egg, chimichurri, red pepper crema
PoutineUSD 11.00
queso fonduta, pan roasted mushrooms, aleppo chili, scallions
French Dip Pigs in a BlanketUSD 12.00
brisket, caramelized onion, frank & puff pastry, mustard jus
Drifter's NachosUSD 12.00
cheddar cheese sauce, pinto beans al pastor, napa cabbage, pickled jalapeno & onion, pico de gallo, smoked chili crema

Flatbreads

BBQ Braised ChickenUSD 14.00
BBQ sauce, cheddar, shaved red onion, scallions, fried onions
Spinach & Goat CheeseUSD 12.00
crispy artichokes, parmesan cream, fried garlic, lemon

Salads & Sandwiches

Baby GreensUSD 10.00
radish, green goddess dressing, pumpkin seeds, crispy puffed rice
Mushroom & Quinoa SaladUSD 13.00
spinach, pear, parmesan, pecans, mustard vin
Brisket Grilled CheeseUSD 16.00
onion marmalade, swiss & cheddar, whole grain mustard
Eggplant ReubenUSD 14.00
pastrami spiced eggplant, sauerkraut, swiss cheese, russian dressing
Tale Burger*USD 18.00
painted hills beef, cheddar, crispy onions, bibb lettuce, roasted garlic aioli

Entrees

Shrimp & Grits*USD 22.00
marinated shrimp, cheesy grits, mushrooms, bacon, scallion & cilantro
Roasted Pork Loin*USD 24.00
dijon herb crust, crispy smashed potatoes, braised cabbage, apple butter
Steak Frites*USD 28.00
8 oz bavette steak, mustard herb butter, fries, arugula & radish salad

Sides

Fries or Truffle FriesUSD 7.00
Crispy Brussels SproutsUSD 10.00
chili flake, lemon zest & parm
Cheesy Cheddar GritsUSD 7.00
scallions

Sweets

Chocolate Chip Cookie SandwichUSD 8.00
milk chocolate dipped w/ cookie dough ice cream
Apple Bread PuddingUSD 10.00
peanut butter whiskey caramel

What 14 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

4.1

4.1 based on all time ratings

4.1Food
4.2Service
4.1Ambience
4Value

Noise • Moderate

14 Reviews

J
Jason
VIP
Greater Boston
23 reviews
3.0
23 reviews
Dined on 13 May 2022
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
Burger was good but the roll was old. Fries needed to be cooked more. Friend’s medium steak frites was 1/4 rate. Server was really nice but then she disappeared then another guy said he was our server but then she came back so? It was ok. Really busy and very loud.
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J
Jess
VIP
Greater Boston
57 reviews
5.0
57 reviews
Dined on 16 April 2022
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food, terrific staff, and a fun vibe.
Is this helpful?
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York City
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on 13 February 2022
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 2
The music is too loud, the lights are too bright, it is not cozy at all. The food is good but overpriced.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Greater Boston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 16 January 2022
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Great food, great service!
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P
Pickymom
Greater Boston
34 reviews
4.0
34 reviews
Dined on 27 December 2021
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
Food was good and interesting choices. I wish they had more vegetarian options. I got vegetarian pot stickers and they were quite good. Drinks were interesting and good It was right after Christmas and it was pretty empty and kind of cold. I would have liked it to be a little warmer inside. The service was spotty. Nice enough, just for being kind of empty, not super attentive. Overall nice meal
1 person found this helpful
KM
KateM
Greater Boston
8 reviews
3.0
8 reviews
Dined on 11 December 2021
1. Overall 3
2. Food 4
3. Service 3
4. Ambience 3
Not sure how this place ended up in Eater. Food was good, cocktails were terrible (like, college-bar level sweetness and quality). Lots of TVs, just your average neighborhood bar - wouldn’t call it a “gastropub”.
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TA
TATOT
VIP
Greater Boston
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined on 14 November 2021
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 3
Nice little place. Very good staff. Bit too loud.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
14 reviews
5.0
14 reviews
Dined on 13 November 2021
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Very casual ambience with simple food done well. Loved the paella (takes 25 minutes so be warned; we were in no hurry). Also loved sausage flatbread. Very pleasant waitstaff.
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LS
LiaS
Greater Boston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on 23 October 2021
1. Overall 5
2. Food 4
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 5
Good food, the waitress's suggestions were excellent. Service was great , attentive but not overbearing.
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MA
MAry
Greater Boston
2 reviews
1.0
2 reviews
Dined on 22 October 2021
1. Overall 1
2. Food 2
3. Service 1
4. Ambience 3
We ordered wings as an appetizer that took 30 minutes to come to the table. Our waitress didn’t check on us once and we had to ask a different waitress to check on our food. I ordered a margarita that took 20 minutes to come. The paella was good aside from the mussels which were nearly inedible because they tasted like sewage.
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FAQs

Drifter's Tale offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (617) 714-5712.

Drifter's Tale is rated 4.1 stars by 14 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Not available on OpenTable

Unfortunately, this restaurant is not on the OpenTable booking network. To check availability, please contact them directly.

Is this your restaurant?

Claim this listing

Order delivery or takeout

1281 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02139

Additional information

Area
Cambridge
Hours of Operation
Wed–Fri 4:00 pm–11:30 pm Sat 4:00 pm–12:30 am Sun 4:00 pm–10:30 pm Bar Wed–Fri 4:00 pm–11:30 pm Sat 4:00 pm–12:00 am Sun 4:00 pm–10:30 pm Dinner Wed, Thu, Sun 5:00 pm–9:45 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:45 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Gastro Pub, Tapas / Small Plates
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Street Parking
Payment Options
AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive Chef
Scott McCarthy
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Entertainment, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeaway, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
https://www.drifterstale.com/
Phone number
(617) 714-5712

Drifter's Tale

Not available on OpenTable

Order delivery or takeout

There’s more to explore

Additional information

Shared Plates

White Bean DipUSD 10.00

Chicken WingsUSD 13.00

Chickpea FrittersUSD 10.00

Crispy CauliflowerUSD 9.00

Blackened Fish Tacos*USD 14.00

Argentinian EmpanadasUSD 13.00

PoutineUSD 11.00

French Dip Pigs in a BlanketUSD 12.00

Drifter's NachosUSD 12.00

Flatbreads

BBQ Braised ChickenUSD 14.00

Spinach & Goat CheeseUSD 12.00

Salads & Sandwiches

Baby GreensUSD 10.00

Mushroom & Quinoa SaladUSD 13.00

Brisket Grilled CheeseUSD 16.00

Eggplant ReubenUSD 14.00

Tale Burger*USD 18.00

Entrees

Shrimp & Grits*USD 22.00

Roasted Pork Loin*USD 24.00

Steak Frites*USD 28.00

Sides

Fries or Truffle FriesUSD 7.00

Crispy Brussels SproutsUSD 10.00

Cheesy Cheddar GritsUSD 7.00

Sweets

Chocolate Chip Cookie SandwichUSD 8.00

Apple Bread PuddingUSD 10.00

Overall ratings and reviews

FAQs

Does Drifter's Tale offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Drifter's Tale restaurant rated?

Is Drifter's Tale currently accepting bookings?

Not available on OpenTable

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information