Harvard Gardens   

316 Cambridge St
Boston, MA 2114
617-523-2727
www.harvardgardens.com

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What the Silvertone is to the Ladder District, Harvard Gardens is to the backside of Beacon Hill, offering an oasis of unpretentious nightlife in an area known for its attitude. Stationed on an unglamorous strip of Cambridge Street between the Salt-and-Pepper Bridge and Mass. General, this space was transformed from a pedestrian pub into its current incarnation by the Lyons Group, the impresarios responsible for Axis, Avalon, Sonsie and the Paradise. Despite this heady resume, the Gardens leaves the velvet-rope aspirations to its brethren, catering instead to a youngish crowd of Hill professionals, hospital staffers and low-key singles.Though the bar scene is often too bustling for comfort (the crowd is standing-room-only from Thursday through Sunday), the restaurant section manages to stay relatively serene, with spacious booths and warm lighting making for a cozy retro ambience. The food is classic comfort cuisine, with a nod to upscale New American in dishes like the asparagus ravioli with English peas and white truffle essence. The real workhorses of the menu, however, are homey, easy-to-love staples -- among them mouth-watering mashed potatoes, single-sized pizzas (from margherita to seared scallop) and macaroni and cheese just like Mom used to make.