I found out about this lil gem through a friend and have been here twice to experience the daily transformation.
As a fan of graffiti and pop art I found this to be a real treasure, as there aren't many spots left in this country that allow this art expression in an open, welcomed public forum.
If this type of art is not for you, skip it rather than posting a bad review. For those that appreciate this type of expression, it's worth a look if you're in the area.
A side note: if this is your jam, check out Quincy Quarries as well. It's worth the drive.
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There is vomit and urine on the sidewalks. It's horrible.
Overall the shops at Central square and the area would be nice without the unsavory population which make it difficult and dangerous to frequent. This is during the daytime hours as well.
I think Central would be a great place once they clean it up and get rid of the loitering and dangerous stragglers.
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anyone can come here and add their work.
only $2 for 2 hours of parking out back behind central kitchen which is right on the side of the alley.
if you have free time go here, pretty cool to see.
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Central Square has it all.
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I'll repeat what I said in my review of the oft-maligned Lexington Market in Baltimore: if you're afraid of poor people, racial minorities, crowds, and brusque urbanites, perhaps large East Coast cities are not for you, my dear.
I AM knocking off a star because of the weird inbound/outbound arrangements of the Central T station. What's up with that?
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The odds are that you will be asked for money, cigarettes or food as you stroll through Central Square, and those odds increase as the day rolls into the night. I have never felt frightened here, but I do not make eye contact when someone tells me I look hot or they need help because they lost their wallet and T pass. I just keep going. But if you are into seeing arrests being made, hang out here and you'll be satisfied.
And if you are trying to quit smoking? This is a great place to give away your unwanted cigarettes. It seems every other person in Central Square wants one.
If you take the T, chances are that when you swipe your Charlie Card, you will have someone trailing your backside and almost hanging onto you in order to skip paying the fare. This drives me crazy. I have never seen more people skipping their fare than I have at this station. And if you use the elevator to go up or down, it stinks beyond anything, so hold your breath.
So, onto the cool stuff. Are you hungry? All kinds of stellar restaurants tug for your allegiance in Central Square, including personal favorites Central Kitchen, Life Alive, Veggie Galaxy and Thelonious Monkfish. A few blocks away from the T stop, you can find other winners, including Bondir, Craigie on Main, Salts, Oleana, Green Street, Cuchi Cuchi, Area Four and Catalyst. Other options include Toscanini's, Mary Chung, Rangzen, and The River Gods.
Many of the restaurants offer sidewalk dining during good weather, which is always appreciated. And the farmers market in the summer is just fantastic. (It's in the lot behind the alleyway with the cool graffiti art.)
There's a chocolate factory nearby, just down the street on the way to MIT, that spews out the most delicious chocolate smells ever. It's so luscious that you just want to drink the air up.
There's not a ton of good shopping here, with a couple of exceptions. Two of the best art stores (my favorite is Artist and Craftsman Supplies) and two really decent thrift shops are located in Central Square. And stop in at Harvest for groceries and wine on the way home.
Walk up the street in one direction and you'll get to Harvard. Go the other way and you'll get to MIT. Walk down Prospect Street, past the Whole Foods, and you'll get to Inman Square. Central Square really is Central.
I'm here a lot and am a big fan of Central Square. I hope you appreciate this very unique part of town, split personality and all.
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It hasn't been flattened and cyborg-resurrected by the capitalist whirlwind of creative destruction. (Cough, Kendall.)
It hasn't been historically-preserved to the ironic point where only horrible Gaps and Starbucks can afford its real estate. (Cough, Harvard.)
It artfully conceals its parking lots. (Cough, Porter.)
It's the crown of Cambridgeport. Or the glittering glass slipper of that whole undefined mid-Cambridge area.
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But it's also filthy and disgusting, filled with disgusting bums, beggars, crazy people, drug dealers, spit, piss, and garbage. Under no circumstances should toddlers ever be brought to Central Square. It's simply too filthy.
Sigh.
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the road signs here are pretty lax. it's really common to turn left when it particularly says NO LEFTS, but only the pedestrians crossing the street seem to mind.
It's a good mix of business and pleasure, and by pleasure i am referring again to the bums. call me maybe, but it's a place i can call home!
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I have to subtract a star because it can be confusing to figure out which entrance to the station you are supposed to use. You've gotta know which side of the street to be on, to go in the direction you want to go. (North side for outbound, south side for inbound.) And it can be hard to find the right entrance if you want to add money to your card – several (most?) of the entrances are Charlie Card only with no machines. But, the multiple entrances along Mass. Ave. also make it more likely that there will be one close to you when it's time to get on the T – so we're right back at four stars, yes we are.
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Little known fact for the ladies in skirts- The entrance staircase is actually a super strong wind tunnel making it the number one place in all of Massachusetts to pull off a fantastic Marilyn Monroe impression.
Don't say I never told you anything useful.
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There's a reason Central square doesn't feature in films about Boston.
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No stores to speak of, so the couple that are there suffer.
But there is really, truly great food all over the place, and there is really, truly, nowhere better to go see indie rock. You just have to accept that it is what it is, and keep a hand on your wallet.
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No, Central, you're solidly three stars. There are a couple of places where you class up, like Rendezous, Central Kitchen, and Craigie on Main.
You've got live music in ZuZu, Middle East, and Cantab. Enormous Room, Phoenix Landing, and Middlesex have the dancing bit covered, even though that's not really my thing.
You've got everything I need within walking distance: Shaw's, dueling liquor stores, dry cleaners, red line access, theater, trivia, and plenty of other fun neighborhood/non-chain stores and restaurants (Toscanini's and Cafe Luna standout here).
If that were all, you'd probably get a fourth star. But Central is a place where I feel like I can either dress to the nines or get freshman drunk–either way, there's a place for me. There are homeless panhandlers outside of every convenience store and fast food joint. The ATM stalls reek of urine. And the Walgreens is probably the sketchiest Walgreens I've ever seen.
Like I said, I don't want you to change. I think you're perfect as the ugly-hipster duckling you are.
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It was really the first time that I actually took the time to really think it through. I mean, I always knew I liked Central. Many of my favorite restaurants are within walking distance of one another (Tavern in the Square, Rendezvous, Green Street, Garden at the Cellar), there are many super fun bars to visit (Tavern again, People's Republik, Phoenix Landing, The Field), I can see live music and then eat ice cream until I explode (Middle East and Toscaninis, respectively; and please note that you can reverse the order of that and it works just as well), and there is one of the best sports bars in New England right there at your disposal (Phoenix Landing again).
When I'm ready to dance, I have what seems like endless choices depending on how much or how late I want to dance (Enormous Room, ZuZu, Middle East again, and of course, in line outside of ZuZu). When I want to take food out on the way home, there are many options I can choose from that aren't going to give me a heart attack at 40 or make me broke (Picante, the sushi section of Whole Foods). If I want to get some aspirin or a magazine, there's two drugstores and two 7-11s all within two blocks of one another. (Excessive, but convenience is fabulous when excessive!) And Central is on the Red Line, which is the cleanest, most functional, and speedy train line of them all.
Yeah, I guess if I reeeeeally have to think about it, I suppose…. I suppose I am pretty smitten with Central Square.
And yes, of course there are times where I wish that the lady who lives on the bench across from Picante would finally stop yelling at everyone, and I would really dig it if the folks around town would learn how to actually use trash cans (and not for drum practice.) I would be thrilled if the peeps who congregate in front of the bus stop all the time would ACTUALLY TAKE THE BUS instead of just standing around and having an all-day chat and waiting for people to come out of the liquor store right behind them in the hopes that they will get a swig or a treat.
And I think that I will always be in awe of the people I have (until now) secretly named The University of McGillicudy Medical Students, who are outside having the best time ever at 8:00 a.m. or earlier, already (or still) drunk – and who are in the same exact place when I get home from work, already (or still) drunk. Oh, Central.
But even though I know that my love for Central seems obvious to me, I was surprised to learn that it was obvious to others. So I asked what gave it away.
He chuckled. "You are always smiling. When I see you, you are always smiling."
And then he took a huge swig of a drink in a brown bag. "And every time I see you, it's when you get off the Central T stop and start invading my living space!!"
Oh, did I trip over your shopping cart full of booze and blankets?
"But I forgive you for that, you love my home."