Magazine, Affleck Give The Grille Thumbs Up

Harvard Square stands for world-famous academics, eclectic bookstores--and now sports bars.

In its July issue, ESPN Magazine named the Crimson Sports Bar and Grille, at 59 JFK St., one of the top 10 college sports bars in the country.

The Grille also won accolades from local-boys-turned-film-stars Matt Damon, a member of the class of 1992, and Ben Affleck.

In Boston Magazine's August issue, featuring its Best of Boston awards, Damon said any bar in Harvard Square is his favorite, while Affleck named the Grille.

Manager Matt Kline attributed the Grille's popularity to the wide range of sports the bar's six televisions offer.

"We do all sports. That's the key," he said.

Grille patrons agreed with the management's assessment.

"It does a service to Harvard Square. This is a place where you can really come to watch a game," said Mather resident and water polo player Christopher J. Tilghman '99.

Kline said he receives a wider range of games than other sports bars.

Every Grille staff member is trained to use "the satellites," Kline said. A computer is programmed each morning to show the day's key matches.

Yesterday afternoon, a crowd of customers roared as Mark McGwire tied Roger Maris' major-league record of 61 home runs.

Later, the season opener Monday night football game packed the bar again.

"People always come back if they get what they want," Kline said.

Recent college graduates are the Grille's main patrons. College football games on Saturdays draw locals to the Grille to cheer for their alma maters.

"Every year we get Duke alumni during basketball season," Kline said. He added thatmany regulars hail from Harvard Business School,located across the river.

Undergraduates come at night when the olderregulars leave, but have been spotted gazing atESPN from time to time.

"Even the Harvard kids support their own teamswhen they're on TV," Kline said.

The Grille repays sports teams for theirloyalty. Harvard soccer player Naomi S. Miller '99said the bar lets the team use a back room towatch its videotaped games.

"It's a good sports bar. We're on the soccerteam so we come here to watch games," Miller said,speaking for her teammates Emily Stauffer '98-'99and Jennifer Burney '99.

"There's not many bars here in Cambridge,"Stauffer said. "If you show up at the Grilleyou're more likely to see people you know."

Though bartender Kevin Tessner estimates thatHarvard students make up about 50 percent of theGrille's patrons, he first went to the bar as anundergraduate at Boston College (BC).

Tessner, who graduated last spring, said manyBC students make the trek on Thursday nightseither by bus or a $10 cab ride. Students fromTufts and Boston University also frequent theGrille.

"It's a good bar to hang out at. It's a funcrowd," Tessner said.

According to Tessner, "cheap beer, good foodand a college crowd," draw Grille regulars foreach new season.

The Grille's reputation spreads by word ofmouth, according to Kline, who added that the bardoes little advertising. ESPN Magazine's citationdidn't even make the walls, which instead displaybeer advertisements and sports memorabilia.

Although the Grille prides itself on a studentcrowd, Kline added that the Grille rigorouslychecks identification to ensure its revelers areover 21.

"They've got to have a proper ID to get in,"Kline said, declining to comment on the bar'srun-ins with the Cambridge Licensing Commissionlast fall.

In a November hearing the Grille's alcohollicense was restored after a six-day suspension. Alicense commission sting operation had foundseveral underage patrons at the bar in October1996

Undergraduates come at night when the olderregulars leave, but have been spotted gazing atESPN from time to time.

"Even the Harvard kids support their own teamswhen they're on TV," Kline said.

The Grille repays sports teams for theirloyalty. Harvard soccer player Naomi S. Miller '99said the bar lets the team use a back room towatch its videotaped games.

"It's a good sports bar. We're on the soccerteam so we come here to watch games," Miller said,speaking for her teammates Emily Stauffer '98-'99and Jennifer Burney '99.

"There's not many bars here in Cambridge,"Stauffer said. "If you show up at the Grilleyou're more likely to see people you know."

Though bartender Kevin Tessner estimates thatHarvard students make up about 50 percent of theGrille's patrons, he first went to the bar as anundergraduate at Boston College (BC).

Tessner, who graduated last spring, said manyBC students make the trek on Thursday nightseither by bus or a $10 cab ride. Students fromTufts and Boston University also frequent theGrille.

"It's a good bar to hang out at. It's a funcrowd," Tessner said.

According to Tessner, "cheap beer, good foodand a college crowd," draw Grille regulars foreach new season.

The Grille's reputation spreads by word ofmouth, according to Kline, who added that the bardoes little advertising. ESPN Magazine's citationdidn't even make the walls, which instead displaybeer advertisements and sports memorabilia.

Although the Grille prides itself on a studentcrowd, Kline added that the Grille rigorouslychecks identification to ensure its revelers areover 21.

"They've got to have a proper ID to get in,"Kline said, declining to comment on the bar'srun-ins with the Cambridge Licensing Commissionlast fall.

In a November hearing the Grille's alcohollicense was restored after a six-day suspension. Alicense commission sting operation had foundseveral underage patrons at the bar in October1996