Restaurant Brings New Beat to Harvard Square

The restaurant and concert venue Beat Hôtel is now open at 13 Brattle St., bringing live music, colorful décor, and a taste of “la vie bohème” to Harvard Square.

Led by the same team that operates The Beehive in Boston’s South End, the Beat Hôtel draws inspiration from a rundown hotel in Paris that housed numerous writers and artists of the so-called Beat Generation during the 1950s and ’60s, according to Jack Bardy, Beat Hôtel’s operating partner.

“The idea behind it is something that’s fitting for Cambridge, Harvard Square, and the community,” said Bardy, adding that the venue’s “hippy-bohemian” ambiance compliments the Square’s tone.

The 360-capacity restaurant, which replaced The Tannery’s underground location, held a soft opening on Sept. 12, as Bardy said he did not want to open with a lot of fanfare.

“We’re planning on being there a very long time, so we’re taking a strong, methodical approach to opening,” Bardy said.

According to Bardy, the American brasserie serves “wholesome, approachable food,” whether it is a snack at one of the two bars or a full meal in the dining room or private dining space. The menu includes vegan options.

Beat Hôtel joins the musical ranks of the long-standing Club Passim and fellow newcomer The Sinclair in Harvard Square.

With a September lineup including Benny Benson and Zap, Oscar Stagnaro Latin Band, Sarah Brindell, and a Coltrane tribute, Bardy said that the uniqueness of Beat Hôtel stems from its integration of music into the restaurant’s atmosphere.

“Our main focus is to have the most innovative, cutting-edge, serious musicians in most any genre,” he said. While the venue primarily seeks to bring in jazz and blues artists, Bardy added that if the music is not too overwhelming and “if it’s fitting for our atmosphere, we’ll do it.”

Launching the Beat Hôtel fulfills a longtime dream of Bardy’s to open a place in Harvard Square that would appeal to its diverse crowd.

Beat Hôtel is currently open daily at 5 p.m.,with music starting around 8 p.m., and serves only dinner and drinks. But, Bardy noted that the venue might eventually be open for breakfast and lunch as well.

Bruce Ferrara, music director of The Beehive and of the new Harvard Square location, told The Crimson last October that he believed Harvard Square’s vibrancy has declined over the recent decades, and that he hoped the new venue will help support the return of a thriving music culture.

—Staff writer Nikki D. Erlick can be reached at nikki.erlick@thecrimson.com. Follow her on Twitter @nikkierlick.