The Casablanca, or the Casa-B for the cognoscenti, is a two-story affair in the back of the Truc building on Brattle St. The downstairs has a fine stretch of mahogany for those who would bend elbows, lots of tables for those who would have conversations, and even wicker love-seats for those who would woo. It's dark here, smoke gets in your eyes, and multitudes of humanity flock here to get glued to the rock.

Upstairs is another story. The remarkable preponderance of tow-heads, the innocuous nature of the bathroom graffito, the stilted conversation of the patrons, and the proliferation of tuxedoes indicate to the wayward observer that he has at last stumbled upon a watering-hole of that too-too-common bird, the New England preppie. The last time we ventured upstairs, the company was chattering about the Groton-St. Marks game, to the disgrace of the formidable Crimson eleven, which had prevailed that very afternoon.

The upstairs is crowded, and there is little room at the bar. Service is terribly slow, the bartenders only like to recognize the Tories, the drinks are nothing special, and neither are the prices. The spot's saving grace is that it is open until 2 a.m., even if they stop serving at 1 a.m. By all means stop up, though, and just tell the regulars you're slumming.

Buddy's Sirloin Pit

39 Brattle St.

Buddy's Sirloin Pit isn't fancy and it misses all the gimmicks that other Square hamburger establishments trade upon, but Buddy's does serve a decently-sized meal of reasonably good taste at relatively cheap prices. Chopped meat is the bread and butter of the Sirloin Pit, but burger isn't the only reason why Buddy's merits a visit.

There are only a very few places around where you can eat a casual meal and enjoy a beer at the same time. Liquor licenses aren't worth the expense for most local restauranteurs but Buddy bought one and it makes his hamburger haven infinitely pleasant. He offers a good variety of brews at low cost--in the half-dollar neighborhood. Buddy also serves pretty tasty fries with his meals, which is normal for this kind of place, but his green salads are as good as any you can get in the area and they too are inexpensive.

Buddy's burgers are big, very big in fact, and are cooked to order over an open fire. The cooks at the Sirloin Pit have a tendency to underdo the meat, so if you don't like your hamburgers on the rare side you better make a point of it in advance. Service is cafeteria style, and the lines get longish around lunch and dinner times so get there early.

Young and Yee

27 Church St.

For years, people have been referring to Young and Yee as Harvard Square's "second" Chinese restaurant. But while the service and the food at its Mass Ave rival has remained somewhat erratic, and the hand has remained heavy on the MSG, Young and Yee has crept slowly upward. It may be ready for the number-one position.

Young and Yee's food is consistently good, if not excellent, and it is consistent--a definite plus. It's standard fare--chow mein and the like--is passable, but far more interesting and sometimes surprising dishes may be found toward the back of the menu, and are worth looking into.

Portions are reasonable, and prices are relatively low. The service is good, and the atmosphere--although not so dressed up as that of Hong Kong--is adequate.

With Joyce Chen's closed for renovations, seekers of standard Chinese food--rather than the new Szechuan variety--may find what they're looking for here.

Hemispheres