Bar lovers bemoan the current state of drinking in the Square—the Good Will Hunting curse proved deadly for the Bow, landlords kicked out Grafton and pesky cops forced the closure of the Grille. But as they bitch about the lack of quality liquor-selling establishments, gowns so often forget that local town favorite, Whitney’s. Adorned with a simple shamrock motif, the small bar is so unobtrusive, many students don’t even realize it exists. Yet, across from 7-11 and tucked between Leo’s and the AmEx travel agency on JFK St. is one of the most unique—and best—bars in Cambridge.
Last Saturday night, as hundreds of first-years converged on the Quad, the old band of regulars gathered around the Whitney’s bar. One man, in a clown ensemble that included a rubber chicken and lots of face makeup, was offering up balloon animals to women. The price? One dance. Bandana headbands seemed to be the fashion trend of the night, although strange hats were also quite prevalent. The crowd welcomed any and all newcomers to grab a stool and get smashed. Even the bouncer, a friendly man doing shots every once in a while, joined in on conversations and added to the convivial atmosphere.
The TV in the back of the room glowed with scenes from Brady Bunch: The Movie as the juke box played a wide range of tunes, including an extended jazz version of “My Favorite Things” and “Country Road” by the late John Denver. The most prominent entertainment device is a golf arcade game that entirely baffled the staff of FM. Luckily, the darts are much more self-explanatory.
Martini maniacs may not find any fancy concoctions on the menu, but they do have beer—and three kinds of hard lemonade—for reasonable prices. Maybe that’s why students will recognize many of the faces. Even though none of the regulars have sat in on an Ec10 lecture, they’re just as solid a part of the Harvard culture and count on Whitney’s as a hideaway from all those bratty college kids. That being said, the Whitney’s crew is not averse to serving up a cold one to the occasional Harvard customer.
During a game of checkers, a regular barside attraction with Vinnie, Vietnam vet and checker master, the Harvard Square character shared his game strategy with an FM staffer: “I’m going to make you disappear. Well, not you. Your checkers. I don’t ever want you to leave. I want to chain you to my bed.” Then he tried to seal the deal with a sloppy kiss. Now that doesn’t happen at Daedalus.
