The nightlife in the Square has increased from the addition of new restaurants, such as Tasty Burger, Insomnia Cookies, and The Sinclair.

When the AMC Loews shuttered its doors in July 2012, Harvard Square lost one of its prominent late night attractions. The absence of the theater not only left a void in the Square’s nighttime entertainment offerings but also curbed the number of people on the streets after dark.

Nevertheless, more restaurants serving food past midnight have recently cropped up in the Square.

In the past year, Tasty Burger opened its doors, Insomnia Cookies brought fresh-baked desserts into the Square, and The Sinclair created not only a late-night restaurant but also a concert venue. Yogurtland is slated to arrive soon and serve up forzen yogurt until midnight.

The surge of late-night options has catered to the desire for a more robust nighttime culture and satiated the stomachs of students and residents, but it has also increased competition for existing businesses that have long been open after midnight.

As new late-night eateries continue to emerge, Harvard Square is poised to play host to an even more vibrant nightlife.

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Late Night in the Square

ZERO HOUR SNACKING

While Harvard Square staples like IHOP, Market in the Square, Falafel Corner, and Hong Kong Restaurant emerged during the earlier years of the late-night trend, this past year saw a spike in the number of eateries open into early morning hours.

“Late-night in Harvard Square is something that we have been working on for several years,” said Denise A. Jillson, executive director of the Harvard Square Business Association.

According to Jillson, the improvements in the late-night offerings stem from the Healthy Harvard Square Initiative—a series of meetings held by the Economic Development Division of Cambridge from 2005 to 2006 to find out what students, property owners, business owners, and residents hoped to see in the Square. The most popular request was for more late-night dining and entertainment options.

Seven years after these meetings, Christopher A. Miao ’16 said he found it “surprising” that Harvard had so many late-night options. For him, Tasty Burger seemed to be the “game-changer,” as it stays open until 4 a.m.

“It used to be just a pizza and a burrito, but if you throw in a burger, that just changes everything,” Miao said.

Renee Sarnecky, marketing manager of Serve U Brands, the parent company of Insomnia Cookies, noted that these late-night hours can improve business. For Insomnia Cookies, that time is central to when the company makes a profit.

“I think it’s where we find the most excitement and where we see the biggest spike in the business,” she said.

Both Felipe’s Tacqueria co-owner Thomas J. Brush and Pinocchio’s co-owner Adam DiCenso noted that most revenue made by their restaurants comes from the lunch and dinner rush, but business begins to pick up again after midnight.

HUNGRY AFTER MIDNIGHT