Question: I’m not old enough to drink alcohol, and I think this place is a bar - but would I even be allowed in the bar?
It’s a food court, with several stalls dispensing food, and one stall dispensing beer. There’s a little fence around the beer-dispensing booth, which I think is the legal barrier. I would imagine that it has the same legal status as a restaurant that serves drinks, I.e. it is OK for young people. However, I’ve only been there once, and am myself old, so I am not certain of the legal status.
Unfortunately they have a policy that they check ID at the door and only allow those over 21 in. I'm going to update the post now to make this clear. Even when the outdoor patio is open it's still only 21+.
The way I would describe it now is there's a large bar in the main room, and then there's a side room (which is also quite large) with a place that serves Venezeualian Food (very good), and Somerville Chocolate (they make and sell chocolate there).
The age restriction has never been a problem in the past although I do vaguely recall someone mentioning it once. I'm going to try to have future meetups I run at a public library (probably Cambridge Public Library), its just tricky getting the room reservations sometimes. We have been thinking of trying out the food court in Cambrideside mall, also, although the tables there are rather small and I don't think they can be moved and joined together (from what I remember).
Thank you for the comment! I will not attend this since you stated that they check IDs at the door.
The rules are simple. Bring a book to give away. By the end of the night, leave with a book that isn't the one you brought.
Advice on choosing your book: The only two hard restrictions on your choice of book is that 1. it must be a physical book, the kind you could put into someone else's hand, and 2. it must be for an English speaking audience.
Each person will give a two minute pitch for their book. Then the swapping will begin in earnest! Please feel free to ask people questions about their books, talk about what kinds of books you like, or just hang out and socialize.
To find us, look for the host with the silly green stovepipe hat