Welcome to Monarch, a speakeasy cocktail, small plates and dessert lounge in Cambridge, MA
Check your expectations at the door and join us downstairs for an unforgettable evening…
what is Monarch?
Low lights, late bites, and libations you’ve got to see to believe. Make no mistake, there are no kings here. This is the people’s palace, my friend. And all are welcome. Dim, intimate, and open late. Down here is where the night comes alive.
Beneath Alice, down a path most might overlook, awaits a transformative experience unlike any other in Boston. This speakeasy-style cocktail and dessert lounge in Kendall Square is the place where tastebuds are tantalized and commonalities of expectation turned upside down — besides beverages, our small plates flirt with extravagance, and our desserts are unlike anything else in the Boston area.
Monarch is 85 seats of underground intimacy awaits, plus a tucked-away private dining room for more exclusive moments. Hope you find us soon…
Cocktails
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The Last Espresso 18
Grey Goose Vodka, Mr. Black Cold Brew, Toasted Coconut Foam
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Crown Colony 17
Bombay Sapphire Gin, Turmeric Yogurt, Mango
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The Monarch Conference 20
Elijah Craig Bourbon, Pierre Ferrand 1840, Rittenhouse Rye, Apple Bitters
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Field Cut 17
Planteray Rum, Cold Brew, Worthy Park 109, Passionfruit, Tonka Bean, Lime
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Persepolis 18
Hendrick's Gin, Cardamom, Rhubarb, Carbonation
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Fate Negroni 16
Citagelle Gin, Campari, Sweet Vermouth, Olive Oil, Cacao Butter
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Ask about THE BASTARD of the week
Zero Proof
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Hawaiian Fashion Guild 14
Black Sesame, Koji, Toasted Coconut, Pineapple, Whey
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Distributive Properties 14
Muri Passing Clouds, White Pepper, Elderflower, Carbonation
Beer (tap 6oz | 16oz)
Bottled
Non-Alcoholic
Bites
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Chips 6
Cacio e Pepe, Truffle Aioli, House Made Crisps
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Churro 9
Crab Cake, Ramp, Ranch, Trout Roe
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Zucchini Flowers 9
Ratatouille, Pesto
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Verde di Campo 16
Wild Greens, Parmesan, Citrus Vinaigrette
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Pizza Bianca 12
Romesco, Pesto, White Bean Hummus
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Eclair 18
Foie Gras, Grape, Toasted Hazelnut
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Scallop Ceviche 16
Mandarin, Chive
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Pork Belly 15
Stone Fruit BBQ, Hazelnut & Pistachio, Basil
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Octopus 16
Crispy Garlic, Charred Grapes, Lemon Yogurt, Dill
Perfect Endings
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Gimme S'mores 19
Milk Chocolate Ganache, Toasted Marshmallow Ice Cream, Graham Cracker Cookie
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Cinnamon Toast Tiramisu 18
Blueberry Plum Ice Cream, Cinnamon Brown Sugar Crumble
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A Tropical Popsicle 16
Dragonfruit Sorbet, Mango Ice Cream, Guava
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Get Baked Cambridge 19
Rainbow Sherbet, Cake, Pineapple Sauce
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The Strawberry Parfait 18
Watermelon Sorbet, Chilled Strawberries, Matcha Meringue, Granola
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Float On 16
Root Beer, Cherry Ice Cream, Malted Milk Chantilly, Caramel Corn
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Ask about THE BASTARD of the week!
Caviar Service (½oz | 1oz)
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American Hackleback 70 | 125
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Poland Siberian 85 | 160
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French Kaluga Hybrid 90 | 170
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Italian White Sturgeon 95 | 180
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French Ostera 115 | 205
Charcuterie
choice of 3, 5, 7, or The Grand Board
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Formaggio:
Mozzarella di Bufala, Fontina, Pecorino · Cabot Cheddar, Moses Sleeper, Parmigiano · Great Hill Bleu, Taleggio, Burratini
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Salumi:
Prosciutto di Parma, Mushroom Pate, Coppa · Finocchiona, Soppressata, Foie Gras Torchon · Chicken Liver Mousse, Pork Terrine
the cocktails
A speakeasy lives and dies by its bar, and Monarch’s earns the secrecy. Espresso sippers crowned with coconut foam, gin with mango or rhubarb, and a negroni washed in olive oil and cacao butter that has to be tasted to be believed. Plus wines from Sicilian volcanic whites to grower Champagne and a zero proof list with equal imagination.
Don’t forget to ask about our Bastard of the Week: off-menu, rotating, and yours if you ask. We could explain, but where’s the fun in that?
bites to savor
Monarch’s kitchen serves small plates with big intentions: playful snacks glossed with truffle, elegant seafood, caviar service with all the ceremony, and charcuterie boards of salumi and formaggio that anchor a whole evening. Sized for sharing, perfect with candlelight and cocktails.
sweet symphonies
Monarch may be the only speakeasy in the Boston area where dessert is the headliner. Our dessert lounge menu turns nostalgia into art: reimagined s’mores, tiramisu gone rogue, sorbet creations that taste like vacation, and floats that make grownups giggle. Come just for dessert. Plenty do. Even Alice — but you didn’t hear that from us…
gift cards to Monarch
Nothing says sweet surprise like a restaurant gift card to celebrate a milestone, anniversary, birthday, client or co-worker. Purchase an Alice & Monarch gift card that can be used both upstairs and down here. Well, go on…
frequently asked questions
about Monarch
What is Monarch?
Monarch is a speakeasy-style cocktail, small plates, and dessert lounge in Cambridge, MA, hidden beneath Alice, an Italian taverna in Kendall Square. It pairs craft cocktails and elevated bites with a full dessert program in an intimate, low-lit lounge setting.
Is Monarch a real hidden speakeasy?
Faithfully so. There’s no street entrance and no sign pointing the way; you enter through Alice and take the rabbit hole down. Help us keep the mystery alive and don’t reveal the entrance.
Is it true Monarch is in the old, original Kendall T-station?
Why yes. As you make your way down to Monarch’s entrance you may uncover some surprises underfoot. See who can spot the original tile from the old Kendall Square train station before the rest of your party. Winner gets a…high five. Yea, that’s good.
When is Monarch open?
Tuesday & Wednesday we’re open 6–11pm. Thursday through Saturday evenings, our late night hours extend to 6pm–1am.
Do I need a reservation at Monarch?
Your guess is as good as ours! Kidding aside, we usually recommend one. The space seats an intimate crowd across the bar, lounge, and private room, and prime evenings fill quickly. Reserve ahead, especially Thursday through Saturday.
Can I host a private event at Monarch?
Yes, and it’s a showstopper of a venue for one. Monarch’s private room and lounge make an unforgettable setting for birthdays, corporate cocktail hours, and celebrations. Reach out here to start planning.
Do I have to eat at Alice first?
Not at all. Monarch stands proudly on its own: come for cocktails and caviar, small bites, dessert and a nightcap, or the full evening below deck. Though if you’re asking us, dinner at Alice into Monarch is the finest one-two punch in Cambridge.
private events at Monarch
Our spaces accomodate events of all occasions and sizes. Corporate dinners, holiday parties, birthdays, and buyouts. Learn more about what’s possible at Alice & Monarch in our private speakeasy event space…