196 cocktail bar (est. 2012)

You'll find 196 tucked away on Mill Road, that slightly bohemian stretch where Cambridge gets properly interesting. Walk in and you're greeted by bartenders who actually know what they're doing—no TikTok nonsense, just solid technique and genuine care about what lands in your glass. The space itself is unpretentious; the kind of place where regulars have their names known and newcomers immediately feel welcome. They take their spirits seriously here, with a thoughtful menu that balances crowd-pleasers with proper left-field experiments. It's the sort of bar you stumble upon and wonder why you hadn't been before.