Wusong Road, Cambridge, MA - Locating Tiki

B bkrownd Tiki Centralite Steamy Hilo, HI Joined: Sep 01, 2015 Posts: 99	B bkrownd Posted posted on Sun, Sep 13, 2026 10:09 PM (this is my first attempt at starting a topic, so hopefully it formats correctly...) I haven't been to a tiki bar before, and during an unusual work trip to Harvard I spotted "Wusong Road" on the map advertised as a tiki bar. After I unloaded at the hotel I walked across town to get dinner there. It was a little place off of the Harvard Square area, but since I was prepared I found it easily. I was on my own so I sat at the bar. The bar menu was fairly small, and I ordered a bowl of asian themed noodles and a Vic's Mai Tai. The noodles were tasty enough early on, though they did get a bit too salty as I neared the bottom of the bowl. The Mai Tai was delicious, but it went down all too quickly. I had prepared with some menu study the week before I arrived, so I followed with an off-menu Ti Punch made with Barbancourt 110. The bartender was pleased with the selection, and I was pleased with the drink. I didn't know Barbancourt came in a 110, so I had to give this a try and was glad I did. Afterwards I inquired about clairin, and I was enormously lucky that they had a bottle! A shot of Clairin Vaval was the highlight of the night, and is probably now my favorite rhum even after such a brief introduction! The bar guy did a great job. Unfortunately the second week of my trip I was feeling under the weather so I was unable to make a return visit later in my trip, but my experience at Wusong Road's bar was a pleasant success.
K Kevidently Member Boston, MA Joined: Mar 29, 2022 Posts: 7	K Kevidently Posted posted on Mon, Sep 14, 2026 5:28 AM My local bar! I started up Wusong Wednesdays there in its first year and the menu kept improving. The drinks menu is smallish now because they opened a new place and decided to temporarily scale back the drinks - but the bartenders are deeply familiar with classic tiki. I order a Jet Pilot there weekly (best one I've ever had) and it's almost a novelty when I order something on the menu. Fun fact: I have celiac and initially couldn't eat anything on the menu. Because of me, they bought a new oven and now have gluten-safe stuff all over the menu. Not to toot my own horn, but I thought that really showed a commitment to their customers. There are two floors - the bottom floor feels more deeply tiki and the upstairs a little less so. That said, while tikis are present, they're less prominent than Asian-inspired decor; the intent of Wusong Road was supposed to be the New England "tiki" restaurants of the 80s and 90s, but elevated with more tiki in it. Also: the music is world music, moving far away from anything truly tiki. No exotica, no surf, no bossa nova; not even yacht rock. It is consistently the element of Wusong that its regulars take issue with. Otherwise, a fantastic place.

(this is my first attempt at starting a topic, so hopefully it formats correctly...)

I haven't been to a tiki bar before, and during an unusual work trip to Harvard I spotted "Wusong Road" on the map advertised as a tiki bar. After I unloaded at the hotel I walked across town to get dinner there. It was a little place off of the Harvard Square area, but since I was prepared I found it easily.

wusong_peeps_1280

wusong_emblem_800

I was on my own so I sat at the bar. The bar menu was fairly small, and I ordered a bowl of asian themed noodles and a Vic's Mai Tai. The noodles were tasty enough early on, though they did get a bit too salty as I neared the bottom of the bowl. The Mai Tai was delicious, but it went down all too quickly.

wusong_noodles_vics_800

I had prepared with some menu study the week before I arrived, so I followed with an off-menu Ti Punch made with Barbancourt 110. The bartender was pleased with the selection, and I was pleased with the drink. I didn't know Barbancourt came in a 110, so I had to give this a try and was glad I did. Afterwards I inquired about clairin, and I was enormously lucky that they had a bottle! A shot of Clairin Vaval was the highlight of the night, and is probably now my favorite rhum even after such a brief introduction! The bar guy did a great job.

clairin_vaval_800

Unfortunately the second week of my trip I was feeling under the weather so I was unable to make a return visit later in my trip, but my experience at Wusong Road's bar was a pleasant success.

wusong_bar_800

wusong_mugs_1280

My local bar! I started up Wusong Wednesdays there in its first year and the menu kept improving. The drinks menu is smallish now because they opened a new place and decided to temporarily scale back the drinks - but the bartenders are deeply familiar with classic tiki. I order a Jet Pilot there weekly (best one I've ever had) and it's almost a novelty when I order something on the menu. Fun fact: I have celiac and initially couldn't eat anything on the menu. Because of me, they bought a new oven and now have gluten-safe stuff all over the menu. Not to toot my own horn, but I thought that really showed a commitment to their customers.

There are two floors - the bottom floor feels more deeply tiki and the upstairs a little less so. That said, while tikis are present, they're less prominent than Asian-inspired decor; the intent of Wusong Road was supposed to be the New England "tiki" restaurants of the 80s and 90s, but elevated with more tiki in it. Also: the music is world music, moving far away from anything truly tiki. No exotica, no surf, no bossa nova; not even yacht rock. It is consistently the element of Wusong that its regulars take issue with. Otherwise, a fantastic place.