Cantab Lounge

The Cantab Lounge is a legendary Central Square Cambridge dive bar and live music venue operating since 1938. Two levels host nightly programming: the upstairs Lounge features bands most nights, while the downstairs Cantab Underground is home to the long-running Boston Poetry Slam on Wednesdays; the venue reopened under new ownership in December 2021 after a pandemic-era closure. Set amid the bars and restaurants of Central Square, it’s an intimate, no-frills spot and community hub for blues, soul, rock, and spoken word.