The Greater Boston area is a Mecca of culinary diversity. Almost anything you feel the need to eat can be found somewhere, Ethiopian, Mongolian, Afghan, Russian, Polish. It can all be found within a short train ride of anywhere in the city. Even with such a large melting pot of tastes found in such a small area the old staples of Boston still hold strong. The kind of place “where everybody knows your name” is still on the top of the heap when it comes to college students looking to spend a few bucks on a night of relaxation. That’s right, pubs. Pubs have got it all, food, drink, entertainment, atmosphere. Last week we took you on a short tour of the best pubs South of the Charles. We showed you two diverse venues for merriment and joviality. Okay, so mostly they are for eating and drinking, but that is beside the point. This week we will take you North to the strange world of Cambridge and Somerville. We will visit two more places, what we consider to be the best of the North.

Miracle of Science Bar and Grill321 Massachusetts Ave.Cambridge, MA617-868-2866Public Transportation: Red Line, Central SquarePub Review Score: (3/5)

Okay, fine. The Miracle of Science is not really a pub. But, there is food and there is beer. And, I like it, so here it is. The Miracle of Science is a geek’s dream. Well, a drunken geek’s dream, I guess.

The tables are made of a cold black slate, like the tables we had back in the biology lab in high school when we were all dissecting frogs. The menu resembles the Periodic Table of Elements and is written on a giant chalkboard on the wall. Beer selection is much like it is everywhere, the cheap brews and the better ones too. You’ve got your Guinness and your Bass, and you’ve got your Budweiser and your Heineken.

The draw is the food. And, by food, I mean the cheeseburgers. The cheeseburgers are huge chunks of Grade A beef, slathered with whatever type of cheese you want. Okay, slathered should probably be drowned instead. So, if you want somewhere to eat a great cheeseburger, drink some beer, and hang out in a really cool space then head down to the Miracle of Science Bar and Grill.

The Burren247 Elm St.Somerville, MA617-776-6896Public Transportation: Red Line, Davis SquarePub Review Score: (5/5)

The Burren, located in the midst of now bustling Davis Square, is a traditional Irish pub. Here you sit in a dark paneled room and drink Guinness. You eat the traditional Irish Breakfast, one of the best in the city. And, you listen to live music nightly. There is a table around which the musical performers sit and play, making it feel more intimate. It feels as if someone in the pub, another patron, just grabbed their guitar and started strumming away.

The black wood of the exterior makes The Burren stand out from its brick laden neighbors, welcoming students and non-students alike into another world. The walls are covered with old advertisements for Irish musicians, photographs of famous Irishmen, and a painting or two that harkens back to a simpler time.

Here you are going to find your traditional pub brews: Gunniess, Bass, Harp, Bellhaven, Newcastle, and Boddington’s. When you’re looking for something to eat while you listen to music there are the old favorites to choose from, Bangers and Mash, Shepherd’s Pie, Fish and Chips. Overall, The Burren is a little piece of Ireland right here in Boston.