Had a nice experience at phinista. Their atmosphere is very nice with great aesthetic and decent…read moreamount of seating. Their coffees are very tasty especially the Vietnamese coffee which is always a solid choice. Overall a great coffee soot that i would recommend!

Back yet again to enjoy my favorite spot for a matcha and study sesh! It gets a little crowded, but…read morethe service is so fast and friendly making sure you feel comfortable and enjoy your order! Their seasonal banana bread matcha is insane!! So creamy and the perfect level of fresh banana to compliment the earthy matcha taste. Phinista's vibes from the atmosphere to the food to the people never disappoints.

I wish I have a picture to show but we ate it way too fast!!!…read more Pho Viet is an absolute go to. I might get some angry comments for saying this but pho Viet has the best cold cut banh mi in all of Massachusetts!! I will post again when I go next time and get some pictures. As someone who was born and raised in Dorchester, And ba Le was the only spot we would go. With inflation and increase in cost, I felt like the quality just kept lacking. The cold cuts are extremely thin and lack amounts of butter and pate. Pho Viet banh mi are so filling the ham was the right about of thickness that it gives a good texture when you bite into it, the veggies are extremely fresh and not does look like it's been sitting out all day. Even my parents ask me to grab them some every time I visit them in Dorchester!! Must try!!!

Really terrific food here - we ordered takeout beef pho and banh mi and both were really…read moreexceptional. The only thing I'd say is that this is a bit pricier than some of the other Vietnamese places I've been to, but it's definitely a place I'll be back to often. Beef Pho ($15.95) - The broth here is great - so nice and savory. You can tell that it simmers for a really long time to get all of that flavor from the bones. It has a bit of a sweet note to it as well which is a bit more than I'm used to, but I really liked it still. There was a good amount of meat, and the whole soup experience was great, especially for takeout. They did skimp on the bean sprouts and herbs with takeout though - it was a pretty small amount of veggies, but still a really solid pho. Banh Mi ($9.75) - Yes, the price is a bit high for this one as well but the size was HUGE. The pickled veggies were perfectly sweet and tart, and the cilantro added a nice freshness with the cucumbers. The bread was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, and the balance of flavors here was really spot on. And, like I said, it was HUGE. Definitely not the cheapest Vietnamese food I've had, but also absolutely delicious - I will be back!

I loved this place. The decoration and environment was lovely, simple but homey. I got the Tai Pho,…read moreand the Cha-Shu Bao buns. All of the food was amazing! I also had the kindest server, she was very nice and attentive. Also, they have OAT MILK THAI ICED TEA. That's a very rare find!!

Khao Soi at Basil Pho…read more I've ordered it a handful of times now and it genuinely never disappoints. The chicken is perfectly crispy and adds that extra heartiness and protein that makes this feel like a REAL meal. One thing though: in person is definitely the superior experience. When you get it to-go or delivered, they separate the chicken, noodles, and broth so you can assemble it yourself (which honestly keeps everything from getting soggy), but eating it fresh in the restaurant just hits differently. The service is quick and the restaurant is small. There's always usually a line but the food is worth it.

It was my first time checking out this Pho spot in Brookline and it didn't disappoint. Prices are…read moregreat and food tastes great and comes out quickly. The vibe is lowkey. They also have a bar. Perfect for getting a quick dinner after or before shopping in the area or catching a movie at Coolidge Corner Theatre.

My favorite Pho in Brookline! Always great service and ready quick. Hard to go anywhere else.read more

I always pass this place, and it always is empty, as it was the time I visited. I note this because…read moreof the exuberant wait time. It took around 45 minutes for our appetisers to come out, and then another 15-20 minutes before the Pho arrived. It was an incredibly moody restaurant, but it was almost impossible to get the attention of the waiter- I intended to be there for a quick dinner, and it turned into a 2-hour ordeal. Good to note it was also definitely one of the pricier Vietnamese places I've visited, and it was very average. I would recommend bringing a date here if you want to prolong it and have a long, vibey time.

This is one of those places where you would go to if you want to romanticize a nice chill day. I…read morecame in on a windy fall afternoon (around 3pm for a super late lunch). Before we even got to the door, we were already surrounded by the delicate and savory aroma of pho and other delicious Vietnamese food. We were seated right away and staff was pretty speedy about taking our orders. The menu is on the smaller side but they seem to really emphasize quality over quantity. Based on other reviews, I'd say it does take awhile for them to make the food but please know it is absolutely worth it!!!! I am obsessed with this pho and even had it twice in the same week. This pho is the closest I've had to homemade pho at a restaurant by far. I just know it's made with love and genuine care for the art of making pho. I throughly enjoyed it and will be coming back next time I'm in Boston!

Went to Soup Shack with some friends because I was craving ramen and this place did not disappoint…read more Everything was so flavorful, fresh and comforting. Such a good spot for a cozy filling meal. STEAMED CHICKEN GYOZA Soft tender and packed with a juicy chicken filling. The wrapper had the perfect bite and dipping it in the ginger sauce made it even better. A great starter. FRIED PORK GYOZA Crispy outside juicy inside and so flavorful. The pork filling was seasoned well and the crunch made each bite so satisfying. These were gone instantly. DAC BIET A rich beef broth loaded with rare steak brisket tripe tendon and meatballs. So much flavor and such a generous portion. Comforting, savory and the kind of bowl that warms you instantly. MI WONTON Light clean and comforting. The wontons were stuffed generously and the broth was flavorful without feeling heavy. A great balance to the richer bowls we ordered. SPICY MISO BEEF STEW This was incredible. Spicy miso broth with tender slow cooked beef and all the toppings. The spice level actually enhanced the flavor instead of overpowering it. Deep savory and so satisfying. TAN TAN MEN One of my favorites. Spicy creamy broth with ground pork bok choy and bean sprouts layered over chewy noodles. Rich bold and full of flavor in every bite. We also added marinated soft boiled eggs to our ramen and they were perfect. Soft jammy and full of flavor. Highly recommend adding one to any bowl. Overall Soup Shack really hit my craving. Everything tasted fresh portions were generous and the spicy bowls had so much depth. Loved this visit and will definitely be back.

A solid spot for asian food in Brookline! I had the beef pho and it was very satisfying.read more

The food was absolutely delicious! The service was great and we were easily accommodated despite…read morebeing early for our reservation. The restaurant has a bar, second floor, and a side with booths. It was the perfect ambiance with amazing food. We ordered two of their appetizers and split an order of the BBH. It was the perfect amount of food for us! I highly recommend Esmai's if you want to try something a little different and elevated.

I came here for a date night as I've seen great reviews about the drinks and the food here. I made…read morea reservation for 6 on a Friday night - it was initially quiet inside but began to fill up more once we were seated. The interior was clean and modern. Our server was very welcoming and able to provide us with great insights into the menu. The cocktails were refreshing and tasty. I ordered a 'Spill the Tea' with gin and my husband ordered the matcha colada. I'd love to come back and try more out! As for food, we ordered the mini beef wellington, the banh mi & bone marrow, the curry chicken, and the loco moco. I loved the variety of dishes on the menu and was super impressed by the execution of all of them. They were very flavorful and cooked to perfection, with the mini beef wellington having crispy puff pastry and the bone marrow very tender. Overall, I was impressed by Esmai's creativity and would love to come back to try out more of the menu.

Drummer musician of the USA wanted buy me fried tofu with eggplant meal tonight, so after he done…read moremeal, he went to front desk to pay his and he ordered my dish but restaurant told him they will take care of me so don't worry about ordering. Musician who served well known artist of history of American music instructed restaurant to serve me hot tea as well. After he was gone restaurant owner Vietnamese man brought me just smallest container with very little brown rice and his wife (?) brought me so little amount of colder than lukewarm bad tasting tea. I can not eat just brown rice. This is Grasshopper, mainly runs by two. And time to time part timers. Let's replace food court with great healthy restaurants options. They particularly use Kosher ingredients but combine with very non organic cheap ingredients. Stated by food expert. Owner lied to me that restaurant gives free meal for Hong Kong Supermarket workers whenever workers need food, but I confirmed Super Market Management says nothing is true. They don't even give left over food to no one. I don't know why owner has to lie to me. Also owner said I will get free meal if I bring friends and also mentioned if I promote them on FB and other platforms, all of my friends supporters get free meal, which is illegal for at least Yelp Community. These offerings never accepted from side. Buffet foods are not fresh. They started cook earlier in the week and some are just suggy and cold old. Then food sit there all day all evening until 8:30pm and owner once gave me super old cold food instead of trash it. Owner said I could take home. Since I was low on cash and had to eat old fried foods made me sick for a few days. I know I should not get free food to write review here but I think I should have report here. I take this matter very serious and I want you to consider about further actions against this restaurant. Another note from monthly Buffet, 4/18/26 is not happening as they skipped to May. Previous buffet table had crushed peanuts without signed name of what it is. I am afraid of some gets allergic reactions to peanuts without knowing what they eat. And lastly buffet table has no one is serving from restaurant side, when I saw buffet buyers without line digging food, every customer is doing own thing and restaurant doesn't supervise health concerns are very against the law in Massachusetts, probably against all law in this planet. Too bad !!

10/10 definitely recommend!! While this is a shared location…read moreit still has charm and is a must visit. The customer service was Truly great! Even though their kid was the cashier he was a pleasure! The fool was great Scallion pancake crispy with tofu 8/10 the homemade fish sauce was really good a tab bit sweet but definitely loved it. Spring rolls 10/10 as to be expected really good and fresh. The No Name 10/10 was very similar to general tso was really good. The veggie meat they use was a great choice Bean curd stir fry #68 on the menu 7/10. The meat was a little tough but the sauce was great and the vegetables were fresh and not over cooked. The had about 10 dedicated tables. We went when it wasn't too busy and it was kind of quiet. But I can imagine when it gets busy it's very loud.

This was my second time here and it was just as good! The service, food and ambiance are all…read moreamazing! The chicken rice was my favorite dish but the toffee cake was a close close second. I'd highly recommend Merai!

We went here for late night eats the day before Marathon Monday. The food was more small bar food…read morebites but still shareable. We went with another friend and we all really enjoyed the food. The chicken and rice was a big surprise as it came out as a chicken wing with the rice stuffed into it. The baguettes were perfectly buttery and went well with mussels and red curry. We all enjoyed the spare ribs as well which were so flavorful and smokey. The calamari was crispy with a creamy dipping sauce. As an aside the bathroom was a total trip and way different vibe from the restaurant. Very clean but we all came out and we were like whoa! Totally worthwhile to check out, very enjoyable to chill and have some late night bites!

A great option to explore in Time Out market for some Asian fusion bowls…read more They offer bowls that are well-portioned (especially compared to the other vendors), are efficient in preparing orders, and have many different ways to customize the bowl to meet dietary preferences. There are also both raw and cooked options for the protein. Overall, the bowls are super flavorful, fresh, and filling. My go-to is usually the Japanese Donburi. Sometimes they are out of ingredients (commonly the salmon in my experience), but the variety they have on the menu is helpful to hopefully find a swap that fits your taste. Like the other options in Time Out, you can sit either inside or outside and after ordering, they will give you a buzzer. Just head over to the counter to pick-up when the buzzer goes off, but otherwise you can eat anywhere in Time Out. It can definitely get loud and crowded depending on the time of day or if there is an event around (like Red Sox games). I have still had pretty efficient service even when it is crowded. Only drawback is the cost, but like I said, it is somewhat more worth the money here since the portion size is larger than most of the other options.

One of the best food stalls here…read more Pros: + Great for vegetarians + Customizable flavors/options + Large portions of food + Friendly staff + Quick IG: QueenOfAdventureNYC