Cute place to get a quick meal! I got the wafu Hamburg set. It was basically a hamburger in a semi sweet (not too sweet which was good) sauce. It was almost jelly like. I added cheese and egg which was a great addition. The salad and pickles (additional charge) were great to contrast the savory meat. The potato was perfectly cooked, soft and not chalky or dry! Miso soup and rice were above average!! Would come here again and try new dishes read more

Cafe Mami - Wafu Hamburg Set with egg and cheese and yellow pickles - Japanese Curry Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Great food for a fair price! I got the pork cutlet curry with a miso soup and salad. The restaurant is small but the waiter was very accommodating, moving a table to allow our party of 4 to sit in a space meant for 3. Definitely would come back again! read more

Fav Japanese restaurant ever! Love all the dishes I've tried! Portion is large, taste is on point, and pricing is decent! A must try!

Update: came back today again revisiting the food (and fond memories!!)- food is the same: delicious, piping hot, and with generous portions!! One sad piece of news I learned: they no longer serve green tea milkshakes :( read more

Cafe Mami - Curry set with fried chicken $9.99 - Japanese Curry Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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I never liked Asian curry until I had theirs. That's how much of an impact it made. Also, I haven't had any other Japanese curry + chicken katsu as good as the way cafe Mami makes it. The portion is so big, I can't finish it in one sitting, but I eat it anyway because if you save it for later, the crispiness of the chicken gets lost and it doesn't taste good as a left over. I also only order the same thing each time : chicken katsu curry 5/5 read more

Bad service + Salty food! Seriously we had the worst dining experience - the waitress was rude, loud and rushed with our so called service! Will never return and not to mention the over seasoned food - way too salty! read more

Love their japanese curry and Hamburg options. Cant really go wrong with anything on their menu and when the priciest thing is 10 dollars, you can afford to keep coming back to try different things. It is cash only though so be prepared ahead of time. When you get your plate it always seems like theres too much curry for your rice and even meat sometimes. There is a lot of meat with each serving though and there are free unlimited servings of rice so that theres no leftover curry. The salad that comes with the meal has that weird dressing that sushi restaurants have. Hate that dressing so always pass but the miso soup is good. Definitely a spot to check out but get there early because it gets crowded quick and has very limited seating. Well worth the wait though read more

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Came here with friends on a Sunday. The server was super bubbly and kind! We enjoyed the food here and they have Japanese food that you can't really find in the Boston area. I really enjoyed the wafu hamburger set :) super delicious! read more

Cafe Mami - Wafu Hamburg Set - Japanese Curry Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Great place in Porter Square for a meal with great social distancing and mask policies. Came here for lunch with a friend and honestly had a tough time deciding what to get; everything looked really tasty and affordable! We ended up getting: Yaki Don with egg (not pictured) - A classic! Really nice beef, thin but juicy. The waitstaff recommended an egg addition and it definitely added needed bulk / richness to the meal. The onions were well caramelized, which is a rarity at this price point I feel; fantastic combo of flavors which definitely hits the spot. Hamburg Curry Set - A truly massive amount of food; I was only able to finish 2/3s of it despite it being my first meal of the day following a nice walk. The hamburg steak was very tender and paired well with the curry (which was just-right in terms of richness and thickness). There was also a very generous amount of rice which soaked up the curry well. Also came with a salad which had a light acidic dressing which was perfect for cutting the richness of the curry. Both items also came with a bowl of miso soup, which was really refreshing! Was a great meal overall; will definitely be back to try the other menu items! read more

Cafe Mami - Hamburg Curry Rice Set - Japanese Curry Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Portions are huge. Cash only. Park in the garage. Remember: park at your own risk! Prices are very reasonable. Remember ask to get your stamps validated!! Always a line here, but that only means you're bout to get some good stuff! Expect to be sharing tables with random strangers. It gets very crowded but it gives you the feel of what it's like to be visiting Korea/ Japan. Crave for this place almost once a week because of my ex girl friend Cindy Yu. :) read more

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the servers are very kind and helpful. the curry set was definitely a highlight, it's really good for a relatively cheap price. usually not too busy, kind of a hole in the wall. read more

Cafe Mami - Miso Soup and Small Salad from the Cutlet Curry Rice Set - Japanese Curry Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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While Cafe Mami's closing time was purportedly 9pm, staff were still accepting take out orders by late customers. Those who were still eating were not pressured out. Last order calls, however, were made at 9 and those wanted to dine in were politely shunned out understandably past closing. Original plans was to dine at Sapporo, but with the line present at 8:30, we were ambivalent we could get seated by 9. Cafe Mami next door it is. FREE refills of rice! Not that it was ever necessary with the good proportions they gave out but there's always the option. Beautiful picture menus and a large variety of dishes. Their Tokyo Hamburg set is great- salad with light vinergrette dressing, an aluminum wrapped steamed potato, miso soup, and most importantly the hamburg. Hamburg is NOT your typical, American hamburger slab of meat. Hamburg is the Japanese version of Salisbury steak where the steak is not really a steak but a mix of minced beef, onions, etc. Doused with the hamburg is Cafe Mami's homemade tomato sauce which was delightfully excellent- tasted like a mix of tonkatsu sauce and ketchup. It's not a common dish to be found in Boston's Japanese restaurants so I highly recommend it. The boyfriend's Tatsuta curry was also great- curry was runny and not too thick, the fried chicken didn't feel like it was fried but the meat itself was moist and juicy. The salad that came for both was not fresh, but acceptable. He felt the dressing was too oily and after combining our salads into 1 convenient bowl, the bottom half of the salad greens were swimming in a soup of dressing. Dressing overkill. Seating can be slightly annoying when big parties appear. We were asked to migrate from table seats to the counter because a larger party showed up, but the waitress was appreciative and polite about it. read more

Cafe Mami - Tokyo Hamburg - Japanese Curry Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Satisfied my curry craving! The food itself was good. The pork cutlet was crispy and cooked perfectly. The curry was kind of loose that usual but it tasted fine. The sides the give before the meal of miso and salad were okay, the salad was kind of drenched in dressing and oil. The restaurant itself was small. Definitely come alone or with one other person as there are only two tables that sit 6 and a bar table that fit three. They also would seat people with you too, which is common in asia so I didn't mind it since if there's room then let them sit. Didn't like how there were fruit flies and stuff around but that's something they can't really manage. Would definitely come again tho as it was pretty cheap and good. read more

Cafe Mami - Pork Curry - Japanese Curry Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

**Note: CASH ONLY** This place is absolutely fantastic. When I get a craving for home style Japanese food I come here to get my fix! This place has pretty limited seating so during the mealtime rush be prepared to wait and/or eat and leave! (2 tables that can sit about 4-6 each with 3 seats facing the kitchen) It's located within Lesley University (which contains a food court). Now if you have trouble finding a parking space there's a parking lot in the back of the university (turn onto Roseland street. if you come on a Sunday the rate is really affordable though for normal weekday hours I'm not too sure. This place has a little bit of everything in regards to homestyle japanese cooking. I tend to get the hamburg steak since I really enjoy the savory flavors that it provides (there's an assortment of different types of sauces but teriyaki is my favorite). The curries are also quite tasty (do note that they differ from Indian curries). Also if you love green tea, their milkeshake is also fantastic (everyone I get to try it loves it!). The place is cash only but there's a bank of america ATM right next to it (by the security desk) so fear not! read more

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All their main meat dishes are AMAZING. You won't really find a small restaurant serving food like this anywhere else in Boston. The flavors seriously hit the spot and everything is just made so, so well. I personally love the tonkatsu--the meat inside is always juicy with the perfect crispy and thin breading around it. Value is SO worth it too! For just $12 you basically get a full bento box: miso soup, salad, rice, tonkatsu, and curry. Rice is a bit too mushy to my liking but otherwise everything was great. Service can get very slow, however, if it is crowded. read more

Cafe Mami - Cutlet Curry Rice Set - Japanese Curry Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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The chicken katsu curry here is amazing! The only place I'd go to for some katsu curry. The staff are very nice and considerate. The place itself it comfy and not too loud :) read more

Cafe Mami - Japanese Curry Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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The first time I came here, I was actually eating next door, but while waiting for seats, I decided to grab a green tea milk shake from here because of all the great reviews, and my friend got one---and it was DELICOUS!!! So I hopped over, and there were two guys behind the register, the one that is the main cashier was too busy on his phone, blocking the other guy who was telling him to take my order---no respond *stares into phone* REALLY?!!?! so he took my drink order instead. When i came around for dinner on Friday, the line was real quick, it was about 730. Our server was very attentive, really nice guy. I got the chicken katsu curry thing everyone was raving about and added a sunny side up egg...MMMM can i say that BEST DAMN CURRY THERE IS?!!?! I think it might just be the top curry place for me!! $10 for a plate, whatever it's pure deliciousness! Sometimes the chicken can be a little over cooked though. My friends yaki udon (not sure what it was) but it was delicious as well... they sure do know how to make food here! Even though none of them were japanese. Just hope you guys are comfortable being seated right next to someone you don't know... ** the teriyaki hamburg ~$8.99 it's like angus beef quality so it was delicious!!! The sauce was sweet but very good. ***they are open on tuesdays now! ignore those reviews from 07-08 :) read more

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Every time I even think about Café Mami I immediately crave the curry pork katsu with cheese and sunny side up egg. I'm sure other items are good here but I always order this!!! The portions are huge and it comes with a miso soup and salad as well. It's a small place and it's pretty busy even when I went around 3:30pm and you're most likely will sit at a table with strangers but it's all worth it!! It's cash only but there's a BofA ATM in the same building. read more

Cafe Mami - Pork curry katsu with cheese and egg - Japanese Curry Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Literally the best Japanese curry and rice sets you're going to find in the Boston area. All their sets are delicious and they have this magic citrus soy sauce that they put in their complimentary salads that is to die for. I've been coming here for 9 years now and don't see it ever changing! read more

I have been here three times and the first time I ordered the yaki beef tofu set. It came with a potato and a bowl of rice. The dish was pretty good and definitely filling. The second and third times I ordered the chicken cutlet curry set which came with miso soup and a salad. The dressing on the salad is so good and the chicken cutlet is extremely crispy. The curry itself is alright and lacks vegetables. I honestly like my dad's curry better (which is made from curry cubes) because it has more vegetables and is thicker. Overall the food is pretty good but wouldn't say it's the most "comforting". read more

Cafe Mami - Cutlet Curry Rice Set and Wafu Hamburg Set - Japanese Curry Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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I wasn't expecting much from this hole in the wall given how many times I've been disappointed by Japanese curry, but I was gladly proven wrong (this is coming from someone who just went to japan three weeks ago, too) Came on a Sunday night and didn't have to wait too long at all. The server was incredibly attentive and tended to us immediately. I ordered the chicken katsu curry ($9.99), my husband got the wafu cutlet set ($9.99). Each is served with a small side salad and miso soup. The cutlets were fried beautifully--crispy on the outside and not soggy or greasy on the inside. The curry sauce was tangy enough without being too salty. It tasted very homey, which I suppose was the intention. The rice is also refillable if you're really hungry! The portions are huge for Cambridge standards imho. They seem to take takeout orders as well if you don't want to sit and eat there. I'd totally come back yum! read more

First time here - I came at first looking for ramen, but since I've always been to Sapporo I thought I would try something new! The host/waitress gave us a seat pretty quickly and came by after giving us water to write down our order. Service - I had to repeat the orders a couple of times to her (I was ordering for my parents in English) even if it was something simple like "Yaki Udon" and she kept asking, "What?" So, I had to point to the menu. After, she asked what I wanted and I told her I wasn't ready (had to order for my parents first and had no time to look myself because they're pick eaters). She gave me this angry and frustrated look and I had to say "I'm not ready" again. She left in a huff, not before saying passive-aggressively, "You do realize that if you order later that your food will come later" and intentionally meant that I'd be hogging the table - which would be an inconvenience for her. Also, our food came wayyyy later than other people who sat down about 10-20 minutes before us. Is it because she wants the two-seaters to leave quicker or is it just discrimination between fellow Asians? Food - miso soup was salty but really good! More flavorful than other restaurants, I'd have to say. No spoons though! As for the oyako don I had, chicken was super tender and tasted great! Overall - service was sub-par but food is good. Just a tip: I don't know if they have the same host/waitress every day but just don't come on Thursday if you don't want to be glared at or spoken to passive-aggressively read more

Cafe Mami - oyako don - chicken and egg - Japanese Curry Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Theres no Japanese restaurant in Boston that can match this place. The curries here the exact taste as what you order in Japan.

A spot inside the Leslie Univ Buildif among with many other little shops. It's tiny with some tables. If you want to do a large group here it might not be possible. However if ou don't mind sitting a little bit a part the food is good, comes it quick with friendly service and reasonably priced. We ordered the fried shumai which was pretty good. 5 pieces for $4.50 and also got Yaki Don. Delicious! read more

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I love love Cafe Mami! Don't forget - it's cash only (there's a Bank of America ATM in the building though, so don't sweat if you forgot cash.) FOOD I always get the Pork Cutlet set, and it's such a delicious comfort meal every time. I've also tried and liked: * Hamburg Curry * Gyudon VIBE Very casual and small, inside a shopping center. It's a great place for a quick meal or catch-up with friends, and perfect for weekday meals. SERVICE Service is always friendly and attentive - there is such limited seating, so you will get what you need quickly! MONEY THO Such a good deal. Very affordable for students around the area as well! read more

I love cafe mami, but the multiple price increases have been insane. Just in the last year the price of a Yaki Don has increased by $4 yet the portions remain the same size. Cafe Mami used to be my spot for reasonably priced food but unfortunately that won't be the case anymore. read more

The lunch began as a bit of a rushed experience. My server was pleasant and cheerful, but she asked me pretty much right after getting seated whether I knew what I wanted. I didn't. Then a minute or so later she saw me on my phone and asked again. I couldn't help but feel that my server was trying to move the process along to get some table turnover going on. To be fair, there is a shortage of tables at the establishment, so maybe I shouldn't be expecting the kind of relaxed service that I would get at a nice sit-down restaurant. Also, as I observed more about the other customers, many knew from the get-go what they wanted and some ordered takeout at the counter. So that seems to be be norm. I could've just been the weird Yelper taking his time with the order. I guess part of this lunch experience is about setting expectations, just as a server sets a table. To some extent, the visual setting evokes some assumptions that I should've been aware of walking in. There are round containers of wooden chopsticks, there are no preexisting table settings of plates and utensils and wine glasses that you would see at a "white tablecloth" restaurant. So, readjusting my expectations, the speed is not necessarily a bad thing. Just something worth noting. If you're hungry and want to eat soon, the servers get that process started, and fast. I ordered the Mami's special yaki udon. It came with a miso soup. The miso soup arrived quickly. It was nice and hot, savory with swirling clouds of whatever is in miso soup. A nice crunch from the sliced scallions. Simple but effective. There was only one little tofu cube in it and one seaweed leaf, which was disappointing, but could've just been the luck of the draw. Overall, it was tasty. Maybe 10 minutes later, the udon arrived. It was sizzling and I could smell the bean sprouts and scallions wafting off of the dish. It's a good thing I waited 5 or so additional minutes typing up this review because when I tried the noodles they were still gosh dang hot. But good. Sweet and chewy. The dark meat chicken was tender, nice. The veggies were a satisfying blend of carrots, bean sprouts, broccoli, and Napa cabbage, with the carrots adding a nice sweet crunch, the Napa a buttery but peppery taste, and the broccoli florets really got steeped in the sauce and offered a very tasty and very distinct (but harder to describe) aspect. The dish definitely was still near-scalding hot at the halfway mark of eating it, so it's a really good thing I waited. I think I would've lost several taste buds if I had taken a full-on bite right away. The rushedness of my experience diminished as the meal went on. My server saw clearly that I was eating like a tortoise on caffeine withdrawal, so she let me be with my meal. Overall, if you know what you're getting into-- a very casual, quick turnover, not-fancy lunch-- Cafe Mami is a solid choice. read more

People in Boston probably don't realize cafe mami has some of the best curry in the country. So good, reasonably priced, solid portion sizes. Always stop by when I visit Boston. read more

Want a cheap and good meal? Come to Cafe Mami. Here is what you need to know: -Cash only -This is a sit down place but table service. But there is limited seating with a long line, so you should eat quickly and get out. -There are $6 lunch specials! -Most dishes are around $10 -All the restaurants on the same floor share the same common bathroom. We came here and had to stand in line for 20 min. The waitress took our orders before we sat down, so that our food came out quickly once we sat down. I had the lunch special curry rice with miso soup for $6. The curry rice was not bad, there was not much meat in it, but what do you expect for $6? The miso soup was ok. Overall, great place for a quick and cheap meal. read more

Cafe Mami - Curry rice - Japanese Curry Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

We came in to make a to go order around 11:50am on Sunday. There was a line to get to the hostess, but it moved quickly as it seemed to be the first rush of the lunch wave. We made our order and she said it would be a 20 minute wait, but I think they were ready on 10-15. This was overall solid food and pretty good value, I just wasn't awestruck or anything! * Green Tea Shake ($3.50) - 4 stars pic: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/café-mami-cambridge-2?select=ow3aMoSzS5DzmenuE8OLnA#ow3aMoSzS5DzmenuE8OLnA Really nice flavor! Good balance of that slight bitterness of green tea with a hint of sweetness. Thick consistency yet not too hard to slurp up in the straw, not too icy, just right! * Yaki Don (Spicy Sliced Beef Rice Bowl. $7.99)- 3.5 stars pic: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/café-mami-cambridge-2?select=9OWyFMeNy2MvANhqFxx8cg#XtYGtwvAuV82GI6faterVw The thin slices of meat were very tasty, tons of flavor. This was good! * Hamburg ($9.99) - 2.5 stars pic: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/café-mami-cambridge-2?select=9OWyFMeNy2MvANhqFxx8cg#9OWyFMeNy2MvANhqFxx8cg I tried a bit of this--not sure which Hamburg set it was, likely the Tokyo. The Hamburg generally seems like an odd dish for a Japanese restaurant, like they did their own take on a Western dish. The sweet sauce on the patty was a off-putting and to me didn't go well wit the beef. The meat was also packed very hard so that the center was really dry. The potato was also kind of bland, a little undercooked as it was still a bit hard. * Yaki Beef Tofu ($9.99) - 3 stars pic: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/café-mami-cambridge-2?select=9OWyFMeNy2MvANhqFxx8cg#WyhT79duDGgVOjK82PcfYw The meat was the same cut as my Yaki Don. The tofu came in big pieces and were very soft; I didn't think the texture went very well with the harder thin slices of beef. The sauce was spicy for sure, but was pretty thickened and didn't taste very authentic. Menu: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/café-mami-cambridge-2?select=ow3aMoSzS5DzmenuE8OLnA#6nsFQPJESmFY6jnFHvJl5Q read more

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Came for lunch on a Sunday and was pleasantly surprised at how good it actually is. I'm big time Donburi fan and this was the perfect place to satisfy my craving. It's a sweet little shop, I wish it were bigger so we didn't have to wait online but the food is absolutely worth the wait. I tried a few things so I could write a somewhat thorough review. I got the pork cutlet donburi and the burger set and they were both really good. Very simple and honest flavor and they're not forcing anything with their dishes. I came back a 2nd time and got the fried chicken donburi. It was extremely good and if you're a chicken person definitely get it. I liked the pork a bit more just because it's one of my favorites but boy those chefs know what they're doing. read more

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It's hard to find a Japanese curry joint with vegetarian options! I had been searching for one in NY to no avail, and for once Boston has delivered where the Big Apple falls short. I didn't actually end up ordering the tofu curry on my last visit, as I was in the mood for something milder. The fried tofu don was quite good - the texture of the tofu was the right balance of crispy and tender on the inside. The yaki sauce was just okay. On a future visit, I look forward to sampling the many other vegetarian options on the menu. read more

Loved sitting at the small counter top and watching the chefs at work!! Delicious food, too, and inexpensive. Yaki don was excellent, as was the chicken curry. Tofu starter was light and super fresh. Huge portions. Awesome! read more

An absolutely great local spot. The food is super convenient and tasty given the price point, and the staff are incredibly nice. We ordered takeout on a Friday, and we were really impressed by how well-organized their pick-up operations were. We particularly like their Japanese curry and chicken cutlet sets. read more

Ok, I had perhaps unreasonable expectations. I haven't eaten at many curry places before, and the first Japanese curry I ever had was in Japan, at cococurry. I was hoping it'd be similar, but it more reminded me of Indian curry and was a tad salty. You get a lot of food for the price though, with unlimited rice. The cutlet certainly wasn't nearly as good as Cococurry but I also wasn't expecting it to be. If you're a regular around the area, you already know but I was caught off guard how small it was. Probably seats, 12 people max? It's very cramped, you're bound to share a table with other people. I assume most of the regulars are students. The matcha smoothie was a bit smaller than I anticipated, but good enough that I didn't regret it. read more

Cafe Mami - Japanese Curry Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Simple, delicious, and super generous servings! Cafe Mami is crazy popular, so come early to avoid the wait! Even though the Yelp page says they're open at noon on Saturday, when I got there around 11:50am, there were already 2 groups seated and eating! Luckily my friends and I grabbed the last table! No joke - a few minutes later, there was a line of 6+ people waiting - it's crazy! We ordered the Curry with Chicken and the Curry with Pork Katsu. Definitely go with the chicken - it's MUCH juicier and flavorful! The Pork Katsu was solid, but some pieces were definitely drier than others. The curry sauce was on point and tasty without being too rich. Overall it was a really satisfying meal. I'm honestly not sure why it's so popular though. It was tasty, but not phenomenally so. Would recommend only if the wait isn't too long! read more

Cafe Mami - Get the curry with chicken!! - Japanese Curry Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

The best Tata Set in the Cambridge Ma, I recommend it boneless Fired Chicken with Mayo and siracha hot sauce salad and white rice.11.75$ best price and quality for comfort food. read more

Cafe Mami - Japanese Curry Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

*****CASH ONLY***** Japanese comfort food in a small food court, located in Porter Square. Super casual, super good. There is a BOA atm right outside the building, yay! If you go during prime lunch hours, be prepared to wait 20+ min, usually a 10 min wait. Portions are humongo, can be shared between people, but who wants to do that when the food is so good. *Tokyo Hamburg set: one of my favs, there are a few different types of hamburg sauces, but this is my go-to because it is not too tomatoey or teriyaki sauce heavy. easy-over egg is a must ($1 extra) to add a bit of moisture to the patty. *Curry Katsu: I would visit Boston just for this. Katsu is thick and crispy, super moist and flavorful. Curry is Japanese style, a bit more watery. Again, portions are hefty! Service is prompt and well organized, despite there being only one waitress. Limited seating area, good for parties of 1-3, take-outs are good as well. read more

Cafe Mami - Pork Cutlet Curry, Tokyo Hamburg Set - Japanese Curry Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Great. A LOT of rice and sauce that I didn't finish but the fried chicken was lovely and I'm happy and full now. Very fresh lettuce salad and miso soup. read more

Cafe Mami - Original curry set with chicken cutlet and extra mixed vegetables - Japanese Curry Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

The food isn't bad, but things have changed... Their tonkatsu was thinner and had more taste before. Now its thick and they give you more meat, but it was tough. The curry was good, but runny and not as thick as a good japanese curry should be. Will not be returning. read more