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    Chinatown Cafe

    3.8 (244 reviews)
    Open 9:30 am - 7:00 pm

    Chinatown Cafe Photos

    Business Info

    CHINATOWN CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for kids

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    Tal O.

    I was so excited to try this place because the reviews are awesome and prices online looked really affordable! It's cash only and pick up only. I called to place my order and was told my total was $25. I even repeated it back to her once she told me it was cash only because I wanted to make sure I had enough cash. Once I got there and handed her the money, she told me it's not enough and showed me the receipt. The total was $35... I told her that doesn't make sense because it doesn't match the prices on their website or what they told me over the phone. She picked up the sesame chicken and told me this isn't $9. It is a huge portion, I'll give them that! But I didn't want $20 worth of sesame chicken! I even showed her the website and their own prices and she told me no. Bad attitude about it too. I walked out with $36 worth of chinese food when that's not at all what I had planned to spend. Luckily I had an extra $10 in my wallet otherwise I wouldn't have been able to pay for it! I got home and was excited to try it because if Im gonna spend almost 40 bucks on chinese it better be heaven. I kid you not, mall food chinese is better than this and a quarter of the cost. Overall I'm so disappointed because I was excited to find a locally owned, hole in the wall that could become my regular chinese takeout to go. After eating about 3 bites it's obvious I won't be coming back. Chinatown Cafe, please please please update your website with accurate prices!!

    1lb of roasted pork
    Oanh K L.

    A very local & favorite to Chinese people. My stepmom always loves this place. Every time I visit her (from out of state), I always stop here to get them 1 lb of roast pork. If you can eat when they are still warm, it is flavorful, crispy & make my heart happy :). They don't speak English so well except 1 lady can communicate in English a bit, please tell them not to get you the fat pieces if you don't eat fat. Cash only place so be prepared. They also have other dishes that you can order to go or eat right there at the cafe. Big portion & pretty authentic.

    Naaz A.

    They were so good freshly made and price is reasonable tooo I would go there again!!service was good . Ambiance was good.

    Menu + Price
    Benny D.

    Chinatown Cafe has a large menu with a really good price. All of its item is pretty good and it's hard to beat its price. I come here quite a bit to order something to bring home. The ambiance makes it feel like a hole in the wall because the restaurant lost a lot of the seatings. That makes me order things to go most of the time. It's also cash only. Here is my thoughts on what to order: Rice plate if you are ordering for yourself. For a family: Order a protein such as chicken, duck, or pork. Vegetables are a good add on and lastly, a side of your favorite carbs.

    Crispy pork belly on rice
    Brian W.

    This is THE place for Chinese BBQ in Boston. I used to go here when I was a kid with my parents and get pan fried noodles every time, but I never truly started to appreciate Chinatown Cafe until I started going here on my own and ordering their Chinese BBQ. Their Roast Duck, Char Siu, and Crispy Pork Belly are absolutely amazing, and they always give a huge portion for the amount of money you pay. HOWEVER, you never want to order a rice plate with more than 1 meat. We've noticed that if you order something like rice with roast duck and crispy pork belly (2 meats or more), you may get some off-cuts of the meat with a lot of bones in the duck or the ends of the pork belly. If you want to get a reliably consistent good quality cut, it's best to order just a 1-meat rice plate (or multiple, but always stick to 1 meat per dish). The most recent time I was here, I ordered the crispy pork belly on rice and (see picture) it came loaded with meat. I've been to other places around Boston that charge upwards of $15 and only give you 8-10 pieces, but there were 15 or so chunks of juicy, fatty, and crispy pork belly in this order. While we didn't eat in the restaurant because it was so crowded, there is a park right next door where we sat down on benches and were able to have a nice lunch. There was also enough rice and meat that we had a second helping for dinner! All in all, I will ALWAYS come back to Chinatown Cafe for Chinese BBQ. There really is no better place in Boston in my opinion, and the value is unbeatable.

    I ordered mock chicken w/ cashew. They gave me chicken w/ peanuts!

    I ordered a chicken with cashews yesterday for takeout. Why it turned out to be chicken with peanuts? Peanuts is much cheaper than cashew. This is a scam in Chinatown!

    Exterior
    Charlie T.

    This place is where you go if you want large portions at a very reasonable price. We ordered a combo meal, and it literally was packed to the top, and they needed a rubber band to keep the lid shut. The container had to be at least 5 lbs of food. They do only take cash, so be prepared. Our combo dish included bbq pork, roast duck, and soy sauce chicken that came with some steamed veggies and rice. This one dish was enough to feed at least 2 people.

    Food is the best! Servings can feed at least two people! Service great and quick! Have also had the crispy pork and chicken plate and the best beef chow foon!

    beef brisket lo mein.
    Francisca W.

    the love-hate relationship with this place. LOVE: convenient location; 15-min parking right out front. HATE: spots are always taken; I even got ticketed slipping in the hydrant spot for a quick pickup ~7pm when the street was practically empty LOVE: quick service (esp if you order ahead + beat the crowd) -- food is usually there by time I hang up and walk over. HATE: lines are always long - glad that they have added a second register mostly just for pickup. LOVE: value for money - portion is still big even at post-pandemic pricing. I'm always full when about 2/3 way into any of their noodle or rice dish. HATE: cash only LOVE: food is mostly consistent HATE: odd balls and "fake" items -- most recent being the Shanghainese style noodle. It was supposedly dark brown from dark soy, but it came as pale as Shanghainese people's skin. My Shanghainese friend is not impressed. Please, take it off the menu!! p.s. They recently re-opened limited seating for eat-in.

    Chicken and Vegetable Chow Fun
    Vic C.

    Chinatown Café is located next door to large parking lot (which I believe restaurant patrons aren't supposed to park in, but we did just for a few minutes to pick up our to go order), with some street parking available. This is an easy miss, so try to look for the maroon-colored awnings. Please note that this place is CASH ONLY. I decided to make an order over the phone to pick up some dinner to go, last Tuesday. I called a little after 6:30 am and was told it would be ready in 15 minutes. I ended up purchasing: Chinese Congee- My husband thought this would be a good dish to order since it was raining and cold on the evening we ordered. I love eating congee and thought this was made just right. The congee was perfect at the right consistency (not too thick and not too watery). There are thin slices of chicken and also fried Chinese donut pieces placed on top. The portion size can easily feed 2-4 people. The congee was perfectly seasoned (I hate when some places over salt their congee). Chicken and Vegetable Chow Fun- I love chow fun noodles and so I decided to order this. What surprised me was how incredibly saucy this dish was. If you see from my photos, you will see that there was a whole lot (which I kind of wished I had some steamed rice to soak all of that up with). It ended up spilling a little in the bag they placed our order in but no problem with wiping it up with a few paper towels. The dish itself was seasoned right and there was plenty of chicken and gai lan in this dish. This dish can also easily feed 2-4 people. ------------------------ (Total= $17.50, tax included.... Again this place is CASH ONLY) Although we only ordered 2 items, it lasted us a few more meals thereafter and so I think the portion size is perfect for the price. I think if I lived in this area, I would most likely come back and become a regular.

    $12 chicken, pork and duck
    Jo C.

    Lots of menu items including bbq Lots of classic authentic Cantonese dishes you can't find even in Chinatown Made to order and Piping hot Not overly salty but tasty Huge portions busy with local lineups Affordable prices Outside main area of Chinatown but not too far No parking

    Woo K.

    Forreal hole in the wall place. Language barrier was tough to get through. Hanging duck and meat everywhere. A bit dingy. Big cleavers and chopping. Sounds legit to me! The roast duck and pork was awesome. And what really made it awesome was that the day after it was still amazing. The beef satay was probably the other winner here. Char flavor, flavorful but not too much that it over powers the beef. It was great. Beef and tomato's wasn't my favorite and I have had better, but still good. Too many tomato's. Overall. Great experience. Will definitely come back.

    barely cooked pork 10/26/24

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    8 months ago

    Food was very quick and fresh. It's Cash only so be prepared!! Servings are large for the price.

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    10 months ago

    Amazing food, big plates, and the nicest people you will ever meet Must come and try this amazing place.

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    2 years ago

    Authentic and tasty Hong Kong style BBQ. My default 'go-to' when I need to load up on some HK BBQ!

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    REDWHITE - Boston

    REDWHITE - Boston

    4.2
    (577 reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$
    Casual dining
    Vegan friendly

    Absolutely top-notch vegan ramen. Coming from Vancouver, BC, where we have a killer…read more(vegan-friendly) ramen scene, I am a tough customer for ramen when visiting elsewhere. But this place completely lives up. 6 different ramens, $17.95 for the regular bowls. I was recommended the red hot miso ramen, a spicy option. You order up at the counter, and they give you a buzzer that buzzes when your ramen is ready to grab at the counter. The ramen was ready in under 10 minutes. First, the broth was remarkably complex and rich, with an endless depth that never became too overbearing -- perfect. The noodles were perfectly cooked as well, served up in a decent portion. Toppings-wise, you get tofu, soy crumble, corn, arugula, and sprouts, along with plenty of sesame seeds. I would've liked some proper greens (other than a few raw arugula leafs), but that's the most minor of complaints. Service was decent enough -- informative and helpful in describing the options. All in all, top-notch vegan ramen. Highest recommendation.

    I have been dreading writing this review, because as much as I wanted to love this place - I…read moreprobably had one of the worst eating experiences ever. Swung by this place on a weekday for lunch to avoid the rush - most weekends I pass by this place and the line wraps around the street! My friend and I stepped in and were immediately greeted with a sour attitude. We were confused on the menu whether our ramen included chili oil or not, and the staff did not help explain anything and just quickly dismissed our questions to get us to order quicker. Once we sat down, the food was done relatively quickly. However I was very surprised on what we had gotten. Now I admit - I am not a vegetarian. However, I have enjoyed many vegetarian meals and this was quite upsetting. We both got the garlic miso ramen. The ramen was not temperature hot at all. The chili oil was not flavorful. The "soy meat" was simply just mushed tofu with awful texture, and it soaked into the soup and created a pretty unpleasant texture (I took a picture which makes me sad and unappetized). I was unable to finish my bowl. The food combined with the service made for a pretty negative time for me. I really wanted to love it - a place with a full vegetarian menu is amazing for all my friends who have that restriction! Maybe if they tried pan frying the tofu create a better textural experience? I will not plan to come back, and will highly recommend you go to any other restaurant in Back Bay.

    Photos
    Roasted Miso Avocado Sushi
    Roasted Miso Avocado Sushi
    "S" No 7 Ginger Curry
    "S" No 7 Ginger Curry
    Proud to be named one of The Boston Globe's Best of the Best 2026. Thank you for your support!

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    Proud to be named one of The Boston Globe's Best of the Best 2026. Thank you for your support!
    Santouka Back Bay

    Santouka Back Bay

    4.1
    (846 reviews)
    1.2 mi
    $$

    There is a steady line here even when they open. The space is small and you can be seated with…read moreother people. The waitress was really nice and very knowledgeable. There seems to be a lot of take out so if you're at a nearby hotel, it would be easy to order and take it back. TONKOTSU KARA MISO RAMEN - Very tasty with a little spice, the ramen noodles seem fresh. BARA TORO CHA-SYU - pork cheek - very good and very worth the extra money to add it on. The flavor is fantastic and they put it on the side so it doesn't overcook. NEGI NAMBAN - Our favorite of the two bowls ordered. The menu says to beware of the spice, but it is not bad. I added the chili oil that was on the counter. I was very happy with my order and would order this Ramen again. We got a side of the marinated hard boiled egg, cooked perfectly and it was great. We ordered the regular sized bowl and we were both very full and ready for a walk. There was another ramen bowl that was on a limited time menu, but we didn't see it so maybe next time.

    Vegetarians have one choice but it's a very good choice . You won't be disappointed. We added…read moreedamame, egg, chili paste and jalapeno on the side. Service is fast and super attentive. We sat in the patio outside and the weather was on our side and couldn't be perfect. It was a dinner with my daughter and she hadn't had anything since the morning. And this is one of her favorite places. The ramen was perfect and so were the vegetables. The protein looked too real like meat but it is soy. Totally a great meal to enjoy. Will definitely be back. Service is fast and quick.

    Photos
    Santouka Back Bay
    Shoyu Cha-shu
    Shoyu Cha-shu
    Interior

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    Interior
    Soup Shack - Brookline

    Soup Shack - Brookline

    4.5
    (247 reviews)
    3.3 mi
    $$

    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.

    INCREDIBLE food! Omg this place is such a hidden gem, just a little walk away from coolidge corner,…read morebut you absolutely can't pass it up. I was a little skeptical at first with how extensive their menu is, reaching across different cuisines, but regardless if there's one thing they know it's soup. They somehow master the distinct flavor profiles between each unique dish, making every single one something new and surprising with an exceptional depth of flavor. My personal favorites were the red ramen and black tonkotsu, but seriously everything they have to offer is next level. I would also HIGHLY recommend their chicken karaage appetizer, I couldn't stop reaching in for more! On top of excellent food, their service is unmatched! Whether you come for dinner or lunch, you're met with smiling faces and a welcoming vibe that just sets the tone beautifully for the rest of the meal. Our server was incredibly kind and generous, allowing us to just sit back and enjoy the meal. Overall, 10/10 experience and I am highly looking forward to my next visit!

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    Soup Shack - Brookline
    Red Ramen
    Red Ramen
    Spicy miso ramen

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    Spicy miso ramen
    Area Four

    Area Four

    4.0
    (1.1k reviews)
    1.9 mi
    $$

    Area 4 is well worth the hype! Great pizza, attentive service, and plenty of outdoor seating to…read moreenjoy your food on a nice summer day. My go-tos are the mushroom pie and clam pie, both of which are super flavorful and made with high-quality ingredients. They pair really well with the shaved brussel sprout salad, which may be the perfect salad in my eyes: thinly shaved brussel sprouts, crunchy roasted hazelnuts, and slices of parmesan cheese. Not too saucy but extremely refreshing!

    I just had a disappointing pizza experience at Area 4 (rated 4.4, one of the highest in the area)…read more My sister even said she preferred dining hall food, and we both agreed that Domino's was better. The service was poor from the start. The waitress told us we would be seated at the bar. She rolled her eyes and appeared visibly annoyed when I asked if it was okay that my sister was under 21. She said it was fine as long as we didn't order drinks, then seated us at the bar. We were only given drink menus. When the bartender came over to take our order, I had to ask for a food menu myself. Our seating was also uncomfortable. We were placed right next to the bar/server station. My sister got splashed when drinks were being opened, and servers repeatedly bumped into her chair while passing. We ordered the Carnivore pizza. The pizza itself was quite salty. The dough was decent, but not impressive. I kept trying to convince myself it was good, but it fell short. Pizza: 3/5 Service: 2/5 Atmosphere: 3/5 Would I return? No. Overall, I was surprised by the 4.4 rating. My expectations were much higher based on the reviews.

    Photos
    Dining Area at Area Four Cafe Kendall Square
    Dining Area at Area Four Cafe Kendall Square
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    Garlic Knots
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    Saltie Girl

    Saltie Girl

    4.2
    (2.8k reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$$

    First time in Boston and went to Saltie Girl TWICE during our short trip! It was that good. The…read morefirst time we went, we were able to sit inside at the bar and we ordered warm and cold New England lobster rolls, so two total, $42 each. This place was unique because they leveled up their lobster rolls by using different sauces. In the warm one, they use beurre blanc, and in the cold one, they use a seasoned kewpie mayo. You can definitely tell the difference. The Saltie Girl branded chips were a nice touch. We shared a bag and took one on the road. Fun vibes too seeing all the seafood towers get built! The service was quick, the bartenders were attentive. We took MBTA so we did not have to worry about traffic or parking. The location is so nice because we just walked around all the stores after. We got a cold lobster roll to-go the next day and it was amazing again. Definitely will be back the next time we are in Boston.

    Delicious!!! I think, one of the best, if not... the BEST lobster roll in Boston and surrounding…read moreareas. The lobster was so fresh and flavorful and the bun was buttery and toasted. SOOO good!! Cold lobster roll is the way to go! We also had the oysters which you can select off the menu, very fresh and tasty! They have nice outside seating and a nice bar inside too. We sat on the patio and even came back a second time before we left Boston for another lobster roll. They have great drinks too. Frosè, as well as a frozen espresso martini! It took a while for the rolls to come on our 1st visit and they have us a second round of Frosè which was super nice. Highly recommend Saltie Girl especially for the lobster roll!

    Photos
    New England Lobster Roll and Parmesan Truffle Fries
    New England Lobster Roll and Parmesan Truffle Fries
    New England Lobster Roll
    New England Lobster Roll
    Lobster Benedict with Mimosa

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    Lobster Benedict with Mimosa

    Chinatown Cafe - chinese - Updated August 2026

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