I got general gaus chicken, pork fried rice, and a pu pu platter for two. Everything was pretty good, except for the crab rangoons. The crab rangoons had a strange flavor that was not pleasant at all. Also, almost everything in the pu pu platter was over cooked to the point of being dried out. That didn't bother me too much, because I like my fried foods to be extra crispy. So aside from the crab rangoons, everything was good. read more

Gloppy orange beef. Not crispy. Smokey chicken Filles with chili peppers not hot or Smokey. Very average.

Nice Chinese restaurant in Cambridge area! Good choice to hangout with friends and grab something to eat here! Tasty food!

Location (5/5): close to Harvard Square. Some street parking nearby. Service (5/5): the waitresses are always super nice and helpful. The dishes are served pretty fast is you never have to wait long for some delicious Sichuan cuisine! Food (5/5): probably the best Chinese/Sichuan food in the area. Super authentic (I'm from Sichuan, so trust me). I love the spicy boiled fish (水煮鱼) and spicy chicken (辣子鸡). The dishes are perfectly seasoned and sooooo spicy, just the way I like it. They also have Amercanized Chinese food, but I can't speak to the quality of those dishes since I've never gotten them there. TL;DR: not for the feint of heart, but the spiciness will blow your mind/tastebuds. read more

I am surprised how low the rating is. I've been there before and it's pretty good i even know the owner! I think people need to think how hard owning a restaurant is. I wish people could be more excepting. read more

I refrain from giving this place 1 star, because albeit the food is good. Not great, but decent and not overly-priced. However, my experience here with the service was downright painful. Our server was loud, imposing, slightly rude (doing my best to give him a fair, benefit of the doubt), and unfortunately, he was very argumentative. Here's how it went. My boyfriend and I happened upon this place by chance, because we were doing errands in Harvard Sq and wanted to grab dinner beforehand. We chose this place because they'd just opened and looked promising, and Chinese food felt appropriate (it was freezing out and we were somewhat in a rush, so we knew it'd be warm, served fast, and fill us up). When we entered, we were greeted by a server, don't know his name, but he's shorter (5,4", a bit stout, short hair, and has a boisterous, forceful voice) - PLEASE AVOID if possible, and I don't mean to call him out, so readers on here can target him but I wanted to warn anyone before coming here! Please be very careful when stating your order, because he mixed up our's and argued to us about it. My boyfriend had ordered the "moo shu chicken with vegetables", and the server repeated the order back to us and it sounded fine, but what he did was gave us (1) order of moo shu, and ANOTHER (2) order of chicken with vegetables which MAKES NO SENSE?!!! Why on earth would one person order two full entrees. So he basically took an order which was supposed to be one, and split it to two. (I sincerely think he ripped us off, but you be the judge) I got the general gau which came out fine and everything, but when we told him about the mix-up with my boyfriend's order, he just argued back and said, "you ordered this! you order this!" - Repeatedly, imposing, and LOUD! It was really stressful and uncomfortable. My boyfriend and I both knew we weren't going to win, so as passive as this sounds, we avoided conflict, wanted to be on our way, and said we'll just pay for the extra entree of chicken and vegetables. We asked if he could wrap that up, so we can take it to-go. He says "okay" but either he didn't comprehend, OR wanted to hide his own mistake, and INSTEAD brought out the dish when we had asked for it to be wrapped. Think about having an extra plate that no one ordered and the server just places it next to you, as if he's saying YOU NEED TO EAT THIS AND PAY FOR IT. He argued with us again, asserting "this is yours, this is yours." And we're like, fine but just please wrap it up! It took him awhile as he kept looking at us if we had four heads. Also - there was a moment, where he weirdly touched my boyfriend's phone when it wasn't even in the way? I felt really uncomfortable. Overall this situation, the server made us feel as though we were in the wrong and led to a disappointing experience. In hindsight, we should've been more assertive towards the guy and called out the manager or someone, but we didn't. We didn't want to make it a big deal even though we were both quite taken aback by his behavior. In the end, he wrapped up our food and was polite by the time we asked for the bill. The situation was one of the most ridiculous restaurant experiences I've had. I've never had a server argued back about what we ordered. Again, try this place if you want (food is okay) but be warned about the service and SPEAK CLEARLY when ordering and MAKE SURE you have them say your order back. read more

Hope this place sticks around! The ma po tofu was really tasty, though beware of the authentic, super hot spice. The tofu-gan with pork was great and like homemade. The dou miao was also good and not too greasy. Great for takeout! read more

Best Chinese food this side of the river! It's more authentic than your standard Americanized restaurant, but it still has all the classics (scallion pancakes are bomb!). I especially like their spicy fish soup with Szechuan peppers - I crave that numbing soup all the time. I just wish that their English sign was lit so customers could see it at night - I want more people to know about this tasty spot! read more

So delicious! I've been looking for a tasty and authentic Chinese restaurant near Harvard sq and this new restaurant will now be my go-to spot! I'm a vegetarian and appreciated them checking with the chef to make sure no meat or fish sauce was used in any of the dishes I ordered. My favorite was the Chinese mushrooms with bok Choy. Can't comment on the service, but when I ordered take out they were very courteous and only took about 10 mins to prep the food! I really love it and can't wait to go back! read more

As a Chinese American, I'm always in search of places where I can get my Chinatown favorites. I've only ordered a couple of Cantonese dishes off the menu, yang chow fried rice and beef chow foon. Both were decent, but the thing about this place is that the food is very heavily seasoned with either salt or MSG. I can tell because after I eat, I feel a little sick afterwards. It's not too bad, so I will go back if I'm ever in a pinch and need something quick. I've experienced much worse post meal symptoms eating at other establishments. The fish cooked in chili broth looks delicious. I would love to try that here in the future. read more

We've eaten in several times and do weekly take-out. The folks are friendly and efficient. The food is fresh and delicious! I highly recommend pea pod shoots, seafood with pan-fried noodles and cumin pork. It is so good. read more

The food is good, and the price is fair. The service is ok. There is a variety of decent Szechuan dish.

No one else thinks it's an odd coincidence that mere months after the wildly successful Dumpling House opened two blocks away a knock-off has appeared? Cilantro is a straight-up imitator. The menus not only look identical, they carry the same improbable range of selections: everything from "Am-Chi" (Crab Rangoon, General Gao's chicken) to what I guess would count as Chinese soul food (Szechuan pig hooves, sauteed frog.) Neither restaurant has anything wonderful going for it - generic renditions of take-out grade food are the rule. And they even share a $20 credit-card minimum and have no liquor license. But since Dumpling House has more to choose from they'll stay my go-to place in the neighborhood for this cuisine. One exception will be the chicken fingers (LOL.) Cilantro does this Am-Chi favorite justice by keeping the batter grease-free, and by serving a generous portion along with "duck sauce" that was pleasingly a bit more sweet and tangy than what I'm accustomed to. A third star ALMOST got added for the servers, who were super attentive - just shy of hovering. I saw the same eagerness to please displayed at all the other occupied tables. Those who play a violin for themselves over being supposedly ignored for an hour (yeah, right) need some assertiveness training. The ground-level space closest to Harvard Square at this address is notorious for being a graveyard for mediocre restaurants. Within the past year alone low-caliber Italian AND Mexican places have been in and out. About six eateries ago there was another lousy Chinese joint there. Now the cycle has come full circle. By next year at this time there will undoubtedly be either another unmemorable dining place in the spot, or Zoe's will have expanded yet again. Worth repeating: There's a $20 minimum for credit-card purchases. Not a problem for me. When I return (they don't deliver) I'll have cash for my chicken finger take-out! read more

Absolutely delicious food! Came here on Valentine's Day with my friend. We ordered scallion pancake, Sichuan style string beans, and fish filet with spicy chili sauce. All three were really yummy and quite authentic. Both my friend and I were born in mainland China, so we can somewhat vouch for the authenticity of the cuisine. The scallion pancake is crispy on the outside and filled with flavor. The string beans are flavored with minced pork and very savory. The fish filet with spicy chili sauce is definitely the highlight because its spiciness is perfect, tingling your tongue but not overpowering. What's preventing me from giving it 5 stars? Service. After around an hour, the waiters started removing dishes from my table even though my friend and I were not finished with our dishes and were still eating. read more

Cilantro is a very nice addition to the area, and I stopped going to Dumpling House altogether. I never ordered xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) from Cilantro, so I can't compare that specific item, but given that Dumpling House's specialty is xiaolongbao I wouldn't order it from Cilantro or judge them based on that. Instead, I find similar entree items from Cilantro much better, and the service is great. Cilantro has a nicer variety of food, with half of the items being Sichuan dishes, but they also have other varieties from other regions. My favorites include chilled shredded dried bean curd appetizer, peapod shoots (a bit pricey because of the input price, but so worth it), an alternative is Chinese watercress with garlic which I can eat an unlimited amount of, braised pork Mao family's style (pork belly is like an expensive delicacy in French and upscale restaurants, but here they do it just wonderfully, so rich and tender and the price is just right), oil drenched eggplant (or eggplant with garlic sauce), and most Sichuan dishes including the classic fish dish (Sichuan style bumbling fish, or you can also replace it with fish fillet with spicy chili sauce if you want to do take-out instead). read more

Literally didn't bring half the order and hung up on me when I called. Ridiculous and overpriced. Please avoid.

I came here for lunch. The bowl and plate are full of the smell of detergent. Really disgusting. Changed another one after complain, but still the same smelly. Will Never Come again. I guess that's why there is no body during lunch read more

3.5 stars. Decent food but nothing special - had their eggplant and spicy beef dishes. Their milk tea is pretty good. Overall, a good Chinese addition to the square but not one that stands out that much from other options. read more

I would definitely suggest this place to any Chinese students or tourists coming to Harvard. I don't quite know which style the foods are, but the scallion pancakes are really awesome. I have been there for three times, the first time one of my Chinese friend took me there, I was really happy to see that the waitresses are all Chinese. Comparing to the weird American Chinese food you might see here, I was pretty content with the food here. I only had the scallion pancakes and they surprised me. The second time I ate the beef noodle soup牛肉面, it was quite as how I was expecting, probably because in China I usually eat Lanzhou beef noodles, it's a different style, I wouldn't say I loved it, but it might be worth trying. The third time I tried 本楼炒饭, honestly I don't remember the English name of this one. I finished the whole plate all by myself because I really liked it. There are shrimp, chicken and egg along with the fried rice. The waitresses in the restaurant are very nice and kind so I really liked this place. read more

Local Cambridge resident; tried this place for the first time on Saturday and was disappointed in the shrimp, edamame and dry tofu dish- the shrimp were pitiful, there was no sauce, no taste, and the whole thing was aesthetically unappealing- I should have read the reviews before to know what to get read more

I ordered two dishes one is medium spicy dish and the other is mild spicy but it is totally not spicy. There were not difference between those two dishes. So I asked what they can do to solve this problem. I was very disappointed that they only gave me a small dish of hot sauce. By the way, the attitude was not good. The feature of Szechuan food is spicy. Very disappointed. read more

Went here and got "non traditional" American Chinese and it was great! We got the Pork Trotter and Soy Sauce Duck. Then we went back and I had shrimp and veggies and he got Lo mein. Both were boring and had little flavor. The shrimp were plentiful, but tasted bad so I was afraid to eat them. I didn't get sick though... read more

Having been here multiple times and visited the few Chinese restaurants in Cambridge, I can confidently say that this is the best option for both food quality and value. Good service and generous portions. read more

A delicious hole-in-the-wall gem. Located under the stairs to the building, the interior will astound you, but the food will astound you more. The Chinese food Cilantro serves is truly authentic, with excellent balance between flavor and tenderness. I highly recommend the beef, mushroom, and bamboo stir fry, as well as the hot boiled fish. The servers are friendly and fast. I've been there twice and ordered delivery once. None of those experiences were disappointing. read more

Love their dim sum menu. The food taste really fresh and light! Perfect spot for a Sunday brunch hangout with it's friendly staff and quiet environment. Nice addition to Harvard square, especially for the residents nearby who don't care about going all the way to Chinatown for dim sum. read more

This Chinese place is the best in the square! I've been here multiple times, and I've been impressed with their consistency.

I have only great things to say about Cilantro! When I ordered delivery late at night, the owner was kind enough to not only keep the restaurant open late for me, but deliver my yummy food themself! Everything was delicious - would definitely recommend!! read more

I was visiting friends at Harvard and was looking for something to eat near campus. The food was really good and very authentic to me, who was born and raised in China. Recommend their specialty-Szechuan dishes. The staff were really kind and helpful and even let me charge my phone cause my battery died out from the cold snowy weather. I just think that Harvard students are really lucky to have such wonderful Chinese restaurant in the neighborhood. read more

The service is excellent, but the food isn't that great. The fish in Miso sauce was too salty, the scallion pancake did not have much scallion. I would say an OK place overall. Not in a hurry to go there again. read more

Worst chinese restaurant in Boston area! Waiters are creepy and impolite! They speak broken English and are not professional at all. The menu looks great but the food is terrible! One dish of pork was barely the size of a rice bowl and costs 14$ ! I mean for that potion i could've gotten lobster elsewhere. And that's not the worst part ! Another dish of vegetables tasted like dish detergent ! A noodle we order was so spicy that we can taste anything and it's impossible to eat it. I know at least 5 of my friends find this place terrible and won't ever go back again. Such a pity it's at a great location very convenient for us. Update: came back again after a year or so for dim sum brunch and reminded why we don't like this place...their food is actually not that bad just super slow... read more

Best chinese food in Cambridge. Their Sichuan cuisine are great.

Got in from a long red eye flight and chose Cilantro to be our first meal because we were starving and were craving comfort food. I'll five it one star for having a decent 3 cup chicken. The other two dishes were horrible, not to mention service incredibly slow. The wontons were 90% wrapper with a tiny sliver of bland meat in the middle. The broth was a joke. The soup dumplings were doughy, empty of any soup, and some of them didn't even have bottoms. To be fair, I hail from the land of ding tai fung and the like. But still... How can anyone like the food here is beyond me. read more

Stopped in for lunch. Great bang for your buck...8.50 for the entree and your choice of the soup of the day, brown, white or fried rice, and crab rangoon or wings. Food was delicious and hot! Service was great! Can't wait to come back! read more

I got 3 appetizers delivered for dinner and all 3 were delicious, huge portions for a great price. The dan dan noodles are amazing and enough for 2 entrees at least. The roast beef tenderloin in chile sauce was fantastic too. Highly recommended!! read more

Reasonable price and excellent service. The waitresses are so kind and helpful. Really liked the steamed chicken with chili sauce.

I am a lunch regular - their dishes are ok. It can be a little hit and miss. Sometimes a little salty esp heavy with the sauce (e.g. beef and broccoli). I tend to get items that are milder in taste to make up for that. It's an ok place for some Chinese food... read more

Walked by this restaurant and stopped to eat with my husband. Very delicious! Would definitely recommend to any friend in Cambridge, MA.

We live close and the closing of the Dolphin totally ruined our Friday nights. I'm not sure this place will serve as a regular go-to but it's a damn sight better than the dumpling house down the street, which came damn close to getting me to swear off Chinese forever. The menus are similar in fact but this is cheaper and more agreeable. They're not afraid to spice it up and the service was superior and the English is acceptable as long as you stick with the main waitstaff. They didn't change much environmentally from the previous two (failed) variants in this space, well known as a restaurant graveyard. The portions were very decent and we ended up taking a deal home. No delivery and no booze. (They now serve beer and wine.) And if you want breakfast Zoe's is next door and soon burgers will be upstairs. Anyone else remember when Autre Chose was a door or two down? read more

Had (1) soy-braised fish and (2) luffa & bamboo fungus. The taste of the fish was good but the fish didn't have too much meat itself. Regarding luffa, it is understandable that they cannot get very good luffa in north america at this time of year; but I am happy to have bamboo fungus again, which is common in South China. They have a nice dessert called mashed taros, which is classical in the city of Fuzhou, where I come from. Their mashed taro is better than many others I had in restaurants in China, yet it is still a bit thin and does not contain enough oil. Anyway, I was delighted to have it again in north america. read more

Popped in here for a late lunch on a Saturday. My girlfriend and I were one of 2 tables. We had the spicy Szechuan dumplings with chili oil to start and they were pretty good. My girlfriend got the spicy pad Thai, which was good until we found a hair in it. Not the end of the world, but it does kill the appetite some. I ordered the crispy orange beef. The waitress brought the wrong food the first time, and brought chicken, which usually I'm not critical of, but we were one of 2 tables...that's tough. The beef was more soggy than crispy, but the flavors were decent. Overall not a great experience. Probably won't be going back. read more