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    Darling

    4.4 (57 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)

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    Fish o filet bao
    Joy G.

    Sexy date night spot in Central; more hits than misses in the relatively limited food offerings. Bottom line: you can't go wrong with the cocktails or the fish baos. Here's what I loved: - The very creative names given to the drinks, including my personal favorite, "everyday, another apocalypse" (truly). I ordered the "turn of the phrase" because I will order any drink that has the adjective "vegetal," and this was amazing - super smooth mescal, with faint notes of bell pepper and kiwi. - The homage in the decor to "In the Mood for Love," which if you have not watched Wong Kar-wai's masterpiece, you need to immediately. - The filet o fish bao. As a kid, I used to beg my parents for McDonald's just so I could get the fish sandwich and the bao version is absolutely transcendent. Super crispy, flaky fish, with a generous dab of tartar sauce, scallions, and Kraft cheese. I would come back just for this. - The bang bang gai or double-fried chicken thighs in an absolutely drinkable gojuchang, cilantro, and lime sauce. Here's what I didn't love: - The suan la chow show or hot and sour chili wontons. Can't go wrong, right? This was the dish we liked the least - the pork filling was under-seasoned and an unappealing gristly texture, and the wrapper was so doused in the sauce that it disintegrated as soon as we picked it up. Overall, the dishes were on the salty side; we were guzzling water throughout the night. Parking: One of the managers kindly pointed us to the 2-hour parking lot behind the McDonalds across the street. The Mass Ave spots right in front of the restaurant are only 1-hour and they do ticket, so avoid those if you can.

    Common Trope
    Tiffany D.

    Asian fusion take on dim sum with a fun, lively atmosphere! It's a great spot for date night. The bar is stunning and the wait staff were very friendly. Portions are pretty good and executed well. Some dishes were a tad salty but nothing too crazy. We got the filet o fish bao, lo bak go (turnip cake), pork braised ribs, colossal shrimp, and sago pudding. All of them we really enjoyed! 2-3 plates per person is sufficient. We also got a cocktail (Common Trope) - very fruit and sweet! Would definitely come back!

    Soy sauce noodles
    Jaquelin F.

    Such a lovely experience and the food did not disappoint!! Customer service was so welcoming and attentive. I was only a party of 2 so we were sat in the bar area. With that being said many workers were in front of us. However, the check did take a while to get to us despite my party being in front of the register. The inside was very lively and dim. It was loud (like all good places!) with chatter and laughter which added to the good vibes. The inside is definitely a plus! The food was bombbbbb!!!!!!! I was so hungry this day so maybe that's why it was so good. I got soy sauce fried noodles and they were delicious. My only complaint is that at times it felt too oily/greasy, especially the greens, which I didn't finish. You can't go wrong with their $3 bowl of rice!! It was yummy! I will definitely come back :D

    Filet o Fish Bao
    Isha A.

    Okay wow!! I love the vibes here. The bar is stunning, I think next time I'd want to sit there. We started with the suan la chow show, which were these perfectly cooked pork wontons covered in chili crisps. So juicy, spicy, and delicious. Then we got the filet o fish bao, which was so unique! I definitely recommend this if you like fish and chips. The fried fish was perfectly cooked. My favorite item of the night was the red-braised pork ribs. The meat falls right off the bone and melts in your mouth. We got 2 drinks and neither of us were crazy about them but we will be back for food! Also, the service was great. All the food came out super quick.

    Lemonade
    Muriel D.

    Had a reservation for 8pm. Took a while to be seated but the host was lovely and I enjoyed talking to her about her recommendations for dinner. We ordered the shrimp, wontons, broccoli, and got the cheesecake for dessert. The food was all quite yummy, the wontons were my personal favorite. Everything came out at an appropriate time and was served at a good temperature. The tables are a bit too close to one another which can be annoying to get up or even just for talking throughout the night. Overall the ambiance is nice. It's a dim-lit establishment that has a bit of an upscale vibe. The price for the dishes was not the worst when you take into account the service and aesthetic, but you can definitely get something similar for cheaper in Chinatown. Overall, 7/10 and I would go back for a late night bite.

    Anthony C.

    Stopped by after a day in Cambridge for a quick bite and it was so good. Sat at the bar and service was very good Really enjoyed the cheesecake.

    Filet o fish
    Della S.

    I sadly never got to try Mary Chung's before it officially closed down, but have been pretty happy with Darling in its place! I was more impressed by Darling's cocktail selection than their food menu, but appreciate their homage to Mary Chung's through the suan la chow show on the menu (which also happens to be their best dish that I've tried). The food items come in small plates ($8-16). Two of us split four items which I thought would be not enough food, but I ended up being pretty full. Their cocktail menu supposedly changes every day but in the two times I visited, there have been quite a handful that reappeared. My favorite so far has been the "sweep the leg" ($17) which has a tomato that adds a lot of umami freshness. The "hk french toast" ($18) also has a fun, creamy, peanutty profile. It has been a couple of months since I last visited and I noticed that their online menu is a little different from what I have in my camera roll-- I will still write some of my impressions of the food, but there is a chance that things have improved. As I mentioned, the suan la chow show ($15) is quite good. The wontons swim in a vinegary, savory sauce with plenty of greens on top that add freshness. The wontons themselves are meaty with a wrapper that has a nice bite to it. I also tried the filet o fish bao ($15). It truly just tastes like a filet o fish from McDonalds, although the bun is steamed. The red-braised pork ribs ($17) are very tender and fall-off-the-bone! My only complaint is that I felt that the flavor profile was a bit one-dimensional. The meat was mostly just salty, with not many spices. Finally, I tried the soy sauce noodles ($14). I was super excited when this dish arrived at our table because it had such a smoky aroma, but the taste was unfortunately a bit one-dimensional like the ribs... mostly salty without much else going on, and very greasy. I would come back here to get more cocktails in a small group, with an order of suan la chow show to share!

    Alyssa C.

    New trendy spot in Central. Was excited that it's a modern spot with Chinese food and Hong Kong dishes! The decor was sleek, but the music was so loud it was difficult to maintain a conversation. Lo bak go: good texture and fun twist with mushrooms on top Filet-o-fish bao: probably my favorite of the night, the fish was flaky and well cooked and I actually liked the cheese slice, felt very nostalgic Soy sauce noodle: unexpectedly spicy, basic flavors Charred Chinese broccoli: decent, the hint of lemon was a nice Colossal shrimp: great flavor Drinks: Hope I Packed a Parachute: Taro foam was delicious!! Unique flavor and texture, unfortunately this drink got pretty sweet the more you drank Overall nice experience, but probably the only dish I would crave again is the filet-o-fish bao and drinks.

    Bang bang gai
    Nicki L.

    I was so pleased with the service here - it may have been the most professional I've experienced recently. The server was gentle yet super attentive in his interactions. The host had a welcoming presence. Special touches like asking if I'd like my coat stowed felt very high end. The food and drink were spectacular! The guava haichū cocktail was subtly sweet, lightly fizzy, and oh so clarified! For food, I recommend the bang bang gai - texture and heat were perfect. This place is a win all around!

    Phoebe H.

    Made a reservation a few weeks in advance to come to Darling on a Friday night. I was so excited to try this place because it has a lot of great reviews. It has a satisfyingly short food menu, so we were able to order almost everything and share amongst the group. Fantastic and creative selection of cocktails as well. The parachute cocktail has a delicious taro foam on top. The crowd favorite were the fish fillet buns.

    Haja F.

    I was really looking forward to trying this place out, but I wasn't fully satisfied with the experience. If I were judging based on the food alone, I'd give them at least 4 stars. Everything we ordered was delicious. However, I was disappointed with the drinks, which is the main reason for the 3-star rating, especially since they advertise themselves as a cocktail lounge. I do appreciate that they change their cocktail menu daily, so perhaps another visit would be a different experience. The space itself is cute and intimate. The music is meant to be part of the overall vibe, but it was hard to hear during our visit. On the positive side, the bar staff were friendly and made great recommendations, and the service was fairly quick. I may give it another try in the future. Check them out for yourself and see what you think

    Parita A.

    Would give this a 4.5! Darling is such a cool spot in Cambridge. It's tucked away, has great vibes, and the ambiance is just right, cozy but stylish. The cocktails are amazing. Hope I Packed a Parachute was super unique. The taro foam on top is deliciously good and makes the drink stand out. The Common Trope might be one of the best cocktails I've had in a while, dangerously smooth, balanced, and you really get the a floral lychee flavor. Food-wise, the Lo Bak Go was way heartier than I expected. It was really flavorful with a bit of chili crunch that gives it great depth. The cucumbers were also surprisingly delicious, not basic at all, with tofu and this tasty vinegar flavor that elevates them. The menu's small but has a couple of vegan options, which is nice. Service was great too, friendly and attentive without being over the top. Overall, loved the experience.

    Crispy enoki bao
    Nancy Z.

    Good food and mocktails. Their menu is fairly limited but all the items were great. Modern twist to some popular dim sum dishes. It was packed even on a Monday, so make sure to book ahead.

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    Thanks for the kind words Andrew!

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    Thank you very much Emylee!

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    Ask the Community - Darling

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    Hei La Moon

    Hei La Moon

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    I know everyone has their favorite dim sum in Boston, but Hei La Moon is pretty high up there on my…read morelist (maybe tied with Great Taste if I want Pan Fried Turnip Cakes). The proprietor/hostess is so sweet, and the cart service on weekends is always such a vibe. As always, I get the Siu Mai, Har Gow, Bean Curd Meat Rolls, Chive Dumplings, Tofu with Fish Paste, and Fried Noodles every time I come. Honestly salivating thinking of this place!

    A famous story told by the late great writer David Foster Wallace goes something like this: A young…read morefish was swimming along when someone asked, "How's the water?" The fish replied, "What's water?" At Hei La Moon, I was that fish. I'd never had dim sum, so I had nothing to compare it to. That said, Hei La Moon earned the dubious distinction of being the restaurant that taught me I don't particularly like dim sum. The place is massive - think banquet hall - so ambience isn't exactly a thing. Servers roll carts around like a buffet on wheels, which makes life easy for patrons but also feels a little gross (how many steps did my food log by the time it reached my table?). I didn't care for most of the dishes we ordered, but that could be less a statement about Hei La Moon and more about me (I tend to stick with the Americanized Chinese food staples - egg rolls, beef with broccoli, sweet and sour chicken, General Tsao's, you get the idea). As I recall, there was also a bit of a weird smell to the place, which was off-putting. Now I can say I've tried dim sum, and I also don't ever have to go back. Isn't America great?!

    Dynasty - Yin yang fried rice

    Dynasty

    (251 reviews)

    Chinatown

    My friend found this place from a viral item they are serving--scallion pancake crab rangoon. They…read morewere not on the menu so we were worried we were at the wrong place but they assured they had it. They were super good--gooey and cheesey and still like a crab rangoon. I would come back for these. Someone next to us also ordered them. Now I did still want to try their traditional dishes so we split Xaio Long Baos which were really good soup dumplings. They were fresh and tasty. I also got a general gau chicken which I know is more Americanized Chinese food but got it since it was offered as a plate with rice. It was tasty, a little spicy and a large portion--I had leftovers. I would like to come back to try more of their authentic dishes as the food was of high quality and it was busy inside so that's a good sign! What we ordered: Scallion Pancake & Crab Rangoon T15 Xiao Long Bao Z16 general Gaus Chicken

    I wasn't super impressed during my latest visit to Dynasty... I had dined here once before ~2 years…read moreago for a special event and really enjoyed my experience so the expectations were maybe too high. First of all, the arrangement they had for queueing for tables was a bit confusing and unclear. We were given a slip of a paper with a number on it, which the hostess eventually called out after about 10 minutes. I wish they had a more seamless system for handling this (in an app or taking phone numbers instead). We ordered lots of dishes to share.. pineapple buns with roast pork, the viral crab rangoon scallion pancake, soup dumplings, rice rolls with ribs, etc. The standout for me was definitely the crab rangoon scallion pancakes. I 100% get the hype! It's ooey and gooey and perfect for any crab rangoon lover. I was however pretty disappointed in the pineapple buns (one of my favorite dishes) and soup dumplings, which honestly just tasted like they were frozen and reheated from the grocery store. The service was also very absent and it took awhile for us to wave someone down so we could pay our bill. Not sure if we visited on an off day or something, but I wasn't very impressed.

    Dumpling House - Soup Dumplings with Pork (Xiao Long Bao)

    Dumpling House

    (869 reviews)

    $$

    Central Square

    Service 4/5: definitely on the slower side however she was still nice and got us whatever we…read moreneeded. Food 5/5: ordered an order of the soup, dumplings, the chili dumplings, cucumber salad. Everything we ordered was delicious. The soup dumplings were so flavorful and well seasoned. The chili dumplings were packed full of flavor with the right amount of hit from the spice. Cucumber salad was very refreshing. It will definitely be back to order other things.

    Service could have been improved, but was a busy Saturday late lunchtime. Once order was placed …read more. kitchen was fast ... too fast as main entree arrived before appetizer. Ordered the pan fried dumplings which had pork, shrimp . These were excellent and honestly some of best dumplings I have eaten. Pan seared, but tender noodle exterior. Large and 7 in the appetizer dish, the meat ingredients was great, well seasoned with flavors. These were not ever frozen or sitting for days ... fresh. The dipping sauce was not a run of mill soy, teriyaki sauce... it was well seasoned and really added to the dumplings taste... I would order these again in heartbeat. The pan fried noodles with beef dish again fresh ingredients, tender Vegatables of broccoli, carrots , beans. The beef was tender and the sauce with a the beef and noodles had a light but addictive taste that had you wanting more... I was trying to figure out what was in the sauce . The dumplings were memorable and will return again for the dumplings or scallion pancake and try a duck dish.... They serve beer, wine, cocktails as well .

    Darling - dimsum - Updated May 2026

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