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I was craving some Taiwanese comfort food in Boston and a family friend recommended this place. It was honestly really nice just walking in and hearing familiar Taiwanese music playing. I got the wonton noodle soup and my dad got the salt and pepper pork chop rice. Both dishes were good, especially compared to other restaurants in Boston. The place seems family-owned and the staff was extremely friendly, which made me feel at home. I'll be coming back to try more of their menu, especially the popcorn chicken and drinks.
Wow--above and beyond. Everything was incredibly flavorful. Got the crispy pork chop over rice and added the steamed egg. The crispy coating was super seasoned with an almost mochi texture right under the crisp, and the pork inside was juicy and well seasoned as well. Steamed egg was so custardy! Such a great complement to the rest of the meal, don't skip these. Dumplings were also fantastic and flood your mouth with umami flavor as you bite into them. And the beef scallion pancake is fluffy and filled with beef that seems to have some tendon too, so a combination of textures. Onto the service, which was extraordinary. The waiter who helped us was super polite and friendly, and the owner came over too and was such a generous and positive person. She even offered us some delicious, fragrant less/no sweet oolong tea from their homeland in Taiwan, which was fragrant with floral and slight honey notes. Last time I came here I got the winter melon tea with grass jelly, very low sugar, which despite being more in the dessert tea category was refreshing and even felt sort of healthy. Nice, relaxing atmosphere with hand-painted walls featuring dolphins at the shore. This visit was a great reminder that we need to come back much more.
Gotta love a Taiwanese restaurant! Got tons of food to share - sausage, fried chicken (MUST GET) and a beef noodle soup. Lovely service, nice decor - gets packed so make sure you get in early! Can't wait to come back again
Came in around 8:15 on a Friday night craving some warm comfort food and did we find some here! The ladies working were so, so sweet and welcoming and made everyone feel at home. We ordered the popcorn chicken, pork belly gua bao, spicy wonton noodles and beef scallion rolls. Popcorn chicken--hot, crispy, juicy, no complaints here! Spicy wontons--hit the spot--could maybe use a garnish like some cilantro to cut through the sauce a bit but still delicious and huge portions. Beef scallion roll--good flavor, but also could use some greens like cucumber or cilantro. Gua bao--took a bit to arrive but they were super sweet and comped that for us AND gave us free milk teas! Pork belly is a bit fatty for my own personal taste but the sauce was yum and the pork from the wonton noodles is awesome on the buns too! Would absolutely come back anytime I'm craving some good, carby comfort.
You can't beat the taro milk drink at dolphin bay. The fresh taro pieces are mixed in with the mini tapioca and blended together with just the right touch of sweetness. Every sip through the boba straw delivers a consistent experience. On top of that, the drink is lactose free! The restaurant itself is has super cute murals of dolphins to go with its theme. Super cute. Also very friendly staff who offer you water and a seat even for takeout.
Loved this small place right as you enter Allston! The staff are incredibly friendly and attentive. They refilled our water frequently and gave us complimentary cups of their Dolphin Bay milk tea, so tasty! My friend and I ordered the basil chicken and the spicy wonton noodles. I really loved the basil chicken--super flavorful, had a good kick of spice, and was stir-fried to give it a nice crisp. I wasn't as wowed by the wonton noodles, mostly because they felt a bit overcooked and a little low on flavor. This could've just been an off day/order, given that everything else we got was great! I'd love to stop by again and try other items on their menu.
I can't believe I've been walking by this place for so long and have never tried it. It's a pretty small restaurant and very easy to miss, but it was completely amazing. Both the quality and quantity of food you get here is 100% worth it, and I will absolutely be back in the future. My party ordered the popcorn chicken, pork belly, and pork chop all on rice, but I personally ate the popcorn chicken. Popcorn chicken on rice - my 5/5 stars is mainly for this dish since it's what I ordered and ate all of. The chicken itself was so crispy and nicely marinated under the batter. It's hard to describe the taste if you haven't had Taiwanese popcorn chicken, but it has some sort of a sweet soy taste to it, and I ordered this mild which wasn't spicy at all but added some nice depth to it. The batter was perfectly crunchy with juicy dark meat chicken inside and there must have been at least 20 or more pieces on my plate - I normally eat a lot of food but even I had leftovers. This also comes with a hefty portion of rice, some nicely pan fried cabbage, and an absolutely delicious hunk of steamed egg with ground pork on top. The amount of food and variety of flavors you have here is really outstanding. Pork belly on rice - this was decent - the pork belly looked like a good portion and it was nicely braised. I didn't eat a ton of this since I only had a taste, but it was nice and came with the same sides as the popcorn chicken. Pork chop on rice - this was HUGE and had a really great flavor. It was pounded and the batter had tapioca starch or something so it was super crispy but also a little mochi-esque. Really nice dish, but like the pork belly I only had a taste. This also came with the same sides as the popcorn chicken. On top of that, we ordered and got our food in probably 5 minutes - the service was extremely fast and they kept refilling our waters as we drank. I also don't remember the prices exactly, but it was around $15 a dish, which is a great price especially considering how much food you get. I didn't expect the steamed egg to be such a good portion and such a great flavor and texture, especially with added ground pork! This was a great experience and I will be back many, many times. 5/5 - perfection!
Stopped in for dessert of shaved ice. They have some preset options, I picked #3 with extra pudding, and they made a different one entirely.... With ice cream and strawberries. They have us the red bean once they realized the mistake, no big deal. The coconut drink with mini bubbles and taro was okay this time. Blended too smooth according to my fellow diners as they liked the previous bigger chunks. Still, good for dessert, and street parking for two hours was free and easy to find. Downside was construction made it a pain to drive in the area.
Living in Allston has allowed me to notice restaurants I would never realize as I pass them a million times because sometimes it takes a while for me to really register things. Dolphin Bay feels like a very mom and pop restaurant from its more traditional decor and furniture. I found out on my more recent visit that the restaurant was originally in California. Despite some of the negative reviews I'm happy to say both of my experiences were very different. When I visited this time, It was a weekday evening and there were not too many people inside as I went to choose a table. They had separate menus for food and drinks like bubble tea, drinks and teas. We got popcorn chicken which was mild spice but was really tasty. The noodles were a little light in flavor for me but still really good. I really liked the flavor of the beef and pork belly. The portions were a good size as well and I ended up taking food home. The staff and possibly one of the owners were really nice and even helped box our food for us. It's a very chill restaurant if you just want something good. Prices $ Food 7 Atmosphere 5 Service 8 What we got Hot olooga tea Popcorn chicken Pork belly noodles Braised beef noodle soup
This place is underrated. Server is fast and attentive. The restaurant has about 40 people capacity, music was great. I ordered beef shanks and Alex's noodle. The beef shanks is a must have. It's tender and rich. The noodle was cooked al dente and pork meat was tasty too. The food were really tasted like mom/dad's cooking. Definitely recommended!!
Dolphin Bay is my go-to Taiwanese place to eat whenever I'm craving Taiwanese food. The food is hearty and home-y. It hits the spot whenever I'm craving home-y meals. Don't expect anything fancy here. It's not likely to blow your socks out of the water, but for being one of the only Taiwanese places that is easily accessible in the city, it's a regular for me. I would recommend the spicy popcorn chicken. Crunchy, and flavorful. I love that they also serve it with sides like curry potatoes and stir-fried cabbage. My girlfriend loves the spicy beef noodle soup. The spice definitely has a kick and the broth feels like a warm hug. I also tried the drinks here, they were okay. Not bad, but not amazing, I'd probably go somewhere nearby for drinks. Pro-tip: buy the 32 oz ground pork for take out!! You will NOT regret this decision. It goes well with everything you're cooking. Super flavorful and enhances everything. Good price and worth it. Parking is street parking.
Giant bowl of shaved ice!!! Super friendly owner and staff! Loved how you can add a lot of toppings to the shaved ice! Definitely enough for a group to share (more than enough to share between groups of 4-5). The owner was very nice and stopped by too chat, we just came to get some dessert after having dinner somewhere else and enjoyed the shaved ice :) portions are huge and great for groups!
10 years ago
Dolphin Bay? More like Dolphin Bae! My friend recommended this place to me, and I am sure glad he did. He raved about the boba tea and the popcorn chicken. I came here one day after clinical, and was intrigued with the decor. The decor reminded me of a seafood shop you would dine at on the beach. The staff was attentive and kind. My roommate and I started with an order of sweet potato fries. 10/10 for the sweet potato fries! I thought it was interesting that they sprinkled sugar on it. As an entree, I got the popcorn chicken rice dish. It was like an 15/10, I literally was so excited to eat the left overs later. The next day I found myself wanting the popcorn chicken again. I forgot to mentioned I ordered a Taro Milk Tea with mini tapioca. The milk tea wasn't too sweet which is what I like but I think next time I'll just stick with regular tapioca. read more
7 years ago
Came here for the first time and i'm so sad i didn't discover it sooner!! This was a small and cozy restaurant with authentic Taiwanese cuisine at generous portions. I ordered the salt and pepper pork and my friend got the beef noodle soup. The salt and pepper pork was crispy and flavorful and came with curry, white rice, and some veggies. Will definitely be coming here again!! read more
4 years ago
10 years ago
Two words: comfort food. That's the best way I can describe the food served here as it differs from your typical Chinese restaurant in that a lot of the food tastes like something I would eat in someone's home. It's not overly greasy, over-seasoned, and the portions are generous. It's also cheap! Definitely get the popcorn chicken and the oyster omelette! They are both delicious especially the chicken. I also got the pork belly over rice and it came with some curry on the side and cabbage. The flavors were very light and pleasant. My friend got the sausage fried rice which is a classic and it was really good as well. I didn't get to try the boba but it seemed like a very popular item. Definitely come here for some Asian comfort foods like rice dishes, noodles, noodle soup, and classic Taiwanese/Chinese entrees! read more
10 years ago
This is the most authentic Taiwanese place in Boston. Love everything from their rice plates to desserts and bubble tea! Saw on Facebook the other day that they are apparently starting regular lunch delivery service to the Longwood Medical Area through "Dolphin Bay Express" (How I envy those people...) FYI, the link to the delivery service is https://goo.gl/forms/PZH7exeCishkpgAZ2 according to their page read more
9 years ago
Really awesome service! That's probably the thing I'll remember most about this Dolphin Bay. That, or the somewhat bizarre theme this place has. I'm guessing it has to be a converted fish market or seafood restaurant (there is a giant boat in the middle of the restaurant). Went here on the Tuesday night before Thanksgiving, and it was slow when we arrived at 6:30. But it was a full restaurant by the time we were finishing our entrees. The popcorn chicken as an appetizer was good choice, but my wimp Mom, sister, and brother decided to get them non spicy. Ordering the popcorn chicken without the spice leaves the dish on the unseasoned side, though the batter has some flavor in it. For entrees, we ordered fried chicken rice plate, grilled pork chop rice plate, and spicy wonton noodles. Rice plates here come with a veggie salad, rice with delicious, seasoned ground beef, and the special of the day. Today the special was a corn, carrot, and potato salad that was a nice touch. The fried chicken was basically a chicken cutlet sized popcorn chicken, so that was a slight letdown. Pork chop rice plate was tender and tasty, no complaints. The more popular spicy wonton noodles were good, but not nearly as spicy as I had anticipated. In fact, they were not spicy at all. I'll just assume the kitchen was being nice and already knew we didn't like spicy because of the popcorn chicken. Again, the servers were so sweet. The food comes out pretty fast, but then again the restaurant only had 2 other parties when we ordered. All entrees are about 9$-10$, so our 3 entrees and 1 app came out to only $34! Dolphin Bay is a nice change to the normal Asian food of pho, Korean fried chicken, ramen, and traditional Chinese food. I'll definitely be back. read more
9 years ago
Zero star for customer services. Period. Made one phone call before they make it and I specifically told them to look at special requirements. And they still give me a bubble tea without bubble. I made the second phone call asking them to remake one. They only gave me the bubble, with small straw. How should I supposed to drink it using small straw? Zero star for customer services. Period. read more
10 years ago
This is a great local Taiwanese restaurant. The menu is on the simpler side, but what you get is authentic, affordable, and delicious. Recommend: ground pork and salted vegetable rice dish & seaweed salad read more
Dolphin Bay will transport you back to California, where their original locations are (Cerritos and Rowland Heights). We found out that our server had moved from Cerritos all the way to Boston! This is more of a bubble tea cafe than a restaurant, but they do offer enough to have a large meal for a group. The restaurant really makes you feel like you are out at sea on a boat. The decor is definitely very unique and well thought out. IF YOU TAKE ONE THING FROM THIS REVIEW, PLEASE TRY THEIR TARO MILK TEA. They make their taro milk tea from real taro, but it is not chunky. It is smooth, icy, and perfectly sweet. I've had it with boba ($5) and without boba ($4.50), and I definitely prefer it without boba because you can taste the taro better. If you've never had taro, it tastes like the last bite of a soft serve cone. food + SPICY WONTONS: This is not your typical wonton. They are more like dumplings with a great chili sauce. + TAIWANESE SAUSAGE RICE: I love this sausage. I'm not sure what's in it, but it is really good. It comes with rice, cabbage, steamed egg, and vegetables. + POPCORN CHICKEN: The chicken is not heavily breaded or overly salty. It has just the right amount of crunch for the amount of chicken given! You can order the popcorn chicken alone (more chicken), or with rice (less chicken). ~BEEF STEW NOODLE SOUP: Standard beef noodle soup. ~EGG/TOFU/SEAWEED APPETIZER: Dressed well and with chili sauce it this app was a good starter. I'm not sure if I would order this again. The staff is really friendly and the food always comes out to our table within 5 minutes! read more
Overall: good for casual dining with close friends or family. Affordable and delicious food! Exceeded expectations. This was just what I needed. A casual dinner place with two best friends who don't want to cook. Restaurant is not too big, about 10 tables or so but we had seats without waiting. Decor for this place was very cool with the boat, wall paints, and atmosphere representing the Taiwan I suppose. Food and price: portions are great for the price! We tried 4/6 recommended/favorites on the menu. I love that there are pictures to show you exactly what you're ordering. You've got a good combination here: minced pork over rice, soup noodles, fried chicken you pick at with sticks, seaweed and eggs. This is my kind of comfort food! Conveniently located in Allston which is reachable by T, or street parking (free on Sunday's). read more
8 years ago
Man it's been a while since I've found some reasonably priced Taiwanese food that didn't make me feel like it coated my belly in grease. Service: It's a busy place even though it literally just opened up (since I pass by all the time when trying to burn my muffin top after a Super 88 feeding frenzy), but the folks are friendly and accomodating. Ambience: First thought: "wtf" but that's only because I don't get the Dolphin themed blueness, but hey it works. Food: Beef noodle soup - the broth was pretty flavorful, but not too spicy. Noodles were solid and the beef was soft, bonus points for tendon. At least they didn't use some wack ingredients and call it beef noodle soup. Taiwanese fried chicken - simple appetizer, no frills and decently made. Wasn't too salty or oily and rivals my own homemade masterpiece. Taiwanese sausage and rice - nostalgic for me, nothing special but some nice on the dish that included steamed egg and ground meat. Oyster pancake - very subtle flavor and the oyster is not overpowering. This dish in other restaurants in the Boston area are greasy peasy. This one did it well. The best part? I spent less than $30 bucks to stuff my face to the max. Well played Dolphin Bay, well played. read more
11 years ago
THIS IS TAIWAN! When you are out of home for years, this is what you're looking for. A place with relaxing dining environment and great food & drinks. What could you possibly as for more? Must have: sweet potato fries, salt&pepper chicken (popcorn chicken) with spicy powder. For entree, their fried rice are one of the best I have in the US. they also got Taiwanese boba tea and other selection as well! My boyfriend is in love with their Taro milk, and I would recommend Pudding Milk tea or honey aloe for those that are looking for Taiwanese-tea-vendor-kind of drinks. 這裡太棒了！100%民宿感加上完美炸物和類50嵐的飲料。 必須推薦：（梅乾）薯 （小傷心他們沒有梅粉），鹽酥雞和紅油抄手和雞肉絲蛋炒飯（就像巷口的家常炒飯一樣好吃斃了！！！）我個人偏愛布丁奶茶和蜂蜜蘆薈（和大學附近飲料店一樣好喝喔）！ Can't wait to come back!!!!! read more
11 years ago
I am so happy! I used to go to the Dolphin Bay in Cerritos all the time, and now it is here in Boston! This is my favorite place to come for fried pork chop, popcorn chicken, and boba, all the Taiwanese classics. This place is prob going to turn into a weekly stop... They decorated this place just like the one back in California, but the Dolphins here actually look like dolphins and not aliens haha. Boba is better than anything in Boston that I've had. read more
11 years ago
This is a 5 star restaurant. Service: Unlike many other Asian restaurants, the staff is very warm, welcoming and accommodating. When I walked in to the restaurant, they welcomed me with loud and cheerful "Welcome!" In Chinese. We had 4 adults and 1 baby in our party. After they sat us, they gave us the menu one by one with the words facing each person correctly. Before we ordered, they asked if we'd like to have water or hot tea. Most restaurants just give customers whatever they have. While we were eating, the waitress came, chatted with us and offered to hold our baby so we could eat! How nice is that! Food: The food is authentic Taiwanese, not greasy. The portion is on the smaller side but given the price of the food, I think it's fair. This restaurant has become our favorite in Boston and we will be back regularly! read more
11 years ago
Super !!!!!!!! Super authentic Taiwanese food Super service, very friendly and patient waiters Super worthy price read more
5 years ago
Amazing food and service!! We had their food a few times now and so far everything is good. Our usual orders are the braised pork rice (plate with veggies and steamed egg), popcorn chicken, Taiwanese sausage fried rice, and fried chicken gua bao. I want to especially recommend the fried chicken gua bao- because while it wasn't what's authentically done (usually pork belly), it tastes SOOO GOOD!! I was blown away by it the first time we tried. 本來以為是奇怪的Asian fusion, 可是非常好吃！I want to recommend this to everyone- if you like fried chicken with some sweet sauce, you'll like this a lot. The shop owners (and chef?) are also super friendly. Will come back!! read more
11 years ago
The most authentic Taiwanese restaurant in Bos, even better than those in NYC. I also order a taro milk tea with half ice and sugar, what a authentic request! Most stunting dish is Taiwanese-style stired udon, tasted just as same as it I eat in Taiwan! read more
11 years ago
Authentic Taiwanese food! Its better than Taiwan Cafe in Chinatown. The service at Dolphin Bay is good, really friendly. A decent price for a big portion of food. I love their popcorn chicken, spicy dumpling and shaved ice. I would definitely come again and try other food on the menu!! P/S: if you come during dinner time there will be a line. read more
11 years ago
4 years ago
Ordered the appetizer combo, which consists of bean curd, seaweed, and braised egg, and the fried pork chop rice dish and instantly became a huge fan! The appetizer combo was new to me and fun and interesting to eat, especially the bean curd and seaweed. Crunchy and crisp, the fried pork chop was done just right. It's almost like tonkatsu except it was thinner and had less fried batter. If you want great food for wallet-friendly prices, Dolphin Bay is the place to go! I'm not Taiwanese and I can't speak for its authenticity, but I am 100% sure that I will frequent this eatery again and will definitely recommend it for anyone looking to try Taiwanese cuisine! read more
11 years ago
Dolphin bay is a cutesy Taiwanese restaurant located right near Shabu Zen and Mixx over on Brighton Ave. The moment you walk through, you are greeted by the staff in Mandarin. The place is heavily dolphin themed with a boat for a front counter. The decorations are silly and lighthearted which is great. Dolphin murals are all over with boat window styled picture frames of Dolphins behind the counter. This place definitely doesn't try to take itself too serious. The waitstaff were really friendly. My waitress offered tea samples and made great recommendations on the menu. I ordered the pork chop on rice. It comes with curry, stewed pork, Kim chi, and veggies on the side. My friend ordered a popcorn chicken plate and my girlfriend got the noodles in Jalapeño gravy. For appetizers we ordered Oyster pancake and squid balls. The food came out lightning fast. The oyster pancakes were odd and gooey. The flavor was good but it's just not my type of thing. The squid balls were good but I was expecting more of the Japanese style but no points detracted since this isn't a Japanese joint. My pork chop was delicious and crispy but not over cooked. The veggies were seasoned and cooked perfectly as was the curry. My friends popcorn chicken was crispy but not over breaded. He ordered it spicy to which they sprinkled on some cayenne I believe. They could definitely go spicier. My girlfriend's noodles were decent. I'm not a big fan of wet noodles but it was good for what it was. I didn't really get and jalapeño flavor out of it. Overall I left very satisfied. My only recommendations would be to sweeten the stewed pork and crispy fried bits with sugar and maybe adding a little more five spice powder as well. My pork chop was a true pork chop cut into quarters leaving me with 2 meaty pieces and 2 pieces that were all bone. I would much rather have the cheapo fatty bits with shards of bone like they use in other Asian restaurants. They definitely need to up their standards of spice and use more than just cayenne pepper to add spice. Fried chili works too! I could do without the string beans, curry, and Kimchi. I'd take pickled mustard greens, a soy sauce egg, and steamed cabbage over the current sides. That might be aiming directly at Taiwan Cafe, but if I can find something like Taiwan Cafe in Allston I'd be happy! The food was good and the waitress' personality was infectious. Keep up the good work. I'm excited to see the direction this place is headed. It is definitely an extremely strong start with no kinks to work out in the service end which usually plagues newer restaurants. read more
11 years ago
This is my first time here!!! We got really nice waitress extremely nice to customer.her name is EVA.(not sure) Food.really good potion.taste good Yummy :) Drink.Good also they have so many kind of drink,bubble tea,slush,etc, Clean.100%clean and nice decorated And all staff is nice.they treat customer very well.and always ask customer do they need something. I am so glad to be here on my dayoff.got a good food.good service. Really recommend Dolphin Bay !!!!! read more
10 years ago
I REALLY want to give Dolphin Bay a better review since I quite enjoyed the food, but after the third order mix up where our food didn't arrive, I gave up. Context: My order and appetizer somehow got forgotten even though it was clearly on the bill at the end. Mentioned it multiple times and still forgotten. Not sure if they just have slow service, understaffed, or a combo of both, but don't expect any attention unless you raise your hand and ask for it. I'll likely come back and give this place another chance because I never got my popcorn chicken appetizer that I wanted to try! read more
5 years ago
This is one of the most underrated restaurants in Allston. If you live around here, I would highly suggest checking it out. My favorites are the Spicy Wonton Noodles and the Sesame Noodles. There's a lot of restaurants on this block, so it can be easy to miss, but I genuinely think this is the best one. The service is always great, and they make everything from scratch after you order. The food here is all fantastic and it's a chill atmosphere. Not to mention, the decor makes you feel like you're on the beach of a tropical island. Anyway, please give these guys some love! read more
Awesome Taiwanese food! The service was excellent and I thoroughly enjoyed the dishes we ordered. Note that this is a lunch review. -The pork chop rice was on point- everything from the pickled vegetables and the corn sauce on the side were made really well. The breading on the pork chop was well seasoned and had a nice crunch -The spicy wontons were also pretty good. I have had better, but not in Boston. -The oyster pancakes were pretty similar to the ones you would get at a Taiwanese night market with a smaller amount of eggs to flour ratio. As always, there are a small amount of small oysters scattered in the pancake. Overall a great meal for the price we paid. Beats all Taiwanese restaurants in the Boston area. Woohoo!!! read more
7 years ago
I have no idea what awesome Taiwanese food is since I never been to Taiwan and not of that ethnicity. I just go look for yummy food. This place sure serves yummy comfort food! The portion here is generous. It's actually a bit large for my appetite but perfect for my dad. My go to dish is the beef noodle soup where the beef is braised to the point that you can be teethless and still enjoy your meal. The broth is well balanced in flavor that is not high in sodium. I especially love coming here in the warmer months because they make the best watermelon juice in the area. What makes this stand out more than the other Taiwanese joints? The employees are friendly. They smile. They care or at least they act like they do! It's not the chew and screw vibe here. read more
It pains me a little to give this place only 3 stars, as the hospitality was stellar. Walking into this place reminded me of visiting a friend's house for dinner and being greeted by smiling aunties and grandma. However, all the dishes we tries were mediocre and bland. I'm not familiar with Taiwanese cuisine, but compares to other Chinese and Asian restaurants, this place did not make the taste buds tingle! Spicy wontons 3.5/ 5 Popcorn chicken 2.5/5 Pork belly hand buns 3.5/5 Braised beef noodle soup 3/5 Tea with salty whipped cream 4/5 Overall 3/5 dolphin chirps! read more
5 years ago
5 years ago
A group of us (7 in total) were in Boston for an event during Labor Day weekend and we decided to have dinner at Dolphin Bay that Friday evening. The food was good and authentic Taiwanese (since several in our group are Taiwanese), the atmosphere was busy (the restaurant was completely filled) and the service was outstanding. Our server was most accommodating and we had many requests - all of which were catered to. After our main meal, we decided to try out their shaved ice dessert - a huge bowl (5 pounds in weight?) to be shared among all of us. However, they were so busy with their other patrons that we were left waiting. We reminded them about our order - to which they apologized immediately. Shortly after, they brought us some complimentary special grapes followed by the shaved ice. Someone in our party then resented that we did not add mango to our shaved ice order (our own fault). No problem - said the server (who was also the owner). She proceeded to bring us another bowl filled with mango and ice cream!!! We cannot ask for a better experience. Thank you to all who served us and also to the kitchen staff of Dolphin Bay. We will be back the next time we visit Boston. read more
Walking beyond the doors of Shabu Zen can be rewarding. I thought that JoJo Taipei and Blue Star Asia Café were the only Taiwanese options in this corner of the neighborhood. My friend introduced me to Dolphin Bay this past weekend. I am grateful to her for expanding my Taiwanese dining options by one. We opted for the oyster pancake, Chinese sausage rice plate, and spicy dumplings. I also tried their green tea which comes automatically sweetened. Oftentimes, one feels pressured to eat fast in venues of this size. I've had proprietors come up and ask me about check delivery ten minutes after the food has arrived. That's not the case here. Dolphin Bay has the nicest wait-staff around. They are warm, accommodating, and gracious. Plus, they have a frequent buyer loyalty card. This is appealing for the bargain shopper/diner. I want to go back and try the beef noodle soup! read more
5 years ago
The owners were super nice and the food and drinks were great! Definitely reminded me of my childhood going to local family run restaurants. I would highly recommend it read more
Finally got to come back and try their food again... years later lol! We shared the appetizer combo and the gua bao. I didn't try the bao so I can't say anything about the taste but presentation was pretty ugly no lie. One of the bao's was ripped on the top but it's okay, I don't think this is a place people go for presentation haha. The appetizer combo was good, nothing amazing. For myself, I got the Taiwanese sausage rice plate and a wintermelon tea with sea salt cream foam. I really liked both choices and I'd highly recommend them! read more
Authentic Taiwanese food that is so delicious. I've really missed Taiwanese food and they had everything I wanted here. We ordered mostly "snack" plates so that we could have a little bit of everything! What we ordered: - hot ginger milk tea: this was soothing and delicious. Seems like the perfect drink for when you are coming down with something. Not too sweet. - popcorn chicken- we ordered the snack size and it was a very generous portion and all 4 of us felt like we got a lot of chicken! Fried perfectly, not greasy and seasoned nicely. - pork belly gua bao- the buns were fluffy and fresh and the sauce on the pork belly was amazing. This snack dish comes with 2 but they are big enough where you could eat just half of one and share. - egg dan bin- egg wrapped in a thin scallion pancake. This brought me back to breakfast on the street in Taiwan! Yummy. Cut into 3 pieces for sharing. - oyster omelet- this is a must try!! It's hard to explain, but there are oysters and egg and bok choi inside a chewy omelet that is almost like a stretched out mochi. - taiwanese sausage- this was the only one that I felt was slightly overpriced. You get 2 small sausages sliced in half for $5.25. Tasty, but expensive! - regular sized pork over rice- a staple! So good. Comes with white rice, minced pork, and a side of curry and veggies. Overall, an amazing meal. Food came out one at a time and they forgot one of our dishes and our drink but brought them out as soon as we inquired about them! They were understaffed so we were okay with it. Both of the servers were very friendly and nice but there were just so many people- the place was packed and there was a wait as well! I think this place is well worth a wait though and it was definitely a 5 star meal for me. read more
Based on reviews I was super stoked to try the food - especially after a hella good dessert experience. In the future that's all I think I'll come back for - dessert. ENTREES: Veggie, pork and egg fried rice - heaping portions but lacking in much flavor and veggies. Definitely not worth $9. Bland and straightforward - could have used more flavorful oil or spices to deserve the price tag! Spicy wontons - generous portions and good flavors. Beware, it's pretty greasy (yes, Taiwanese food is greasy but this plate was very slick and the oil pooled). Popcorn chicken rice dish - tasted delish in the restaurant. Comes with a random side of english type food - potatoes and corn in a sweet gravy chicken pot pie type of sauce. The side veggie pickled slaw was more sweet than tart (tasty), and the steamed cabbage could have been better - the edges of the cabbage were looking grey. Ordered the popcorn chicken rice dish as takeout for my guy and it was a sad dish!! Small nugs of batter more than chicken. The takeout was worth $4-5 and definitely not $9! DESSERT: On a separate occasion, ordered shaved ice piled with goodies. Get whatever you want on your shaved ice dessert (ask for a separate menu). Fixins galore - mango, taro, boba, tapioca, coconut, jellies! Great price and gargantuan portions - come after you've fasted or come with a bunch of friends to tackle that monster. Friendly service, but lagged for dinner - we were one of 2 tables when we got there, and had to ask for water a couple times. Also took a very long time to order and ended up flagging down a different waitress for our bill when the restaurant got slammed. Overall, very friendly compared to service across the street at the militant competitor, Blue Asia Cafe. The dolphin theme....take a kid here for dinner, I'm sure they'd love it! 2.5 rounded up (that dessert is on point - delicious and totally a bang for your buck). read more
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72 Brighton Ave
Boston, MA 02134
Allston/Brighton
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(617) 562-1668
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https://www.bu.edu/articles/2015/lunch-anyone-dolphin-bay
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