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    Friendship BBQ

    3.9 (88 reviews)
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Friendship BBQ Photos

    FRIENDSHIP BBQ ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Friendship BBQ

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    Dinner spread
    Rongan C.

    10/10 service. Restaurant itself is very cozy and tucked away. Food came faster than I blinked, and everything was delicious. Highlights include the eggplant and Xinjiang style lamb skewers.

    Store Front
    Hanna H.

    I came here with a friend for dinner and had an okay experience. It was a weekday, so surprisingly there were some tables filling up still closer to closing time. We were caught off guard a bit since there was one large party that was getting pretty drunk also. The food was just okay overall. A bit pricey, and each skewer is tiny. The skewers are all brushed with the same seasoning. However, I was just not impressed by the flavors and quality of the skewers since they tasted a little bland. For a table of 2 we spent about $40 each to get full. Points to the unique concept of Friendship BBQ since there are not really any other Chinese Skewer spots in Boston though. What we ordered: - Northeastern Dan Dan Noodles - Set of 10 tofu skin skewers - Scallion Pancake - Lamb skewers - Beef skewers - Chicken skewers - Pork Belly Skewers - Squid Tentacle Skewers - Bowls of rice

    June M.

    I went here for dinner and here is why I gave it 3 stars: The restaurant was packed when we arrived, the staffs are nice and fast. Restaurant are decorated like a street vendor in China. I like the interior and the vibes here. Laid back, this is the type of restaurant you would go, when you want to catch up with your friends, through a quick meal. They have a QR code for u to scan and order food right on your phone. We ordered a bunch of different skewers to try and it was not good at all. They will bring the skewers out for you to grill at your table. However, the meats are too dry, the marinated neither absorbed to the meat or tasty. I haven't been back since so I don't know if the quality of the skewers are better. But I would not recommend the skewers here.

    Chives, Tofu Skin and Garlic Eggplant
    Jimmy H.

    The perfect place to unleash your inner carnivore. This spot is my guilty pleasure for a huge cheat day. Each order usually comes with multiple skewers so it adds up pretty quickly. The meat skewers come cooked and placed on a tray that keeps them nice and warm for later. There is a nice rub that comes with each of the meats. It's a little spicy but not unbearable if you don't have a spice tolerance and so salty. For vegetables I recommend the chives which have a similar spice as with the meat skewers for something a little more refreshing. The tofu skin skewers are not to be missed and they come with a whopping 10 per order! Definitely a flavorful experience but the rub can become tiresome quickly as it's scattered on every dish. I think it'll be a nice touch if you allowed the diner to add their own spice via a shaker so they can switch things up themselves.

    jojo

    I love this place!!! Amazing customer service all of them were so nice and would highly recommend. WOULD COME BACK. Food was good too, might have to wait a little for it to heat up but that's okay cus it's def worth the wait. LOVEEE THE WORKERSSS SOO NICEE

    The grill ( not on they just use it to keep the meats hot)
    Srey Y.

    Very friendly, very good food. You go downstairs and you got this underground feeling where you can order some soju and shoot the shit with some beef sticks. I brought my non Asian friends here and they LOVED it. Flavorful meat sticks and the cold noodles were pretty good! Again this spot is really a good place to drink a few and eat bar food.

    Oyster
    Tiffany D.

    First time here. I like gizzards on a stick. Servers were fast friendly and attentive. Food comes fast. The food was flavorful in terms of spices but needed some salt. I wish there were some sauces and condiments. I would definitely come back.

    Melanie W.

    I did not expect to dine here again because I am not a big fan of cumin seasoning but my friend want to eat skewers. The food is better than last time I dine here which was few years ago. My favorite was the grilled eggplant and corn in bucket which the seasoning was just right... but not worth me to come back again unless my friend want to come.

    Carita H.

    Eating here brings back memories of hong kong street food and stands. At first I thought we cook them ourselves, but the kabobs you have to order and they will bring it out to you. The waiters were really nice and helpful at explaining what to do and how to order. The place was kind of small not a lot of room, but that's how it is in Hong Kong. My family liked it and we'll definitely come back.

    Green beans and pork belly wrapped enoki mushrooms skewers
    Julie N.

    We came on a rainy Saturday evening for dinner and had zero wait. It's a fun casual spot, great for some good bbq and beers. The skewers were deliciously seasoned, maybe just a little overcooked. The little heater on the table for the skewers almost wasn't needed since we devoured them as soon as they came out. We also loved the easy system of ordering food and asking for the check with our phones. super kind and friendly staff as well! If we lived in the area, this would be a regular spot for us for sure!

    Chu H.

    Fun experience and atmosphere to enjoy a variety of skewers! The loss of points are lack of variety in marination of flavors in the meat skewers. They are all spicy flavors which is yummy but will be nice to see more marinated options to choose from. The other part is that the bill adds up quickly while selecting the meats and veggies and range of skewers to enjoy. This area is easy to get to from public transit and located in the heart of chinatown.

    Chinese BBQ Lamb skewer
    Bill S.

    This is authentic Chinese BBQ, if you love authentic Chinese BBQ then bully for you man! Me, I'm just a gringo looking for a place to eat. Lots of restaurants are closed, some are offering outdoor dining. Friendship BBQ has their restaurant open with plastic walls separating the other tables. It's late and I just want to eat some chow. I don't want a seafood pot, I simply want a dinner special with rice. Friendship BBQ isn't that type of spot. Its authentic (Whatever that even means) so General Tsos is not one of the options. I ordered a few lamb skewers, ate and left. The lamb skewers were too salty for me, it wasn't enjoyable.

    Yummy food!!
    Vicki M.

    The food was great and quite different from the usual - more like street food! First time ordering from this restaurant. Delivery took a while, but all the food was piping hot and fresh which was awesome! Skewer chicken was so tender and well-seasoned. Chicken wings were really good too. The garlic eggplant looks exactly like its pictured on the grubhub menu page and tasted really great - perfect blend of garlic and cilantro with the soft eggplant. Grilled buns, corn and green beans were flavorful and tasty. Shredded potato fried rice was very good. The scallion pancake was a single small round slightly thick pancake, quite different from the usual ones we're used to, and no sauce. Hot and sour egg drop soup was too spicy - had too many jalapenos and red chili peppers. Could only eat one spoonful of it. Wondering how we're going to eat it considering its a large container full - probably diluting it waaay down with water or broth :). They should have a "mild" spicy version of it imo. Overall great experience with slightly different style of food. Will absolutely order again - a new favorite hands down!!

    Chives. Tofu Skin. Garlic Eggplant.

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    9 months ago

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    1 year ago

    I loved the mushrooms and cartilage on a stick. Nice atmosphere. Friendly service. Lots of cool exotic meats to try

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    4 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Great unique experience! It's hard to beat meat on a stick. The only thing I didn't care for was you had to order on your phone.

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    2 years ago

    You will regret not going here. Amazing food. Even better service. Get the lamb. Must go to in Chinatown!

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    Page 1 of 3

    Friendship BBQ Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Friendship BBQ

    Do they take reservation?

    Yes you can call ahead if the party is large, but you can also just walk in and not have to wait long if the party is small

    What kind of bbq?

    BBQ skewers with a variety of meat and vegetables.

    View All 4 Questions

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    Mountain House

    Mountain House

    4.4(195 reviews)
    3.5 miAllston/Brighton
    Casual dining
    Romantic vibe

    Limited Street Parking…read more The food made up for the wait time but it was very long. This place was packed, we came in no reservation and the wait time they told us just kept getting longer. We eventually were able to get in, there is a small space to wait with snacks though. Once our table was almost ready the host allowed us to order and once sat it came almost right away. We ordered the la-xi chicken with less spice, this has small crispy chicken pieces and lot of peppers, had to go in and pick out the little pieces. Truthfully wish it was less pepper and more chicken especially $23.95. The mapo tofu was delicious the perfect numbing sensation that I love. A must try dish was the fish fillet with crispy rice. This was $34 but it is perfect for cold day. They bring this dish out pour the soup on top and let it boil until the crispy gets cooked. We got the green beans as well, pretty standard nothing special. We got a little discount as well, I think for a late night special. The entire meal came with tea and the restaurant had calm setting with wooden interior

    Disappointing Service & Poor Seating Arrangement…read more Extremely disappointed with our experience here. I made a reservation for 6 people One Month in advance (in fact, today is my birthday) expecting a comfortable dining setup for my group. However, upon arrival, we were squeezed into a table clearly designed for 4 people. When we pointed this out, the staff insisted it was a '6-person table' and refused to move us to the larger tables available, claiming those were reserved for 7-8 people. This is inconsistent and unprofessional, as we have been seated at those larger tables with a group of 6 before. What's the point of making a reservation so far in advance if the restaurant can't provide adequate seating? The lack of flexibility and the dismissive attitude of the staff ruined our evening. For a place like Mountain House, I expected much better service. Will not be coming back anytime soon."

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    JiangNan - Boston - 金汤娃娃菜, Baby Cabbage in Chicken Broth

    JiangNan - Boston

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    Come for the Peking duck! 10/10…read more This is an elevated version of a Chinese family-style restaurant located in the heart of downtown Boston. Exactly what we needed after a trip of lobster rolls and fried food. The service was incredibly friendly and attentive! They also have a selection of dishes that incorporate black truffle which was intriguing. We got the chicken and truffle soup dumplings and it was so good! I'd recommend!

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    Hunan Cuisine - Spicy Cucumbers

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    Five Spices House - Boston

    Five Spices House - Boston

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    Glad one of my favorite restaurants reopened so decided to try some items I've never had and also…read moremy usual favorites. They renovated the inside but not too much changed inside with the same table set up. They had a spend $55 get free dish so we hopped on that and got the dan dan noodles. The noodles and wontons were decent nothing special. A new favorite and a must get is the steamed pork with garlic which is the wrapped meat. The sauce is absolutely delicious, got this togo as well and was dipping other food in it. Got our usual favorites of cumin lamb and sautéed string beans, these are a classic can't go wrong although when we ordered the lamb togo the portion seemed much less especially for the cost of $22. We tried the fresh fillet in spicy broth which cost $54. It came with some vegetables but the ratio was a little off, there were barely any bean sprouts and they were difficult to get. Wish there was more for the price we were paying for the fish. Overall a great place that will always be a favorite for a family dinner night.

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    Cubist Circle - Yu hsian shredded pork (鱼香肉丝)

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    The best of the best!! The fish in a pot (干锅鱼)is the best!! It was crispy outside and very juicy…read moreand tender inside, the flavor was perfectly balanced with salty, peppery, and chili seasoning. Beef and tripe was very well seasoned and no weird taste at all. The duck blood is the best duck blood in Boston, very tender and delicious. The cost of the dishes surprisingly a little bit cheaper than other restaurants. Even though the restaurant was super super busy, a lot of people waiting for a seat, and there was only one server, a very friendly man, we had water refilled and all the dishes arrived quickly. The service was great. Because the food was so good, many people willing to wait for a seat. I love the small busy restaurant kind of ambience. I will definitely go back soon!

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    Mala Restaurant

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    3.9(396 reviews)
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    I checked the reviews before I wrote. As everyone commented, the food is not bad but the service is…read morehorrible. They don't even have any service and ask you to tips at least 15%. The employees like to gossip the customers. I sat right next to the front desk. I heard they said the big table didn't order too much food and didn't order expensive food (there was a table with 6 people). I didn't order the rice with my meal on purpose because they will bring my rice first before the meals come. They didn't happy with it. They were complaining about it in the front desk and I heard it. I ordered the soda after the meals came, they didn't like it either. One of the waitress pushed another waitress and said, I don't want to go to grab. The other waitress said, I don't want to go either. If they don't like to work or they don't like servicing people, they don't have to work as waitresses. I don't understand why the owner hired them or maybe the owner agreed what they do? I ordered the food from chowbus. They just delivered the food out. They even asked for at least 15% tips? They didn't even want to deliver my soda or rice, they asked me to tip them??? DONT GO IF YOU WANT TO HAVE SERVICE DONT GO IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A HAPPY DINNER

    The food was not bad but the service was horrible. We went during dinner time expecting it to be…read morereally busy but surprisingly, it was only half full. They sat us (2) at the table nearest to the kitchen/front desk/bathroom, and I saw that there were open tables further towards the window. So I asked if we can sit by the window instead. Those tables are bigger and seats 4 people. The waitress turns to another worker and tells her in Chinese that we wanted to sit by the window in which this worker responds with "两个人还想坐窗边" (Two people and they want to sit by the window seat?!) in a sassy tone and then she scoffs. Mind you, this whole time we've only spoken in English but I am fluent in Chinese so I understood everything. The waitress turns back to us and just shakes her head no without any explanation. At that point, I was just like okay, they probably expects the restaurant to get busy and wants to keep the tables open. But guess what, there's literally two people sitting by the window who happens to be Chinese aunties and they were chatting it up with the waitresses and being all friendly. It was giving special treatment. The whole time we were there, they would put food down on our table and not even acknowledge us even when we would say thank you. It's almost like "here damn" when they put our food down. No eye contact, no smile, no your welcome, no "enjoy your food". And the whole time, I couldn't figure out who's actually our server because random people would give us the food and fill our water. And the whole time, that window seat was open. So I'm genuinely so confused. And it ruined my mood for the rest of the meal. Now for the food, it was what you'd expect, packed with flavor and spices. Though the dry pot was very salty and it was very confusing ordering it because it doesn't really say if it comes with vegetables and we also couldn't order any vegetables using the 3 meat option. The egg plants were really good. The soup dumplings were alright, a little dry and greasy for my liking. The skewers were my favorite. The chili wontons were flavorful, I love the sauce, but the wontons themselves taste kind of old/not fresh. We wouldn't come back again just because the food is not unique, you can find it at any Chinese restaurant like mountain house down the street. The service however seemed like it's consistently bad seeing the other reviews. And if you're going to expect a 15% minimum tip then at least act like you like your job and serve your customers with a good attitude.

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    Friendship BBQ - bbq - Updated May 2026

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