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    Judy's Bay

    4.4 (158 reviews)
    Closed 5:00 pm - 9:00 PM
    Updated 2 months ago

    Judy's Bay Photos

    JUDY'S BAY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Intimate
    Romantic
    Classy

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    Recommended Reviews - Judy's Bay

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    Menu
    Della S.

    I visited about 3 months ago so some of the menu items I tried might be outdated, but I wanted to share some thoughts about my experience because some of the dishes were exceptional. We started with the temaki sushi ($32) which came with two handrolls that had a good balance of rice and fish. They weren't super large but were fresh and had good flavor. We then got the miso-braised pork shoulder ($18), which was a larger portion than expected. This was our favorite dish, as the pork was very tender and flavorful. The dish had pieces of cabbage which were soft, naturally sweet, and soaked up all the flavor of the sauce. I would get this again, but with some rice because it was seasoned strongly. As this seems to be one of their most popular dishes, we also ordered the lobster roe pasta ($34). While the noodles were creamy and tasty, I think this dish is more worthwhile if you add the lobster (+$15). It does become even pricier at that point, but the noodles on their own were not super memorable. At the end we had some stomach space left and were still curious about the menu so we ordered the monkfish katsu ($25). I regretted getting this! The breading and fish basically tasted like the frozen fish fingers you can buy from the grocery store. While the yuzu tartar sauce was tasty, the rest of the dish was just not worth it. Overall, I thought the fish was good quality and really loved the pork shoulder. I would definitely eat here again, but would do more research on different menu items ahead of time.

    Iwai
    Benny D.

    Judy's Bay is one of my favorite restaurant in Cambridge, MA. The food is yummy, the restaurant is cozy and homie, and it really does feel like you are stepping in to Kim & Lukas' home. They are the owners. You can usually find Kim hosting in the front of the restaurant and Lukas walking out of the restaurant with hot food. The menu is inspired by locally caught seafood, the East Asian cuisine that they grew up eating, and the warm feeling of eating at Grandma's dinner table (Hence the name, Judy). Here is what I had for dinner and my thoughts about it: Lobster Roe Pasta w/ actually lobster meat - The pasta color is bright orange and always takes me back as a kid because it looks like craft mac and cheese. When you take a bite of it, you realize it's not. The orange comes from the lobster roe, and it makes the pasta really cravable. You should want to take multiple bites. It doesn't come with lobster meat so I always add it to reinforce the point that it's a lobster pasta. It is one of my wife's favorite dishes here. Blue fin tuna sashimi - They get it fresh and locally, so I always order sashimi when they have it on the menu. When they can't get it, they won't serve it. This is for sushi fans. Blue fin tuna temaki - I always order anything blue fin tuna here when they have it on the menu because they get it fresh and locally. When they can't get it, they won't serve it. This is for sushi fans. Temaki comes with rice and wrapped with seaweed so you can pick it up with your hands to eat it. Uni Temaki - Their uni taste different and richer. It comes from Portland, Maine, usually. It's fresh and local. When they can't get it, they won't serve it. This is for sushi fans. Temaki comes with rice and is wrapped with seaweed so you can pick it up with your hands to eat it. Grilled mackerel - Because mackerel are so oily, having this fish grilled is perfect. I recommend a side of rice. Mapo Tofu - Their mapo tofu is different than how I usually have it. It's made vegetarian I think and has mushrooms in it. It's really tasty, not too spicy, and come with the side of rice. I usually eat a version with meat but really enjoy this one. Pork Shoulder - It's made with cabbage and stir fried with oil and soy sauce, I think. This dish comes off a balanced meal because it comes with vegetables. Oyster mushroom - Grill oyster mushroom so it's a bit smokey. It comes with grilled vegetables. It's one of the best dishes on the menu and having vegetables really balance dinner. Strawberry tapioca is my favorite dessert. I am still asking the owners to make a giant batch for me. Old Fashion Buzz - Whiskey heavy with a hint of coffee. Matcha Fizz - Not as better as you think and the citrus help. Iwai 45 - Very smokey whiskey. It makes me think of Islay Scotches but never realize Japanese whiskey can me this smokey. I like it so it works for me. Ordered it on the rocks. Whiskey highball - If you are craving a highball, this really hit the spot. Not sure what tonic they used but this highball came off very balanced. It's not that whiskey forward and really refreshing. When available: Sear Scallops - Salty and fatty from the soy sauce butter that it is cooked in. Seared perfectly. It's one of my favorite things on the menu. Order every single time when I have a chance. Sword fish - It's cooked in butter and served in a delicious soy sauce-based sauce with scallion oil on top. It reminds me of steam fish from Chinese cuisine but the butter and scallion oil on top makes it tastier. It's savory, salty, and oniony from the scallion which a meaty sword fish can handle. Because it's heavy sauce, I recommend having rice with it. Fried rice or a side of rice. Lastly, If possible, I recommend making a reservation for the weekend because it does get popular here. Everyone in the neighborhood walks over for dinner. There is a cute and cozy fireplace spot for a table for 4-6 people. For a special dinner for celebratory occasions, I recommend booking that table. Hope you enjoy the restaurant.

    Menu - October 2025
    Lana S.

    This place is so cute! The friendly service when we were there. We felt very welcomed. Our server explained how the menu works and how most of the dishes are to be shared (tapas style). We chose a few items to split. We tried to Uni which was good but had a weird after taste (maybe not use to it since its the first time trying sea urchin!). The rubs were AMAZING. Fall off the bone, smokey, sweet and sticky. Big fan of these ribs. We also split the veggie fried rice which tasted fresh and sauteed with crisp veggies. My friend order the mussels which had a hint of spice. Now out of everything you MUST get the swordfish. The fish melted like butter and tasted really good. The miso butter sauce was to die for! I often dream about this fish days after I had it. This fish went really well with the veggie fried rice. This was our last meal in the Boston/Cambridge area and we were so happy to come here :) Would def. come back when we are in the area again. I've already suggested this place to a bunch of my foodie friends :)

    Monkfish Katsu Fritters
    Jen H.

    First, let me give credit where due to my husband who always seems to find some real great gems. It's no wonder I married him and consider him my partner in foodie fun (I'm just the one who writes all the reviews and takes the pictures). Judy's Bay was excellent. Alright, the details. I had to really control not ordering EVERYTHING on the menu because it all sounded so good. My husband picked this spot to celebrate my birthday and he really hit it on point with things that I would enjoy. Oden was on special and very welcomed as it's winter in New England. We loved that they make their own seafood based balls/cakes and the broth in house. So many different types of seafood all freshly made. We also enjoyed Sake flights, which my husband said was his favorite Sake he's ever had. The Monkfish Katsu bites were plentiful and flavorful, with the perfect sauce pairing of yuzu kosho tartar sauce. As avid mushroom fans, we said yeah sure let's get the Oyster Mushroom appetizer. The way we devoured them so fast and even wondered how the baby cauliflower included with the dish was also so good. We still think about the char on those mushrooms. The dish that has made me pull out my phone to show everybody is the Lobster Roe Pasta. WOW. They really did it right. While we treated ourselves by adding fresh crab meat to it (and they were VERY generous in the portion), we know when we come back the Lobster Roe Pasta does well on its own. The flavors were savory and melted in our mouth. We kept saying "wow this is divine" out loud. We actually kept eyeing the table next to us who had the fresh crab fried rice and now we know to get that next time too. My husband LOVES anything with black sesame so he already admitted he was leaning to Judy's Bay for our date night options because of the ice cream sundae with black sesame option. I loved it too and especially due to the fresh in-house mochi and matcha crumble. It's clear Judy's Bay puts in a lot of love and effort to make it fresh and quality ingredients. That's what we like. We'll be back soon and spreading the word!

    Jennifer T.

    Food was alright. We ordered 3 dishes shared between two and thought it was a good amount. We got the monkfish Katsu, mussels, and the pork shoulder. All were fine taste wise. The monkfish katsu was crispy but no unique flavors with the way it was served. The gochujang mussels were disappointing in my opinion since I expected more flavor- it was very one note. And lastly the pork shoulder was also only fine as well- the pork was tender but didn't taste very marinated outside of the sauce it was cooked in. Overall, food was cooked well but lacked depth in flavor. I think this place has a wide selection of drinks that make it a fun bar spot to try but wouldn't come here for just food. Service was a little slow but wasn't anything of an issue. For drinks, I got the sake flight and I enjoyed being able to try out different sakes without commuting to a bottle so that would be something that will make me return here.

    Gochujang mussels
    Arianna L.

    Mussels 3/5 Tartare 3/5 Skate 3.9/5 Lobster roe pasta 2/5 Black sesame icecream 2/5 Overall, mid unfortunately. Made a reservation but got seated in a bar like setting, which is fine! Still felt private Mussels with gochujang tastes exactly like the description. Did not wow me Skate - I have never had before but it tastes just like a white fish. Tuna tartare - generous with the amount of tartare but it felt like pretty one note to me after a while. Lobster roe pasta - way too creamy for my personal taste Black sesame icecream - was thick , not as nutty as I would have wanted the black sesame to taste and also a small scoop.

    Baby cauliflower
    Sierra H.

    We had a reservation for Thursday evening and the restaurant got quite full throughout the night. We ordered a variety of plates to share among three people. The dishes all felt well portioned - large enough to share but small enough that we could order multiple things. The decor inside is cute, and they even have a small booth with a fireplace by the window. What we ordered: Lobster roe pasta - one of the favorites of the night. Not as saucy as we were expecting but well executed. Sake chicken wings - juicy and flavorful Oyster mushrooms - delicious, get this dish! Ribs - tender fall off the bone with a similar flavor to charsiu Baby cauliflower - good but the sesame sauce was a bit overpowering Pork shoulder - tender pork chunks with well seasoned cabbage Black sesame ice cream sundae - wish this had a bit more black sesame flavor Yuzu cheesecake - indulgent, creamy texture with an interesting twist from the yuzu

    Lobster roe pasta
    Hannah G.

    This place is so cute and cozy inside! Definitely make a reservation since it's so small. The lobster roe pasta is a must-try!!

    Igor R.

    What a wonderful and cozy find. The first thing we noticed was a real fireplace and lovely decorations. Great vibes. Service was warm, friendly, and inviting. We ordered a variety of dishes, each was delicious and well executed. The flavors are Japanese and Korean, and kept fairly simple without over elevating. Cocktails were pretty nice too. Pricing felt on point and I'd be delighted to come back anytime.

    Uni potatoes
    Bridget L.

    I was intrigued by the concept of a "New England izakaya," and Judy's Bay mostly pulls it off! * Pork belly: I liked the smoky flavor, but the pork was a little tougher than I'd like * Monkfish katsu: GET THIS. I thought I didn't like monkfish until I had this. Very tender, not rubbery like I've had it before * Uni potatoes: the uni was good but the potatoes were disappointingly plain/bland

    Lydia Y.

    A cozy & unassuming spot, in the middle of nowhere-ish, with Izakaya vibes and yummy Japanese dishes. Seafood options change daily depending on the ingredients available! Start with the temaki - if they have scallops, choose that. Super plump and sweet The rice is seasoned well and perfectly fluffy too. Kinda wish we got two each. The sushi bowl is excellent too. More scallops, very good uni, and fat lobster meat! Rly the rice makes it even better We we're so impressed by the specials so the lobster pasta was meh. It has a cream base so gets kinda heavy, would like it more if it had a spicy kick. Don't skip out on dessert! The sundae comes in classic Asian flavors: matcha, red bean, and black sesame. We LOVED how creamy and delicate this tasted. Not super sweet so even better. Housemate mochi was kinda hard tho. scallop temaki $9* shellfish trio sushi bowl $58* lobster roe pasta $28 black sesame ice cream sundae $14* pear sorbet $7 올해 먹은 관자중에 베스트!! 완전 통통하고 달고 감칠맛 난다. 두개 시킬걸 샤리가 맛있어서 그런지 테마키도 맛나구 스시볼도 굳. 재료 여부에 따라서 해산물 디쉬는 맨날 바뀌는것 같은데 관자 있으면 꼭 먹기!!! 추천 받아서 시킨 랍스터 파스타는 비추. 너어무 느끼함. 약간 매콤했으면 괜찮을텐데 음... 마무리 디저트는 흑임자 선데이 추천! 너무 달지 않고 고소하다.

    Fish
    Stephon M.

    This place is small and amazing! The owners are really nice, funny, and genuine people! I didn't know much about sake so the flights are pretty cool. All the dishes are fresh and unique. To eat here you must be decently adventurous especially with seafood.

    Spicy squid salad

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Judy's Bay

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    We ordered two fish and chips, one traditional lobster roll and one chicken wrap. The fish is so…read morefresh and delicious. Lobster roll is also very tasty compared with our favorite one at Key West. Fry is good too. Love this place. Will come back!

    I ended up eating at the original Daily Catch on Hanover Street every single night I was in Boston…read more It's that good. I can't get enough of their monkfish Marsala, usually ordered with the black squid ink pasta. There's always a line out front, and it's worth the wait. When I had the chance to bring a colleague at the end of the trip, he ordered the same dish and loved it. This is not a fancy place and it isn't trying to be. It's seriously good Italian seafood with epic portions. Go easy on the bread they bring with olive oil and spices because the plates are huge. I can rarely finish a full meal after an appetizer, so I usually just order the main. I'm excited they now have a location in Pasadena, California, which is convenient for my work travel. I can't wait to try it. PRO-TIP: there are a couple other locations nearby. Same good cooking. If you don't want to specifically eat in the original location, then it may be faster to pivot to Daily Catch Takeout Window at 331 Hanover Street, two doors from the original or the full service Waterfront site at 65 Atlantic Avenue which is an 8 to 12 minute walk from the original location through the North End streets.

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    The vibe was so chill and cozy as soon as we walked in! Even during all the world cup events, our…read moreserver was attentive and super friendly. The steak frites were genuinely the best restaurant food I've ever had, and our server, Rob, really had it down! He's friendly, he's funny, and we got in and out in 45 minutes.

    I saw the steak tips listed as on Boston's list of best steak tips spots. I have tried others on…read morethe list and wanted to give Tip Tap room a try. I ordered a draft beer from a large selection of drafts and bottle, cans options. It was Jack Abbey beer... pint came 3/4 full as left a large head on beer and better for establishment pours 12-14 oz in a 16 oz glass.. Beer was warm... bad demerit again Ordered steak tips which came with three large tips on a bed of mashed potatoes, spinach . It had some sour hot nasty pepper garnish.. I wanted roasted red or green peppers with the tips instead. Steak tips were just ok and needed a marinate or side of a dipping bbq sauce or mushroom sauce or anything. Spinach, mashed potatoes needed more butter or garlic flavoring... fresh tasting but bland. Needs more steak tips too for the price tag. It was a nice bar vibe for drinks. The chicken wing lollipops I saw for an appetizer looked tasty. I left hungry for more steak tips and wanted a charcoal char on my tips . I wanted my spinach on the side with a garlic oil next to sone grilled oil drizzled roasted peppers . I don't consider these some of Boston best but certainly not the worst .

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    Cool 'garage doors' that open up in the nice weather. A lot of places in Boston have these.
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    Judy's Bay - seafood - Updated August 2026

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