Little Donkey is definitely more of a "let's order a few things, chat for a while, and try bites here and there" kind of spot than a place you go to when you're starving. I've been extra hungry lately, so fair warning: if you have a big appetite and care a lot about portion-to-price value, this may not fully hit the spot. First things first: no bread. Not a complaint, just important information as I discover which spots in Boston are part of the bread movement. We started with the salmon crudo. I somehow thought it came with the burnt crispy rice, but that was my mistake - it's actually four small slices of salmon. That said, it was really flavorful and tasty. Next was the arancini: three pieces plus a pepper to share. Super good if you're into cheese. Crispy outside, cheesy inside, cooked well, no complaints there. Then the burger, which came split into two. Honestly, yummy burger. Simple. Solid. Probably the most filling thing we ordered, especially alongside the beer, which I was genuinely grateful for because it helped balance out the tiny portions situation. Dessert was the cookie dough. Exactly what you'd expect: cookie dough served on a mixer ladle with cream on the side. I didn't care much for the cream, but the cookie dough itself was good in a very straightforward way. If you like cookie dough, you'll like it. Overall, I'd say it's a good spot if you want to taste and try different things in a fun atmosphere. But if you're someone with a serious appetite who's looking for generous portions and strong value for size, there are probably other spots I'd pick first. Food came out fast and with the serving sizes and the speed of eating, was done with the meal in less than an hour - should've chewed slower lol read more

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Reservation on a Friday night. Got seated quickly and they were busy but not overcrowded or behind in service at all. Super social waitress helped us chose from their nice sized menu. Very easy for gluten free needs with the majority of the options workable. Service was well paced with next plates coming out just as we were finishing the prior ones. Never felt rushed and also never waiting. Friendly and comfortable place. All plates were yummy. We'd come again! read more

Came here for a friends birthday and they had menus that said "happy birthday" printed in them which was a cute touch. They also provided a free, but strange birthday dessert that was a spoonful of dry raw cookie dough and some white sweet foam like stuff. Our waiter was very nice, but the speed of service was pretty atrocious. It took roughly 7 minutes before anyone came to greet us/bring water. We ordered drinks and then ordered food probably 10 minutes later and still received some of our food before our drinks somehow? Also, the menu was never explained to us (nor stated anywhere on menu) that they were all entirely "small plates all meant to be shared that come out as ready" until we were literally done ordering our food and said "this can all come together if possible" at which point they then said they don't do it that way. We had to ask 2 separate times for club soda which eventually came after 20ish minutes. It was a busy Saturday night but the level of service was really weird because we were sat in the booth literally right next to the server station and still felt almost forgotten. As for the food, our table had mixed reviews. Some folks loved the burger and sprouts. The cacio e pepe was very creamy and rich but the miso wasn't coming through and it kind of tasted like glorified buttered noodles. The cauliflower and brussels were pretty good but very overpriced for some fried vegetables. The bangkok street noodles had good flavor but the dish was genuinely 60% bamboo shoots. Overall we found the prices to be very high for the quality and portions. The drinks were all very fine, but nothing special for an $18 price tag. Overall, the food was good, but the quality of the evening overall did not meet the price tag at all. read more

Little Donkey - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I came here for dinner with my boyfriend for my birthday. I absolutely enjoyed every single dish we had. The tasting menu here is seasonal so you might not get the same dishes but they we all fantastic and interesting. The drinks we had were amazing as well. The staff was extremely kind, it also happened to out servers birthday. The restaurant has plenty of room and was not too crowded when we went. I would like to note that the best bite I had was the caviar blinis. They're on sale on fridays at their bar. I will definitely be returning. read more

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Fun night out and first time at little donkey. Greeting by hostess super friendly, Sat at the bar and had superb service. Portuguese white wine delightful and as described by bartender. Bao buns tasty. Deconstructed BLT fantastic with lamb bacon- yum! Cauliflower okay. Meat raviolis very tasty. Food delivery insanely fast. Ended with some icecream scoops maine blackberry chip & blueberry pie. Cool night out! Lively atmosphere. Nearby $4 parking lot. read more

Little Donkey is a hip spot in Central Square great for dates, friend catch-ups or bigger groups.... It's got that foodie-vibe where you know you are going to get great food and drinks in a cool atmosphere. The menu is mix n' match small plates/tapas with an Asian spin. LD Is well known for their burger which is top notch- well seasoned patty, perfect melted American, with rich onion soup mayo cut nicely with piquant pickles and touch of spice & crunch from Jalapeño chips. The crispy chicken sandwich with thai-inspired tangy slaw & pickled jalapeños + avocado ranch was also stellar. Brussel sprouts were perfectly balanced with a hint of smoke, hot honey, and bright pomegranate seeds. I look forward to trying a few more small bites and specials at their Friday/Saturday " Donkey hour ". The cocktails rock and bartenders have been great at being attentive despite being super busy. I would also absolutely save room for the fun/tasty desserts- in fact I would come back for that cookie dough (served straight off the beater) alone! Check it out read more

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We went on a Monday night, so the place was not too busy. The service was very prompt and courteous. That's about where the praise ends however. The music was so loud, we had to scream to hear each other. The food was very pricey, think $100 per person with a drink and 3 tapas each. The food was only ok, and very very small portions. The stuffed dates, for example, came only 2 on a plate. The sandwiches are about the size of a McDonalds burger and don't come with any sides. I had to send my rice dish back because there was crab shells in it. I am completely unimpressed with this restaurant and will not be back. read more

The food was great as always. It came out very fast. The service was friendly and fast as well. The waiter recommended the Cacio e Pepe which was my favorite. It was made with ramen noodles. Loved the tostada and the branzino as well. The octopus was tender. The two things I didn't care for were the shrimp toasts (as it was a paste and the entire bao was fried) and the blt lettuce wraps. The lettuce didn't hold the heavy and hearty bacon, pimento cheese, and pickled onions well. I would've rather had a different vessel for all of the things together! It was busy for a Monday night but not impossible to get a seat like it normally is here! read more

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Little Donkey was highly recommended by a couple friends, so we decided to go here for Valentines. There was a special menu, but I believe most or all of these items are available on the regular menu. I loved the halibut- it was tangy, soft, and super flavorful. The duck and mushroom were savory and hearty, and went nicely with the pastry. The crab mac and cheese was superb- a lot of crab and every bite was cheesy with a nice chew from the rice cake. The wagyu beef was also super tender and moist. The dessert wasn't my favorite, though if you're a chocolate lover it's right up your alley! It's a very cozy restaurant, and the food came out very quickly. The servers were very quick to remove empty plates and fill our waters too. Overall super pleased with our experience and definitely want to come back. One thing to note is that the tables are pretty close together, and can be annoying to get in and out from your seat. read more

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TLDR; nice service and location, meh food This place is really close to Le Meridien, so it's one of the few places still open after you come back to the hotel after a meeting. The ambiance is chill and the service was nice. The food was ok; presentation was great but the taste was a bit boring. The service staff were great, and the overall vibe of the restaurant was also very fun :) read more

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We had a really great meal at Little Donkey. I was slightly concerned it might be gimicky but the food was really good across the board. Cauliflower and the tuna tostada were standouts! read more

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Food: Mid tapas and criminal for the price point. Among other things, we got the BLT lettuce wraps because it was funny and because we thought surely there must be something really special about them to be $20 lettuce wraps (unfortunately, we just wasted $20 on lettuce wraps). Ultimately, everything was expensive and nothing was special enough to justify the cost. Not actively bad, everything was tasty, but not anything amazing. But I can't recommend this restaurant in good faith. Atmosphere: Chic interior, very appropriate date spot read more

Came here for a drink with friends. This place is easy to get to if you take the red line. Parking can be a bit tricker. The drink I got was mangos after dark. It had a Greek yogurt foam on top which I wanted to try but I was not that big of a fan. The mango part of the drink was delicious and not too sweet. I would like to come back again to try the drinks. The service was great and they kept checking in with us at the bar read more

Little Donkey - Mangos after dark - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I told my mother we went to Little Donkey and she replied do not please do not tell me you ate another donkey. Much to your dismay and much to my pleasure there is no donkey on the menu: its meat is often tough and in my humble opinion why would you eat a donkey when you could eat a cow or a horse or a sheep, or a baby version thereof. There are other options on Little Donkey's menu. The venue is well-decorated, although perhaps loud on the ear if you are seated in the middle of the room, midway between the dirty asphalt of Mass Ave and the sizzling meats and legumes of Little Donkey's kitchen in the back. Maybe a window seat, even if elevated, is the best option. I have only visited Little Donkey this one time and had a pleasant experience, insofar as the food was tasty, although perhaps not uniformly. Items that I sampled from the menu included, but were not limited to, a single oyster, tuna and salmon belly tartare, BLT lettuce wraps, manti, burger, and cookie dough. The BLT lettuce wraps were the most unexpected, and this is said in a world of endless expectations. This is a build-your-own endeavor of tender and fatty lamb bacon, a flavorful pimento concoction, green leaves of lettuce, and more. I had not anticipated a breadless BLT to be so delicious, but I was proven wrong. The burger was also good, it reminded me of Shake Shack but with several more eclectic toppings whose flavor can be described as sweeter than a green banana but sourer than a gala apple. The manti were cute due to their petiteness; their flavor was perfectly acceptable although not exceptional, and one contained a sharp bone which is natural but nevertheless undesirable. For better manti go to Tashkent Supermarket in Brooklyn. And lest I forget my single oyster: I bit into it and its organs and juices squirted throughout my mouth. The cookie dough--a dessert--was extremely dense, which made it good value. One does not visit Little Donkey for the deal of the century. One may visit for, perhaps, a unique dining experience or a nice dinner with some friends. I would return on a special occasion. read more

Little Donkey - cookie dough - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Had the best visit to Little Donkey! My SO and I were visiting Boston for my birthday and we came here on Saturday night. It was quite busy but we were able to make a reservation the day of, which was very surprising. The atmosphere is very nice and great for a date night. Our server walked us through the menu explaining their global tapas and recommend 2-3 dishes a person. We ended up ordering the eggplant, lamb meatballs, mushroom fried rice and BLT lettuce wraps. It was all so good! We definitely over ordered though. Probably could have done with one less dish in our opinion. We really loved the fried rice and the lettuce wraps. The wraps were very unique and the lamb bacon was delicious. We were too full to get dessert but a few things did look good! They also brought me out some of their cookie dough for my birthday which was very nice. Overall would highly recommend! read more

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The bibimbap style fried rice, Philly cheesesteak arancini, and hot chocolate mousse were all delicious!!!! "Bravo" to the chefs!!! And the service was excellent. Alexander? was a new server, but he was very attentive and helpful and knowledgeable. read more

Ambience is very nice, service prompt and the food very tasty. The octopus dish was very well cooked.

Great tapas and great service! Located in Cambridge which was a quick Uber for us from Burlington and Boston. Stopped by on a week night for dinner and there was no wait. We walked in and were quickly seated. It is very dim and intimate here. Perfect for a date night. Love that you can see the kitchen working in the back. Our server Melissa was super helpful and friendly helping us order the right amount since it was our first time. Our food came out super quick. The dishes here are tapas style so you order 2-3 per person and share. Corn fritter - super crispy and good! The corn was so sweet! I liked that it was not overly oily. Grilled ribs - loved the sweet sticky sauce! The ribs were not dry and super flavorful. Crispy squid - this was a good addition to the tapas we ordered. The squid did not get soggy from the nuoc cham sauce and I loved the addition of sliced meat Loaf. Pupusa - this was ok. Wished there was more than just cheese in the pupusa. Tuna toastada - decent but not amazing. Too much spring onion but the fish was fresh. read more

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This was one of the best meals I've had in a while! The inside is very vibey and open, and it was packed on a Friday night. We had a reservation, and I would definitely recommend making one if you want to try this place during peak hours! We started with a couple cocktails as well as the tuna tostada and the BLT lettuce cups. I'm not sure how they make the lettuce cups so flavorful, it they were one of the best bites I took all night! We also split the burger and cacio e pepe ramen which were both incredible. Our waitress gave us so many great recommendations to help us decided what to order. I don't live in the Boston area, but I will make it a point to come back here any time I'm around! read more

awesome ambiance and great vibe in the room. all the food was fantastic and came out quick. lots of gluten free options. cacio e pepe and chicken sandwich were standouts. sorbet and cookie dough was a great way to end the night. friendly and helpful staff. highly recommend read more

Little Donkey - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I've visited this spot countless times and have always loved their cocktails. This time, I tried the fried rice, which they kindly made vegan upon request. It was delicious, though I wished it had a bit more uniqueness. Still, I'd definitely order it again! As always, the service was fantastic--friendly and attentive. We went on a Wednesday night, and it wasn't too busy, which made for a relaxing evening. Plus, they've opened their window for the summer season, adding a great vibe to the place! read more

Little Donkey - Veg Fried rice - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

This was a good dining experience! We made reservations for Friday evening. Ordered a few different items on their menu and liked most of what we ordered: shrimp toast bao buns, branzino, house rolls, hamburger, manti, and Dubai ice cream. Least fav is their manti - I thought it was bland. My fav is their branzino hands down! Love the Asian inspired flavors and branzino was flaky, light, and paired well with the tanginess/slight spiciness. Service was good and the interior was spacious! I'm sure it can get busy so I'd recommend a resy. read more

The food is okay. Some items are good but most feel like they are trying too hard with the flavors and would be better off letting the ingredients shine more. Too many mixed flavors that don't all work together. Service was slow and then right after the check came the manager came over to tell us we needed to leave because they had other guests waiting. I told her the reason we were over the allotted time was because service was slow and the server had to apologize. The manager offered a gift card but at that point our night was ruined and I wasn't interested in coming back. My wife and I don't get out much as we have little kids. Overall a disappointing experience and there are many better options. read more

Little Donkey is an absolute gem. We were there for first seating at 10:30 am on a Sunday. Glad we had a reservation since they were very busy and tables we blocked off by 11:20. Our dishes were delicious and came out pretty quickly. Someone at our table had a nut allergy and every dish was brought out with a clearance of the allergy so that incase she wanted to try other dishes, she knew what was safe. The salmon and Tuna Tartar is delicious, but unbelievably small and honestly not worth the $19. We ordered it to hold us over while waiting for friends who were running behind. It is bare 4 actual bites. We learned from our waiter that most of the items we initially wanted were tiny. This is a really cute spot with an open kitchen which is cool to look into, and the bar tender is great at creating new drink concoctions. read more

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Came here for a work dinner and made a reservation a week in advance (super kind folks on the phone!). Ordered a bunch of dishes to try, but wasn't particularly wowed by anything and left feeling pretty sluggish. We tried the Parker house rolls, ricotta toast, empanada, tandoori beets, Kowloon cauliflower, Bangkok street noodles, mushroom fried rice, cacio e Pepe, and the profiteroles and brownie for dessert. The main issue with most of the dishes was the SALT. Almost everything was so salty we were wondering if it was something wrong with us. The beets and Parker house rolls were fine, but everything else was very sodium heavy. The cacio e pepe had good flavor, but the noodles were literally instant noodles, definitely not justifying the price. The dessert was great--I really enjoyed both the profiteroles and brownie, but that was about it. I wanted to like Little donkey so badly, but unfortunately they missed the mark for me. read more

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We made a last-minute decision to eat out on a Saturday night and lucked into the last two bar seats at 6 pm. Walking through the dark-toned restaurant, we passed a few large group tables before settling in. The atmosphere is trendy and upbeat, with a bit of an industrial kitchen feel. I appreciated the two-seater booths. We started with classic margaritas--nothing wild, but they were perfectly shaken and exactly what we needed. The real challenge? Choosing from the menu. Every dish sounded tempting. We eventually chose the crispy chicken burger, the cacio e pepe ramen, and a side of Kowloon fried cauliflower. Dishes came out fast, and the flavors did not disappoint. The standout by far was the cacio e pepe ramen--perfectly textured noodles and rich, flavorful seasoning that hit all the right notes. The cauliflower was delicious and well-seasoned. The chicken burger was solid, but compared to the other two, it was the underdog. Service was excellent--attentive and genuinely friendly, from the hostess to the bar staff. I'd absolutely return (but next time, I'll make a reservation). read more

Cool place and vibe. Very crowded on a Saturday night but luckily got seats at the bar. Excellent service from very busy bartender. Delicious wines and cocktails. Grilled octopus was outstanding! Would definitely recommend and return. read more

Flavors - 3/5 Textures - 3.5/5 Presentation - 3/5 Value for Money - 2/5 Must-try: burger Would return? No Initially came to try the burger because it is on every "best Burger in Boston" list. Is it though? The burger is actually pretty nice, loved the flavor combo and textural contrast of the foie gras and ships, but very few bites provided the full experience. It's also slider size and $17. The tuna and salmon tartar left a lot to be desired - the "crispy rice" was barely crispy and the tartar underseasoned. This might be controversial but I did not enjoy their cacio e pepe ramen at all. The noodles were perfectly cooked but just seemed like a bowl of noodles drowned in butter. Nothing to complaint about the service and I actually really liked the ambiance! read more

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Small expensive portions served in a dark dining room where all food is and looks dark brown. Unfortunately not a pleasant or satisfying experience read more

This restaurant was a great experience for valentines day! We ordered three courses off their preset menu, so spice different dishes between the two of us. Our server was really sweet and all the staff were prompt and accommodating. My favorite was definitely one of our starters, the whipped ricotta toast. Although slightly sweet, the ricotta was so smooth and light, I will definitely start craving this in the mornings! We also tried the burrata salad, which looked gorgeous, but didn't really stand out to me flavor wise. Then we had the scallops topped with crispy potatoes, and these were really good! They were so buttery and soft, but I do think I would've liked it a little more seared. The duck and mushroom vol au vent was pretty good as well, I loved the addition of the puff pastry. Lastly, the crab Mac and cheese was ok for me, I love teokbokki, but something about the dish didn't make it stand out to me. They did have a lot of crab in it which I appreciated. For dessert, we had the teas berry sorbet and I was surprised at how delicious this was! I usually don't go for sorbets, but theirs had chunks of berry in it and it melted so nicely in my mouth. Next time, I am definitely eager to try more! read more

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I've been a loyal customer at Little Donkey for years, but after what happened during our recent visit tonight, I won't be coming back. We went for a family birthday dinner and brought our 3-year-old daughter. While taking our order, the waitress was noticeably rude from the start. My daughter tried to say hello in the sweet way toddlers do, and not only was she completely ignored, but I overheard the waitress walk over to other staff and say, "I didn't want to say hello to the ugly f---ing baby, I was trying to take their order and she wouldn't shut the f--- up." I was shocked. I immediately reported it to the manager, who brushed it off and insisted he had never received a complaint about this server before. Instead of addressing the situation seriously or offering an apology, the manager allowed the issue to escalate. For the rest of the night, the waitress and other staff gave our table dirty looks and whispered to each other as they passed by. It was humiliating and ruined what was supposed to be a special evening. It's heartbreaking to say this after being such a fan of the restaurant for so long, but this level of unprofessional and disrespectful behavior is completely unacceptable. Management's refusal to take accountability sealed the deal -- we will not be returning. read more

Have been here once before and loved it so went for our anniversary! They had a menu stating "happy anniversary" which I thought was a nice touch! We got seated promptly with a reservation. The restaurant was busy and we had great service! All of the drinks came out very quick, and food came out reasonably on time. Didn't feel like I was waiting for my food, they did a great job. I've found there is always a dish that I think they can improve on, last time it was the presentation of their burger I thought it was a joke. Great flavor but presentation did not fit with the ambiance of the restaurant. Tonight it was the Kalbi ribs - there was way too much Alabama sauce for the dish and it overpowered the flavor of the ribs. read more

Food was not very flavorful but was full of oil. Meat inside of empanada is runny. Manti was super oily. Noodles were very oily and more sprouts than noodles. We ordered all but one type of oyster they offered. They came on a pizza stand? They were all already dislodged from the shell and all extremely watery and salty. Service from runners and bussers was very efficient and polite. We had our small plates changed three times lol. However our actual waiter was not very attentive and did not check on us after our food was delivered to see if we needed anything. Again, polite but inattentive and not proactively helpful. Drinks were just alright. Host has great style. Music and ambiance was good, felt hip... however i think the vibes set our expectations higher than they were able to deliver. Especially at a $200 for two people price point. read more

Little Donkey - Little Mac - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

The grip this restaurant has on me... Little Donkey is definitely my favorite restaurant in Cambridge, and it's up there for the entire Boston area as well. This is a tapas spot with dishes from all over the world, so it's great for sharing and sampling a little bit of everything. It has a really fun, laid back vibe, but with high quality, elevated food and cocktails. The menu rotates a lot, but there are some tried and true classics that are always available as well. This time around we started with three variations of oysters, which were all so delicious we wrote the names down so we can keep an eye out for them from now on. Next up was the foie gras, which wouldn't usually be my first choice, but our waiter had such great things to say about it so we had to give it a try--it definitely lived up to the hype. We followed up with the BLT Lettuce Wraps, Striped Bass Sashimi, and Manti. All 4 menu items knocked it out of the park, but my personal favorite are the Manti, I get it every time I visit. I'm a sucker for anything topped with sour cream, and the flavors are so savory and cozy - it reminds me of a pasta dish my mom used to make me when I was little :) Other must tries on the menu that I didn't have room for this time include the Burger, Ramen Cacio e Pepe, and Tuna and Salmon Belly Tartar on crispy rice. This place is a local favorite for a reason. I've heard some complaints about the small portion sizes and high prices in the past, but the experience is worth it in my opinion. If you ask me, it lives up to all of the hype and awards it receives. read more

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Love their internationally-inspired small plates. Been for brunch and dinner twice. For dinner, we were plenty full when we got 2 dishes per person. I recommend the kowloon fried cauliflower and pupusa. Also enjoyed the Bangkok street noodles and fried chicken sandwich (spicy!)--really can't go wrong with anything on the menu. For brunch, I went during the Brick Street Bagels pop-up and had a delicious mortadella bagel sandwich. The bagel itself was a little disappointing but Little Donkey's toppings elevated it a lot. read more

Little Donkey - Mortadella bagel - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Nice tapas spot on Mass Ave with plenty of variety in the crudos, snacks, pasta, meat/fish sections and good drinks. Server was attentive and friendly with great recommendations. Everything we had was tasty. Often a wait so worth a reservation. read more

After hearing that this was a must, I finally got here and was certainly not disappointed. The food is tapas style and was delicious. I would describe it as eclectic fusion food. We ordered the the fried squid, fois gras , manti dumplings, tuna and salmon tartare, fried chicken, and the Cacio and Pepe Miso Ramen. I'm telling you my favorites was The Fois Gras, Manti and the Ramen...really delicious. I thought the drinks were good we started with the Ode to Pablo which was tasty but they had that weird burnt herb aftertaste...I could do without it. Then I had the juice cleanse cocktail which was light and refreshing. The ambiance was industrial chic. The service was good. It does get pretty packed so reservations are highly encouraged! read more

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I love Little Donkey in Central Square. A lot of tasty and imaginative food and beverage choices are found throughout the menu. The ambiance is enjoyable in their converted space though can be a bit noisy on the weekend. The service is friendly and professional. The only request I'd have for Little Donkey is to bring back weekend brunch. Definitely worth a try! read more

Great food especially the BLT lettuce wraps, but truly some of the worst service I've had. The waitress was rude from the get go, made us feel rushed, and felt annoyed and short tempered by the very brief questions about celiac and gluten free safety. Rolled her eyes more than a few times at us and was generally unwelcoming. Little Donkey could be a great establishment because the food really is great, but that service makes us never want to go back again. Sounds like other have had similar experiences as well. read more

At its price point, the quality and quantity of food that they give you is too low. My reference point is other similar small plates, tapas-style restaurants in the greater Boston area. These are meant to be shareable portions, and for some of these plates, there was barely enough for one person. Take the scallop ceviche ($19), for example. When it arrived, it was almost the size of half of my fist. It was flavorful, sure, but not worth it, and not enough to reasonably share between more than 2 people. Most other things were similarly small-portioned. There were two exceptions: the Bangkok street noodles and the pea pod fried rice. I would suggest that they add on their menu how many people could split certain plates. If you're visiting and trying to figure out where to go in the Boston area, this would not be on my list. read more

Little Donkey - MANTI (Istanbul Ravioli) - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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