We came for Sunday brunch and ordered three dishes: - Crab Louie: This had a generous amount of crab meat and was light, savory, and refreshing. The dressing was the standout. We loved that it felt both healthy and filling, which isn't always easy to find on a brunch menu. - Loco Moco: We were on the fence about ordering this at first, but we're so glad we did. It was the best Loco Moco we've had in Massachusetts, thanks to the unique dashi gravy, which added a depth of flavor we hadn't experienced in this dish before. - Buttermilk Pancakes: These were the perfect sweet finish to our meal. The pancakes were fluffy, and the matcha soft whip was a delicious, unique touch. The restaurant got quite busy during brunch, so I'd recommend arriving early or making a reservation. The servers were attentive and friendly, and the ambiance had a clean, vintage-retro charm. It also wasn't too difficult to find street parking nearby. read more

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You should know: the brunch menu does not have some of the most popular dishes (garlic noodles, the burger, mabo dofu), although there are still a bunch of very good options. That said... Amazing meal!!! We came for brunch and had some lovely cocktails to start. For food, we started with the fried Utsunomiya gyoza, which were perfectly crunchy and so so flavorful. My date had the loco moco, which is basically a brisket burger patty over rice with a delicious gravy. He added bacon, which was great, but next time I'd try it with spam. I had the cold sesame noodles and the Sichuan wontons, which were both amazing with just a bit of spice. Our server (Isaiah, I think?) was very friendly, and the owner also dropped by to say hi. Food also came out super fast. We'll 100% come back to try the full dinner menu!!! read more

We had a great Valentine's Day dinner here. Took us a minute to find the entrance because you have to go through the brewery and it's at the very end. We had a reservation so we were seated pretty quickly. The restaurant (and the brewery) were buzzing on a Friday night. We ordered the roasted broccoli salad, the fried shrimp, and the mabo dofu along with a side of rice. The broccoli salad wasn't a favorite because it turned out to be a cold dish (not even room temp, like just out of the refrigerator cold) and eating big chunks of cold broccoli didn't feel appetizing. The mabo dofu was excellent with a hint of spice. It honestly should come with rice because I don't think you can eat it as is. With our shrimp dish, it turned out that our order didn't go through their system and they had limited dishes and the last one went to another table that arrived after us. Our server was super apologetic and very nice about it. So we ended up ordering the chicken karaage which was good (but our heat was set on the shrimp lol). Our server, by way of an apology, also got us the fried veggie gyoza which turned out to be the dish of the night for us. So crispy, so tasty! To round out our meal we also ordered a couple of cocktails and then butter mochi for dessert and they were lovely too. Overall, a great meal, great service all around. read more

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Came here on a Saturday morning and there was no line or need for reservation. The food came out pretty slowly so I would recommend eating here if you're not in a rush. The loco moco was good and the pancakes were excellent. The spare ribs only came with four pieces and were pretty burnt and forgettable. I do wish the portion sizes were larger for the price. Stand out dish was the pancakes. Small eatery/diner vibe. read more

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The food here was okay; good crisp on the fried foods but nothing outstanding in terms of flavor. Portion sizes were on the smaller end. The restaurant is located at the back of a brewery and was a little hard to find read more

Mimi's Chuka Diner - Japanese Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Came here for dinner and they didn't have space inside for a large party so we opted to order take out and eat at the tables outside the space. The food came out in a reasonable time, but the portion was pretty small and the dishes themselves were quite mid. The noodles weren't fully cooked and the flavor was okay. Not amazing, not great. Overall, probably wouldn't opt to come back here unless in the area already and there were no other options. read more

This is a cute diner with Japanese-Chinese fusion dishes doing both dine-in and takeout. They share a main entrance with Aeronaut brewery, with the actual entrance to the restaurant being at the back of the brewery, so we spent a few minutes finding our way there. The actual diner itself is very cute and clean, themed with classic diner red chairs and a kitchen you can see into. The standout dish for us was the Subuta, which was large chunks of sweet and sour pork that were crispy and chewy on the outside, but not too chewy on the inside. It is notable that the dine-in prices are higher than the takeout ones (and on the higher side for Chinese food in general), but it looks like the portion sizes for dine-in are larger and meant to be eaten family-style, while the takeout portions are meant for one. I would try their takeout menu sometime, which is lower priced and looks like a balanced meal with sides of edamame and white rice included. read more

Mimi's Chuka Diner - Mapo tofu - Japanese Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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What a wonderful addition to the great food scene of Somerville! Tucked away on the far end of Aeronaut Brewery, Mimi's is unassuming with its American diner inspired seating and small but robust menu. I unfortunately swung by on a Monday evening when they're only doing takeout but next time I will definitely bring friends to this spot! The food (and I am completely biased as I am Japanese), is exactly the level of Chinese food I have been craving. It's flavored, Mabo Tofu has a nice kick to it and the pork had a great bite to it. The potato salad (although I personally think the rayu that's on top of it is unnecessary and didn't add much) is pretty traditional Japanese style potato salad with its light and fluffy potatoes mixed with fresh veggies and of course, doused in kewpie mayo. This is definitely a new go to spot for me, I wish them all the best for success! read more

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The garlic noodles are fire! Nice chewy noodles plus a deep garlic flavor makes it one tasty dish. Decent portion size as well. read more

Mimi's Chuka Diner - Japanese Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Good food- love the location . Being inside Brewery snacking on delicious dumplings is great situation. The service was quick and efficient, they just text me a let me know the food was ready on a busy Friday night maybe 10 minutes later. Would definitely recommend! read more

Mimi's Chuka Diner - Mall tofu - Japanese Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

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Came here for dinner with a couple of colleagues and the food was sized well for the price. I ordered - Garlic noodles - I did not enjoy these, the earthy flavor from the mushroom was a miss for me. - meatballs: delicious would come back to order these again. Crispy on the outside and the sauce was sweet and sour. The side of cabbage was a nice fresh touch the accompanies the beef very well. read more

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Owners Jon & Ted craft bold chūka flavors by combining traditional Japanese-style Chinese cooking with local creativity Their menu reflects this spirit of innovation--honoring tradition while adapting to the tastes of the community All of this is served up with warm diner vibes inspired by the powerful women and supportive family in their lives, especially mama Mimi Expect flavorful Sichuan-style wontons, garlic noodles loaded with umami, and housemade gyoza with pork or vegan filling Try authentic chūka dishes like ebi chili and mabo dofu, or lean into the diner vibes with their chūka burger or NY strip steak with douchi miso brown butter Don't miss the dessert--butter mochi just like Ted's mom used to make, with red bean paste and a matcha crème anglaise, it's chewy, lightly sweet, and seriously addictive Always a Bonus: Plenty gluten-free & vegan options Affordable comfort food, made with heart Full alcohol license: perfect cocktails, beer, wine, and sake to sip alongside every bite read more

My partner and I shared the matzo ball wonton soup, mabo dofu, steamed white rice (small), and garlic noodles - TASTE: 4/5 - enjoyed the matzo balls and cilantro in the soup, tobanjiang chili sauce in the mano dofu, and the triple garlic sauce in the noodles. They were out of the Chuka burger unfortunately, would've liked to try the Wagyu brisket and chuck TEXTURE: 4/5 - fluffy and firm matzo balls, silken tofu, and chewy noodles PRICE: 4/5 - our total came to $71. Entrees can get a little expensive, ranging from $18-32 SERVING SIZE: 4/5 - satisfied for lunch SERVICE: 4/5 - made a Resy an hour beforehand, arrived on time at 12:45pm on a Saturday, and there were only a few tables occupied. Our waiter was very friendly and food started coming out 10-15min after ordering ATMOSPHERE: 4/5 - took us a sec to find where exactly Mimi's was inside Aeronaut Brewing Company before realizing it was the old Tasting Counter space. Appreciate the exposure to Japanese-style Chinese cuisine, i.e. chūka, short for chūka ryōri, and its unique pairing w American diner cuisine PARKING: 4/5 - limited parking in the immediate area. We got a street spot by Perry Park on Washington St read more

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We specifically came with to this restaurant with one mission in mind, to try their Utsunomiya gyozas. Utsunomiya is famous for their gyozas in Japan and having spent some time there, I thought any place with this item on their menu needs to live up to it. Saying that this dish brought me back to my time there is an understatement. The gyozas were perfectly cooked and packed with flavor and texture synonymous with Utsunomiya gyozas. We also ordered the garlic noodles which we really enjoyed as they were flavorful, filling, and surprisingly even better as leftovers. The last item we ordered was the ebi chili which was also filling and flavorful. While attached to a brewery, once inside you feel separate from it and entirely in a restaurant space. The staff is exceptionally polite and attentive providing recommendations that did not disappoint. The owner even walked around talking to the diners which added to the cozy and welcoming feeling of this restaurant. We can't wait to come back for the food and intimate/friendly atmosphere. read more

Mimi's serves up Asian diner fare in a small but attractive space within the broader Aeronaut brewery complex. The menu was focused but still with a good range of options from snacks and dumplings to more substantive dishes like the fried chicken and garlic noodles. All the dishes were well-executed and with bold flavors. The matzo ball soup, in particular, was a fun cross-cultural dish and the hand cut fries were the perfect balance of crisp, soft and salty - a key dish to nail when you're based in a brewery! Service was great and we were frequently checked on by our wait staff. I would definitely recommend for a fun and casual night out. read more

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The Mabo Tofu was burnt. There were some visible burned pieces and a definite burnt taste. Not overpowering but it was there. I wish I had more rice and tofu rather than the edamame. For 16$ I didnt feel full afterwards. The fries were average nothing crazy. We originally had a reservation for 4 and 6 and were hoping to combine them to make 10 which didnt happen but not the restaurants fault! We sat at the brewery dining tables instead and just grabbed our food for take out. The vibe is a brewery vibe: theres noise and dim lighting which isnt bad. 2 stars mostly for the burnt mabo tofu. The rest of the stuff was expected and I am communicating it here. read more

I came here after a yelp event right needle the grand opening to get some food to close out my night. I love that the location is right in the brewery so you can enjoy a drink and get a bite to eat. There's plenty of seating and it's a cute place. The food came out in a reasonable time and is pretty tasty. This is a spot worth checking out! read more

Mimi's Chuka Diner - Menu - Japanese Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

This was my first time hearing about this restaurant. I came for a yelp event but decided to order some food to go because I was starving. I really appreciate that the chefs are very aware of allergies and what's included in the food. The menu clearly lists what allergies are included with for each meal and the servers about allergies at the time of order. The chicken karaage was good. I always appreciate gluten free fried chicken and this was worth trying. The pieces were pretty juicy and a nice size. The rice was good and fluffy. The cucumber salad was really good. I do think a sauce was needed for the chicken and rice, so I added a little sweet chili sauce at home. The serving was also relatively small for the price. I expected to be able to make 2 meals, but this was enough for only 1 sitting. I will come back because it was good and there's other items I want to try, but this spot may not be a staple for me. read more

Mimi's Chuka Diner - Chicken Karaage and cucumber salad - Japanese Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

It was pretty bad. Very sweet, not flavorful. Service was good though. The eggplant dish was desert levels of sweet.

3.5 stars based on food alone. My husband and I stumbled into Aeronaut brewery and discovered this food hall attached that had Mimi's. I had ordered their wontons and potato salad. According to their employee, their concept is Chinese influenced Japanese food which I found to be interesting. I love wontons and I thought theirs tasted great. It was boiled and had chili oil and green onions with vinegar on top, it was delicious but I did feel the wontons were quite small in size. I believe 8 pieces for 10$. The Japanese potato salad was disappointing. I make Japanese potato salad all the time, my husband is also Japanese American and he and myself felt like Mimi's version was very bland. Portion size was decent. Overall I'd come back to try other dishes read more

I went to Mimi's for the first time today at noon when they opened. I was told they had had a power failure overnight and wouldn't be opening until 1pm today. Unhappily, I left, knowing there are not too many places to kill an hour around there, but I did. When I came back at 1pm, I was told they were not going to open now until 1:30. Say what? Someone then asked if I was going to eat in or take out. I indicated takeout. Having looked at the menu online before coming I knew what I wanted -- the subuta (sweet and sour pork) and pork gyoza -- but I didn't see the subuta on the menu they handed me. I was told "we changed the menu a few days ago." I was leaning toward taking the substitute -- sweet and sour meatballs (which I really didn't want) -- but when I asked to substitute the edamame and rice that comes with it for the potato salad, I was told that all the salads were not available today except edamame. At that point I gave up and left, having wasted two hours of my Saturday trying to eat at Mimi's for the first time. Of course, no one can anticipate a power outage, but when something like that happens, you update your website to let people know to come later. And when you change your menu, you update your website promptly so everyone will know what is and what is no longer available. read more

Flavorful food and very friendly service. Loved the garlic noodles, veggie gyoza and mapo tofu. Well-seasoned and beautiful presentations. Wish I lived in Boston so I could frequent this place. read more

Mimi's Chuka Diner - Japanese Near Me - Somerville, Massachusetts

Mimi's was SO good and I was pleasantly surprised! We went on a Friday night after starting with beers and board games at Aeronaut. We were a party of 6 so tried almost everything on the menu--the execution of the food is wonderful. Loved every single thing we ordered and for the price, felt like we definitely got a deal. The garlic noodles were the table favorite, but I think the cucumber salad, greens and chicken karaage were excellent. Will be back! The dumplings are all very good. Also service was very good, which I feel like has become somewhat less common these days. read more

best food ive tasted in a long time. service was exceptional. the plase has that welcome home vibe.

This restaurant is great! We enjoyed all the dishes we ate: garlic noodles, mabo tofu, sweet and sour pork, dumplings... The service was very good and you can tell that they put thought into their interior design concept. Highly recommend checking it out. read more

good vibes and great garlic noodles! we also enjoyed the chicken karaage and smashed cucumber salad

I went here with my boyfriend on a Wednesday evening. It's a bit of a hole in the wall but the decor is super cute. The food was amazing! We had the pork and cabbage gyoza, the garlic noodles, and the ny steak. the gyoza was so good and came with the perfect sauce to dip. the garlic noodles were really yummy and paired well with the steak. The service was probably the best part. the owner checked up on us multiple times and even offered to redo our steak because he noticed it was a bit overdone. Overall would definitely come again and try more things on the menu!! read more

Great food, nice helpful staff. Wonderful dinner. Our kids, grandkids are veg and love this place also

Great food and great service. The team was super friendly to our little kids and we had a wonderful meal.

Mimi's is a super cute spot with friendly staff and nice wall decor. The food, unfortunately, is not worth a repeat trip for us. We were excited by the "chuka diner" concept, but none of the dishes we tried were remotely like what would be served in Japan. I guess they were an unappealing (overcooked/too-large chunks of meat/greasy) American version of Japan's version of Chinese food if that makes sense. I found myself wishing that a Japanese grandma or grandpa could visit and train the staff to make tasty, authentic, and visually appealing dishes--none of which we found at Mimi's. I'd love for them to do better, and I would happily return. read more

Can't say enough good things about this place. Super friendly staff, quick service, tons of options, and conscious of allergies. I can't wait for them to open up dine-in but for now the take-out is amazing! read more