Blown away! We were just looking for something yummy near our hotel (Le Meridien) and ... wow! My college-visiting son and I had one of those meals we'll never forget. So inventive and deeply delicious. We loved the fried oyster bao with pink pickled cabbage and also the hamachi crudo (I may be saying and spelling all of this wrong, forgive me). But we could not get enough of the cut noodles with mushrooms and spicy roast pork (I recommend getting both mushrooms and pork) and roast pork crunchies. Umami heaven! Our bowls held more than enough, but they were so sooo good! We had to eat every bit! We were surprised by every dish, in the best possible way. Our server joined in our delighted mood and brought us cookies to try because she knew they would go so well with our matcha/maple soft serve. And, oh, they did! Oh yes, and the caramel on the ice cream... why was it so special? Some secret. It had a deep flavor I've never had. Maybe it was just the love put into it, I don't know. Last note about the service: my son and I decided to go to BSO after dinner but, completely new to the Boston area, we didn't know it was on the other Mass Ave across the river! We felt so well cared for by the staff at Pagu that we stopped back in, frantic that we couldn't find the venue and my phone being almost out of charge! They gave us directions, charged my phone and kept us in their friendly scene until our Lyft arrived. Very sweet. And, the meal was truly an experience of high yet earthy art. Thank you, Pagu! read more

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Glad I tried; not sure I'll go back. Some of the pros: beautiful and COVID-safe atmosphere outside on the patio, wonderful and friendly service; everything cooked perfectly (particularly the cod and unagi); all the desserts (particularly the matcha-maple swirl soft serve!). Some of the cons: despite such a creative menu, the food itself was not quite as exciting as we had hoped, particularly given the expense. For example, the croquetas were heavy and not that full of fish flavor (could also have used much more acidity), and the bao didn't really have squid ink flavor or much spice/acidity to balance out the rich unagi. read more

Came here on a Tuesday night, outdoor patio looked quite busy. It was much quieter indoors. Service was great and the waitress checked in. The duck confit was delicious! The duck was moist and flavorful and the skin was nice and crispy. The black cod croquetas and the chicken Katsu were good, but nothing special. The spicy hand pulled noodles had a nice kick to it and was flavorful. Recommend the lei it on me cocktail and the matcha cookie. The matcha cookie was warm, soft and had a nice flavor. Do not recommend the dark chocolate cake -- it was way too dry and crumbly. I couldn't finish the slice and had to drink too much water to wash the cake down. read more

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Came here for dinner. Has a fun atmosphere with music in the background and open space. Their menu is more Asian fusion style. For appetizers we tried salad, charred avocado (it was just an avocado ), the three different baos they have veggie, beef and squid (beef and squid were delicious), some veggie hummus dish (wasn't that great). For main course I had the beef short rib. It was very moist and soft but was ok. Looked better than it tasted haha. Their drinks were also great I tried several of their cocktails like pica pika, the whiskey based one and a 3rd I forget. For dessert we tried 3 different ice creams, one was matcha, another berry and the third vanilla. The matcha was my favorite out of three, it came with some chocolate in the side, pretty typical nothing out of ordinary. Overall it was a cool place and worth checking out. read more

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fantastic service and great food! we loved the corn, cheesecake, and miso black cod. a must-try if you're in the area read more

Pagu - Shio Koji Roasted Corn - Japanese Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

TLDR fun and high quality spot for date night! Came here with my bf for dinner and we really enjoyed our meal! We had seafood apps which were tasty and moderately priced- not cheap but it's seafood at a nice restaurant- not a "must order" if I were to return. The cocktails we got were FANTASTIC, I had a gin drink with grapefruit that was amazing and my bf had a variety of an old fashioned that he loved! For our entree we shared the suckling pig and THIS is what I would return for! Wow the bao was so soft, the portion was massive and the sides were all so tasty (kimchi, cucumber/pickles, a few delicious sauces). We were able to get more sauce and bao for no extra charge in order to finish the meat and we were stuffed by the end! Definitely pricey but such a unique menu item that was done very very well. As we left the bar area/seating area around the open area kitchen was popping so could be fun for just drinks and apps if that's your style read more

Pagu - Suckling pig for two - Japanese Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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My husband ordered the Valentines Day box from Pagu, and as soon as he got home we realized that we'd been had. The restaurant only gave us single servings of each item - and these are truly minuscule servings - but charged us as if we had bought two servings. I just checked here on Yelp, and saw that last night a diner ordered a comparable menu and posted photos of her meal, proving the point. Our box contains ONE slice of cake, the exact size of what was served to one person last night!! For the ratatouille side, there is a lame little stack, barely garnish-sized. There is a bottle of Cava, which is the only substantial item; there is simply not enough food here to feed two people. What a rude, cheap way to treat a couple on Valentines Day. We both feel disappointed and cheated. Pagu, you blew it. P.S. If you scroll down, you will find a TON of 1-star reviews for Pagu, many of them similarly pointing out the tiny serving sizes and inflated prices. But these reviews have been kept separate from the main review area, and not factored in to the Yelp review. Cheats! P.P.S. the chocolate cake was terrible, gluten free and dairy free, and unfortunately, you sure could tell. I've had good GF and dairy-free baked goods before (check out Violette near Porter Square), but this was awful. The frosting was unsweetened and sort of greasy, gah, couldn't eat it, and the cake was sort of gritty and not very chocolatey tasting. SO DISAPPOINTING read more

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The waiter at hand here, actually wrote to me to continue to scold me after the fact. I didn't see his reply to my original review until much later but thought I would update everyone. Given some other reviews here of rudeness I guess this is just how this place operates. read more

The restaurant offers a fun atmosphere with a mix of action kitchen seating, high tops and low top tables swirling through the space. It's a great place to come with a group of friends to maximize the variety in small plates to try. On this particular night, the show stopper was the chicken katsu. WOW, the chicken had a delicate crispy exterior and the most tender, melt in your mouth texture. I don't think I've had chicken quite like this texture where it almost had a mouth sensation of eating very tender pork. The famous squid ink buns with fried oysters were also a treat. The bun was super soft, and the perfect vessel for the fresh briny fried oysters. We also tried several of the raw fish offerings and veggies, which would not have been my typical choices, but they were suggested by a guest who was a frequent patron. In terms of the raw offering, the tuna tartare had a nice kick, and the salmon with thin cuts of cucumber was pleasantly refreshing. There are some playful and filling takes on vegetables. The mushrooms had a great umami savoriness, while somewhat inventive, the charred avocado fell a little flat, essentially a while avocado that was served warm and lightly charred. Definitely try some of the cocktails - the names escape me but, the drinks with passion fruit and one that comes garnished with a sour cherry were absolutely delicious. They were so good that I question how much liquor was actually in them, but regardless, a nice treat to have with dinner. read more

This is rare because I rarely have any interest walking into a fusion restaurant. But I liked it (with minor issues, of course!) We got salmon fried rice, mushroom mazemen, tortilla espanola, squid ink oyster bao (also a must order but I'd say it's just OK), ice cream and a cheesecake. Let's start with the goods. The salmon fried rice and the tortilla was simply amazing at its price, definitely great value. Very rare would I applaud a rice plate by a fusion restaurant, but this turns out to be a great mix of Asian and Western. As for the tortilla, although I'd say it's a little dry on the side, it gets good and juicy in the middle. The ice cream was simply great. I taste some yogurt mixed with jam poured on the ice cream but it was not sweet at all (of course it's sweet, but try it and you'll know what I mean). Now let's get to the bad. The mushroom mazemen was simply no good, don't order it, it's not good. The noodle just has no taste and that's the end of the story because I didn't bother finishing it. Besure to book the place (gets filled up fairly quickly). Service was very decent, as well as the environment. Parking is fairly easy. food 4/5 ambiance 4/5 service 4/5 value 4/5 read more

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Have you ever just created your own local FOOD/PUB CRAWL just for the fun of it? ONE KENDALL SQUARE (Cambridge MA) has really become a foodie destination, thanks to all the great bars and restaurants clustered around the lovely remodeled outdoor square. On a recent sunny fall afternoon, here's 5 places we hit up for drinks and a bite (and there were plenty more to choose from too)...check out my reviews of the other 4 places for more details... Stop #1: CAMBRIDGE BREWING CO. Stop #2: THE SMOKE SHOP Stop #3: MAMALEH'S Stop #4: STATE PARK Stop #5: PAGU ~I was dying to try the poutine at French-Canadian Cafe du Pays around the corner, but unfortunately it isn't open on Mondays. So we cheated and headed over to nearby Central Square for Japanese-Spanish tapas at newly opened PAGU. Forget about the famous oyster sliders at that ***other*** place, and try the much better squid ink oyster bao here, paired with a flight of saki. Yes, I know the difference between OKS and Central Square (I used to work in both), so please don't tell me I'm lost lol. I'm stuffed; time to go home and have some of those leftover ribs... read more

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Have never had worse service. Waited 20 mins for food that the waitress never put in. The waitress rarely checked in and we had to ask someone else just to place another order. When we asked someone else for help the original waitress snapped at me. As for the food, it was fine but not worth the price. This is my second time here as the first time it was incredible. Very disappointed to see how much it has changed and won't be going back. read more

I came here for my graduation dinner with my family. I was looking forward to their take on Asian fusion and what interesting new ideas they came up with. Although the food wasn't bad, it lacked creativity and standout flavor that I think should be expected at this price point. RESTAURANT: Pagu is modern, and definitely more relaxed and trendy than I expected - perhaps because of their loud, upbeat music selections? SERVICE: I had placed a reservation, but it took a bit of time for us to be seated. We stayed around at the bar for a bit before we were guided to our table. It's relatively noisy in the restaurant -- you def have to do a fair bit of yelling to be heard across the table -- but I suppose it's the fine-dining-but-still-relatable vibe they are going for. Pacing of the dishes here was a bit rushed. FOOD: All four of us ordered the four-course Chef's Choice tasting menu ($60) which included: 1) Oyster Shooter, 2) Pan + Avocado + Ikura, 3) Clams, 4) Jamon Croquetas, 5) Cheesy Wafflato, 6) Squid Ink Oyster Bao, 7) Steamed Halibut, and 8) Smoked Purple Yam Ice Cream. My general thoughts about the food: although the food was created with good craftsmanship and of quality materials, I felt that few of the dishes had the creativity and wow-factor that were deserving of the price point. The flavors and textures could've been drawn out more and reimagined in more complex ways. The dish I was looking most forward to - the *Squid Ink Oyster Bao* - was wonderful to look at, but was pretty standard and underwhelming in taste. I've definitely had better baos at various hole-in-the-wall joints in NYC that don't come with the hefty pricetag. Worthy of note however: *The Oyster Shooter* that came as a lovely surprise. It's just one short gulp but it's very complex. Bubbly and full of sharp flavors, we all enjoyed it thoroughly. It enhanced the naturally goodness of oysters very well. Another note, the *Steamed Halibut* came from an amazing cut of perfectly white, tender meat. Amazing quality. IN SUM: Not worth the time. There are many other restaurants in Boston that are similarly priced but have well-imagined dishes. Pagu seems to be more a place to shell out some money for some pretty pictures. I'll admit that the plating and dishes themselves are very eye-catching, but if you actually care about having your tastebuds tickled, this is not the place to go. read more

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WAY ridiculously overpriced for aggressively mid food. Don't understand the hype around this place and will not be returning. $28 for a leg of dry duck confit (how?) with a tiny bit squash and a tiny bit of arugula $8 for 'cheesy wafflato' which was just plain bad $8 for an embarrassingly bad take on pan con tomate that was the size of my palm, literally just overtoasted bad bread with a sad sliced tomato on top. Didn't even fill the sangria to the top of the glass. This place is just price gouging people for mediocre food. I would not recommend at all. read more

I called and made a reservation for a dinner. I get a call two days later asking for me to move my dinner or have it canceled. Our dinner was for my team at work getting our work published in a scholarly article. We got our reservation dropped for some high school graduation. I don't blame the hostess- but who does that? My reservation was for 10 people. Don't bring groups here if you want to enjoy yourself Won't be bringing anyone here anymore. read more

We ordered the fish and hand pulled noodle for new years eve. It's been a while since I have last eaten at Pagu. I was very happy with how fresh the fish was, the instructions to prepare it were clear, and it was so hassle free and simple to complete the making of the dish. A perfect way to enjoy a delicious meal prepared by Pagu and hot and fresh at home! The delivery was also on time and hassle free. The website was easy to order from. Overall, it was a great experience. I would definitely order again to try the other dishes. read more

I got sucked in when I saw Pagu's relatively good yelp reviews, and really taken when their website proclaimed "Food Community Collaboration" so I made the trek down with high expectations. I arrived about 25 minutes to close, the hostess seating me warned me to order fast. I appreciated the warning and since I already decided what I wanted on the way over, it was no problem. I had the salmon sashimi and the ramen... in terms of food quality, I would say it's between a 3 and 4. Let's call it 3.5. Plus half point for the lovely decor, bringing it to 4. So why the 2 star review? Minus half point for being insanely super pricy for how little food you get. With an appetizer and main course, I actually left hungry, and went across the street to Miracle of Science for another full meal. Minus another half point for dirty tables (I lifted up my spoon and it was dirty and wet underneath). Minus one point for the extremely shitty service. I usually don't hold bad service against a place (especially Asian restaurant), but this is egregious. For how much you're paying, and all the lip service about quality and the dining experience, you should at least get reasonable service. It is especially in STARK contrast with the experience I had immediately across the street at Miracle of Science where the tables are constantly being bused and cleaned and the service was attentive and spot on (despite the fact that I was only getting take out), Since I was told at Pagu to order as fast as possible, I was ready as I was seated. However, the waitress ACTIVELY ignored me for the first 10 minutes. I say active because I made eye contact with her twice and she literally either walked right by me or walked in a different direction. OK, may be she isn't my waitress, but she was. There were very few other patrons in the restaurant so she wasn't busy. I was seated at the kitchen bar top and all the staff in the kitchen looked at me when I seemed perturbed, but didn't inquire or acknowledge my existence. I literally made eye contact with every single staff person in the place, the hostess, the bar tender, the three people in the kitchen. Nothing. I have never been made feel more invisible than at this place and almost got up to walk out. I even got dressed up a bit since I saw how nice Pagu was, so I can't even blame my attire (not that it would be a good excuse to treat a patron badly, but at least it's understandable). The food did come out reasonably fast, but delivered by the kitchen staff directly. I flagged the waitress down for my check, had my credit card out where she can see it. She gets me the bill and doesn't take my card, and proceed to chat with the bar tender for another 10 minutes. I had to get up to give her my card. Typing this out and reliving the experience made me so mad I am considering giving Pagu a 1 star review, but I was to be judicious about the food quality. I did considered not tipping the waitress, but did give her 12% to round out my bill. As a business executive, I consider this type of employee behavior to be a fireable offense. It erodes the brand, and is inexcusable, but hey, may be this is why I am not running a restaurant. Worst service experience in memory. Absolutely do not recommend. read more

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Shocked at the quality of food and service considering the hype from years past. This was a sub par experience from start to finish. I hate to write this but the food was just plain bad. We ordered the pork belly boa which was the highlight, which isn't saying much. I thought it was too heavy but my partner enjoyed it. The fried oyster bao tasted old and fishy and the bun didn't taste fresh. The salmon sashimi also tasted fishy and not fresh. Though the flavors of the dish had the fish been fresh would have worked. The wafflitos were disappointing. They did not taste freshly fried and and the flavors were unremarkable. The kale and Brussel sprout salad was tasty, had a nice crunch and wasn't overdressed. Chicken katsu was mediocre/fine. The veggie pallela was completely uninspired and not something I would expect from a restaurant with this reputation. Service: We were met with a cold reception when asked how we heard about the restaurant as if our answer was somehow wrong. Our waitress was polite but no one really checked in on us. It was difficult to get anyone's attention. Overall it was a disappointing experience. We will not be returning. read more

Prefix menu was delicious! I couldn't eat one of the items on the menu and they were super accommodating. Their menu changes so always something different. I tried their shiso bread with shiso butter and man do I want more! read more

This place is so incredibly mediocre it's painful to even spend time writing a review. What I would recommend if you absolutely feel you just have to experience the mediocrity first hand: - hand pulled noodles (the highlight of a not very highlighted dinner) -cheesy waffle (lol I guess) - mushrooms ( again if you must) - tofu dessert (if adventurous) What I would avoid : - cod (fine but nothing special given the price) - ramen (flavorless broth with instant noodles) - matcha cookies (took one bite and they exploded so dry) - salmon ceviche (all fishy flavor not in a good way I'll be lucky if I don't still have fish flavor in my mouth in 2 Weeks) Actually good things: - wine list is actually pretty good -service is very nice (though I noticed they left some nasty replies to other not so positive Yelp reviews... apparently the social media manager is salty though their food is bland) - outdoor patio with heat lamps if you're feeling COVID cautious Probably won't come back (in case you need it spelled out for you). read more

Was really excited about Pagu as the photos online looked amazing! However, after trying, I have to say that the dishes look better than they taste. Our party of 4 took 7 dishes from the brunch menu as the portions are very small. -Mushroom Ramen: The best out of everything we tried. Creamy and flavorful -Black Cod: Tender and fresh, but a bit bland. The pickled seaweed salad that came with it was good though -Pork Ramen: The pork belly and the 6 minutes egg that came with it were very good. However the broth was lacking flavor. -Curry crab croquet: Crispy and tasty.. Couldn't really taste the crab flavor though. -Okonomiyaki: Not the best I've had, too much cabbage :( -Chicken & Waffle: The chicken Katsu was so tender but the waffles were so tiny!! -Pork Bao: The pork pieces are tasty! But the Bun was sub par. Overall a bit disappointed given my high expectation. Nothing tasted bad, but nothing special and memorizable... read more

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This is one of the best takes on a concept that feels few and far between in Boston Overall, the aesthetic of the place is fire, the wood behind the hightop bar has an enjoyable warmth that feels just right around dinner time The presentation all around hits, when you're ordering make sure you're ready to eat because the perks of this menu is the tasting of all of the different flavors on the menu from the croquettes to the jamon with a splash of a classic cocktail. My favorites are the pork belly bao, the cheesey wafflato, the ribeye is insane with the right wine pairing.. *cheff's kiss* Needless to say, this is not the type of place you're going to want to go to once, the menu is long and the flavors seem to go on forever. Given the presentation and quality across the board, the menu is well worth a night out with a bunch of friends who are looking to make it a night... You gotta be ready to snack on a collection of crazy flavors with very cool stories behind them Last thing, make sure you get a cava to end the night or even if you're looking to have an exciting brunch, make sure you mix in a cava porron for the culture lol just take my word for it read more

Completely blown away by this new restaurant. The chef/owner Tracy Chang has an excellent resume, prior to opening her own place she worked at O Ya, easily the best sushi spot in New England, maybe the country (according to the failing NY Times!). Pagu is a Japanese/Spanish fusion, if you have ever ate tapas this will feel very familiar. The staff has all been super friendly and I love their outdoor patio, the whole interior is just so cool too. A great spot for a date and an excellent cocktail program! Here is what I've tried Gucchi's Midnight Ramen - This dish is as rich and tasty as its history. Gucchi's Midnight Ramen was a pop up restaurant concept that was super tasty. I'm glad I can now come here to have it whenever I want. Best ramen I have ever had in Boston Chicken Katsu - What is essentially fried chicken ends up being one of my favorite dishes here. The chicken is fresh, you can actually taste it. slightly fattier, in a great way, than what you are used to but it provides a superb flavor. It is so tender and the sauce they use is also delicious. Miso Black Cod - Originally had this dish at a Nobu in Vegas and NYC. Not as good as their iteration but pretty darn close. This fish, due to the miso, is slightly sweet. Pork Belly Bao - Delicious pork belly in a bao bun, it is very rich and small enough where it can start as an appetizer Bread con tomate y jamon - Bread, Serrano ham, and a garlic tomato sauce. Simple, clean, delicious. Cheesy Waffles - This is their version of the bread before your meal. It costs a few bucks but it is worth it. read more

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We have become obsessed with Pagu over the past few months - crossing the channel and the Charles to get there. They had us hooked after our first visit. I can honestly say that everything that we have had has been spectacular. We have had the following: kampachi sashimi, steak tartare, jamon iberico de bellota (anyplace that has this will likely get my business), cucumber salad, pan con tomato with the boquerones, croquetas (both the jamon and curry crab ones), Brussels, the cucumber salad, patatas bravas, piquillo peppers, shiitake a la plancha, lobster roll, squid ink and pork belly baos, tortilla, short rib, and croissants (during brunch) are all things that we have had - and loved. Their drinks are delish and they have some unique ciders and even Spanish vermouth which we enjoy. We love tapas style because you can enjoy so many different things at the same time and pace yourself... but the challenge here is making decisions with so many amazing choices. If you haven't been here, you need to get there ASAP. And word has it that breakfast is coming soon. I know that I may have to make a detour on my way to work for some of the amazing pastries! read more

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Rarely do I give 1 star and never have I given 1 star to a place I formerly gave 4-5 stars. After sitting at the bar for a solid 15 minutes, my friend I didn't receive a drink, a menu, water, eye contact, or even a promise that they'd be right with us. The bar was busy, but that shouldn't preclude patrons from being served. There were two bartenders and a barback cleaning glasses. People who arrived after us got served before us either because they were more aggressive or because the bartender noticed them, even though we were sitting in the middle of the bar in plain sight clearly waiting. We left after about 15-20 minutes, not feeling guilty since we hadn't even been given a menu or water. read more

Really enjoyed dinner and service at Pagu. They run Covid-19 protocols very strict and efficiently. Service was awesome up at the bar. My husband had cocktails and said they were some of the best around. Food was delicious and portions exceeded my expectations. Will be back. read more

Came here for their birthday event ready for some unique bites and good fun. Bought tickets in advance. Was excited. Literally got like 3-4 bites of food and a can of beer. Also the chef didn't seem like she wanted to be congratulated on her restaurant's birthday. Weird. Very standoffish even though we just had well wishes for her. Didn't expect to go home full or anything but I thought there would be ample food at least. I've gone during their breakfast hours a few times before the birthday event and I liked the croissant a lot. The hojicha Madelines were innovative but dry. I would still go jus for that cheesy croissant! Really wanted to like this place but I was disappointed. read more

Sat down for 20 minutes and no server attention. At all. Not even when we make eye contact and request for help. They actually actively helped a neighboring table and not us at all. Very sad cause was excited about the food. read more

Another new Asian Fusion place in town and Central Square dining scene continued to get some great newcomers. I had to book Pagu a couple weeks in advance because it is so popular. I don't dig the ticket to reserve your seat on weekends deal. If it's paying for some fancy tasting menu, fine, but come on... So we ended up coming on a Wednesday so I didn't have to deal with that and this place was still packed. I do like the space a lot, a nice long bar area with high tops, bunch of smaller tables throughout, then the seats around the open kitchen to watch Chef Tracy and her team at work. We were lucky enough to get those seats and not far from the big leg of Jamon Iberico calling our names at the corner. Our choices for the evening: PAN CON TOMATE AND JAMON IBERICO DE BELLOTA: 4 stars. I first discovered jamon iberico de bellota in James Beard winner Curate in NC and fell in love with it. This one did not disappoint in its flavor but definitely in its portion size. For $12, all we got were 2 tiny pieces of ham on top of 2 tiny pieces pan con tomate. We got a entire place of this stuff for just a little more in Spain... CURRY CRAB CROQUETAS: 5 stars. Really unexpected to have curry flavors inside a croquette. These were cooked nicely, crispy on the outside, goey inside. SHISHITO PEPPERS: 3.5 stars. The usual that is seen seemingly in every restaurant now. These were good but not standouts. PORK BELLY BAO: 5 stars!! Holy moly, if this is the only thing I ate, I would leave happy. The buns were nice and soft, and that pork was melt in your mouth tender. They were so good, we got a second order! UNI MISO MAZEMEN: 5 stars. Very very rich mazemen. I think the uni added a lot of umami to the dish and gosh when do I ever not like uni on something? Definitely heavy and slightly on the salty side though. GUCHI'S MIDNIGHT RAMEN: 4 stars. The noodles are excellent here and the pork belly was also very tender, but it wasn't my favorite broth. I like Santouka's better. Now the service is where we had some issues. Because of the popularity, I don't think they have enough waiters and waitresses for the number of guests. It took quite a while to get our order in. Then the bottle of sake literally took 30 min to make it to us which is pretty unacceptable. We waited quite a while for the 1st dish to come out, then they came in fairly rapid succession. So the kitchen needs to work a little on the timing. Overall, despite some of the issues, we had a really delicious dinner at Pagu. I actually really want to give Pagu 5 stars just because how much we loved the Pork Belly Baos, but of course not everything was up to snuff. Still, I've been trying a lot of new restaurants recently and I am excited to come back here sometime for try more of the menu! read more

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I think if my dining experience wasn't so awful, i would've given Pagu a 4* rating. The restaurant is quite upscale and trendy but with a lot going on. There's a bar for drinks, a bar-seating area in front of the kitchen so you can watch the chefs in action, high top seating, regular table seating, private rooms for larger parties, and an upstairs that holds more seating probably. Service is slow but food is served rather quickly; we were done eating within 45 minutes and we ordered quite a few things. Recommendations: squid ink fried oyster bao - very unique flavors, not to mention super flavorful chicken katsu - the most tender and juicy chicken katsu I have EVER had in my life Curry crab croquetas - I like curry so I loved this but my friends thought it was okay/passable The cheesy waffalato was okay, worth ordering. The pork bao was mediocre and passable. The midnight ramen was not good by any means, just a lot of sodium with no real spice or flavorings. Overall, pagu would be a cute date spot since they have nice decor, pretty food presentation, and dim lighting making it slightly more romantic. Their food is good; I would definitely come back for their squid ink bao and chicken katsu, but probably to-go it. For those interested in why my dining experience was so bad: we came here for a friend's birthday and I purposely arrived with the bday girl first so our remaining party can come in with the cake. They told the hostess it's a birthday cake and to bring it out at the end. The hostess mentioned the plating fee and that was fine and led the whole party to the table. So someone tell me why he hostess felt the need to hold the cake and repeat the plating charge again in front of the bday girl at the table?! So much for a well planned surprise. That incident combined with the fact the server never refilled my water without me asking multiple times was really aggravating. read more

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I love Japanese and Spanish food and was excited to try this place. The restaurant is nice, the presentation of the food was good, but the taste did not match. If it were cheap I'd say it was not bad but at this price point it's really not good. The best item we tried was the papaya salad. Hard to screw that up. Anyway I was originally going to give one star but then thought that's too mean so two stars it is :) read more

Really nice atmosphere with pretty underwhelming food. I had a front and center seat at the chef's table. It was a delight to see the chefs plate the food and deliver it right before your eyes. I had some high expectations coming in as this place was a hot topic in the Taiwanese community. But overall I have to say my meal was underwhelming. The roasted mushroom mazamem had extremely well cooked mushrooms. The texture was incredible! However, the overall flavor of the dish was just okay. The braised pork belly bao was very tender and delicious. The richness of the pork belly was paired well with the rest of the ingredients, but it's a shame you have to pay $13 for two. You can find almost the same quality pork bao in Taiwan for $2. The squid ink oyster bao was worth trying but was not spectacular. The flavor of the oyster was masked by a fried panko. And in the end you were left with a nori aioli and pickled cabbage bao. The salmon fried rice was very salty and tasted strongly of oil. The watercress had a nice citrus taste intended to balance out the rice, but it was definitely not enough for the excessive amount of salt. For dessert, the Japanese cheesecake with mocha ice cream had a lot of potential. The ice cream was light, and not too sweet. The persimmons on top were the highlight -- soft and tenderly sweet. But the cheesecake itself was not very exciting. Overall, the food looks beautiful and the overall atmosphere is great. I just wished everything tasted the way it looked. 5 stars for plating, 3 stars for the food. read more

Pagu - Salmon fried rice (top left), mushroom mazamem (top right), squid ink oyster bao (bottom left), and pork belly bao (bottom right) - Japanese Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Bad day turned great! Food was fantastic and Melissa our server was so good I had to leave a compliment. The manager Chris is amazing and extremely professional. Thank you for everything and the dessert was jncredi read more

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A drab, bland, depressing palate and atmosphere. Overpriced and a waste of time.

Easily one of the best restaurants in the Boston-area, with options for vegans, GF folks, pescatarians, and meat-eaters (pork belly baos are a favourite of my partner, and the chef has many other pork offerings). Beet salad was beautifully prepared; green pea baos were the perfect combination of soft bread, and crunchy/bright veggies; the salmon ceviche paired with tortilla chips was excellent; the black cod was the star of the show (and something this former vegan turned pescatarian has been wanting to try for years: it surpassed expectations). The Let It On Me cocktail with guava and hibiscus was a must try. We ended with the (gluten-free) chocolate cake which was delicious (though we did miss the extensive dessert list of years past, namely the sichuan peppercorn chocolate cake, which was divine). The ambiance and service was fantastic; we sat at the bar overlooking the kitchen which is always fun. read more

I loved the ambience of this restaurant and they had quite a few vegetarian options. The green beans were a bit too oily for me and the noodles were spicy but there wasn't much depth of flavor. If you go, I highly recommend getting tofu dessert read more

Came here with a friend a few months ago and we ended up stumbling upon this cute place! Love the interior and all the decor. The food was incredibly tasty but we were a bit disappointed with the okonomiyaki and the matcha cookies. The okonomiyaki was a bit ... soggy for our tastes but we loved the sauce they put on it! We also really enjoyed the baos and wished we got some of the other ones as well. For dessert, we got the matcha cookies, which were just a bit small --we wish they were bigger! They were yummy but not really worth it for something so tiny. I would love to visit again and taste more items on the menu and maybe some of their drinks as well! read more

Pagu - Squid ink oyster bao, okonomiyaki, cheesy wafflato + avocado + eggs - Japanese Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Great food! Slightly over-priced! If you are looking for a treat, I would definitely recommend!

We cannot recommend this place. The ramen only tasted like pasta water and the braised pork belly bao was almost tasteless. How is that even possible? I highly recommend Muku Ramen across the street instead (not affiliated with them). read more

Pagu - Subpar pork belly bao - Japanese Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I tried their ramen; the broth wasn't very flavorful at all, but the pork was really really delicious and seasoned well. The portion was very small, and quite pricey for the amount of food it comes with. I love the egg that it comes with. The cheesecake was not that good either. Like most Asian cheesecakes, it's not very sweet (which I prefer). But it was also very dry for some reason. The chocolate cake was quite delicious; I was hesitant to get it at first because it was supposed to come with "Szechuan spiced" ice cream, but it wasn't weird at all. It was not spicy like I thought it was gonna be. Noise level is appropriate and just right for a normal conversation. read more

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