Cute Malaysian restaurant (with a small skew towards Chinese cuisine) tucked on the outskirts of Chinatown. The interior is really interesting and gives that southeast Asian feel. The food is mediocre for the price. To our taste there was a little too much salt in all the dishes. We ordered a Kang Kung Belacan, the Hainan Chicken (half), and pineapple fried rice. The fried rice was unfortunately not in an actual pineapple (as it was advertised). The chicken was bomb and the spinach was good. tldr; neat Malaysian cuisine that has very Chinese tones but a little overpriced read more

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Good food, quick service, friendly staff. Atmosphere is cute, located in chinatown. The duck has bone so be careful. Tasty overall and good portions read more

Penang - Coconut fried rice - Malaysian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I'm originally from Houston and we have amazing Malaysian food so my standards are quite high. Penang is pretty good! Not the very best Malaysian food out there, but still really delicious. There are several vegetarian options and everything I've tried has been fresh and flavorful. I love the wooden interior of the restaurant, and the service is quick. I do think it's a bit overpriced, especially for Chinatown. Some of the noodle dishes are more reasonably priced, but I ordered a tofu veggie stir-fry once for ~$18-$19 and it didn't even come with rice (heads up to check if your order comes with rice!) so I had to pay close to another $3 for that. read more

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Pros: Roti Canai: 5/5 Flavorful and fresh. Quick service Cons: Almost all the other dishes we tried were sub par. It tasted below average. Either lacked flavor or wasn't cooked well. The dishes we tried - green Thai curry, roti tellur, Singapore noodle was the worst. The fish sauce flavor was way too dominant. And the whole restaurant smelled like fish sauce. And the waitress was pretty rude. read more

Penang - Singapore Rice Noodles - Malaysian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Friendly service, authentic flavors, good portions and reasonable prices! I lived in Singapore and Malaysia for a few years and the ambience and food bring back great memories. Highly recommended! Clay pot fish, kway teow noodles, beef rendang and kang kung greens are excellent! read more

Penang offers compelling tastes of Malaysia. Loving their Boston's tea house-like interior with exposed brick walls and wood furnishings. There's always a wait for a table, but the turnovers are quite fast. For dinner this evening: 1) Roti Canai wasn't all soft & flaky, bites of chewiness, though great was the curry chicken dip; 2) Penang Poh Piah, the filling fell apart with the steamed wrap sticking to the plate; 3) Kang Kung Belacan, perfectly sautéed; 4) Hainanese Chicken, good, the meat wasn't as silky as usual. Still, the taste is there with all the dishes. I must change the order on my next visit to include my other go-tos: Mango Chicken and off-menu Spareribs. Along with superb service again, 5 stars? CHEERS! read more

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This place is sooo good. So so many options. Good for groups , getting a bunch of dishes and eating family style, and also good for a date with your husband. Also good for a lunch break. Food comes fast! They have a great drink menu (non alcoholic- like the watermelon drink) and dessert menu. My personal favorite is the mango chicken. It admittedly does not do well as leftovers so enjoy fresh. Come and enjoy all the food! read more

Penang - Asparagus Chicken in Lemongrass Sauce - Malaysian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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It's always hard to find authentic Malaysian food in the US, let alone in Boston, and unfortunately, Penang was no reprieve from this dearth. My friend and I came by for dinner earlier this week around 5:30 pm - there were 2 other tables when we arrived, and a few more filled in over the course of our meal. The interior decor is really thorough in a traditional village vibe, with lots of exposed brick and wood. We started with a roti canai - which was extremely disappointing. The roti was bland and soggy, nothing like the fluffy and crispy roti that I adore. The curry was significantly better - chicken and potato decently tasty - but overall I was very turned off by this dish, which is arguably one of the most basic/popular Malaysian dishes out there. We also ordered the Indian mee goreng - probably the high point of the meal. The sauce was tasty and noodles well cooked (with a generous helping of peanuts sprinkled on top), but I don't think had a very authentic flavour; it could have passed for some chow-mein-esque dish at a generic American Chinese restaurant. Finally, we had the asam laksa. First, as a note, asam laksa is not the same as the more common nyonya laksa; the former is made with a more sour broth (the 'asam') whereas the nyonya laksa has a spicier, coconut-based soup. This much the server did confirm with us, so of course there's credit where credit is due. I make this digression to emphasise that my distaste for this dish is not because I expected the different type of laksa, but rather because the soup was not great in and of itself. The flavour profile was entirely unbalanced, with the broth way too sour than expected. The mackerel flakes did not taste fresh, and the other veggies just seemed haphazardly thrown in as an afterthought. The noodles tasted fine though, although that is not much of a redemption. That being said, to Penang's credit the price point was not the highest, especially for the relatively large portion sizes. However, for this quality of food, I really do not think that I will be coming back anytime soon. read more

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This was my first time trying Malaysian food but it won't be my last. We ordered Penang Seafood Rice Noodle and Nasi Goreng with chicken. For the noodle dish, the seafood was cooked well. The flavors were great and the noodles had a nice bite to them. For the rice dish, I liked this one a lot. The portions are pretty decent sizes too. read more

Penang - Pengang seafood dish - Malaysian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Decent prices and a great location with distinctive venue. The service is quick and courteous. Likewise, offerings are interesting and diverge from the norm; and is quite vast and varied in terms of influences and scope. Conversely, I found the food to vary between okay to lightly above average. While seasoning is fine, execution is not consistent across the board. All in all, I would recommend this restaurant; especially as Malaysian restaurants are not exactly common in the US. read more

Quick late dinner after my bf picked me up from airport so it was great they are opened until 10pm Ordered roti appetizer, hainanese chicken, and spicy sizzling beef dish. I had high expectations for the roti but it was SO chewy that it felt underdone. The parts that were crisper tasted better but overall so disappointed :( For hainanese chicken, it was good but certain parts of the chicken was for sure dry. The sizzling beef was really tender so A+ for that because most Asian places don't tenderize it enough. It's most definitely not spicy, at all read more

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I've visited other Malaysian restaurants in the US and was excited to find one in Boston! I took my boyfriend to Penang for his first Malaysian restaurant experience and he absolutely loved it. We got the roti canai, chicken satay, Kang kung belacan and the Hainanese chicken. The roti and curry sauce was a little thinner than usual but both were still delicious. The chicken satay had good flavor and was tender. The veggies and Hainanese chicken were amazing and delicious. The only complaint I have was that the entrees did not come with rice, you have to order them separately. The dishes were a bit on the pricey side and for the cost of them, it would have been nice to have rice included. It won't stop me from visiting again though! read more

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Penang used to be one of my favorite restaurants but the quality has gone downhill over the years. You can't go wrong with the roti canai but the Hainan chicken and chow Kueh teow is no longer excellent. The whole Hainan chicken is $35 but the portions are tiny. The hot sauce is still excellent but 2 people shouldn't be able to eat an entire chicken... makes me wonder what they do with the rest of the chicken? The chow kueh teow is usually delicious but the latest time it tasted like a flavorless chow foon, it's supposed to have some chili flavor! read more

We were so looking forward to this food. Roti Canai looks good in the picture. Taste was ok. It was good see chunks of chicken in the sauce along with bone. Not sure if they have a vegetarian option. We think they froze the Tom Yum soup. They added too much vinegar instead of the natural sourness of tomatoes. The texture of tomato slices was of frozen tomato. Do not order their basil fried rice! It is just rice soaked in soy sauce with not a trace of finessing it. Tasteless. Not even salt. They did not even attempt to stir fry a bit. Such a waste of money. read more

I am Malaysian -- half chinese half Indian, and one of my most favorite food in the world is an oyster omelet. This oyster omelet does not disappoint let me tell you, the oysters are truly fresh as can be and it represents the dish how I remembered it 22 years ago back home. The Char Kueh Teow was also really good, tasty and charred beautifully. The ambiance and service was pretty decent as well, nothing too unique. Staff members were not Malaysians so I couldn't talk to them in our native languages. But food wise, definitely would come back. read more

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Service was quick and helpful. The food was really quite good. The curry's and soups perfectly spiced. The restaurant is spacious. I would come again ! read more

The food was horrible, the beef curry like stringy, grisly beef heated up in a microwave. It most certainly was since my food arrived in 2 minutes. And they did tell me they charge five bucks extra for a tiny bowl of rice. Steer clear read more

I've been here a couple of times and is my go to spot in Boston for Malaysian food. There's plenty of seating inside. I've tried their roti canai and roti telur. Their chicken curry is very good, and the chicken is very tender. I also usually get their Nasi lemak which is pretty good. Love the combination of different flavors in the dish. Portion sizes are good. Overall, it's a great place to try Malaysian food. read more

The go-to is the Malaysian pancake with sauce; 10/10 Ginger duck noodles 5/10 Malaysian pancake with beef/egg/onion 8/10 Service always great very nice people Restaurant is large and more or less what you would expect not super fancy. Close to Subway stop and park for a nice walk after read more

Penang - Home Made Roti Canai Indian Pancake Home Made Roti Canai Indian Pancake - Malaysian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

This place is impeccably clean and watched the staff wipe down every surface floor to ceiling! The meat was very tender and it was fun tasting these exotic flavors. read more

Penang - Nasi Lemak - Malaysian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

For lunch on Saturday I arrived at Penang, curious to try their rendition of Bak Kuh Teh. My party of 2 arrived and received prompt seating. Menus remained digital QR code, though, upon request, I received a physical menu, albeit with outdated prices. Lunch consisted of the following: - Bak Kuh Teh | $14.50 | small portion - Nasi Goreng | $10.50 - House Special Squid | $12.50 All items arrived at roughly the same time, ~10 minutes after placing the order. The Bak Kuh Teh, a soup with chinese herbs with pig feet, stomach & fatty pork, seemed far too light. The herbs seemed faint, and the stock seemed too thin. Additionally, the soup seemed oddly sweet; the shiitake mushrooms alone could not have contributed to this. Some other booster, seemingly sugar, caused this. The Nasi Goreng, a fried rice dish, struggled to differentiate itself from any other fried rice. What could have differentiated this dish, namely the Malaysian shrimp paste and red pepper, may as well not have existed. Lastly, the House Special Squid, sauteed in what the menu describes as "popular authentic spicy sauce", tasted about as spicy as paprika. It was, however, quite sweet - far too sweet for a menu item that highlighted spice and had no mention of glaze. If I wanted everything orange chicken-ified, I could go to a myriad of pan-Asian restaurants. read more

Penang - Nasi Goreng - Malaysian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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The ambience and the service was fantastic! Both dishes we had were so much richness and flavor. Highly recommend this place in Chinatown. read more

Penang - Malaysian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Went out walking around Chinatown and saw this place with a bunch of people so we decided to stop. We were immediately greeted and seated. Ordered the Saki shot flight (mango was good, strawberry was ok, green and white not so much). The chicken wings were really good. I enjoyed the sauce on the wings and they weren't fried too hard. The fried rice was tasty, not dry and tasted fresh (I could've used some soy sauce on mine). I anticipated that our pineapple fried rice would come in a pineapple but, it didn't. The restaurant is an open style where you can see them preparing meals and making drinks. It's a big space if you have a large party. This seemed to be one of the popular spots to stop at as it was busy the entire time we were there. read more

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Delicious and authentic Malaysian food which is not abundant like Chinese Japanese or Thai ones. Decent service, and interesting decor.

It had been several years since I visited Penang and gave it a try again. Not impressed We had ordered takeouts. The food was warm and nicely packed, however the flavors were bit too low and off for our liking. The usual Roti-Canai (indian pancake with a mild chicken curry) was good. Chow Kueh Teow was bit too mild and lacked flavour. Tasted more like flavorless pad thai. The Nasi Lemak combination was good, comes with a boiled egg, regular chicken curry and marinated veggies. The accompanying coconut rice hardly had any flavour and tasted like regular white rice. read more

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FOOD 5/5 This is the first time i had Malay food, and it will be the standard I'll set from now on until I taste something better. I had the Nasi Lemak, which after some research, I found was one of the more recommended Malay food. And man, it was delicious! SERVICE 5/5 We were checked up on often - waters refilled every time it was empty, waiters are VERY attentive. Great service. AMBIANCE 5/5 Wooden decor inside was beautiful. It made me feel like I'm eating at a local small village. Great place to have family style meals. read more

Penang - Roti Telur - Malaysian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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We ordered the Indian mee goreng and the prawn noodle soup. Neither was authentic. Service was okay, had to ask for water several times.

Speedy services and generous portions, suitable for family style eating. Great for hungry dinners. Walked in on Friday evening around 6:30, waited 10 mins for a table for three. The restaurant was full, but the food came out fast. The time from order to all 4 dishes delivered to the table took less than 20 minutes. Food costed around $20 per dish, portion were generous and meant to be shared in a family style. All food we ordered were richly sauced, mostly towards sweet-sour flavors--which went perfectly with the lightly salted coconut rice. So don't forget your rice!! Highly recommend Hainanese chicken, it was incredibly juicy and tender. We ordered half of the chicken and it was enough to share for 3 of us. Lastly, the environment was quite open and it felt very busy, if you would hope to get some private conversations, maybe not the best choice. read more

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Food and service were excellent! Dishes were exactly like what I had in Indonesia. The woods interior gives a great vibe. You know it is good when you see it filled with expat Asians. Highly recommended!!!! read more

I was surprised by their Hainanese Chicken! It's sooo fresh and absolutely delicious. The portion is huge with such a reasonable price. Definitely one of the must-try dishes! Starting with Roti Canai would be a good choice as an appetizer, it's an Indian pancake with curry dipping sauce. Penang Pad Thai is bit spicy but delicious as well. read more

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Really enjoyed this Malaysian place in Chinatown! I was craving roti for weeks and did a quick google search which led me to this restaurant. I left very satisfied and got to try a solid assortment of dishes from their menu. I felt that the dishes were all very well priced for a restaurant in Boston. As someone who does not have a ton of experience with Malaysian food, I really appreciated that the menu had pictures for every single dish on the menu. I would of course recommend the roti (a light fluffy pancake served with a curry dip) and hainnanese chicken. The beef satay was also incredible, and so tender and flavorful. We also ordered a noodle dish (mee siam) which was average compared to the others I mentioned. When I go back, I am hoping to try some of the other noodle dishes instead. read more

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ok so i put 4 stars because i don't want to ruin the curve but i do think 3.5 is the right rating for this place. generally the food is quite good - esp when i don't usually get any malay food around me. the roti canai is about a 3/5, it's good light and crispy but it was also a bit over-chewy. the chicken wings were good, crispy and well-seasoned 4/5. the laksa is penang style so not curry; more like a tom yum soup like sour style in a fish broth; admittedly if you aren't familiar that sounds challenging, but it's very nice 3.5/5. the restaurant is pretty large but i think it does get busy at times. on a thursday evening around 730, plenty space for walk ins. service is fast and prompt. i look forward to trying their other items the next time i come through town. read more

Penang - roti canai - Malaysian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Not only is the food here both cheap and tasty, but the restaurant itself is also impressively clean and cozy.

Took a while (~40min for 4) to get a table, but it was Saturday night dinner time so expected. Once we ordered though, the food came out within 10 minutes, they are super fast and efficient. The food is hot and gives comfort food vibes. Portions are large! read more

Penang - Panang Pad Thai - Malaysian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

One of the only malaysian restaurants I know! It was super busy when I came and they were able to accommodate 9 of us. I would say that if you come, all you need is the chicken, pie apple fried rice, and all the roti. Those are the staples I get. The mango shrimp was good, but it was too much mango, not enough shrimp! read more

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I came to Boston on a business trip for work. This restaurant has very good food; the tai ice team is delicious, the appetizer suggested was very savory and the food was very well portioned (large), tasted good, and the presentation was nice. I highly recommend to anyone who travels. read more

Penang - Food - Malaysian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Delicious food and good services. It is very closed to Seafood Exhibition. Recommend for visitors read more

Awesome flavorful food!! The rotis and satay skewers are a MUST to start off the meal. The roti is so airy and the curry so flavorful. The beef skewers are the most tender skewers I've had yet, and pair extra nicely with the peanut sauce. The hainannese chicken is a large portion, but be careful with small bone pieces due! I enjoyed the mee Siam as well, but it was a little on the saltier side. Even then, the group thoroughly enjoyed our meal and we left with all empty dishes. read more

Penang - Hainanese Chicken and Mee Siam! - Malaysian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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First off. There was a mouse running on the wall. Other tables saw as well. Zoom in on picture and see the eyes. Told manager. They said thanks and that was it. Food was okay but bland. Bad service. read more

Penang - Mouse zoom in. You can see the eyes. - Malaysian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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This is where to go when you're craving Nasi Lamek and roti!! It never misses. They have lots of seating inside and seem to be a good spot for big groups too, but their takeout is always a good old standby. read more

Penang - Nasi Lemak Home Made Roti Canai Indian Pancake - Malaysian Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts