I was staying at the Ritz and had made a reservation at Legal down the block because it seemed like a right of passage after being in Boston so often and never having hit it. When we walked into Legal, the place was dead, the music was awful, and the vibe was just not there. So we sat at the bar and grabbed a drink while searching for a place to get an actual dinner where we could find last-minute reservations. Shojo in Chinatown came up with great reviews and after looking at the menu and seeing that we could get a reservation, we headed over. It was a short walk from the Ritz and Chinatown is just such a fun place with great energy. When we walked in, we knew we had made the right call and were easily able to switch our reservation from a table to bar seats, which is always an added bonus. The place is low lit and the music is on the louder side, but nothing was excessive to the point that we didn't enjoy our time there. We ordered a variety of drinks while there - a Toki Highball draft, a spicy tequila drink with lemongrass, a few different types of Japanese whiskeys as well (they have a really extensive list). As far as food goes, they categorize their menu into Snacks, Baos, and Rice, Noodles, and Dumplings. There's a lot of vegetarian friendly options, which is always a plus for me. My highlights were the 7 vegetable stir fry, fried eggplant bao, edamame dumplings, and the Thai veggie spring rolls. The salt and pepper calamari was also really great. Everything was terrific and really unique. Service was good - not great, but they took notice of empty glasses and were quick to bring out food, so I have absolutely no complaints. Shojo is somewhere I'd absolutely return to when staying in the area, I'm really happy we all turned what would have been a very touristy, depressing experience into something with a WAY better vibe and time! read more

This place was fun! We sat at the bar and got delicious mai tais in fun cups. For apps we got the Taiwanese Basil Popcorn Chicken and it was good but could have used more chicken, felt like too many pieces of just fried batter - the green herb aioli on the side was sooo good though! We also got the Sichuan Ribeye Bao which was good but felt too dry - could have used some type of sauce! The environment was fun. read more

I was here about a year ago, it's a cool place and the food is great. Last time I was here I was not impressed by the food, but we had truffle corn dumplings and bone marrow (cooked very well, this is difficult) and it was 5/5 delicious. I was very impressed. Their "Tea Garden" matcha whiskey drink is by far one of my FAVORITES in all of Boston. Incredible drink. Absolutely incredible. Service at the bar was not horribly attentive, but they got the job done and that drink is as perfect as ever. Ambience is dim (not too dim) with flattering lighting and is on the louder side. Cool and casual atmosphere, with food and drink that excels. This is going to be a spot I return to much more quickly now. read more

Shōjō-Boston - Asian Fusion Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

If I'm being transparent, it was an interesting experience traveling through downtown Boston as a Black woman. unbeknownst to me, I was staying near a relatively wealthy part (??) of Boston and it showed as I felt a little out of sorts at times. True to my exploratory nature, I explored through Boston Commons and kept going and somehow ended up in the "Asian" part of town. I hopped on yelp and this place was recommended to me and I really appreciate that tip because I really enjoyed my time here. First off, when I walked in the restaurant was playing hip-hop music, which was an immediate win for me. The bartender was super nice and personable so I felt pretty welcomed there. I ordered a drink and the popcorn chicken, which was really good. The cocktail was named "journey to the west" and it was infused with a sesame infused rye, Szechuan peppercorn and bitters. I wasn't sure how I would like the peppercorn and bitters combo but it was actually not too overwhelming and I had two. I thought this was a really dope place and I would certainly visit again when in town. read more

Shōjō-Boston - Asian Fusion Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Kimchi Fried Rice + Chicken - 2/10 Toucan Sam (drink) - 6/10 review this might have been my only miss in boston and i blame myself for following the hype lol i heard loud music, saw a similarly aged crowd, and went in hoping for the best i came out ~$50 less and unsatisfied!!! the drink was a blend of thai tea, giffard apertif, pineapple, and lime. it was an interesting concoction for sure which is why i wanted to try it. it wasn't bad by any means but not memorable enough to be 1 out 2 of their signature spirit free drinks. now for the main... it was giving glorified chicken nuggets and microwave rice with kimchi soooooo bad and the chicken pieces were cut so big it was a little difficult to eat. the kimchi was really good though (it was probably not made in house). if i had to describe the food and space, it was like an embodiment of millennials who make visiting japan their personality. not for me i think ‍ but definitely a very ambient space with good loud. the movie they played at the bar was a nice touch for solo dining. service was mediocre and the staff was not very friendly. a nice spot to grab a drink for sure but i'd pass on the food next time. also pls excuse the dim pictures!! the lighting was very low exposure core and i had to adjust my eyes (and turn on flash for the foosdstagram) read more

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We found this gem thanks to a reddit recommendation! Thankfully we took the recommendation and gave it a chance before catching a concert near Chinatown. While a bit more mainstream/modernized than the "traditional" Chinatown experience might be, it was delicious and fun! We sat at the bar and picked the kimchi fried rice (10/10) and the popcorn chicken! Portions were perfect and the flavors were awesome! read more

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I was excited about coming to this place. I saw it on lists and people rave about the popcorn chicken. Looking at the menu and pictures of the food, I knew this place was my vibe, interesting Asian fusion food and creative cocktails, and I couldn't wait to check it out. We walked into our lunch reservation around 1130am on a Tuesday. We were the first people in, definitely did not need a reso. It never really got busier, I'm guessing this place is more popular at dinner time. We actually saw 2 tables come in, sit, read the menu and leave. I wondered if we should leave before we ordered at one point but we decided to give this place a chance. Why did I want to leave? I wasn't comfortable with the cleanliness level. I saw a cockroach making his way across the dining room and I saw the cook in the back. Also, I used the bathroom (after we ate unfortunately, because if it was beforehand, we would have left) and there was no soap and the water was extremely difficult to turn on. The food was ok. We had chicken and waffles. This was overcooked and dry, and I suspect not fresh, but the flavor was good. The edamame dumplings were thick and doughy, hard to eat with that sludge-like texture. And the corn soup they sat in tasted not nice. My husband liked his burger but the bun fell apart. The duck fat fries were meh. The cocktails were not good. Just sad because they sounded great on the menu. A bright spot in this experience was our server (who unfortunately was the bartender too), who was super friendly and nice and very attentive. read more

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This restaurant was the absolute highlight in good while visiting Boston. We ordered the eggplant and pork belly bao buns. The best eggplant I've had in any restaurant! The eggplant was crispy and flavorful, and the bun was soft and cooked to perfection! The pork belly was flavorful and paired perfectly with everything inside the bao bun. If visiting Boston, you cannot pass up this gem! read more

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LOVED this place! Great food, great music, great service! We ordered wings, rice, and cocktails. DELICIOUS read more

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This is my first foray into Chinatown in Boston and so I wanted to take my son to a place that had dumplings. To start, this place is like a cool but small lounge. I could see throwing a party here for 50 people with small plates with a lot of choices. Although I didn't drink, I saw patrons with frozen glasses with what looks like delicious fun drinks. What I did have was FOOD. Word to the wise - the plates are more than ample for one or two persons. My 11 year old son and I started with the Wagyu Beef Dumplings and I already knew that he was going to take three dumplings to my two. They were DELICIOUS, with a kind of lemongrass sauce (don't quote me on that. The sauce was delicious). If I was a table of four, I would have two orders of dumplings to start off. Next the Chicken and Waffles arrived and it did not disappoint. These people are invited to the cookout! The waffles were in these cute spherical shape and it made it easy to just pop one in your mouth. I shared this plate with my sone and we couldn't finish it. It was a very large serving for an appetizer. If I ordered alone it would have been great. But I would not have finished it. My son and I left a quarter of it on the plate. Next up was the Shjnator burger... OMG! It was GREAT! The chipotle mayonnaise is dangerous and got on my dress no matter how I tried. Next time I come here, I am going to try the bone marrow, which I saw on someone else's table and that looked great too. The service was demure and I enjoyed Thai restaurant very much. I will come back! And the BILL was soooo cheap! I literally paid less than $60 for all of that but I could have even gone cheaper if I ordered one less plate. read more

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This is my favorite place to stop for drinks in Chinatown. They have great cocktails and the food is very good. There aren't many cocktail bars in the area so this is always a great choice! read more

Food was alright - the popcorn chicken was the best but only when hot. When it cooled down, it wasn't that great. It came with huge side of hot honey and garlic herb aioli. The aioli wasn't that flavorful, but the hot honey was good. The salt and pepper calamari was disappointing- it didn't come out hot and it wasn't crunchy. I wish I hadn't ordered it because it felt like a waste. We also ordered the monkey wings which were good- classic sweet and spicy Asian wings. My husband ordered the Shojonator which he enjoyed - I didn't care for it since it was pretty heavy. He also got it with a side of duck fat fries, which were fine but not seasoned enough. The interior is very hip, and there's a good assortment of cocktails, which were great. We had a server who disappeared and then there was only one server waiting on tables. Maybe this was because it was a a little bit slower but it was strange and we weren't checked up on. My husband likes this place but there's so many better places to eat in Chinatown... come here if you want ambiance and you're intimidated by Asian food. read more

Shōjō-Boston - Salt & Pepper Calamari - Asian Fusion Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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This was my first time at Shōjō Boston and it was a great experience. Our server was very friendly and personally which I think really elevated our experience! I first tried the duck fires and I couldn't stop snacking on them. They were very crispy and paired nicely with the Sriracha aioli. The Taiwanese popcorn chicken came with 2 sauces. I preferred the green herb aioli however dipping the chicken into the Sriracha aioli that came with the duck fries is the way to go. The monkey chicken wings were very sweet and tangy and a great way to end the meal. read more

Shōjō-Boston - Taiwanese Basil Popcorn Chicken, Duck Fat Fries, and Monkey Chicken Wings - Asian Fusion Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I had dinner with friends here and we ordered the basil popcorn chicken, chicken and waffles, kimchi fried rice, pork belly bao, and fried eggplant bao. I really liked that the portion sizes were shareable but not huge so we were able to try a variety of things. Everything was delicious but I do wish the chicken on the chicken and waffles wasn't overcooked. I would definitely come back and try even more things! read more

I got the takeout so this review is based on that. The person who took my order at the restaurant is very nice and knowledgeable. It was new year eve so they are busy so probably why the food took awhile to get ready. The vibe while I was waiting there for my food is very casual, hipster, great to hang out with friends for this area. I love to try the cocktails next time. Food is pretty good but I think the popcorn chicken is too fried and not meaty enough. The kimchi fried rice and duck fries are my favorites. I would come back and visit again! read more

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Finally came in for a date night where I was able to try the food. And sadly I dropped my rating from a 5 to a 4 star because of it. The service and drinks were still amazing, as per usual. And that alone will keep us coming back. We also tried their sake service for the first time and would recommend getting the cherry bouquet. The food was a little disappointing. We started off with the c-town chicken and waffles which lacking in seasoning and didn't taste like much. Then we got the shojonator burger with duck fat fries. This was significantly better than the chicken and waffles but I think when I go back the only food I'd get again is the fries. read more

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I had an excellent dinner here! I got the burger, edamame dumplings, and kale salad. Everything was great but the burger really was the star of the show. The boa was fluffy and delicious. I also really enjoyed my lime mocktail - I got the "lime in the coconut". Service was crazy fast also despite a full restaurant. read more

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Fun Asian restaurant with flavorful food and an upbeat ambiance. Atmosphere felt fun and relaxed. Food was delicious but menu is a bit limited, mostly fried food. Very kind service. Been here multiple times and have always had an enjoyable experience. read more

Shōjō-Boston - Asian Fusion Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Stopped in for a late lunch so things were pretty slow. Staff was excellent and the space was nice. I found pretty much everything that we ordered to be excellent. Edamame dumplings might have been my favorite! But we also loved the kimchi fried rice with C-Town chicken and the monkey wings. Cocktails were fantastic; I can't recall the name but it was green-tea infused spirit that was lovely. Give this place a try if you're looking for innovative takes on some of your favorite dishes. read more

The food itself was good. We ordered the popcorn chicken, ribs, burger, duck fat fries, and wagyu dumplings along with a few drinks. However, our waiter came by over four times throughout our meal to remind us that we had leave soon because our table was needed for another party that was coming in shortly, even though there were plenty of other empty tables. They only gave us 75 minutes for our reservation, which felt very rushed. Most restaurants normally have a time limit minimum of at least 90 minutes. Overall, although the food itself was okay, the service and ambiance were soured by feeling pressured to pay our check and rushed out the door. read more

Shōjō-Boston - Popcorn chicken and Wu Tang Tiger Style Ribs - Asian Fusion Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

From entering the building to sitting, they got you! Bruh, I treated Tracy like a friend cause that's how she treated me. As a guest in her home, she rocks. Recommended beer and brought me this absolutely delish wine. The Winter Hill Sav Blanc. Omg it sooooooo good. It's a small estab limited menu but worth the visit. Food is so good and flavorful. Parking is trash, but location is close to so many other places read more

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Great vibes, music hit the spot with classic hip hop and everything fun in this casual Asian gastropub. The food is creative twists on familiar dishes and the wings, ribs, dumplings, and fries were really good. Cocktail menu bangs, yakuza old fashion for the win! read more

Food was good enough but turning on the bathroom sink you might as well be a victim in the saw movies. picture attached shows how you turn on this stupid faucet. turning the knob doesnt do anything read more

Shōjō-Boston - Asian Fusion Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Came here with a friend for dinner on Sunday for the first time. I was super excited to try this restaurant but left disappointed with our food. The restaurant is tapas style. I gave 3 stars because the employees were nice and the ribs were good. The interior was also nicely decorated and very lively. However, we were was baffled by how salty the kimchi fried rice was and could not eat more than a few spoonful of rice without getting a headache. I went home and chugged water. I do want to go back and try the other items on the menu, but I would not recommend getting the kimchi fried rice. read more

Shōjō-Boston - KIMCHI FRIED RICE - Asian Fusion Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Good service & food. My friend and I stopped by for some dinner. We had the Kimchi Fried Rice, Monkey wings & French fries which were all delicious and good portioned. This place is also for drinks, and it is very dark inside with Japanese art all around the walls. Our service was pleasant as well. read more

Shōjō-Boston - KIMCHI FRIED RICE Fries MONKEY CHICKEN WINGS - Asian Fusion Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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This place was amazing!!! The vibes, the food, the cocktails, the service.... everything was 10/10!!! This place mixes Asian cuisine and trendy fun vibes together. Would recommend checking this place out! read more

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Came upon this place while strolling through Chinatown, and I'm so glad we found it! This place has a cool, contemporary, urban vibe... kind of like a speakeasy with great cocktails, but they want you to find it. I got the Tea Garden, which is made with toki whiskey, matcha, and egg white.. and it was delicious. My boyfriend got the Ca Phe Martini, which he also really enjoyed (and he gets espresso martinis everywhere he goes). We ordered the Shojo Pig Bao, which came with 2 pieces, and the Wu-Tang ribs, which came with 3 pieces. The bao has a very soft, fluffy, warm bun, which complemented the tender pork belly. The kimchi just added the perfect contrast to the flavor profile. The ribs also were very tender, and sweet from the hoisin, balanced well with the earthiness from the peanuts. read more

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Definitely a insta-worthy place, pretty dishes and nice ambiance in the restaurant. The music was bit loud but it was also pretty empty when we dined in during early evening hours. When it comes to food - everything was on pretty salty and sweet side, I wish they put less seasonings in the plates. Especially eating Kimchi Fried Rice was like putting my mouth on Dead sea. It was so salty and I had to drink two glasses of water. This was more like 3.5 starts for me and I don't think I will come back. read more

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Man. How I wish I lived closer but west coaster here. Was staying in Chinatown in Boston and had to find the best spot. There's many restaurants here to choose from but when looking, I was searching for a place with great food and with the times and I definitely found it. I could eat here every week if I lived in the Boston area. The service was not only quick, but patient. I had so many questions and our server helped me pick the best out of the menu. Very knowledgeable and welcoming to us travelers. Any thing you get from here I'm sure will be absolutely delicious. If you're looking for something to wow your taste buds and that's also delectable for your eyes, this place is it! It's a bit small so if you have a large party, 4 or more, probably be best to make a reservation. Amazing experience and I'll be suggesting it to all my friends that travel to Boston! read more

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Small but quaint and modern Asian-American fusion with unique offerings. The Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken was crispy and had the typical light crunch and 5-spice flavor that paired well with the basil. The Shojonator was decent and had a savory sauce that paired well with the sweet pickles and standard tasting meat. It was tasty but could have used some cheese for richness, and maybe a slaw for crunch. The duck fat fries were slightly richer than typical fries, but they did not seem too different from regular fries. I personally would try a different side next time, and maybe skip the burger and try the chicken and waffles. read more

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Came here a few nights ago. The appearance and graffiti art is nice. Feel like the food was on the pricer side and some things lacked flavors. Overall, everything was good. A lot of the dumpling options they didn't have available at that time. Charged for Lemonade refills. Loved the presentation of the dishes. At the time I went it was dead, the guy greeter was friendly. Taiwanese Basil Popcorn Chicken (6/10) Would have preferred the chicken drenched in the spicy sauce. Nice and crispy and well cooked. Wish the menu was larger. Kimachi fried rice (5/10) Needed more moisture or something sweet to even out the kimachi. Fresh ingredients, Adding meat give great flavor but brought up the cost. Beef Dumplings (8/10) Delicious and cooked well, would have liked to try the other options on the menu. read more

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We went here for a date night, this is our third time being here and first time getting food! - Ambiance is amazing. Overall it's a great late night vibe of a spot. The old movies playing on the screen is a good touch, honestly would love to see some anime played up there. - Service was great. We had a waiter named Mitch who looked after us really well and made sure we were happy. He even chatted with us a bit and was really friendly. - Drinks are always good here with a lot of variety offered and a lot of effort put into making them amazing. Food on the other hand is a little lacking, the chicken and waffles looks great but is a little flavorless and I could taste that the oil hadn't been replaced in a bit. The burger was surely much better than the chicken and waffles, it as well as the duck fat fries saved the day. It was really interesting because the food was cooked to perfection, but just lacked a lot of spice and flavor. This left me torn between really loving it and just dismissing it. TL:DR: Great drinks, great service, good atmosphere, fun late night spot, food could use a little more flavor. read more

Shōjō-Boston - SHOJONATOR and DUCK FAT FRIES - Asian Fusion Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

So glad we stopped in, this place is a Vibe of its own! Elaine, our Mixologist (art of crafting cocktails, going beyond basic drinks. In case you don't know ‍) was awesome. She made my one only espresso 'purple' martinis I've ever had.....Bomb! The manger was very cool, we bought a really cool Hoodie from the restaurant and was given a friendly discount,much appreciated! Once back in Boston, we will be stopping by again! read more

What a great find here in Chinatown Bosto. Definitely made for the TikTok er and Instagram peeps. You won't find Asians in here if you get my drift! Definitely a GenZ style place. Taking food or a fun level and unique twist! Servers on par to that kind of crowd. Bone Marrow was my top face. Pork Bao Buns dry but the sauces and flavors that came along with it was great. Kimchi fried rice decent very oily but still had good flavor and let me say music selection on point read more

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Amazing. This was one of the best meals we had in Boston. We try to explore different parts of a city and try different styles of food. After a long day or walk with some bone-chilling wind, we needed a warm, savory meal. We decided on Chinese and set out to explore Chinatown. There are a lot of restaurants to choose from but we picked Shojo-Boston based on the reviews, as well as the overall vibes inside. We started with the avocado kale salad which was delicious. The miso-lemon dressing added a nice flavor and the crunchy noodle added a nice texture. The salad was refreshing. We then ordered kimchi fried rice with tofu, which was absolutely amazing. I've never had kimchi fried rice but was pleasantly surprised as it was the perfect amount of flavor and texture. We also tried fried eggplant baño which was surprisingly delicious. It's hard to describe the texture of bao buns other than almost a marshmallow texture. My husband ordered a Singapore sling which he wasn't that impressed with. While tasty, he felt like it was a little weak. I will say, it looked pretty! The music was a little loud, but not overwhelming. The staff were all welcoming and helpful with food suggestions. Overall, amazing experience! A must stop if you are in the Chinatown area. read more

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Fairly decent Asian fusion place with several vegetarian options, some better than others. The kimchi fried rice is pretty good (although the kimchi to actual rice ratio is a little too high!). Eggplant baos are great. I've gotten the mushroom mazemen (brothless ramen) twice, and the first time time it was fine, but the second time it wasn't very good - I wouldn't recommend it. Had to deduct a star because there was something missing from my takeout order after I ordered through their website, which I didn't notice until I got home. The order confirmation they send you has a link to let them know if there was anything wrong with your order, so I filled that out and it said someone would get back to me, but no one ever did, and that money I spent is gone. I was disappointed with the customer service - why have that feedback option if you won't respond? read more

Got takeout and I was impressed with how crispy the eggplant was even after a 15 min walk in a closed container. Fried eggplant bao - the eggplant was very crispy and the bao was very fluffy. I just felt like it needed a little more sauce to make it less dry. Tiger ribs - super tender and flavorful. It falls off the bone. read more

Shōjō-Boston - Tiger Ribs - Asian Fusion Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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ERRRR...I was disappointed with the food. The menu looked delicious and it is on the pricier end. Everything sounded good but some things didn't live up to their name. On the outside, the restaurant is beautifully decorated in graffiti art and on the inside it also reflects the same graffiti art vibe. The place is a lot smaller than expected and very dim lighting. It is definitely giving a small speakeasy bar vibe. So all of the food was giving bar food. Pork Belly Bao - 10/10 Starting off strong, we got the pork belly baos. They come with 2. Super THICC pieces of pork belly in each bao and fluffy pillowy baos. This is definitely a must try and its my all time favorite. Everything goes really well together and I was so full after eating these 2. Wagyu Beef Dumplings - 5/10 When I heard Wagyu, I thought wow so fancy and I expected the meat to be juicy and melts in your mouth. But when I took a bite of the dumpling, its like taking a bite out of a hamburger. The meat was balled up inside and it was tough. Even for a regular dumpling the meat inside does not curl up or require that much chewing. Very disappointed. Duck Fat Fries - 1/10 Bruh. These fries were $9 and they were so thin and flavorless. Like not even salted. I understand that the fries are fried in duck fat but I really don't taste the difference. If anything I would prefer fries fried in regular oil than duck fat. The fries were so bland. So boring. And the little cup of spicy mayo on the side is so sad. They could work on the presentation maybe drizzle the spicy mayo, add some salt, some furikake or something. Also, this is a really weird comment but our server was serving our food really slow. Like they bring our food to the table and he slowly slides the plate onto the table. I was like a very slow motion presentation moment that I thought was really funny. Anyways, overall this place is more of a night time bar place with bar food. I would not eat anything else besides the Pork Belly Bao unless I'm drunk. However, I will come again to try the other items and some drinks. Maybe these were just bad choices. read more

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Decided to go to Shōjō for lunch and order the pork belly bao ($14.30). I only had to wait for 5 mins for my order which I immediately thought was a little weird. As I bite into my bao, I can tell this wasn't freshly made, the pork belly was hard and the breading was stale. Although this restaurant is pretty small, the art wall was very nice to look at. read more

Shōjō-Boston - Asian Fusion Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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I don't usually come out to Chinatown on a Friday night but if I do I am usually at Shojo. I always order the Wagyu Beef Dumplings or the Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken!!! These are definitely a fan favorite among me and my girlies. Tonight we sat at the bar because we saw our favorite bartender Elaine was working and we love getting served by her. She's always so attentive and funny, despite having a lot of customers to take care of at the bar, and is always making sure we are filled up on drinks and food. The food is good but we definitely stay coming back for Elaine and the vibes!! read more

Shōjō-Boston - Wagyu Beef Dumpling - Asian Fusion Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts