We ended up trying out What A Soup on a whim and are glad we stopped by! It was a bit hard to tell if it was open but once we entered and ordered, everything came very quickly. We started off with our drinks - Thai iced coffee and Thai iced tea, plus the pork belly skewers. The skewers were some of the best we've had in a long time! Flavorful and juicy without being too fatty or greasy, I'd come back again and again just for the skewers alone! We also ordered the beef boat noodle soup - we've only ever had it once before at Thong Smith - and really enjoyed it. We also got the crispy basil pork which tasted great but I think I personally would want to try the minced pork next time. All in all everything was tasty with the pork belly skewers being my favorite! read more

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Came here bc of the amazing reviews online Yelp. But must say, it was a bit of a disappointment in terms of taste, savory, etc. It markets itself as a Thai Noodle restaurant, with the emphasis seems to be the Thai Boat Noodle . But ironically, the Thai Boat Noodle wasn't even that good! Thai Boat Noodle with a better flavor can be found at RodD by Sitti (restaurant) in Brookline -- and, that place doesn't even specialize in Thai Boat Noodle! read more

Great spot if you're craving soup! The service is friendly and quick, I ordered the crispy pork belly and absolutely loved it. It was perfectly fried--crispy, crunchy, and packed with flavor. The sauce paired with it was delicious and really brought the dish together. Definitely recommend giving it a try! read more

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Firstly - service was great! Woman was very kind, and the food came out incredibly fast. It was only me, and 1 other table in the restaurant so it was pretty quiet! I ordered the Tom Kha Soup with Dumplings - the flavor of the broth was delectable! Super tasty, spicy - I looooved the mini bok choys. Unfortunately, I did not like the dumplings. They were shrimp & pork - the pork was wrapped around the shrimp, which made the texture of bitting into the dumpling strange to me! Overall - I would try something else on their menu as it all looked great, this one item just wasn't a hit for me! read more

What A Soup - Tom Kha Soup with Dumplings - Noodles Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

My husband and I flew into Boston and wanted to find something to eat. Obviously we got on Yelp to recommend us a place and this spot popped up. The interior of the place is so cute and I love the demon paintings on the walls. The lady who served us was super patient with our mom asking a million things and gave us a great service. We loved the food and would love to come back if we are in the area again! read more

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Solid option for comforting noodle or rice dishes at a student friendly price. Tried the khao soi noodles and fried sweet potato and both were good but not extraordinary. Prices are on the affordable end for this part of Cambridge and portion size is enough to leave full. Place looks a little sketchy on the outside but is nice and cozy inside. Service is great and they refilled waters promptly throughout the meal. read more

What A Soup - Khao soi - Noodles Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I had been following this restaurant for a long time since I came to Boston area, so I was so excited to be there. As "Uncle Roger" says, "not bad, not bad!" Creamy Tum Yum Noodle Soup: The Tum Yum soup broth was exactly authentic. It provided a strong taste of both tangy and spicy, exciting my taste buds and increasing my appetite. As for the ingredients, shrimps were fresh and bouncy, char-siu slices were crunchy but not greasy, while the lime added extra zing to the soup. But to be frank, unfortunately I could still taste the gamey smell from the refrigerated pork, even though it had been that heavily seasoned. read more

What A Soup - Creamy Tom Yum Noodle soup - Noodles Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Very cute interior and friendly stuff. Food is southeast Asian fusion with a focus on noodle soups but also offer rice plates Tiny store so best for smaller groups of 4 or less. Otherwise could be a longer wait Lunch special is a great deal read more

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Popped in on a whim while in the area for a quick lunch! We ordered the following dishes! Homemade Chili wontons- this wasn't so yummy we ordered a second order! Shrimp tender, crispy shallots man wish it came with 5 to an order haha. Giant shu mai (not really giant)- clean and presented very nicely. Cooked well, but thought the meat filling could have been more flavorful. Khaos soi Beef spicy tasty broth, coconut creamy nice balance of acidity, rich bodied broth, the lady enjoyed it and i shared some from her bowl! Good portion! Service was very accommodating and staff were nice and quick. read more

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A hidden gem. The pork skewers are a must. Sweet, savory, fatty, everything in one appetizer. We usually get takeout of the khao soi/noodle soups but sometimes will eat in and get appetizers. Service has always been quick whether we eat in or pick up! read more

What A Soup has been on my list of places to try for quite some time now! Very happy we were able to make the visit the other day & was pleasantly surprised by HOW DELICIOUS their food is! We went ~5pm on Monday for dinner & there were plenty of seats available at the time. Their menus are absolutely adorable & I loved the vibe. If you're familiar w/ the restaurants Thai Bar Shi in Weymouth & What Da Chick in Watertown, then a little fun fact is, this restaurant was opened by the same owners! I didn't have the best experiences in recent times dining at Thai Bar Shi but that didn't deter me from trying out What A Soup. We ordered the Khao Soi noodle soup w/ beef, giant shumai, & chili wontons. The Khao Soi was flavorful & had a nice spice to it. I'm a really big fan of Khao Soi in general and this definitely satisfied my craving for it. The chili wontons were the star of the show for us. We ended up asking for another order of it when we were finished w/ everything lol, because it was just that good! The sesame sauce was the perfect pairing for this dish, as well as the bbq satay sauce. The shumai was tasty, but was much better on its own without the dipping sauce it came with. I believe it was oyster sauce mixed with something else, or simply just oyster sauce. Overall, I'd come back again and I think it's a great addition to Cambridge's food scene! Parking: it's very tricky finding parking here. There didn't seem to be any parking right outside of the restaurant, so we ended up parking ~5 min walk away. Lots of parking nearby are zoned for resident only. read more

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Cute place with good basic thai soup noodle dishes. Enjoyed chicken clear broth soup with edamame and Thai iced tea lunch special. Really like the crispy garlic in the soup. Size is on the smaller side so works better for smaller parties but they can move some tables together to accommodate larger party. Daughter enjoyed the spicy wonton tom yum noodle soup but wife thought her beef noodle soup was just OK. read more

What A Soup - Noodles Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Really cute spot with a few vegetarian options! To drink, I had a Thai iced coffee which was so delicious. I wish I had one with me this morning. My friend and I ordered the fried purple sweet potato as an appetizer which was just okay. Yummy but nothing to write home about. For my main, I enjoyed the tofu brothless noodles which came with soup on the side. It was so cold out, so this was really pleasant. The noodles were yummy, but not very memorable. Overall, a nice visit and a great place to warm up on a cold winter night read more

What A Soup - Tofu Brothless Noodle (Vegetarian) - Noodles Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Located in a neighborhood with street meter permit parking and outside looks like a hole in the wall. But inside is cute, not too large but has some interesting art on the wall and creative menu with photos. Great service and I enjoyed the beef curry read more

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So we ordered the Pork ball boat noodle soup added tendon and slice beef which was additional cost. This dish alone is great for cold winter nights. Funny about this broth. Once heated up to the right temperature it has that umami of savoriness to it. That dark soy really speaks in volumes and keeping you warm on cold nights. BUT, if the broth becomes room temp to cold. It becomes overly salted so make sure to eat it at the right temp! The Giant Shu mai...didn't feel so giant? In NY that is the standard size. Also the technique seemed to be lacking as it didn't have any bounce to it. If anything it tasted like an open end dumpling. The Chili wonton was definitely a winner with that dipping sauce on the side. It has that bit of funk to it. But in a good way. WIth the chili crisps and hot oil really ties in this dish. Definitely recommend this. The Thai Tea Custard was a bit confusing as this was my first time having it. Not sure if its due to the temperature. But just seemed like it was just toast with a side of coconut/thaitea sauce? I mean it was good? in a way. I actually don't know how I feel about it. For the price it didn't seem like the value was there. Overall this place was good. It's a different style compare to what we have in NY. Not many does it the way they do so I would definitely come back to try other dishes. read more

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Service was quick and food was packed with flavor. Will definitely come back to try other dishes on the menu! read more

What A Soup - Pork ball boat noodle soup - Noodles Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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The brothless noodles with pork are a solid lunch delivery option. The sauce is a great mix of umami and sweetness and the noodles had a nice chew to them. I also was a big fan of the side of chicken broth that came on the side. Portion size is on the smaller side though. read more

What A Soup - Noodles Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

The restaurant is cute, menu looked but the quality of food? Let me say if you're paying for $16 meal, they should put effort on those noodles. They're the exactly the cheap maruchan $0.50 and they give you 2 packets worth to fill up your entire bowl. Their portion of meat they serve is mediocre. I typically don't like to leave reviews that will negatively impact the restaurant but couldn't help it, we had to pay and leave before I finished my meal. If the owner reads this, you could do better. The menu looks great but the ingredients needs work. read more

What a lovely neighborhood Thai spot specializing in soup bowls! We came here around 5pm on a cold Saturday night and were seated with no wait. The food was flavorful but not heavy, a solid portion for the price, and full of fresh, delicious ingredients. Of what we got: The shrimp creamy omelette was super soft, warm, and had a delicious umami flavor. The vegetarian noodle soup was basically pho broth and noodles, with added veggies and fried tofu. It was super savory, warm, and refreshing. The Khao Soi was a sweet and spicy curry with a giant chicken leg front and center. It was rich, but not too heavy and spicy enough to get the nose running. Every dish was delicious and worth getting again. They came out quickly and made the perfect warm meal for a cold day. The service was also fantastic, with our waters being refilled continuously and our server making sure to accommodate our dairy allergy. I would definitely come again to try more of their menu items! read more

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This is a new place that recently popped up in Central Square. This place previously was Nu Do Society. The design and table layout are almost the same. I enjoyed the character designs for the restaurant. We came here for lunch on a Friday and it was not too packed. We were able to find a table easily and order our food. Their menu is traditional Thai food. There are several options of noodles and rice. We both ordered the basil crispy pork. The food was great but there was not a lot of meat in the bowl. The majority of it was rice which was disappointing. I left feeling satisfied but unfilled. To drink you always have to go with the Thai Iced Coffee. It was a wonderful way to end any meal. Overall this place is great. It is very tiny and cramped but worth the wait. It is very similar to the Nu Do Society which was here before. If you are a big noodle lover I would say this is the place for you. read more

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This restaurant had been on my list for a while because who doesn't want reasonably priced Thai noodles?! We went for an early lunch, so there was no wait, and we were greeted with great enthusiasm by the wait staff. The place itself is small and cozy. And all the dishes came out very fast in like 10 minutes. Of course, we had to start with the crispy pork slender ($9.95). These pork belly cubes are very crispy, and the sour sauce balances out the greasiness of the pork. The pork ball boat noodle soup ($16.95) has a massive pork ball that looks deceivingly scrumptious, but in reality, it's greasy and oddly seasoned. The soy broth is very rich, and by that I mean it's extremely salty. The pork belly bites, which should be crunchy, are instead somewhat soggy. The beef boat noodle soup ($17.95) is equally salty but less greasy. Overall, both soups are just meh. read more

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The soup was PHENOMENAL. Definitely come here if you are in town. This is the best place especially during cold weather. We got the seafood and chicken and some veggie spring rolls. The price is everything! I mean this size portion for $14?? And the servers were very sweet. I 10/10 recommend and would love to come again. read more

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I've passed by this place many times, but never realized this spot was the one I've been seeing all over social media. Overall it gives me a mix of a trendy but local noodle shop. This restaurant is located off of a pretty busy street with limited parking, so by luck you will have to find street parking on streets about a 5-10 minute walk away. We came here on a Saturday night a little bit before 8pm and we had no issues with getting a table, and it even seemed as though they were ready to close up soon. They have a very colorful and vibrant menu with pictures which is great for those who like visuals. The menu can be a little confusing because they do not group together all the different types of Tom Yum soup on one page so you end up finding 4-5 different versions of the soup on 4-5 different pages of the menu. As for the food, we ordered the Creamy Tom Yum Noodle Soup and the Kao Soi. Both broths were very flavorful, however we were disappointed with the quantity of the noodles in both soups. As a result, we left hungry. The Tom Yum broth is quite flavorful and includes the tom yum packet of instant noodles as well a few pieces of pork belly, shrimp, and ground meat. For the Kao Soi, this is definitely one of the thicker and spicier Kao Soi dishes I've had. 1 chicken drumstick is included in this dish, so depending on the diner you may not want to go through the trouble of eating off a drumstick. In addition, they have sliced lime pieces for both dishes as garnish that are sliced super thinly that you cannot squeeze lime into the dish, but it still marinates into the dish giving it a bitter lime touch--in which case we would have preferred wedges of lime. Looks pretty, but affected the taste of our soup. The Thai coconut custard is always a hit! A warm and cozy dessert that is great to eat with cold weather. What we ordered: - Creamy Tom Yum Noodle Soup - Kao Soi Noodle Soup - Thai Coconut Custard read more

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This restaurant specializes in Thai noodle soup. Everything I order was tasty! You know that the restaurant is legit when the owner is passionate about her food and always there to help out the. There are street parking, but a little bit tricky since it's very limited spots. I love the graphics on the wall, create a different atmosphere as soon as you step into the restaurant. I love their drinks too. Definitely will be back. I love their Thai tea custard!!!!! read more

What A Soup - Noodles Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Came in on a cold and rainy Saturday for lunch and were seated immediately. We ordered the Hot Pot on Fire Beef Boat to split between the two of us and it was a pretty good portion. It comes in this interesting container with a flame to keep it hot. Initially we thought it came with noodles but realized that it was actually all just bean sprouts lol. The soup is pretty good, although some of the meat ended up just being cartilage. They give you rice to go with it too if you want. I also ordered a pandan drink, which I liked, although my husband said it tasted a bit artificial to him. Next time will have to try the regular noodle soups! read more

What A Soup - Pandan Drink - Noodles Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Came here on a Monday evening and the place was pretty busy for a weeknight, but we had no issue getting a table for the six of us. The space was a bit cramped, but felt pretty homey and comfortable otherwise. Service was all right - waters were filled pretty frequently and food came out pretty fast. They were also extremely courteous and quick to rectify a mistake - the skewers came out a bit raw and they replaced them fast as well as took them off the bill which was very kind of them. Their menu had a good mix of dishes ranging from apps to entrees - most of us got noodle soup and each were pretty fantastic. The portions are pretty big, but I think they matched the prices fairly. I would love to come back and try some of their other bowls. Dessert was okay - I liked both custards, but probably wouldn't order again. It was nice to try though. Overall, I found the bowls to be the highlight for sure and would gladly return to try some of their other dishes. Thanks, What A Soup! read more

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Best boat noodle I've ever had. Absolutely delicious. I was here by myself. It was quick and easy and a very clean location. read more

What A Soup - Beef boat noodle soup - Noodles Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Chili wontons we're great. Love the boat noodles. Will go again hungry for more. Nice vibes and chill spot

I've been lustfully following their instagram account when I first found out about their move into what was once Nu Do on River St in Cambridge. It's been quite the anticipation to taste some if not all the different dishes they have masterfully captured in their photos. After much wait, they finally announced their official soft opening today; so here I am. Service was extremely friendly and the ambiance, while similar to the last establishment, felt somewhat trendier. Now let's talk food: Gosh, did it smell insanely amazing as the dishes made their way to the table. It was beyond titillatingly compelling to the senses. Best part, the smell matched the absolutely tongue-gasmic flavors as it tickled the palate. Pork belly skewers that melted beautifully with each bite, beef boat noodles that coated the tongue with each different flavor profile the noodle is famous for, Tom yum noodles mildly spicy and sweetly tart, and the fried pork belly that was perfectly moist and crispy simultaneously. Everything was beautifully done and presented. The wait was definitely worth it! Welcome to the neighborhood and definitely can't wait to be back again! read more

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Boat noodle soup is one of my favorite dishes to get from Thai restaurants and I was very excited to try the boat noodle soup here! Two of us came around 7pm on a snowy Saturday and got on a waitlist with about 10 parties ahead of us. We decided to wait elsewhere and they called us about 30 minutes later. We ordered the pandan drink ($4.5), crispy pork slender ($9.95), beef boat noodle soup ($17.95), and pork ball boat noodle soup ($16.95). The drinks and crispy pork arrived very quickly. The pandan drink had a sweet, light taste to it which was refreshing but a bit too mild in flavor for me to want to order it again. The crispy pork was tasty, but as you can see from the photo, a rather small portion. However, I really loved the sauce they served with the crispy pork which packed a garlicky, spicy punch! I got to try both the beef and pork ball boat noodle soups and I must say that I preferred the beef. While the pork ball was very big and tender, I thought that the tender beef slices and super soft beef tendon in the beef version were executed much better. Sadly the beef balls that came in the beef boat noodle soup were still cold. The broth here is deliciously thick, well-spiced, and gets even better with the fried garlic they add on top. The flavors really clung to the rice noodles. While the portion didn't look too big at first, the richness of the broth more than makes up for the small volume. I was pretty stuffed by the end of the meal! This spot is worth checking out especially during these cold snowy weeks we've been having! read more

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For Saturday lunch, I decided to try the newly opened What A Soup, enticed by the prospect of beef boat noodle soup. Arriving a few minutes after the 11:30AM opening, I received immediate seating, being the 3rd customer there. By 11:45, however, the establishment had mostly filled up, not a difficult endeavor given its small seating capacity of a dozen tables seating 2-4 each. I initially wanted to try their fried chicken tendons, which they did not have available. Instead, I ordered the crispy pork slender ($9.95, and yes the menu calls it that) and the beef boat noodle soup ($17.95). The crispy pork's skin had decent craggles for texture and did not seem dry or overly airy and light. The juicy meat, along with judicious amounts of fat, balanced well (some places have too much fat and oil). If you're familiar with what constitutes a good Cantonese roast pork belly, than you'll find something like that here. At $9.95 for 6 piece, the price point might cause some raised eyebrows, but I can understand it. The beef boat noodle soup ($17.95) arrived steaming hot. Too many places around Boston somehow think that serving food piping hot will lead to some McDonald's coffee lawsuit, even when said dish is supposed to arrive as such. The soup broth has a decent spiciness that builds up starting on the first spoonful. It never becomes unbearable or try to supplant the main broth flavors. Speaking of which, the broth itself is a complex dancing of earthy, bitter aromas mixed with umami and spice. The noodle soup also comes with 3 different meats - slices of beef, chunks of tendon, and meatballs. The portion size might seem small for some, but I think the quality of the broth makes up for it. read more

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Decent noodles, although I've had better boat noodles at other thai places in the area. Really liked the fried purple sweet potato the most!! read more

What A Soup - Fried Purple Sweet Potato - Noodles Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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This is so perfect for when it's freezing cold out. The soft noodles and hot soup held together by delicious flavors is exactly what I need to keep me warm and happy. I loved the toppings of meatball and beef slices and herbs garnish. But really I just couldn't get enough of the savory, tangy, and slight spice in the flavors of the soup. I let the rice noodles soak it up as much as possible. Good thing I had fried chicken tendons to munch on while I waited for the noodles to soak. The appetizer is fried very crisp with a light coating of batter. A great snack that goes well with the truffle mayo. The shrimp creamy omelette is also delicious and a perfect bowl of rice on the side of you're extra hungry. The omelette is fried well, and the lightly cooked shrimp is a perfect touch. The kitchen closes at around 8:30pm and the staff is friendly and attentive the whole time. Highly recommended for a quick lunch or dinner, as the food came out pretty quickly for us. You can also order through ToastTab. read more

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This is a new in Cambridge I came here for dinner. Loved the Pandan drink to begin with. For appetizer, I ordered the mini shrimp creamy omelette that came on top of a bowl of rice - yummy. For entries, I tried the beef boat noodle soup - it was okay since the flavor of broth was a little flat but the portion was generous Service was very friendly. However, during peak hour when there were some guests waiting, service became visibly anxious and impatient, trying to flip the table and get us out which was understandable read more

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With a authentic menu curated by a Thai chef and the friendliest staff that greet every customer with a smile and generousity, I loved the atmosphere just as much as I loved the food Both boat noodle soups are served with a rich dark soy broth with a cilantro, scallion, crunchy pork belly, fried garlic, bean sprouts, and fried wonton! The broth was deep and flavorful with toppings that added fresh notes and texture elevating the overall taste of the bowls Both bowls had a variety of different meat toppings. The beef with slices and tendon, and the pork with a giant pork meatball! The dipping sauces for both the giant shumai and the pork belly skewers were flavor bombs that really surprise your taste buds deliciously The pork belly skewers are definitely a must try‼ I loved how easily they came off the skewers and how tenderly they were roasted until sweet and savory While I loved their thai iced tea, the coconut flavor in their pandan drink was so refreshing and paired well with the deep rich broths of the boat noodle soups~ Another must try is their thai tea custard milk bread which give you the perfect amount of buttery sweetness on crispy on the outside and soft on the inside milk bread Definitely recommend What a Soup! if you're in Cambridge read more

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I finally stopped by on a saturday evening and was glad to see that it wasn't too busy! This is a smaller restaurant but definitely worth trying. I got the pork ball noodles and enjoyed the sweet and salty broth. The giant shumai were really flavorful but I didn't care for the sauce. By far my favorite was the khao soi that my friend got- it was sour, with a deep flavor and so delicious! I would definitely get that the next time. Overall a cozy spot with friendly staff, and the food came out fairly quickly. read more

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Delicious beef bowl, super good I will be back again. Only problem would be that service was a bit slow, but it was busy so that's understandable read more

What A Soup - Empty Beef boat noodle soup - Noodles Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

What A Soup is a new Thai restaurant that just opened up in Cambridge. There is plenty of street parking when we visited during a weekday lunch hour. The restaurant was empty and we were seated promptly. I want to say the cute murals on the walls were of red demons enjoying a bowl of noodle, taking pictures, etc. For appetizers, we ordered the crispy pork slender, the pork belly skewers, and the shumai. My favorite had to be the crispy pork slender appetizer. I highly recommend this appetizer. The lime sauce was my favorite. The dark sauce was Worcestershire sauce, and it didn't really go well with the roast pork in my opinion. The pork belly was crisp to perfection and the meat was still tender and juicy. The pork belly skewers was another favorite. My daughter loved it. It came with a dipping sauce but wasn't necessarily needed since the meat was seasoned. My least favorite appetizer had to be the shumai. The texture was not my favorite, very squishy and as for the taste, the flavor was quite bland. I ordered the beef boat rice noodle and it was delicious. If you have had boat noodles before, the noodle comes with a very fragrant dark broth, bouncy beef meatballs, and crispy pork skin to add a nice crunch. My husband ordered the creamy Tom Yum noodle. The restaurant uses actual Mama brand Tom Yum noodle packages in their recipe. I find this a crime, to serve instant ramen, but it is clearly stated in the menu, so you can't blame anyone knowing that and ordering this dish. I would personally not order this dish. As for my son, he ordered the What a Rice dish and ate everything. It's rather soupy to be plated on a dish. Overall, the noodle and rice dish options were extremely limited. You don't have your typical pad Thai, drunken noodles, etc. I asked the waitress if more dish was coming and the waitress said she would share with the owner. I hope the restaurant does expand their menu in the near future. The Thai iced tea was standard, while the pandan drink provided a new sweet tea like experience. The coconut dessert custard was good, but again, limited dessert options. I hope the restaurant expand their dessert menu option as well. Overall, excellent customer service. Food came out extremely fast. Service was prompt and polite. read more

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What a soup indeed! Visiting from the west coast and stumbled on this place. The food was awesome and the service on point.

Pandan drink was the star. Super refreshing, not too sweet, and goes well with a warm meal. Thai iced tea was pretty standard. It's a good sweet and creamy drink. Their noodle soups were good. The toppings were all well prepared -- porkbelly on tom yum soup was super crispy and juicy, pork ball was soft and tender, and the beef toppings in the beef boat noodle soup were so juicy and delicate. Only critiques: We found the beef boat noodle soup to be on the sweet side. The pork boat noodle soup however, leaned on the salty side. Not sure why the two boat noodle soups tasted so different but it wasn't necessarily bad. Their rice noodles also clumped together, which I find to happen a lot at restaurants, so I didn't take that many points off for that. Just note that your noodles may be stuck together. The custard is a slice of milk bread with the thai iced tea dip. Simple but delicious. It was a good sweet treat to end off the meal. Service was nice and prices are decent. read more

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