After a day in the cool wind, all I wanted was something hot and soupy. This ramen was perfect; one…read morebowl made my stomach feel much better. Shiro: The most classic tonkotsu ramen. The broth was rich and flavorful, the fat fragrant but not greasy; the noodles were thin and straight, firm and chewy; the wakame seaweed is crisp and refreshing, adding to the umami flavor, and the fresh green onions are just right in terms of crispness and aroma. As a Hakata ramen, everything is perfect. But for me, it would be even better if the chashu were a bit thicker and fattier. They only accept cash, and the space is cramped, which is a bit inconvenient. But it's still worth eating alone.

I got the spicy miso ramen while my friend got the tonton. Both of us really enjoyed our orders, &…read morethere was nothing wrong with the service. However, I have to warn future customers to not bring any valuables that can absorb odors. :') I had a large plastic tote with a Coach purse & Sony headphones inside. Both were inside the tote the entire time we ate. It's been 3 days & I still can't get the smell of onion/garlic out of my headphones. The smell mostly faded from my tote & my purse after being hung outside with baking soda packets for a few days, but I think my headphones are a lost cause. I took off the ear pads, washed them, & wiped down the rest of the headphones as thoroughly as possible, but the fragrance persists. I only got the smell out of my clothes by doing an extra wash with vinegar. To be clear, I didn't spill broth on my belongings or anything -- the air in the restaurant just smells so strongly of onion/garlic that it seeps into your things. The food is great. Enjoy the food. But don't bring anything expensive or anything you love to this place. & don't plan on going anywhere else afterwards. Don't repeat my mistakes. :')

Casual, popular, and bustling Japanese spot in Chinatown. Very tight for space and limited seating…read moregiven it is a basement spot in one of the Chinatown complexes! And it is popular for a good reason. Service is quick, I'm sure they are trying to get people in and out. Very fresh kaisendon (fish bowls) with delicately cut, plump fish. A friend and I got the salmon and tuna don, which were appropriately priced under $20 if I remember correctly. Lots of different cuts of salmon and tuna, which were all covering fluffy white rice, and served with a side of miso soup and Japanese radish/pickled vegetable. If you were to compare this place with other casual Japanese spots serving sushi or sashimi, there is an easily discernable difference in quality. You can tell by the texture and appearance of the fish in your bowl! This is a classic in Chinatown for a reason, and I will never say no to a kaisendon from Tora.

I came here on my last trip to Boston and liked it so much that I knew I had to come back again!…read more Tora Japanese is located in Chinatown--in the basement area of one of the buildings, so seating is pretty limited. I came for lunch with two friends, and they didn't have a table for three, but the hostess was able to quickly accommodate us by rearranging another party that just sat down, and we were able to get some seats at the bar. Service was really fast and friendly throughout our dining experience. I ordered the sake don from the lunch menu, which came with a good-sized portion of rice topped with salmon sashimi and a side of miso soup. Definitely a great spot for a quick and affordable lunch in Chinatown!

Nothing beats a place where they have 12-year-old Asian kids from working. The service here can…read morerange from slow to normal considering that the place itself is not very big. The restaurant focuses mostly on soba or udon noodle dishes with a good selection between hot and cold options. It's not going to be the best udon or soba you've ever had. HOWEVER, I tried the cold ikura & uni cold soba and LOVED it. It's seasonal, so I tried that one out and was extremely surprised about how much I enjoyed the bowl. Not too much soup and the uni didn't completely obliterate when I stirred it up. They do use American wasabi though, and I found it superfluous to the dish and wished it was served on the side. But regardless, despite not having some extremely high quality noodles, the flavor and experience of the bowl itself was super pleasant. I ended up coming back the very next day because I wanted to try their clam soba. The clam soba only comes hot, which is a bit unfortunately because I actually think a cold clam soba with some lemon or yuzu would be phenomenol. I've been seeing recipes for it online so I've been wanting to try it, but their clam soba is a lot more standard and hot. They had a very good amount of clams in it, but I generally like their cold soba better. Still good, but didn't give me that feeling of needing to come back the very next day like I did with the ikura-uni combo. Overall, I'd still come back when I'm in downtown!

This charming little restaurant a few steps down from the sidewalk is a lovely addition to the…read morerestaurant choices in the neighborhood. The decor is bright and cheerful and the room (and restrooms) sparkling clean. The service is quick, gracious and calm. And the food is delicious! I don't care to eat meat, so it was wonderful to have several selections of vegan and pescatarian dishes to choose from. My husband and I enjoyed the soups we chose and want to come back to try the cold noodle dishes.

Absolutely the best popcorn chicken I've ever had in Boston this is by far a must eat if you…read morealready live here or are visiting and your in the downtown area, short walk from Boston South Station Terminal

Shojo was amazing, from the food to the service. I was catching up with my friends but the service…read moreblew me away. All of the staff were so incredibly friendly as well. I love those place and will continue to come here as a patron. Shout out to Elaine for being the best bartender ever!!

There is a steady line here even when they open. The space is small and you can be seated with…read moreother people. The waitress was really nice and very knowledgeable. There seems to be a lot of take out so if you're at a nearby hotel, it would be easy to order and take it back. TONKOTSU KARA MISO RAMEN - Very tasty with a little spice, the ramen noodles seem fresh. BARA TORO CHA-SYU - pork cheek - very good and very worth the extra money to add it on. The flavor is fantastic and they put it on the side so it doesn't overcook. NEGI NAMBAN - Our favorite of the two bowls ordered. The menu says to beware of the spice, but it is not bad. I added the chili oil that was on the counter. I was very happy with my order and would order this Ramen again. We got a side of the marinated hard boiled egg, cooked perfectly and it was great. We ordered the regular sized bowl and we were both very full and ready for a walk. There was another ramen bowl that was on a limited time menu, but we didn't see it so maybe next time.

Fair warning-- this is a small restaurant in newbury street so there tends to be a line. There are…read more3 outdoor tables with umbrellas on top. My friend and I got seated at the table because the group of 4 weren't all present. I ordered the Shio (salt) ramen here years ago and felt like it was on the saltier side so this time I tried their Miso. The difference between a small and medium is 1 piece of cha siu. Unfortunately, rather than cha siu it felt more like braised pork belly-- it wasn't tender nor melt in your mouth but it was rather fatty and chewy. Due to the aforementioned line, we did feel kind of rushed since two servers kept coming by our table and asking if we were ready/finished when we were still eating. While I did enjoy my experience of dinner here, I'm not sure if I would recommend Santouka as a "must have" ramen place in the area.

I'm slightly obsessed…read more Randomly ran into this place in a desperate late night hunt for noodles and since then have been there five times. Every time I'm like "where should I go in downtown" I just get stuck on this place like it's worn a groove in my brain. Like one of RFK's brain worms. It's a little confusing to order but basically you pick a soup, pick a spicy level (burn your face or burn your colon) and then add an absurd amount of toppings. Then they deliver a bowl the size of your head (or my head, I have a big head) and you kind of reconsider your life decisions. I like this over the other hot pot tech because my two greatest weaknesses are cooking and choosing. At least this takes out one of those. High marks to the sour cabbage broth - the slight vinegary tang is actually magic. Brain worm inducing magic. But don't go here. Because it's small and I want to make sure I have a seat.

The food here is not bad. The beef broth with the peanut sauce is my favorite. The flavor isn't the…read morebest I've had in Boston. I think the best part of this place is the price and portion size. They are very generous with their food, but some of the pieces of tofu or vegetables are cut very haphazardly. The service was regular nothing really stood out. You can definitely find better in Allston. For Chinatown, it isn't bad for a filling and cheaper meal.

I was in the area & thought about where I could go for a quick snack before dinner and remembered…read moreREDWHITE had a sushi roll I've been wanting to try. I came here solo on a Friday night. I actually think this would be the perfect spot to solo dine! It was busy for Friday night dinner but I managed to grab a table for 1. First you order by the entrance & after ordering, they you a table to sit + bring your order to your table when it's ready. You have around 40 min max to eat (when it's busy). I ordered just the Spicy Roasted Miso Avocado Sushi Roll (4 pieces), ~$10. This served as a great snack! It was flavorful, but of course had no meat because they do vegan dishes + ramen here. I remember coming here before, a while ago, and not being the biggest fan of their ramen. Not really because it was meatless but the broth was a bit too thick for my own personal liking. So, I would definitely come back again and get this avocado roll! I might consider trying their ramen again too. Staff were very kind!

Absolutely top-notch vegan ramen. Coming from Vancouver, BC, where we have a killer…read more(vegan-friendly) ramen scene, I am a tough customer for ramen when visiting elsewhere. But this place completely lives up. 6 different ramens, $17.95 for the regular bowls. I was recommended the red hot miso ramen, a spicy option. You order up at the counter, and they give you a buzzer that buzzes when your ramen is ready to grab at the counter. The ramen was ready in under 10 minutes. First, the broth was remarkably complex and rich, with an endless depth that never became too overbearing -- perfect. The noodles were perfectly cooked as well, served up in a decent portion. Toppings-wise, you get tofu, soy crumble, corn, arugula, and sprouts, along with plenty of sesame seeds. I would've liked some proper greens (other than a few raw arugula leafs), but that's the most minor of complaints. Service was decent enough -- informative and helpful in describing the options. All in all, top-notch vegan ramen. Highest recommendation.

was craving hotpot after a long day while visiting boston from out of town -- came in with a group…read moreof five and three on the way, and got seated pretty much immediately. service was wonderful -- the woman serving us was super accommodating and answered all our questions, and the food came out in a timely manner. for our side of the table, we ordered a split pot with the pork bone and the cilantro broths. both were delicious; we were halfway done just drinking soup before the meat and vegetables came. meat portions were generous and quality was good, plus the vegetable offerings seemed fresh and plentiful. we also ordered a few appetizers: spicy fries, shrimp pancake, and crispy pork jowl -- all lived up to and even exceeded expectations. was a great experience all around to end the day off, and prices were affordable for the group.

The food itself and the hotpot experience was pretty good! The pork bone broth and the Japanese…read morecurry were both very good. The cuts of meat were on the thicker side (especially the pork belly). Also, the "one person" servings are pretty big and felt more like two people's servings in my opinion. For a group of 7 we definitely ate our money's worth. The only downside was that the service wasn't great. When we were seated, we were given menus but no one explained to us how to use it. We were sitting there for a while trying to figure it out until we finally waved someone over for help. We had to ask how to do the sauces too.

Such a good spot for a bowl of ramen on a rainy day! I got the tonkatsu ramen which is my go-to…read more The portions are generous, the flavors were really well balanced, and the place has such a cool vibe

Mecha noodle bar is a funky, hip place in the middle of Boston, Seaport area. With a wide offering…read moreof noodle dishes, from Pho to ramen, it doesn't limit itself to one cuisine style. Offering plenty of appetizers to choose from, like pork belly baos to edamame and veggie options like garlicky green beans, mecha has options to delight any palate. I ordered the pork belly baos to start. Very well balanced between sweet, salty, acidic and umami I would eat 5 of these if I could stuff my face fast enough. For my main, I ordered the spicy beef ramen with added tripe and tendon (mixing Vietnamese and Japanese ingredient) which was a recommendation from the menu. I am glad I paid attention. This combo is now probably one of my favorite ramen dishes. If I could add something it would I be fresh corn to balance the salty and spicy components with some sweetness. Service is fast and friendly and very casual which I enjoy. Music was a bit too loud to have comfortable conversations, but I guess it's part of the ambiance. Pay mecha noodle bar a visit. You won't be disappointed

4.5 stars rounded up for the top notch quality and friendly service. The only reason I wouldn't…read morerate it a 5 is because the soup was too salty for my palate. Aside from that, the flavors were good and everything tasted fresh and high quality. The noodles are the star, made in house daily with the perfect chewy texture. Delicious, but the real highlight for me was the soy milk, also made fresh in house. I can't even describe how good it was except to say it makes me sad I don't live in Boston so I can get it more often. I will be dreaming about the soy milk until my next visit. What we've ordered: Pan fried buns Stir fried chicken noodles Lanzhou beef noodle soup Fish filet noodle soup Hot soy milk with sugar Highly recommended!

Service was good but it took a little while to get our noodle soup. We got the beef noodle soup and…read morethe lanzhou noodle soup and both were really flavorful. The noodles were chewy and there were a lot of meat slices which I loved. The soup dumplings were a little dry. It was def a comfort food spot and I would come back.