I have tried yaki-don and gyu-don. Both are very delicious. The hamburger set here is a okie for me. Green tea milk shake tastes great.

Love this placeeeee!!! Great food. Everything worths trying. And you will be shocked with reasonable prices they have :):):) Be aware, it is small cozy restaurant so you may not be able to find a seat at lunch time or in the evening! Go there lil bit early so that you can enjoy the food without problem :) read more

Have been here a couple of times and found the best dish to be the pork katsu curry. The curry can be a bit too salty but otherwise is decent. The don was disappointing especially since the katsu in the don ended up soggy. Additionally, it is cash only, not as clean as hoped, with frustratingly slow service. read more

I usually really like Cafe Mami's food but my recent visit there was underwhelming with what I particularly ordered. I got the Gyu Don and I really was disappointed with the flavor and quality of the meat. This type of dish was supposed to have delicate slices of beef that was supposed to be ultra flavorful. But I found that the pieces of beef were thicker than usual and that it was bland, tasteless and a little lukewarm. I feel that the beef wasn't fresh and it even looked overcooked judging by the pale grey color it had instead of a golden brown. They even had a huge chunk of beef that was too chewy to further bother to eat. The dish is pricey for what it was, just a few pieces of bland meat over rice. Even though it's considered a relatively cheap place, at the end of the day, it's about the food. And why bother paying for food I can't enjoy? I also noticed that one of the original chefs wasn't there in the kitchen preparing the food and I don't know if that has anything to do with the quality of my dish. I really hope that this isn't a sign that the restaurant is losing its quality and the great flavor that I used to know. I don't know how their other dishes fare as of right now but I would never order that Gyu Don dish again. Did they have an off day? I don't know, but I don't appreciate paying for other people's mistakes. Their green tea shake I like though. read more

Cafe Mami makes me cry for mommy (in a good way) If I was on death row, their yaki-don would be my last meal. I'm waiting for the day that they expand to a bigger location which is inevitable. Currently, they can only seat a handful at a time which will fill up immediately during lunchtime, but takeout is always available. Hidden gem read more

The yaki-don is quite gooooood! I've been going here for a long time and I'm always impressed and happy with my choices. You can't go wrong with anything that you try here! read more

Great authentic Japanese curry, love the salmon yaki don and that salad dressing that they use is delicious. I come here often, it's cheap and the staff is friendly. Just kind of awkward facing the cooks when eating. I definitely recommend this place! read more

Got the Tokyo Hamburger Set and was amazing- HIGHLY recommend to add the egg only for a dollar more. The pork cutlet is very good and if you're looking for something extremely light but filling, the Tofu Salad was also amazing! read more

Cafe Mami has gotten a lot saltier in their curries since the last time I got them. I used to love eating here. But I could not handle the extremely greasy pork cutlet and the super salty curry. Sorry. I'm better off making my own curry at home. read more

I went there to have a study break at around noon. I had a salad as a starter, and a vegetarian donburi for 14.50 USD (without tip). The waiter was very friendly, attentive to my dietary requirements (vegetarian - she mentioned there was fish in the miso soup), and the food was very good. The setting is not particularly beautiful, but it's clean and convenient - perfect for a quick lunch when you're working or studying in the area! There isn't much space, so going there outside of peak hours is probably a good idea if you don't have rigid time constraints! read more

Cafe Mami has great food at good prices. The first time I went there I believe I was still in high school. The food that they have is made in the kitchen which is only sectioned off by their counter/cashier area. It's a very cozy place and when it gets busy it's very hard to get seated. Of all the places in the Porter Exchange, Cafe Mami is possibly the smallest with only two long tables which seat about 6-5 people each. There is usually a long line/wait around lunchtime. However the staff is very friendly and you can get your order to go. Their green tea milk shake is delicious and most of their meal sets come with rice and free refills of rice. read more

What an excellent find! Definitely a gem amongst the rabble of Porter Square. It's cheap, and it's tasty. That's what I'm looking for these days anyway. Very easy to get too being at a hub of public transportation. Trust the overall consensus here, this place rocks! read more

My Japanese friend recommended this place to me and I would do the same! Ordered the Salmon Yaki Don, which was very delicious! Definitely good quality comfort food if you miss your Japanese cuisine. read more

I visited this restaurant for the first time after years of intentions of trying it out. I want to express that food was very good! It was perhaps the closest I have had to homemade Japanese food as I have enjoyed when I visited Japan a number of years ago. Please be aware that this place is cash only. This can be inconvenient for some people why rely on debit or credit cards. The reason why I am giving this establishment 3 stars is because the service was not very friendly. Our server was overly aggressive in obtaining her tip. Before I was able to reach for my wallet she instructed me that tip was no included. She watched me as I reached in my pocket and counted my cash. This was despite the fact that the place was very busy and the table next to us was trying to get our attention. We already paid prior and we were still finishing out food. Very uncomfortable encounter to an otherwise okay experience. read more

I love Cafe Mami. Sure, they take your order when you haven't been seated, you can't be seated until everybody in the party is present, and you gotta sit with rando people sometimes, but I attribute it to Japanese efficiency. The food is amazing. I first ate here during the first week of freshman year of college, and I've been going back ever since, constantly craving tokyo style hamburg set, rice bowls, fried chicken, and the curry! I pretty much rotate between these dishes. It's terrible though-- every time I come I end up getting the same things over and over because they're so freakin good and can't really bring myself to try other dishes. Maybe I should just go everyday for a week...then I'll get sick of everything and finally try something new. Actually, now that I think of it, I've tried the spicy beef bowl, and the fried chicken with mami's tomato sauce (on the back of the menu), which were ok, but I prefer the aforementioned dishes. The miso soup is great too. There's a parking lot in the back that's $1 if you eat at porter exchange (where Cafe Mami is). I would also recommend that you come with no more than 6 people--the less the better because then you don't have to wait as long. The biggest table will seat 6 people, but I believe they have an extra seat so you could squeeze in 7. They sometimes have odd hours, and close on Tuesdays, so if you're not sure, give them a call before you go. Oh, and apparently there's nothing as good as Cafe Mami in NYC. Take that, "everything is better in NYC" bastards! ha! I also vote that they open a Cafe Mami at Super 88 :DDDDDDDDD read more

Some of the chefs there attend my Taekwondo school in Porter Square so I finally gave in and tried it. I I am absolutely addicted to their Japanese Curry. To a gravy and carb lovin-American, it's the closest thing to food heaven. Throw in some friend chicken (Tatsuta Curry) and it's borderline sinful. I have heard that their Hamburge Sets and Donburi ("rice bowls) are amazing too but I can't NOT get the yummy, creamy, slightly spicy goodness that is curry. read more

If I had a Cafe Mami on my college campus, I probably would have been the size of a house. Because I would've been there every day. Their Japanese food is cheap and tastes good. It makes for great hangover food, great I-should-be-studying-but-I'd-rather-be-eating food, or just a filling and delicious lunch or dinner. One word of advice - don't spend $3.50 on the green tea milkshake unless you're really, really a fan of green tea. I liked it the first few sips, but I ended up barely drinking half of it. You're better off putting that money towards another bowl of Tatsuta Don! read more

Cafe Mami's curry is still the one that I use as the basis for all my comparisons when getting Japanese-style curry. I even had what is supposed to be one of the finest curries in the LA area (Curry House) but really, this one's my favorite. I have tried duplicating it at home, and I've come up with some tasty curries, but nothing like theirs. It's magnificent with whatever protein you choose to get it with and isn't even entirely necessary. Aside from that, I like their spicy beef bowl, the Tokyo-style hamburger, and they make a good green tea shake (though I liked their old ones from a few years ago better: made with actual ice cream). It's cramped, and you have to wait and share your eating space with people who you may not wish to share your dining experience with (pasty white anime fans that you, as another pasty white anime fan, try to avoid the best you can in other venues), but it's still one of my favorite places to go for a consistent and tasty meal. read more

I came here for lunch on a Sunday. Low key place with quick service. Overall though I wasn't too impressed. I got the Hamburg Tokyo and it tasted like meatloaf with some Asian sauce on top. The portions are sizable though and it's affordable. My friends got other dishes and they were much better so I'd give the place another shot but I'd try something else. read more

Just an fyi to everyone Cafe Mami is now open 7 days a week!

I'm craving some Cafe Mami as I write this review. It's real simple Japanese food... for cheap... good speed of service... good portion... good location... flavorful, no matter what plate you get... and a delicious green tea milk shake to top it all off. We ordered our food while waiting for a table and got the food not long after when we get seated. Yum! read more

Pure solid gold, especially the Tokyo Hamburg Plate...top it with an egg and a little cheese and you'll be a happy camper. If I wanted a last meal, this might be it. The Phantom Gourmet calls this a hidden gem, and their right. If the line is only 2-3 parties, it's worth the weight, even if you starving...wait! read more

Great value and home-style Japanese cooking. Everything is simply done but done well. My only complaints are limited seating and cash-only.

Cafe Mami supported me throughout college. I went to nearby Brandeis University for a whopping 5 year long program so I definitely frequented it alot! We were about a 15 minute car ride away and lo and behold I was the only one who had a car. Whenever someone in our group would utter the words "I'm hungry" we'd all look at eachother in hopes of someone suggesting Cafe Mami. I probably came here once a week with dreams of having the chicken katsu (panko breaded chicken cutlet) all sliced up with the katsu on the side. And the never ending rice. And the little baked potatoes wrapped in foil. Soooo good. The spicy beef salad is also one of my favorites. Just the right amount of spicy thinly sliced beef spread over a crunchy iceberg lettuce mesclun. I tried to make it in my dorm room but I could never make it right. The curries are also amazing. Cafe Mami is always a hit and one of my all time favorites. I miss it so! When you're done, go to the mini-mart/ice cream stand that sells green tea, red bean, and lychee ice creams. So good! read more

Last time I was eating here there was a cocroach on my table. The food was ok, but I'm not coming back to this place.

Best Japanese curry I've had since leaving Japan. Tasted exactly like the stuff I got used to there and was the perfect portion. Go for the $5 lunch special! read more

This is hands down the best Japanese curry I have had since I lived in Okinawa. Very reminiscent of Coco's curry. The service was quick and friendly, portions were large, and the price was very reasonable. I recommend the chicken cutlet curry and green tea milkshake. I can not wait to go back! read more

Cafe Mami is BUSY, and I'm wondering why it's so much busier than the other restaurants at Porter Exchange. Food is average, but I am thinking it's the prices that keep patrons coming back. We had two hamburg sets. Hamburg itself was decent; however, someone has to teach them to learn to make rice. Rice was SUPER STICKY. I understand Japanese rice is sticky, but this was a little too much. read more

Such good value for really great food. Japanese comfort food at its best. Reminds me of food back home that I feel like I don't really get to have out here in Massachusetts. The staff are all really friendly. I really recommend the spicy chicken dish! read more

Great place... Love the boneless fried chicken dish. but can be too salty and over fried at times. Wished they have more eat in seats or more locations. read more

The boyfriend and I have basically become regulars at this place. Granted, I've only ordered two items from the menu, but they are so good that they keep me coming back for more! We always get the pork katsu with curry and the rock'n chicken. Both come with miso soup and a salad. I'm not a fan of the salad; they drizzle some kind of oil on it. The mains are delicious and the servings are huge. The katsu is nice and crispy. If you get the curry on the side, you can save half for another meal. The chicken is extremely tender... in fact, some of the best chicken I've had, ever. We've also tried the green tea smoothie. Tastes great, but a little pricey at $3.50. Nonetheless, an entire meal for 2 ends up being around $25--a great deal! This is definitely not a first-date kind of place, though. We usually do take out and eat at home. There are never any seats available, the line goes out the door during prime dinner/lunch times, and frankly, not the best ambiance to eat in anyway. read more

The curry rice is very delicious but somewhat slow. The noodles also good, the hot and source ramen is a little salt.

Yum yum yum! A friend of mine found this place through yelp so we decided to check it out. It is unusual to find delicious Japanese food in a mall, but this place is seriously legit. We all had miso soup to start and ordered several dishes to share including seaweed salad, a tofu dish with ginger sauce(melts in your mouth!), Yaki Beef and Yakiniku Salad. Everything was GREAT and we only payed $12 each. I would absolutely go back. read more

The food was super tasty BUT my boyfriend and I both got food poisoning, so there's that.

cafe mami is hands down the best reasonable price japanese food you can find around boston area... i have been coming here since '99 a lot have changed, but the food is still great, i always have a hard time wut to order here, cause i want a bit of everything, the hamburgers, the curry, the lemon chicken... this place do tend to crowd up during lunch times especially on the weekends. the menu has shrunk over the years but i guess other items just werent as popular as the ones they kept. although i did noticed the serving portion of the dishes has became smaller over the years, but i guess this is how the kept the price the same. all and all i love this place. if you havent tried cafe mami, next time you are in porter sq. stop by and check it out for yourself... read more

The Rock'n Chicken Set is oh so tasty but oh so, so salty -- definitely take advantage of the 'unlimited rice refills' for this one. You will also be satisfied with any of the Tatsuta or Cutlet dishes. Oh my Lord, I can't believe this was the first time I have ever been. read more

The green tea tasted really good but a little overpriced.

Amazing, been one of my favorite places for 10 years plus. The teriyaki hamburg steak is sooo good with cheese and eggs (sunny-side up). Must finish with the greentea smoothie there! Place is small but totally worth it to go. read more

Nothing else in Boston beats the Japanese food in Porter Square. And I'm not talking about the sushi kind of Japanese food. Cafe Mami is the reigning gem of the pack when it comes to their curry and the portion of their meals. The pork katsu curry is to die for. Don't miss out on this place. read more

Very nice. Affordable and tasty food. Quick and friendly service.