Great coffee...was extremely busy when I went, but I'm glad I stuck it out. The pastry was outstanding too!

Cicada is a lovely Vietnamese cafe in Cambridge that my friends and I stopped by for a quick take out lunch. I ordered the eggplant and tofu pho salad- they didn't have eggplant today, but replaced it with mushrooms which was fine with me! The flavors and textures were great and the portion size was perfect. I also got a Saigon latte which was delicious and refreshing. The atmosphere is very intimate coffee shop and there is a nice outside area as well. I also like that you can see your food being made behind the bar. Definitely check Cicada out if you're in the area! read more

Cicada Coffee Bar - Vietnamese Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Everything here is so good! Went for dinner and got the tofu/mushroom dish which is served on top of very succulent noodles. Natural wine selection is unique. Ambiance is also very fun- the right amount of music, good lighting, fun decor. Would recommend! read more

Cicada Coffee Bar - Vietnamese Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Great food, amazing drinks, love the vibe. You have to try the drinks here if you visit, they're all amazing. It's very much a hipster place, wouldn't say the best for doing work, but definitely recommend for a hang out or date. read more

Cicada Coffee Bar - Vietnamese Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Amazing food and fast service. There's an outdoor seating area in the back with cute tables. read more

Cicada Coffee Bar - Vietnamese Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I forgot what attracted me towards this coffee bar, but I went there shortly after reading about it. It's alot smaller than the pictures shown here, although they do have a few tables in the backyard as well. The best way to describe the space is pretty much if Starbucks was just a hallway (students on their laptops grinding away included). Very impressed with the salmon salad! The hippy atmosphere scared me a bit and was expecting a morsel of a meal. Luckily, I was full after my meal. It had this very sweet, addicted white noodle underneath (vermicelli?) and didn't skimp out on the salmon either! Definitely worth coming back if I'm in the area! read more

One of my favorites around Boston/Cambridge. It is a very very busy spot on the weekends but I have been about 3-4 times and have always been able to find a seat. The cured salmon pho noodle salad is a 5/5 and the black rice is great too and pairs really well with the papaya salad. The sea salt shaker is good but the second time I ordered it, it was far too salty (could have been a fluke). Overall, the interior is perfection and very good service. If you go, please be kind to the staff. read more

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This coffee shop has continually come up in conversation recently among my circle of friends. I was curious to try it out because I love going to local coffee shops and I was not disappointed. The ice coffee selections were fun and the food menu had quite a lot of variety. It's a bit of a whole in the wall place but it has a really pleasant atmosphere and is definitely the type of place you just want to hang out with your friends. I recommend it both for their food and coffee. The hype is real. read more

Cicada Coffee Bar - Vietnamese Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

The caramel coffee is intoxicating. The atmosphere is such a great cozy vibe. My husband is Vietnamese and the food here reminds him of eating out in Vietnam. It's a unique elevated Vietnamese cafe that doesn't serve your typical traditional street or home cooked food. There are typically lines to get in just to order and finding a place to sit can be challenging but I have faith this cafe will take off and expand. I'm eager to see if their menu changes by the season or if they come up with new items! read more

Absolutely wonderful. Beautiful restaurant. The tea, coffee and pastries were super yummy. Service was excellent, quick and efficient.

Love this coffee shop and the tropical nightclub/cafe atmosphere they have 100% succeeded in creating. I've been here several times and each time loved my drink, whether their Vietnamese coffees/lattes or iced teas. I had food here once and found it quite tasty as well, though the cilantro-phobe in me found it a little hard with some of their night bites options. Another thing though is that they are a small venue and quickly get packed often with a long line out the door. But if you can snag a table, I'd recommend this place to chat/catch-up with a friend or two! Even with the potentially long wait times, I can't complain and am happy to see this young/COVID-era-born local business thriving! read more

Really small but cute with beautiful decorations! Everything we got was really fresh, the salt latte was delicious. Highly recommend the duck on black rice and lattes! read more

Cicada Coffee Bar - salmon spring rolls, duck with black rice, baked salmon banh mi, and more! - Vietnamese Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

The Saigon latte and back to black are good, but the sea salt shaker is next-level. So outrageously delicious and fresh! I always try to swing by to grab this coffee when I am around, it's absolutely perfect. Cicada runs out of coffee and food pretty early on, so I recommend coming before noon and ordering ahead to avoid waiting. The owner is energetic and passionate about coffee and makes your coffee on the spot. It's always a delight to step foot into this gem. I can't wait to try the other coffees and food. I've only had the chocolate chip cookie among the food options and it was very tasty. read more

the salmon spring rolls were to die for. I marveled at how perfectly the rolls were wrapped. We also ordered the banh mi and fried rice but they were a liiittle too salty for me. My boyfriend really enjoyed the dishes though so it's all up to preference! Ambiance was so so nice instead. We sat at the bar because there weren't any open tables. Mostly self service but the staff were friendly :) read more

The food and drinks were all amazing! The portion sizes were just right for two people. We shared everything and left feeling satisfied. The inside of the cafe is a lot smaller than it looked in the pictures I saw on yelp, but they do have a patio for outdoor seating. My friend and I moved back there after eating to talk some more. I want to go back during their dinner hours. Definitely one of the better cafes in the Boston/Cambridge area read more

Cicada Coffee Bar - Banh mi (with duck), salmon summer roll, pho noodle salad with baked salmon Drinks: hibiscus cold brew (red), lemongrass ginger (yellow) - Vietnamese Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I have never been to a place like cicada, it is one of a kind. Intimidate and cozy atmosphere, great spot for a date. Service was good and the food is outstanding. I recommend the cicada salad. read more

This coffee bar is truly worth the wait. Came here the weekend they opened and it is great to kill time shopping at whole foods while waiting for your coffee. And, the wait IS long. I had the simple Americano and it was the first time in years that my coffee did not need a splash of almond or oat milk- the bean was that good and the coffee is so delicious. I am curious what the other drinks on their menu tastes like but am low/no sugar so prob not worth the calories to have a vietnamese coffee. read more

An eclectic coffee/lunch spot with a great vibe. The food is satisfying and the coffee drinks are delicious. No-frills service make it a versatile spot, great for quick bite solo or for a casual outing with others. read more

Make sure you order ahead! This place is very busy. Also be aware the coffee is very strong (and delicious). I'll be back to try the food next! read more

Came back for dinner! Man, what a treat! I can't wait until awesome restaurants like this are all over Cambridge and Boston--mindblowing, intimate, refreshing Asian and Asian American eating experiences. As a group of 4, we ordered 3 apps and 3 entrees. For apps, we got the steamed clams (fresh and briny, loved the ginger), the papaya salad (get it spicy; really crunchy and refreshing and acidic), and the eggplant with coconut oil (great smoky flavor with nice crunch from the nuts). For entrees, we got the duck with black sushi rice, the torched salmon, and the oxtail pho with homemade noodles. The pho was TO DIE for--I haven't had such depth of flavor in so long, the acid and fat and umami combination was heavenly, and the noodles were fresh and just the perfect texture. The torched salmon and duck were similar with the black sushi rice base, but I loved the elevation the dill in the salmon brought to the dish, and the duck was tender and yummy. They also have pastries from Cafe Beatrix. We supplemented the above with a bottle of sake and a beer. Total came out to be $180 after tax and tip for 4--really reasonable imho. Can't wait to come back! read more

The coffee here is really good! I tried the Sea Salt Shaker coffee and it was delicious. There are also some good Vietnamese food options. Definitely want to go back and try some of the other coffee on the menu! read more

The food was delicious! I went with a friend and we ordered two noodle salad, cicada lattes, a bahn mi and cookie to share. The baked salmon noodle salad was delicious! If you like salmon then definitely get this! I like my salmon to be cooked so I really enjoyed this. The duck confit bahn mi was also delicious and everything harmonized together so well in every bite. The sea salt toffee chocolate chip cookie was amazing! The salt to sweet ratio was on point and it's was as big as my head so definitely shareable. The restaurant is small but they have seating inside and outside. It's a beautiful cafe restaurant and I can't wait to go back and try other things in their menu and I heard the whole vibe changes during dinner time too so I must go back! :) read more

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Hand pulled pho noodles - whattttt!!! Salty sweet foamy cafe phin? Yis. 10/10 A++++++ Amazing REAL Vietnamese coffee and food, taken to a whole new level of artistry!!!! I've traveled from South VN to North VN in search of these flavors and textures - Cambridge is fortunate to have access to them right in the neighborhood, in a retro-oasis cafe oozing good vibes. Thank you for your skills and vision, Cicada!!! I have found my new spot! read more

amazing service for sure. like the people are genuinely so kind. but i've heard about their lemongrass duck noodle soup, and with all the surrounding hype, i expected it to be ground breaking. it was just average. i've definitely had much better pho plenty of times in my life. but the vibe and service are great which definitely improved the overall experience. read more

Cicada Coffee Bar - lemongrass duck noodle soup - Vietnamese Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Friendly staff and the inside was adorable :') The coffee was delicious- would definitely recommend the sea salt shaker! read more

Cicada Coffee Bar - Vietnamese Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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A quaint spot with an intimate vibe setup by the nostalgic decor and personal interactions with the friendly staff. I enjoyed the curated art and appreciated the small sign inside saying "no devices please (radios, etc.)" which was a soft reminder to embrace the cozy atmosphere. Certainly worth waiting for your table - they'll text you so it was pleasant to walk down the street to Central Square and grab a cocktail at Brick and Mortar. Both the duck soup and my friend's meal were fresh and tasty - but the smoky eggplant appetizer stole the show. Yes, eggplant! read more

Lovely and neat cafe near central square. You can find both authentic Vietnamese coffee and creative concoction here. I would love to try the food here next time. Very friendly service too read more

Cicada Coffee Bar - Vietnamese Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

IMMACULATE vibes amazing coffee amazing food and pastries I dream of the sea salt shaker & this is the perfect spot to bring friends that are visiting cambridge, especially the patio when the weather is nice!!!! The staff is so kind and the food never misses would give 7 stars if I could !!! read more

I visited Cicada for dinner after reading a great review in the Eater 38. I was pretty psyched. First time I've EVER strongly disagreed w Eater Boston. The service was SUPER AWKWARD, the food was bland, overpriced (!!) and really unspecial. The olive small plate was LITERALLY a plate of olives. No marinade, nothing whatsoever to delineate them from their having been purchased next door at Whole Foods, up-charged, and served. The papaya salad was room temperature, lacked complexity, seemed like it had been plated hours earlier and just left to sit. No fresh elements. Just shredded green papaya, soy sauce, and a micro dusting of peanut. A noodle bowl w tofu was served ROOM TEMP and was entirely unseasoned. The noodles themselves seemed handmade, but perhaps overcooked hours earlier, had gone sticky and, like I said, noncommittal temperature and NO FRESH ELEMENTS. No greens, cilantro, mint, scallion... nothing. They were bland, salty, unbalanced, overcooked, and not even reheated. Bad food aside, the SERVICE was terrible. We were greeted at the door by an extremely awkward woman, who didn't communicate the "system" of semi-self-service very well: everyone was confused. They just quietly (!!) announce your name once your food is ready, and it just sits on a ledge. We'd gone inside to order, were sent back outside, ignored, went back inside, came back outside, and then were irritatedly told that,"I told you to order at the counter." By the same impaired-communicating woman. She had not. But my biggest concern is about cleanliness. There was a huge RAT in the garden seating area. And the policy of bussing one's own table left a huge pile of teetering dirty dishes just laying near a small sink. The following day, my boyfriend and I both had diarrhea. I suspect this might be from poor dishwashing or food handling practices based on what we saw. There is no way I'd recommend Cicada to anyone. It was socially awkward, communication was poor, I question if dishware is cleaned well enough, food quality and handling were pretty suspect, we were served 1/4 cup of plain olives with no accoutrements for $15, and then both were sick... read more

My partner and I were very excited to try this place. We enjoyed the food and the ambience was great: a small menu and well-curated list of beverages - a great place for a date (with another person or with yourself). We would have left it 5 stars if not for the service: on our way out, we left a few glasses on the table - prior to that, we had cleared our food plates away - nobody had informed us that it was our RESPONSIBILITY to take them away - but we just thought it would be a normal gesture for us to do so since the place was almost empty. As the time progressed, the restaurant became more and more crowded and the back sink where we had placed our dirty dishes grew more full. As a result, we thought it would be ok to leave 2 glasses and 2 beer bottles on the table. As soon as we started to exit (in a good mood, already planning to come back soon), the counter service person YELLED at us across the room and shamed us for not taking these glasses off our table. We felt extremely confused and embarrassed and of course we returned to clear off those glasses. Again, we didn't know we HAD to bus our own dinner table as nobody had informed us of the expectation + it was during dinner time and we left tips. Don't get me wrong, we don't have a problem with cleaning the table after ourselves if that's the policy, but nobody had mentioned it to us and there was no sign indicating it. It was during dinner time, so naturally we didn't assume that we had to take away every single item off the table ourselves before we leave. In addition, I noticed that tables were not wiped down/disinfected between the clients which is very unthoughtful considering that we are still in the pandemic. We full heartedly support and respect small local businesses and we are ready to cooperate in any way especially during this difficult time, but in order to do so, we all have to be respectful of each other and have clearer communication. read more

Overpriced mediocre coffee. Zero stars . Go with Starbucks for consistency and coffee that is not watered down. Place is dirty from all the plants. read more

Great food and vibes! The cafe is found slightly off the main hustle and bustle of Central square, tucked into the residential area. It's cozy and dimly lit, providing a very intimate setting. It's an order at the counter setup, though service is really fast. You can see the cook working through the orders as well. The duck confit banh mi and salmon black rice were great! I did find the food a tad bit salty, but it was still a great dinner. read more

New favorite lunch spot around! Their food is really refreshing, and the lattes come with oat milk already. Great decor as well. Ordered the smoked salmon pho salad and fish banh mi and both were great. The pho salad is a must-try though! Thinking of coming back to try the dinner here sometime soon read more

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Probably my last time coming in. As always drinks are good but the amount they give you is a little ridiculous. I understand that you have to make money but paying $5 for 4 oz of coffee is NOT ok. The cashier was not very friendly when i asked if there was any way i could get no foam or less ice in my drink. Just go to Phinista or Phin Coffee House for your viet coffee fix. read more

Cicada Coffee Bar - Partially empty sea salt shaker - Vietnamese Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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i went back to cicada on 2/19 and the food was great as i recall (pic below) however i was subjected to microaggression by a white curly haired lady. i went to put my bag down as my friends ordered and she very rudely and curtly told me to wait in line. of note, a white women did the same thing and was not reprimmended for the same action. of note, last time i was here other ppl did what i did and nobody batted an eye. read more

Cicada Coffee Bar - duck rice bowel - Vietnamese Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Beautiful delicious food, especially the Banh mi (the bread is so perfectly crisp chewy), smoked eggplant on point. The food could use less salt though (duck confit and salmon). Otherwise would be amazingly perfect. Will you be opening a bigger venue? It was also very crowded and smelled of cigarettes. read more

Really enjoyed this unique place in Cambridge. Super attentive staff, delicious food, great escape from usual. Thank you!

one of my favorite lunch spots in boston. it's definitely worth the wait! i recommend the salmon banh mi and the lemongrass tea! the egg coffee is also delectable. it's been my favorite variation of espresso in boston! read more

Not gonna lie it's a cool place, very nice offerings for a small place like this with good flavors and unique options you won't get other places. Problem at least with lunch is the portion size is pretty small for the cost. Even after getting 3 things (a sandwich, a noodle and rice bowl) for 2 of us we left super hungry needing to eat somewhere else. Lunch turned into a $75 affair Bc of that and that just doesn't work so probably won't be back for lunch but hoping it's not the same thing for the dinner menu too. read more

What a gem! Good coffee and good food. Vegan options which I love. Tasty hot and cold coffee. I've tried multiple items and they are all good! An amazing addition to the neighborhood. read more