Halfway back from our sojourn to the amazing Museum of Fine Arts today was this delicious Thai restaurant that called our names for lunch. Nicely air conditioned and comfortable inside, we were seated at a small 4-person in the front room. I think that's where lunch is hosted, whereas further inside is a fancier dinner area. We decided to order 4 dishes family style: 1. Pepper garlic with beef, 2. Chili basil with tofu, 3. Yellow curry with veggies, and 4. Pad see ewe noodles with chicken. Our server was kind and attentive, constantly refilling our chilled water which was so refreshing after walking. Our meal was scrumptious and satisfying. We ate every last morsel. They were mildly spicy, in a pleasant way. The tofu was particularly tasty--I wish I knew the recipe! Only a minor critique is that the music was all terrible covers of popular music, it made us laugh. Highly recommend! read more

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Came with a friend for a Saturday dinner, got the pad kee mao without bamboo and peas, with half tofu, half veggies. Good flavor, got it spicy so they gave me a bit of pepper flakes. Noodles were chewy, quite enjoyed the meal. My friend got the pad kee mao with chicken. They didn't give me a bit more veggies, and the amount of veggies I had looked less than my friend's plate. I think they're not having very good portion control? $18.50 post-tax, decent portions. read more

Spent the morning at MFABoston glutting ourselves on art, and 10K steps later were ready for food before we ended up having some sort of hypoglycemic meltdown, when I remembered that my niece had recommended this place. We were seated immediately and shared four lunch specials. The yellow curry had a nice heat that grew in your mouth, the potatoes so soft and the veggies with a satisfyingly soft crunch. The Pad See Ew chicken was classic, colorful, and satisfying. The Chili Basil Tofu was my favorite--if I could make tofu like this, I'd eat it every day with a different sauce each day. And the Pepper Garlic beef was tender and delightful. The flavors all complemented each other beautifully. I was too focused on the food but was surrounded by three others who kept remarking on the playlist: all truly awful covers of pop songs. My brother-in-law quipped that while he hates Oasis with a passion, the cover made him prefer the original, and he launched on a tirade about the sheer wretchedness of all things Oasis, which absolutely counted as my lunchtime entertainment. I want to try the sushi here next time I'm here! read more

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Stopped in with 2 friends on a weekend with no reservation and we were seated immediately. The service is very friendly and the menu is extensive with many options for Thai dishes or sushi. A lot of people were grabbing takeout as parking was a little difficult to find. Now the food itself is the best part as the sashimi I ordered was sooooo fresh and colorful and delicious. My friends also liked their dishes and everything was very reasonably priced. I would definitely return and come back. They also have another location in Allston and Wellesley! read more

Laughing Monk Cafe - Scallion Pancake - Sushi Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Close to 4 stars. Sushi roll was good, panang curry excellent, vegetarian dumplings also very good. Not impressed with the Pad see, and scallion pancake had no scallions. read more

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Great Thai x Japanese spot. Came here for a group event. All the food we got was delicious and a significant amount. They easily accommodated our group of 15 people. Friendly service too read more

Dropped in super late, but this place was amazing! I got my order of Thai Fried Rice with chicken and Pan-fried chicken gyozas to go since they would be closing in 30 minutes, even though they encouraged me to stay. Food was super hot and flavorful even after my 10-min walk back to the hotel. I wanted good fried rice, and they did not disappoint. I might have to go back before heading out of town. Sorry, no photo. I was too hungry to stop and snap pics. read more

Solid Sushi and Thai food spot in Boston. I was visiting with my family and this hit the spot for all of us. I've even recommended to friends as well. read more

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We popped into laughing monk cafe on a saturday night after a day of moving. The restaurant is small so I would highly recommend a reservation and getting there on time to the reservation because they almost gave up our table when we arrived 2 minutes after. It is a dimly lit, casual restaurant with quick and kind service. I started with the miso soup which was good and ordered the fire dragon roll along with the chicken drunken noodles to share. I loved the fire dragon roll and this was my favorite part of my meal that night. It was a great size and the fish tasted fresh. The drunken noodles were a little mushy but had good flavor. I don't think I would order it again but it was worth the try. Their pricing is fair and service is quick. If I am ever back in Boston and needed a quick casual but cute lunch or dinner, I would definitely come back. read more

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My first time trying the laughing monk cafe and it was very good! We had a big party and decide to do family style. We ordered a variety of entrees from sushi to their Thai food. Everything came quick and hot. I would recommend this place! read more

Laughing Monk Cafe - Rainbow - Sushi Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Casual eatery with consistently good food and affordable prices. The service is prompt and efficient. The Wellesley location is also good. Neither has a remarkable ambiance but good enough for return visits! read more

Very casual cute spot, fitting for a date night or a casual meal. We only tried the basic California and negihama rolls but would certainly return to explore other menu options. I appreciate the menu featuring photos of the sushi, wish they added them for every meal! read more

Laughing Monk Cafe - Negihama roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

I haven't been to laughing monk in a while and wifey was craving Pad Thai so we decided to give their Thai food a try. Usually we go there for their omakase which is absolutely delicious. Anyway, we ordered on Uber eats and got it pretty quick. It was piping hot because we were a few blocks away. The packaging was interesting, you get pad Thai in an ice cream container. It works and it's better than plastic! The pad Thai was mild, not too sweet or sour. We appreciated it wasn't filled with bean sprouts and was made up entirely of noodles, egg and chicken. It's a great starter pad Thai for people who haven't had it before. read more

Laughing Monk Cafe - Pad Thai - Sushi Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Small, cozy interior. Went for dinner because I was craving sushi. Service was quick and staff were friendly. Fire Dragon roll: delicious flavors, fresh, plated beautifully. So good that I ordered a second serving read more

Laughing Monk Cafe - Top: Fire Dragon Roll Bottom: Tuna Maki - Sushi Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

" Sushi bliss " Sushi here is really good . It tastes fresh & delicious. The service is excellent. The vibe is warm. I definitely like this place , the name confused me . However the laughs on me , the place is blissful like how a monk would feel . The name comes full circle in this experience. read more

Food is good but at least twice they would charge a price that does not match the menu price. Once they would say they gave the wrong portion size. Another time they say they need to update the menu price. Unfortunately. the food is good so i'll go back but this way they update the menu price read more

A solid option for Thai food, but not necessarily Japanese. I like that there's tons of fusion options here, but not my go to for either cuisine. Dishes are not super flavorful or unique, but will work in a pinch. I have to say there aren't many options here in Boston which is why I keep returning here. read more

I ate at the Gigantic Wonton place next door and grabbed some crispy chicken pad thai for my kid at home. This was in the bag for at least 30-45 minutes before taking the picture. The crispy chicken was still kinda crispy! The pad thai noodles had great flavor. My daughter enjoyed the food. The restaurant looks clean, and ordering the take out was easy. Price is about what is expected. The crispy chicken was an additional $4. Note: - Street parking only, in a very busy area! - Seating appears limited here, so call ahead if you have a large party for dining in. read more

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Had lunch at the Laughing Monk Cafe today and really enjoyed it. We sat outside. The service was attentive and the food was good. We had an order of chicken fried rice, pad Thai, a spicy roll, and an Alaska roll. Thought the rolls were very good. I will definitely be back. Check this place out. read more

Food amaZZZIng! Food even better Wiyada was an amazing host!! We felt very comfortable and had such a great dining experience!

Consistently the best Thai food around! Small space so you have to go early. Very delicious food, quickly prepared, and friendly staff. Popular with many local students and professionals. read more

Laughing Monk Cafe - Pad Thai, Indonesian fried rice, crispy pork belly. There was also Moo Ping (4).We over ordered and everything was excellent!! - Sushi Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Great experience at Laughing Monk. Went for the Omakase, which was 14 courses for $175. While nontraditional each dish course was high quality, with large cuts of fish, and good flavor. There were sauces on everything, but they complimented the fish and for the most part never drowned the taste out. I was very pleasantly surprised how much I liked this. The staff is also super friendly and attentive. For ambiance, the restaurant is on the casual side, and not very intimate, so it really doesn't fit the vibe of typical Omakase. But for regular nights the ambiance is fine . I highly recommend giving Laughing Monk a shot, especially the Omakase! Worth the money read more

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Delicious little spot! We ordered the drunken noodles with chicken and the chili basil stir fry with beef. Both were so well made and hit the spot for lunch after our visit at the Gardner museum! Staff was friendly as well. Thank you! read more

Best thai food I have ever had. Such a great comfort food, and if you can, snatch a spot in their tiny restaurant! The staff is so nice and the food comes out hot and fresh. I'm a major fan of their yellow curry, but their pad thai was also really good! read more

I don't eat sushi like I used to because once I thoroughly enjoyed the sushi at The Laughing Monk it was why bother spending good money on the tenderest sushi any where else. read more

Overpriced good food. We ordered the Salmon Spicy Roll, Veggie Tempura Roll, and Crab Rangoon. The food itself was pretty good but not worth the prices. The quality of the sushi was pretty fresh but I think there are better prices at other sushi restaurants. The Crab Rangoon was cheesier than other ones I've had. I just wish the portions were bigger. I don't see myself coming back frequently in the future, mostly because of the prices. I am curious about the Thai food options too. read more

Laughing Monk Cafe - Veggie Tempura Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Ordered for delivery from here and the short story is...really, really good pad thai. Presentation was also quite unique. I definitely will go out of my way to pay this place a visit. ATMOSPHERE/ARCHITECTURE: N/A Ordered delivery. SERVICE: 10/10 Smooth delivery and everything was packaged beautifully. Cohesive logos, packaging, every little detail was in place. The pad thai was in an interesting box with all the components at the top. FOOD: 9/10 (I know the math doesn't add up but I weighted the pad thai much more heavily) Pad Thai - 10/10 - First thing is first. Who the HELL packs pad thai into an ice cream container?! I guess Laughing Monk does. More like MAD MONK. But it works. It was beautifully package and beyond the presentation, the pad thai was simply...delicious. Perfection. There was not a single thing out of place with this chicken pad thai. The BEST pad thai in Boston. The flavors were all correct, not too sweet, not too spicy, not too sour and not too salty. Get it. Chicken Satay - 5/10 - This was kind of disappointing. Not really flavorful and the sauce that came with it could not help it much either. VALUE: 9/10 PROBABILITY OF RETURN: 10/10 I will try and come here in person. TO EAT OR NOT TO EAT: Come and eat the best pad thai in Boston. OVERALL: 9.5/10 read more

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I ordered take out from here: Pad Thai with crispy chicken, Lo Mein Garlic with veggies, and drunken noodles with veggies. The containers were pretty heavy and the servings were big. Out of these, my favorite was the Lo Mein Garlic with veggies. Lo Mein Garlic with veggies: the noodles are a bit sweet, but the veggies balance it out to bring out different flavors. One thing I noticed is that the veggies were very fresh and still had a bit of a crunch. I especially liked the ginger snap peas and cabbage. Drunken noodles with veggies: this dish is spicy but again the veggies are fresh and flavorful. I especially liked the cauliflower and ginger snap peas. I also like that there aren't too many big clumps of drunken noodles so all noodles are packed with flavor rather than white on the inside. Pad Thai with crispy chicken: this dish is sweet with a hint of lime. I liked the crunch of the mung bean sprouts, it switches up the texture of the soft noodles. The crispy chicken was not my favorite since it was a bit tough and chewy. read more

Laughing Monk Cafe - Pad Thai with crispy chicken - Sushi Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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There's a ton of Thai and sushi fusion restaurants, but this place is actually good at both of them!! Highly recommend. Inside is small but they really pack in the seating well so that it doesn't look it. Service is quick and fresh. The food looks authentic and overall they were very generous with the meat and vegetables. I got the drunken noodles and the only thing I didn't like was that they put too much lime for my taste. It was better after mixing it around but might lean towards a curry or Pad See Yew for next time. Also got a sushi roll as an appetizer and it was SO good, so much salmon and so fresh that you don't even need to dip it in soy sauce. Overall my dishes came out to be about $40 (with leftovers) so a pretty pricey meal but the food was worth it. read more

Laughing Monk Cafe - Spicy Roll - Sushi Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Wow... my new favorite. The pad Thai and the presentation. Look at these ingredients, it's as good as it looks read more

Laughing Monk Cafe - Pad Thai. - Sushi Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

My favorite place! So delicious and very reasonable prices, with excellent service and ambiance. read more

Laughing Monk Cafe - Sushi - Sushi Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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The place is small and a little worn. We were greeting with wrinkled, soiled printed menus and water. Service was kind and the food was decent, but I wouldn't give it more than 4 stars. I'd probably go back to try a few more items in their menu. read more

Pad C Ew is yummy. I enjoy it a lot . Thai people love it. It is one of street foods in Thailand. read more

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Highly recommend! Was looking for a restaurant near the hotel we were staying at for a quick dinner before meeting with friends. Read some old reviews about how they are skimpy on the portions but we were so surprised by the generous portion of our dinner. Taste is amazing. The bf had the beef pad see ew and declared it the best version he had ever had. We even returned for lunch the day before heading to the airport. I had the yellow curry tofu and loved it. The dish was creamy with thick coconut curry with tons of vegetables and tofu. It is also not overtly sweet unlike some Thai restaurants' rendition of the classic. For our last lunch in Boston, I had the drunken noodle. I must say that was a strange. It wasn't bad. It just wasn't drunken noodle. The taste is not quite there. In any case, place is an absolute gem. Service is courteous. Will be back when we return to Boston. P/S: Parking is tough in the area. You are better off walking like we did or take the T read more

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Food: 3.5/5 | Service: 3.5/5 | Experience: 4/5 This Thai restaurant serves a multitude of dishes not necessarily exclusive to Thai food. There are not too many tables inside, but the environment is relaxed. I ordered the massaman curry with beef, which comes with rice on the side. The potatoes were slightly underdone and were crunchy, which was unexpected. The curry itself did not have the strongest flavor nor deepest flavor I have had, but it was still good. read more

Laughing Monk Cafe - massaman curry w/ beef - Sushi Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Was here for lunch on a Friday! They don't seat people at tables until everyone in the party is there, but otherwise we got to our table pretty quickly. Ordered the unagi don, which was a modest portion size of eel on rice. The flavor of the eel was sweet-savory barbecue, and it went really well the with rice. Enjoyed this light meal! read more

Laughing Monk Cafe - Unagi don - Sushi Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Dining method: Take-out Item(s) ordered: Veggie Pad Thai Speed: Arrived on time, in under an hour via DoorDash The short answer: Good quality Thai food with veggie options, though I wish there were a bit more flavor. The long answer: I enjoyed my veggie pad thai, as it had many vegetables and lots of tofu (I ordered steamed, and it was delicious). Unknown to me prior to ordering, the sauce was not the traditional (tamarind-based) orange sauce. If you're vegetarian, make sure to request it without fish sauce. Also remember to request sauces/sriracha. I haven't been in-person so I can't speak to the ambiance, but their food is certainly a solid option for Boston-area Thai food. read more

Laughing Monk Cafe - Veggie Pad Thai - Sushi Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

Excellent sushi! The Hamachi sashimi is marinated and pure Heaven. The rolls are expensive but worth it. The entree portions are huge. The chicken in the stir fry tasted like plain boiled chicken which was the reason for the one star reduction. This is great restaurant to go to if looking for a quick meal while at BWH. You can walk through the hospital to building 15 and it's basically across the street. read more

Laughing Monk Cafe - Chefs at work - Sushi Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

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Was in Boston for a conference. Came here to order lunch to go on a weekday. The wait time was a little long, luckily we had an hour lunch break. I'd recommend ordering ahead for pick up if you're on a time crunch. The hostess was friendly when I came by. The yellow curry was delicious and packaged well. I enjoyed the food and would order from here again if I was in the area. read more

Laughing Monk Cafe - Yellow Curry - Sushi Bars Near Me - Boston, Massachusetts

My mom and my sister said this place is very good. I'm giving it a try to see how I will enjoy or not. Enjoy the food maybe two thumbs down maybe two thumbs up I'll let you read more