Visited this affordable Thai restaurant again! Pad Thai: It looked harmless, but the first bite was so sour it caught me off guard and made me choke... I've never had such a strong-flavored Pad Thai before. But after a few more bites, I realized it was at least better than those bland American style Thai dishes; you just need to drink more water. The rice noodles were soft but not mushy, the bean sprouts were crisp and refreshing, the crushed peanuts were especially fragrant, the chicken breast was reasonably tender, and the portion was as generous as always. Pad Pa Spicy Eggplant: First time trying it. To me, it reminded me of Hakka-style salted fish and eggplant casserole, which felt familiar. However, the eggplant probably needs more cooking time; it was too firm and not flavorful enough. But my friend, a Thai food expert, thought it was very authentic! read more

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Overall a great place to get some very yummy Thai food! Service is great, very nice staff! Very cute and small place but still would be good for groups (if they have space that time haha). Would definitely recommend getting the panang curry with crispy chicken...that crispy chicken is toooo good! read more

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The worst ever! The food was excessively salty, and the rice tasted stale and had a moldy odor and flavor. The service was even worse. Both the male and female servers rolled their eyes, slammed the menu onto the table, behaved dismissively, and argued rudely with customers. They could barely communicate in basic English, which made the experience even more frustrating. I still left a tip because I believe in treating people with respect and wanted to uphold my own standards--not because the service deserved it. Both my friend and I agreed that the experience was so disappointing that we would never return. read more

I go here way too often and I find it to be a reliable last minute spot with hot food, quick service, and a short wait (if any) for a table. I'd recommend going here for a quick bite of Thai for lunch or dinner. I will note that they're great at takeout but I'm convinced takeout portions are smaller than they are sitting down. The food is pretty true to what you'd expect for Thai. It's pretty populated with college students and the ambiance is nice for its downstairs location. There's not a lot of parking nearby but if you're walking through the square, they can offer you a lot of Thai options. I almost always get a noodle based dish and find that they char and get the smoky flavor on the noodles every single time. I think they do pretty uniformly well on the standard proteins, but I've only gotten chicken and tofu here. - Pad see ew: very standard! Very good! Hefty portions and rich comforting flavors. They don't skimp on the meat or gai lan (Chinese broccoli). read more

Nine Tastes - Chicken pad see ew - Thai Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Pad See Lu with Beef had great flavor. Wish there were more noodles that were not chopped up so much Chicken Pad Thai flavor was delicious but the chicken was quite dry The massaman curry was just the right amount of spice, however the curry itself was a bit too liquid, it was almost a watery consistency. Unusual for a curry which I would expect to be thickened. Overall a decent Thai spot for convenience and speed but room for improvements on staple Thai dishes. read more

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I loved the food here, I cannot wait to go back and try other items on the menu like their Khao soy. They gave great portions and the flavor was amazing! And the spice was there, which is always a toss up for Asian places depending on the customer base. If you want good, quick food, make sure to stop here. read more

Nine Tastes - Drunken Noodle - Thai Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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I have a bad habit of judging books by their cover, but when I saw that most of the staff were Thai, I had a good feeling about this place. The pad thai and pad see ew were both pretty good. They felt a bit catered toward American tastes since they leaned on the sweeter side, but I didn't mind. I really liked the crispy chicken that came with the pad thai. The khao soi, however, was way too coconut forward and sweet for me and ended up making me feel a little nauseous. read more

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My partner and I love this place! Nine Tastes is one the better Thai restaurants in Cambridge. They're conveniently located near the Harvard campus. My recommend is to go for the Crispy Chicken Pad Thai, Mama O Ho Spicy Noodle Soup (the broth is nice and sour), Papaya Salad, and the Tom Yum Soup. The service is quick and friendly. read more

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Had dinner here before a show at the American Repertory Theater and liked that the restaurant had plenty of seating. They still had some cute Valentine's Day decorations up, which added a fun touch. Our food came out super quick, which was perfect because I was starving. I got a Thai iced tea (always a win), and it was super tasty! For my meal, I went with the Thai fried rice. I usually love the slight sweetness of it, but this one tasted more like Chinese fried rice. Not what I expected, but the generous portion definitely helped since I was so hungry. My companion got the spicy Thai original Kra Pow with chicken and thought it was spicy and flavorful! The prices were great, and the fast service made it an easy stop before the show. Maybe I'd come back to try the pad Thai next time! read more

Nine Tastes - Thai Fried Rice with chicken, no onion requested - Thai Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

This is a great restaurant! They offer an appetizer discount if you follow their Instagram and share your experience. The service is quick, the food is delicious, the menus have exact photos of the meals, and drinks are all under $10. You absolutely MUST try their Thai latte! read more

Nine Tastes - Curry, Thai Fried Rice, Pad See Iu - Thai Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I had the seafood kamakazi. I had it mild because I was not sure what medium ( two peppers) meant. It had shrimp, scallops, calamari with mixed vegetables. It came with a dish of white rice. It filled me up. They had another version with chili sauce which I would like to try Although the interior could use an update, I still felt I was Thailand. The Thai music might have had something to do with it. The service was about 5 minutes. It was like I just placed my order. Speedy Gonzalos. Overall I was satisfied and would return. read more

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Nine tastes always tastes delicious and I can always count on it to satisfy my appetite. This time we got the basil crispy chicken and the regular crispy chicken. The chicken in both dishes were cooked well - crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. I would definitely recommend the basil crispy chicken over the regular as the veggies add a nice crispness to the dish. Besides the great food and fast service, Nine Tastes also has lunch pricing which made our meals more affordable! read more

Nine Tastes - Basil Crispy Chicken - Thai Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Had dinner here and was pleasantly surprised at the size of the place. It looks small but then there's another level (3steps) down to more seating so it wasn't uncomfortable. The food was delicious. I really enjoyed the scallion pancake and red curry. Their wine bottle prices weren't egregious either which was good. $24 for Sauvignon blanc was better than 4 individual glasses. Getting inside is...interesting, the doorways is tight and there are stairs down. read more

Was really looking forward to finally trying this place. The spring rolls were good, the crab Rangoon was good. The crispy chicken pad Thai had juicy chicken and noodles that were so sweet I was glad to have ordered a beer. I shared this dish with my friend and neither of us wanted to take the leftovers because the pad Thai was so sweet. Good amount of peanuts!! Got in pretty fast, food came quickly, they were out of limeade. I noticed a lot of students eating here. There were fruit flies buzzing around the dining area. I counted 8 flies in eye view. I probably won't come back. It's good, but I'd rather spend the money at Sweet Rice. If you live in the area I would say give this place a try but don't expect anything other than just a good experience. read more

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This is a simple no-frills, no-nonsense Thai spot that's super close to Harvard Yard. I came here with two friends on a weeknight around 7pm and while it was pretty crowded, we were seated immediately! (as a heads up, the tables are spaced close together so it did feel a bit crammed, especially with our puffy winter jackets) Their menu is very extensive and they offered more entrees than I expected for a Thai restaurant on the more casual side. Service was honestly some of the most efficient I've ever experienced - our food probably came out only ~10 minutes after ordering and someone continuously came by to refill our waters. I ended up going with the pad thai which was gluten-free and I chose tofu as my protein - it was flavorful, fresh, and everything I wanted in a warm meal on a super cold day. My friends decided to share their special fried rice (which was also recommended by our server) as well as the roasted duck - unfortunately they were disappointed with the duck because the entire dish was overpowered by the amount of ginger added. read more

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Food: Chicken Satay was really good with peanut sauce, but my chicken kratiam was eh-ish. Could've had more garlic and cilantro, and overall flavor. Service: Food was really fast (especially the appetizer), my friend's krapow was a bit too spicy so they kindly remade it for him, which was super nice. Ambiance: Nice and quiet store in a lovely area of Harvard square. read more

We came on a Friday and got seated within 15-20 minutes! The food was pretty decent; my pad thai could've been a bit more flavorful. But the service was AMAZING! Food came out very fast and our waitress was very attentive and welcoming. The sake was delightful, and the thai tea was really delicious! Overall, I would definitely come back and try more dishes. The restaurant also looks small but is way bigger on the inside. read more

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Tried to order a meal for my partner and I was to be delivered. After waiting for about an hour with no update on when the food was to be delivered, we called Nine Tastes and were told they were going to cancel our order because their kitchen was closed. Extremely disappointing because as it's getting later more spots are closing which limit our options further. Unsure what the food is like because I didn't get a chance to try and this whole interaction has put me off from trying this spot again. read more

Walking in, two friends and I were able to find a table even though we had not previously made a reservation and it was rush hour. I ordered spring rolls, crispy chicken curry, and Thai iced tea. Of the dishes, the Thai iced tea and the crispy chicken curry were my favorites, however the curry was spicier than I expected. The Thai iced tea was well sweetened. I felt like the spring rolls could have had more variety of vegetables inside and had a more crisp outside as well. Spatially, the restaurant is underground and feels as though it was recently renovated. In the future, I would visit again and make sure to try different appetizers and some of the other curry varieties. read more

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In my opinion it's the Best Thai food in Boston, it's in a great location in Harvard Square, Nice Patio outside where you can enjoy the nice weather and people watch. Service is prompt and friendly, I recommend everyone to check it out. read more

The location is in the bustling Harvard square, and the price reflects that, location is a nice convenience. Food was decent, while the ambience was also nice. Service left me desiring for more, since it was crowded, it wasn't the best. read more

Stopped by Nine Tastes on a sweltering Wednesday evening with my family - it seems we got lucky, too, since they were meant to close for a week for renovations starting the next day! We came around 7pm and were immediately seated in the nicely-decorated (and thankfully air-conditioned) underground dining room. Since they were planning on being closed for a while, our server told us that most seafoods weren't available that evening (except shrimp), so we ended up changing our original preferences a bit - ultimately we decided on a crab rangoon to share, a crispy chicken (yellow) curry for me, and a pad see iew and a mango and dried cranberry salad for the rest of my family. Crab rangoons were delicious - crispy on the outside with a generous, sweet-and-savoury filling on the inside - and I would say a pretty good value, too, for 5 pieces to share. Mango/cranberry salad was fantastic too - aesthetically very appealing (so colourful!), and all of the different fruits and vegetables were so fresh and flavourful The chicken was a nice addition - not too heavy as to drown out the lighter veggies, but also enough to effectively complement the sweeter fruits and dressing. Crispy chicken curry was nice - but oh-so-spicy (and this is coming from someone who loves spicy food - so buyer beware!). Chicken was cooked very well - indeed very crispy, but very tender and juicy on the inside, and the curry was rich with tasty ingredients - onions, carrots, etc. - that just melted in my mouth. Overall, a very delicious meal for a very reasonable price - I'd love to come back soon to try some of the other appetising options on the menu :) read more

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I'm quite confused why this spot has 3.5 stars - it's fantastic! The entrance is kind of unassuming as it's one of those lower level restaurants under the street. We walked in on a weeknight for dinner and it was packed. The ambiance was bustling but seemed homey. My friend and I split a green curry with tofu and a pad see ew with tofu, both had great flavor and were well done. All in all a solid Thai restaurant, and would definitely be back when in the area! read more

I came in, ordered food, it came out extremely fast, and tasted good. I didn't really expect stellar services because of the cultural differences (I'm Asian American with immigrant parents lol). However, she was quick and to the point which I like, kept our waters full, and left us alone to enjoy our meal. Couldn't really ask for more. The restaurant is tiny though. My husband is 6'4 and practically touched the ceiling with his head walking into the bathroom. We don't mind tight spaces though. Anything for some really flavorful and good pad Thai. read more

I was really surprised to see this place only had 3.5 stars! This place is one of my family's favorites in Harvard square - esp since it is one of the only Thai places here. The lunch special on the menu seems definitely worth it - 12$ for a meal and an appetizer. I came for dinner and it was busy, but not too much where you couldn't walk in without a reservation. I got the red curry with tofu and veggies - the perfect amount for a meal. You'll be full after the meal but probably will not have any leftovers. Strongly recommend getting a Chang beer while you're here - it complements the meal perfectly. read more

Nine Tastes - Tofu Red Curry - Thai Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Food came out quickly, but we had a tough time eating after observing an employee enter one of the tiny restrooms, flush, and then proceed to exit immediately. No hand washing. We sat close enough to the restroom to know. Same employee then sat down near the kitchen and sneezed multiple times without covering at all. My pad Thai had a funky taste and my husband said his rice dish wasn't great. Service was ok, but the staff seemed more interested in socializing with each other. Absolutely no plans to return the next time we're in Cambridge. read more

The food was super delicious and flavorful. I tried this place with a friend and it is located right in the heart of Harvard square. There are seating options outside and inside. The place was clean and decorated. The price was a bit pricier, but everything was great. The servers were nice. I would come back to try other things on the menu. read more

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Delicious food. My friends and I come here all the time. Service is really quick and speedy. Wonderful experience. read more

Nine Tastes - Thai Ice Tea and Nine 9 Tastes Pad Thai - Thai Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

This is a nice Thai place. My order: red curry with chicken, 3*/10* for spicy-ness I thought it was going to be spicier, so I would order up the spicy a little more than you usually might. Or ask for some spicy stuff on the side? It comes with rice, which is nice. We ordered calamari, and they were the biggest calamari I have ever see . At least diameter of baseball. Very greasy. Overall tasty. I don't know if I'd go here again without searching out a different one first. But if someone suggested it, I'd happily go along read more

Nine Tastes - Biggest calamari ever! - Thai Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Thai place with a large menu that is hidden in the downstairs of a building. There are no windows or clocks inside, which makes it easy to lose track of time (casino-vibes?) I came with some friends and got a curry noodle dish, it was very tasty Have a pretty good lunch special deal from what I remember We couldn't really understand the waiter since he had a thick accent, which made the experience a little more difficult 8 read more

My favorite restaurant, the one thing that kept me together through college. I think I've gotten takeout from here so many times they know me now LOL. Super fast service, reliably great food, could not recommend more. read more

Solid 3 stars! Nothing special, but definitely a local go-to if you're craving thai food in Harvard Square. Pad thai was solid, but nothing extraordinary, vegetable fried rice could use better seasoning, and mango sticky rice was bombbbb!!!! Love the toasted mung bean(?) on top! Got take out for two people for dinner - total came to ~$35 - and definitely had leftovers to spare. read more

Nine Tastes - a variety of food in plastic containers - Thai Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I was charged a large party service fee(18%) when we only have 3 people. I went to a lot of a places, a lot of restaurants, it's my first time being charged a large party service fee when less than five people!! And there is literally no service at all!! We ordered Tom Yum soup and only one scoop was serviced. I asked the waitress to give me two more scoops for my parents. After I finished the dinner, I still don't get the two scoops. How dare you automatically charge a 18% large party service fee? read more

Nine Tastes - Thai Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Great lunch deals on their menu. Food was excellent and filling. Service was quick and they were helpful. read more

Nine Tastes - Crispy Chicken - Lunch Special - Thai Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Excellent spot for Thai classics. Their Nine Tastes Pad Thai is an improved version of your standard pad Thai with extra peanut--excellent. My personal favorite dish is the Khao Soi, a deliciously creamy soup filled with noodles, chicken and vegetables all cooked to perfection. The ambiance of this place is great too: it's an underground space that feels cozy and isolated from the hectic outside and it is decorated with nice lights and fine traditional art. The service has always been very kind too. One of my favorite places for a nice (but highly affordable) meal in Harvard Square! read more

Nine Tastes is a solid Thai restaurant and has become one of my go to lunch spots as a Harvard employee! The pineapple fried rice is not on their menu, but this is what I typically order there with modifications to make it vegan. It has a great ratio of rice to veggies, tofu, and pineapple; however, I do sometimes wish that there was more flavor and spices present in the dish. Overall, it is a satisfying dish. While I am a fan of Nine Tastes, I have had a few instances that weren't so great. At one point during commencement season, my co-workers and I were seated, but after 30 minutes, the waiter still did not take our order. This was so egregious that we left to get food elsewhere in order to make it to our next meeting on time. At another point, I ordered the eggplant tofu. While the tofu tasted great, the eggplant was rubbery and inedible, so I certainly won't be ordering any eggplant dishes here again! The consistency of food quality and service can be a little off, but overall, it is a solid place to eat. read more

Nine Tastes - Pineapple Fried Rice - Thai Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

This place offers fantastic thai food. I have tried few Thai restaurants but none of them beats Nine Tastes. I would give a full score for Papaya Salad and Tom Yum Soup. The servers are attentive and helpful. The decoration and ambiance are very Thai authentic Also, easy and convenient to go. Located right down Harvard square. read more

Nine Tastes - Papaya Salad (Som Tum) - Thai Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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After a general subpar (read: horrendous​) experience with NYC Thai food scene, I had practically​ given up on going out for Thai food. Thus, I was delighted to find Nine Tastes, a relatively quality Thai restaurant in the Harvard Square area. My friends and I tried the following item: 1. Thai iced tea, $3.5 - on point like any other Thai iced tea out there 2. Edamame, $5.5 - a bit expensive for the appetizer but pretty solid 3. Crispy chicken lunch box with veggie gyoza, $11.95 - omg this was just amazing 4. Chicken pad thai lunch box with spring rolls, $10.95 - so good!! 5. Tofu sukiyaki lunch box with crab rangoon, $12.95 - delicious The lunch box is generally served fast. However, because we ordered noodles in my party, the food took a bit longer to bring out altogether​. The menu is expansive, but not overwhelming. I just wish th​ey could add more photos to the menu for someone who is either new to Thai food or haven't had Thai food for a while​ and need a refresher. Service was fine, no complaints. I am sure I will be back again! read more

Nine Tastes - Inside - Thai Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Checked out interior photos on Yelp and it appeared to be the "most inviting" (totally subjective) as well as open until 10 on a Tuesday...and it happened to fall along one of the couple routes out of Boston back to NH from Logan. Good news is that even at 8pm there were enough people to fill the small dining area (larger dining room also) to give a good vibe to go with good food, good service and easy street parking around the corner. read more

criminal that 9tastes is coming in at a 3.5 star rating at the time of this post. this is a LOCK @4 .. even flirting with the illustrious 5. i'm a khao soi boi. and they delivered for me. tom kha soup is also delishhhh. my tummy is happy. located in the basement. a true hidden gem in cambridge. if you're ever indecisive about dinner location, you cannot go wrong here. big menu, comfortable setting, and friendly staff. they want to serve you quickly, and ensure you are pleased. perfect place to catch up with friends, loved ones, or even solo. 9tastes is YUMMY. read more

Nine Tastes - Khao Soi - Thai Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts