Walked here from Newbury Street, along Massachusetts Ave, across the Charles River, gorgeous blue…read moresky with puffy clouds, on a journey to come to this delicious, amazing place. My point is: It's Worth It! My daughter brought us here two autumns ago and I was determined to come back. At 12:30 on Wednesday it was not crowded, many people went in to pick up takeout. We waited maybe 5 minutes for a booth to be free for 5 of us. Our server was helpful telling us the crowd favorites and that's what we ordered, 3 shakshukas and 2 Zatar egg bowls. They were kind to modify one of the shakshukas to make it dairy free for my brother. He also ordered a Turkish coffee. The whole vibe of the place is welcoming, hospitable, warm. The walls are covered with people's signatures and sharpie messages. Popular movie posters festoon the walls and the tabletops under glass. It best of all are the aromas wafting from the kitchen that say "come and rest, enjoy, you are welcome!" Highly recommend, and yes, I'll be back!

This place is VERY popular...with the college crowd. Me &…read moreSean went on Ben's recommendation. We stood in line in the rain for almost an hour. There is NO seating host. You just stand in line and the place is very small. As you wait there will be random people showing up & line 'jumping' with their friends holding a spot, is that right? The food is OK but nothing exceptional. They tout their baklava pancakes, great if you like a sugar high. I had the salmon Benedict & Sean had the Berry Pancakes, nothing to special. The staff does a good job of getting your order & the food out quickly. The WILL NOT split a check.

Great food and nice owner. Top choice in this area. Soups and sandwiches are both great. Perfect…read morelunch spot.

Was feeling sick and decided to give Souper roll up soup a try! You can definitely tell the soups…read moreare homemade, and they even include a piece of bread made fresh from central bakery next door. I liked the lemon chicken Rice, and I also tried the chicken orzo. I can see why some remark that the soup is a bit salty, but when you have the bread it really helps. I'm absolutely lucky to have homemade soup nearby for when I'm feeling sick and I'll definitely try their sandwiches because of that amazing next door bread! The place has a very homey vibe and I suggest you support this business.. and grab a soup for the freezer on days you're not feeling well. They're only open 9-5 so you can't come for dinner, make sure to plan ahead!

Arrived here right before 9pm on a Friday. I was told it was $10 to enter so I called my husband…read more(who was inside) to come give me cash. Once I handed over $20 the door girl kept all of it. I asked why and she said that my husband was going to be charged a "re-entry" fee because he came outside the bar (after being there for a few hours with our friends). We had a group of 20 or so and the manager told everyone they had to pay $10 each to stay in the bar or we'd be kicked out. Everyone had been there since 7pm. We ended up going to another bar and I'm never coming back to zuzu.

The Summary:…read more Atmosphere - 5/5 Neighborhood - 4/5 Food - 4/5 Drinks - 5/5 Inclusivity - 5/5 Experience - 4/5 The Story: Came here for a solo brunch and was delightfully surprised! The restaurant has a great atmosphere, the service was charming, and my omelette/potatoes got the job done. Also enjoyed a boozy smoothie - honestly been thinking about it since I left! Will definitely return - would love to see what they offer for other meals (and to check out the nightclub!!)

First timer at Clover Food Lab and I was impressed…read more We ordered a Classic Crispy Chicken, a Mushroom Popper and Hibiscus Iced Tea. The Mushroom Popper was delish, crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside and complimented the sauce but nothing too drippy. The Crispy Chicken was a solid choice too. It was very quiet when we went around 7pm, we were the only ones dining. There was a whole section of seats on the other side of the wall where the menu is, making it feel like a really big space. Service was nice, you order at the counter, and we waited around for our food that gets called out at the counter too. It's a convenient location just a short walk away from the T.

Nestled in Central sq Cambridge you will find the "chickpea fritter sandwich. Loaded either cabbage…read morecarrots cukes hummus dressed with tahini . The star are the crunchy on the outside, tender in the middle chick pea fritters. Locally sourced produce. Coffee is also available. Check out the new zucchini sandwich as well.

Food - 2/5 Service - 5/5…read more Ambiance - 4.5/5 Price point: Dine Out (3 courses) + tax/tip/kitchen appreciation fee = $60-80 per person (latter if you get a drink) We came here on Friday night for Dine Out week! This was our first time at Viale and restaurant week is always a good way to try somewhere new. Unfortunately our party of 3 all agreed Viale was a miss, especially for the price point. I ordered the salmon crudo, swordfish, and tiramisu. The salmon in the crudo was fresh as was the avocado, but it felt bland and like it was missing multiple ingredients - salt? Citrus? My friend said the sauce with the fried cauliflower she ordered didn't pair well with the cauliflower. The mains were the strong point of the meal - my swordfish was cooked well but still felt like it was missing something and I desperately wanted to ask for a lemon wedge but didn't get the opportunity to. My friend said her chicken parm was very good and my other friend said her crab risotto was decent and better than the salmon crudo. However, the desserts were once again disappointing like the starters. The lemon cheesecake was OK and the berry compote was my friend's favorite part - she ate that and left the rest. My friend's panna cotta was bland and the hazelnuts on it tasted stale or not prepared properly. My tiramisu was soggy and barely had the cream layer - sadly one of the worst tiramisus I've ever had at a formal dining restaurant. The service was a little slow but overall very good. Our server Marcelo was very good at checking in and keeping our water glasses full. There was complimentary bread which I really appreciated while waiting for the dishes. The ambiance was nice! We chose to sit inside for the AC, but I wish we'd chosen to sit outside because the inside was a little loud and we were struggling to hear at some points. This got better later in the evening when the restaurant was less full. All in all, it was an interesting experience. But the disappointing food means I won't be back and couldn't give this place more than 3 stars, especially when there are plenty of other restaurants in the Central area to try that can probably do better.

I had dinner there Monday night with 4 friends and we all agreed that Viale was a fantastic place…read moreto eat and talk. Each of our entrees was excellent, I had the halibut and it was fantastic! The wait staff and atmosphere inside were very good! The only bad thing is it is difficult finding parking in Central Square. We would definitely return to Viale!

The Mad Monkfish Review: 12Sep26…read more My fiancé and I were in desperate need of nourishment right before our show at the Middle East downstairs. We were going to settle with pizza as we walked the strip along the venue. The Mad Monkfish caught our attention and was definitely more exciting that a slice of pizza. Now, we only had an hour before our show and it didn't look too busy in the restaurant, since it was before the dinner rush at 4pm.  We were quickly seated outside so we can enjoy the streets of Boston (or Cambridge, if you want to be specific). The menu was pretty elaborate as they have different Asian fusion dishes. I went with their chicken pad thai, extra spicy. They said they have a scale of 1-5 for spice level, and I asked for level 5. By the waiter's reaction, I was nervous that I might regret my choice, especially right before a concert. My fiancé went with their beef noodle soup, as he wasn't feel too well and wanted something hot.  Our food came out pretty quick and my fears of my pad thai being too spicy definitely subsided. It smelled amazing, but was not covered in red flakes of scorching heat. It actually was pretty plain looking, so I was now worried about the lack of flavor. I limed up that baddie and took my first bite. Oh my goodness was I wrong about the flavor! It was bursting with Pad Thai goodness--the heat from being freshly stir-fried, the tanginess from the tamarind, and the subtle spice all melted together in my mouth. The noodles, tofu strips, and the generous amount of chicken were all cooked perfectly. Wow. It was exactly what I needed to prepare for the show ahead. I will say, though, their spiciest level, 5, was no where near my limit. I was afraid it may be Buldak level, but it really was hardly spicy. I think the waiter may have tipped off the chef, given my small, dainty appearance. However, I love spice. I never turn down a nice burn. Either way, I was incredibly satisfied with the dish and would ask for a 10 next time, if we ever stop by. My fiancé liked his noodle soup as well, but didn't have such a raving reaction as I did with my dish. I tried his soup and it wasn't anything too crazy. The beef slices were quite large and hefty.. I think if it were sliced more thin it would be a more pleasant experience.  Both of our dishes came out to a little under $40, which, wasn't terrible but definitely not cheap. We both left so stuffed and satisfied throughout the night, so it definitely did the job.  We aren't from the area, if we were ever to come back (unlikely, as there are so many different restaurants to try), we would love to try their sushi, Thai tea, and more!

After living near Central for like 3 years, I FINALLY made it to the Mad Monkfish. They have a…read morespacious interior as well as a full patio, the latter of which we opted for on a beautiful summer night. They have a pretty extensive menu with mostly Japanese and Thai selections. My fiancé got the green curry, and after seeing pretty good reviews for the sushi, I got the #1 Monkfish Maki Combo. I was pleasantly surprised by the sushi quality!!!! The only downside was that the salmon was slightly fishy, but the tuna and hamachi were solid. I was impressed that they served whole pieces of fish, rather than finely minced filling. Probably not the BEST sushi in all of Boston, but a solid spot if you want a varied menu and a nice outdoor patio in Central!!

Little Donkey is maybe one of the most adventurous restaurants I've been to in Boston which isn't…read moresaying much given the general white bread nature of the dining scene but ... still. Points for interesting twists on the menu which landed well. The great - Cacio e pepe but with ramen noodles. It was very very salty but I'd be willing to sacrifice any subsequent bloat to eat a bowl of this. The ramen noodles were the perfect vessel for the creamy sauce and it didn't get one note. - Heirloom carrots. Yeah, I know, wild for a $19 plate of carrots but these were excellent, nicely roasted with a beautiful dusting of harissa and seeds. I couldn't quite taste the goat butter. One of the best veggie dishes I've had in recent memory. - Philly cheesesteak arancini. Can't go wrong with these (and not to draw unfair comparisons but they absolutely nailed the texture of the inside, compared to Barcelona's gluey croquettes). It comes 3 per order. The okay - Shrimp toast bao buns were a skip (and actually I rolled my eyes at the name because "bao" means bun, so it'd be like chai tea). I was picturing something similar to the pork belly baos with the bread being a fluffy white cloud but this was a deep fried hunk of potato encasing a bit of shrimp paste filling. Interesting but not super memorable. - Cookie dough. The presentation is one for the IG with a mixer embedded in the dough, though I thought the taste was okay, not leagues above the homemade cookie dough that I sometimes stole a few bites of. The milk espuma was what caught my eye on the menu, it's an interesting foam that looked cool but again didn't add much. Note that this one is vegetarian and gluten-free. Meter parking along this stretch of Mass Ave is terrible and only 1-hour (with aggressive ticketing). If you go one street over, there's a lot (Lot #6 on Google Maps) that offers 4 hour parking and tends to have open spots.

I would agree with others that the plates are small and the prices are not. Like $20 to 4 bites…read more But we had a good time and enjoyed all of the things we ordered: tacitos, empanadas, the shrimp buns, cacio pepe, The burrata peach salad was fine, not great. The Parker house rolls were awesome on the outside but too doughy on the inside. And I'd skip dessert - we had the cookie dough and the brownie which were just OK. We liked sitting outside and the service was good I asked for no added finishing salt, and I feel like they did a good job on the first round of food, but not our second order. The bathrooms could use some updates- the lock on the accessible stall was broken so they had added another lock but it was up above my head! And the trash can was foot pedal controlled, which doesn't work for someone who can't use their feet.

Quaint, healthy and creative food…read more I'll be recommding this eatery to my son. Enjoyed coming here.

Great juices!!!!! First time at this location on a super hot Saturday afternoon!! And we were…read moreparched! This place has a cool interior and 2 levels and the downstairs has a lounge- like vibe - very cool! Anyhow we ordered several of the juices between the 3 of us - the orange blossom was great my favorite! Our friend ordered the heart beet, which he really liked too. The hubs ordered a Sunrise surge smoothie- mango pineapple strawberry carrot dates watermelon coconut water and beet ginger swirl! We even got 2 juices to go and they were great! They're super smooth too no chewy bits or anything! I love that these are all so delicious veggies and fruit with no added sugars! Fulfills my "healthy and tasty" requirements from everything I eat and drink these days!! Service was friendly. The ambience is great nice lighting bright colors and plenty of seating! Great central location near Central square too! We'll be back for sure!

Really enjoyed the vibe at Brick & Mortar! The bartender was super nice and friendly, and the…read moredrinks were really good and pretty strong. The food was okay, but I'd definitely come back for the cocktails, atmosphere, and great service.

Somehow I had never popped into the spot in Central before. The aesthetic is the optimal dark and…read moremoody cocktail bar vibe. The drinks were creative and well balanced but stronggg. It was fun trying a good options, just plan on taking the red line home. The staff was super helpful making menu recommendations and as the bar cleared out toward the end of the night they were fun to hang out with.

We ended up trying out What A Soup on a whim and are glad we stopped by! It was a bit hard to tell…read moreif it was open but once we entered and ordered, everything came very quickly. We started off with our drinks - Thai iced coffee and Thai iced tea, plus the pork belly skewers. The skewers were some of the best we've had in a long time! Flavorful and juicy without being too fatty or greasy, I'd come back again and again just for the skewers alone! We also ordered the beef boat noodle soup - we've only ever had it once before at Thong Smith - and really enjoyed it. We also got the crispy basil pork which tasted great but I think I personally would want to try the minced pork next time. All in all everything was tasty with the pork belly skewers being my favorite!

Came here bc of the amazing reviews online Yelp. But must say, it was a bit of a disappointment in…read moreterms of taste, savory, etc. It markets itself as a Thai Noodle restaurant, with the emphasis seems to be the Thai Boat Noodle . But ironically, the Thai Boat Noodle wasn't even that good! Thai Boat Noodle with a better flavor can be found at RodD by Sitti (restaurant) in Brookline -- and, that place doesn't even specialize in Thai Boat Noodle!