Unassuming destination offering dumplings, soup & noodles, plus other Chinese standards.
Address and Contact Information
Address: 546 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139
Phone: (617) 714-3339
Website: http://www.5spiceshouse.com/
Menu Photos
Order and Reservations
Reservations: 5spiceshouse.com
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There are plenty of Chinese restaurants in Cambridge. When it comes to quantity and quality, Five Spices House located in Central Square comes out on top.
Reviews
George Buchanan
This is the worst place in Cambridge. I’m leaving this while I’m “eating”. There were only 3 tables with tons of staff who didn’t even care we were there and it took us 20 minutes to get our water and in total 45 minutes to get our food. I thought that was a sign that the food would be good. NOPE. The interior is the most dimly lit place blasting limp biskit which was hilarious. The food is terrible I had the curry beef and it genuinely didn’t taste like anything, just like you were eating velveted beef. The appetizer combo was disappointing. I mean for a place with such a delicious and stories Chinatown, I mean this is the worst food genuinely have had in Boston.
… moreBizhan Alatif
The staff was rude from the start. On their menu, they have the frog and pork intestine sichuan dish, which intrigued me as I’ve had frog and intestine before, both being quite good. When I ordered it, the waitress initially said no and then took the order. Strange. Then, as I waited for the dish, the waitresses kept looking at me with a smile. The dish came and it was a mix of fried intestine and frog. The frog was extremely small pieces filled with cartilage and bones, the selection of meat seemed extremely poor and/or cheap. Very difficult to eat, all bones. The frog was tasty otherwise, but the presentation and selection was horrible.
The intestine was abysmal. This should not be allowed to be served. A disgrace. The meat which typically should taste clean tasted like barnyard waste. This is a huge health violation, how could you serve this dish and not properly clean it? How could you serve this dish, laugh at your guest, and still have the decency to serve it knowing it’s bad? The flavour was horrible. I have never felt nauseated by food in my life, and I couldn’t finish this. If you cannot clean it and know it’s bad, clearly by the laziness of preparation, remove it from your menu.
I expressed this to the waitress and there was no offer to remove it from the tab. Just an uncaring “Okay” and that’s all.
… moreThe intestine was abysmal. This should not be allowed to be served. A disgrace. The meat which typically should taste clean tasted like barnyard waste. This is a huge health violation, how could you serve this dish and not properly clean it? How could you serve this dish, laugh at your guest, and still have the decency to serve it knowing it’s bad? The flavour was horrible. I have never felt nauseated by food in my life, and I couldn’t finish this. If you cannot clean it and know it’s bad, clearly by the laziness of preparation, remove it from your menu.
I expressed this to the waitress and there was no offer to remove it from the tab. Just an uncaring “Okay” and that’s all.
Justin
Update 3:
For a Monday work lunch, I stopped by 5 Spices House as usual. While the establishment looked almost full, a few tables at the back remained empty. Sometimes, staff would make dumplings there during off peak times. Today, however, that became my seating.
Rather than ordering the $12 lunch special, I decided to try the spicy sichuan beef noodle soup / 川味牛腩湯面 ($14.95) from the regular menu. This arrived within 5 minutes.
This represented a simple, homely, and decently done dish. Portion size seemed generous, with ample wheat noodle and beef. It had few pieces of spinach and bamboo garnish. Chili oil added flavor but wasn’t too spicy. It also came in an aesthetically pleasing stone bowl.
Update 2:
For a quick meal, I stopped by 5 Spices House. This time, rather than the lunch special, I tried the 干鍋手撕包菜 / Dry pot with cabbage and pork belly ($17.95) with a side of white rice ($2.50). This came out within 5 minutes.
It tasted like sauteed cabbage, pork belly, garlic, and peppers. The dish itself is fairly homely. It did have a decent amount of wok smokiness 鍋氣 and was a bit oily (expected). Too bad it didn’t actually come in the metal pot with a heating element underneath, which the 干鍋 usually suggests. Otherwise, $18 for that seems a bit expensive (and the extra rice).
—
Update 1:
For another weekday work lunch I returned to 5 Spices House. On this Monday at 11:45am, the establishment was half full; so I received a seat immediately. This time, I ordered the 水煮類 / boiled (choice of protein, I picked fish fillets) in spicy broth off of the lunch special menu ($12).
The 水煮類 had both cabbage and bean sprouts inside. The broth was decently rich in stock and only mildly spicy. Still, it’s a great way to get this dish alone (the entree size is a bit too much) and at a great price.
—
Original Review:
For a weekday work lunch I stopped by 5 Spices House. On this Thursday at 12:30pm, I easily received seating at the quarter-full establishment. I ordered the pork with bamboo tip / 筍尖肉絲 lunch special ($12), which comes with rice and soup.
The bowl of soup, hot and sour, seemed reasonable. Not too much vinegar, and a bit more soy sauce-y that I personally prefer. I wish it came out a bit hotter (temperature-wise).
The 筍尖肉絲 seemed reasonably portioned for an individual lunch special. It wasn’t super oily and had tender pieces of pork (probably from tapioca powder).
At this price point, I would definitely return.
… moreFor a Monday work lunch, I stopped by 5 Spices House as usual. While the establishment looked almost full, a few tables at the back remained empty. Sometimes, staff would make dumplings there during off peak times. Today, however, that became my seating.
Rather than ordering the $12 lunch special, I decided to try the spicy sichuan beef noodle soup / 川味牛腩湯面 ($14.95) from the regular menu. This arrived within 5 minutes.
This represented a simple, homely, and decently done dish. Portion size seemed generous, with ample wheat noodle and beef. It had few pieces of spinach and bamboo garnish. Chili oil added flavor but wasn’t too spicy. It also came in an aesthetically pleasing stone bowl.
Update 2:
For a quick meal, I stopped by 5 Spices House. This time, rather than the lunch special, I tried the 干鍋手撕包菜 / Dry pot with cabbage and pork belly ($17.95) with a side of white rice ($2.50). This came out within 5 minutes.
It tasted like sauteed cabbage, pork belly, garlic, and peppers. The dish itself is fairly homely. It did have a decent amount of wok smokiness 鍋氣 and was a bit oily (expected). Too bad it didn’t actually come in the metal pot with a heating element underneath, which the 干鍋 usually suggests. Otherwise, $18 for that seems a bit expensive (and the extra rice).
—
Update 1:
For another weekday work lunch I returned to 5 Spices House. On this Monday at 11:45am, the establishment was half full; so I received a seat immediately. This time, I ordered the 水煮類 / boiled (choice of protein, I picked fish fillets) in spicy broth off of the lunch special menu ($12).
The 水煮類 had both cabbage and bean sprouts inside. The broth was decently rich in stock and only mildly spicy. Still, it’s a great way to get this dish alone (the entree size is a bit too much) and at a great price.
—
Original Review:
For a weekday work lunch I stopped by 5 Spices House. On this Thursday at 12:30pm, I easily received seating at the quarter-full establishment. I ordered the pork with bamboo tip / 筍尖肉絲 lunch special ($12), which comes with rice and soup.
The bowl of soup, hot and sour, seemed reasonable. Not too much vinegar, and a bit more soy sauce-y that I personally prefer. I wish it came out a bit hotter (temperature-wise).
The 筍尖肉絲 seemed reasonably portioned for an individual lunch special. It wasn’t super oily and had tender pieces of pork (probably from tapioca powder).
At this price point, I would definitely return.
Shijie Wang
My friend and I dined here last month. I remember clearly we ordered two single person mala pot (shown in the picture) and I paid for it. The total price should be around $50 in total after all tax and fees. After one month when I check my credit card and found I was charged $107, this is unacceptable and the restaurant should be responsible for an excuse for the charge.
… moreArielle Lok
涼粉 is somehow so different at every restaurant. i thought the flavour here was great, but a little too salty and not spicy enough for my taste! they give you a pitcher of water so you can self pour. plentiful seating inside. prices are fair imo
i enjoyed this. lotsa noodles – more than i was expecting (but i will say i prefer them skinnier than thicker!!)
… morei enjoyed this. lotsa noodles – more than i was expecting (but i will say i prefer them skinnier than thicker!!)
Ray
I’ve been here twice. First time with family and second time with a group of old friends. They serve a variety of Chinese dishes including some very authentic Sichuan dishes.
The prices are decent for the city since it has a large Chinese student based customer from MIT and Harvard.
Services are above average for Chinese restaurants.
… moreThe prices are decent for the city since it has a large Chinese student based customer from MIT and Harvard.
Services are above average for Chinese restaurants.
Cyrus William Hadavi
This food was actually awful. Food didn’t come with rice, you had to buy it separately. I was also hoping to buy flavor but it wasn’t on the menu. We asked the server and she said everything, clearly not because we were 0/3 on our dishes. We ordered the chicken with crispy rice which was just bland chicken with Rice Krispies, the cereal. We got the garlic eggplant which did not taste like garlic and tasted like sweet and sour sauce, and then we got the starter combo which came last and glad there was nothing that came after it. Would recommend to go to any other Chinese restaurant of your choosing but avoid this one as it was more expensive without the quality.
… moreJieun Oh
I ordered Mapo tofu with white rice and it was spicy and peppered spice but kinda boring with no any other special flavor. So this place is not for high expectations even the price is high. It’s like the food cooked by chinese mom tried her best but not good at cooking. I stole my friend’s beef chow mein which is fried noodles but I liked it. The atmosphere is quiet and good. Most importantly, you can’t adjust your tip below 18% which is comparably bad they will not care about food or service to you. I brought my chinese friends but she is not good at speaking english just speaking chinese all the time.
… moreSarah Abraham
I love the food here. The lunch special is a great deal for $12 you get rice, soup, and an entree. My favorite things to get are the pickled fish soup, soup in spicy broth, smashed cucumber salad, hot sour soup, and pea shoots.
… moreShivani Singh
I’ve been to Five Spices many times. The food is delicious, but I often have some intestinal distress afterward, possibly from the oil. Still, it’s tasty enough that I go back occasionally. The deep-fried chicken with red peppers is especially good.
… more