Darling

Exquisite cocktails (and decent food). Cambridge has always needed more cocktail bars outside of Harvard Square, so my friends and I had been waiting for this one to open for a long time. We finally made it in on a Sunday evening without a reservation. No fuss, just walked in and got a table right away. The concept hit all my favorite notes: Asian-fusion snacks and Asian-inspired cocktails. Drinks were fantastic overall, but the food was a bit underwhelming. The cocktail menu came printed like a small pamphlet, complete with the date stamped on top. Maybe a hint that the lineup changes regularly(?). We went for three cocktails, and their popular sweet cocktails were excellent. Hope I packed a parachute and HK French Toast were two of our favs. Hope I Packed a Parachute – Maybe it’s my matcha/red bean bias talking, but this was phenomenal. Smooth, lightly sweet, and clean on the finish, with that gentle red bean note lingering just enough to remind you it’s there. HK French Toast – More nutty than other French toast cocktails I’ve had. Less dessert-y, more like biting into a thick toast slabbed with peanut butter. Food-wise, only dish I really liked was the Dashi-braised daikon (Lo Bak Go). Expected the usual melt-away daikon, but they served it meatball-style—minced, compact, with spicy and buttery layers. Denser than traditional braised daikon, but the kick of dashi plus browned butter was sublime. Honestly could make a full meal out of these alone. Other dishes we ordered were fine overall, and we enjoyed the pork wontons. Soft, juicy, with just enough heat to match nicely against the sweeter drinks.

Loved this place! We got the cucumbers, Chinese broccoli, enoki bao, wontons, pork ribs, and two drinks. We loved the baos and the wontons but my favorite were the ribs - they fell right the bone. For drinks we had the gorgeous and arrogant and the common trope. Both delicious and the bartender was super nice and attentive. It was a little loud as to be expected at a bar but the music definitely added to the ambiance in a good way. The waiters were great and timed the dishes perfectly. I definitely plan on coming back in the future to try more of the menu!

Very nice ambiance; cozy cocktail bar vibe and amazing dim sum with reasonable prices! We tried 8 out of the 11 dishes on the menu, and everything was flavorful with a nice kick. Our favorites were the Pork Wontons, Pork Ribs, and, the $8 cucumber! For drinks, the Gibson Martini, Boulevardier riff, and Strawberry Margarita stood out. A few cocktails leaned a bit sweeter than our preference, but overall, nothing missed the mark. They have amazing selection of Agave spirits as well. The teas were excellent as well—we had the Honey Orchid Oolong and Plum Beauty Oolong, both unique and special in their own way. Definitely planning to go back soon!

I really wanted to love this place, but I only liked it. If I could give it another half star I would. I was able to get a last-minute reservation on a Thursday night, which was nice. We arrived 30 minutes early for our reservation, and since our table was already available, they were able to seat us right away. The bar was fully packed, and most of the tables were also occupied. The décor and style of the restaurant are very intimate, perfect for a nice date night or a cute girls’ night out. The staff were also very nice. The music was great as well. They played current rnb songs. The drinks were amazing. We got the “Hope I Packed a Parachute,” which had taro foam and was unlike anything I’ve ever had in a cocktail. We also ordered the “Common Trope,” which was light but not too sweet. I’m still thinking about the drinks and would absolutely go back for those. I’d love to try the others on the menu. Now, on to the food. The star of the show was the fish baos. They looked underwhelming but turned out to be delicious, hot, and satisfying. The table next to us ordered them too and agreed. Unfortunately, I can’t say the same about the rest of the menu. We ordered the wontons, cucumbers, lo bak go (daikon cake), braised ribs, and noodles. The wontons were good, but they were over-garnished, which took away from the flavor, and they sat in chili crisp oil that made them a little too oily. I still enjoyed them, but the cucumbers were cut very large and were covered in the same oil, and so were the noodles. You can probably see where I’m going with this: the flavors all started to blend together of chili oil only, yet something still felt like it was missing to make the dishes stand out and be amazing. The soy sauce noodles were more of a fried noodle dish loaded with bok choy. They were fine, but I wished they had a stronger soy sauce flavor. The lo bak go was good, but very fried on the outside. I’m more used to the traditional style where it’s soft throughout. The shiitake mushrooms on top, however, were excellent. I honestly hope they turn those into their own dish. The braised ribs were tender and fell off the bone, but I was concerned when one bite was cold and another was hot. I understand that braised dishes are often prepped ahead and reheated, but I would expect them to be consistently warm when served. We had considered getting dessert, but after feeling disappointed and honestly full, we decided to pass. The table next to us tried the OG Burnt and told us it was more of a mousse than a cheesecake, and too sweet for their liking. It was towards the end of the night and the restaurant was slowly emptying out yet our food took a while to come out. I would assumed the rush left so food would come out faster. Overall, the restaurant is still very new, and with a changing menu, I hope they find their niche in the sea of Cambridge restaurants. I could see myself coming back just for the cocktails and the fish baos, but I’d skip the rest of the menu for now. Hopefully, they’ll add something amazing that makes it worth a return visit. If you’re expecting traditional Chinese food, this isn’t the spot. But if you’re looking for fusion dishes paired with excellent cocktails, it’s worth checking out.

The food was definitely worth it. The braised rib was soft and juicy, meat would fall off the bone. The chicken has the great bite and flavor. The soy sauce noodle was a bit lacking in flavor and a bit too oily. Great vibe with decoration at the bar. However, the drinks here aren’t very good. We got 6 drinks and the taste wasn’t similar to what they describe in the menu. Most of them are 1 or 2 flavors that stands out and overwhelm the rest of the ingredients. I would come back for their food and try a classic drink rather than their cocktail recipe.

Darling is an absolute must-visit! The moment you walk in, the splendid and thoughtful decor sets a fantastic mood. The atmosphere is just as impressive as the drinks, which are truly a work of art. The cocktails are a testament to genuine research and creativity—every flavor is perfectly dosed, making each sip a delight. But it's not just the drinks that shine. The food is equally delicious and surprisingly affordable, offering incredible value for the quality. The service was also amazing—attentive and genuinely friendly. A little heads-up: they ran out of the cheesecake on my visit, so I’ll definitely have to go back! I wouldn't be surprised to see Darling featured in the upcoming Michelin Guide for Boston. This place is a true standout.

I absolutely loved our visit this past weekend! This is a really refined spot with an intimate vibe. It was perfect for a date night. It’s definitely a craft cocktail spot with food, not the other way around. The cocktails were incredible - they had a very inventive drinks menu to choose from, and we also ordered off-menu. They clearly have excellent bartenders here as every drink was fantastic. Food was very good too - the menu was small, but very interesting and reasonably priced. We ordered the Hong Kong shrimp toast, Chinese broccoli and Hong Kong style noodles, and it was enough for both of us to share. Service was very attentive too. We will definitely be back!

4 out of 5 stars. Great drinks at Darling! Based on the variety of cocktails available compared to food, I get the feeling that Darling is more of a cocktail lounge vs a restaurant. I really liked how the drink menu shows how the drink is served and how there is a high level description of what each drink is. I felt the food was a little heavier than I expected and would have loved some lighter options but the bao and wontons were excellent. | also felt the music was a little loud. The service was good, some of the leadership asked about our experience at the end and told us a little bit about Darling's story which was nice to hear.

Miraculous! Absolutely Miraculous! Fantastic drinks and magical dishes. The finest of fine!

Excellent first experience. Tried many dishes all were great. Fish filet bao stood out. Drinks were good - a little shy of great. Probably a 4.5 place. Will definitely return.

I really wanted to love this place, but I only liked it. If I could give it another half star I would. I was able to get a last-minute reservation on a Thursday night, which was nice. We arrived 30 minutes early for our reservation, and since our table was already available, they were able to seat us right away. The bar was fully packed, and most of the tables were also occupied. The décor and style of the restaurant are very intimate, perfect for a nice date night or a cute girls' night out. The staff were also very nice. The music was great as well. They played current rnb songs. The drinks were amazing. We got the "Hope I Packed a Parachute," which had taro foam and was unlike anything I've ever had in a cocktail. We also ordered the "Common Trope," which was light but not too sweet. I'm still thinking about the drinks and would absolutely go back for those. I'd love to try the others on the menu. Now, on to the food. The star of the show was the fish baos. They looked underwhelming but turned out to be delicious, hot, and satisfying. The table next to us ordered them too and agreed. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about the rest of the menu. We ordered the wontons, cucumbers, lo bak go (daikon cake), braised ribs, and noodles. The wontons were good, but they were over-garnished, which took away from the flavor, and they sat in chili crisp oil that made them a little too oily. I still enjoyed them, but the cucumbers were cut very large and were covered in the same oil, and so were the noodles. You can probably see where I'm going with this: the flavors all started to blend together of chili oil only, yet something still felt like it was missing to make the dishes stand out and be amazing. The soy sauce noodles were more of a fried noodle dish loaded with bok choy. They were fine, but I wished they had a stronger soy sauce flavor. The lo bak go was good, but very fried on the outside. I'm more used to the traditional style where it's soft throughout. The shiitake mushrooms on top, however, were excellent. I honestly hope they turn those into their own dish. The braised ribs were tender and fell off the bone, but I was concerned when one bite was cold and another was hot. I understand that braised dishes are often prepped ahead and reheated, but I would expect them to be consistently warm when served. We had considered getting dessert, but after feeling disappointed and honestly full, we decided to pass. The table next to us tried the OG Burnt and told us it was more of a mousse than a cheesecake, and too sweet for their liking. It was towards the end of the night and the restaurant was slowly emptying out yet our food took a while to come out. I would assumed the rush left so food would come out faster. Overall, the restaurant is still very new, and with a changing menu, I hope they find their niche in the sea of Cambridge restaurants. I could see myself coming back just for the cocktails and the fish baos, but I'd skip the rest of the menu for now. Hopefully, they'll add something amazing that makes it worth a return visit. If you're expecting traditional Chinese food, this isn't the spot. But if you're looking for fusion dishes paired with excellent cocktails, it's worth checking out.

My partner and I shared the lovers & strangers drink, Hong Kong shrimp toast, suan la chao shou (pork wontons), crispy fried enoki bao, lo bak go (turnip cake), red-braised pork ribs, filet o fish bao, and soy sauce noodles - TASTE: 5/5 - came in w no expectations and was pleasantly surprised. Highlights included the indulgent HK shrimp toast w bits of pineapple, tasty soy sauce noodles, and nostalgic filet o fish bao TEXTURE: 5/5 - the lo bak go texture was different (softer / mushier?) but an interesting change. The enoki mushroom and fish were both fried nicely PRICE: 4/5 - definitely higher price points for an elevated dim sum menu. Total came to $147 SERVING SIZE: 4/5 - besides the baos, larger portions than expected. Had to take some of the later dishes home SERVICE: 4/5 - made a Resy beforehand and arrived at 5pm on a Sunday: not many parties when we walked in, but the space was bumping by the time we left. Our waiter was super nice and helpful w recommendations, and our dishes came out in pairs over the next hour. Random note: multiple employees called the lo bak go "lobo" -- the abbreviation made us laugh in confusion?? ATMOSPHERE: 5/5 - what a swanky space! Appreciated the (very) dark and moody lighting, elegant decor, good music, and nods to the film In the Mood for Love PARKING: 4/5 - got a street spot close by near the Douglass St x Bishop Allen Dr intersection

My fiancee and I went on their grand opening weekend w a reservation (definitely recommend one anytime soon as it was quite busy when we went on a Sunday evening ~545pm). Atmosphere: It is beautiful inside, very dive bar-y w sparce but tasteful decorations. However I will say the music is far too loud and maybe it was the sound system or the particular songs but periodically over the speakers it just sounded like feedback for like 10 seconds straight? It wasn't easy having a conversation with someone who was literally across a small 2 top table from me. Also it is quite dark in there; I had to angle my menu to the bar lighting or the lighting behind the table to glance at the menu and someone in the table adjacent to us lit up a good portion of our area when he whipped out the flashlight on his phone to illuminate the menu. There's a lot of bar seating and tables but they crammed a lot of 2 top tables into the space, I think it'd be much more comfortable if they removed just 1 table and gave everyone a few inches back (someone's butt will be in your face when they try to shimmy their way out if you're in the booth). Drinks: I got the gorgeous and arrogant (akin to a strawberry margarita) and it was very good, just enough alcohol in it with a clean strawberry taste) and my fiancee got the common trope (milk washed vodka, jasmine, lychee, black rice sake, and cucumber) and it was also very good, clean and cucumber-y refreshment on a hot Summer evening. There were no desserts available yet on the menu but our server recommended the Hong Kong french toast cocktail (cognac, peanut butter, condensed milk, and other stuff) which was very interesting (I often abhor cognac but this just tasted like a slightly alcoholic creamy peanut butter). Food: As an Asian American who grew up in NYC, I had a certain idea of what kind of food there would be here and the lack of menu on any sort of social media wasn't very helpful; all I could see advertised was dim sum with the chef's twist. We got the vegetarian options of the soy sauce noodles (akin to Hong Kong style chow mein but no gravy and very few veggies in it, which was disappointing, 95% noodles and 5% veggies), charred Chinese broccoli (was extremely lemon forward which is not common in Chinese dishes but the sesame seeds were a nice touch), and fried enoki bao (delicious and fried to a great crunch with no greasy aftertaste). The only meat option I got was the filet o fish bao, very gimmicky but I had to try it. Like the fried enoki, the fried fish (cod) was also fried to a great crunch with no greasy aftertaste but if you closed your eyes, it did taste like a filet o fish, though I would've hoped that the chef's would've made some sort of in house cheese sauce instead of the seemingly slice of American cheese that was put in it (both bao orders came with two baos). The food was different but I think if I did come back for any food, I'd probably get two orders each of the baos. Service: We had reservations for 6pm but the host was kind and seated us early ~540pm. Our server was extremely nice but was probably juggling at least 5 different tables so she got around to us when she could but couldn't be found when it was time for the check so when the host was bopping around I asked if he would be able to get us the bill and he said yes. Eventually our server came back and apologized for the wait and comp'd the french toast cocktail which was a nice plus. Won't knock her / my review for the service, I'm sure opening weekend is bananas. Before writing this review, I definitely knew I would be interested in returning for different cocktails but was unsure about whether or not I'd come back strictly for food. However now I find myself longing for both of those baos and would come back for those for sure.

Definitely one of my new fave spots! Everything was on point- the ambiance, music, food, & drinks. I got the "hope you packed a parachute" and "French toast" drinks, and both were unique and delicious! The parachute had taro in it and you could really taste it, which I loved. The French toast was sweet but also had an interesting after taste. For food we got the soy sauce noodles and pork wontons, devoured em! I plan to go back to try more of their menu. Such a gem of a spot!

I was pretty excited about darling - love dim sum! I saw another review say this was more cocktail bar than dim sum and I'd agree. The cocktails were really good! There were a few dim sum dishes that were very good (the ribs, the shrimp toast, the noodles) and then some that were good but not great. This would be a great place to come have cocktails and snacks! What they did well was good enough that I'll keep my eye on them!

Lovely and classy, an absolutely "darling" of a place. We came late so we only got to try the drinks. Loved the intimate interior and the sassy drink names. Bartenders were very experienced and our drinks were phenomenal. Highly rec the gorgeous and arrogant and the common trope. 10/10!!!

I grabbed a drink here and really liked it! The spaces is very small so they don't have standing area or even walk up seats at the bar. I waited 45 min on a waitlist to get 3 bar seats but it was worth it! The drinks are so cute and thoughtfully crafted. I got the lychee drink and really liked it. Such a bonus that this is on inKind for dining rewards

came to Darling while traveling from LA. this dinner was a big highlight of our trip. from the attentive staff, to the cool vibe, to the insanely delicious food...everything was the best. this was one of the best meals i've ever had. big thanks to Chen for taking great care of us!

4 out of 5 stars. Great drinks at Darling! Based on the variety of cocktails available compared to food, I get the feeling that Darling is more of a cocktail lounge vs a restaurant. I really liked how the drink menu shows how the drink is served and how there is a high level description of what each drink is. I felt the food was a little heavier than I expected and would have loved some lighter options but the bao and wontons were excellent. I also felt the music was a little loud. The service was good, some of the leadership asked about our experience at the end and told us a little bit about Darling's story which was nice to hear.

Loved the vibe here. Service is amazing and quick. Drinks are delicious. Still dreaming about the ribs!

This is the old Mary Chungs location ... the space has been really turned around. Great drinks, dim sum and awesome service.

Decor and cocktail list makes for a nice fun night out catching up with friends. Expect to shout over the loud music. We tried everything on the menu (only appetizers portions) except for the cheesecake. I liked that they accommodated my request to make my mocktail temperature hot and I liked the wontons and ribs. My friends like the buns. I did not like the shrimp toast (no taste of shrimp, oily, fried), did not like the buns (too much aioli and oily and fried).

Altamash and Michael were the absolute best. This is the epitome of hospitality. Creating an experience you cannot recreate at home, but so much of the it is the ambiance the staff are responsible for . Love love love.

Darling nails the trickiest thing to get right in a high concept bar: having terrific food AND ambitious cocktails ... and having them complement each other in a space that matches their vibe. It's a fully realized experience that shows that the team really thought through how to honor the location's culinary history (the dishes we ordered could have been made by my mother ....well, IF she was inspired by "The Bear" and modernized our family's Chinese classics, hahaha) while creating a menu of gorgeous cocktails that really work with the food, and then delivering them in a sleek yet urban environment. They preserved a really cool mural on a brick wall that they discovered when renovating - a nice touch that's right on point with the theme of the bar. Highly recommend the baos (the enoki mushroom in particular), the stir fried wheat noodles and the charred Chinese broccoli. The cocktail menu is expected to change frequently (yikes!) but the Revolver spin was luxurious and rich and the sherry/vermouth martini is a must if you're looking for something savory and bracing. The Old Fashioned variation on the menu was too syrupy (so much so that we weren't sure it was made to spec?) but when we ordered a classic Old Fashioned it was perfectly rendered. Like any brand new spot there were a few minor hiccups in service (the place was slammed by 6 pm on Sunday) but the friendly staff really hustled to make up for them - we didn't even complain but the manager proactively came over to apologize for one dish coming out late which he comped. With multiple servers working as a coordinated team it's clear that Darling is aiming for a high level of service - and judging by how much they've already accomplished it should be just a matter of time before they get there.

Upon arrival at opening, the host seated us directly next to another table of two. The tables were so close that we felt we were eating with them! They only gave us one menu for two people. They did this for everyone because the table next to us asked for a second as well. The food and drink were not great either. The noodles had no taste, the shrimp toast was soaked in oil, the cucumbers needed seasoning, the fish bao was cooked well but boring. The Common Trope (a lychee martini) tasted like bad pickle juice. Also, the menu was heavily focused on pork, offering no chicken or beef options for those wanting more protein in their meal. The restaurant finally started to fill up after about an hour, and when it did, it was very loud. I'll say that our server was very nice and attentive. The broccoli stood out over the other items.

Bartender was not very forthcoming. I requested a milk punch. She said they were sold out, so it was no longer on the menu. A few minutes later she changed her mind and took some out of the fridge and poured one for me. So they had some but she was saving it for the "cool" customers, or something. I asked her about the ingredients but she seemed very evasive and vague about it. I then asked about a vodka drink that was listed as milk-washed on the menu and whether it was a milk punch. She said that it was not clarified. Later on she said that it was clarified. I asked her to make me one. She didn't make it. After a while I asked her about whether she was making it. She said she was waiting for me to finish my first drink (which I was not finishing because I wasn't too keen about the taro flavor.) After a while I asked her to change my order to the Sweep the Leg drink (which I enjoyed). I asked her what vermouth they used for that. She apparently didn't know so she made up an answer which I later found out was not accurate. Food wise, I felt the dumplings should have been more al dente, and the shrimp toast was not at all crispy like your traditional deep fried shrimp toast (and had minimal shrimp). Neither dish met my expectations, at least in their current incarnation, and I would not order them again. Ymmv.