Judy's Bay

We came to Judy’s Bay as an extremely large group, so the experience was a whirlwind of laughter, shared dishes, and catching up with friends—but even in the chaos, the food managed to stand out. Everything I was able to try was absolutely delicious, and I’m already planning a return trip just to give the menu the full attention it deserves. Major props to the servers for their patience and professionalism—they handled our crowd like pros. Looking forward to coming back and savoring more!

Love this place - such a great spot for a romantic date or to catch up with a few friends. Small and super cozy inside! Dishes are a combination of inventive fusion and wonderful traditional approaches (they make their own furikake and many other elements in-house!). Portions are more tapas style and shareable and their fish quality is always amazing. A neighborhood treasure!

Dining space is good . Wish there was more natural light. Appetizer menu was limited( cold salad , pickled plum) seaweed ) . Not quite authentic menu for 居酒屋。but tasty food . I was disappointed. to me. They cancelled menu for ( happy hours 5-6 pm). Considering small portion, it seems to be pricy .

Delectable, fresh take on Japanese food in a cozy intimate setting. Our drinks were lovely, and both the menu staples and specials were delicious. We particularly enjoyed the lobster roe pasta and skate wing. We will surely be coming back for a future date night!

Been a few times and always a lovely meal at this warm, neighborhood gem. Staff are always friendly and helpful with decisions. Best approach is to do family style and taste many different things. I like that there are always new things to try and some reliable dishes to return to again. Sake flights are a great option to explore delicious options.

We were seated and ordering before the restaurant told us that half the menu was out of stock. The lobster roe pasta and black sesame dessert also didn’t live up to the hype. Overall, had an average experience here, but bumping it up a star because their baby cauliflower was actually a pleasant surprise

As a life ling Bostonian, I never imagined I'd discover a restaurant where the food + ambiance + service would be this superior. This place deserves 10 stars ⭐️. We discovered it by accident, and I'm grateful for that. The lobster pasta is unlike anything I've ever tasted, and I've gone on pasta tours in Italy. I will be back and this will be my new meet up for all occasions. To the team at Judy's Bay, thanks for this unforgettable experience. -Sal

Judy’s Bay is amazing! Was able to walk in over the summer with a friend visiting from NYC and it single-handedly convinced her the Boston food scene is something to be reckoned with. Super fresh seafood with really inventive preparation I haven’t seen elsewhere. Still thinking about the ridiculously juicy and tender sake soy chicken legs and the plump, buttery gochujang Maine mussels and hope the smoked trout dip with briney pickled onions and feathery wonton chips makes a reappearance on the menu. Looking forward to coming back!

I decided to try out Judy's Bay after my husband received a gift card to this restaurant. The person who sent the gift card had never been either but had heard rave reviews about the restaurant. After trying it out I wholeheartedly can say that Judy's Bay is a hidden gem. It is on the pricier side, but I think it's well worth it for special occasions. I have come back for various birthday dinners and once even for a special fixed menu valentines dinner. I believe you can also specially request to be seated at a table by a woodburning fireplace that is kept going through the cold months. I would strongly suggest making a reservation as the interior is relatively small and from my experience there are likely only one or two servers during service. With that being said, you can tell that this is a locally owned restaurant. The service has always been exceptional and the cocktails and food are insanely good. The ingredients are high quality and each dish is crafted with care and attention to detail. My go-to cocktails are the matcha fizz and yuzu spritz. Very tasty drinks that are well-balanced. As for food, the ribs and the seafood pasta are part of our usual order. The menu selection does change a bit seasonally so it's always fun to see what has changed over time. Overall, if you're looking for a new cozy restaurant to try out, run don't walk to Judy's Bay.

We had meant to come here for years, and a birthday gave us an occasion to actually do it. We were surprised, upon entering, how noisy it was (they could make it quieter with padded tables and table cloths rather than the plain hard wood tables). Another surprise was how Japanese it felt -- the descriptions had indicated "Pan-Asian", but it definitely felt Japanese. The music was not traditional Asian, which we would have preferred over the pop muzak. The wait staff were very helpful and accommodated our food allergies (MSG and raw onions) thoroughly, telling us what we could safely order. While the menu was small, and less seafood-oriented than we expected, there were still several quite a few things we could order. We had a huge sesame salad that was very fresh, with especially tasted crispy noodles. The tuna sushi was delicious, and the pork dumplings were especially good. The swordfish was sliced a bit thin, but tasted great. My negroni with cherry syrup was satisfying. For dessert we shared a tapioca with strawberries and a cheesecake, and found that they weren't too sweet, which was good. The service was excellent throughout, prompt without feeling rushed. We would definitely return.

First, let me give credit where due to my husband who always seems to find some real great gems. It's no wonder I married him and consider him my partner in foodie fun (I'm just the one who writes all the reviews and takes the pictures). Judy's Bay was excellent. Alright, the details. I had to really control not ordering EVERYTHING on the menu because it all sounded so good. My husband picked this spot to celebrate my birthday and he really hit it on point with things that I would enjoy. Oden was on special and very welcomed as it's winter in New England. We loved that they make their own seafood based balls/cakes and the broth in house. So many different types of seafood all freshly made. We also enjoyed Sake flights, which my husband said was his favorite Sake he's ever had. The Monkfish Katsu bites were plentiful and flavorful, with the perfect sauce pairing of yuzu kosho tartar sauce. As avid mushroom fans, we said yeah sure let's get the Oyster Mushroom appetizer. The way we devoured them so fast and even wondered how the baby cauliflower included with the dish was also so good. We still think about the char on those mushrooms. The dish that has made me pull out my phone to show everybody is the Lobster Roe Pasta. WOW. They really did it right. While we treated ourselves by adding fresh crab meat to it (and they were VERY generous in the portion), we know when we come back the Lobster Roe Pasta does well on its own. The flavors were savory and melted in our mouth. We kept saying "wow this is divine" out loud. We actually kept eyeing the table next to us who had the fresh crab fried rice and now we know to get that next time too. My husband LOVES anything with black sesame so he already admitted he was leaning to Judy's Bay for our date night options because of the ice cream sundae with black sesame option. I loved it too and especially due to the fresh in-house mochi and matcha crumble. It's clear Judy's Bay puts in a lot of love and effort to make it fresh and quality ingredients. That's what we like. We'll be back soon and spreading the word!

Food was alright. We ordered 3 dishes shared between two and thought it was a good amount. We got the monkfish Katsu, mussels, and the pork shoulder. All were fine taste wise. The monkfish katsu was crispy but no unique flavors with the way it was served. The gochujang mussels were disappointing in my opinion since I expected more flavor- it was very one note. And lastly the pork shoulder was also only fine as well- the pork was tender but didn't taste very marinated outside of the sauce it was cooked in. Overall, food was cooked well but lacked depth in flavor. I think this place has a wide selection of drinks that make it a fun bar spot to try but wouldn't come here for just food. Service was a little slow but wasn't anything of an issue. For drinks, I got the sake flight and I enjoyed being able to try out different sakes without commuting to a bottle so that would be something that will make me return here.

The food was great. I especially loved the spicy squid salad appetizer; the lemon citrus flavor was a really good match for the salad. I had the lobster pasta with uni for my entree, which was good, but nothing mind-blowing. Since I'm not a big seafood fan, it was just okay for me, but my boyfriend loved the mussels. I really liked the sauce. The seating was really cozy, and with our group of six, the owner was very nice and attentive.

Mussels 3/5 Tartare 3/5 Skate 3.9/5 Lobster roe pasta 2/5 Black sesame icecream 2/5 Overall, mid unfortunately. Made a reservation but got seated in a bar like setting, which is fine! Still felt private Mussels with gochujang tastes exactly like the description. Did not wow me Skate - I have never had before but it tastes just like a white fish. Tuna tartare - generous with the amount of tartare but it felt like pretty one note to me after a while. Lobster roe pasta - way too creamy for my personal taste Black sesame icecream - was thick , not as nutty as I would have wanted the black sesame to taste and also a small scoop.

We had a reservation for Thursday evening and the restaurant got quite full throughout the night. We ordered a variety of plates to share among three people. The dishes all felt well portioned - large enough to share but small enough that we could order multiple things. The decor inside is cute, and they even have a small booth with a fireplace by the window. What we ordered: Lobster roe pasta - one of the favorites of the night. Not as saucy as we were expecting but well executed. Sake chicken wings - juicy and flavorful Oyster mushrooms - delicious, get this dish! Ribs - tender fall off the bone with a similar flavor to charsiu Baby cauliflower - good but the sesame sauce was a bit overpowering Pork shoulder - tender pork chunks with well seasoned cabbage Black sesame ice cream sundae - wish this had a bit more black sesame flavor Yuzu cheesecake - indulgent, creamy texture with an interesting twist from the yuzu

This place is so cute and cozy inside! Definitely make a reservation since it's so small. The lobster roe pasta is a must-try!!

What a wonderful and cozy find. The first thing we noticed was a real fireplace and lovely decorations. Great vibes. Service was warm, friendly, and inviting. We ordered a variety of dishes, each was delicious and well executed. The flavors are Japanese and Korean, and kept fairly simple without over elevating. Cocktails were pretty nice too. Pricing felt on point and I'd be delighted to come back anytime.

I was intrigued by the concept of a "New England izakaya," and Judy's Bay mostly pulls it off! * Pork belly: I liked the smoky flavor, but the pork was a little tougher than I'd like * Monkfish katsu: GET THIS. I thought I didn't like monkfish until I had this. Very tender, not rubbery like I've had it before * Uni potatoes: the uni was good but the potatoes were disappointingly plain/bland

I don't envy the job of a place that serves raw fish. I (naively) imagine it's a very hard thing to set up storage, processing, etc. But also if you're going to charge me $40 per square inch, you're gonna have to make it worthwhile. Judy's Bay...doesn't. The place is nice and cute - very "cozy" in the Cambridge real estate sense (see: small). Coming here for some of their interesting sakes would be nice, for sure. But their menu is kind of confusing. Eye-watering prices on fish, assorted vegetables and...pasta? Like not even a Japanese twist, straight up creamy pasta with lobster...juice? Btw - skip that pasta - you can simulate the experience by making some macaroni and eating an entire stick of butter. Service-wise, our server seemed shocked to be there and very eager to go home. I felt bad asking her questions about the dishes because she honestly had no idea and was very sorry about it. A lot of the dishes had this "add crab" option. Like - if the dish is supposed to have crab, include the crab. I'm not shredding $20 on top of my pasta because "it might be nice".

1. Broccolini 2. Squid salad 3. Lobster roe pasta 4. Uni handroll 5. Scallops 6. Porkbelly and cabbage Described as a "New England izakaya" and thought all the food was p good- maybe lacking in salt sometimes but the common theme is fresh and quality ingredients. Wouldn't say it's izakaya food or gives off those vibes, just very comfy and cozy + almost family style portions. Lobster add on feels pretty worth for the amount of lobster meat u get (if you've been scammed before raise ur hand ) . Bluefish pate (not pictured) AMAZing. Broccolini was fire (I'm a huge sucker for a sesame sauce and it also included crispy shallots omgggg)

Tried Judy's Bay for a birthday dinner. The space is a small, quaint restaurant suited for couples and small groups. It's the type of place that is probably warm and cozy in the winter. Food came out freshly prepared. Our top dishes were the pork shoulder and lobster roe pasta. Pork dish had various textures (crispy and tender pieces). Lobster roe was satisfying but heavy (we split it among 3 people and thought it was the perfect amount).

A cozy & unassuming spot, in the middle of nowhere-ish, with Izakaya vibes and yummy Japanese dishes. Seafood options change daily depending on the ingredients available! Start with the temaki - if they have scallops, choose that. Super plump and sweet The rice is seasoned well and perfectly fluffy too. Kinda wish we got two each. The sushi bowl is excellent too. More scallops, very good uni, and fat lobster meat! Rly the rice makes it even better We we're so impressed by the specials so the lobster pasta was meh. It has a cream base so gets kinda heavy, would like it more if it had a spicy kick. Don't skip out on dessert! The sundae comes in classic Asian flavors: matcha, red bean, and black sesame. We LOVED how creamy and delicate this tasted. Not super sweet so even better. Housemate mochi was kinda hard tho. scallop temaki $9* shellfish trio sushi bowl $58* lobster roe pasta $28 black sesame ice cream sundae $14* pear sorbet $7 올해 먹은 관자중에 베스트!! 완전 통통하고 달고 감칠맛 난다. 두개 시킬걸 샤리가 맛있어서 그런지 테마키도 맛나구 스시볼도 굳. 재료 여부에 따라서 해산물 디쉬는 맨날 바뀌는것 같은데 관자 있으면 꼭 먹기!!! 추천 받아서 시킨 랍스터 파스타는 비추. 너어무 느끼함. 약간 매콤했으면 괜찮을텐데 음... 마무리 디저트는 흑임자 선데이 추천! 너무 달지 않고 고소하다.

Pleasantly surprised by this one. Their negitoro bowl was tastefully done. Will have to go back to try their lobster roe pasta! Seems like an interesting twist on mentaiko.

Great and creative food options which were fresh, tasty, and well presented. Crab bowl sushi was delicious and fun to roll at the table. Pork belly tuna was unique and also flavorful.

This place is small and amazing! The owners are really nice, funny, and genuine people! I didn't know much about sake so the flights are pretty cool. All the dishes are fresh and unique. To eat here you must be decently adventurous especially with seafood.

We snagged a spur-of-the-moment 5pm reservation at Judy's Bay a few weekends ago. It's a small restaurant with limited seating. We tried a variety of items, but I was pretty disappointed by most of what we tried. The one dish I really liked - Negitoro rice ($42) - Just a perfect bite of negitoro, rice, seaweed, wasabi, and soy sauce. But it's also extremely expensive, and you can get something just as good for much cheaper at Tora Sushi. Would not get again - Tsukemono pickles ($4) - just some slices of carrot and daikon in a sour and sweet pickling juice. This feels like it should be a free item... - Spicy squid salad ($17) - Given the price, I was expecting it to be more squid than salad, but it was mostly greens with some squid thrown in. The marinade was sour and sweet and not particularly good. The dish didn't showcase the squid in any way. - Ume sour ($16) - This drink was fine, nothing special. Interestingly thick. - Lobster roe pasta ($28) - This pasta was extremely creamy and lacking in seafood flaor. It's far inferior to a mentaiko pasta. The noodles are standard thin rice noodles. It's quite expensive for what it is. - Seared scallops ($22) - They managed to overcook the outside but not the inside. The texture of the outside was a bit off-putting because it was a bit hard? And not in a crispy way. - Pork dumplings ($15) - Pretty bland and uninspiring. In summary, the only dish that I liked at Judy's Bay was the dish that was basically just the raw ingredients. I understand and appreciate that the seafood prices are high because everything's locally sourced, but I wasn't really impressed by what they did with the seafood. Overall it's a cute place with good service but I wouldn't come back.

It's so cute inside. The pasta was good and they have yummy rice. Loved the miso soup too. Service was quick and kind!

I would go back for the drinks. I'd have to be super drunk to order the food again though. Overpriced "tapas" style. The spicy squid salad was pretty good.

Located at the former Bondir space directly across from the Lamplighter Brewery, Judy's Bay is a New England-inspired izakaya centered around local seafood with their own twist. Upon entry, you'll be greeted with a coziness with various warming hues of red, wood, forest green, and black contrasted with egg-shell white on the upper walls. Came here on a Friday night early on with a reservation and within a half hour, it started to get packed. They had their main menu and a special menu, the latter of which we ordered off the most from. The seaweed salad description was a kinda funny and had a nice vinegary tartness to summon up your appetite (if you didn't have one at the time). Not often that we come across uni from the shores of Massachusetts but would have to say that it was bright, clean, creamy, and sweet, and so much so that we topped it on New Brunswick salmon sashimi, which was nicely thick, soft, and lengthy. If you want something that's melt in your mouth sweet and salty, order the roasted salmon belly and you won't regret it. I could've easily - easily! - ordered three more! The shellfish trio was a dish to behold since it was a small bowl packed with uni, scallops, lobster meat, sushi rice, and edible flowers with sheets of nori standing at the rim, waiting to be plucked. We knew we were making our own handrolls and to be as creative as we could be. Everything for this creation worked very well. The lobster roe pasta must be eaten with an extra order of lobster meat to obtain fulfillment and satisfaction -- creamy from the roe, good bite from the pasta, and the sweet salinity from the extra lobster. Something almost unnoticeable was the basket under the table used for the menus. The staff were very attentive and kept checking on us every so often. In a separate reservation request with a $300 minimum, you and your guests get a chance to sit at the table next to the fireplace which the staff periodically stokes and adds firewood (can be soothing on a colder winter night). Parking is street; otherwise, Uber it.

Such a cute little place! Came here with a party of 2 on a Saturday evening. Place was packed so be sure to make a reservation! Staff were so friendly and also explained the menu a bit We were intrigued by their Japanese and Korean fusion-esque dishes and so wanted to try it out. We started off with two of their sake flights - the Classic and the Variety. The staff member for our table was very helpful is giving us brief descriptions of them. Love the opportunity to try new sakes! Their dishes were great!! (apologies for the terrible photos - it was a bit dim in there). We got their pork dumplings, pork belly, and Maine mussels. Overall, all the dishes were on the very salty side which I expect of Japanese cuisine but it was quite a bit salty. Other than that, the dishes were all delicious. The gochujang butter was to die for - what a combo! Salty savory richness paired with mussels - amazing!! I would definitely recommend this place for those wanting to try interesting dishes!

We had a group of 6 come in for dinner on a weekday. We had reservations and were immediately seated, and I think generally wait times weren't that long - turnover was pretty quick. But at times there was a bit of a queue (maybe one or two tables) so probably still best to make a reservation. Between the 6 of us we must have tried half the menu haha. Too many to describe individually, I think, so I'll just cover some of the highlights. My favourite things we ordered were the lobster roe pasta, monkfish katsu, and the pork belly. The lobster roe pasta was very delicious, with well cooked, and I loved the creamy sauce. The pork belly was juicy and tender and the accompanying veggies were also surprisingly flavourful (and thankfully not over cooked). Monkfish katsu was the perfect combo of crispy outside and soft inside, and the yuzu tartar sauce was so yummy. What should we have avoided? The spicy squid salad was a bit of a miss (squid decent but greens rather tasteless). The miso ribs were fragrant, but the meat was really chewy (in a bad way) and overall not a great choice. The dumplings were decent but (as I'll get to shortly) ridiculously overpriced for the quantity and quality. For desserts we had the strawberry tapioca (which has long been recommended to me) and the matcha ice cream sundae. Both were OKish. The strawberry tapioca was a bit bland and felt soggy at times. The matcha sundae was good, but I think that about everything matcha, and ultimately not worth $14 I'm afraid. Overall, indeed, I'm not sure I'm very keen on returning, mostly because of how crazy pricey everything was. Even the best options I didn't think were worth the 20, 30 dollar price point, and things like the hand rolls, easily around 10 dollars apiece, were definitely not worthwhile; not to mention the more disappointing options like ribs and the beef stir-fry. Good experience to have tried once. I liked the interior and atmosphere, and the service was great. But ultimately I think the quality and quantity of the food is simply not commensurate with how much they are charging, so I do not envision a future visit.

The food was delicious but the staff made my wife and I extremely unwelcome. We were not greeted upon arrival, the servers did not speak to us when delivering food or removing plates. The hostess/waittress was passive aggressive and annoyed with us grabbing menus aggressively and dropping chopsticks and napkins with intensity. We were also served so quickly and given a check 30 minutes into eating (with many plates on the table) when we had a 90 minute reservation. Unfortunately, this is the usual as a queer black masculine person with my wife. I'd appreciate it if folks make their racism and homophobia public rather than ruining date nights.

Located in a calmer part of Cambridge, Judy's Bay is a small restaurant with a clean interior. The menu here is concentrated and they have daily specials, and I'd say it's fairly priced for high quality seafood. The service was efficient and friendly. I ordered their Matcha Fizz and it tasted like JUICE. went down so easy. The table started off with the oyster mushrooms. It was buttery and it reminded me of chadolbaegi because the mushroom tasted meaty and seasoned lightly. Then, we got the maine mussels that is coated in gochujang butter. I have never seen this on a menu in Boston before and we loved how seasoned this was. The monkfish katsu was light and crispy and this is what people NEED to order. The yuzu sauce was delectable. The lobster roe pasta was more rooted in Asian flavors than a traditional Italian or american-style pasta, but I loved it. If you want to try a new style of pasta, I recommend getting this. Finally, DO NOT SKIP ON THE DESSERTS!!! We got the kinako mochi, homemade by the way, and the black sesame ice cream sundae. Instagram and Tiktok: @elli.eats.everywhere

Cozy neighborhood izakaya-style restaurant! I loved the moody ambiance and romantic vibes. We managed to snag a last minute reservation on a Friday night and we were asked to limit our dining time to less than 2 hrs before being seated. Our server recommended 2 starters, 2 proteins, and 2 carbs as a starting point for our group of 4. We ordered the lobster roe pasta, oyster mushrooms, scallops, miso ribs, pickled veggies, and chicken skin (on the specials menu). The food was fantastic! Everything tasted very fresh and we could tell that it was prepared and plated with care. I enjoyed the lobster roe pasta (reminiscent of an elevated mac and cheese) and the oyster mushrooms (lovely smoky flavor). However, many of the dishes were quite small, especially the seared scallops which was 4 half scallops. We ended up ordering sushi bites to supplement. Service is very friendly and our food/drinks were brought out quickly. Unfortunately, there were limited vegetarian entrees - most of the vegetarian options were appetizers or small sides.

Came with a large party and tried over ten dishes. Highlight was the lobster pasta: creamy and delicious. Other dishes were solid or okay, although for the price I would have hoped for more than that. Atmosphere was fun and service was solid. The only do not orders would be the pickles: ($4 for a couple of bites of lightly seasoned carrots and cucumbers) and squid salad (dressing had too much vinegar and did not meld well).

Judy's Bay is one my new favorite restaurant and here is why: It's a small with a very cozy ambient. The menu is heavy with seafood, Japanese inspired, and has a extensive Sake and alcohol list. The ribs is still one of the most popular things on the menu. Here is what I got today and what I thought of it. Fried Smelts - it comes as 5 small fish and was very tasty. It almost eat like a good potato wedges but tastier and not fishy at all. Miso Pork Belly - There are slice pork belly that sat on a bed of cabbage. It's very savor and the cabbage is a good palate cleanser to the salt & fat. Seared Scallops - Perfectly seared scallops sitting on a bed on soy sauce. It was so good and salty. Mussels - It came out as it was steam perfectly with a red sauce on the bottom. The sauce was savory and slightly spicey. I wish I asked the waiter what the sauce was made out of because it was goooodddd. I couldn't made out what it was entirely. Scallop Tamaki Sushi - The Tamaki sushi is one of my favorite things in this resturant and not what you expect. It was nice slices of scallops sitting on a small bed of rice that was sitting on a sheet of nori. The point is for you to pick it up with your hands to eat it. Here is what I recommend if you are coming here for the first time: 1.The food are generally smaller bites, for you to share, and having drinks for. I would say it's best to plan for that. 2. It gets busy during the weekend so try to make a reservation. If you want a really nice seat, I recommend making reservation for the fire place seating that comes with chef choice of what to eat (I think it's fixed priced per person if you choice this option). Here is my thoughts on other things I got especially if it's on the menu: Lobster Roe Pasta is still one of my favorite things on the menu. It's a thicker sauce made out of roe and you could typically add crab or/and uni. It's meant for seafood lovers but it's not what you think of your typically spaghetti and meatballs. The fried is pretty good but I generally perfer the pasta more. Miso soup is a great starter to your meal. Sometimes, they also has whole fishes. I would ask the waiter if there is any whole fishes if you are craving that. Please enjoy.

Fantastic meal here tonight with my wife for our anniversary! The service was friendly, food was delicious and unique and drinks were on point. Space is cozy and just the right level of bustling. Prices were on point for quality and style, not sure what others are complaining about there

This is a really nice izakaya in Cambridge. I didn't know about this place until a friend let me know about this place it's a unique Japanese/Korean/Chinese fusion izakaya place. The inside is a small but nicely decorated restaurant. My friend got the matcha cocktail and I got the yuzu cocktail, they were both really good. I especially like the matcha one, I've never had a matcha cocktail before and it was very unique and tasted really good. You can never go wrong with yuzu cocktails, I would recommend if you like yuzu flavored cocktails, slight sweet citrus and refreshing. All the food we ordered was really good. I especially liked the pork ribs, chicken fried rice, mushrooms, and pork belly. I loved everything we tried, the cabbage salad was really refreshing as well, simple but very flavorful and delicious. The chicken in the fried rice was really good as well. I would recommend every dish that I tried here at Judy's bay. They have other shellfish food options as well! I am sure they all taste great :) I would come back here again for sure!

Got reservations here weeks in advance because of all the great reviews and they did not disappoint! The service is super friendly and helpful. Everything we ordered was so delicious. I especially liked the oyster mushrooms and lobster fried rice! The food is pricey because it's tapas, but it's so delicious.

Both the space and the food are great at this upscale izakaya, but on my first visit I couldn't help but feel it suffered in comparison to Bondir. To be fair, those are some big shoes to fill. And they've done a legitimately nice job with the space that fits the new concept. Maybe the bigger issue here is that the upscale izakaya concept doesn't work for me as well as it might, I want that sort of food when more I'm in the mood for cheap chicken skewers and draft beer. Might prefer some larger main-course options to go with the cocktails and sake. (Maybe I missed some, as far as I recall the focus was really on the small plates.) That said, the food was delicious, and the seafood dishes especially were extremely tasty. Scallops were by far the winner for us, enough so that we ordered seconds. Really perfectly cooked and seasoned.

This place is right across the street from Lamplighter Brewery and still seems pretty new. The inside is cozy and has several tables and a bar area. The food was overall delicious and draws inspiration from various cultures and ethnicities, and has an izakaya vibe! We got the Yamitsuki Cabbage and Oyster Mushrooms to start. My favorite of the two were the oyster mushrooms because they were fleshy and had a nice smoky taste - mushrooms truly are the meat of the veggie/fungi world. The yamitsuki cabbage reminded me of Gyu Kaku's addicting cabbage, which I also love! For entrees we got the miso ribs, fried rice with chicken and onsen egg, and miso pork belly. They all were delicious but the chicken in the fried rice stole the show for me. It was soft and melted right in your mouth, perfect consistency and wasn't dry at all. For drinks I got a matcha fizz and my friend got a yuzu spritz. Both were great! I would definitely come back here. One thing to note is that the front door is a little heavy.

Made a reservation on Yelp to go to Judy's Bay for dinner on a Friday night. One odd thing was they didn't have a phone number, so I couldn't call to let them know we were running late. It's a quaint space across from Lamplighter that probably seats ~30. Really loved the overall ambiance -- a great spot for everything from a casual meal with friends to a date! Favorite dish was probably the lobster roe pasta -- it had a creamy, almost mac & cheese-like taste with a hit of acidity from the lemon and al dente noodles. Only thing that was a miss for us was the miso ribs, which were a bit tough and too salty for our liking (not the fall-off-the-bones experience I look for with ribs) Food: 1. Lobster roe pasta (4/5) 2. Miso ribs (3/5) 3. Oyster mushrooms (4/5) Dessert: 1. Black sesame ice cream sundae with handmade mochi and azuki red bean (3/5)

Really charmed by Judy's and eager to return. The decor feels like home with plants all over, sweet touches of rabbit figurines in dishes and towels on doors, baskets to carefully place purses and accessories. The food is thoughtfully assembled bursting with flavor and light to the palette allowing for a satisfying meal in all regards. We started with a Matcha Fizz which was impressively refreshing, and a warmed Yuho sake which made the evening cozy. The flavor of the Yuho sang from the amazing cup it was served from. Thoughtful hearth dishes accompany your meal and small saucers with adorable critters join to generate smiles and space for resting chopsticks and placing sauces. The oyster mushrooms are savory and bursting with the umami you'd expect from such a dish, the tuna tataki special of the evening served an unexpected spice but was balanced. The scallop uni sushi bite was more scallop than uni for my taste but still very impressive with a complex stacking this bite deserves a few moments for ingesting, digesting, and experiencing. The sesame salad is so full of crunchy joy it's the perfect pair to the seafood partners. For dessert we tried the mochi and tapioca pudding. I was surprised by the mochi delivering a much less bouncy texture than expected but a wonderful flavor that really tasted like homemade in the best way. The tapioca pudding was a true delight with a berry undertone, fantastic texture and delicate berry topping. Looking forward to my return visit and grateful to stumble upon Judy's

Judy's Bay is one of my reliable go-to restaurants throughout the greater Boston area (and I'm picky). My re-orders almost every time are the lobster roe pasta, the negitoro bowl when they have it, and the sesame cabbage. The lobster roe pasta is the best, most seafoody, creamy, noodles you could ever want. I often bully my table into ordering at least 2 bowls. Also, the place is so small and adorable and the staff is lovely.

I tried this restaurant today and loved it. The fish and octopus were super fresh so I highly recommend trying anything with seafood in it. We also had a mushroom tofu dish, a couple of salads, and the strawberry tapioca dish and everything was so flavorful. A plus is the space which was really pretty and in such a nice location. I am glad to have discovered this gem of a restaurant and am definitely coming back!

It's been on my list to try and glad we tried it. The service is great. It seemed like a close staff and it is run by a husband and wife. It's a small restaurant in a nondescript brick building. I wouldn't have known a restaurant was there, luckily I was looking for it. On to the food, I'll start with the good. The monk fish katsu were cooked perfectly accompanied by a nice dipping sauce. The spare ribs reminded me of something I'd get at my aunts house. It was an Asian style that was a little sweet, not as sweet as Chinese take out spare ribs but sweeter than an American BBQ dry rub rib. The only dish I wouldn't revisit is the calamari salad. The texture wasn't appetizing and didn't have a ton of flavor. Now onto the order again and multiples please! The cauliflower with sesame was delicious. Wifey has been trying to replicate it at home (not yet successful so we are gonna have to come again). The lobster roe pasta was creamy and rich, and had chunks of lobster. The scallops were seared perfectly, but difficult to split between three people, we should've ordered two. The best dish was the sushi bowl. They unfortunately ran out of uni but we still got it anyway, and thoroughly enjoyed it. You basically make your own hand rolls from the bowl, which seems to be getting more popular lately.

Cozy and intimate spot in the heart of Cambridge. I recommend making a reservation since the place has only a few tables with some counter seating. Although the menu is small, every dish was cooked to perfection. Here's my review on what I ordered, listed from most favorite to least favorite: Miso Ribs ($18) This is a must-get from their specials menu! The ribs were so tender that the meat literally fell off the bones. What sets these ribs apart from any other ribs I've had is the miso glaze on top. The miso glaze had such incredible umami that it elevated the ribs to a whole other level! Absolutely delicious! Oyster Mushrooms ($16) This was a simple vegetarian dish with oyster mushrooms and caulilini, but it was so flavorful. The marinade on the mushrooms was superb and the char gave the mushrooms a nice smoky flavor. The caulilini balanced the dish out with its crunchy texture. Sake Flight - Variety ($21) Good selection of sweet, classic, and dry sake to pair with the dishes. Lobster Roe Pasta ($26) Solid pasta dish with the butter cream sauce and bits of salmon throughout. It was good, but compared to the other dishes, the flavors didn't stand out as much, even with the lobster roe on top.

Judy's Bay earned my Japanese boyfriend's stamp of approval. We ordered the cabbage (the only underwhelming choice of the night), scallop sushi bites, uni squid pasta, and pork belly with a side of rice. My favorite was the pork belly! The scallops were super fresh, as was the squid in the pasta. You can't go without eating the dessert as well -- the tapioca pudding was a nice refreshing end to the meal. We also ordered a Yuzu Spritz cocktail which was a great pairing with the lighter dishes we ordered. The service was great and experience was unique. Definitely coming back here again!

I was excited to try this out! It's been getting rave reviews, which were helpful in choosing what to get. I'll review each item and the service separately below. Miso ribs ($18): This came with three pieces. It was super soft, and flavorful, and the meat came easily off the bone -- just as it should. This was decadent, and I wish we got more. Uni maki ($14): This was really flavorful and creamy too! I'd have liked a bit higher of a uni to rice ratio. Lobster roe pasta ($26; I didn't get add-ons): A lot of reviews mention this, and perhaps my expectations were too high. It felt relatively 2D, and not decadent. The flavor wasn't very bold. Charred shishitos ($12): These were great; just the right amount of spice. Negitoro rice ($35): You get 4 pieces of seaweed with this, and just a little more rice and tuna than is necessary to fill the seaweed. It was good, but I wish the portions were larger and/or that the tuna were creamier. Matcha sundae ($14): This was a good end to the meal. It came with red beans and mochi. I wouldn't say that you have to get this, though. They were out of oyster mushrooms when we got here; I'll be sure to try them if I ever come here again. I've heard good things. The service was friendly throughout. Final word: The miso ribs and the uni maki were awesome, and I'd order those again. The rest was good, but nothing too exciting.

This izakaya exceeded my expectations! The quality and effort into these dishes really shows because everything was DELICIOUS. What we got: Matcha Fizz Sake Flight (the sweet trio) Scallop Temaki Sushi Sweet Umami Ribs Seared Scallops Lobster Roe Pasta with added Uni and Crab Black Sesame Ice Cream Sundae The scallops were giant and super fresh- loved it, but the highlights of the night for me were definitely the pasta and the ice cream sundae. I would 100% order the Lobster Roe Pasta again, but if I had to choose between uni or crab, I'd go for the uni! The uni was also very fresh and tasted amazing with the pasta, it had like a buttery like texture and taste to it, plus it was a huge portion that's great for sharing. I chose black sesame for the sundae and it was perfect. It was a nice light taste, not super strong on the sesame which I didn't mind and I loved it. They use house made mochi and the matcha cookie crumble was amazingggg on top. The ambiance was cozy, the music was great (approved by my boyfriend), and the service was stellar too. Excited for the next visit!!

Visited Judy's Bay for dinner on a Friday night with a couple of friends. We were able to get a reservation online and the check in process was smooth. The restaurant itself is a cozy little spot with a number of tables inside a small dining room. Service was a little slow, especially with drinks, but given the lack of staffing and newness of the restaurant it was understandable. For food we ordered a variety of dishes. There were some hits and some not so memorabe dishes. Hits Dumplings - delicious dumplings with a perfectly thin wrapper and flavorful sauce Pork belly - juicy and perfectly cooked Tuna and uni maki - who doesn't love a good maki? We liked the tuna more than the uni Oyster Mushrooms - great veggie option Ok Ribs - these were dry and not tender Sake chicken - didn't get much sake flavor on these chicken thighs Steak special - forget what cut of steak this was but it was on the specials menu. Also dry and chewy. Lobster roe pasta - maybe it was the nature of the sauce but this was dry Overall we had a nice experience and the owners are super friendly. The hits were delicious and the other dishes left something to be desired. Hoping they are just figuring out the kinks and happy to try this place again in the future!

Came here for a dinner on Saturday. We made a mistake in reservation time so our reservation wasn't on the system, but the staffs were still really nice to clean up the table and seat us down (: The restaurant has a really homey vibe with both some tables and bar settings along the wall. We ordered 3 dishes with one drink: sesame salad, lobster roe pasta and miso pork belly. We came here to try their uni pasta (which is an optional add on their lobster roe pasta), but unfortunately, uni was out of season and was not available. I wished they had some system where they could announce it on either their website but we decided to order the pasta anyways without uni. We thought their sesame salad was very basic, with nothing special. It was still good and fresh, but nothing really stood out, nor it tasted much like sesame. Their lobster roe pasta was my favourite, even though I still think it was quite overpriced. Cream-based sauce made sure the marine taste gets delivered properly, and the watercress really went well with the dish. Miso glazed pork belly was my partner's favourite. Their glaze went well with both pork belly and the cabbage with nice caramelization. One amazing thing we noticed was their servewares. All of them were from a same brand, and were all so beautiful and sturdy. Overall, I think food was a little bit overpriced, but we both had a good time. Will come back for uni pasta!

We didn't order too many dishes but got few orders of vegetable dishes. I think the oyster mushroom is must order item. I could not believe that oyster mushroom could be so delicious! Unfortunately our mochi based dessert was not as impressive as other dishes we ordered. We would come back for other items!

Judy's Bay is one my new Boston food bae's. Run by a fun husband and wife team, they are taking traditional Japanese izakaya to a whole new level. I've been to my fair share of izakaya spots around the country on both coasts and Judy's is definitely one of my new favorites. Never been to an izakaya spot before? Don't fret. Everything on the menu is super approachable and the super friendly staff will help guide you. My wife and I started out with two stunning cocktails: "The Herbalist" which is their take on a gin & tonic, but made with Japanese gin and plum sake. I don't even like gin, but this was a fantastic drink. And my wife got the "Matcha Fizz" which was also very good, I simply can't remember what was in it other than matcha (obv). I just need matcha more of it in my life :P For the food, we sampled several items: Pork Dumplings, Maine Mussels, Seared Scallops, and Grilled Calamari. They sound average... trust me when I say they are everything but average. I'm a bit of a dumpling snob and I could eat these house-made dumplings all day, every day. The scallops were perfectly seared and seasoned. The calamari was tender with a well-balanced char. Hit it with a squeeze of lemon and it was chef's kiss good. The highlight of the night was most definitely the Maine Mussels prepared with a gochuchang butter sauce and garnished with garlic chives. I want to bottle up the sauce, take it home, and put in on everything. The mussels are an absolute must-have. Overall, this place is a whole vibe from the food to the service. It's perfect for any occasion whether it's date night with your bae or a casual night out with a small group of friends. But whatever you do, DO NOT miss out on the Maine Mussels.

I've been wanting to try this place for so long and I finally came here for dinner! This is a cute date night spot! It is a smaller restaurant so I definitely recommend making a reservation especially on the weekend! We tried the oyster mushrooms (was actually so flavorful and yummy!), seared scallops (I love scallops and this was perfection! I want more!), lobster roe pasta (was so good!), and the miso pork belly (was so tasty and didn't feel too heavy). Everything was delicious! The portions are on the smaller side but I was definitely full after this meal! I also tried the sweet sake flight and my favorite one was the plum! I definitely would come back here for dinner!

Just opened, take out only for the first few weeks, but I love their concept already: locally sourced and Japanese inspired, creating the first of its kind, a New England izakaya. The uni from Maine has an exquisite (though subtle) sweetness. What a great idea to go with a seafood pasta. The maguro sashimi was so fresh. The fatty pieces just melt in your mouth. Looking forward to more!

Recently learned of this restaurant from friends, and was excited and hungry to try it out! My partner and I ordered the sweet sake flight, pork dumplings, Maine mussels, pork belly, ribs, sides of rice, and strawberry tapioca for dessert - TASTE: 5/5 - everything was lovely! Each sake was distinct: the red rice was the strongest, typical sake flavor to me, the yuzu was like a lemon drop cocktail, and the umeshu (plum) was pleasantly sweet and my favorite! The gochujang butter in the mussels was amazing - spicy and rich. The pork belly tasted fatty, and the filling in the pork dumplings somehow tasted different than usual dumplings. The ribs had a great balance of sweet and savory. Finally, the strawberry tapioca was the perfect way to top off the meal, w coconut milk and sweet, fresh strawberries TEXTURE: 4/5 - removed all of the shells upfront so we could drown the mussels in the butter. The cabbage provided good bite to the pork belly, and the ribs were super tender! I always love tapioca's softness and chewiness PRICE: 4/5 - wish we didn't have to pay for the sides of rice, but expected the other prices for what we ordered SERVING SIZE: 4/5 - assumed the selections were tapa sizes, so we were pleasantly surprised when the dishes had a little more substance to them! SERVICE: 5/5 - booked our 6pm Saturday night dinner via Yelp a few hours before. The hostess and staff were excellent and accommodating, and our food came out quicker than expected! ATMOSPHERE: 5/5 - great vibes, including the cozy fire, Anderson Paak-heavy playlist, and money cats. The brick interior toward the front felt like a corner from NYC PARKING: 4/5 - such a cold night walking over here, but found free street parking a couple blocks over