Too Hot

Good addition to Harvard Square’s Chinese food scene. The Chinese food options around Harvard Square have felt oddly limited for a long time. Dumpling House has always been the default, but compared to other college neighborhoods, there hasn’t really been a wave of newer, more modern Chinese spots. Too Hot comes from the same team behind Noah’s Kitchen, which I’ve had mixed feelings about, so I wasn’t sure if this would feel like an upgrade or just more of the same. We came in on a Friday night for dinner and, unsurprisingly, it was packed. They don’t seem to have many two-top tables, so the wait for smaller parties actually felt longer than for bigger groups. The interior and overall vibes were definitely nicer than their Brookline original, but concept-wise it still felt pretty familiar. From what we ordered, our favorites were the Huo Shao Yun Black Three-Stage Minced Pork, Twice-Cooked Pork, Mala Cold Chicken, and the Yu-Shiang Eggplant. Huo Shao Yun Black Three-Stage Minced Pork – Super greasy, but in a good way. None of that heavy pork-fat aftertaste. The roasted green chili added a great balance, and this was the best dish to eat with a bowl of rice. Twice-Cooked Pork – Essentially the same as Noah’s Kitchen’s version (which I loved), but something felt off. It came out in under five minutes, and the stir-fry tasted like it had been prepped in advance and reheated. Yu-Shiang Eggplant - Yu-shiang sauce was sweeter than usual (almost zero spice & sourness), but I liked it. The eggplant soaked up just enough of that glossy, garlicky glaze to stay flavorful without being heavy. Not exactly the kind of dish I’d pair with rice, but between all the spicy plates, it was the right kind of palate cleanser. Triple Flame Stir-Fry – Not sure what they were going for here. It used “premium” pork kidney, liver, and aorta, so there wasn’t any unpleasant offal aroma, but there also wasn’t much flavor personality. Spicy Grilled Chili Conch Slices – Served cold with light mala seasoning. I’m generally not into chilled mala apps, so this one didn’t do much for me. Chengdu Mala Cold Chicken – Much better than the conch. Cold, spicy, nutty. They kept the fatty skin parts intact on some of the pieces, which went really well with the crunchy peanuts and the sesame chili oil.

It was so good that I ended up visiting twice in just one week. Without a doubt, this is one of the best Chinese restaurants in the Greater Boston area. The food is served promptly, the atmosphere is pleasant, and most importantly, every dish is outstanding. On top of that, the staff are exceptionally friendly and attentive, making the entire dining experience truly enjoyable.

TooHot is a new Chinese restaurant in Harvard Square that has a lot of potential, but unfortunately the service left much to be desired. The restaurant itself is tucked away at the garden level in bustling Harvard Square, and while it has that “hole-in-the-wall” feel, the décor does a great job of making the subterranean space feel cozy and inviting. The menu is enormous—almost overwhelming—with so many options to choose from. My party of 4 ordered a variety of dishes: spicy grilled chili conch, fiery charred chili and silken tofu beef, Yunnan ham with mixed mushroom, egg fried rice, and baked lotus root strips with salted egg yolk. The food was excellent—fragrant, flavorful, and served hot. The mixed mushroom dish in particular stood out, and the portion sizes were generous enough for sharing. Despite the name “TooHot,” the spice level was balanced so that the flavors really came through. Prices were also quite reasonable. The downside was the service. When I arrived (with a 6 PM reservation), no one greeted us initially. When a hostess finally came, she told us they weren’t ready for me despite my booking, and also noted they wouldn’t seat us until the full party was present. Once we sat down, the hostess immediately told us—in Chinese—that we only had 1 hour and 15 minutes to eat because it was a busy night, which made the meal feel rushed. I also couldn’t help but notice that the demeanor toward me, as an Asian diner, was very different compared to how staff interacted when my white friends arrived. That disparity and interaction left a bad impression. On top of that, the staff pressed us at the end of the meal to leave a positive Google Review, which felt pushy. Overall, the food and ambiance were strong, but the service and attitude from staff really detracted from what could have been a wonderful dining experience. Hopefully as they settle in, the service side improves—because the kitchen is doing great work.

Sichuan chili cuisine is an art form. It masterfully blends fiery chilies with numbing Sichuan peppercorns. This creates complex, thrilling dishes like Mapo Tofu. Great service and cozy atmosphere too. Definitely be returning 👍👍👍

It’s the best Chinese (precisely: Sichuan) style fine dining restaurant I’ve tried in the State. Of course dish by dish order still working, at this point fine dining only provided every Thursday, strongly recommended make a reservation first. These gourmet combined with authentic Sichuan flavor and exquisite taste. BTW I really love 雞豆花（broth pudding) & the dessert.

This restaurant is a true gem for authentic Chinese cuisine. Every dish feels traditional, flavorful, and thoughtfully prepared, staying true to classic tastes while highlighting fresh ingredients. The menu offers a wide variety, from comforting staples to regional specialties, each bursting with authenticity. Beyond the food, the atmosphere is warm and inviting, with a lively yet relaxed vibe that makes dining here a complete experience. The décor reflects Chinese culture without being overwhelming, and the staff are friendly and attentive. Whether you’re looking for a casual meal or celebrating with friends, this place delivers both great flavors and great ambiance.

As soon as I heard that the owners of Noah's Kitchen were opening a place in Harvard Square, I rushed on over. They're in soft opening mode right now, and prioritizing reservations (via phone call). Luckily, we were able to get a table for 3 on Saturday around 6pm without a reservation. The restaurant is on the basement level and is elegantly decorated. The menu is extensive, and it was hard to decide what to get! It helped that our waiter also works at Noah's Kitchen, and told us which dishes were the same as at Noah's Kitchen, and which dishes were unique to Too Hot. We got the Yunnan spicy chicken at our waiter's recommendation, and it was delicious! The chicken is tender and intensely flavored with savory and spicy flavors, and I loved the whole garlic pieces. The chicken has bones, and the bone marrow sopped up the flavoring, which was really good too! I would definitely get this again. It was quite a large dish. We also got the cumin beef with potato at our waiter's recommendation, and it was another standout. The beef slices were thick and tender, and the crinkle cut potato strips were really thoroughly flavored. I'd get this again as well! We tried the fried squid with tangy pickled peppers. I didn't like this one as much -- while the pickled peppers and ginger were great, the squid was nothing notable. We also got the three stages mushroom with rice crackers, which was nothing special either -- just some mushrooms in a tomato sauce. Overall, this is an excellent addition to the Harvard Square food scene -- we'll definitely be back to try more of the menu!

We went here for the omakase experience, the food was so so good and the service was incredible. The omakase menu changes but for the day we went the Spicy Australian Lamb Chunks were phenomenal. Also superb recommendation for the Steamed Cod with Double Peppers! The portion size was also huge, we were both stuffed by the end. Only slight warning that it was on the spicier side as it is Sichuan cuisuine but highly recommend, would come again!!

Great food. Way over ordered. Very cozy. Service was still a little off as more demanding tables were paid more attention while we waited. I'm sure this will improve with time.

Solid 4/5. The food was delicious! Overall, everything was well seasoned and the ingredients tasted pretty fresh. The space was pretty clean and the decor was cute. Parking wise, it's Harvard Square... There isn't parking within a light walking distance so I highly recommend getting dropped off. Food spot lights: - Chengdu Mala Cold Chicken: Very tasty, loved the texture and flavors. The "ma"/numbing sensation wasn't overpowering and the chilly oil was pretty mild but added a lot of great flavor. - Wok-seared lamb: It can look a bit scary but the chillies far more for flavor and texture than for spiciness (it was actually pretty mild). The lamb was tender and very well seasoned. My only note would be that it is quite salty without some sort of neutral carb (e.g., rice, noodles) to cut the salt. - Spicy Double-Pepper Cod: I will say though, it is *pretty* spicy because of the millet pepper, so don't dip the fish in the sauce if you don't want the spice to really build. The cod was tender and juicy but not watered down and I *loved* the sauce. I didn't quite know what to expect for "Chinese Style Omakase", but to be honest, it was kind of disappointing. For something like Omakase, I place a lot of weight on service, and that's where my experience fell short. I felt like I was being rushed to finish each dish and if I paused to talk with company my plate with whatever was left on it would be taken away/replaced. It's hard to balance attentiveness with hovering, and I think it was a bit overdone that night. Also, the portions we got were great for family style dinners, but a bit too much for the number of things on the menu. given same serving sizes, I'd personally probably recommend 4-5 of the entrees on the menu for a group of 5-6 (with rice). I saw a lot of interesting dishes on their regular menu and I would definitely come back to try what the experience here is like normally.

This new restaurant is well-decorated, clean, and spacious. Here are the items we ordered: -Yibin Fiery Noodles ($16.99): These noodles were deliciously spicy, light, and chewy, but the dish came out room temp. -Tibetan Style Sizzling Beef ($30.99): Included a sturdy portion of beef and loved the crepes that it came with to wrap the beef and vegetables. -Small Potatoes with Cumin Dry Pot ($16.99): Potatoes were not crispy and vegetables were spicy but not very aromatic. -Grilled Whole Sea Bass with Spicy Ginger and Tofu ($52.99): Relative to other grilled whole fish I've had before at Chinese restaurants, this fish felt more deep fried. The sauce, tofu, and vegetables were good, but it would have been nice if the fish was hot when it came out. -Organic Mushroom Egg Shrimp Balls with Black Truffle ($36.99): This was my favorite dish. The eggs were well cooked and the shrimps were delicious. However, it was quite a small portion for the price and the truffle flavor was light. Overall, the food was solid and the service was attentive. Their menu is extensive and we will be back to try other dishes. Just note that it is difficult to find parking in Harvard Square. Additionally, many nearby parking spots along the street only allow parking for up to 1 hour, which is not quite long enough for a meal.

We're big fans of Noah's Kitchen, so we were excited to check out their new sister location. The space itself is beautiful--thoughtfully designed with unique, eye-catching decor that creates a warm and inviting atmosphere. That said, it felt like the team was still working through some kinks in service. A few of the dishes we ordered arrived lukewarm instead of hot, and one item was accidentally left off our order altogether. The mushroom egg shrimp balls with black truffle was delicious but an unreasonably small portion for the price of $36. We're hopeful that with a little more time to settle in, the experience will match the high standards we've come to love from Noah's Kitchen. We'll definitely be back to give it another try!

Really tasty place with spicy food! Favorite dishes were the smoked duck, steamed whole fish, and the complimentary rice cake dessert you get. The place is well decorated nice, though I do think it's pretty expensive.

Directly across from the Batia and Idan Ofer Building, the restaurant is located underground. It's warmly decorated and offers a wide variety of dishes, including specialties from Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan. For those who can't handle spicy food, milder options are also available.

My wife got food poisoning from eating the snakehead dish. Avoid like the plague. Also overpriced for what you get.

Went to the restaurant because my son started working there, but was blown away by the atmosphere and the food. I highly highly recommend!

This is a tough one to rate. The flavors in the dishes I got was excellent-truly so, in a manner that I've rarely had in the States. However, the prices were high. I wouldn't mind paying such prices for truly great food. However, the dishes tended to skimp on the protein and instead substituted in cheaper ingredients such as french fries. Yes! My chicken dish (Golden Griddle Spicy Chicken-$21) had 50% chicken and 50% french fries mixed in with the vegetables and spices. That cost this place a star.

Yummy authentic Chinese dishes. We liked the Guizhou sour fish soup, smoked crispy duck app, beef cubes with black pepper, green beans and twice cooked pork. Will go back to try more dishes!

We had a great dinner at Too hot last night! The food was delicious, and I loved all the vegetarian dishes, especially the eggplant strips, the brussels sprouts, and the tofu dishes. Service was very good and the decor is beautiful.