What A Soup

The food was awesome! It tasted so good and had so many different food options and the vibes were so nice. I had the creamy tom yum noodle soup and it was delicious! Will definitely go again and recommend it to anyone wanting to get noodle soups near the city. It's pretty accessible and has parking nearby in the streets. If you are a large group I would recommend reserving a table especially if it's busy.

You know they have gotten things right when you can see the level of attention to details, just like the straw sleeve rolled up into a rose for that extra touch. It has truly lived up to its name as well - "what a soup" indeed! Ordered the creamy Tom Yum noodles - not disappointed at all, absolutely flavourful, comforting and rich all at once. Can request for less spicy if you can't take the heat. Highly recommended!

We stopped by after a long day wanting a hot soup and we were 200% satisfied! 😊 The soups were so full of flavor and hit the spot. The service was amazing!! We ordered out drinks and immediately got them. Our food also came out really fast. The waiters were so nice and offered to take our picture when they saw us struggling to take a selfie. I definitely recommend this to those looking for a nice spot to unwind after a long day. I'm definitely coming back!

Portion is on the smaller side. Beef boat noodles soup, pork ball boat noodle soup and khao soi chicken were delicious. But the creamy tom yum soup is not actually creamy, same for the seafood tom yum soup. Service was okay. Some parking lots on the adjacent road.

This restaurant is tucked away in a residential street about 7 min walk from central square. We got the lunch specials. The standouts were the giant shumai, crispy pork belly over rice which had the most golden looking fried egg, and the pandan iced tea.

My boyfriend and I love it here! The food is delicious every time and outside of the peak times, you can get seated without a wait. Would recommend the crispy pork belly appetizer and pork ball boat soup especially !

Lovely experience! We had the Wonton Tom Yum and Noddle Soup and a few appetizers. Everything was delicious and came out fast. Also had a thai iced tea and it was the perfect level of sweetness. Would definitely come back!

We were walking around trying to find a good place for lunch when we stumbled upon WAS. We are so lucky that we found this place because it was so good! It’s easy to miss as a little “hole in the wall” type of spot so we wanted to share a review so more people can find and enjoy What A Soup! The food was delicious, the staff is so nice, and the atmosphere was super cute. Great vibes and great food!

Came here on a Monday evening and the place was pretty busy for a weeknight, but we had no issue getting a table for the six of us. The space was a bit cramped, but felt pretty homey and comfortable otherwise. Service was all right - waters were filled pretty frequently and food came out pretty fast. They were also extremely courteous and quick to rectify a mistake - the skewers came out a bit raw and they replaced them fast as well as took them off the bill which was very kind of them. Their menu had a good mix of dishes ranging from apps to entrees - most of us got noodle soup and each were pretty fantastic. The portions are pretty big, but I think they matched the prices fairly. I would love to come back and try some of their other bowls. Dessert was okay - I liked both custards, but probably wouldn't order again. It was nice to try though. Overall, I found the bowls to be the highlight for sure and would gladly return to try some of their other dishes. Thanks, What A Soup!

I got the beef boat noodle soup and coconut juice through UberEats. The broth was extremely flavorful but not overly salty. They definitely didn't skimp on the ingredients either. All the meat tasted so good and the tendon and sliced beef was very tender. The coconut drink was also very refreshing and has coconut meat in it too! The food and drink taste great but the way they packaged the food also says a lot about their service. Not only did they pack the soup separately from the other ingredients so the noodles and chip don't get soggy, but they also kept the soup container in a plastic bag to make sure it doesn't have a chance of spilling. Also, they sealed the drink where you insert straws and put the cup in a Chinese takeout container box so that also doesn't spill during delivery. I really appreciated this kind of attention to detail, I will definitely order delivery from here again and will also dine in one day. Can't wait to try their other foods!!

This restaurant is a newer restaurant located in Central Square, Cambridge. It specializes in Thai noodle soups and definitely lives up to it! The ambiance is very cozy and intimate but feels authentic. Service was also great and even had a great conversation with one of the servers! For food, we got Boat Noodle Soup, Tom Yum Soup, Pork Skewers, Toast, Fried Chicken and Gizzard, a rice flan-like dessert, and some drinks. The boat noodle soup had good flavor and was loaded with meat, which I loved, but the noodles were a bit too soft. The tom yum soup balanced sour and savory well and the consistency wasn't too thick. I liked that they used ramen noodles instead of the usual rice noodles. The crispy pork in the tom yum was to die for! The appetizers were overall solid, but wouldn't go out of my way to get them again. The dessert was iffy at first but really grew on me! Not too sweet. Drinks on the other hand were a little too sweet but good flavor. I'm loving that so many new Asian restaurants are opening up in the Cambridge area! Check them out!

I came here on a weekend and it was already packed before noon. Luckily, the wait for a 2- seater wasn't too long. If you eat out with me enough, you already know, if there is an online menu, I've looked at it so I can help myself make the best food choices possible. This place focuses on boat noodles so the obvious choice would be to order a bowl of noodles. The boat noodles vary in proteins but mainly all the same. I loved my giant pork ball boat noodle and the spice level was perfect for me. The broth was deep and rich in flavor and it was a good hearty bowl of noodles. The apps were ok, the shrimp omelette rice the egg was still under cooked so I asked them to cook it some more. Though the staff has come to me and said that's the way it's made, that's fine. But I like my eggs cooked where the egg whites are not still runny, plus had it was noted on the menu, which it wasn't that the egg wouldn't be cooked all the way, I wouldn't have ordered it. In the end they popped it in the microwave and made sure the egg white was completely cooked, and that item was taken off my tab. Thank you and I appreciated the kind service. The owner (I think) came over and chatted me up about how the food was. I told him it's good and my only real feedback was to keep things simple and for the people who can't eat spicy foods to have more than just the chicken noodle soup as the one item for non-spicy eaters. I suggested to at least have some variation to the proteins for that dish. Such as you can have shrimp, veggies, pork, or beef. Chicken can be so boring. So if you come here, order the boat noodles and enjoy. BTW: I did ask how come the bowls of noodles I ordered didn't come with the What A Soup stamp on my crispy wonton sheet. The guy laughed and said he does the stamping and he got busy. Ok, but if I come back I better get my stamp!

This is a new in Cambridge I came here for dinner. Loved the Pandan drink to begin with. For appetizer, I ordered the mini shrimp creamy omelette that came on top of a bowl of rice - yummy. For entries, I tried the beef boat noodle soup - it was okay since the flavor of broth was a little flat but the portion was generous Service was very friendly. However, during peak hour when there were some guests waiting, service became visibly anxious and impatient, trying to flip the table and get us out which was understandable

With a authentic menu curated by a Thai chef and the friendliest staff that greet every customer with a smile and generousity, I loved the atmosphere just as much as I loved the food Both boat noodle soups are served with a rich dark soy broth with a cilantro, scallion, crunchy pork belly, fried garlic, bean sprouts, and fried wonton! The broth was deep and flavorful with toppings that added fresh notes and texture elevating the overall taste of the bowls Both bowls had a variety of different meat toppings. The beef with slices and tendon, and the pork with a giant pork meatball! The dipping sauces for both the giant shumai and the pork belly skewers were flavor bombs that really surprise your taste buds deliciously The pork belly skewers are definitely a must try‼ I loved how easily they came off the skewers and how tenderly they were roasted until sweet and savory While I loved their thai iced tea, the coconut flavor in their pandan drink was so refreshing and paired well with the deep rich broths of the boat noodle soups~ Another must try is their thai tea custard milk bread which give you the perfect amount of buttery sweetness on crispy on the outside and soft on the inside milk bread Definitely recommend What a Soup! if you're in Cambridge

The host is super nice and allowed us bring the service animal in and was super friendly. Food was good, will be back again

All of the food was very flavorful, but felt slightly unbalanced in flavor profile to me. The creamy tom yum was a little too salty to just drink the broth straight, and the pork skewers were a little too sweet for my taste.Like some other reviews, I think the portion sizes are just a little bit small compared to the prices. The inside looked recently renovated, but the seating arrangement made some tables be exposed to the cold winter draft every time the door opened. I think service was ok. I get that they're busy, but they were rushing us to order before we even sat down. They were very clearly not ready to handle a weekend crowd like this, but I hope this will be improved in the future.

Highly recommend the appetizer shu chili wonton. It was a special item on their menu when I visited. Their Creamy Tom Yum Noodle soup was based off of an authentic dish in Thailand. The Beef boat noodle soup was definitely flavorful. It was rich in flavor with depth. The service was great initially as they were attentive and gave great recommendations. The restaurant also had a nice ambiance to it as well. It was cutely decorated.

Boat noodle soup is one of my favorite dishes to get from Thai restaurants and I was very excited to try the boat noodle soup here! Two of us came around 7pm on a snowy Saturday and got on a waitlist with about 10 parties ahead of us. We decided to wait elsewhere and they called us about 30 minutes later. We ordered the pandan drink ($4.5), crispy pork slender ($9.95), beef boat noodle soup ($17.95), and pork ball boat noodle soup ($16.95). The drinks and crispy pork arrived very quickly. The pandan drink had a sweet, light taste to it which was refreshing but a bit too mild in flavor for me to want to order it again. The crispy pork was tasty, but as you can see from the photo, a rather small portion. However, I really loved the sauce they served with the crispy pork which packed a garlicky, spicy punch! I got to try both the beef and pork ball boat noodle soups and I must say that I preferred the beef. While the pork ball was very big and tender, I thought that the tender beef slices and super soft beef tendon in the beef version were executed much better. Sadly the beef balls that came in the beef boat noodle soup were still cold. The broth here is deliciously thick, well-spiced, and gets even better with the fried garlic they add on top. The flavors really clung to the rice noodles. While the portion didn't look too big at first, the richness of the broth more than makes up for the small volume. I was pretty stuffed by the end of the meal! This spot is worth checking out especially during these cold snowy weeks we've been having!

What A Soup is a new Thai restaurant that just opened up in Cambridge. There is plenty of street parking when we visited during a weekday lunch hour. The restaurant was empty and we were seated promptly. I want to say the cute murals on the walls were of red demons enjoying a bowl of noodle, taking pictures, etc. For appetizers, we ordered the crispy pork slender, the pork belly skewers, and the shumai. My favorite had to be the crispy pork slender appetizer. I highly recommend this appetizer. The lime sauce was my favorite. The dark sauce was Worcestershire sauce, and it didn't really go well with the roast pork in my opinion. The pork belly was crisp to perfection and the meat was still tender and juicy. The pork belly skewers was another favorite. My daughter loved it. It came with a dipping sauce but wasn't necessarily needed since the meat was seasoned. My least favorite appetizer had to be the shumai. The texture was not my favorite, very squishy and as for the taste, the flavor was quite bland. I ordered the beef boat rice noodle and it was delicious. If you have had boat noodles before, the noodle comes with a very fragrant dark broth, bouncy beef meatballs, and crispy pork skin to add a nice crunch. My husband ordered the creamy Tom Yum noodle. The restaurant uses actual Mama brand Tom Yum noodle packages in their recipe. I find this a crime, to serve instant ramen, but it is clearly stated in the menu, so you can't blame anyone knowing that and ordering this dish. I would personally not order this dish. As for my son, he ordered the What a Rice dish and ate everything. It's rather soupy to be plated on a dish. Overall, the noodle and rice dish options were extremely limited. You don't have your typical pad Thai, drunken noodles, etc. I asked the waitress if more dish was coming and the waitress said she would share with the owner. I hope the restaurant does expand their menu in the near future. The Thai iced tea was standard, while the pandan drink provided a new sweet tea like experience. The coconut dessert custard was good, but again, limited dessert options. I hope the restaurant expand their dessert menu option as well. Overall, excellent customer service. Food came out extremely fast. Service was prompt and polite.

For Saturday lunch, I decided to try the newly opened What A Soup, enticed by the prospect of beef boat noodle soup. Arriving a few minutes after the 11:30AM opening, I received immediate seating, being the 3rd customer there. By 11:45, however, the establishment had mostly filled up, not a difficult endeavor given its small seating capacity of a dozen tables seating 2-4 each. I initially wanted to try their fried chicken tendons, which they did not have available. Instead, I ordered the crispy pork slender ($9.95, and yes the menu calls it that) and the beef boat noodle soup ($17.95). The crispy pork's skin had decent craggles for texture and did not seem dry or overly airy and light. The juicy meat, along with judicious amounts of fat, balanced well (some places have too much fat and oil). If you're familiar with what constitutes a good Cantonese roast pork belly, than you'll find something like that here. At $9.95 for 6 piece, the price point might cause some raised eyebrows, but I can understand it. The beef boat noodle soup ($17.95) arrived steaming hot. Too many places around Boston somehow think that serving food piping hot will lead to some McDonald's coffee lawsuit, even when said dish is supposed to arrive as such. The soup broth has a decent spiciness that builds up starting on the first spoonful. It never becomes unbearable or try to supplant the main broth flavors. Speaking of which, the broth itself is a complex dancing of earthy, bitter aromas mixed with umami and spice. The noodle soup also comes with 3 different meats - slices of beef, chunks of tendon, and meatballs. The portion size might seem small for some, but I think the quality of the broth makes up for it.

I've been lustfully following their instagram account when I first found out about their move into what was once Nu Do on River St in Cambridge. It's been quite the anticipation to taste some if not all the different dishes they have masterfully captured in their photos. After much wait, they finally announced their official soft opening today; so here I am. Service was extremely friendly and the ambiance, while similar to the last establishment, felt somewhat trendier. Now let's talk food: Gosh, did it smell insanely amazing as the dishes made their way to the table. It was beyond titillatingly compelling to the senses. Best part, the smell matched the absolutely tongue-gasmic flavors as it tickled the palate. Pork belly skewers that melted beautifully with each bite, beef boat noodles that coated the tongue with each different flavor profile the noodle is famous for, Tom yum noodles mildly spicy and sweetly tart, and the fried pork belly that was perfectly moist and crispy simultaneously. Everything was beautifully done and presented. The wait was definitely worth it! Welcome to the neighborhood and definitely can't wait to be back again!

This is so perfect for when it's freezing cold out. The soft noodles and hot soup held together by delicious flavors is exactly what I need to keep me warm and happy. I loved the toppings of meatball and beef slices and herbs garnish. But really I just couldn't get enough of the savory, tangy, and slight spice in the flavors of the soup. I let the rice noodles soak it up as much as possible. Good thing I had fried chicken tendons to munch on while I waited for the noodles to soak. The appetizer is fried very crisp with a light coating of batter. A great snack that goes well with the truffle mayo. The shrimp creamy omelette is also delicious and a perfect bowl of rice on the side of you're extra hungry. The omelette is fried well, and the lightly cooked shrimp is a perfect touch. The kitchen closes at around 8:30pm and the staff is friendly and attentive the whole time. Highly recommended for a quick lunch or dinner, as the food came out pretty quickly for us. You can also order through ToastTab.

Pandan drink was the star. Super refreshing, not too sweet, and goes well with a warm meal. Thai iced tea was pretty standard. It's a good sweet and creamy drink. Their noodle soups were good. The toppings were all well prepared -- porkbelly on tom yum soup was super crispy and juicy, pork ball was soft and tender, and the beef toppings in the beef boat noodle soup were so juicy and delicate. Only critiques: We found the beef boat noodle soup to be on the sweet side. The pork boat noodle soup however, leaned on the salty side. Not sure why the two boat noodle soups tasted so different but it wasn't necessarily bad. Their rice noodles also clumped together, which I find to happen a lot at restaurants, so I didn't take that many points off for that. Just note that your noodles may be stuck together. The custard is a slice of milk bread with the thai iced tea dip. Simple but delicious. It was a good sweet treat to end off the meal. Service was nice and prices are decent.

Casual spot to eat some Thai food! Service was fast, and we got checked on a lot. The menu isn't huge, but all the options were different. We got: Coconut juice - yummy as it should be. It actually was very flavorful, I had to add water to ease the flavor . 5/5 Pork Belly Skewer - softer than I expected, but also full of flavor! Could eat them on their own or dipped in the given sauce. Creamy Tom Yum Noodle Soup - Exactly as stated. There were pieces of pork belly in it and soso delicious! What a Signature! - my friend got this and let's say he finished his whole bowl. They pour the soup into the bowl right in front of you which was a cool experience. Overall this place is 10/10!! All the dishes we had were delicious and the service was great! Only thing that was parking in this area is mostly residential so you have to park a bit away from it. I can imagine at busy hours it may be difficult to get parking.

A new thai casual ambiance restaurant with friendly service but street parking only. We ordered the pork skewers, crispy pork slender, and giant shumai. Pork skewers and the crispy pork slender was juicy, not over seasoning. Highly recommended. The shumai was average, just meat, nothing special. What a signature was delicious, the wagyu beef just melt in your mouth, just wish there are more slices but the meatball are tasteless. Pork ball noodle soup was okay, the meat ball was huge that can you be full easily just eating the meatball without the noodle. The Thai tea custard for dessert was not too sweet... a nice little after dinner dessert snack.

I just tried the creamy tom yum and the crispy pork belly, as well as the thai iced tea. I didn't think it could get better than the beef boat noodle soup but I think the creamy tom yum is almost better. The sauces with the crispy pork appetizer are amazing. I got the pandan drink again because it is so good. The service here was just as friendly as it was the first time I went. I will be back to get the a5 soup soon!

This place really reminds me of the boat noodle shops in bangkok. The creamy tom yum noodle is our favorite. Very flavorful and umami. The beef boat noodle soup is also delicious however has a slight bitter after taste. The pork slender is very crispy although a bit too fatty. Service was quick. Will definitely be back to try their other dishes.

Tried out a new boat noodle place I have been seeing a lot on instagram. It is a small place in the corner of Cambridge and had about twelve tables. I went there on a Thursday night during their soft opening and it was full! But the wait wasn't long and we got our table after like ten minutes at most. Their menu specializes in boat noodles and noodle soups. I got the classic beef boat noodles. It was okay - tastes like regular boat noodle but there wasn't much meat and toppings. Flavor was authentic and strong (a little too strong in my opinion) and portion isn't too big. It is the place if you want a quick authentic thai noodle soup.

Came in with some of my guys last night to see what the hype is about this place, and we were pleasantly surprised that this yummy little shop met our expectations! Seeing as it was below freezing, with the windchill outside making it all the worse, it made their hot apps and rich warm noodle soup all the more enticing. Despite it being a cozy little restaurant, their staff were also just as warm and friendly as they sat my group to our table. For their apps, what they may lack in quantity, they definitely more than make of up for in quality! The crispy pork slender we got had some really crispy skin that crackled with every bite, but I must say I really enjoyed their pork belly skewers since the fat simply melted in my mouth and it was quite flavorful with each sweet and savory bite. As for their main dishes, I got their beef boat noodle soup with a side order of a giant pork ball as an add-on, which I'd highly suggest! My favorite parts of the noodle soup would probably be how soft and tender the tendons and pork ball were, as well as how rich and soothing the broth felt for me - making it sorta feel like a nice little hug going down my throat on that cold wintery night. All in all, I'd definitely come back for more!

Came here during their soft opening. Food are nice! Order online a couple of time, they package nicely too. Seriously if you haven't tried this place, just pick something random thats sounds good to you to start with, i think they are all very nice food. I've tried basically everything on their menu by now and I like the dry noodle the most, their thai tea is ok, not the best i've had. But always 10 stars for the staffs if I can!

This is a very cute small place to grab some authentic boat noodle soup in Cambridge. The staff was very nice and seated us quickly. Luckily we got a table on a busy Saturday afternoon and the food came out so quick like: ordered . blinked . food arrived lol love it. The pork belly app was good, very crispy skin + juicy pork but needed a lil more seasoning & and the sauces weren't our fav. The boat noodle soup was tangy and got some cool toppings but had more noodles than anything else tho. My bf got the brothless noodles and it also had a lot of noodles and the soup on the side tasted interesting. The thai tea was ok (6.5/10) a lil bitter and not sweet enough for us sweet-toothers. Our fav thing was the thai tea custard dessert. It was so unique, french toast meets Thai tea condensed milk sauce?? Sign me up pls

Super disappointed, ordered the What a Rice for delivery and there was no sauce!! The person who ordered didn't even eat it. Completely unacceptable, this was plain white rice and plain unseasoned meat. Fortunately, we were able to share the boat noodles and brothless noodles so they could eat, and we just mixed the meat into them. The other dishes were fine; not spectacular but at least they had flavor. Wouldn't recommend this place. Such a shame as we live nearby and were really looking forward to having another Thai option.

I had the khao soi, which seems to be a new menu item. The flavor was very rich, savory, and had great spice. It comes with a chicken drum stick, which was super tender and falls right off the bone. The thai tea had amazing flavor as well. The servers were very sweet and welcoming. The interior is casual and cozy. I'll definitely be returning to try more of their dishes!

Come here for the vibes! What a Soup serves up great authentic flavors in a casual ambiance that feels like you're really grabbing a bite off the street in Thailand. The staff are very attentive, kind, and knowledgeable, and the playlist they had was so well-curated too. Great spot to bring your friends. Simple, unpretentious menu with some fun/out-of-the-box offerings. We got the signature noodles and rice plate to try a bit of both, as well as the pork belly skewers and coconut juice and pandan drink. Drinks were subtle, not too sweet. Skewers were a tasty app to share; sweet with great flavor and fresh dipping sauce. Noodles and rice were not totally to my personal taste, but definitely worth a try. You likely won't find flavors like this anywhere else in Boston. The What A Signature soup was very rich in flavor and creamy, but I thought it was slightly overdone. I would've liked to taste more of the broth than the toppings. Both dishes were very hearty and generous though, so come with a big appetite and expect thick cuts of meat! I'd come again if I'm in the mood for a heavy dinner.

Delicious Thai noodle soups! Will come again! I'm a fan of the tom yum noodle soup, I liked the beef as well though the broth is slightly on the sweeter side. The pork skewer with a slightly sweet bbq sauce. The desserts were delicious but simple, would still get again. The service was really nice as well. The skewers actually came out raw the first time, but the staff were quick to rectify the situation, providing a new one and removing the item from the bill completely.

My partner and I got the beef boat noodle soup, creamy tom yum noodle soup, pandan drink, and Thai tea custard - TASTE: 5/5 - I love hot and sour combos, and the creamy tom yum noodle soup was definitely the star of the show. Sinfully good! The dark soy broth of the beef boat noodle soup was savory and satisfying. The pandan drink hit the spot (wanted to order another lol), as well as the thai tea sauce that came w the custard bread dessert TEXTURE: 4/5 - enjoyed the instant noodles and ground pork in the tom yum noodle soup, and the rice noodles w beef, tendon, and meatballs in the beef boat noodle soup. Both came w bean sprouts and fried wontons for crunch PRICE: 4/5 - our total came out to $60 SERVING SIZE: 4/5 - great portions for lunch w no leftovers to spare SERVICE: 5/5 - we walked in at 11:30am on Sunday, right at opening; we were the first ones seated and the space was almost full by the time we left. The staff was friendly and very attentive, and our food came out 10-15min after ordering ATMOSPHERE: 4/5 - loved the eye catching, painted mural and "What a Soup" signage by the kitchen PARKING: 4/5 - got a free street spot on River St

I was sad to see Nudo Society close at this address but What a Soup is a worthy replacement. I had their Brothless Noodle which comes with pork and a side of soup. The food was freshly prepared and tasted great. While I ordered takeout at the store, the staff that attended me was super nice and attentive. Worth a visit if you are in the area.

With the recent cold snap it's been perfect soup weather, so I stopped by to check out this new spot in Cambridge. I had the beef boat noodles, which had a nice variety of meat types and a very generous portion of noodles. Ambience was casual and welcoming. Staff were friendly and noodles came out very fast.

We came here for lunch on a Monday. The place was pretty busy, but service was fast and smooth. We waited probably 15 minutes for a table. The interior was pretty with art work. We got What a Signature (boat noodles) , Creamy Tom yum soup, pork belly skewers, Thai Tea Custard Bread, Thai ice Tea, & Pandan drink. The presentation was beautiful on the bowls. The boat noodle was rich & spicy. The Wagyu melted in my mouth. The Tom yum soup was sweet & soup. The pork belly skewers were tender & flavorful. The drinks were refreshing & cold. This tea custard bread was a nice surprise. It was light & sweet. Overall, worth to get out.

What A Soup is a delightful and welcoming restaurant with some of the kindest staff I've ever interacted with. I love the design of the restaurant -- the cartoon mural on the wall and the soup devil branding are very cute. The restaurant was bustling on a Thursday evening, and though we were told it would be a 20-25 minute wait, it ended up being closer to 10 minutes. A big part of the fast turnaround is the fast service! The food came really quickly. I got the chicken noodle soup. I don't like sweet savory things, and I figured it was my best bet at not having a sweet broth. Thankfully, the broth was not sweet at all. It was warm, flavorful, and comforting. The chicken was more tender than I expected. There were a lot of noodles, so the dish was quite filling. I would get this again. I also tried adding in a spoonful of their chili flakes (they have a little set of 4 sauces/spices (chili peppers in vinegar, chili sauce, chili flakes, and fish sauce), and it was potent! Would recommend adding a little bit at a time. My dining partner got the beef boat noodle soup, which I didn't try much of. We were told the broth is cooked for over 12 hours, and my partner said he could tell. He also said the broth was a little bit too sweet, and if the sweetness was dialed down, it would've been perfect. He liked the variety of meats in the soup. We also tried the pork belly skewers. There's a good amount of meat and it's cooked well, and surprisingly didn't feel too fatty. The flavor is reminiscent of lightly caramelized meat, and the sauce is slightly sweet and sour. This wasn't a must-get for me. I would be interested in trying the fried pork and the shrimp and egg next time. Overall, we had a great experience at What A Soup. The staff are knowledgeable and excited about the menu and are very open to feedback from customers, which I really appreciated. I would get the chicken noodle soup again, and would want to try some of the other appetizers and maybe the dry noodles on my next visit.

What a spot! Food, ambiance, and service all a 10/10. The staff was very friendly! My partner and I came on a Sunday afternoon, we found it online and wanted to check it out. We ordered some drinks, appetizers, entree, and dessert all of which were really good! Here is what we ordered: -Pandan Drink (super refreshing, perfect amount of sweetness, would recommend this trying this drink!) - Thai Milk Tea (more orange than some other ones I've tried but nice amount of sweetness and tea flavor) -Pork Belly Skewers (Amazing! Melts in your mouth but a bit crispy on the outside, sauce that is comes with is flavorful and fresh) - Fried Chicken Tendon (Tendon texture may not be for everyone, but if you like it, this is great! Would recommend saving pork belly skewer sauce to try with this as well) - Beef Boat Noodle Soup (very flavorful, not too salty, beef was super tender, melts in your mouth, wonton crisp was really good dipped in the broth) - Creamy Tom Yum Noodle Soup (citrusy, fragrant, , a little spicy, and full of flavor! Pork belly was nice and crispy!) - Thai Tea Custard (bread is nice and toasted and Thai tea dip tastes great even on its own! Perfect amount of sweetness and nice creamy texture) - Coconut Custard (I was very impressed with this one! It has a creamy coconut top and a more chewy jelly like bottom, the texture work together beautifully!) The creamy coconut part could definitely be good as a dip for the bread as well! Will definitely be back! Can't wait for the grand opening!

Heard about this place from Eater Boston and it was close to my gym so I decided to try it as my post workout meal. I got there a few minutes after opening (1130am) on a Saturday and there were already customers inside. It's a tiny hole in the wall with not that many tables inside; not sure if they take reservations but I think it'd be pretty hard to sit parties of 6+ unless yall go during opening or be prepared to wait. I ordered the pork belly skewers and beef boat soup (see images). I was raised on Cantonese BBQ pork belly and was expecting something similar but these skewers only had the meat and fat underneath, no skin. Taste was there though and the dipping sauce was a nice sweet addition. The beef boat soup was ~$17 and I've seen others say that the serving size is small, which I agree with, but I think the flavor profile of everything inside the bowl compensates for that. The broth was rich though a little spicy when just drinking it at the end of the meal, decent amount of various beef products (beef balls, sliced beef, and gelatinous beef tendons?), and a large amount of rice noodles. The service was great, server came to check in every once in a while and took my order a few minutes after I sat down. Will definitely come back in the future and hopefully will update this review with some reviews of their dessert!

Food: we got the boat beef noodle and the pork ball noodle! They were really good! The Thai tea custard was also really good. It was a good way to end our meal with something not too sweet! Service: they made sure we got everything we needed, they explained what the dishes were and they asked advice on how the dishes could be improved! I loved to see that they were really trying to listen to their customers! Ambiance: the restaurant to pretty small and cozy. But I liked their wall decor.

A smallish restaurant is hidden on River Street a few blocks down from Central Square in Cambridge. This is the sister restaurant to What a Chick in Watertown, so I had pretty high expectations coming in. I came here on a Friday night for dinner just as the dinner rush started. We sat down at a table and hung up our jackets on the hooks against the wall towards the back of the restaurant. We were given the menu and I easily decided on the pork ball boat noodle soup. As we were waiting for our food, we noticed the service was quick and efficient. I thoroughly enjoyed this meal from the sweet broth to the soft tender meatballs, and the crunchy pork rinds. The presentation is great with the signature crisp with "What a Soup" imprinted on it as well. We were also offered 10% off our bill for reviewing them on Google. Overall, a great place to check out in Cambridge that'll satisfy your hunger.

This place is AMAZING!!!! I loved every single item that was ordered. The pork belly skewers are out of this world - whatever marinade they use is so flavorful and addicting. Definitely get the crispy pork slenders if you're feeling something fried. The mini shrimp creamy omelette was so addicting to munch on - I couldn't stop eating it while taking photos of the other items. The "What A Signature" had A5 wagyu in it and it was AMAZINGGGG. The broth was so rich and smelled soooo good. My mouth was watering the entire meal. For dessert, we got the thai tea custard bread and it's was finger licking good. For drinks, I got the thai iced tea and the panda drink - both good options, but thai iced tea will always win me over. The service here was super friendly!

Incredible food!!!!! We got the creamy tom yum (it's pretty spicy), the crispy basil pork belly (literally so yummy) and their spicy shrimp wontons. We went here for lunch and the food came out so fast. The ladies were so sweet, and it's a nice casual place for a meal with friends. I have tried their boat noodle soup before too, and that's also really tasty. Overall I'd totally come back again. Highly recommend the coffee!

It was an enjoyable lunch overall. The wait initially between placing an order and the appetizers coming out was a bit long but once the appetizers came out, the rest of the meal came out quickly too, with generous portions. All three of us left VERY full and barely could finish the three noodle soups and two appetizers!

New authentic Thai place in the Cambridge area! I just got back from a trip from Thailand and the taste is so similar! We both got the boat noodle soup (beef and pork) and both are really good

The food was really good, it reminds me of noodles I ate in Asia. Service was quick and efficent. The ladies there are so sweet! The ambiance was definitely a more casual joint.

Went to dinner with my friend after work and got the pork ball boat soup. The pork ball was much bigger than I thought and the broth was thick and savory which is how I prefer it. The staff was super nice and it's a little hidden off Central. I was pleasantly surprised to see it pretty busy for an early Thursday night dinner.

The chicken noodle soup broth was yummy, the food came out fast, and the price is great 10/10

I was excited to try this place given the hype and that it's in my neighborhood. But the food was just greasy, heavy and tasteless all at the same time. The service was good and the staff were kind/helpful/fast, but I would not go back.

AMAZING! Can't stop thinking about this spot! Ordered the "What A Signature" with the Wagyu A5 which was U-N-B-E-L-I-E-V-A-B-L-E-! I GASPED when I took that first bite with the noodle, Wagyu beef and broth. The broth was so rich in flavor! This was my favorite by far! Great portions! Also got the "Creamy Tom Yum", that provided a great creamy blend with a kick. Very fresh and tasty! For appetizers, make sure you grab the crispy pork slender with that amazing CRONCH! The pork belly skewer with the most amazing tender bites of meat. **DROOLING** Great atmosphere, outstanding service, great vibe. Worth the stop if you are the area. WORTH THE DRIVE! YOU NEED TO GO HERE!

Great noodle soup! The pork ball tasted amazing - melts in your mouth. The broth was also really good, very flavorful, and they also give lots of noodles too, so I was very full. Place was a bit small inside, so you may have to wait in line, especially on a weekend.

Authentic Thai boat noodles. A truly delicious bowl of noodles that taste just like it came off the streets of Bangkok. However, the prices are very different from those bowls. I don't believe it's just the economy because quite frankly $18 for a bowl of their beef boat noodles is ridiculous. The portions are very small for their prices as well. If I had been stuffed after a bowl I would not complain, but I was still left a bit hungry after a bowl and sharing an appetizer. A bowl of the best pho in the greater boston area would be $12 and double the portion. I don't mean to sound cheap--I think they have a great boat noodle, but after spending $60 on 2 bowls and an appetizer and still not leaving not satisfied I personally won't be back.

I have had beef boat noodles twice in about a week, once in Dorchester and once here. What a Soup wins hands down. The broth is thick and a slight bit spicy. There's a lot of variety of tastes in the bowl-- fresh cilantro, beef slices, meatballs, the crispy fried cracklin. I appreciate the beansprouts. Service is excellent. Very quick, attentive, refilled water. It's a cute little cafe.

My partner and I decided to meet up with a friend for dinner at a restaurant that had been garnering attention on social media, with many acquaintances having visited. Despite making a reservation, it was evident that the service was quite speedy, likely due to the restaurant's smaller size. We didn't have much time to peruse the menu thoroughly, so we quickly selected a few items. Among them, the pork belly skewers stood out as exceptionally delicious. Although I had high hopes for our soups, they turned out to be rather ordinary, reminiscent of something you could find anywhere, with the Tom Yum noodles seeming like they were from instant noodle packages. While it was satisfying enough for a chilly day, it didn't offer anything extraordinary. Overall, while we wouldn't hurry back, the experience was good.

We heard this restaurant through a friend and it was great! Service was super fast and very friendly. We got the Tom Yum and Meatball Boat soup and it was really yummy. The pandan drink is refreshing too!