Yume Wo Katare
Japanese restaurant · North Cambridge
1923 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140
Highlights
Japanese noodle specialist serving rich pork ramen with dream sharing
Japanese noodle specialist serving rich pork ramen with dream sharing
"Boston has a plethora of ramen these days, but one of the most famous options in town is an eccentric little “dream workshop” in Cambridge’s Porter Square, where diners stand up and share their dreams after finishing massive bowls of a hefty pork-topped style of ramen. Dress for the weather; there’s often a line outside." - Erika Adams
"Be prepared to wait in line for hot ramen spot Yume Wo Katare. Also be prepared to stand up and state your dreams for the crowd after you finish your bowl — founder Tsuyoshi Nishioka wants to make everyone’s dreams come true. The simple menu features ramen with a heavy emphasis on pork and garlic. For occasional specials, keep an eye on the restaurant’s Instagram page." - Nathan Tavares
"Diners line up outside for a taste of the ramen at this popular Porter Square restaurant. The bowls of fatty pork ramen, made with thick noodles and pork broth, are among the best in Greater Boston. As the restaurant says, “Your choice is simple: two slices of pork, or five?” When diners finish their bowls inside the shop (it’s dine-in service only), they are given the opportunity to stand up and share their dreams in front of everyone in the restaurant. Note: Yume Wo Katare is not associated with Yume Ga Arukara, the also-excellent udon-focused shop inside the nearby Porter Square Exchange. While the two shops originally shared a founder, Tsuyoshi Nishioka, he sold his stake in Yume Ga Arukara in 2020." - Nathan Tavares
"At Yume Wo Katare in Porter Square, the only decision you have to make is whether you want two or five slices of chashu in your ramen. The only menu item is a giant bowl of thick, chewy noodles swimming in rich pork broth, which is absolutely worth the inevitable wait to get in. After you finish, the staff will ask you if you’d like to stand up and share your dreams out loud with the other 15 to 20 diners in the tiny shop (Yume Wo Katare loosely translates to “tell your dream” in Japanese). Yes, this is a real (and kind of lovely?) thing that happens here." - tanya edwards, megan zhang, dan secatore
"Devout foodies gather from far and wide to worship at this Porter Square altar to ramen–this tiny restaurant’s seats are quite literally all positioned to face the open-air kitchen, almost like a church. Locals often queue for hours just to grab a seat inside this dine-in only restaurant. But brave the line-up and you’ll be treated to some of the richest, most satisfying noodle soup in town. Jiro-style ramen is the name of the game here, so expect enormous portions of steaming broth topped with thick slices of pork and a mound of bean sprouts and sliced cabbage. There are only two items on the menu here: tonkatsu shoyu pork ramen with two slices of pork, or five (there's also a kid's size available). The house's pork bone broth is simmered for 14 hours, lending each bowl a velvety, savory texture." - Todd Plummer, Shannon McMahon
