Little Big Diner
| Address: | 1247 Centre St, Newton, MA 02459, USA |
| Phone: | +1 857-404-0068 |
| Site: | littlebigdiner.com |
| Rating: | 4.5 |
| Working: | 11:30AM–3PM 11:30AM–3PM 11:30AM–3PM 11:30AM–3PM 11:30AM–3PM 11:30AM–3PM 11:30AM–3PM |
Location
Photos 100
Reviews 10
RA
Rated by Hanna
My SO and I were starving while in Newton Centre on a weekday and I had mentioned to him that I had always wanted to try this award winning place. Indeed this place is very small diner as the name suggests! There was only one server and the host was also helping with taking orders and bring food/clearing tables. She was very nice and sociable, however as the only person there the service was unfortunately extremely slow. The menu is limited but everything looked good from the other tables I spied. My SO and I both ordered a rice bowl, no starters since we were starving. He ordered the Arctic Char which is definitely superior to the Chicken one I got. For $2 extra you can also get an egg, which seems kind of steep for a single egg. The food actually came out relatively quickly, and faster than the waitress could pay attention to us and take our order. I got the spicy and sweet sauces on the side. The pickled veggies paired well with the rice bowl, but the chicken lacked much flavor or originality aside from dousing in the sauces. Despite the slightly off mark first experience, Im looking forward to coming back when they are less busy and trying the Green Papaya salad and their famous noodle bowls.
AL
Alexander Hur
The experience overall was a friendly one. We ordered the grilled shrimp"salad" buns ($9), the shio chicken ramen and the miso ramen ($15 each). First the buns came out and let me say that they were glorious. The shrimp had a wonderful grilled taste, and being mixed with lime, green onions, pickled cucumber and mayo: the perfect combo. Plus, the bun it was topped on was nice and fluffy. The ramen however, as sad as it is to say, was not satisfactory. The second we tasted the broth, we were hit with a very salty taste. I can see why this would appeal to the majority of Americans going there, but Im Korean and it didnt quite click with me. I can tell they dont use msg, but they end up using too much salt. Also, the portions werent that great. Also I wanted to say things were very overpriced. Service was good, friendly people served us. The atmosphere of the restaurant, I would say it wasnt peaceful. Rock music was playing at the time, very westernized.
JE
Jeff MacMann
This is the Real Deal! My Japanese wife and I visited this place a couple of days ago and we loved it. She had the miso ramen, I had the chili paitan ramen. The noodles were perfectly cooked, the broths were rich and flavorful, the pork portions were generous, and the garnishes (chili crisps, beansprouts, kimchi, mushrooms, etc.) were tasty. We were both amazed at the authenticity of the dishes, despite the fact that there were no Japanese faces to be seen in the open kitchen. We arrived in the tiny cafe just before noon on a Tuesday and were seated immediately. However, within 10-15 minutes, the place filled up and there were people waiting to be seated until after we left. The food is a little pricey, but its worth paying for the real thing. Besides, the restaurant is in a prime location in Newton Center, which must burden their overhead somewhat. Nevertheless, the pluses far outweigh the minuses at Little Big Diner. We will go back.
NA
Nathan Green
After one visit to this second enterprise from the management of Sycamore a few blocks away in Newton Centre: dont miss the Chilled Spicy Noodles ($13) (w/cashews, avocados, pea greens, orange) for its flavor-ramad array and only slightly moderated high-spice level---great with the Omegang, though. Almost as good is the moderately spicy and juice-juice-juicy LBD Flat (not that flat) Patty "Hawaiian Style" Burger (great value at $9) (w/pineapple sambal, crispy (very) onions, mayo). Service is very good. Size of this "diner" is . . . diner-like at 6 tables for 2 and 8 counter seats. No fire extinguisher for spicy overreach. Check out the Asian movie posters in the loo, too---someone there likes Kurt Russell. Theres also a phone (!) there (for the non-squeamish)---dont know if you can call home --- say, in Singapore.
MI
mike iveson
Amazing. Simply amazing. This is a tiny little place so expect to wait to get a seat if youre going during peak times. This place was bumping on a Sunday night. The wait staff was obviously overwhelmed but showed hustle, prioritized very well, and didnt show any stress or frustration. They were all very friendly as well which is a huge plus. The food was absolutely delightful. Im new to ramen and am obsessed with anything I can get into my belly. The flavors blended really well and everything added its own dimension. The broth was spicy and had me sweating a bit. Which I love. Im only in town for a week but will most likely be back even though its about 10 miles from my hotel. The saki I had was very high quality and tasted amazing. Ill be having very pleasant dreams of ramen tonight thanks to this place!
KE
Kevin Wang
The atmosphere here is casual and friendly, and the food is filling but it does not have an authentic Asian taste. I ordered the spicy miso ramen, which had a good soup base but the bean curds were hard and the pork very dry. Also, after I had paid and waited for my change of $5.48, they only came back with $5, and told me they rounded down. Since its only a couple of cents, I didnt really care, but it certainly was a bad experience and I was not as generous with the tip as I usually am. However, if youre nearby and hungry, this is a great spot to go. Though the wait can vary from 15-30 minutes when its busy.
EY
Eyal Zilberman
Excellent! At first glance, you might mistake this places for a run of the mill ramen place. But once you walk in and check out the drink menu, featuring the like of a bacon infused whiskey cocktail named Umami so far, its clear theres some character here. The shrimp dumplings were amazing and my Udon special was sublime. We had bar seating and the pleasure of chatting with the owner and his chef. They were super cool, very personable and welcoming. Yeah its not cheap, but thems the breaks for top knock Asian fusion in Newton Center. Ill be going back for sure.
MI
Micah Korson
These guys are immaculate ramen and Japanese inspired food makers. They are true artisans, dedicated to their craft. Each flavor speaks to you and is identifiable in your pallet. Their burgers are amazing, their ramen is amazing. Anything they make is amazing, and they are SUPER friendly. The place is LITTLE, but the flavor is BIG and the memories are unforgettable. For the love of all food and gastronomic pleasure GO TO THIS RESTAURANT AND START CHOWING DOWN!
KE
Keith Stern
Stop. Right now you must get yourself to Little Big. The ramen is second to none: a rich broth containing fresh noodles, veggies, pork, egg, and more. The rice bowls are singularly fantastic. The burger is better than any other burger in the area -- and it aint even a burger joint. Just as important as the excellent cuisine is the staff: the chef, the sous chef, the wait staff -- they are friendly, fun, helpful, and just amazing.
CA
cat wu
Bad quality of food and extremely not authentic. Ordered grilled pork rice bowl and pumpkin ramen. The rice and pork are so dry and nearly crunchy. The pickled ginger doesnt really have taste to it. The ramen is a disaster, no pumpkin taste at all, just like drinking gluey coconut milk. they also put curry in the broth, that just make it even worse, nothing in that bowl goes well together.
