Best milk tea I've had in Boston. Cash only. Finding parking a little difficult, but that's to be expected in that area.
(5)
Hurnan V.
Hidden gem in Chinatown! Disclaimer-- this review is for the boba, primarily! I have been here a couple of times to get the boba drinks, but none stand out more than the avocado smoothie with boba. The boba themselves were perfectly chewy and sweet. The avocado smoothie, although a tad too sweet for my taste, had a nice, distinguished avocado flavor. They blend in the avocado with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, which is superbly delicious. Perfect for any hot summer day. As for the food-- I have eaten here once or twice before during my college years, but the food was nothing spectacular and comparable to the other Chinese restaurants in Chinatown. (Perhaps that is why the boba stands out so much to me!) Finally-- don't be intimidated by the line! They are always busy, but they are efficient nonetheless. Tip: cash only-- avocado smoothie was 3.50.
(5)
Denise L.
One of my favorite bubble tea places in Boston! I'm pretty basic and always get their milk tea with boba. The milk tea tastes authentic and the boba is always soft and chewy. I'm very picky about my boba and need it to be a good texture, fresh, and not clumped together. New Dong Khanh consistently gets it right. I've also tried their avocado shake and red bean smoothie. Both drinks are made with a scoop of ice cream. They're good but very filling to me. Nice for a hot summer day. Although I know most people come here for their bubble tea, it's also a Vietnamese restaurant in the back. I've had the Pho once which was decent but if you're looking for good Pho, you're better off walking over to Pho Pasteur or Pho Hoa instead. Since this used to be the only good bubble tea place in the city, I used to make the trek all the time from BU to come here. So happy the options have expanded within the past few years to include Kungfu Tea, Chatime, and (my new favorite) TeaDo!
(4)
Jacinda Z.
Delicious, cheap, and adorably motherly-like asian waiters/waitresses. The prices are super cheap, even for Chinatown, and the inside was cleaner than most chinatown restaurants. All was amazing and we cleaned our plates. The waitress asked us if we liked our food, but was visibly pleased that we cleaned our plates! Lol. We got the carmelized pork (#130), which came in a stone pot that kept it hot while I was eating it. It was super delicious. We also got the meat rolls (appetizer) and fresh spring rolls (appetizer). The meat rolls were delicious, they were wrapped in some kind of rice flour (it was clear in color), with bits of pork inside them. So good. We also got some kind of curried chicken (#13) that came with noodles, lettuce, and a huge chicken thigh.
(5)
Chenkai L.
This is my favorite bubble tea place in Chinatown. I always get their bubble tea smoothie, which is very thick and filling and their bubba is really soft and well done. I have tried all of their flavors and the only ones I didn't like was Almond (overly sweet) and Green tea sesame (sounds interesting but a terrible mix). I also came here for Pho and it was a pretty average pho place.
(4)
Danielle B.
Came here just for boba. The restaurant is small and busy and the waiting area could barely accommodate all the hungry/thirsty patrons. I placed my order to go and then squeezed myself into a corner with the fish tank to try to stay out of the way of waiters and people who hadn't ordered yet. Behind the counter is a mess of fruits, powders, jellies, liquids.. some covered, some not which did make me wonder what their health rating was. I just crossed my fingers that everything is stored to code. Their drink menu has a good variety including the fruity and the classic milk teas. Since it was a bit chaotic and I went for my go to: almond. My almond smoothie boba was perfectly refreshing and hit the spot. I hadn't had good boba in awhile (I blame living in South Florida at the time). Even if it were just for a boba fix, I would come again. Yes, cash only!
(4)
Dedania M.
CASH ONLY! I love going to DK since their prices are cheap and the quality is great. There's so many bubble tea goers at Teado, but DK has so much flavors to offer. They make the drinks themselves without relying on a boba machine, and the drinks are always yummy and cheap. There's no chill-spot at DK so you are literally in line for your drink then you just leave (unless you plan on dining in). I ate here last Sunday and had bun bo hue, spring rolls with shrimp, and milk tea with pudding. Out of all places I've had peanut sauce, DK's just taste better. The bun bo hue was great, nothing wrong with it. The milk tea on the other hand was a bit weak. I tasted straight up sugar in my drink so it wasn't as pleasant as my usual drinks. I don't think I'd ever pick milk tea w/ pudding again but I still do enjoy their other drinks. Don't expect too much of service. Their job is to serve your food hot and be nice greeters. I had my friend call for the check since they didn't really check on us, but it's really not that big of a deal. This is Chinatown. Definitely try this place, and I know a lot of you probably go to Pho Pasteur for pho bo/etc, but try this place as well!
(4)
TRinh D.
Looking for some good Vietnamese food? Well you'll definitely get it here. One of my favorite dish is the rice pork chop plate with eggs and a side of soup. Guaranteed satisfaction for the price you pay. You should not leave this place without a smoothie, they're to die for!!! Side note: Cash only but well worth hitting the ATM for. :)
(5)
Jessica N.
Food is cheap, quick, and delicious. Have tried bun bo hue and pho sate. Both delicious. They always welcome you with tea. Fish in the tank is cool. Constantly busy with bubble tea customers. Best days to visit are rainy days! No awkward wait and food is served really fast! Cash only business.
(4)
Karen W.
From bad experiences with carrying only a debit card and a lot of pennies, I will now always remember to bring cash before coming here. Dong Khanh (DK) is always the place for me to get fruity milk shakes; my default drink is the strawberry flavor. I also come here for their pho. There are a variety of different vietnamese noodle soups you can get. Because I like their pho as well as their pork chops, I usually order a pork chops pho which is not on their menu. Try it out! I come here on a monthly kind of basis, so I recommend coming here for vietnamese food.
(4)
Cate N.
I've been coming here for years, almost always exclusively for the bubble tea. Their selection can't be beat, so many options for either flavors or fillers. Not to mention it's the tastiest bubble tea in Boston. Addictive!! And they use fresh fruit for a lot of the drinks, unlike other places that use only powder
(5)
Huyen T.
Awesome!!! It feels like I'm back in vietnam with "banh xeo" or " bun mam" or "bun rieu"....
(5)
Andrew N.
It's a little unfortunate that this place is the best boba you can get in Boston Chinatown. Boba in Chinatown sucks (I've tried almost every place that has a bubble tea), but Dong Khanh is mediocre exception. Their boba is far better than their competitors because it is actually pretty soft and chewy. Their drinks, however, are not that great. I usually get the milk tea or thai tea, and it is EXTREMELY inconsistant. Some days it is good, other days it tastes like water. This is because they make their milk tea from scratch (milk, sugar, tea, water) and measure by eye. It's really a hit or miss. Ca phe sua da (Vietnamese Ice Coffee) is a drink that you can probably never go wrong here, as they know how to make it pretty well and consistantly. That said, it gets an A-OK for being the relatively best pearls you can get in Boston Chinatown... but if it was in more competitive neighborhood (ahem, California) it would probably be a 1 or 2 star joint.
(3)
M I.
This place is very authentic and I visited for lunch. CASH ONLY like other reviewers have mentioned. The menu is vast, I had the chicken rice dish - which was fantastic. My buddy had the shrimp dish, which was great also. I plan on going back.
(5)
Jasmine X.
Been missing my pmt (or boba as they say it here) fix ever since coming to the East Coast for college. Was fortunately in Chinatown with some friends one Friday evening and someone mentioned how this place has some pretty solid boba. Eh. Not bad. I chose a regular pearl milk tea since it's a good baseline indicator of how this place fares compared to other places and was pleasantly surprised. My mind wasn't blown but compared to the other boba places I've tried on the East Coast, this one was a godsend. Subpar boba and meh milk tea but it at least passes as acceptable. Part of me feels like I should give it a higher rating because this is great compared to the other places offered on the East Coast... but I'm a bit of a pmt snob so I'm going to keep it at a 3 rating since I don't think this is good enough that I would actually come back to it. Friends got a durian shake and an avocado shake. Both of which is pretty good--avocado tasted like pure ice cream yum yum and durian--well if it floats your boat you'll like it right? tldr; pretty good pmt for boston, but if you're from the west, subpar at best
(3)
Cathy Z.
Unlike many of the reviews here, I managed to resist the boba and tried the food instead! I stopped by New Dong Khanh after missing my train at South Station. Their seafood congee (chao) had been featured in Serious Eats ( seriouseats.com/2014/04/… ), so I was eager to try it--especially at only $5.25. The rice had a great texture and the shrimp and fish cake were tasty, but I was too skeeved out by the imitation crab to finish the bowl. (I like imitation crab in small doses, but the huge rubbery swaths of it floating around were just a little too much for my white girl sensibilities.) Overall, though, the congee was a very comforting dish, with just enough fresh herbs on top to keep it from feeling too heavy. I also had an order of pork and shrimp summer rolls, which were decent but forgettable. At $3.25 for 2 rolls, I would save your money for a shake instead! The service was friendly and fast, and I had a fun time creepily watching the two Chinese toddlers next to me enjoying their meal just as much as I did. I'll come back to New Dong Khanh next time I have a hankering for a cheap, comforting Vietnamese meal, but I'll probably go for the chao ga instead!
(4)
M L.
DK is one of our go-to restaurants in Chinatown. There's always something for every season - in the winter months, we love their wide selection of pho and noodle soups. In the summer time, we enjoy the vermicelli dishes (basically the dry version of pho). If you're not in a Vietnamese food-style mood, they have an array of rice and noodle stir fry plates. How great is that for a group of people who have varying taste buds? Another great thing about DK is that they have a pretty great boba, smoothie and froyo bar. We absolutely love the avocado shake - made with fresh avocado & a scoop of ice cream! Their mango and other fruit shakes are also pretty good. A downside though is that it's cash only. But other than that, you're bound to find us here whenever we are in the mood for pho or a boba drink!
(4)
Khunravin H.
Probably the best boba/bubble (which one, I dunno?) tea you can get in China Town, hands down! Remember it's CASH Only. I'm a big fan of Coconut Boba (smoothie version) so I always order that wherever I can get my hands on Boba. P.S. they use fresh fruit which adds to the whole point of buying from here. Most shops use powder (to my knowledge) and are just ehh. I've had food here, but haven't really explored their menu becauseeeee I always order Boba to go!! If nothing else, if you're in the area, get some Boba here!
(5)
Bonnie L.
I haven't been here in a while (6months-8months?) and I am SUPER disappointed to the point where this may be the very last time I come here. 1. I ordered their Bun Bo Hue. The noodle didn't seem fully cooked to the soft chewy texture. The meat were ALL fat (I was able to eat maybe 1 of the 6 pieces.) 2. DRINKS: I ordered Thai Ice Tea & their boba in their drinks are soggy. I thought the whole point of boba is to be chewy.. Not melt in my mouth. My boyfriend ordered a green apple fruit shake with lychee.. And needless to say more, I have an image posted up. 3. ATMOSPHERE: The table We sat at there were TONS of fruit flies on the wall. We had to move to another table from the amount of little pesky flies bothering us, yet it was STILL unavoidable. I walked out of the restaurant feeling unsatisfied & very dirty. I use to LOVE DK but it felt like I went to a different restaurant. Super disappointed and most likely will not return. Only reason it didn't get 1 star is because I use to love eating Pho here.
(2)
Joyce L.
I came here for lunch/dinner four times in one week... That means that my lazy butt wanted to eat the #23 vermicelli with pork SO BADLY that I walked to the atm 4 times to get cash out JUST to eat here! That is saying a lot. It's annoying that they only take cash, but you gotta do what you gotta do. The boba/smoothies here are also really delicious. They put an entire avocado in the avocado smoothie, so it's well worth your money. Everything else on their menu is less than $10. Nothing beats that! EDIT: written 2/24/2015 quick fixer-upper for when you're sick or hungover: CHICKEN CONGEE. never fails me.
(4)
Jacqueline S.
Came here after learning they served durian smoothies. I ordered the smoothie with boba. On the whole, the smoothie was cold and the smell and taste was 'interesting" as I knew it would be. The service was quick and the counter staff were welcoming, As my friends and I waited, we looked at what folks were eating. The food must be good because people were eating more than talking. I would definitely eat here.
(4)
lizzie b.
Try the avocado shake - run! I'm a big fan of avocado (even in ice cream), and also don't love things that are too sweet. Excited to find this little place -- that also appears to have good pho -- clean, fresh, and especially delicious boba. NDK knows what it's doing, and I can't wait to go back.
(5)
Kymberly G.
A little hole in the wall place in the Chinatown area of Boston. I wont lie... when we got there I was more than a little reluctant to even enter the place, let alone eat anything they served. The place could use a very serious deep cleaning and overall updating. I had seriously thought Yelp had failed us on this one, but im always up for a little adventure, so in we went! Service was friendly, and although the staff clearly didnt speak english extremely well, they did answer questions and let us take our time looking over the menu. We didnt feel rushed at all, and the place was pretty busy (Saturday night, in Boston, during a Red Sox/Yankees game). The food was great, although a little different than what I am used to from the places we frequent in our hometown and on the West Coast in general. I would certainly go back for another round when we are in the Boston area again.
(4)
Cindy H.
I have been coming here for nearly a decade. DK has the best bubble tea in Chinatown, hands down. Not only that, they are the cheapest for that too! Kung Fu Tea, Cha Time, Tea Do, and others may look more hip and happening, but get your bubble tea here folks! There is usually a line for a reason. There's a wide variety of drinks, but I see a ton of people get the green tea and red bean smoothies. Also, they have very traditional Asian desserts and drinks off to the side if you are craving some herbal tea or soy milk. The pho is solid, but they have fatty pieces of meat which is why I took off a star. That may be to your liking though, but I'm a 90 to 10 lean to fat ratio with my meat. Prices are lower than other Vietnamese restaurants and the taste of the food is much more authentic. Note: cash only. There is a BoA ATM down by Tufts so it isn't too convenient to get some bills. It will be worth it, I assure you.
(4)
Ellean Z.
My friends refer to NDK as "tumor fish place." While it doesn't sound quite so savory, we only mean it in the most endearing way. The first time I was here, I had a nice chat with an adorable elderly folk by the fish tank, because vibrantly colored fish with large cranial lumps are great for breaking ice. Who knows...it could play cupid for you and you could walk into NDK single and leave with a cute date and a belly full of cheap, but utterly satisfying pho. I haven't explored the menu much, despite frequenting this place sometimes up to 5/6 times in a week, but I eat what I like and I eat it often. I have a feeling that it's difficult to go wrong with anything here, though...my litmus paper? Their egg rolls. I've been so let down by egg rolls over the years that I've essentially given up on eating them outside of home, unless I vibe well with the quality of food at a restaurant. Their egg rolls are small, light, and crunchy like they're supposed to be; simply delicious. Anyways, this place is fast, easy, convenient, yummy, and nice to my wallet. Definitely a go-to place good for any time. Also, they have [egg] PUDDING for their milk tea! If you're unfamiliar with this pudding, it's not like the goopy kind you're probably used to...it's firmer than that and more like the consistency of steamed egg or silken tofu. I think it's worth a try, though it's not for everyone. I'm not sure if other boba places in the area have pudding, but it doesn't even matter because at $3.50 for a cup of boba milk tea, this place is cheaper than most and certainly up there in terms of quality. Favorites: Pho, Shrimp/Pork Vermicelli, Egg Rolls Drinks: Black Tea Pudding Milk Tea, Avocado Boba Smoothie, Watermelon Smoothie, Honeydew Smoothie
(5)
Allan T.
For downtown Boston, the New Dong Khanh is as authentic Vietnamese as it gets. (There may be others in Dorchester.) I know this from a long-time colleague who is from Vietnam and he eats there at least 2X @ week. If you go there, notice that the clientele is almost entirely Asian - that speaks volumes. There are others in Chinatown but they have a bit too much of a tourist/how-lee touch for my taste. Yes, their pho is great but venture out to the rice plates and the bùn for some really special taste treats. Their drinks - judging from the swarms of high school kids who stop there after school for bubble tea - it's gotta be great. Terrific selection. My favorites are the iced Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk; and the lychee. Throw out anything and everything you know about Chinese food and step into South East Asian cuisine for a pleasant and refreshing change!
(4)
S S.
This is my favorite Boba place in the WORLD! Their boba has a slushy consistency, like a smoothie almost. It is not the typical thin watery boba with some ice cubes in it. They also have great selection of flavors and let you pick the kind of solid material you want in it (jellies, lychee jelly, boba balls, etc). The best part about this boba is definitely the consistency. It is very unique and very delicious. I always come here each time I am in Boston. I recommend the red bean flavor boba drink -- my favorite so far!
(5)
Quynh Nhu D.
I literally beg me mom to come here. But hey I'm an adult now, I can go here by myself. YAY Anyways, I am slightly in love with this place. Slightly because loving a restaurant might be weird. Food: awesome, so many variety of Viet food. You get a whole country of Viet soup in just one place. If you're bored of Pho you have all these Mi and Hu Tieu to mix it up. BONUS: The Banh Bot Chien (Fried rice cake) is ultra good. I had it in Houston and I was like Uh Uh, nothing compares to DK's. Maybe the Vietnam version might be better but I'm stuck here for a while. I don't see this item on the menu so to try for yourself you got to ask them. They have a similar chinese version over at Windsor Dimsum. Both are good in their own way. Many of their non-pho soup are quite unique and delicous, try for yourself :B I haven't had a bad one. I don't like Pho so I don't get it here - but my friends like them so its a safe choice. Pork chop rice is another favorite; I love the Bi which is ... stringy pork stuff.... TRUST ME ITS GOOD, despite my bad literature description. Banh Cuon (Rice roll) is really nice with the fried shrimp cake. If you a bean sprout addict you will like this dish BBQ pork chop and noodle soup - something awesome, it's a dry noodle version with a bowl of soup on the side Good shakes. I love the watermelon smoothies. I use to not like watermelon but this converted me. One negative is cash only, but that is like 99% of Chinatown. Good service too. Three more years of college ensure more visit to DK yaay
(5)
Jennifer G.
Hands down favorite bubble tea in Boston. NOTE: Cash only! I've been coming here for as long as I remember, and the people who work here are so friendly. Drinks are cheap and there's a lot of variety on the menu. All drinks are made with fresh fruit, not that syrup stuff. Food is pretty good too, but I usually just stop in for some bubble tea. It tends to get busy during prime hours, so they have a fish tank inside with a grumpy looking fish for your entertainment.
(5)
Jimmy B.
Okay, noob mistake on my last review. Most likely when I ordered my go-to green tea smoothie of heavenly awesomeness, I "might" have said green tea SHAKE with boba. NOT the same thing as green tea SMOOTHIE with boba. SMH. No wonder sometimes I have inconsistency in texture - the shake is obviously more clumpy and ice based, and not as "smoooooooooth" as a smoothie. Durr. Probably also less healthy with the vanilla ice cream in order to make it smooth, but whatever, it's too delicious to pass up! Therefore, I hereby upgrade thee from four stars to five stars! Smoothie has so far always been spot on and delicious! Love you guys!
(5)
My Anh T.
The best Bubble tea in Boston! Their bobba and drinks are great, always cold and chewy. It isn't sickley sweet like everywhere ealse.
(5)
Mercedes V.
Only got shakes but they were so good! I got the honeydew with boba and my boyfriend got strawberry mango with mango. They were both good but his was better. I can't wait to come back and try the food too. Yum!
(5)
Francisca W.
place was renovated probably last year -- now so much cleaner and brighter! met w/friend for mid-week lunch, arriving around 1:30pm. the drink bar was packed but dining area rather empty -- even better, that means no rush on our meal! food & drinks came; all was good (i wasn't even hungry but kept eating!). sat and talked some more after we were done; ordered a take-out. ended up spending an hour or more there; never met with a dirty look (well, they were not busy either!). had a good meal and comfortable dining experience, waitress was polite and efficient, what more can you ask? their shakes are good too! p.s. cash only. (not sure if that's the whole restaurant or drink bar only; would be nice if they actually accept cards in the dining area.)
(4)
Jesse N.
I find every reason in the world to come to this place. There are of course, so many reasons: 1. Best bubble tea in Chinatown, and they use all real ingredients (not powder) 2. Best pho in Chinatown. Their pho is the closest that has come to anything I've had in Vietnam. 3. Best fried shrimp...It comes with the shell on, but it's fried to such perfection that you can eat them whole, shell-on and everything! 4. Best for last: Their caramelized fish dish. That easily takes my top 10 best foods of all time. It's a beautiful, savory dish of fish cooked in a base of fish sauce, sugar and other spices. It's simply amazing, and whenever I go here I ALWAYS order it. It's so delicious to eat with white rice on the side. I also love DK because it's such a nice alternative to the other greasy stuff you'd have at other neighboring restaurants, and it also has a chill vibe. Whenever my friends ask for a Chinatown restaurant suggestion, I always lead them here (then casually proceed to invite myself).
(5)
April K.
Really great food for cheap. My favorite is the red bean smoothie. The pho was served piping hot. The summer rolls were good too. It's cash only, but that's probably why they are able to have such low prices on everything.
(4)
Julia Z.
This review is for their drinks only. I always crave a DK smoothie when i'm in Boston, specifically a strawberry smoothie with an extra scoop of ice cream always his the spot. This past weekend I decided to switch it up and tried the coconut with red bean, delicious! The coconut wasn't overpowering, perfect coconut to red bean mixture. I also love examining the new bling the owner flaunts, I swear the size of her diamond necklaces/rings get bigger each time I visit.
(4)
Rachel L.
Love this place; shakes/bubble tea are amazing. Food is great as well. Came on a weekday evening and per usual, a long line at the counter for their shakes/bubble tea. Their boba is definitely unique compared to other shops - it's the perfect kind of sugary, chewy sensation. Their extensive menu offers various things to order. You can never go wrong with the pho, especially the one with all cuts of meat. The broth never fails; it's not too strong, nor too bland. Usually, I add a ton of sriracha and hoisin, but I sort of feel bad if I do here because it definitely takes away from the flavoring of the broth. But I didn't get pho this time. I got the flat rice noodle with beef and bean sprout and a pork with egg roll vermicelli bowl. Both = bravo. Portions are generous, and it was very delicious.
(4)
Kirsten L.
Crazing Vietnamese food and this was the closest to me with 4 stars and 1 $. Ordered the Bun with pork chops and egg rolls. It was missing more sweet sauce. It was lacking flavor. Not impressed. The avacado boa ba tea was good and freshly made. I would get that instead of their food. It was cheap $7 per plate. They only accept cash.
(3)
Bonnie C.
This is probably the only Vietnamese restaurant I've been to that has really good com tam with pork chop and fried wontons. Definitely try it when you come here. They also have really good pho, but the MSG that they put it in gives me a really bad allergic reaction, so I avoid New Dong Khanh when I want pho. Other than that, their drinks are amazing as well! I can't imagine any other restaurants making a red bean shake as good as them. Otherwise a great place for a quick meal. Staff is friendly too. I just wish I could handle their MSG in the pho.
(4)
Jessica Y.
Yessss! Finally made it to New DK for bubble tea after coming back from NYC. Always too many choices to choose from. My personal favorites are the regular milk tea, Thai iced tea, coconut w/ or w/o red bean, avocado, durian, watermelon, and papaya. All the fruity ones are made from natural produce. Their boba are made to the ultimate perfection - sweet and gummy - and don't stick to your teeth. There's always a line regardless of time and weather. Cash only. Food isn't bad here. Their pho and rice plates are pretty delicious. They have my fave beef ball, tendon and brisket pho. I also really like their lemongrass chicken or "gai mung" in Chinese. Also try their summer rolls. Very yummm
(4)
Zoe P.
We came here to eat Vietnamese food. No, really, we did. And the food was good, but nothing to rave about. I had a rice vermicelli bowl, which is what I always order. But the atmosphere and service were outstanding, if you're dining with kids. There were fish to look at, and the long line of bubble tea enthusiasts chatting and brightening the place up. I feel like the owner waited on us and she was very kind. It was easy to find a rice plate my toddler liked, and of course he liked the fruit smoothies too. The price was right and if I were in the neighborhood looking to feed myself and my kids, I'd definitely come back. However, if I were seeking out destination-worthy Vietnamese food, I guess I'd probably try somewhere else.
(3)
Marla M.
Amazing. Incredibly cheap, fresh, flavorful. Unbelievably large menu selection. Came here based on other Yelp reviews and wasn't led astray. Cannot more highly recommend this place!!
(5)
Nat B.
Visiting Boston for the weekend, I managed to hit New Dong Khanh twice for some excellent drinks. This Vietnamese restaurant is THE place to go for boba, agar jelly, fruit drinks, and milkshare options in Chinatown / Boston! I got an iced coffee with coffee jelly cubes and later a honeydew shake with green tea jelly cubes. The fresh honeydew melon drink was truly excellent. I love the fact that they have so many jelly options in addition to the standard boba. Where can I get this variety in Chinatown Manhattan?
(4)
Ambica U.
Nice food. Accepts only cash. The bubble tea was heavenly! Authentic vietnamese food.
(4)
Alexander C.
I want to give a more comprehensive review, but lately I've just been coming in for the drinks. About three or four summers ago I did come here for lunch and thought the food was mediocre. If I remember correctly, they did renovate and maybe changed cooks/ownership so it may be better than before. I HAVE been coming here more lately for drinks, ever since my usual place's quality has declined. I mainly get a watermelon juice or a milk tea with boba (tapioca pearls) and have been very satisfied. DK's prices are pretty good, nothing special though as the majority of the restaurants/stores that sell drinks like milk tea or fruit drinks all have the same price of $3-$3.50. Hey, it's supply and demand working due to the large number of sellers, but DK has pretty great quality.
(4)
Melissa M.
We were driving through Boston with a major hangover and decided to pick a place in Chinatown to pick up some delicious comfort food. I got the lo mein and vegetable fried rice. I loved the lo mein dish, basically inhaled it. The fried rice was not what I expected, but still good. It is basically white rice fried with the veggies, not exactly like chinese fried rice. My boyfriend gor 4 orders of pho with everything for himself and his family. He loved every single second of it, as did his family. Our order was ready quickly and came to about $47.
(4)
Pam C.
Lets take two seconds to contemplate how this place is named New Dong. Whew ok. New Dong Khanh is a pretty solid pho place - their broth is a little on the bland side, and their other Vietnamese options are pretty solid. I'm actually having a bit of trouble coming up with content for this review because honestly, New Dong is pretty average, run of the mill. Dining here isn't ever a very memorable experience, but on the bright side I always expect things to go smoothly. They do have some pretty good boba flavours, and they make their tapioca balls pretty well - nice and chewy, not too sweet. Try the avacado shake!!!!
(3)
Wayne F.
My wife hated vietnamese retaurants until this one! We hit the jackpot! My best ever. Awesome small and cheap Vietnamese place. Lots of people come in for fruit shakes and smoothies. But we ate early dinner and had the "Bun Bo Nuong", "Lemon Grass Chicken with rice" and the "Going Tom That" salad. All were EXCELLENT!
(5)
Catherine W.
Don't forget - it's still cash only. Very good sit-in lunch today. Had a grilled pork bun (it was actually a grilled pork chop with the bone in the bun) and beef pho. Both were very good. Really liked their fried chicken wings - delicious - 6 pieces in the order. Pleasant and fast service, bill was $25 including tip.
(4)
Kevin S.
I have been coming to this Vietnamese staple of Chinatown for a long time before and after the renovation. The one plate that I almost always get is their Lemongrass BBQ Chicken. No other place makes it the way they do. I often joke to my friends that they lace it with some sort of drug to get me addicted to it. It is aromatic and the the flavor is savory. It never disappoints! i do find the Pho here a bit lacking. Maybe I am use to the restaurants in Dorchester, but then again it has been a while. The food has been pretty consistent. The Gi cun (summer or spring rolls) is still a must. The only real drawback is that they only take cash and parking is a huge pain in the ass, but then again that can be said for the parking situation for every restaurant in Chinatown
(4)
Sheila N.
Great place for bubble tea because they taste great and an assortment of pretty drinks. 4 stars because the works/owners don't really care for customer service. They usually have a line just for bubble tea, so they are just focused on getting everyone's drinks in a timely manner. I always see an area for frozen yogurt but it seems dead. Their bubble tea business is sucking all the business away from the poor frozen yogurt section . 0.0 For decor, come if you want good Vietnamese food with pals and family and don't really care about ambiance. This is a family owned restaurant so don't expect fancy water fountains or nice paintings. But there is a kinda cool fish tank with one fish :D lol. I would not recommend this place for date night.
(4)
Yuka Y.
Pho craving? In Chinatown? Yuka is going to take you to New Dong Khanh. The most visited place for me in Chinatown for pho and bubble tea, and the place where I've brought the most friends to. Half of NDK runs as a bubble tea shop, the other serves as a Vietnamese restaurant. As to why I love this place so much...it's probably because they're low key, they have thai iced tea, their bobas are great-sweet and chewy, and they have an extensive menu fit for everyone. Even though you're spoiled for choice, I'm one of those suckers who sticks to the same thing once I like it as I'm not very familiar with Vietnamese food and there's over 100 dishes to choose from. Yes yes, indecisive problems. I can at least attest #56 is great: Pho Dac Biet- beef noodle soup with rare beef flank, well done flank, tendon, tripe, and brisket. Dash on the herbs and bean sprouts included and add copious amounts of sriracha sauce. Walah! With the variety of meat and organs for only ~$7, #56 is a steal.. Even though it's not their extra large version which is #55, I always leave with a pho coma. Well worth your $$.
(4)
Vicky H.
I like several things about this place and I dislike just as many... 1. I love the new renovations from how it was previously. If you've been there before you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, you're lucky. It's now more spacious and can sit more people. The front area where they make the drinks is also in a better location so as the front won't be as congested as it did before. The lines used to go out the door and blocking the entrance for other patrons wanting to sit down and there was no place to stand. 2. Speaking of the new drink/counter area -- they seriously make one of the BEST, if not THE best boaboa drinks ever!!! For most of the drinks you see on the menu, it's made with fresh fruits or previously frozen so it's not just canned stuff. There are a few that is canned but it's because it just has to be that way else you're looking at higher prices. The smoothies are just really good here and they're pretty generous of with the tapioca (pearls as some would call them). 3. Like I said earlier, the place is a little bit more spacious so there are more tables and it's just placed better. The lighting in the place is also very well lit. 4. Their service is always prompt. They're good about getting you seated and getting your order in and on the way. Most of the food items do not take long to make at all. There has only been a few occasions where we had to wait awhile for them to bring the check - which is unusual since most Asian places can't wait to get rid of you!!! LOL 5. They make really good Pho here. I don't really care much about their other dishes except for the Quails. That's pretty good too. Too bad it's so expensive for 2 tiny quails. So, onwards to the part i don't like as much. 1. While it's great that it's more spacious, it's still tight and they do not have the most comfortable seats. Purpose this was done on purpose so yo don't sit too long. But you can't put your bag on the floor because that's just disgusting and it's impossible to hang in behind the chair so if you're with 3 or 4 people, chances are, you're holding it on your lap. 2. You don't get a whole lot room either when the place is packed. The person behind you will be sure to bang against your back. 3. And it's hard to carry a conversation there because the space is so small. 4. While service is almost always prompt, it is also sometimes abrupt as well too, as if they're pushing you out the door. I get it though. It's a business and if they don't get you eating soon and you on your merry way, they cannot sit another customer and make more money. Later at night when it's dead, they don't care as much, and this is when you notice the wait staff a lot more relaxed and they don't really pay attention to you as much. So sometimes, you end up sitting there and just waiting for them to show up from the kitchen. 5. I ordered a pork and tofu with watercress soup. it was $9 and it didn't come with rice, and not even half a serving of watercress. I was VERY disappointed. I went to Le's in Allston which is usually more expensive and they gave a bigger portion and included a bowl of white rice. There was actually more than a serving of watercress and more meat. I know where I am going to get the same dish next time. (when i say a service, i mean, when you go to the supermarket and you get a bunch of watercress, it comes bundled already with a rubber band. that's one serving) 6. CASH-ONLY. So, eventhough my experience is somewhat mixed, I still love this place and will continue to come here to get my Pho-fix.. And when people recommend where to go in Chinatown, I will likely point to this as well.
(3)
Vivian T.
this is a vietnamese restaurant but we always come for bubble tea. yummy. cheap, fast awesome. the food is pretty good too. but the bubble tea is probably the best in boston chinatown! they have a great variety. hot or cold, with bubbles or jellies, passionfruit/coconut jellies. They have fresh fruit juices that you can get with bubbles especially over the summer. Favorites are watermelon, green melon bubble tea (all with fresh fruit!), regular milk or taro bubble tea, and people love the avocado bubble drink (basically pureed avocado + heavy cream/milk and bubbles).
(3)
Susan C.
I haven't eaten at Dong Khanh in years, so my friend and I decided to have a late lunch here today. I must say, in terms of food and service, the place has gone down in my book. My friend and I ordered the fresh spring rolls as a starter. They were as good as I remembered, coming with a tasty peanuty hoisin dipping sauce garnished with a little bit of pickled carrot and daikon. I then ordered the flank and brisket pho for myself. While my soup was flavorful, it didn't come with much meat and there was an awful lot of cartilage pieces in there. I think maybe they put all that in there to make the pho look meatier than it actually was. I picked out about a small bowls worth and put it aside as the cartilage wasn't really edible and was unappetizing to look at. The service was also lacking. We went during the restaurant's down time and waited for a while after we finished before the check came. I'll be back for the shakes here, but I think in terms of a sit down meal, I'll stick to eating at the other viet places in Chinatown.
(2)
Paul V.
In Boston for business. Stopped by for a quick dinner. Had "Bun Mam", a savory pork seafood noodle soup, a very good choice for a very cold night. Dipped the pieces of meat in tamarind sauce for additional flavor. Wished I had room to try their many special fruit shakes or teas. Next time, definitely. Service was quick, but the waitress just took the order & rushed off to other duties. Will stop by when in Boston again.
(4)
Joanne T.
My cousin recommended this place for bubble tea. After trying to find parking on a Saturday night, we were finally able to enjoy some tasty treats. The cost for 3 order was about $10, not bad at all. We enjoyed green tea with bubbles, mango/lychee with bubbles, and i ordered the kumquat special with aloe. All 3 were delightful and refreshing. I would've never though of coming here if it wasn't for her. Great find! I love that they offer different fillers other than just bubbles. I wish there was something like this place closer to home.
(4)
Helena Q.
I think this is my new favorite boba place in Boston! Which may seem like damning with faint praise, but I do actually really like it. The fruit shakes are made with real fruit -- you can see them put the fruit into the blender, along with ice and water. Now, I'm not one to go for the "natural" option if it doesn't taste better, but this surprisingly tasted really good. (So far, I've tried lychee and mango. My next try, and the true test, will be taro.) Additionally, the bubbles here are really good, easily the best I've had on the east coast. Soft and squishy, with nice chew. The key: the bubbles are warm when served. The only picky thing is that I wish the bubbles were sweeter -- they didn't have much taste at all.
(5)
Pratik P.
I was in Boston for a week on business and came here EVERY SINGLE DAY for boba tea... I just couldn't stop. My co-worker did the same. The staff are super-friendly, quick and make the tea consistently each time (trust me, after having it 1-2x a day, every day, you notice these things). It's $3.50 for a standard size, but I really do wish they had a bigger cup :)
(4)
Maureen D.
Yummy veggie pho and yummy "Vietnamese style" veggie stir fry. Spring rolls cannot be missed!
(4)
Tracy L.
The food is decent but nothing too special. The place is always chaotic and crowded and is pretty dirty. The server, did not bother to get me any water or tea even after I asked for it. My bill was ~$17, I left 2.5 dollars (ie the changes i had) for tips and the moment I stood up, the waitress came and counted the tips abd yelled at me ( no, literally, YELLED at me) asking for more tips. I told her I wasn't happy with the service, atwhich point another waiter jumped in and (also) yelled at me in his broken English "You eat, You have to tip at least 5 dollars". I told him I didn't have any changes left (which I didn't) and proceeded to leave and he STOOD ON MY WAY to the door. Never ever ever again
(1)
An N.
I think this place is mostly popular for its bubble tea... During our visit, a lot of customers came in for bubble tea to go. The front of the shop was consistently crowded with people coming and going. It's a small shop too so the waiters were busy tending to multiple things at once, which makes table service slow. We sat down and had a few different dishes - I'm sure there's something they do well, but the average Vietnamese dishes aren't the best here. So if you're looking for well made, authentic Vietnamese food, skip this place! We had the bun thit nuong cha gio (I ordered something different, but apparently they didn't hear me correctly...it is noisy inside to be fair!), banh xeo and mi kho do bien. My biggest gripe about restaurants serving Vietnamese food is whether or not they give enough fresh herbs, and this place was lacking in that department. The bun thit nuong was decent enough, but nothing special.
(3)
Artiste A.
Went for the first time today, wanting to try the Pho, specifically the special beef noodle. Home run! Place was clean, nice simple seating, complimentary tea! At each table was siracha, hoisin and small bowls to mix and dip. The chop sticks and spoon were real so they don't just throw them away after one use, which I prefer. But I went here for the special beef and it was very very good. The thin sliced flank was rare and just perfect as it cooked in the hot broth. And the broth? Complex and rich without being over powering. Very very good! Also a nice serving of thai basil and bean sprouts to add if one liked. They were light on any thin sliced onion or scallions which I can go either way on. Used the bathroom to check it out, just fine. Highly recommend this place for the beef Pho!
(5)
Jonny I.
This was the first place I ever had an avocado shake. Ya I know, first impressions are 1) nasty, an avocado?, 2) almond, taro, red bean....those are all much better, why would I waste $3.50 on an avocado shake? Stop fighting with your taste buds and TRY IT! Since, I have moved to southern California and all i hear is the food, the drinks, and the BOBA is the best out there. Well sorry to burst SoCal's bubble, but this place makes the best avocado shake, period! 1/2 avocado, 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream, condensed milk, sugar water, and ice are the ingredients. Maybe you can make it at your own house, but then you would have your own boba shop wouldn't you?
(5)
Nicolas N.
First time here for breakfast. We had the bun mam and seafood conchee. The conchee has ginger which adds a nice flavor and reminds me of mom's congee - my fav panacea. The Bun mam noodles comes with pork, shrimp, fish and fish cake was delicious! It is similar to other central Vietnam noodles and just yumm!!! Coffee was too sweet and creamy. I liked the lychee green tea with popping boba. Decent service for Chinatown. Definitely coming back for another taste when in Boston. This authentic Vietnamese restaurant comes with its own grumpy grandpa!
(4)
Brie P.
I have been here for food,but I always return for the tea and shakes. I remember my first visit here, wayyy before I lived in Mass. My friends brought me here, we sat down and ordered some food and some drinks. I still order the same drink today, coconut shake. They make it so perfectly! I occasionally get something with mango in it,but I always come back for their coconut shake. don't forget that it's cash only,and don't forget to grab your straw before you leave!
(5)
Ogo A.
Great food. Clean. First time here the owner took me through the menu and was very polite and helpful. I went conservative with the chicken pho. I liked the flavored they employed. Will definitely be back.
(5)
Kay H.
I'm only giving 4 stars because I've never tried the food here but I plan on it! All I've had is the Boba drinks. I started going here after one of my favorite places closed for renovation. They're delicious and affordable priced. I probably go back because the guy that makes them is so handsome. Cash only!
(4)
Victoria T.
I'd like to try their pho, but this review will just be for boba drinks. New Dong Khanh is a small but high-rated pho joint known for having good boba drinks, made with fresh fruit and ice cream. We stopped by just for some drinks after lunch. I had a durian shake, which a lot of reviewers here have loved. Personally, I didn't think it was as good as they said. It was certainly tasty and refreshing, but it was made from durian ice cream, water, and ice, so it was just a drinkable version. If you've never had durian ice cream, this might be something special, but I've eaten that over the years, so this shake didn't really stand out to me. I'd come again though; prices are reasonable. Service is not very friendly but they get the job done.
(4)
Ben L.
They might as well make this place a bubble tea shop. because literally, everyone i know who wants bubble tea wants to go here but when i mention pho, they want to go somewhere else. Dont get me wrong, the pho actually does the job, it really is good enough for me as it has some flavorful broth and good meats. bean sprouts were a little brown though, but it happened to me once. but thats about it As for the bubble tea, if you really do visit boston, it is a must! they have fresh fruit for every fruit flavor. They only use artificial power for very few flavors, like green tea and taro, but they are both still good. I think their secret to their amazing drink is vanilla ice cream, but who knows, they add love too. I only come here for bubble tea or if i dont mind a nice bowl of pho. seriously the best I have ever had. Obviously i would give this place 5 stars if it's actually a bubble tea shop. for pho.. its just alright and passable
(4)
Phil C.
On a cold overcast day, I went to get a hot milk tea here. It was hot, creamy, and sweet, with strong tea. No complaints here. It was rather apparent that if you spoke Cantonese, you'd get friendlier service. The only issue I have is when you're heating up the tea, don't microwave it in a Styrofoam cup. Don't feel like getting cancer anytime soon...
(3)
Jessica C.
I stopped by today for lunch at 12:30pm. The lamps are lovely decorations and the walls are brightly painted. Be sure to check out the fish tank! There's one fish that looks particularly odd. CASH ONLY. There seems to be a long line for the fresh fruit shakes with boba. I had the mango shake with boba, but the boba was a little too soft. I prefer my boba to be chewier. I got #56 pho, which is a smaller portion of #55. The pho broth was flavorful, but fatty. The beef wasn't of the highest quality---I definitely saw a bluish-green tint to the meat. There was also too little onion in the soup. The meal was very mediocre overall. Service is decently fast. The waitress was very nice.
(3)
Amelia A.
His: Food was alright, but they are famous here in Boston for their boba drinks. Best one is Avocado. But don't try papaya. It's not that good. Hers: I got a noodle dish with chicken which was really good! There was a ton of it though, so I couldn't really finish. Unfortunately, it didn't keep for very long/ reheat well =/ What we ALWAYS go back for is BUBBLE TEA!! Oh so good! Always a nice treat =) As you'll notice soon, we're great fans of this place and have tried many flavors! They have both shakes and the typical bubble tea. Shakes typically are fresh fruit blended with ice (but sometimes just powder), a little bit of syrup for sweetness, and sometimes a scoop of ice cream (depending on which shake you order). Avocado, Red Bean/Coconut, Green Tea (if I remember correctly - a powder) and Taro or Taro/Almond (powder, not fresh) come with ice cream - I LOVE the taro/almond shake! Honeydew, Watermelon, Peach, Passion fruit, Papaya, Strawberry, Lychee, Kiwi, Durian, Pineapple, and Green Apple (a syrup rather than fresh fruit) - I'm pretty sure none of these come with ice cream. My favorites are Honeydew, Passion Fruit and Kiwi!! Watermelon, Peach, Green Apple, Pineapple, and Strawberry are definitely good too! Lychee I wasn't a fan of, but that's just because I don't really like lychee in the first place. Same with durian. However, he really likes both durian and lychee and enjoyed both. The typical bubble tea drink ones come either hot or cold. Thai tea, milk tea, green tea, taro, and taro/almond are the ones that we've tried. Each of them great hot or cold. My least favorite is probably the green tea. They offer both jelly (a variety - coffee, green tea, lychee, and rainbow coconut) and bubbles. Their tapioca bubbles are soo good. Super soft and a little sweet! They definitely don't skimp out on it either! There are still many more flavors to try! Cash only!! For two drinks, it usually comes out to around $7. For food, rating is probably a 3-4. But because we love the bubble tea so much and always come back, we gave it 5 stars!
(5)
Hiro T.
You know a place is good when it's a restaurant and it appears to be afloat thinks to it's bubble tea. This place has some legit bubble tea and they use pure sugar cane to make their concoctions. Majority or the fruit smoothies use actual fruit and none of that powder stuff. Their boba is also delicious and the jelly flavors, especially mango, are also really yummy. I'd recommend just about anything on the fruit smoothies menu (I've had from A to Mango...so far) I would not recommend the carrot/tomato, but other than that you really can't go wrong. Oh, and if you see a large line waiting on boba, just go ahead and wait, chat with friends, it'll be worth it!
(4)
Sampson W.
Great bubble tea and smoothies. They can be a little thick but just ask them to change it and they are very amenable. Also the variety of flavors and ingredients is great. I have yet to try the food here, but I never see as many people dining as I see stopping in to pick up smoothies.
(4)
J C.
Pretty mediocre beef pho. The broth was quite good but the flavors in the broth didn't infuse the noodles. There was a wide variety of cuts of beef, from the fattier tastier darker cuts to the leaner cuts. Unfortunately for a dish that's so heavy on the noodles, the lack of flavor in the noodles led to a disjointed feeling for the entire meal. They gave me a pot of tea upon sitting down, for which I was quite grateful and made me quite happy. I don't know why more places, even Asian places, don't do that.
(2)
Christina T.
Avocado smoothie, YUM! Stopped here after dimsum one day, and am so happy I was introduced to this Chinatown gem. I didn't get to try the scrumptious looking Vietnamese food, but this is a solid place for pearl milk tea/asian drinks! Fast service too!
(5)
Ngan T.
Fantastic boba but horrible che, or bean desserts. The smoothies are fresh and perfectly tart and the pearls are always chewy and sweet. Their che however has only a couple of beans floating around and plenty of ice. Food is just ok while service is incredibly rushed and unattentive. The cash only policy is also inconvenient.
(2)
Das E.
This is precisely what I'm looking for when I'm looking for Vietnamese cuisine in a city like Boston, and it's not to be outdone anywhere in the US for its authenticity, service, and value. Their bubbletea is the best in Boston, so tender are its boba pearls. My favourite Vietnamese restaurant in the entire Boston metro area, and I visit whenever an opportunity arrises. Highly recommend the carmelized fish and the broiled quail. Excellent.
(5)
Krystle B.
Studying in chinatown and no time on my hands, I was on the search for a healthy/cheap meal. After seeing pics of the salads, I had to try this place. I have to say they make the best salads compared to any other place near by.
(5)
Jessica N.
The best place to get bubble tea; hands down. On weekends you probably witness the long lines inside not waiting to get a seat to eat at the restaurant but rather to get their signature bubble tea. That's how awesome this place is. I've tried so many drinks but my favorite is anything as a shake with boba; milk tea shake with boba or thai iced tea shake with boba.. worth the $3.50. The fruit flavors like avocado, green apple, mango shakes are also pretty good.
(5)
Christine C.
4 syllables, 2 words - A-vo-ca-do Shake!!!! Get it, you wont regret it...and in the great unlikelihood that you do not enjoy it, go with a friend, one of you guys will like it! It's not a calorie smart choice FYI, but it's a "make yo mouth happy" kinda choice. They use 1/2 ripened avocado, ice, vanilla ice cream, and sugar water (or was it condensed milk..?). Blend it up, nice and thick, add boba to cup, then pour drink into boba cup. Sometimes, I want full fat and only get the avocado shake, no boba... in the large cup (they offer large cups, yay!!), and I think it's like $4. Who knew deliciousness was so cheap.. This is THE place for boba drinks aka "bubble tea". their boba is usually soft on the outside and chewy on the inside, the way boba should be prepared. Word to the wise: If you get a drink with boba, make sure u drink it sooner than later. Once it hardens, it's gross. Luckliy, this place makes a variety of yummy drinks. I have never gotten anything else other than their avocado shakes, but I have heard good things about lots of their drink items. I like the younger glady to make it although I haven't seen her around much lately.. She makes it the best - thick n creamy. The other staff would generally make it too runny for me. Then, when you add the boba, forget it- too runny! Although lately, it has much improved. If you realllllly wanna try a realllllly Viet drink (bc u realllllly like Viet food), try the avocado shake. I pretty much grew up drinking avocados like this as opposed to eating it lol explains some things, I know (but now I gym!). This place also serves standard Vietnamese fair. I tried their banh cuon tom (something something rice noodle folded with shrimp). I liked it. I don't mess with too much of that nuoc mam (fish sauce), but I did try a little, and it wasn't overpowering nor overbearing. They have decently priced lunch items, I'd give it another whirl when in town (which is quite often..). This place is small but service is attentive imo. I'll def be returning. Enjoy~!
(5)
Le N.
GET THE BOBA DRINK!! The only other place that makes better boba than here is Half and Half in Cali. =( If you see the old man make your drink, you're in for a real treat! Out of everyone, he makes them the best.. and I've had EVERYONE make my drinks (that's how often I've been here. haha) My favorite: avocado shake, jackfruit shake, and as of recent, the lychee green tea. Then again, I haven't had anyone I've been with complain about their drinks.. Food wise, it's been awhile since I've had their actual food. But when I did (perhaps more than 7 years ago.. food was just average). In short, I really only go here for the shakes.. as does everyone else given the lines I often see..
(5)
Kay B.
This is my favorite place to go for bubble tea!! I haven't had the food yet, this place is usually my last stop in Chinatown after I've already eaten elsewhere, but the bubble tea here is awesome!
(4)
Kassia L.
My new favorite dish here is the lemongrass soup with beef and noodles. Deeelicious! Kind of like Chinese beef noodle soup but with the soup taken up a notch with different spices. And if you want to get the soup to go, they do a great job of packing everything up nicely. Food comes out quickly and staff is always courteous. My favorite milk tea here is regular or almond milk tea with with pudding. This is the only place that I know of in Chinatown that makes pudding for the milk tea. PUDDING is the way to go (you don't have the space-filler of the expanding boba in your stomach - so more room to eat!)!
(4)
Dustin D.
I've been going here for more than 15 years and I recommend it to anyone who is visiting or going to the Chinatown/Boston area. The food is consistently good and I haven't had any complains from the years I've eaten here. They are popularly known for their drinks now but that shouldn't stop you from trying their authentic Vietnamese food.
(5)
Timothy L.
For togo bubble tea: GREAT place to get bubble tea/smoothies Albeit there is sometimes a lengthy line waiting, it's worth the wait. They use fresh ingredients and you see them making it for you as you wait. The service is fast and their prices are much cheaper than other neighbouring restaurants Dine-in: It's more of a "seat yourself" thing, which can be confusing and intimidating. Once seated, depending on the staff's attentiveness, it can take a while to even get a menu. Sometimes I'll get up and get my own menu. Don't expect them to come over and ask if your meal was okay-they won't. (Not on the countless occasions I've been there) Regardless of their service, their food is pretty good. I like to get my usual and my favourite #118 (it's also incredible how they know every single menu item, just say a number and they know the name or vice versa) TL;DR Fast and cheap bubble tea service Great dine-in food Awkward dine-in experience
(4)
Anthony P.
Bubble Tea: 5 stars You can get one of the best smoothies here at New Dong Khanh. Why? Because they use REAL fresh ingredients AND ice cream. Can't get much better than a combo like that. Avocado shakes will always hit the spot for me when I'm craving something sweet. Although avocado's sometimes give me an itchy throat, this is worth it. Ca phe sua da (Vietnamese iced coffee) is also great here. It's hard for me to find a place that makes this stuff the way I like it (super strong), and NDK does it for me! I like to go here right before a study session to get my caffeine and sugar fix. Overall: excellent drinks here. Food and Service: 3 stars Food here is pretty good, but service is pretty bad. Every time I come here, I spend most some time waiting for the service to actually come. The food itself doesn't take too long to come out though. When I'm done with my food, I spend a lot of time waiting for somebody to give me the check. I once had to go ask for it myself even though it was obvious that I was finished with my food and was just sitting there... oh, and it wasn't even busy in the restaurant. If they were to fix this problem, I'd consider coming to eat here more often. Overall, I would come here mainly for bubble tea and coffee since they're speedy on that and it tastes great. Good job on that part. However, NDK would be low on my list of choices to eat just because I don't like wasting time. Please fix that part!
(4)
Peter K.
Limited vegan options, such as fried rice. "Vegetarian" pho is made with chicken broth. Great bubble tea made with fresh fruit and is easily veganized by omitting ice cream.
(4)
Shela X.
I've been coming here for bubble tea and Vietnamese food for as long as I can remember. It's been the same people running this place and they definitely know how to do it right! The pineapple shake is a classic, though the menu is so massive it's tempting to try them all.
(5)
Isabella C.
I always get the #88 (dry egg noodles w grilled beef) and its amazing. There're 3 viet restaurants I alternate between in Chinatown but this is the only place that has this dish. The noodles are chewy (but not hard) and grilled beef is marinated well. It comes w a little bit of brown sauce w beansprouts. I also love the little bowl of clear soup they give with it. It's about $7 and fills you up. Very nice ppl too. Never tried any other dishes except for their spring rolls which are yummy. It's CASH ONLY, so stop by the ATM before you go.
(5)
Jenny C.
I don't go to DK for the food. If I wanted pho, I could go to plenty of other places for it. But I can't get bubble tea like the bubble tea at DK. I first fell in love with DK when my friend introduced me to their Avocado Fruit Smoothie ($3). It was heavenly, sweet, refreshing...just gave me a mouthgasm. Then, after trying drinks at other places in Chinatown, I decided that no one can really match DK's drinks. I hate boba, but their Milk Tea and Thai Iced Tea is so good that I'm willing to add boba to make it taste even better. I've tried many of the drinks here, and I always recommend DK to my friends and family. Because their drinks are just THAT good. For the adventurous ones in the group, I would recommend trying the Durian Shake (my grandma loves it) or the Pomegranate Tea with Yogurt Pop Boba (my bff and my sister both love it). It's busy sometimes, and drink counter is very small, so it gets very crowded and uncomfortable. When there are a lot of people, there is a long wait. Prepare to either wait uncomfortably close to someone or outside for your drink. Make new friends!
(4)
Edwin C.
Been coming to this place for years, and again yesterday with the boys. We were riding around on our bikes and some how ended up in C-town. Since we found spots right out front, we decided to come here. New Dong Khang aka D.K. aka "the shake place," isn't just good for their shakes and drinks, I mean they do serve food too. Typically, when I come to this spot, I only order the rice plates. This is a Vietnamese restaurant, but the pho here is okay (some better places in the area). The rice plates never seem to disappoint. So, I ordered the rice plate with meatloaf, pork skin, pork chop, and salad, all topped off with 2 fried eggs. My buddy ordered the same and my other friend ordered the lemon grass chicken. My plate was good as usual, tender meatloaf, flavorful pork chop, and soft rice. It's like a home cooked meal. I've had the lemon grass chicken before and that too is very good. It's the thigh meat of the chicken, in some type of lemon grass curry sauce, that goes great with the rice. Of course I had to wash down the meal with D.K.'s popular shakes. Going to have to thank the gf for introducing me to the coffee shake. I dare you to go get a Dunkie's coffee coolatta and then go get one here, I swear you would throw that thing back at Dunkin Donuts and tell them to learn something! My usual go to drink here is the coconut pineapple shake (no boba of course, just not a fan). Can't go here with out leaving with a drink. Ohhh btw they have froyo too, which is surprisingly good! Never seen anyone order it, that's why I don't mess with the toppings!
(4)
Christina C.
After dinner.. In need of something sweet to end the night ... What's better than bubble tea when you are in the Chinatown area...I used my trusty yelp and found this place. I definitely recommend the avocado with boba. They use real avocado instead of powder stuff like other places. It taste very smooth and yummy.
(5)
Christina O.
So, I previously wrote a long review regarding my extensive experience with New Dong Khanh. I feel I owe it to them to remove the "Don't get me wrong... I've come here for long enough to have tasted when their boba is bad, sometimes even awful - but it doesn't happen more than 5-10% of the time," portion of my review (even if I did still give them 5 stars) because I've been there everyday since April 2, and the boba milk tea has been on point *every single time*. This is incredibly difficult to do in the world of boba because according to my research and multiple casual interviews with boba makers, it takes a lot of practice, understanding the timing, etc to get it right - and getting it right consistently is even more of an accomplishment. 30 AMAZING boba milk teas in 30 days = pretty damn consistent. This establishment really should get 10 stars, lol. I love them so much that my new habit has been to tip them $1 every time on a $4 drink.
(5)
Linda W.
I love this place! :) Well for boba drinks at least since I'm generally not a huge fan of viet food. Get the strawberry shake if you're up for something sweet. Red bean is good too but tends to be on the heavier side and avocado is a bit too creamy for my taste but everyone else I know raves about it! Prices are super reasonable for Boston ($3.50 for most shakes with boba) and definitely more on the inexpensive side. Like for most of Chinatown, remember to bring cash. Just one thing, although the shakes are really good, if you're looking for milk or thai tea I'd recommend going to Infusions in Allston or Boston Tea Stop in Harvard Square where milk teas are more their specialty.
(4)
J. F.
In the past year, every time I've driven close to Chinatown, I made sure to visit the New Dong Khanh restaurant. Even after the renovations, it brings back memories of the days when the area wasn't surrounded by highrises. I must admit, this is one of the best places for boba tea. Seems like the ingredients are always fresh here. I also love the Vietnamese/Chinese food that they server here. The last few times that I went there, I had their Pho. Nothing really to write home about, except that it was good and filling. You always get your moneys worth here, especially in Boston.
(4)
Sanchez M.
True to the raves of other reviews, my avocado shake was outstanding. It was sooo delicious and soothing to my palate but gone way too soon :( No really, one of the best bobas teas Ive had anywhere. Not only was it made with fresh avocados but the boba itself was juicy and flavorful and with just the right consistency. I also tried the bon bo hue, it was good, but not as flavorful as I've had from other places.
(4)
Cher V.
To be honest, I used to be a fan of New Dong Khanh. However, I have changed my mind after a few times eating here. I used to go here every single day to try out all the Vietnamese food. Gradually, I started to feel sick right after eating at New Dong Khanh without knowing the reasons. I thought it was because of the stress and workload that I was handling in school at that time. However, I then realized that it was because of the food they served. I stopped eating at this place after 3 times vomiting. I believe that the food was not that fresh and clean. This place is filthy. And the food is prepared poorly and DIRTY. However, their bubble tea is acceptable. Other than that, please do not order/eat any food here. I'm a true Vietnamese and I can tell that they put too much spices in their food/cooked with dirty ingredients, which possibly was the reason why I felt so sick.
(1)
An L.
Bun rieu was not amazing. Service seemed dismissive. Nice that they had the banh cuon as appetizer, though it didn't have a lot of filling. The banh hoi was nice.
(2)
Jenny H.
This place is a decent, ordinary bubble tea place. They use mostly powders and fake syrup and such, and my bubble tea drink of mango, coconut milk (which they already combined together) and lychee was a little too sweet for my taste. The boba was OK though. I guess if this is the only place to get bubble tea in Boston, I would come here again but definitely there's better boba places in NYC and LA.
(3)
Ambrose C.
This recently renovated restaurant is very popular for getting smoothies and bubble tea, and has a pretty good selection of different flavor combinations. My favorites are the #8, the Taro Shake, and the #5, which is the Kumquat with Lemon Honey and Aloe. Kumquat is a citrus fruit and it literally means "Golden Orange" in Cantonese Chinese. The #5 is a great and cool drink, with the right amount of refreshing sweetness and I liked chewing the aloe cubes after finishing my drink. New Dong Khanh also has a decent selection of beef Pho noodle soups for under $7, the one I usually get is #59, which is Pho Tai Nam, thinly sliced rare beef flank and brisket. If I want a larger bowl, and if I am willing pay another dollar, I would get #55, the Pho Xe Lua, which is a special larger bowl of beef noodle soup with rare flank, tendon, tripe and brisket. Every table has a tray with spiced Sriracha sauce and Hoisin fish sauce, so you can dip your beef pieces into whatever that suits your palate. The Pho is overall good, I usually enjoy my beef more by adding in the fish sauce or if I want spice, I use the Sriracha sauce. When I am not in the mood for Pho, I usually would order the rice dishes. One dish that I usually order is #92, Com Suong, which is the BBQ Pork Chop on rice served with salad. The pork chop portions were disappointing, the last time I ordered it, so I would not order it again the next time I come. I also had #98, Com Ga Nuong Xa Ot, which is the Lemon Grass Chicken, and that was good. The chicken had the right amount of moisture in the meat, making it tasty. I think that New Dong Khanh's version of this dish is the best version I had in Chinatown so far. I think the most filling dishes are #106 and the more expensive #91. #106 is the Com Chien Rau Cai, which is the Vietnamese Fried Rice. I usually get the beef one. #91 is Com Tay Cam, a specialty slow cooked rice in a clay pot with shrimp, chicken, frog legs, mushrooms and vegetables, which I thought was the most filling rice dish I had in the restaurant. The vermicelli dishes were surprisingly disappointing. I had the #25, the Bun Bo Nuong, which is the vermicelli with grilled beef strips. I thought they gave a small portion of beef and the strips were somewhat thin and less meaty, but the vermicelli was decent. I definitely would come back again if I really want to get my favorite drink, which is of course, the #5, Kumquat with Lemon Honey and Aloe. For a good meal, it would definitely be for the #98, which is of course the Lemongrass Chicken. Also, keep in mind that it is cash only, there's also a sign in there that indicates that.
(4)
Jake G.
The food isn't necessarily spectacular, but it's satisfying and delicious to have before you grab an avocado and bubble shake. The service is fantastic, even when the place is busy.
(5)
Eric S.
F minus. Went in here for a piña colada smoothie. The guy put pineapple into the blender, then accidentally knocked it over so that the pineapple was all over the counter. With his bare hands he picked up the pineapple off of the counter of which the cleanliness was questionable, and proceeded to make my smoothie while his wife yelled at him. Of course, this place is cash only and I had to prepay for the drink. I told him that he should make me a new smoothie since he dropped the pineapple on the counter. He said take it or leave it. I took it, along with my future business with this place.
(1)
Stuart H.
Only tried the avocado boba. It was good, very sugary.
(5)
Will C.
#171 Nope. I ordered the black milk tea with tapioca bubbles. Bubbles were stale and were difficult to chew through instead of being soft and chewy. The black milk tea had too much milk in it, almost creating a sour flavor, and it was hard to taste the tea portion. Cash only. Lady behind the counter is clearly over-worked. $3 for bubble tea is kind of over-priced for what amounts to a 12-ounce portion. Also not a lot of varieties of bubble tea if you're in the mood for that. Not as good as the bubble tea I've had in NYC, California or Philadelphia.
(2)
Anne W.
This may have decent bubble tea (which is incomparable to place in NYC, etc.).. they have horrible service. There were three of us at a table enjoying our bubble tea. We were asked to leave to make room for patrons that had come in to order food. That is really rude.. we were in the middle of a conversation. Awful service.
(1)
John O.
Really good affordable food in Chinatown. The Chao Tom was delicious and the Pho Sate was spice and filling. Really can't ask for anything more.
(4)
Mahina K.
Bubble Tea. And that's my review. No it's not. But their bubble tea is fantastic. I get the bubble tea with mango jelly (which are shaped as little itty bitty stars). Everything tastes very fresh. There is occasionally a long line but for the most part it's not an awfully long wait. They're pretty fast. I've never had the food but maybe one day.
(5)
Deena B.
Delishious bubble tea! Today I just got an avocado, smaller amount of condensed milk, ice & tapioca balls....it was perfect! I'm pregnant and don't want caffeine so I skipped the tea part of the drink. It's like a healthier version of a milk shake! I couldn't even tell it didn't have any ice cream. The young girl at the counter helped to "design" it for me; she was so sweet & nice.
(5)
Nora L.
I probably came here once a week when I was in high school just to get bubble tea.. kind of sad but it's because the boba is so good! I went again recently and was glad to see that they still use fresh fruit and the quality/price has not changed much. My favorites are avocado and mango. The pho is good as well, pretty standard in Chinatown. Very consistent, cheap and delicious. Tip: Cash only (not sure if it's changed since I last went).
(4)
AB H.
I'm not sure why this place gets such rave reviews. I had a milky (black tea with milk) with bubbles. I thought it was too sweet. My friend thought her milky wasn't sweet enough and asked for some sugar. The waitress said they didn't have any. What?! I had a, Banh Xeo, a crepe like thing which was weird in consistency and had little flavor. It contained very little pork, and what was there was tough. I will not be back, nor would I recommend it for the bubble tea.
(2)
Mary T.
I have only been here to try their boba drinks and so far this is the best boba I've found in Boston. It is chewy and not soggy. I have tried their iced coffee and milk tea and I like their iced coffee because it is Vietnamese iced coffee. It's less acidic and have more of a chocolate-y taste. However, it is a little too sweet but you can just add a little water and water it down or wait for the ice to melt for a bit. I am going to be a frequent customer to this restaurant for their boba! I still haven't found a place as good as half & half in California!
(3)
Deanna W.
Hands down, best bubble tea in Boston. Now in Boston, I've only ever tried bubble tea at Bao Bao Bakery, Dado, The Juice Bar, Boston Tea Stop and a few vietnamese sandwich shops-- so I guess out of those.... best bubble tea in Boston. Compared to other stores, the bubbles here have a sweet taste to them, which really adds to the drink. They are a good size (Boston Tea Stop's are too small for me.... which is picky, but true) and really good texture. I've been here over 5 times and it's consistently good. The only problem with New Dong is that they don't have the widest selection of flavors, but they do use real fruit, which is a big bonus in my book.
(5)
Skye G.
This is our new favorite place for Bubble tea!!! Ok so I haven't been getting the bubbles since I fell in love with the Red Bean. It is not sweet enough for the kids. They like watermelon or mango. I miss the coupon tickets from the other place but will stick to this new find. They have a long list of flavors to pick from and I will need to go more often to try some others since I've been sticking to the Red Bean. I also need to remember not to fill up so much on Dim Sum so I can get a sweet treat. The line is long and looks like it will take a long time but they whip these up in no time flat. Yum Yum Yum
(5)
Helen L.
This is my go to place for yummy shakes for the past 7+ years. This place won't let you down. Mmmm avocado shake :) I don't usually get food from here. This was probably my second time ever: #98 marinated chicken steak with lemongrass served with side salad. This is something you have to try when you're at DK. The portion is large and filling and you can tell the chicken is well marinated. #79 bun bo hue Five spiced beef brisket with udon noodles in spicy lemongrass broth I could've done without this dish. It wasn't the greatest. #52 combo of grilled beef strips, shrimp, egg roll and veges. Bundled everything in the wraps that were provided and dipped it in fish sauce. Simple, but good. The egg rolls were miniature, but delicious. I wish it came with more. Stars are for the shakes and the lemongrass chicken
(4)
Gio A.
Chinatown might be famous for its Chinese food (obviously), but this Vietnamese spot certainly holds its own! The bubble tea here is delicious, and I recommend getting the pho. The big pho dish is filled with different kinds of meat, and is absolutely huge! I was starving after a long trip from New York and I still managed to eat no more than half. Altho this spot always looks super busy, the line moves fast and the service is relatively quick. Great find in Boston!
(4)
Patricia N.
Their drinks here are one of the best in Boston!! Highly recommend their drinks!!! I love this place!!!! My favorite one of all is their Pearl Tea!!! They always make it just perfect ! N
(5)
Vlad C.
Do you like boba? Damn straight, because I do! The taro root is to die for as well as many of their other choices. Great value, good quality, and good enough service. This is my favorite day time snack drink when having a craving that you don't know what you want. Cash is king like most of boston but not a problem because this place will not break the bank. Stay frosty!
(5)
Vincent H.
Came here for dinner and ordered the vermicelli with pork and egg roll. Can't really mess up on it so it was good. Service was okay and would come back to try other foods! Hear the boba there is pretty good based off the other reviews and amount of people who visit!
(3)
Dennis C.
Pro: This place has one of the best Thai iced tea slush I have ever had. The other drinks are great as well. I have tried watermelon, strawberry, taro and milk tea and have always been satisfy. The food was good as well. I had the fresh spring roll and the beef domination noodle soup. Con: They only accept cash!!!!
(5)
Stefan B.
I didn't even think they had boba in Boston. But this one here is actually pretty good. The boba had good chew and I asked for no sugar and they gave me a perfect milk tea. You have to judge boba place on if the milk tea is good. I will try their jelly drinks~ Vietnamese run~
(4)
Josie G.
I didn't even recognize this place when my friend told me I'd been here before. Very much enjoyed the new seating and look! The seafood chowfoon was amazing, especially when asking for it to be extra spicy. I wish they had more squid and shrimp in it, rather than the fake crab meat and fish balls :( My friends got pho, and loved it.. The bubble tea was amazing!
(4)
HyunJoo K.
my friend recommended this place ... and the bubble tea is great here ....fresh!!! and not powder mix Then I had my typical pho with chicken! Very tasty and good! I got a take out order for some beef pho and my sister and brother in law loved it! definitely will be visiting this place soon again! place does not look like much from the outside, but definitely has the quality and value! :)
(4)
Neal K.
Avocado smoothie!!! Sounds gross but it's so incredibly smooth and tastes amazing!! Also they cut fruit fresh for each smoothie.
(5)
Han T.
New or not this is a bad place for authentic Vietnamese pho. It may be better known for the bubble tea, so go there for that. Otherwise, I recommend you refrain from the pho here. I called in an order of Pho Xe Lua, which translates to "The Train" in Vietnamese. The guy got the order and hung up while I was still talking. A bit rude, but I think nothing of it. I came to pick up and noticed beef meatballs floating in the broth. A BIG No-No! Places that have beef meatballs in their pho are not to be trusted! That's just the cheap substitute for the meat that should be there! With that said, a legitimate Pho Xe Lua (same as Dac Biet which means special, but larger) should have plenty of meat, tripe, etc. This place gives you a very small amount of meat, which is extremely disappointing. The broth is very generic and lacks flavor. The place is as close to being empty as a place can get. It looks like a cafeteria and you feel like you're in a McDonalds or something. So you want good pho? Try Pho Pasteur around the corner. They're busy and packed for a reason! Personally, I think it's a bit overrated but so far, it's the best pho in Chinatown. Also, pho doesn't sound like "foe", rather to say it correctly it's "phuh". ;). Take care!
(2)
Diana L.
MY GO-TO BUBBLE/BOBA TEA SPOT Ok, first of all. It's Boba tea!! Boston peeps are just weird and call it bubble tea. Or maybe it's a north-east thing (from Cali). Anyway, love this place. I've never gotten food here so read another review for feedback on that. I always get the same boba tea: the frikin awesome green tea with boba. So good. I've foolishly tried over the last few years testing out other places-just foolish. Like most places in chinatown: Be prepared to be the only non-asian in there and BRING CASH!!!
(5)
Tina P.
A lot of my money go here )': how sad. Every Wednesday my cousin (co worker) and I go here to grab something to eat before work since its just across the street. There's other pho place around , but this place make it so good that you want to keep coming back. We usually order the same thing : Pho Sate:(this one is a staple) Its just your typical pho but they add the sate paste to make taste do divine. This is the only place that I know that have it (correct me if I'm wrong). Ban Coun- Its not comparable to my mom, but very close. I've tried other places and its not good as this one . Banh Canh cua- Thick noodles with with fish cake and pork feet over a very red spicy broth.Omg!!! explosion of goodness in your mouth. Avocado smoothie : They make the best in town! I don't know how they make it so good but I keep coming back for it . Its real fruit too, no powder! Number 9: Its a pomegranate drink with popping boba. I usually substituted the popping boba with aloe. Jasmine tea with honey and lemon: I don't need a description for that. Herbal tea: very healthy food and yet don't taste like chinese medicine . Soon I will try their Banh bot Chien :D
(5)
EricaLynn J.
A friendly, bright, little place with serious spunk and a menu that will not disappoint. There's plenty of Vietnamese restaurants in the area to choose from, and it's clear that New Dong Khanh works quite hard to set themselves apart from the others by trying new things with their menu, and backing it all up with quality food at excellent prices. They really know their bubble teas, so much that they have a designated area for only that and yes, there will always be a long line! The crowds are not fun (as one would not normally describe a crowd as a good time) but the constant swarms of people is a good indication that there's something fantastic to partake in and that it's probably worth the wait. And believe me, it is.
(4)
Maine C.
This is the place to go for boba tea, I would go there every time I visit Chinatown for dim sum. 2 weeks ago I went there and was ready to get my usual drink, Mango smoothie or thai ice tea. As we were waiting in line, the old man who was working over the counter were COUGHING at the drinks. I'm not even exaggerating... He mixing one of them in his hand and stirring it with a spoon as he was coughing straight at it... yea it was pretty gross. No wonder it was not pack at all. Everyone got scared away by his coughing. It was one of those loud... COUGH COUGH COUGH like he's dying lol. I was just worry whoever got that drink didn't get sick... BLAH gross... I would go back there when no one over the counter is sick, poor old man tell him to stay home...
(2)
Anonymous J.
P.S Get the Chicken Vietnamese Noodle Soup with an egg (Pho Ga with Egg). Its the bomb!! Also I recommend the Vietnamese ice coffee here :)
(5)
Sienna T.
We have been eating here for 21 years! Now from our single days to our family and friends, still love and believe this is the best Vietnamese restaurant outside Asia, price is good but best of all! the food is delicious. We love the lemongrass chicken & BBQ beef vermicelli, stir fry Ho Fun/thick noodle, BBQ port rice plate, duck noodle soup and their durian bubble shake! Yum! Tried other restaurant in Chinatown but always return here because it is 'always' good.
(5)
Sandra C.
I thought I already wrote a review for this place...but I guess not. Before the renovation, I would have said that Dong Khanh was a 2-3 star place. Now that the place doesn't look gross inside anymore...it is up to a 4 star! I visit this restaurant during the lulls...so I can't really complain about the service. They bring everything right on time just the way I like it. Right now, my friends are eating there and my mouth is watering I'M SO JEALOUS! I love the bubble tea--their drinks PWN Lollicup's. And the pho...I like the pho over at Le's in Brighton Ave a little better, but you can never really go wrong it. The only downside to this restaurant is probably that it's CASH ONLY...and there are no Citizens Banks in the immediate area. I honestly think that if they allowed credit cards, business would be better for them. But who am I to talk. I'm just a television major.
(4)
Wendy L.
They have some pretty good rice and noodle dishes here but the Pho is pretty bland. For some reason the soup gets cold before I finish eating it and this never happens at other Pho restaurants. I think it's because they use plastic bowls so the food doesn't stay warm for too long. Their portions are definitely smaller than other Pho joints. The service is fast and friendly here. I've been here a lot and my favorite dishes are: Pho Sate - I've never seen Pho in this style elsewhere so I always come here for this. The broth is a little spicy and more flavorful than the standard beef bowls. #88 Dried Noodles with Grilled Beef - The grilled meat makes this dish and the noodles are chewy and fresh. Avocado shake - best I've had around Chinatown I come here when I feel like eating a lighter Pho because I usually don't get as dehydrated from the soup, probably less MSG than other places. This is a cash only restaurant so be prepared.
(3)
Diane H.
My thai iced tea is good...and that's about it. My pho was so small! If I want a drink, yes I'll drop by here, but for pho? I'll go somewhere else..that gives me more..and taste better. I used to LOVE this place too, shame shame. It looks nice inside and out though :)
(3)
Twee V.
Food is average. It don't WOW you, but you won't walk away cursing. =) Pro: Their smoothies are made from fresh fruit Con: Average.
(3)
Nancy N.
My favorite place for boba! Remember to bring cash, this place doesn't take cards.
(5)
Sarah A.
SOOOOOO GOOOOOOD! I got a veggie pho and ch giò and the SO got a green tea smoothie with boba. Everything was DELICIOUS! The boba texture was AWESOME and complete perfection..just the right amount of sweetness and chew mmm. My only gripe is that they only offer lemon, sprouts and Thai basil w/ the pho. I'm used to having jalapenos, limes (instead of lemon), scallions, celery... Am I just too spoiled?? Either way, I LOVE this place. Definitely coming back!!
(4)
Myha N.
I can't believe I haven't written a review here yet. How many times have I been here? I can't even remember. I've been a fan of this place for over 10 years now and yes.. even before the renovation! It's much cleaner now which is a plus! Food and service here is great! Don't expect them to serve everything on a silver platter if that's what's great to you. Under $10 can get you a delicious bowl of seafood soup with clear noodles which is one of my favorites! Hu Tieu Nam Vang is what it is called on the menu. Comes with this sauteed sauce on the side to dip and veggies if you're into that like I am. They're very generous if you want more veggies and sauce. I know because I'm always asking for extra when I get this. Just delicious! My second favorite is their rice plates. Yeah they rice plates are better at Pho So 1 and Pho Le in Dorchester but I'm reviewing Chinatown and this is my go to place if I'm craving Com Bon Mau (4 color rice). It's not what you think. The rice isn't 4 colors. It's what's given to you with the rice that makes it 4 colors. You get white rice with pork chops, pork skin, steamed pork-egg custard and a sunny side up egg. They give you plenty of veggies and fish sauce too. When I used to be obsessed with boba tea, this was also my go to place. People love lollipcup but I just don't see what the big deal is. Yeah they make tons of different flavor drinks but they're mostly from powder so no thanks. I'm a huge fan of Durian. If you can get over the smell, it's sooo yum! Yes this is the same fruit that Andrew Zimmern could not eat when he was in Vietnamese. How strange because he eats a ton of food that I think I would throw up just being near. Anyways, they make a good Durian and green bean shake with boba. It's pretty sweet so yeah, not the healthiest, but great if you're daring and want to try something different! It's a small place.. seats maybe 50 people.. takes cash only and no reservations.. Quick, cheap and delicious. Give it a try sometime. They also offer vegetarian dishes too! I'm a huge tofu fan too!
(4)
Winnie Z.
I can't say much about their food, but I never go anywhere else for my Asian drinks; this place really knows what they're doing. Their taro slush is solid, they use real avocado in their avocado slush, and if you like sweet beans you must try their tri-coloured bean drink, which consists of a layer of sweetened red bean, a layer of sweetened mung beans, and a layer of green grass jelly topped with crushed ice and drizzled in coconut milk. Satisfies any Asian dessert craving. The only caveat I have about this place is the service, which is curt and sometimes verges on rude. But then again, that's all part of the Chinatown experience, isn't it?
(4)
Jonathan N.
I haven't been to this restaurant ever since they got renovated years ago. Now I went back and have lunch today. The interior look big but the wall, tables and chairs look really ghetto and cheap. They added more lights and expand the boba counter out bigger. The foods are good though. I also have a cup of boba smoothie and It was pretty descend. The service is fine.
(4)
David G.
On a weekend trip to Boston, a fellow foodie recommended that i go to this place to try their drinks. I walk in and the counter was full of people waiting to order drinks. I ordered the mango and watermelon fruit shake. Both were very good. The mango was a litle creamy and tasted delicious. The watermelon tasted just like a watermelon (some places are watered down). They dont skimp on the actual fruit when making these. Both drinks were not overly sweet which is a huge plus in my book. I did not try the food.
(4)
Peter K.
This restaurant appears to be Chaozhou style. Great food! Love the banh bot chien (fried rice cake with eggs), and bun rieu (tomato based crab soup).
(5)
Edith K.
Pho Hoa in my opinion is better than New Dong Khanh. The nuoc cham was all fish sauce and nothing else making it way too salty. The spring rolls are OK. The tendon in the pho was really chewy and not that great. The broth was yummy though! Glad I went and tried, haven't been there in years but prefer Pho Hoa a lot more!
(3)
Karina L.
5 stars and beyond for the avocado shake. It sounds downright weird, but man is it delicious. It tastes like and has the consistency of a lighter version of an ice cream shake, but with the familiar richness of an avocado. These are where the pros end. My friend and I shared pork over vermicelli and the pork was terribly dry and unseasoned. Not acceptable when you're surrounded by a handful of other Viet places like Pho Pasteur and Xinh Xinh. Most of the people who came in were ones who got bubble tea and bounced.
(3)
Joelle K.
One of the best boba tea places in Boston. Food here is cheap and consistently delicious. Sweet and sour pork is super fab!
(5)
Jen S.
I love this place and bring all my visitors when I want to introduce them to bubble tea. During the summer especially, they make most of their shakes with fresh fruit. The avocado shake is the best! It's actually made with real avocado and I've been addicted and a fan for over 10 years now. Compared to most other places, their boba is always chewy and fresh. Even though there's always a crazy line for the drinks, it moves quickly so don't be afraid! I've never had to wait more than 10 minutes for a drink. But don't forget! It's cash only!!! They do also serve sit down meals but I don't normally eat there, so can't help out with the food. Looks like they recently got froyo as well!
(5)
Goudy L.
New Dong Khanh is a strong choice for vietnamese food and bubble tea/fruit shake drinks, in the China town area. I'm not an expert on vietnamese food (mostly stick to Bun Bo, when I eat out), but the viet food I've had here always been well prepared and with an what seems to an American has having authentic flavor. I highly recomend the durian shake, ordered without tapioca pearls. There's nothing else that tastes quite like a durian. CASH ONLY.
(5)
Alexis S.
My go to place for bubble drinks when in Chinatown!! They don't disappoint. New Dong is a fairly tiny place so in their busy time it can get a little hectic. However the food hits the spot. I'm not an expert by any means on Vietnamese food but my limited experience and what I do know if I am in Chinatown and crave Vietnamese food, this is my go to place. They are a cash only joint (which seems to be the theme in the smaller Chinatown shops) but you will get your moneys worth on food.
(4)
Chilly P.
DK will ALWAYS be my favorite place to get bubble tea. I've tried many different places but they take the crown. When I went to school in the city, I would come here often but now it's such a treat to stop by whenever I'm in Chinatown. It's small in there and I guarantee there will be a line when you walk in. The staff is friendly and helpful with people who are confused or undecided. Oh and it's worth to mention it's cash only here. I have yet to actually eat their food but I heard it's good and affordable. Their bubble tea alone deserves five stars. My favorite flavors - as a drink: Milk Tea and Thai Tea; as a slushie: Avocado, Coconut and Mango. Always get the boba!
(5)
Bryan M.
Just about the only Vietnamese restaurant I eat at when in Chinatown. I usually come in just to grab a smoothie which I feel like nobody in the area can replicate. Jack fruit shake with less sugar is a must try. The food here has always left me satisfied, portions are slightly smaller than other restaurants but is by no means small enough to leave you hungry after leaving. The grilled lemon grass chicken over rice is phenomenal. Pho here is good as well but beware of the the loads of msg that they put into the broth.
(4)
Angela W.
Epic boba quality--for Boston, at least. I admittedly never tried their food so this review is for their boba only! As a spoiled product of Southern Californian Asian communities, I'm used to quality boba 5 minutes from my house. When I came to live with my sister in Boston for a month over the summer, I realized that this was not to be. Luckily, my sister craves boba like a beast too, so we came to this place about twice a week when I was there. My absolute favorite was the Red Bean shake with boba, which for some reason I had never tried before coming to Boston. That stuff is amazing! In comparison to other boba places in the area, though, this boba was about as close to SoCal boba as it got. Firm and squishy in just the right proportions. They also have cool, weird flavors like Durian (gag me) and Tri-Color bean (which I tried, and, incidentally, tastes just like Red Bean but with more bean pulp and colors). Cash only though, if I remember correctly, but what do you expect from an authentic Asian place?
(5)
Quang H.
Aight, here's the run down. Best place in my opinion for bubble tea that is made by real fruits. The food is just mediocre at best, but I generally go here and endure the general long lines for the bubble tea. The folks who own the place are really nice.
(5)
Selena T.
4 stars for their bubble tea, without it it would've been a 3. Their bubble tea is some of the best bubble tea I have ever had in my life. My friends and I always drop by here for their bubble tea. I've also eaten here a couple of times, the food there is decent/alright.
(4)
Stephanie W.
The BEST place for Bobo Tea! There are many other options, but I've others only to not like it as much, throw it away and go back to New Dong. The Best Place For Bobo Tea! Coconut and honeydew are my favorite. Lovely soup too. However, dining service is poor.
(4)
Catherine C.
It's the first time we've been here since the renovation. They did a pretty good job with the place. It's definitely cleaner and fresher than before. The tables and floors are no longer sticky. The food is easy to like. We ordered pho. I had the satay one and the husband had the regular. Pho is a easy thing to like. Both dishes were decent. They also have lots of smoothies and bubble tea drinks here. We didn't get to try this time but next time, we definitely will.
(3)
Hoang L.
Two words: Avocado smoothie!!!! or moke buhhh (in Vietnamese) Smooth, delicious, creamy, and perfectly sweet. Fresh too with real avocados. They definitely have their formula down!
(5)
Holly C.
Yay! I've been going here for years and both the food and drinks rock! 1. Best smoothies in Chinatown! It doesn't get much better than this! It's $3.50 for a smoothies with boba and it IS AMAZING! You can watch use real fruit, ice cream, sugar and milk to make your smoothie (rather than the usual powder at most places). 2. Staff! As casual as they seem there's this old Grandpa there who's so sweet and kind to everyone. The others are just hard working and helpful. 3. FOOD! As much as people come here just for the drink bar, the food is great! It's traditional Vietnamese with pretty good portions for the price. Definitely a great place to check out if in the area. I recommend the strawberry smoothie, and vermicelli with beef.
(5)
Steve L.
Is the avocado shake *good for you*? No clue. After years of green and black pearl teas (all good, btw), went with the avocado with lychee jelly. Was quickly corrected that this was not a "tea" but rather a shake. Overall, very smooth, and just slightly sweet. As avocado is more or less a vegetable, this could represent a meal in itself. But what else goes into the shake? Didn't seem like ice cream. Cash only. This is Chinatown, after all.
(4)
Jeff T.
B-O-B-A note this review is specifically for the boba, we didn't have any of their food items. Boba milk tea - it tasted like tea I used to get from life plaza in arcadia,ca. I believe that its more canto style.. So that should give most chinese ppl an idea of how it'll taste. Boba was kind of meh, not sure if it was reheated left overs or just overcooked. Green tea slush - i didnt personally order this but my wife didnt like it all that much. I thought it tasted ok Service was good, place looked clean. Its no ten rens or tea station.. But its good enough for a temporary fix.
(3)
Anh N.
This place is pretty busy midday Sunday. It's a typical Viet food cafe design. I had the Bun Bo Hue and it was alright. It was listed as spicy and traditionally, it's really spicy, but I barely tasted the spiciness. My friends who aren't as good with spice tried it and they could try it just fine. A bit on the salty side but in general i like bun bo so i finished it. Che ba mau dessert was good. I took it to go and they only gave me a straw...wish it came with a spoon for the jello. Pho tasted okay, not a standout here. Logan shake...don't bother with it. Tasted like canned logan (aka longan) blended so it was just sugary. Prices are really reasonable. The waitress was really nice despite being super busy because she was the only waitress working at that time (or maybe the only one who could speak English) so it made the experience +1 star. If it was just for food quality, I'd say a 3 star.
(4)
John D.
Whenever I'm in Chinatown this is my favorite place to buy bubble tea and specifically only bubble tea. Maybe sometimes Che, the Vietnamese desserts. But it's my favorite place as it is at an average price as well. It has a variety of flavors and even toppings ranging from typical boba to colorful jelly. Service is fast but sometimes there will be a line.
(5)
Thanh L.
This rating is for the boba offerings only! Beware: cash only. The boba is as fresh as you can get in Boston! It's better than Kung Fu Tea and definitely better than Lollicup. My favorites here are the mango boba slushie and the avocado shakes (I'm typically a milk tea kinda gal), but they use fresh fruits so I can't resist. They also blend their shakes so that it's nice and smooth, never chunky or too icy. I've brought my friends from NYC and VA here and they loved their slushies/boba drinks (taro, mango, red bean, etc). My go to spot for fresh boba and quick service!
(4)
Sal W.
I have eaten here 3 times. Decent place, but nothing special. They close sometimes up to an hour early if there isn't anyone in the restaurant.
(3)
Cindy K.
I love many things about this place. This was the first place that I was exposed to Vietnamese Cuisine (this was over 20 years ago). The first time I had it, I got Pho and I was amazed. I loved this place ever since. Other things I have tried over the year here are the Bun, the spring rolls and I even have tried some of the more traditional Vietnamese dishes. Another thing that makes this place really good is the bubble tea bar. There is always a line, just like Starbucks for people order just bubble tea.
(5)
Soooap L.
a review on their pho. i've had better. ~_~'; the broth was bland and left me craving more of a meatier, substantial flavor. plus, my chopsticks and soup spoon smelled like mildew from a soggy old sponge that smelled like it hadn't been properly dried in months... the smell really tainted every bite of my pho to where I didnt feel like eating anymore. i still frequent dong khanh but just for bubble tea only. won't be getting food here anymore. =(
(2)
Nanci C.
Definitely not worth it. They don't have the best food and the boss is just rude. He made my mom an expired avocado milkshake!!!! The portions are small. Nowadays I can go to other places for Vietnamese food. This is not the only restaurant. My noodle soup only has a few strands of noodles.
(1)
Connie W.
Five stars all the way. I come here for my bubble tea fix every single time I come to Chinatown - I'm addicted. My favorite drink is their avocado shake with boba - I tried to branch out and get it with grass jelly one time, but it wasn't quite the same. I love watching the auntie make it with a quarter fresh avocado, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, some ice, and 2-3 ladles of something that looks like sugar water. She is so pro. I wish I could be like her. I also love the coconut green bean shake and the mango shake. You can ask for less sugar, but I usually just trust the expert auntie.
(5)
Lala I.
been getting bubble tea and viet coffee from this place for years and finally tried their food last night for the 1st time. i wish i tried earlier. lemongrass chicken was really good.
(5)
Kevin L.
I only come here for their fruit shakes. I'll give credit to shops that still use fruit and not powder/sugar. My go-to drink is their mango smoothie with lychee jelly. Can't go wrong with their strawberry, pineapple, or avocado either.
(4)
Cindy T.
A price that you cant imagine. Cheapest vietnamese restaurant you can find for its food quality!
(5)
Veronica C.
New Dong Khanh, how I miss your bubble tea! Yup, this is where you can find the best bubble tea in Boston! Usually the inner dining area is not as crowded as the line waiting near the entrance for their drinks (bubble tea & smoothies). The green tea boba, with some kind of jelly at the bottom, is awesome. It's creamier and thicker than your typical bubble tea; much sweeter, too...usually that's not my preference for bubble tea, but for DK I can make an exception :) Tips: like other places in Beantown's Chinatown, it's cash only~
(5)
Alexander D.
Solid pho place, one of the best in Chinatown. Friendly staff and a clean, bright interior. Definitely worth checking out.
(4)
Mimi N.
Great place to go for bubble tea!! I've tried the regular milk tea and taro milkshake and both were really great! Cash only but the service is really fast.
(4)
Andrea P.
This is purely for their bubble tea drinks! I have yet to try their food. I wish this was in my neighborhood, I'd go every day! Absolutely love their Vietnamese coffee with coffee jelly and their taro milk tea. There are so many options and all are so good! If you're looking for good bubble tea, come here!
(5)
Amy Yvonne H.
I tried the avacado boba tea, (which I thought would be awful since the idea of drinking an avacado sounds awful) & it was AMAZING! I couldn't get enough of it! I will definitely be back to this place to get another boba from these smilling faces!
(5)
Yan C.
Review for BOBA ONLY: Avocado Shake - 5/5. THE BOMB. You go straight to the counter to place your order and watch the magic happens in that little cube behind the counter. They make avocado shake with real avocados. Each shake is consisted of 1 full avocado, 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream, 1.5 scoops of liquid syrup, a splash of condensed milk, and a handful of ice cubes. Blend it away. Then pour it over your choice of munchies - boba, grass jelly, lychee jelly, coffee jelly, etc. Insert a colorful straw. VOILA. Hand over $3.50 in cash and walk away with a happy belly and content heart. The shake is refreshing, creamy, filling, with just the right amount of sweetness -- perfect for a spring/summer day. It's just a cup of absolute deliciousness! I brought quite a few friends here -- there was none who didn't love it. I heard fantastic things about the other drinks too, for example, the taro boba. You really can't go wrong with any boba drinks here. Service - 5/5. No matter how quiet or busy it is at DK, the staff always greet you with warming smile. They are polite yet personable. I feel as if I am conversing with my family members. DK is the only place my lactose-intolerant friend would take a lactate pill for. The boba/shakes are worth it. Yes, yes, one million times YES.
(5)
Melanie L.
The best place to go to for boba! During the right season, they'll make it fresh from the fruits themselves. My personal favorites are the jackfruit and avocado. I've come here for years, and the servers there speak both English, Vietnamese, and some of them Cantonese. The food is mediocre - I would go somewhere else if you want pho, though.
(4)
Jennifer L.
Amazing Pho and best avocado shake.
(5)
Titi T.
This place has gone down hill in food.. but up hill in Boba Drinks....There is always a line for their shakes and drinks...Amazing varieties of shakes and add inns.. But i see they have also started skimping and they us powder flavoring in certain flavors now...and it taste like liquid sugar (high fructose corn syrup) instead of the condensed milk and fresh ingredients before... Taste great but Scary what we really are slurping...
(3)
Andrew C.
Avocado smoothie! I only really come here for their drinks. So if you're looking for a food review move along to the next review. Affordable and tasty milk teas, and smoothie drinks! Not really a place to sit and hang out, more of a to-go type place. Stop by and grab a drink after your meal.
(3)
Vivian C.
Still cash only. Still popular with the drink (non alcoholic) crowd as evident by the masses congregated by the counter, and the door which kept opening, allowing the cold winter's air to blow upon the eat-in folk, of which there was us. Pork Chop Rice #92 once again beat out Vermicelli grilled barbeque pork slices & egg roll #23 (both $6.25), although it was a close race. I completely consumed my double pork chops with no sweat once again, but it was quite a satisfying meal. Although I admit I did glance longingly at a dining companion's Banh Hoi combination of grilled beef strips, and 3 egg rolls $9.75 (I figure she must have subbed extra eggrolls for the sugar cane shrimp). Perhaps next time... that or back to the Vermiceilli which was also at our table and looked quite good with the crispy fried eggroll cut in 3 and the single pork chop sliced up on top of the bowl full of white vermicelli noodles and garnished with the lettuce, carrots, scallions and peanuts. Another thought for the future - perhaps an order of the fried springrolls $3.25 and the yummy filling Tri-Color Bean dessert drink for a lighter lunch... PS - This menu seems pretty up to date currently since the prices for the above noted items were accurate - boston.menupages.com/res… *** 4/2013 visit *** I guess they've since updated their menu prices. The Banh Hoi variation we selected - with pork chop instead of beef & eggroll - was $10.25 and came with 8 pre-moistened rice paper pancakes. The bun ga nuong - vermicelli with barbequed lemongrass chicken $7.50 was tasty. I normally discard chicken skin in the name of eating healthier, but this chicken leg with its crispy skin was tough to deny. *** 1/2015 *** Long time no visit! Prices have gone up in real life, but the website prices have remained static to that of my past visit. My two normal Vietnamese faves are now $7 here. I tried something new to me on this visit - #76 Bun Mi Vang Phuc Kien $7.25 (Seafood and pork strips with vermicelli and egg noodles topped with watercress and fried shrimp biscuit. The shrimp biscuit was more of a shrimp fritter. The crispy coating slightly sodden by the soup was a neat contrast of textures. The shrimp within was a whole creature - shell and all! A bit awkward, but I could deal with it. It was nice to try as a whole, but portions here generally make for a rather light meal. Looking at it in a positive light, it leaves you room for one of their many shakes. *** 3/2015 *** I broke down and treated myself to a fresh fruit mango shake with boba for $3.50 for a small. Yum! *** 4/2015 *** Pork Chop on Rice $7 for me, Lemongrass Chicken on Rice $7.25 for my DC. Huge piece of chicken on that thing! That, and the spicy tomato beef noodle soup are my DC's favorites here. I sampled the bird - tender, juicy, but a tad overly flavorful for me. *** 4/2015 again *** Tried something new today because House special noodle soup with seafood, pork tripe, special flat noodles in chicken broth (#68) $7.25 sounded good. Gee, was I misled by the menu. "Seafood" turned out to be a single deshelled tail on shrimp. "Pork tripe" was some meat perhaps, but several slices of liver and other innards. And the noodles were skimped on, though the broth was flavorful, hot, and a large bowlful, so on its own it did not cover my lunchtime appetite. 2 stars for this dish. Definitely don't get it if you are hankering for seafood. Sampled a friend's #119 Chow foon with beef and green peppers $7.75, which had large chunks of juicy peppers and a scattering of baby corn, carrots and mushrooms accompanying the generous tender beef and tasty saucy flat wide noodles. I should try their wrinkly yellow noodles sometime, as it looked quite tempting in my DC's amended Pho Bo Kho #64 Special beef brisket in spicy tomato $7.50, and reminds me somewhat of Chinese yee mein. *** 6/2015 *** Got the #89 Mi Kho Suong Nuong $7.95 Dried noodles with barbequed pork chops tossed in a soy vinaigrette served with a bowl of soup on the side. It came with the thin flat wrinkly yellow noodles which reminded me of wonton noodles. The broth was clear and cleansing while the pork was highly flavorful and pleasantly browned and tender. It was plenty for my lunch time appetite, though deemed a bit on the light side by a gentleman dc. One thing it was missing, however, was a good dose of vegetable - beansprouts don't count. Speaking of which, they were skimping out on the plate of beansprouts/basil/lime - providing 3 diners with a portion more fitting for a singleton.
(4)
Josh S.
Favorite spot for boba in boston. The avocado smoothie is amazing. I've tried the food before and it's not bad, but the boba is really the value prop.
(4)
Wayne T.
Come here often, like to switch between beef noodle soup and rice plates, prices very reasonable, bubble teas are good, but like food better, very authentic, service always fast, a favorite
(5)
Daniel N.
Can't speak to their food really as I believe there are better pho options, but DK has the best bubble tea in Boston for sure! Don't be fooled by the typical shops that advertise in the window - they all pretty much use powders. My favorites here are avocado (real avocados), taro, and durian (my friends hate me whenever I get this. Also if it's super cold out, you can get taro hot mmm! Cash only.
(5)
Deborah H.
This review is only for the grilled lemongrass chicken bun. It was PHENOM. Perfectly charred thigh+leg, seasoned with peanuts, scallions, curry, and lemongrass. Crispy skin and tender meat. The bowl had plenty of veggies, and everything was spectacular, especially when tossed with the chili sauce. $6.75. I'll dream of this. Casual spot, pretty packed for lunch, cash-only.
(5)
Catie C.
Probably the most scrumptious Vietnamese restaurant inside Chinatown. What's even better is that the menu is very reasonably priced! One of the shortfall is that the pho doesn't have small sizes which means I only finished half my bowl. What I don't really understand that the bowl sizes here are extremely larger than what is served in Vietnam. Then again, America is all about super size! The pho is definitely flavorful and not overwhelming in MSG. Most of all, everything tasted fresh.
(4)
Jessie N.
2012 and they still accept cash only? Might as well revert our money back to coinage. In all seriousness, I want to take my friends here to eat good Viet food but people seldom carry cash nowadays.
(2)
Kevin L.
I come to DK mainly for the drinks, but I don't usually get the bubble tea since I think Kung Fu's bubble tea quality is a bit better. However, I do LOVE their fruit smoothies!!! I think their smoothies are the best around in Chinatown...you can taste the natural flavors and it's sooooo smooth and rich (not chunky like other places). If there's a combination on their menu that isn't available then you can always request for it! For example, I've ventured out and tried a Avocado + Mango smoothie with lychee jelly and I will say it DEFINITELY WORKS!! I was a bit hesitant at first, but worked up the courage to give it a try and I have no regrets, in fact, I would encourage others to try out this combination or other combinations that may not be listed, since you never know, it may be a very pleasant surprise :) I've also come here for food a few times and they have some decent pho (they have a pretty good tomato-based broth, which is not found at other pho places around!) and rice dishes, but they are more well-known for their drinks. So I wouldn't mind coming to DK for a meal here and there, but their smoothie game is strong and that's what brings me back for more!
(5)
Jessica L.
great little spot for our viet fix in Chinatown. we stopped in for bun, pho tai bo vien, pho xao, and banh xeo while visiting Boston. since my parents and i are Vietnamese, we are used to homemade deliciousness, so we try to lower our expectations quite a bit when dining out for Asian food. but all the dishes were actually quite yummy. the pho broth was a particularly nice surprise; great body to it, for restaurant pho. also grabbed a lychee smoothie on the way out and thoroughly enjoyed it. service is what you'd expect in a Chinatown establishment, aka pretty much none. but, it's fast! and cash only.
(4)
Amy S.
avocado shake. yes. delicious.
(5)
Bing X.
I liked the bubble tea! I tried avacado this time but will try others later! Thanks to my friend Le who recommended me this place!
(5)
Marissa A.
And 4 stars for the bubble tea. Refreshing and delicious - I've had the green tea and taro bubble teas over and over, but my next one to try will be the avocado as I saw they used fresh avocado. That being said, my bf and I decided to try their food. We kept it simple. To start, we ordered fresh spring rolls with shrimp and pork inside. Not bad. For our meals, as everyone else around us was eating pho, we both ordered it as well, I had chicken and the bf had pork. Very nice on a cold winter day. And only $6 a bowl? Not bad at all. Service was very prompt. I'm always coming back for the bubble tea. I definitely want to try more dishes as well - they had a BBQ pork dish that looked good and some rice plates that peaked my curiosity.
Takes Reservations : No Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : No Good For : Lunch Parking : Street Bike Parking : No Wheelchair Accessible : No Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : No Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : No
The popularity of Chinese food in America can be adjudicated by the appearance of China Town in many major cities in the United State of America. The popular trend of ordering or opting for Chinese take away food isn't unknown in America. Chinese take away food comes to rescue when you're too tired from work or too exhausted to cook. No one can resist the temptation of eating spicy noodles, shrimp, chicken, beef or pork cooked in the sweet and spicy sauce. The cooking method of authentic Chinese food is a lot different compared to what is served in America.
Generally, Chinese use dark meat small bones and organs to cook dishes but this changes when you are eating American-Chinese fusion food prepared using white boneless meat cooked with broccoli, carrots and onions. Back in China, the food is less spicy and oily as they favor steaming and braising method for cooking the most popular dishes. So, if you have a taste for authentic Chinese food, then try finding a real Chinese restaurant in the city. You can also try the most popular fusion Chinese food like Pecking Duck, Chicken Feet, Hot Pot, Shrimp Dumpling Soup, Mapo Tofu, Wontons, Chop Suey, Egg Rolls and not to forget Fortune Cookies.
There are not many restaurants in America serving authentic Chinese food. A little research on Restaurant Listings directory can help you locate the best Chinese restaurants in the city. Chinese cuisine is continuously evolving, and you can find a variety of dishes categorized as the food for lactose intolerant, gluten intolerant, vegan, vegetarian, and diabetic friendly. So, if you have a group of friends with different taste patterns, save the hassle and visit the nearest Chinese restaurant in your city.
Roderick L.
Best milk tea I've had in Boston. Cash only. Finding parking a little difficult, but that's to be expected in that area.
(5)Hurnan V.
Hidden gem in Chinatown! Disclaimer-- this review is for the boba, primarily! I have been here a couple of times to get the boba drinks, but none stand out more than the avocado smoothie with boba. The boba themselves were perfectly chewy and sweet. The avocado smoothie, although a tad too sweet for my taste, had a nice, distinguished avocado flavor. They blend in the avocado with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream, which is superbly delicious. Perfect for any hot summer day. As for the food-- I have eaten here once or twice before during my college years, but the food was nothing spectacular and comparable to the other Chinese restaurants in Chinatown. (Perhaps that is why the boba stands out so much to me!) Finally-- don't be intimidated by the line! They are always busy, but they are efficient nonetheless. Tip: cash only-- avocado smoothie was 3.50.
(5)Denise L.
One of my favorite bubble tea places in Boston! I'm pretty basic and always get their milk tea with boba. The milk tea tastes authentic and the boba is always soft and chewy. I'm very picky about my boba and need it to be a good texture, fresh, and not clumped together. New Dong Khanh consistently gets it right. I've also tried their avocado shake and red bean smoothie. Both drinks are made with a scoop of ice cream. They're good but very filling to me. Nice for a hot summer day. Although I know most people come here for their bubble tea, it's also a Vietnamese restaurant in the back. I've had the Pho once which was decent but if you're looking for good Pho, you're better off walking over to Pho Pasteur or Pho Hoa instead. Since this used to be the only good bubble tea place in the city, I used to make the trek all the time from BU to come here. So happy the options have expanded within the past few years to include Kungfu Tea, Chatime, and (my new favorite) TeaDo!
(4)Jacinda Z.
Delicious, cheap, and adorably motherly-like asian waiters/waitresses. The prices are super cheap, even for Chinatown, and the inside was cleaner than most chinatown restaurants. All was amazing and we cleaned our plates. The waitress asked us if we liked our food, but was visibly pleased that we cleaned our plates! Lol. We got the carmelized pork (#130), which came in a stone pot that kept it hot while I was eating it. It was super delicious. We also got the meat rolls (appetizer) and fresh spring rolls (appetizer). The meat rolls were delicious, they were wrapped in some kind of rice flour (it was clear in color), with bits of pork inside them. So good. We also got some kind of curried chicken (#13) that came with noodles, lettuce, and a huge chicken thigh.
(5)Chenkai L.
This is my favorite bubble tea place in Chinatown. I always get their bubble tea smoothie, which is very thick and filling and their bubba is really soft and well done. I have tried all of their flavors and the only ones I didn't like was Almond (overly sweet) and Green tea sesame (sounds interesting but a terrible mix). I also came here for Pho and it was a pretty average pho place.
(4)Danielle B.
Came here just for boba. The restaurant is small and busy and the waiting area could barely accommodate all the hungry/thirsty patrons. I placed my order to go and then squeezed myself into a corner with the fish tank to try to stay out of the way of waiters and people who hadn't ordered yet. Behind the counter is a mess of fruits, powders, jellies, liquids.. some covered, some not which did make me wonder what their health rating was. I just crossed my fingers that everything is stored to code. Their drink menu has a good variety including the fruity and the classic milk teas. Since it was a bit chaotic and I went for my go to: almond. My almond smoothie boba was perfectly refreshing and hit the spot. I hadn't had good boba in awhile (I blame living in South Florida at the time). Even if it were just for a boba fix, I would come again. Yes, cash only!
(4)Dedania M.
CASH ONLY! I love going to DK since their prices are cheap and the quality is great. There's so many bubble tea goers at Teado, but DK has so much flavors to offer. They make the drinks themselves without relying on a boba machine, and the drinks are always yummy and cheap. There's no chill-spot at DK so you are literally in line for your drink then you just leave (unless you plan on dining in). I ate here last Sunday and had bun bo hue, spring rolls with shrimp, and milk tea with pudding. Out of all places I've had peanut sauce, DK's just taste better. The bun bo hue was great, nothing wrong with it. The milk tea on the other hand was a bit weak. I tasted straight up sugar in my drink so it wasn't as pleasant as my usual drinks. I don't think I'd ever pick milk tea w/ pudding again but I still do enjoy their other drinks. Don't expect too much of service. Their job is to serve your food hot and be nice greeters. I had my friend call for the check since they didn't really check on us, but it's really not that big of a deal. This is Chinatown. Definitely try this place, and I know a lot of you probably go to Pho Pasteur for pho bo/etc, but try this place as well!
(4)TRinh D.
Looking for some good Vietnamese food? Well you'll definitely get it here. One of my favorite dish is the rice pork chop plate with eggs and a side of soup. Guaranteed satisfaction for the price you pay. You should not leave this place without a smoothie, they're to die for!!! Side note: Cash only but well worth hitting the ATM for. :)
(5)Jessica N.
Food is cheap, quick, and delicious. Have tried bun bo hue and pho sate. Both delicious. They always welcome you with tea. Fish in the tank is cool. Constantly busy with bubble tea customers. Best days to visit are rainy days! No awkward wait and food is served really fast! Cash only business.
(4)Karen W.
From bad experiences with carrying only a debit card and a lot of pennies, I will now always remember to bring cash before coming here. Dong Khanh (DK) is always the place for me to get fruity milk shakes; my default drink is the strawberry flavor. I also come here for their pho. There are a variety of different vietnamese noodle soups you can get. Because I like their pho as well as their pork chops, I usually order a pork chops pho which is not on their menu. Try it out! I come here on a monthly kind of basis, so I recommend coming here for vietnamese food.
(4)Cate N.
I've been coming here for years, almost always exclusively for the bubble tea. Their selection can't be beat, so many options for either flavors or fillers. Not to mention it's the tastiest bubble tea in Boston. Addictive!! And they use fresh fruit for a lot of the drinks, unlike other places that use only powder
(5)Huyen T.
Awesome!!! It feels like I'm back in vietnam with "banh xeo" or " bun mam" or "bun rieu"....
(5)Andrew N.
It's a little unfortunate that this place is the best boba you can get in Boston Chinatown. Boba in Chinatown sucks (I've tried almost every place that has a bubble tea), but Dong Khanh is mediocre exception. Their boba is far better than their competitors because it is actually pretty soft and chewy. Their drinks, however, are not that great. I usually get the milk tea or thai tea, and it is EXTREMELY inconsistant. Some days it is good, other days it tastes like water. This is because they make their milk tea from scratch (milk, sugar, tea, water) and measure by eye. It's really a hit or miss. Ca phe sua da (Vietnamese Ice Coffee) is a drink that you can probably never go wrong here, as they know how to make it pretty well and consistantly. That said, it gets an A-OK for being the relatively best pearls you can get in Boston Chinatown... but if it was in more competitive neighborhood (ahem, California) it would probably be a 1 or 2 star joint.
(3)M I.
This place is very authentic and I visited for lunch. CASH ONLY like other reviewers have mentioned. The menu is vast, I had the chicken rice dish - which was fantastic. My buddy had the shrimp dish, which was great also. I plan on going back.
(5)Jasmine X.
Been missing my pmt (or boba as they say it here) fix ever since coming to the East Coast for college. Was fortunately in Chinatown with some friends one Friday evening and someone mentioned how this place has some pretty solid boba. Eh. Not bad. I chose a regular pearl milk tea since it's a good baseline indicator of how this place fares compared to other places and was pleasantly surprised. My mind wasn't blown but compared to the other boba places I've tried on the East Coast, this one was a godsend. Subpar boba and meh milk tea but it at least passes as acceptable. Part of me feels like I should give it a higher rating because this is great compared to the other places offered on the East Coast... but I'm a bit of a pmt snob so I'm going to keep it at a 3 rating since I don't think this is good enough that I would actually come back to it. Friends got a durian shake and an avocado shake. Both of which is pretty good--avocado tasted like pure ice cream yum yum and durian--well if it floats your boat you'll like it right? tldr; pretty good pmt for boston, but if you're from the west, subpar at best
(3)Cathy Z.
Unlike many of the reviews here, I managed to resist the boba and tried the food instead! I stopped by New Dong Khanh after missing my train at South Station. Their seafood congee (chao) had been featured in Serious Eats ( seriouseats.com/2014/04/… ), so I was eager to try it--especially at only $5.25. The rice had a great texture and the shrimp and fish cake were tasty, but I was too skeeved out by the imitation crab to finish the bowl. (I like imitation crab in small doses, but the huge rubbery swaths of it floating around were just a little too much for my white girl sensibilities.) Overall, though, the congee was a very comforting dish, with just enough fresh herbs on top to keep it from feeling too heavy. I also had an order of pork and shrimp summer rolls, which were decent but forgettable. At $3.25 for 2 rolls, I would save your money for a shake instead! The service was friendly and fast, and I had a fun time creepily watching the two Chinese toddlers next to me enjoying their meal just as much as I did. I'll come back to New Dong Khanh next time I have a hankering for a cheap, comforting Vietnamese meal, but I'll probably go for the chao ga instead!
(4)M L.
DK is one of our go-to restaurants in Chinatown. There's always something for every season - in the winter months, we love their wide selection of pho and noodle soups. In the summer time, we enjoy the vermicelli dishes (basically the dry version of pho). If you're not in a Vietnamese food-style mood, they have an array of rice and noodle stir fry plates. How great is that for a group of people who have varying taste buds? Another great thing about DK is that they have a pretty great boba, smoothie and froyo bar. We absolutely love the avocado shake - made with fresh avocado & a scoop of ice cream! Their mango and other fruit shakes are also pretty good. A downside though is that it's cash only. But other than that, you're bound to find us here whenever we are in the mood for pho or a boba drink!
(4)Khunravin H.
Probably the best boba/bubble (which one, I dunno?) tea you can get in China Town, hands down! Remember it's CASH Only. I'm a big fan of Coconut Boba (smoothie version) so I always order that wherever I can get my hands on Boba. P.S. they use fresh fruit which adds to the whole point of buying from here. Most shops use powder (to my knowledge) and are just ehh. I've had food here, but haven't really explored their menu becauseeeee I always order Boba to go!! If nothing else, if you're in the area, get some Boba here!
(5)Bonnie L.
I haven't been here in a while (6months-8months?) and I am SUPER disappointed to the point where this may be the very last time I come here. 1. I ordered their Bun Bo Hue. The noodle didn't seem fully cooked to the soft chewy texture. The meat were ALL fat (I was able to eat maybe 1 of the 6 pieces.) 2. DRINKS: I ordered Thai Ice Tea & their boba in their drinks are soggy. I thought the whole point of boba is to be chewy.. Not melt in my mouth. My boyfriend ordered a green apple fruit shake with lychee.. And needless to say more, I have an image posted up. 3. ATMOSPHERE: The table We sat at there were TONS of fruit flies on the wall. We had to move to another table from the amount of little pesky flies bothering us, yet it was STILL unavoidable. I walked out of the restaurant feeling unsatisfied & very dirty. I use to LOVE DK but it felt like I went to a different restaurant. Super disappointed and most likely will not return. Only reason it didn't get 1 star is because I use to love eating Pho here.
(2)Joyce L.
I came here for lunch/dinner four times in one week... That means that my lazy butt wanted to eat the #23 vermicelli with pork SO BADLY that I walked to the atm 4 times to get cash out JUST to eat here! That is saying a lot. It's annoying that they only take cash, but you gotta do what you gotta do. The boba/smoothies here are also really delicious. They put an entire avocado in the avocado smoothie, so it's well worth your money. Everything else on their menu is less than $10. Nothing beats that! EDIT: written 2/24/2015 quick fixer-upper for when you're sick or hungover: CHICKEN CONGEE. never fails me.
(4)Jacqueline S.
Came here after learning they served durian smoothies. I ordered the smoothie with boba. On the whole, the smoothie was cold and the smell and taste was 'interesting" as I knew it would be. The service was quick and the counter staff were welcoming, As my friends and I waited, we looked at what folks were eating. The food must be good because people were eating more than talking. I would definitely eat here.
(4)lizzie b.
Try the avocado shake - run! I'm a big fan of avocado (even in ice cream), and also don't love things that are too sweet. Excited to find this little place -- that also appears to have good pho -- clean, fresh, and especially delicious boba. NDK knows what it's doing, and I can't wait to go back.
(5)Kymberly G.
A little hole in the wall place in the Chinatown area of Boston. I wont lie... when we got there I was more than a little reluctant to even enter the place, let alone eat anything they served. The place could use a very serious deep cleaning and overall updating. I had seriously thought Yelp had failed us on this one, but im always up for a little adventure, so in we went! Service was friendly, and although the staff clearly didnt speak english extremely well, they did answer questions and let us take our time looking over the menu. We didnt feel rushed at all, and the place was pretty busy (Saturday night, in Boston, during a Red Sox/Yankees game). The food was great, although a little different than what I am used to from the places we frequent in our hometown and on the West Coast in general. I would certainly go back for another round when we are in the Boston area again.
(4)Cindy H.
I have been coming here for nearly a decade. DK has the best bubble tea in Chinatown, hands down. Not only that, they are the cheapest for that too! Kung Fu Tea, Cha Time, Tea Do, and others may look more hip and happening, but get your bubble tea here folks! There is usually a line for a reason. There's a wide variety of drinks, but I see a ton of people get the green tea and red bean smoothies. Also, they have very traditional Asian desserts and drinks off to the side if you are craving some herbal tea or soy milk. The pho is solid, but they have fatty pieces of meat which is why I took off a star. That may be to your liking though, but I'm a 90 to 10 lean to fat ratio with my meat. Prices are lower than other Vietnamese restaurants and the taste of the food is much more authentic. Note: cash only. There is a BoA ATM down by Tufts so it isn't too convenient to get some bills. It will be worth it, I assure you.
(4)Ellean Z.
My friends refer to NDK as "tumor fish place." While it doesn't sound quite so savory, we only mean it in the most endearing way. The first time I was here, I had a nice chat with an adorable elderly folk by the fish tank, because vibrantly colored fish with large cranial lumps are great for breaking ice. Who knows...it could play cupid for you and you could walk into NDK single and leave with a cute date and a belly full of cheap, but utterly satisfying pho. I haven't explored the menu much, despite frequenting this place sometimes up to 5/6 times in a week, but I eat what I like and I eat it often. I have a feeling that it's difficult to go wrong with anything here, though...my litmus paper? Their egg rolls. I've been so let down by egg rolls over the years that I've essentially given up on eating them outside of home, unless I vibe well with the quality of food at a restaurant. Their egg rolls are small, light, and crunchy like they're supposed to be; simply delicious. Anyways, this place is fast, easy, convenient, yummy, and nice to my wallet. Definitely a go-to place good for any time. Also, they have [egg] PUDDING for their milk tea! If you're unfamiliar with this pudding, it's not like the goopy kind you're probably used to...it's firmer than that and more like the consistency of steamed egg or silken tofu. I think it's worth a try, though it's not for everyone. I'm not sure if other boba places in the area have pudding, but it doesn't even matter because at $3.50 for a cup of boba milk tea, this place is cheaper than most and certainly up there in terms of quality. Favorites: Pho, Shrimp/Pork Vermicelli, Egg Rolls Drinks: Black Tea Pudding Milk Tea, Avocado Boba Smoothie, Watermelon Smoothie, Honeydew Smoothie
(5)Allan T.
For downtown Boston, the New Dong Khanh is as authentic Vietnamese as it gets. (There may be others in Dorchester.) I know this from a long-time colleague who is from Vietnam and he eats there at least 2X @ week. If you go there, notice that the clientele is almost entirely Asian - that speaks volumes. There are others in Chinatown but they have a bit too much of a tourist/how-lee touch for my taste. Yes, their pho is great but venture out to the rice plates and the bùn for some really special taste treats. Their drinks - judging from the swarms of high school kids who stop there after school for bubble tea - it's gotta be great. Terrific selection. My favorites are the iced Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk; and the lychee. Throw out anything and everything you know about Chinese food and step into South East Asian cuisine for a pleasant and refreshing change!
(4)S S.
This is my favorite Boba place in the WORLD! Their boba has a slushy consistency, like a smoothie almost. It is not the typical thin watery boba with some ice cubes in it. They also have great selection of flavors and let you pick the kind of solid material you want in it (jellies, lychee jelly, boba balls, etc). The best part about this boba is definitely the consistency. It is very unique and very delicious. I always come here each time I am in Boston. I recommend the red bean flavor boba drink -- my favorite so far!
(5)Quynh Nhu D.
I literally beg me mom to come here. But hey I'm an adult now, I can go here by myself. YAY Anyways, I am slightly in love with this place. Slightly because loving a restaurant might be weird. Food: awesome, so many variety of Viet food. You get a whole country of Viet soup in just one place. If you're bored of Pho you have all these Mi and Hu Tieu to mix it up. BONUS: The Banh Bot Chien (Fried rice cake) is ultra good. I had it in Houston and I was like Uh Uh, nothing compares to DK's. Maybe the Vietnam version might be better but I'm stuck here for a while. I don't see this item on the menu so to try for yourself you got to ask them. They have a similar chinese version over at Windsor Dimsum. Both are good in their own way. Many of their non-pho soup are quite unique and delicous, try for yourself :B I haven't had a bad one. I don't like Pho so I don't get it here - but my friends like them so its a safe choice. Pork chop rice is another favorite; I love the Bi which is ... stringy pork stuff.... TRUST ME ITS GOOD, despite my bad literature description. Banh Cuon (Rice roll) is really nice with the fried shrimp cake. If you a bean sprout addict you will like this dish BBQ pork chop and noodle soup - something awesome, it's a dry noodle version with a bowl of soup on the side Good shakes. I love the watermelon smoothies. I use to not like watermelon but this converted me. One negative is cash only, but that is like 99% of Chinatown. Good service too. Three more years of college ensure more visit to DK yaay
(5)Jennifer G.
Hands down favorite bubble tea in Boston. NOTE: Cash only! I've been coming here for as long as I remember, and the people who work here are so friendly. Drinks are cheap and there's a lot of variety on the menu. All drinks are made with fresh fruit, not that syrup stuff. Food is pretty good too, but I usually just stop in for some bubble tea. It tends to get busy during prime hours, so they have a fish tank inside with a grumpy looking fish for your entertainment.
(5)Jimmy B.
Okay, noob mistake on my last review. Most likely when I ordered my go-to green tea smoothie of heavenly awesomeness, I "might" have said green tea SHAKE with boba. NOT the same thing as green tea SMOOTHIE with boba. SMH. No wonder sometimes I have inconsistency in texture - the shake is obviously more clumpy and ice based, and not as "smoooooooooth" as a smoothie. Durr. Probably also less healthy with the vanilla ice cream in order to make it smooth, but whatever, it's too delicious to pass up! Therefore, I hereby upgrade thee from four stars to five stars! Smoothie has so far always been spot on and delicious! Love you guys!
(5)My Anh T.
The best Bubble tea in Boston! Their bobba and drinks are great, always cold and chewy. It isn't sickley sweet like everywhere ealse.
(5)Mercedes V.
Only got shakes but they were so good! I got the honeydew with boba and my boyfriend got strawberry mango with mango. They were both good but his was better. I can't wait to come back and try the food too. Yum!
(5)Francisca W.
place was renovated probably last year -- now so much cleaner and brighter! met w/friend for mid-week lunch, arriving around 1:30pm. the drink bar was packed but dining area rather empty -- even better, that means no rush on our meal! food & drinks came; all was good (i wasn't even hungry but kept eating!). sat and talked some more after we were done; ordered a take-out. ended up spending an hour or more there; never met with a dirty look (well, they were not busy either!). had a good meal and comfortable dining experience, waitress was polite and efficient, what more can you ask? their shakes are good too! p.s. cash only. (not sure if that's the whole restaurant or drink bar only; would be nice if they actually accept cards in the dining area.)
(4)Jesse N.
I find every reason in the world to come to this place. There are of course, so many reasons: 1. Best bubble tea in Chinatown, and they use all real ingredients (not powder) 2. Best pho in Chinatown. Their pho is the closest that has come to anything I've had in Vietnam. 3. Best fried shrimp...It comes with the shell on, but it's fried to such perfection that you can eat them whole, shell-on and everything! 4. Best for last: Their caramelized fish dish. That easily takes my top 10 best foods of all time. It's a beautiful, savory dish of fish cooked in a base of fish sauce, sugar and other spices. It's simply amazing, and whenever I go here I ALWAYS order it. It's so delicious to eat with white rice on the side. I also love DK because it's such a nice alternative to the other greasy stuff you'd have at other neighboring restaurants, and it also has a chill vibe. Whenever my friends ask for a Chinatown restaurant suggestion, I always lead them here (then casually proceed to invite myself).
(5)April K.
Really great food for cheap. My favorite is the red bean smoothie. The pho was served piping hot. The summer rolls were good too. It's cash only, but that's probably why they are able to have such low prices on everything.
(4)Julia Z.
This review is for their drinks only. I always crave a DK smoothie when i'm in Boston, specifically a strawberry smoothie with an extra scoop of ice cream always his the spot. This past weekend I decided to switch it up and tried the coconut with red bean, delicious! The coconut wasn't overpowering, perfect coconut to red bean mixture. I also love examining the new bling the owner flaunts, I swear the size of her diamond necklaces/rings get bigger each time I visit.
(4)Rachel L.
Love this place; shakes/bubble tea are amazing. Food is great as well. Came on a weekday evening and per usual, a long line at the counter for their shakes/bubble tea. Their boba is definitely unique compared to other shops - it's the perfect kind of sugary, chewy sensation. Their extensive menu offers various things to order. You can never go wrong with the pho, especially the one with all cuts of meat. The broth never fails; it's not too strong, nor too bland. Usually, I add a ton of sriracha and hoisin, but I sort of feel bad if I do here because it definitely takes away from the flavoring of the broth. But I didn't get pho this time. I got the flat rice noodle with beef and bean sprout and a pork with egg roll vermicelli bowl. Both = bravo. Portions are generous, and it was very delicious.
(4)Kirsten L.
Crazing Vietnamese food and this was the closest to me with 4 stars and 1 $. Ordered the Bun with pork chops and egg rolls. It was missing more sweet sauce. It was lacking flavor. Not impressed. The avacado boa ba tea was good and freshly made. I would get that instead of their food. It was cheap $7 per plate. They only accept cash.
(3)Bonnie C.
This is probably the only Vietnamese restaurant I've been to that has really good com tam with pork chop and fried wontons. Definitely try it when you come here. They also have really good pho, but the MSG that they put it in gives me a really bad allergic reaction, so I avoid New Dong Khanh when I want pho. Other than that, their drinks are amazing as well! I can't imagine any other restaurants making a red bean shake as good as them. Otherwise a great place for a quick meal. Staff is friendly too. I just wish I could handle their MSG in the pho.
(4)Jessica Y.
Yessss! Finally made it to New DK for bubble tea after coming back from NYC. Always too many choices to choose from. My personal favorites are the regular milk tea, Thai iced tea, coconut w/ or w/o red bean, avocado, durian, watermelon, and papaya. All the fruity ones are made from natural produce. Their boba are made to the ultimate perfection - sweet and gummy - and don't stick to your teeth. There's always a line regardless of time and weather. Cash only. Food isn't bad here. Their pho and rice plates are pretty delicious. They have my fave beef ball, tendon and brisket pho. I also really like their lemongrass chicken or "gai mung" in Chinese. Also try their summer rolls. Very yummm
(4)Zoe P.
We came here to eat Vietnamese food. No, really, we did. And the food was good, but nothing to rave about. I had a rice vermicelli bowl, which is what I always order. But the atmosphere and service were outstanding, if you're dining with kids. There were fish to look at, and the long line of bubble tea enthusiasts chatting and brightening the place up. I feel like the owner waited on us and she was very kind. It was easy to find a rice plate my toddler liked, and of course he liked the fruit smoothies too. The price was right and if I were in the neighborhood looking to feed myself and my kids, I'd definitely come back. However, if I were seeking out destination-worthy Vietnamese food, I guess I'd probably try somewhere else.
(3)Marla M.
Amazing. Incredibly cheap, fresh, flavorful. Unbelievably large menu selection. Came here based on other Yelp reviews and wasn't led astray. Cannot more highly recommend this place!!
(5)Nat B.
Visiting Boston for the weekend, I managed to hit New Dong Khanh twice for some excellent drinks. This Vietnamese restaurant is THE place to go for boba, agar jelly, fruit drinks, and milkshare options in Chinatown / Boston! I got an iced coffee with coffee jelly cubes and later a honeydew shake with green tea jelly cubes. The fresh honeydew melon drink was truly excellent. I love the fact that they have so many jelly options in addition to the standard boba. Where can I get this variety in Chinatown Manhattan?
(4)Ambica U.
Nice food. Accepts only cash. The bubble tea was heavenly! Authentic vietnamese food.
(4)Alexander C.
I want to give a more comprehensive review, but lately I've just been coming in for the drinks. About three or four summers ago I did come here for lunch and thought the food was mediocre. If I remember correctly, they did renovate and maybe changed cooks/ownership so it may be better than before. I HAVE been coming here more lately for drinks, ever since my usual place's quality has declined. I mainly get a watermelon juice or a milk tea with boba (tapioca pearls) and have been very satisfied. DK's prices are pretty good, nothing special though as the majority of the restaurants/stores that sell drinks like milk tea or fruit drinks all have the same price of $3-$3.50. Hey, it's supply and demand working due to the large number of sellers, but DK has pretty great quality.
(4)Melissa M.
We were driving through Boston with a major hangover and decided to pick a place in Chinatown to pick up some delicious comfort food. I got the lo mein and vegetable fried rice. I loved the lo mein dish, basically inhaled it. The fried rice was not what I expected, but still good. It is basically white rice fried with the veggies, not exactly like chinese fried rice. My boyfriend gor 4 orders of pho with everything for himself and his family. He loved every single second of it, as did his family. Our order was ready quickly and came to about $47.
(4)Pam C.
Lets take two seconds to contemplate how this place is named New Dong. Whew ok. New Dong Khanh is a pretty solid pho place - their broth is a little on the bland side, and their other Vietnamese options are pretty solid. I'm actually having a bit of trouble coming up with content for this review because honestly, New Dong is pretty average, run of the mill. Dining here isn't ever a very memorable experience, but on the bright side I always expect things to go smoothly. They do have some pretty good boba flavours, and they make their tapioca balls pretty well - nice and chewy, not too sweet. Try the avacado shake!!!!
(3)Wayne F.
My wife hated vietnamese retaurants until this one! We hit the jackpot! My best ever. Awesome small and cheap Vietnamese place. Lots of people come in for fruit shakes and smoothies. But we ate early dinner and had the "Bun Bo Nuong", "Lemon Grass Chicken with rice" and the "Going Tom That" salad. All were EXCELLENT!
(5)Catherine W.
Don't forget - it's still cash only. Very good sit-in lunch today. Had a grilled pork bun (it was actually a grilled pork chop with the bone in the bun) and beef pho. Both were very good. Really liked their fried chicken wings - delicious - 6 pieces in the order. Pleasant and fast service, bill was $25 including tip.
(4)Kevin S.
I have been coming to this Vietnamese staple of Chinatown for a long time before and after the renovation. The one plate that I almost always get is their Lemongrass BBQ Chicken. No other place makes it the way they do. I often joke to my friends that they lace it with some sort of drug to get me addicted to it. It is aromatic and the the flavor is savory. It never disappoints! i do find the Pho here a bit lacking. Maybe I am use to the restaurants in Dorchester, but then again it has been a while. The food has been pretty consistent. The Gi cun (summer or spring rolls) is still a must. The only real drawback is that they only take cash and parking is a huge pain in the ass, but then again that can be said for the parking situation for every restaurant in Chinatown
(4)Sheila N.
Great place for bubble tea because they taste great and an assortment of pretty drinks. 4 stars because the works/owners don't really care for customer service. They usually have a line just for bubble tea, so they are just focused on getting everyone's drinks in a timely manner. I always see an area for frozen yogurt but it seems dead. Their bubble tea business is sucking all the business away from the poor frozen yogurt section . 0.0 For decor, come if you want good Vietnamese food with pals and family and don't really care about ambiance. This is a family owned restaurant so don't expect fancy water fountains or nice paintings. But there is a kinda cool fish tank with one fish :D lol. I would not recommend this place for date night.
(4)Yuka Y.
Pho craving? In Chinatown? Yuka is going to take you to New Dong Khanh. The most visited place for me in Chinatown for pho and bubble tea, and the place where I've brought the most friends to. Half of NDK runs as a bubble tea shop, the other serves as a Vietnamese restaurant. As to why I love this place so much...it's probably because they're low key, they have thai iced tea, their bobas are great-sweet and chewy, and they have an extensive menu fit for everyone. Even though you're spoiled for choice, I'm one of those suckers who sticks to the same thing once I like it as I'm not very familiar with Vietnamese food and there's over 100 dishes to choose from. Yes yes, indecisive problems. I can at least attest #56 is great: Pho Dac Biet- beef noodle soup with rare beef flank, well done flank, tendon, tripe, and brisket. Dash on the herbs and bean sprouts included and add copious amounts of sriracha sauce. Walah! With the variety of meat and organs for only ~$7, #56 is a steal.. Even though it's not their extra large version which is #55, I always leave with a pho coma. Well worth your $$.
(4)Vicky H.
I like several things about this place and I dislike just as many... 1. I love the new renovations from how it was previously. If you've been there before you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, you're lucky. It's now more spacious and can sit more people. The front area where they make the drinks is also in a better location so as the front won't be as congested as it did before. The lines used to go out the door and blocking the entrance for other patrons wanting to sit down and there was no place to stand. 2. Speaking of the new drink/counter area -- they seriously make one of the BEST, if not THE best boaboa drinks ever!!! For most of the drinks you see on the menu, it's made with fresh fruits or previously frozen so it's not just canned stuff. There are a few that is canned but it's because it just has to be that way else you're looking at higher prices. The smoothies are just really good here and they're pretty generous of with the tapioca (pearls as some would call them). 3. Like I said earlier, the place is a little bit more spacious so there are more tables and it's just placed better. The lighting in the place is also very well lit. 4. Their service is always prompt. They're good about getting you seated and getting your order in and on the way. Most of the food items do not take long to make at all. There has only been a few occasions where we had to wait awhile for them to bring the check - which is unusual since most Asian places can't wait to get rid of you!!! LOL 5. They make really good Pho here. I don't really care much about their other dishes except for the Quails. That's pretty good too. Too bad it's so expensive for 2 tiny quails. So, onwards to the part i don't like as much. 1. While it's great that it's more spacious, it's still tight and they do not have the most comfortable seats. Purpose this was done on purpose so yo don't sit too long. But you can't put your bag on the floor because that's just disgusting and it's impossible to hang in behind the chair so if you're with 3 or 4 people, chances are, you're holding it on your lap. 2. You don't get a whole lot room either when the place is packed. The person behind you will be sure to bang against your back. 3. And it's hard to carry a conversation there because the space is so small. 4. While service is almost always prompt, it is also sometimes abrupt as well too, as if they're pushing you out the door. I get it though. It's a business and if they don't get you eating soon and you on your merry way, they cannot sit another customer and make more money. Later at night when it's dead, they don't care as much, and this is when you notice the wait staff a lot more relaxed and they don't really pay attention to you as much. So sometimes, you end up sitting there and just waiting for them to show up from the kitchen. 5. I ordered a pork and tofu with watercress soup. it was $9 and it didn't come with rice, and not even half a serving of watercress. I was VERY disappointed. I went to Le's in Allston which is usually more expensive and they gave a bigger portion and included a bowl of white rice. There was actually more than a serving of watercress and more meat. I know where I am going to get the same dish next time. (when i say a service, i mean, when you go to the supermarket and you get a bunch of watercress, it comes bundled already with a rubber band. that's one serving) 6. CASH-ONLY. So, eventhough my experience is somewhat mixed, I still love this place and will continue to come here to get my Pho-fix.. And when people recommend where to go in Chinatown, I will likely point to this as well.
(3)Vivian T.
this is a vietnamese restaurant but we always come for bubble tea. yummy. cheap, fast awesome. the food is pretty good too. but the bubble tea is probably the best in boston chinatown! they have a great variety. hot or cold, with bubbles or jellies, passionfruit/coconut jellies. They have fresh fruit juices that you can get with bubbles especially over the summer. Favorites are watermelon, green melon bubble tea (all with fresh fruit!), regular milk or taro bubble tea, and people love the avocado bubble drink (basically pureed avocado + heavy cream/milk and bubbles).
(3)Susan C.
I haven't eaten at Dong Khanh in years, so my friend and I decided to have a late lunch here today. I must say, in terms of food and service, the place has gone down in my book. My friend and I ordered the fresh spring rolls as a starter. They were as good as I remembered, coming with a tasty peanuty hoisin dipping sauce garnished with a little bit of pickled carrot and daikon. I then ordered the flank and brisket pho for myself. While my soup was flavorful, it didn't come with much meat and there was an awful lot of cartilage pieces in there. I think maybe they put all that in there to make the pho look meatier than it actually was. I picked out about a small bowls worth and put it aside as the cartilage wasn't really edible and was unappetizing to look at. The service was also lacking. We went during the restaurant's down time and waited for a while after we finished before the check came. I'll be back for the shakes here, but I think in terms of a sit down meal, I'll stick to eating at the other viet places in Chinatown.
(2)Paul V.
In Boston for business. Stopped by for a quick dinner. Had "Bun Mam", a savory pork seafood noodle soup, a very good choice for a very cold night. Dipped the pieces of meat in tamarind sauce for additional flavor. Wished I had room to try their many special fruit shakes or teas. Next time, definitely. Service was quick, but the waitress just took the order & rushed off to other duties. Will stop by when in Boston again.
(4)Joanne T.
My cousin recommended this place for bubble tea. After trying to find parking on a Saturday night, we were finally able to enjoy some tasty treats. The cost for 3 order was about $10, not bad at all. We enjoyed green tea with bubbles, mango/lychee with bubbles, and i ordered the kumquat special with aloe. All 3 were delightful and refreshing. I would've never though of coming here if it wasn't for her. Great find! I love that they offer different fillers other than just bubbles. I wish there was something like this place closer to home.
(4)Helena Q.
I think this is my new favorite boba place in Boston! Which may seem like damning with faint praise, but I do actually really like it. The fruit shakes are made with real fruit -- you can see them put the fruit into the blender, along with ice and water. Now, I'm not one to go for the "natural" option if it doesn't taste better, but this surprisingly tasted really good. (So far, I've tried lychee and mango. My next try, and the true test, will be taro.) Additionally, the bubbles here are really good, easily the best I've had on the east coast. Soft and squishy, with nice chew. The key: the bubbles are warm when served. The only picky thing is that I wish the bubbles were sweeter -- they didn't have much taste at all.
(5)Pratik P.
I was in Boston for a week on business and came here EVERY SINGLE DAY for boba tea... I just couldn't stop. My co-worker did the same. The staff are super-friendly, quick and make the tea consistently each time (trust me, after having it 1-2x a day, every day, you notice these things). It's $3.50 for a standard size, but I really do wish they had a bigger cup :)
(4)Maureen D.
Yummy veggie pho and yummy "Vietnamese style" veggie stir fry. Spring rolls cannot be missed!
(4)Tracy L.
The food is decent but nothing too special. The place is always chaotic and crowded and is pretty dirty. The server, did not bother to get me any water or tea even after I asked for it. My bill was ~$17, I left 2.5 dollars (ie the changes i had) for tips and the moment I stood up, the waitress came and counted the tips abd yelled at me ( no, literally, YELLED at me) asking for more tips. I told her I wasn't happy with the service, atwhich point another waiter jumped in and (also) yelled at me in his broken English "You eat, You have to tip at least 5 dollars". I told him I didn't have any changes left (which I didn't) and proceeded to leave and he STOOD ON MY WAY to the door. Never ever ever again
(1)An N.
I think this place is mostly popular for its bubble tea... During our visit, a lot of customers came in for bubble tea to go. The front of the shop was consistently crowded with people coming and going. It's a small shop too so the waiters were busy tending to multiple things at once, which makes table service slow. We sat down and had a few different dishes - I'm sure there's something they do well, but the average Vietnamese dishes aren't the best here. So if you're looking for well made, authentic Vietnamese food, skip this place! We had the bun thit nuong cha gio (I ordered something different, but apparently they didn't hear me correctly...it is noisy inside to be fair!), banh xeo and mi kho do bien. My biggest gripe about restaurants serving Vietnamese food is whether or not they give enough fresh herbs, and this place was lacking in that department. The bun thit nuong was decent enough, but nothing special.
(3)Artiste A.
Went for the first time today, wanting to try the Pho, specifically the special beef noodle. Home run! Place was clean, nice simple seating, complimentary tea! At each table was siracha, hoisin and small bowls to mix and dip. The chop sticks and spoon were real so they don't just throw them away after one use, which I prefer. But I went here for the special beef and it was very very good. The thin sliced flank was rare and just perfect as it cooked in the hot broth. And the broth? Complex and rich without being over powering. Very very good! Also a nice serving of thai basil and bean sprouts to add if one liked. They were light on any thin sliced onion or scallions which I can go either way on. Used the bathroom to check it out, just fine. Highly recommend this place for the beef Pho!
(5)Jonny I.
This was the first place I ever had an avocado shake. Ya I know, first impressions are 1) nasty, an avocado?, 2) almond, taro, red bean....those are all much better, why would I waste $3.50 on an avocado shake? Stop fighting with your taste buds and TRY IT! Since, I have moved to southern California and all i hear is the food, the drinks, and the BOBA is the best out there. Well sorry to burst SoCal's bubble, but this place makes the best avocado shake, period! 1/2 avocado, 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream, condensed milk, sugar water, and ice are the ingredients. Maybe you can make it at your own house, but then you would have your own boba shop wouldn't you?
(5)Nicolas N.
First time here for breakfast. We had the bun mam and seafood conchee. The conchee has ginger which adds a nice flavor and reminds me of mom's congee - my fav panacea. The Bun mam noodles comes with pork, shrimp, fish and fish cake was delicious! It is similar to other central Vietnam noodles and just yumm!!! Coffee was too sweet and creamy. I liked the lychee green tea with popping boba. Decent service for Chinatown. Definitely coming back for another taste when in Boston. This authentic Vietnamese restaurant comes with its own grumpy grandpa!
(4)Brie P.
I have been here for food,but I always return for the tea and shakes. I remember my first visit here, wayyy before I lived in Mass. My friends brought me here, we sat down and ordered some food and some drinks. I still order the same drink today, coconut shake. They make it so perfectly! I occasionally get something with mango in it,but I always come back for their coconut shake. don't forget that it's cash only,and don't forget to grab your straw before you leave!
(5)Ogo A.
Great food. Clean. First time here the owner took me through the menu and was very polite and helpful. I went conservative with the chicken pho. I liked the flavored they employed. Will definitely be back.
(5)Kay H.
I'm only giving 4 stars because I've never tried the food here but I plan on it! All I've had is the Boba drinks. I started going here after one of my favorite places closed for renovation. They're delicious and affordable priced. I probably go back because the guy that makes them is so handsome. Cash only!
(4)Victoria T.
I'd like to try their pho, but this review will just be for boba drinks. New Dong Khanh is a small but high-rated pho joint known for having good boba drinks, made with fresh fruit and ice cream. We stopped by just for some drinks after lunch. I had a durian shake, which a lot of reviewers here have loved. Personally, I didn't think it was as good as they said. It was certainly tasty and refreshing, but it was made from durian ice cream, water, and ice, so it was just a drinkable version. If you've never had durian ice cream, this might be something special, but I've eaten that over the years, so this shake didn't really stand out to me. I'd come again though; prices are reasonable. Service is not very friendly but they get the job done.
(4)Ben L.
They might as well make this place a bubble tea shop. because literally, everyone i know who wants bubble tea wants to go here but when i mention pho, they want to go somewhere else. Dont get me wrong, the pho actually does the job, it really is good enough for me as it has some flavorful broth and good meats. bean sprouts were a little brown though, but it happened to me once. but thats about it As for the bubble tea, if you really do visit boston, it is a must! they have fresh fruit for every fruit flavor. They only use artificial power for very few flavors, like green tea and taro, but they are both still good. I think their secret to their amazing drink is vanilla ice cream, but who knows, they add love too. I only come here for bubble tea or if i dont mind a nice bowl of pho. seriously the best I have ever had. Obviously i would give this place 5 stars if it's actually a bubble tea shop. for pho.. its just alright and passable
(4)Phil C.
On a cold overcast day, I went to get a hot milk tea here. It was hot, creamy, and sweet, with strong tea. No complaints here. It was rather apparent that if you spoke Cantonese, you'd get friendlier service. The only issue I have is when you're heating up the tea, don't microwave it in a Styrofoam cup. Don't feel like getting cancer anytime soon...
(3)Jessica C.
I stopped by today for lunch at 12:30pm. The lamps are lovely decorations and the walls are brightly painted. Be sure to check out the fish tank! There's one fish that looks particularly odd. CASH ONLY. There seems to be a long line for the fresh fruit shakes with boba. I had the mango shake with boba, but the boba was a little too soft. I prefer my boba to be chewier. I got #56 pho, which is a smaller portion of #55. The pho broth was flavorful, but fatty. The beef wasn't of the highest quality---I definitely saw a bluish-green tint to the meat. There was also too little onion in the soup. The meal was very mediocre overall. Service is decently fast. The waitress was very nice.
(3)Amelia A.
His: Food was alright, but they are famous here in Boston for their boba drinks. Best one is Avocado. But don't try papaya. It's not that good. Hers: I got a noodle dish with chicken which was really good! There was a ton of it though, so I couldn't really finish. Unfortunately, it didn't keep for very long/ reheat well =/ What we ALWAYS go back for is BUBBLE TEA!! Oh so good! Always a nice treat =) As you'll notice soon, we're great fans of this place and have tried many flavors! They have both shakes and the typical bubble tea. Shakes typically are fresh fruit blended with ice (but sometimes just powder), a little bit of syrup for sweetness, and sometimes a scoop of ice cream (depending on which shake you order). Avocado, Red Bean/Coconut, Green Tea (if I remember correctly - a powder) and Taro or Taro/Almond (powder, not fresh) come with ice cream - I LOVE the taro/almond shake! Honeydew, Watermelon, Peach, Passion fruit, Papaya, Strawberry, Lychee, Kiwi, Durian, Pineapple, and Green Apple (a syrup rather than fresh fruit) - I'm pretty sure none of these come with ice cream. My favorites are Honeydew, Passion Fruit and Kiwi!! Watermelon, Peach, Green Apple, Pineapple, and Strawberry are definitely good too! Lychee I wasn't a fan of, but that's just because I don't really like lychee in the first place. Same with durian. However, he really likes both durian and lychee and enjoyed both. The typical bubble tea drink ones come either hot or cold. Thai tea, milk tea, green tea, taro, and taro/almond are the ones that we've tried. Each of them great hot or cold. My least favorite is probably the green tea. They offer both jelly (a variety - coffee, green tea, lychee, and rainbow coconut) and bubbles. Their tapioca bubbles are soo good. Super soft and a little sweet! They definitely don't skimp out on it either! There are still many more flavors to try! Cash only!! For two drinks, it usually comes out to around $7. For food, rating is probably a 3-4. But because we love the bubble tea so much and always come back, we gave it 5 stars!
(5)Hiro T.
You know a place is good when it's a restaurant and it appears to be afloat thinks to it's bubble tea. This place has some legit bubble tea and they use pure sugar cane to make their concoctions. Majority or the fruit smoothies use actual fruit and none of that powder stuff. Their boba is also delicious and the jelly flavors, especially mango, are also really yummy. I'd recommend just about anything on the fruit smoothies menu (I've had from A to Mango...so far) I would not recommend the carrot/tomato, but other than that you really can't go wrong. Oh, and if you see a large line waiting on boba, just go ahead and wait, chat with friends, it'll be worth it!
(4)Sampson W.
Great bubble tea and smoothies. They can be a little thick but just ask them to change it and they are very amenable. Also the variety of flavors and ingredients is great. I have yet to try the food here, but I never see as many people dining as I see stopping in to pick up smoothies.
(4)J C.
Pretty mediocre beef pho. The broth was quite good but the flavors in the broth didn't infuse the noodles. There was a wide variety of cuts of beef, from the fattier tastier darker cuts to the leaner cuts. Unfortunately for a dish that's so heavy on the noodles, the lack of flavor in the noodles led to a disjointed feeling for the entire meal. They gave me a pot of tea upon sitting down, for which I was quite grateful and made me quite happy. I don't know why more places, even Asian places, don't do that.
(2)Christina T.
Avocado smoothie, YUM! Stopped here after dimsum one day, and am so happy I was introduced to this Chinatown gem. I didn't get to try the scrumptious looking Vietnamese food, but this is a solid place for pearl milk tea/asian drinks! Fast service too!
(5)Ngan T.
Fantastic boba but horrible che, or bean desserts. The smoothies are fresh and perfectly tart and the pearls are always chewy and sweet. Their che however has only a couple of beans floating around and plenty of ice. Food is just ok while service is incredibly rushed and unattentive. The cash only policy is also inconvenient.
(2)Das E.
This is precisely what I'm looking for when I'm looking for Vietnamese cuisine in a city like Boston, and it's not to be outdone anywhere in the US for its authenticity, service, and value. Their bubbletea is the best in Boston, so tender are its boba pearls. My favourite Vietnamese restaurant in the entire Boston metro area, and I visit whenever an opportunity arrises. Highly recommend the carmelized fish and the broiled quail. Excellent.
(5)Krystle B.
Studying in chinatown and no time on my hands, I was on the search for a healthy/cheap meal. After seeing pics of the salads, I had to try this place. I have to say they make the best salads compared to any other place near by.
(5)Jessica N.
The best place to get bubble tea; hands down. On weekends you probably witness the long lines inside not waiting to get a seat to eat at the restaurant but rather to get their signature bubble tea. That's how awesome this place is. I've tried so many drinks but my favorite is anything as a shake with boba; milk tea shake with boba or thai iced tea shake with boba.. worth the $3.50. The fruit flavors like avocado, green apple, mango shakes are also pretty good.
(5)Christine C.
4 syllables, 2 words - A-vo-ca-do Shake!!!! Get it, you wont regret it...and in the great unlikelihood that you do not enjoy it, go with a friend, one of you guys will like it! It's not a calorie smart choice FYI, but it's a "make yo mouth happy" kinda choice. They use 1/2 ripened avocado, ice, vanilla ice cream, and sugar water (or was it condensed milk..?). Blend it up, nice and thick, add boba to cup, then pour drink into boba cup. Sometimes, I want full fat and only get the avocado shake, no boba... in the large cup (they offer large cups, yay!!), and I think it's like $4. Who knew deliciousness was so cheap.. This is THE place for boba drinks aka "bubble tea". their boba is usually soft on the outside and chewy on the inside, the way boba should be prepared. Word to the wise: If you get a drink with boba, make sure u drink it sooner than later. Once it hardens, it's gross. Luckliy, this place makes a variety of yummy drinks. I have never gotten anything else other than their avocado shakes, but I have heard good things about lots of their drink items. I like the younger glady to make it although I haven't seen her around much lately.. She makes it the best - thick n creamy. The other staff would generally make it too runny for me. Then, when you add the boba, forget it- too runny! Although lately, it has much improved. If you realllllly wanna try a realllllly Viet drink (bc u realllllly like Viet food), try the avocado shake. I pretty much grew up drinking avocados like this as opposed to eating it lol explains some things, I know (but now I gym!). This place also serves standard Vietnamese fair. I tried their banh cuon tom (something something rice noodle folded with shrimp). I liked it. I don't mess with too much of that nuoc mam (fish sauce), but I did try a little, and it wasn't overpowering nor overbearing. They have decently priced lunch items, I'd give it another whirl when in town (which is quite often..). This place is small but service is attentive imo. I'll def be returning. Enjoy~!
(5)Le N.
GET THE BOBA DRINK!! The only other place that makes better boba than here is Half and Half in Cali. =( If you see the old man make your drink, you're in for a real treat! Out of everyone, he makes them the best.. and I've had EVERYONE make my drinks (that's how often I've been here. haha) My favorite: avocado shake, jackfruit shake, and as of recent, the lychee green tea. Then again, I haven't had anyone I've been with complain about their drinks.. Food wise, it's been awhile since I've had their actual food. But when I did (perhaps more than 7 years ago.. food was just average). In short, I really only go here for the shakes.. as does everyone else given the lines I often see..
(5)Kay B.
This is my favorite place to go for bubble tea!! I haven't had the food yet, this place is usually my last stop in Chinatown after I've already eaten elsewhere, but the bubble tea here is awesome!
(4)Kassia L.
My new favorite dish here is the lemongrass soup with beef and noodles. Deeelicious! Kind of like Chinese beef noodle soup but with the soup taken up a notch with different spices. And if you want to get the soup to go, they do a great job of packing everything up nicely. Food comes out quickly and staff is always courteous. My favorite milk tea here is regular or almond milk tea with with pudding. This is the only place that I know of in Chinatown that makes pudding for the milk tea. PUDDING is the way to go (you don't have the space-filler of the expanding boba in your stomach - so more room to eat!)!
(4)Dustin D.
I've been going here for more than 15 years and I recommend it to anyone who is visiting or going to the Chinatown/Boston area. The food is consistently good and I haven't had any complains from the years I've eaten here. They are popularly known for their drinks now but that shouldn't stop you from trying their authentic Vietnamese food.
(5)Timothy L.
For togo bubble tea: GREAT place to get bubble tea/smoothies Albeit there is sometimes a lengthy line waiting, it's worth the wait. They use fresh ingredients and you see them making it for you as you wait. The service is fast and their prices are much cheaper than other neighbouring restaurants Dine-in: It's more of a "seat yourself" thing, which can be confusing and intimidating. Once seated, depending on the staff's attentiveness, it can take a while to even get a menu. Sometimes I'll get up and get my own menu. Don't expect them to come over and ask if your meal was okay-they won't. (Not on the countless occasions I've been there) Regardless of their service, their food is pretty good. I like to get my usual and my favourite #118 (it's also incredible how they know every single menu item, just say a number and they know the name or vice versa) TL;DR Fast and cheap bubble tea service Great dine-in food Awkward dine-in experience
(4)Anthony P.
Bubble Tea: 5 stars You can get one of the best smoothies here at New Dong Khanh. Why? Because they use REAL fresh ingredients AND ice cream. Can't get much better than a combo like that. Avocado shakes will always hit the spot for me when I'm craving something sweet. Although avocado's sometimes give me an itchy throat, this is worth it. Ca phe sua da (Vietnamese iced coffee) is also great here. It's hard for me to find a place that makes this stuff the way I like it (super strong), and NDK does it for me! I like to go here right before a study session to get my caffeine and sugar fix. Overall: excellent drinks here. Food and Service: 3 stars Food here is pretty good, but service is pretty bad. Every time I come here, I spend most some time waiting for the service to actually come. The food itself doesn't take too long to come out though. When I'm done with my food, I spend a lot of time waiting for somebody to give me the check. I once had to go ask for it myself even though it was obvious that I was finished with my food and was just sitting there... oh, and it wasn't even busy in the restaurant. If they were to fix this problem, I'd consider coming to eat here more often. Overall, I would come here mainly for bubble tea and coffee since they're speedy on that and it tastes great. Good job on that part. However, NDK would be low on my list of choices to eat just because I don't like wasting time. Please fix that part!
(4)Peter K.
Limited vegan options, such as fried rice. "Vegetarian" pho is made with chicken broth. Great bubble tea made with fresh fruit and is easily veganized by omitting ice cream.
(4)Shela X.
I've been coming here for bubble tea and Vietnamese food for as long as I can remember. It's been the same people running this place and they definitely know how to do it right! The pineapple shake is a classic, though the menu is so massive it's tempting to try them all.
(5)Isabella C.
I always get the #88 (dry egg noodles w grilled beef) and its amazing. There're 3 viet restaurants I alternate between in Chinatown but this is the only place that has this dish. The noodles are chewy (but not hard) and grilled beef is marinated well. It comes w a little bit of brown sauce w beansprouts. I also love the little bowl of clear soup they give with it. It's about $7 and fills you up. Very nice ppl too. Never tried any other dishes except for their spring rolls which are yummy. It's CASH ONLY, so stop by the ATM before you go.
(5)Jenny C.
I don't go to DK for the food. If I wanted pho, I could go to plenty of other places for it. But I can't get bubble tea like the bubble tea at DK. I first fell in love with DK when my friend introduced me to their Avocado Fruit Smoothie ($3). It was heavenly, sweet, refreshing...just gave me a mouthgasm. Then, after trying drinks at other places in Chinatown, I decided that no one can really match DK's drinks. I hate boba, but their Milk Tea and Thai Iced Tea is so good that I'm willing to add boba to make it taste even better. I've tried many of the drinks here, and I always recommend DK to my friends and family. Because their drinks are just THAT good. For the adventurous ones in the group, I would recommend trying the Durian Shake (my grandma loves it) or the Pomegranate Tea with Yogurt Pop Boba (my bff and my sister both love it). It's busy sometimes, and drink counter is very small, so it gets very crowded and uncomfortable. When there are a lot of people, there is a long wait. Prepare to either wait uncomfortably close to someone or outside for your drink. Make new friends!
(4)Edwin C.
Been coming to this place for years, and again yesterday with the boys. We were riding around on our bikes and some how ended up in C-town. Since we found spots right out front, we decided to come here. New Dong Khang aka D.K. aka "the shake place," isn't just good for their shakes and drinks, I mean they do serve food too. Typically, when I come to this spot, I only order the rice plates. This is a Vietnamese restaurant, but the pho here is okay (some better places in the area). The rice plates never seem to disappoint. So, I ordered the rice plate with meatloaf, pork skin, pork chop, and salad, all topped off with 2 fried eggs. My buddy ordered the same and my other friend ordered the lemon grass chicken. My plate was good as usual, tender meatloaf, flavorful pork chop, and soft rice. It's like a home cooked meal. I've had the lemon grass chicken before and that too is very good. It's the thigh meat of the chicken, in some type of lemon grass curry sauce, that goes great with the rice. Of course I had to wash down the meal with D.K.'s popular shakes. Going to have to thank the gf for introducing me to the coffee shake. I dare you to go get a Dunkie's coffee coolatta and then go get one here, I swear you would throw that thing back at Dunkin Donuts and tell them to learn something! My usual go to drink here is the coconut pineapple shake (no boba of course, just not a fan). Can't go here with out leaving with a drink. Ohhh btw they have froyo too, which is surprisingly good! Never seen anyone order it, that's why I don't mess with the toppings!
(4)Christina C.
After dinner.. In need of something sweet to end the night ... What's better than bubble tea when you are in the Chinatown area...I used my trusty yelp and found this place. I definitely recommend the avocado with boba. They use real avocado instead of powder stuff like other places. It taste very smooth and yummy.
(5)Christina O.
So, I previously wrote a long review regarding my extensive experience with New Dong Khanh. I feel I owe it to them to remove the "Don't get me wrong... I've come here for long enough to have tasted when their boba is bad, sometimes even awful - but it doesn't happen more than 5-10% of the time," portion of my review (even if I did still give them 5 stars) because I've been there everyday since April 2, and the boba milk tea has been on point *every single time*. This is incredibly difficult to do in the world of boba because according to my research and multiple casual interviews with boba makers, it takes a lot of practice, understanding the timing, etc to get it right - and getting it right consistently is even more of an accomplishment. 30 AMAZING boba milk teas in 30 days = pretty damn consistent. This establishment really should get 10 stars, lol. I love them so much that my new habit has been to tip them $1 every time on a $4 drink.
(5)Linda W.
I love this place! :) Well for boba drinks at least since I'm generally not a huge fan of viet food. Get the strawberry shake if you're up for something sweet. Red bean is good too but tends to be on the heavier side and avocado is a bit too creamy for my taste but everyone else I know raves about it! Prices are super reasonable for Boston ($3.50 for most shakes with boba) and definitely more on the inexpensive side. Like for most of Chinatown, remember to bring cash. Just one thing, although the shakes are really good, if you're looking for milk or thai tea I'd recommend going to Infusions in Allston or Boston Tea Stop in Harvard Square where milk teas are more their specialty.
(4)J. F.
In the past year, every time I've driven close to Chinatown, I made sure to visit the New Dong Khanh restaurant. Even after the renovations, it brings back memories of the days when the area wasn't surrounded by highrises. I must admit, this is one of the best places for boba tea. Seems like the ingredients are always fresh here. I also love the Vietnamese/Chinese food that they server here. The last few times that I went there, I had their Pho. Nothing really to write home about, except that it was good and filling. You always get your moneys worth here, especially in Boston.
(4)Sanchez M.
True to the raves of other reviews, my avocado shake was outstanding. It was sooo delicious and soothing to my palate but gone way too soon :( No really, one of the best bobas teas Ive had anywhere. Not only was it made with fresh avocados but the boba itself was juicy and flavorful and with just the right consistency. I also tried the bon bo hue, it was good, but not as flavorful as I've had from other places.
(4)Cher V.
To be honest, I used to be a fan of New Dong Khanh. However, I have changed my mind after a few times eating here. I used to go here every single day to try out all the Vietnamese food. Gradually, I started to feel sick right after eating at New Dong Khanh without knowing the reasons. I thought it was because of the stress and workload that I was handling in school at that time. However, I then realized that it was because of the food they served. I stopped eating at this place after 3 times vomiting. I believe that the food was not that fresh and clean. This place is filthy. And the food is prepared poorly and DIRTY. However, their bubble tea is acceptable. Other than that, please do not order/eat any food here. I'm a true Vietnamese and I can tell that they put too much spices in their food/cooked with dirty ingredients, which possibly was the reason why I felt so sick.
(1)An L.
Bun rieu was not amazing. Service seemed dismissive. Nice that they had the banh cuon as appetizer, though it didn't have a lot of filling. The banh hoi was nice.
(2)Jenny H.
This place is a decent, ordinary bubble tea place. They use mostly powders and fake syrup and such, and my bubble tea drink of mango, coconut milk (which they already combined together) and lychee was a little too sweet for my taste. The boba was OK though. I guess if this is the only place to get bubble tea in Boston, I would come here again but definitely there's better boba places in NYC and LA.
(3)Ambrose C.
This recently renovated restaurant is very popular for getting smoothies and bubble tea, and has a pretty good selection of different flavor combinations. My favorites are the #8, the Taro Shake, and the #5, which is the Kumquat with Lemon Honey and Aloe. Kumquat is a citrus fruit and it literally means "Golden Orange" in Cantonese Chinese. The #5 is a great and cool drink, with the right amount of refreshing sweetness and I liked chewing the aloe cubes after finishing my drink. New Dong Khanh also has a decent selection of beef Pho noodle soups for under $7, the one I usually get is #59, which is Pho Tai Nam, thinly sliced rare beef flank and brisket. If I want a larger bowl, and if I am willing pay another dollar, I would get #55, the Pho Xe Lua, which is a special larger bowl of beef noodle soup with rare flank, tendon, tripe and brisket. Every table has a tray with spiced Sriracha sauce and Hoisin fish sauce, so you can dip your beef pieces into whatever that suits your palate. The Pho is overall good, I usually enjoy my beef more by adding in the fish sauce or if I want spice, I use the Sriracha sauce. When I am not in the mood for Pho, I usually would order the rice dishes. One dish that I usually order is #92, Com Suong, which is the BBQ Pork Chop on rice served with salad. The pork chop portions were disappointing, the last time I ordered it, so I would not order it again the next time I come. I also had #98, Com Ga Nuong Xa Ot, which is the Lemon Grass Chicken, and that was good. The chicken had the right amount of moisture in the meat, making it tasty. I think that New Dong Khanh's version of this dish is the best version I had in Chinatown so far. I think the most filling dishes are #106 and the more expensive #91. #106 is the Com Chien Rau Cai, which is the Vietnamese Fried Rice. I usually get the beef one. #91 is Com Tay Cam, a specialty slow cooked rice in a clay pot with shrimp, chicken, frog legs, mushrooms and vegetables, which I thought was the most filling rice dish I had in the restaurant. The vermicelli dishes were surprisingly disappointing. I had the #25, the Bun Bo Nuong, which is the vermicelli with grilled beef strips. I thought they gave a small portion of beef and the strips were somewhat thin and less meaty, but the vermicelli was decent. I definitely would come back again if I really want to get my favorite drink, which is of course, the #5, Kumquat with Lemon Honey and Aloe. For a good meal, it would definitely be for the #98, which is of course the Lemongrass Chicken. Also, keep in mind that it is cash only, there's also a sign in there that indicates that.
(4)Jake G.
The food isn't necessarily spectacular, but it's satisfying and delicious to have before you grab an avocado and bubble shake. The service is fantastic, even when the place is busy.
(5)Eric S.
F minus. Went in here for a piña colada smoothie. The guy put pineapple into the blender, then accidentally knocked it over so that the pineapple was all over the counter. With his bare hands he picked up the pineapple off of the counter of which the cleanliness was questionable, and proceeded to make my smoothie while his wife yelled at him. Of course, this place is cash only and I had to prepay for the drink. I told him that he should make me a new smoothie since he dropped the pineapple on the counter. He said take it or leave it. I took it, along with my future business with this place.
(1)Stuart H.
Only tried the avocado boba. It was good, very sugary.
(5)Will C.
#171 Nope. I ordered the black milk tea with tapioca bubbles. Bubbles were stale and were difficult to chew through instead of being soft and chewy. The black milk tea had too much milk in it, almost creating a sour flavor, and it was hard to taste the tea portion. Cash only. Lady behind the counter is clearly over-worked. $3 for bubble tea is kind of over-priced for what amounts to a 12-ounce portion. Also not a lot of varieties of bubble tea if you're in the mood for that. Not as good as the bubble tea I've had in NYC, California or Philadelphia.
(2)Anne W.
This may have decent bubble tea (which is incomparable to place in NYC, etc.).. they have horrible service. There were three of us at a table enjoying our bubble tea. We were asked to leave to make room for patrons that had come in to order food. That is really rude.. we were in the middle of a conversation. Awful service.
(1)John O.
Really good affordable food in Chinatown. The Chao Tom was delicious and the Pho Sate was spice and filling. Really can't ask for anything more.
(4)Mahina K.
Bubble Tea. And that's my review. No it's not. But their bubble tea is fantastic. I get the bubble tea with mango jelly (which are shaped as little itty bitty stars). Everything tastes very fresh. There is occasionally a long line but for the most part it's not an awfully long wait. They're pretty fast. I've never had the food but maybe one day.
(5)Deena B.
Delishious bubble tea! Today I just got an avocado, smaller amount of condensed milk, ice & tapioca balls....it was perfect! I'm pregnant and don't want caffeine so I skipped the tea part of the drink. It's like a healthier version of a milk shake! I couldn't even tell it didn't have any ice cream. The young girl at the counter helped to "design" it for me; she was so sweet & nice.
(5)Nora L.
I probably came here once a week when I was in high school just to get bubble tea.. kind of sad but it's because the boba is so good! I went again recently and was glad to see that they still use fresh fruit and the quality/price has not changed much. My favorites are avocado and mango. The pho is good as well, pretty standard in Chinatown. Very consistent, cheap and delicious. Tip: Cash only (not sure if it's changed since I last went).
(4)AB H.
I'm not sure why this place gets such rave reviews. I had a milky (black tea with milk) with bubbles. I thought it was too sweet. My friend thought her milky wasn't sweet enough and asked for some sugar. The waitress said they didn't have any. What?! I had a, Banh Xeo, a crepe like thing which was weird in consistency and had little flavor. It contained very little pork, and what was there was tough. I will not be back, nor would I recommend it for the bubble tea.
(2)Mary T.
I have only been here to try their boba drinks and so far this is the best boba I've found in Boston. It is chewy and not soggy. I have tried their iced coffee and milk tea and I like their iced coffee because it is Vietnamese iced coffee. It's less acidic and have more of a chocolate-y taste. However, it is a little too sweet but you can just add a little water and water it down or wait for the ice to melt for a bit. I am going to be a frequent customer to this restaurant for their boba! I still haven't found a place as good as half & half in California!
(3)Deanna W.
Hands down, best bubble tea in Boston. Now in Boston, I've only ever tried bubble tea at Bao Bao Bakery, Dado, The Juice Bar, Boston Tea Stop and a few vietnamese sandwich shops-- so I guess out of those.... best bubble tea in Boston. Compared to other stores, the bubbles here have a sweet taste to them, which really adds to the drink. They are a good size (Boston Tea Stop's are too small for me.... which is picky, but true) and really good texture. I've been here over 5 times and it's consistently good. The only problem with New Dong is that they don't have the widest selection of flavors, but they do use real fruit, which is a big bonus in my book.
(5)Skye G.
This is our new favorite place for Bubble tea!!! Ok so I haven't been getting the bubbles since I fell in love with the Red Bean. It is not sweet enough for the kids. They like watermelon or mango. I miss the coupon tickets from the other place but will stick to this new find. They have a long list of flavors to pick from and I will need to go more often to try some others since I've been sticking to the Red Bean. I also need to remember not to fill up so much on Dim Sum so I can get a sweet treat. The line is long and looks like it will take a long time but they whip these up in no time flat. Yum Yum Yum
(5)Helen L.
This is my go to place for yummy shakes for the past 7+ years. This place won't let you down. Mmmm avocado shake :) I don't usually get food from here. This was probably my second time ever: #98 marinated chicken steak with lemongrass served with side salad. This is something you have to try when you're at DK. The portion is large and filling and you can tell the chicken is well marinated. #79 bun bo hue Five spiced beef brisket with udon noodles in spicy lemongrass broth I could've done without this dish. It wasn't the greatest. #52 combo of grilled beef strips, shrimp, egg roll and veges. Bundled everything in the wraps that were provided and dipped it in fish sauce. Simple, but good. The egg rolls were miniature, but delicious. I wish it came with more. Stars are for the shakes and the lemongrass chicken
(4)Gio A.
Chinatown might be famous for its Chinese food (obviously), but this Vietnamese spot certainly holds its own! The bubble tea here is delicious, and I recommend getting the pho. The big pho dish is filled with different kinds of meat, and is absolutely huge! I was starving after a long trip from New York and I still managed to eat no more than half. Altho this spot always looks super busy, the line moves fast and the service is relatively quick. Great find in Boston!
(4)Patricia N.
Their drinks here are one of the best in Boston!! Highly recommend their drinks!!! I love this place!!!! My favorite one of all is their Pearl Tea!!! They always make it just perfect ! N
(5)Vlad C.
Do you like boba? Damn straight, because I do! The taro root is to die for as well as many of their other choices. Great value, good quality, and good enough service. This is my favorite day time snack drink when having a craving that you don't know what you want. Cash is king like most of boston but not a problem because this place will not break the bank. Stay frosty!
(5)Vincent H.
Came here for dinner and ordered the vermicelli with pork and egg roll. Can't really mess up on it so it was good. Service was okay and would come back to try other foods! Hear the boba there is pretty good based off the other reviews and amount of people who visit!
(3)Dennis C.
Pro: This place has one of the best Thai iced tea slush I have ever had. The other drinks are great as well. I have tried watermelon, strawberry, taro and milk tea and have always been satisfy. The food was good as well. I had the fresh spring roll and the beef domination noodle soup. Con: They only accept cash!!!!
(5)Stefan B.
I didn't even think they had boba in Boston. But this one here is actually pretty good. The boba had good chew and I asked for no sugar and they gave me a perfect milk tea. You have to judge boba place on if the milk tea is good. I will try their jelly drinks~ Vietnamese run~
(4)Josie G.
I didn't even recognize this place when my friend told me I'd been here before. Very much enjoyed the new seating and look! The seafood chowfoon was amazing, especially when asking for it to be extra spicy. I wish they had more squid and shrimp in it, rather than the fake crab meat and fish balls :( My friends got pho, and loved it.. The bubble tea was amazing!
(4)HyunJoo K.
my friend recommended this place ... and the bubble tea is great here ....fresh!!! and not powder mix Then I had my typical pho with chicken! Very tasty and good! I got a take out order for some beef pho and my sister and brother in law loved it! definitely will be visiting this place soon again! place does not look like much from the outside, but definitely has the quality and value! :)
(4)Neal K.
Avocado smoothie!!! Sounds gross but it's so incredibly smooth and tastes amazing!! Also they cut fruit fresh for each smoothie.
(5)Han T.
New or not this is a bad place for authentic Vietnamese pho. It may be better known for the bubble tea, so go there for that. Otherwise, I recommend you refrain from the pho here. I called in an order of Pho Xe Lua, which translates to "The Train" in Vietnamese. The guy got the order and hung up while I was still talking. A bit rude, but I think nothing of it. I came to pick up and noticed beef meatballs floating in the broth. A BIG No-No! Places that have beef meatballs in their pho are not to be trusted! That's just the cheap substitute for the meat that should be there! With that said, a legitimate Pho Xe Lua (same as Dac Biet which means special, but larger) should have plenty of meat, tripe, etc. This place gives you a very small amount of meat, which is extremely disappointing. The broth is very generic and lacks flavor. The place is as close to being empty as a place can get. It looks like a cafeteria and you feel like you're in a McDonalds or something. So you want good pho? Try Pho Pasteur around the corner. They're busy and packed for a reason! Personally, I think it's a bit overrated but so far, it's the best pho in Chinatown. Also, pho doesn't sound like "foe", rather to say it correctly it's "phuh". ;). Take care!
(2)Diana L.
MY GO-TO BUBBLE/BOBA TEA SPOT Ok, first of all. It's Boba tea!! Boston peeps are just weird and call it bubble tea. Or maybe it's a north-east thing (from Cali). Anyway, love this place. I've never gotten food here so read another review for feedback on that. I always get the same boba tea: the frikin awesome green tea with boba. So good. I've foolishly tried over the last few years testing out other places-just foolish. Like most places in chinatown: Be prepared to be the only non-asian in there and BRING CASH!!!
(5)Tina P.
A lot of my money go here )': how sad. Every Wednesday my cousin (co worker) and I go here to grab something to eat before work since its just across the street. There's other pho place around , but this place make it so good that you want to keep coming back. We usually order the same thing : Pho Sate:(this one is a staple) Its just your typical pho but they add the sate paste to make taste do divine. This is the only place that I know that have it (correct me if I'm wrong). Ban Coun- Its not comparable to my mom, but very close. I've tried other places and its not good as this one . Banh Canh cua- Thick noodles with with fish cake and pork feet over a very red spicy broth.Omg!!! explosion of goodness in your mouth. Avocado smoothie : They make the best in town! I don't know how they make it so good but I keep coming back for it . Its real fruit too, no powder! Number 9: Its a pomegranate drink with popping boba. I usually substituted the popping boba with aloe. Jasmine tea with honey and lemon: I don't need a description for that. Herbal tea: very healthy food and yet don't taste like chinese medicine . Soon I will try their Banh bot Chien :D
(5)EricaLynn J.
A friendly, bright, little place with serious spunk and a menu that will not disappoint. There's plenty of Vietnamese restaurants in the area to choose from, and it's clear that New Dong Khanh works quite hard to set themselves apart from the others by trying new things with their menu, and backing it all up with quality food at excellent prices. They really know their bubble teas, so much that they have a designated area for only that and yes, there will always be a long line! The crowds are not fun (as one would not normally describe a crowd as a good time) but the constant swarms of people is a good indication that there's something fantastic to partake in and that it's probably worth the wait. And believe me, it is.
(4)Maine C.
This is the place to go for boba tea, I would go there every time I visit Chinatown for dim sum. 2 weeks ago I went there and was ready to get my usual drink, Mango smoothie or thai ice tea. As we were waiting in line, the old man who was working over the counter were COUGHING at the drinks. I'm not even exaggerating... He mixing one of them in his hand and stirring it with a spoon as he was coughing straight at it... yea it was pretty gross. No wonder it was not pack at all. Everyone got scared away by his coughing. It was one of those loud... COUGH COUGH COUGH like he's dying lol. I was just worry whoever got that drink didn't get sick... BLAH gross... I would go back there when no one over the counter is sick, poor old man tell him to stay home...
(2)Anonymous J.
P.S Get the Chicken Vietnamese Noodle Soup with an egg (Pho Ga with Egg). Its the bomb!! Also I recommend the Vietnamese ice coffee here :)
(5)Sienna T.
We have been eating here for 21 years! Now from our single days to our family and friends, still love and believe this is the best Vietnamese restaurant outside Asia, price is good but best of all! the food is delicious. We love the lemongrass chicken & BBQ beef vermicelli, stir fry Ho Fun/thick noodle, BBQ port rice plate, duck noodle soup and their durian bubble shake! Yum! Tried other restaurant in Chinatown but always return here because it is 'always' good.
(5)Sandra C.
I thought I already wrote a review for this place...but I guess not. Before the renovation, I would have said that Dong Khanh was a 2-3 star place. Now that the place doesn't look gross inside anymore...it is up to a 4 star! I visit this restaurant during the lulls...so I can't really complain about the service. They bring everything right on time just the way I like it. Right now, my friends are eating there and my mouth is watering I'M SO JEALOUS! I love the bubble tea--their drinks PWN Lollicup's. And the pho...I like the pho over at Le's in Brighton Ave a little better, but you can never really go wrong it. The only downside to this restaurant is probably that it's CASH ONLY...and there are no Citizens Banks in the immediate area. I honestly think that if they allowed credit cards, business would be better for them. But who am I to talk. I'm just a television major.
(4)Wendy L.
They have some pretty good rice and noodle dishes here but the Pho is pretty bland. For some reason the soup gets cold before I finish eating it and this never happens at other Pho restaurants. I think it's because they use plastic bowls so the food doesn't stay warm for too long. Their portions are definitely smaller than other Pho joints. The service is fast and friendly here. I've been here a lot and my favorite dishes are: Pho Sate - I've never seen Pho in this style elsewhere so I always come here for this. The broth is a little spicy and more flavorful than the standard beef bowls. #88 Dried Noodles with Grilled Beef - The grilled meat makes this dish and the noodles are chewy and fresh. Avocado shake - best I've had around Chinatown I come here when I feel like eating a lighter Pho because I usually don't get as dehydrated from the soup, probably less MSG than other places. This is a cash only restaurant so be prepared.
(3)Diane H.
My thai iced tea is good...and that's about it. My pho was so small! If I want a drink, yes I'll drop by here, but for pho? I'll go somewhere else..that gives me more..and taste better. I used to LOVE this place too, shame shame. It looks nice inside and out though :)
(3)Twee V.
Food is average. It don't WOW you, but you won't walk away cursing. =) Pro: Their smoothies are made from fresh fruit Con: Average.
(3)Nancy N.
My favorite place for boba! Remember to bring cash, this place doesn't take cards.
(5)Sarah A.
SOOOOOO GOOOOOOD! I got a veggie pho and ch giò and the SO got a green tea smoothie with boba. Everything was DELICIOUS! The boba texture was AWESOME and complete perfection..just the right amount of sweetness and chew mmm. My only gripe is that they only offer lemon, sprouts and Thai basil w/ the pho. I'm used to having jalapenos, limes (instead of lemon), scallions, celery... Am I just too spoiled?? Either way, I LOVE this place. Definitely coming back!!
(4)Myha N.
I can't believe I haven't written a review here yet. How many times have I been here? I can't even remember. I've been a fan of this place for over 10 years now and yes.. even before the renovation! It's much cleaner now which is a plus! Food and service here is great! Don't expect them to serve everything on a silver platter if that's what's great to you. Under $10 can get you a delicious bowl of seafood soup with clear noodles which is one of my favorites! Hu Tieu Nam Vang is what it is called on the menu. Comes with this sauteed sauce on the side to dip and veggies if you're into that like I am. They're very generous if you want more veggies and sauce. I know because I'm always asking for extra when I get this. Just delicious! My second favorite is their rice plates. Yeah they rice plates are better at Pho So 1 and Pho Le in Dorchester but I'm reviewing Chinatown and this is my go to place if I'm craving Com Bon Mau (4 color rice). It's not what you think. The rice isn't 4 colors. It's what's given to you with the rice that makes it 4 colors. You get white rice with pork chops, pork skin, steamed pork-egg custard and a sunny side up egg. They give you plenty of veggies and fish sauce too. When I used to be obsessed with boba tea, this was also my go to place. People love lollipcup but I just don't see what the big deal is. Yeah they make tons of different flavor drinks but they're mostly from powder so no thanks. I'm a huge fan of Durian. If you can get over the smell, it's sooo yum! Yes this is the same fruit that Andrew Zimmern could not eat when he was in Vietnamese. How strange because he eats a ton of food that I think I would throw up just being near. Anyways, they make a good Durian and green bean shake with boba. It's pretty sweet so yeah, not the healthiest, but great if you're daring and want to try something different! It's a small place.. seats maybe 50 people.. takes cash only and no reservations.. Quick, cheap and delicious. Give it a try sometime. They also offer vegetarian dishes too! I'm a huge tofu fan too!
(4)Winnie Z.
I can't say much about their food, but I never go anywhere else for my Asian drinks; this place really knows what they're doing. Their taro slush is solid, they use real avocado in their avocado slush, and if you like sweet beans you must try their tri-coloured bean drink, which consists of a layer of sweetened red bean, a layer of sweetened mung beans, and a layer of green grass jelly topped with crushed ice and drizzled in coconut milk. Satisfies any Asian dessert craving. The only caveat I have about this place is the service, which is curt and sometimes verges on rude. But then again, that's all part of the Chinatown experience, isn't it?
(4)Jonathan N.
I haven't been to this restaurant ever since they got renovated years ago. Now I went back and have lunch today. The interior look big but the wall, tables and chairs look really ghetto and cheap. They added more lights and expand the boba counter out bigger. The foods are good though. I also have a cup of boba smoothie and It was pretty descend. The service is fine.
(4)David G.
On a weekend trip to Boston, a fellow foodie recommended that i go to this place to try their drinks. I walk in and the counter was full of people waiting to order drinks. I ordered the mango and watermelon fruit shake. Both were very good. The mango was a litle creamy and tasted delicious. The watermelon tasted just like a watermelon (some places are watered down). They dont skimp on the actual fruit when making these. Both drinks were not overly sweet which is a huge plus in my book. I did not try the food.
(4)Peter K.
This restaurant appears to be Chaozhou style. Great food! Love the banh bot chien (fried rice cake with eggs), and bun rieu (tomato based crab soup).
(5)Edith K.
Pho Hoa in my opinion is better than New Dong Khanh. The nuoc cham was all fish sauce and nothing else making it way too salty. The spring rolls are OK. The tendon in the pho was really chewy and not that great. The broth was yummy though! Glad I went and tried, haven't been there in years but prefer Pho Hoa a lot more!
(3)Karina L.
5 stars and beyond for the avocado shake. It sounds downright weird, but man is it delicious. It tastes like and has the consistency of a lighter version of an ice cream shake, but with the familiar richness of an avocado. These are where the pros end. My friend and I shared pork over vermicelli and the pork was terribly dry and unseasoned. Not acceptable when you're surrounded by a handful of other Viet places like Pho Pasteur and Xinh Xinh. Most of the people who came in were ones who got bubble tea and bounced.
(3)Joelle K.
One of the best boba tea places in Boston. Food here is cheap and consistently delicious. Sweet and sour pork is super fab!
(5)Jen S.
I love this place and bring all my visitors when I want to introduce them to bubble tea. During the summer especially, they make most of their shakes with fresh fruit. The avocado shake is the best! It's actually made with real avocado and I've been addicted and a fan for over 10 years now. Compared to most other places, their boba is always chewy and fresh. Even though there's always a crazy line for the drinks, it moves quickly so don't be afraid! I've never had to wait more than 10 minutes for a drink. But don't forget! It's cash only!!! They do also serve sit down meals but I don't normally eat there, so can't help out with the food. Looks like they recently got froyo as well!
(5)Goudy L.
New Dong Khanh is a strong choice for vietnamese food and bubble tea/fruit shake drinks, in the China town area. I'm not an expert on vietnamese food (mostly stick to Bun Bo, when I eat out), but the viet food I've had here always been well prepared and with an what seems to an American has having authentic flavor. I highly recomend the durian shake, ordered without tapioca pearls. There's nothing else that tastes quite like a durian. CASH ONLY.
(5)Alexis S.
My go to place for bubble drinks when in Chinatown!! They don't disappoint. New Dong is a fairly tiny place so in their busy time it can get a little hectic. However the food hits the spot. I'm not an expert by any means on Vietnamese food but my limited experience and what I do know if I am in Chinatown and crave Vietnamese food, this is my go to place. They are a cash only joint (which seems to be the theme in the smaller Chinatown shops) but you will get your moneys worth on food.
(4)Chilly P.
DK will ALWAYS be my favorite place to get bubble tea. I've tried many different places but they take the crown. When I went to school in the city, I would come here often but now it's such a treat to stop by whenever I'm in Chinatown. It's small in there and I guarantee there will be a line when you walk in. The staff is friendly and helpful with people who are confused or undecided. Oh and it's worth to mention it's cash only here. I have yet to actually eat their food but I heard it's good and affordable. Their bubble tea alone deserves five stars. My favorite flavors - as a drink: Milk Tea and Thai Tea; as a slushie: Avocado, Coconut and Mango. Always get the boba!
(5)Bryan M.
Just about the only Vietnamese restaurant I eat at when in Chinatown. I usually come in just to grab a smoothie which I feel like nobody in the area can replicate. Jack fruit shake with less sugar is a must try. The food here has always left me satisfied, portions are slightly smaller than other restaurants but is by no means small enough to leave you hungry after leaving. The grilled lemon grass chicken over rice is phenomenal. Pho here is good as well but beware of the the loads of msg that they put into the broth.
(4)Angela W.
Epic boba quality--for Boston, at least. I admittedly never tried their food so this review is for their boba only! As a spoiled product of Southern Californian Asian communities, I'm used to quality boba 5 minutes from my house. When I came to live with my sister in Boston for a month over the summer, I realized that this was not to be. Luckily, my sister craves boba like a beast too, so we came to this place about twice a week when I was there. My absolute favorite was the Red Bean shake with boba, which for some reason I had never tried before coming to Boston. That stuff is amazing! In comparison to other boba places in the area, though, this boba was about as close to SoCal boba as it got. Firm and squishy in just the right proportions. They also have cool, weird flavors like Durian (gag me) and Tri-Color bean (which I tried, and, incidentally, tastes just like Red Bean but with more bean pulp and colors). Cash only though, if I remember correctly, but what do you expect from an authentic Asian place?
(5)Quang H.
Aight, here's the run down. Best place in my opinion for bubble tea that is made by real fruits. The food is just mediocre at best, but I generally go here and endure the general long lines for the bubble tea. The folks who own the place are really nice.
(5)Selena T.
4 stars for their bubble tea, without it it would've been a 3. Their bubble tea is some of the best bubble tea I have ever had in my life. My friends and I always drop by here for their bubble tea. I've also eaten here a couple of times, the food there is decent/alright.
(4)Stephanie W.
The BEST place for Bobo Tea! There are many other options, but I've others only to not like it as much, throw it away and go back to New Dong. The Best Place For Bobo Tea! Coconut and honeydew are my favorite. Lovely soup too. However, dining service is poor.
(4)Catherine C.
It's the first time we've been here since the renovation. They did a pretty good job with the place. It's definitely cleaner and fresher than before. The tables and floors are no longer sticky. The food is easy to like. We ordered pho. I had the satay one and the husband had the regular. Pho is a easy thing to like. Both dishes were decent. They also have lots of smoothies and bubble tea drinks here. We didn't get to try this time but next time, we definitely will.
(3)Hoang L.
Two words: Avocado smoothie!!!! or moke buhhh (in Vietnamese) Smooth, delicious, creamy, and perfectly sweet. Fresh too with real avocados. They definitely have their formula down!
(5)Holly C.
Yay! I've been going here for years and both the food and drinks rock! 1. Best smoothies in Chinatown! It doesn't get much better than this! It's $3.50 for a smoothies with boba and it IS AMAZING! You can watch use real fruit, ice cream, sugar and milk to make your smoothie (rather than the usual powder at most places). 2. Staff! As casual as they seem there's this old Grandpa there who's so sweet and kind to everyone. The others are just hard working and helpful. 3. FOOD! As much as people come here just for the drink bar, the food is great! It's traditional Vietnamese with pretty good portions for the price. Definitely a great place to check out if in the area. I recommend the strawberry smoothie, and vermicelli with beef.
(5)Steve L.
Is the avocado shake *good for you*? No clue. After years of green and black pearl teas (all good, btw), went with the avocado with lychee jelly. Was quickly corrected that this was not a "tea" but rather a shake. Overall, very smooth, and just slightly sweet. As avocado is more or less a vegetable, this could represent a meal in itself. But what else goes into the shake? Didn't seem like ice cream. Cash only. This is Chinatown, after all.
(4)Jeff T.
B-O-B-A note this review is specifically for the boba, we didn't have any of their food items. Boba milk tea - it tasted like tea I used to get from life plaza in arcadia,ca. I believe that its more canto style.. So that should give most chinese ppl an idea of how it'll taste. Boba was kind of meh, not sure if it was reheated left overs or just overcooked. Green tea slush - i didnt personally order this but my wife didnt like it all that much. I thought it tasted ok Service was good, place looked clean. Its no ten rens or tea station.. But its good enough for a temporary fix.
(3)Anh N.
This place is pretty busy midday Sunday. It's a typical Viet food cafe design. I had the Bun Bo Hue and it was alright. It was listed as spicy and traditionally, it's really spicy, but I barely tasted the spiciness. My friends who aren't as good with spice tried it and they could try it just fine. A bit on the salty side but in general i like bun bo so i finished it. Che ba mau dessert was good. I took it to go and they only gave me a straw...wish it came with a spoon for the jello. Pho tasted okay, not a standout here. Logan shake...don't bother with it. Tasted like canned logan (aka longan) blended so it was just sugary. Prices are really reasonable. The waitress was really nice despite being super busy because she was the only waitress working at that time (or maybe the only one who could speak English) so it made the experience +1 star. If it was just for food quality, I'd say a 3 star.
(4)John D.
Whenever I'm in Chinatown this is my favorite place to buy bubble tea and specifically only bubble tea. Maybe sometimes Che, the Vietnamese desserts. But it's my favorite place as it is at an average price as well. It has a variety of flavors and even toppings ranging from typical boba to colorful jelly. Service is fast but sometimes there will be a line.
(5)Thanh L.
This rating is for the boba offerings only! Beware: cash only. The boba is as fresh as you can get in Boston! It's better than Kung Fu Tea and definitely better than Lollicup. My favorites here are the mango boba slushie and the avocado shakes (I'm typically a milk tea kinda gal), but they use fresh fruits so I can't resist. They also blend their shakes so that it's nice and smooth, never chunky or too icy. I've brought my friends from NYC and VA here and they loved their slushies/boba drinks (taro, mango, red bean, etc). My go to spot for fresh boba and quick service!
(4)Sal W.
I have eaten here 3 times. Decent place, but nothing special. They close sometimes up to an hour early if there isn't anyone in the restaurant.
(3)Cindy K.
I love many things about this place. This was the first place that I was exposed to Vietnamese Cuisine (this was over 20 years ago). The first time I had it, I got Pho and I was amazed. I loved this place ever since. Other things I have tried over the year here are the Bun, the spring rolls and I even have tried some of the more traditional Vietnamese dishes. Another thing that makes this place really good is the bubble tea bar. There is always a line, just like Starbucks for people order just bubble tea.
(5)Soooap L.
a review on their pho. i've had better. ~_~'; the broth was bland and left me craving more of a meatier, substantial flavor. plus, my chopsticks and soup spoon smelled like mildew from a soggy old sponge that smelled like it hadn't been properly dried in months... the smell really tainted every bite of my pho to where I didnt feel like eating anymore. i still frequent dong khanh but just for bubble tea only. won't be getting food here anymore. =(
(2)Nanci C.
Definitely not worth it. They don't have the best food and the boss is just rude. He made my mom an expired avocado milkshake!!!! The portions are small. Nowadays I can go to other places for Vietnamese food. This is not the only restaurant. My noodle soup only has a few strands of noodles.
(1)Connie W.
Five stars all the way. I come here for my bubble tea fix every single time I come to Chinatown - I'm addicted. My favorite drink is their avocado shake with boba - I tried to branch out and get it with grass jelly one time, but it wasn't quite the same. I love watching the auntie make it with a quarter fresh avocado, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, some ice, and 2-3 ladles of something that looks like sugar water. She is so pro. I wish I could be like her. I also love the coconut green bean shake and the mango shake. You can ask for less sugar, but I usually just trust the expert auntie.
(5)Lala I.
been getting bubble tea and viet coffee from this place for years and finally tried their food last night for the 1st time. i wish i tried earlier. lemongrass chicken was really good.
(5)Kevin L.
I only come here for their fruit shakes. I'll give credit to shops that still use fruit and not powder/sugar. My go-to drink is their mango smoothie with lychee jelly. Can't go wrong with their strawberry, pineapple, or avocado either.
(4)Cindy T.
A price that you cant imagine. Cheapest vietnamese restaurant you can find for its food quality!
(5)Veronica C.
New Dong Khanh, how I miss your bubble tea! Yup, this is where you can find the best bubble tea in Boston! Usually the inner dining area is not as crowded as the line waiting near the entrance for their drinks (bubble tea & smoothies). The green tea boba, with some kind of jelly at the bottom, is awesome. It's creamier and thicker than your typical bubble tea; much sweeter, too...usually that's not my preference for bubble tea, but for DK I can make an exception :) Tips: like other places in Beantown's Chinatown, it's cash only~
(5)Alexander D.
Solid pho place, one of the best in Chinatown. Friendly staff and a clean, bright interior. Definitely worth checking out.
(4)Mimi N.
Great place to go for bubble tea!! I've tried the regular milk tea and taro milkshake and both were really great! Cash only but the service is really fast.
(4)Andrea P.
This is purely for their bubble tea drinks! I have yet to try their food. I wish this was in my neighborhood, I'd go every day! Absolutely love their Vietnamese coffee with coffee jelly and their taro milk tea. There are so many options and all are so good! If you're looking for good bubble tea, come here!
(5)Amy Yvonne H.
I tried the avacado boba tea, (which I thought would be awful since the idea of drinking an avacado sounds awful) & it was AMAZING! I couldn't get enough of it! I will definitely be back to this place to get another boba from these smilling faces!
(5)Yan C.
Review for BOBA ONLY: Avocado Shake - 5/5. THE BOMB. You go straight to the counter to place your order and watch the magic happens in that little cube behind the counter. They make avocado shake with real avocados. Each shake is consisted of 1 full avocado, 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream, 1.5 scoops of liquid syrup, a splash of condensed milk, and a handful of ice cubes. Blend it away. Then pour it over your choice of munchies - boba, grass jelly, lychee jelly, coffee jelly, etc. Insert a colorful straw. VOILA. Hand over $3.50 in cash and walk away with a happy belly and content heart. The shake is refreshing, creamy, filling, with just the right amount of sweetness -- perfect for a spring/summer day. It's just a cup of absolute deliciousness! I brought quite a few friends here -- there was none who didn't love it. I heard fantastic things about the other drinks too, for example, the taro boba. You really can't go wrong with any boba drinks here. Service - 5/5. No matter how quiet or busy it is at DK, the staff always greet you with warming smile. They are polite yet personable. I feel as if I am conversing with my family members. DK is the only place my lactose-intolerant friend would take a lactate pill for. The boba/shakes are worth it. Yes, yes, one million times YES.
(5)Melanie L.
The best place to go to for boba! During the right season, they'll make it fresh from the fruits themselves. My personal favorites are the jackfruit and avocado. I've come here for years, and the servers there speak both English, Vietnamese, and some of them Cantonese. The food is mediocre - I would go somewhere else if you want pho, though.
(4)Jennifer L.
Amazing Pho and best avocado shake.
(5)Titi T.
This place has gone down hill in food.. but up hill in Boba Drinks....There is always a line for their shakes and drinks...Amazing varieties of shakes and add inns.. But i see they have also started skimping and they us powder flavoring in certain flavors now...and it taste like liquid sugar (high fructose corn syrup) instead of the condensed milk and fresh ingredients before... Taste great but Scary what we really are slurping...
(3)Andrew C.
Avocado smoothie! I only really come here for their drinks. So if you're looking for a food review move along to the next review. Affordable and tasty milk teas, and smoothie drinks! Not really a place to sit and hang out, more of a to-go type place. Stop by and grab a drink after your meal.
(3)Vivian C.
Still cash only. Still popular with the drink (non alcoholic) crowd as evident by the masses congregated by the counter, and the door which kept opening, allowing the cold winter's air to blow upon the eat-in folk, of which there was us. Pork Chop Rice #92 once again beat out Vermicelli grilled barbeque pork slices & egg roll #23 (both $6.25), although it was a close race. I completely consumed my double pork chops with no sweat once again, but it was quite a satisfying meal. Although I admit I did glance longingly at a dining companion's Banh Hoi combination of grilled beef strips, and 3 egg rolls $9.75 (I figure she must have subbed extra eggrolls for the sugar cane shrimp). Perhaps next time... that or back to the Vermiceilli which was also at our table and looked quite good with the crispy fried eggroll cut in 3 and the single pork chop sliced up on top of the bowl full of white vermicelli noodles and garnished with the lettuce, carrots, scallions and peanuts. Another thought for the future - perhaps an order of the fried springrolls $3.25 and the yummy filling Tri-Color Bean dessert drink for a lighter lunch... PS - This menu seems pretty up to date currently since the prices for the above noted items were accurate - boston.menupages.com/res… *** 4/2013 visit *** I guess they've since updated their menu prices. The Banh Hoi variation we selected - with pork chop instead of beef & eggroll - was $10.25 and came with 8 pre-moistened rice paper pancakes. The bun ga nuong - vermicelli with barbequed lemongrass chicken $7.50 was tasty. I normally discard chicken skin in the name of eating healthier, but this chicken leg with its crispy skin was tough to deny. *** 1/2015 *** Long time no visit! Prices have gone up in real life, but the website prices have remained static to that of my past visit. My two normal Vietnamese faves are now $7 here. I tried something new to me on this visit - #76 Bun Mi Vang Phuc Kien $7.25 (Seafood and pork strips with vermicelli and egg noodles topped with watercress and fried shrimp biscuit. The shrimp biscuit was more of a shrimp fritter. The crispy coating slightly sodden by the soup was a neat contrast of textures. The shrimp within was a whole creature - shell and all! A bit awkward, but I could deal with it. It was nice to try as a whole, but portions here generally make for a rather light meal. Looking at it in a positive light, it leaves you room for one of their many shakes. *** 3/2015 *** I broke down and treated myself to a fresh fruit mango shake with boba for $3.50 for a small. Yum! *** 4/2015 *** Pork Chop on Rice $7 for me, Lemongrass Chicken on Rice $7.25 for my DC. Huge piece of chicken on that thing! That, and the spicy tomato beef noodle soup are my DC's favorites here. I sampled the bird - tender, juicy, but a tad overly flavorful for me. *** 4/2015 again *** Tried something new today because House special noodle soup with seafood, pork tripe, special flat noodles in chicken broth (#68) $7.25 sounded good. Gee, was I misled by the menu. "Seafood" turned out to be a single deshelled tail on shrimp. "Pork tripe" was some meat perhaps, but several slices of liver and other innards. And the noodles were skimped on, though the broth was flavorful, hot, and a large bowlful, so on its own it did not cover my lunchtime appetite. 2 stars for this dish. Definitely don't get it if you are hankering for seafood. Sampled a friend's #119 Chow foon with beef and green peppers $7.75, which had large chunks of juicy peppers and a scattering of baby corn, carrots and mushrooms accompanying the generous tender beef and tasty saucy flat wide noodles. I should try their wrinkly yellow noodles sometime, as it looked quite tempting in my DC's amended Pho Bo Kho #64 Special beef brisket in spicy tomato $7.50, and reminds me somewhat of Chinese yee mein. *** 6/2015 *** Got the #89 Mi Kho Suong Nuong $7.95 Dried noodles with barbequed pork chops tossed in a soy vinaigrette served with a bowl of soup on the side. It came with the thin flat wrinkly yellow noodles which reminded me of wonton noodles. The broth was clear and cleansing while the pork was highly flavorful and pleasantly browned and tender. It was plenty for my lunch time appetite, though deemed a bit on the light side by a gentleman dc. One thing it was missing, however, was a good dose of vegetable - beansprouts don't count. Speaking of which, they were skimping out on the plate of beansprouts/basil/lime - providing 3 diners with a portion more fitting for a singleton.
(4)Josh S.
Favorite spot for boba in boston. The avocado smoothie is amazing. I've tried the food before and it's not bad, but the boba is really the value prop.
(4)Wayne T.
Come here often, like to switch between beef noodle soup and rice plates, prices very reasonable, bubble teas are good, but like food better, very authentic, service always fast, a favorite
(5)Daniel N.
Can't speak to their food really as I believe there are better pho options, but DK has the best bubble tea in Boston for sure! Don't be fooled by the typical shops that advertise in the window - they all pretty much use powders. My favorites here are avocado (real avocados), taro, and durian (my friends hate me whenever I get this. Also if it's super cold out, you can get taro hot mmm! Cash only.
(5)Deborah H.
This review is only for the grilled lemongrass chicken bun. It was PHENOM. Perfectly charred thigh+leg, seasoned with peanuts, scallions, curry, and lemongrass. Crispy skin and tender meat. The bowl had plenty of veggies, and everything was spectacular, especially when tossed with the chili sauce. $6.75. I'll dream of this. Casual spot, pretty packed for lunch, cash-only.
(5)Catie C.
Probably the most scrumptious Vietnamese restaurant inside Chinatown. What's even better is that the menu is very reasonably priced! One of the shortfall is that the pho doesn't have small sizes which means I only finished half my bowl. What I don't really understand that the bowl sizes here are extremely larger than what is served in Vietnam. Then again, America is all about super size! The pho is definitely flavorful and not overwhelming in MSG. Most of all, everything tasted fresh.
(4)Jessie N.
2012 and they still accept cash only? Might as well revert our money back to coinage. In all seriousness, I want to take my friends here to eat good Viet food but people seldom carry cash nowadays.
(2)Kevin L.
I come to DK mainly for the drinks, but I don't usually get the bubble tea since I think Kung Fu's bubble tea quality is a bit better. However, I do LOVE their fruit smoothies!!! I think their smoothies are the best around in Chinatown...you can taste the natural flavors and it's sooooo smooth and rich (not chunky like other places). If there's a combination on their menu that isn't available then you can always request for it! For example, I've ventured out and tried a Avocado + Mango smoothie with lychee jelly and I will say it DEFINITELY WORKS!! I was a bit hesitant at first, but worked up the courage to give it a try and I have no regrets, in fact, I would encourage others to try out this combination or other combinations that may not be listed, since you never know, it may be a very pleasant surprise :) I've also come here for food a few times and they have some decent pho (they have a pretty good tomato-based broth, which is not found at other pho places around!) and rice dishes, but they are more well-known for their drinks. So I wouldn't mind coming to DK for a meal here and there, but their smoothie game is strong and that's what brings me back for more!
(5)Jessica L.
great little spot for our viet fix in Chinatown. we stopped in for bun, pho tai bo vien, pho xao, and banh xeo while visiting Boston. since my parents and i are Vietnamese, we are used to homemade deliciousness, so we try to lower our expectations quite a bit when dining out for Asian food. but all the dishes were actually quite yummy. the pho broth was a particularly nice surprise; great body to it, for restaurant pho. also grabbed a lychee smoothie on the way out and thoroughly enjoyed it. service is what you'd expect in a Chinatown establishment, aka pretty much none. but, it's fast! and cash only.
(4)Amy S.
avocado shake. yes. delicious.
(5)Bing X.
I liked the bubble tea! I tried avacado this time but will try others later! Thanks to my friend Le who recommended me this place!
(5)Marissa A.
And 4 stars for the bubble tea. Refreshing and delicious - I've had the green tea and taro bubble teas over and over, but my next one to try will be the avocado as I saw they used fresh avocado. That being said, my bf and I decided to try their food. We kept it simple. To start, we ordered fresh spring rolls with shrimp and pork inside. Not bad. For our meals, as everyone else around us was eating pho, we both ordered it as well, I had chicken and the bf had pork. Very nice on a cold winter day. And only $6 a bowl? Not bad at all. Service was very prompt. I'm always coming back for the bubble tea. I definitely want to try more dishes as well - they had a BBQ pork dish that looked good and some rice plates that peaked my curiosity.
(3)