Wagamama Faneuil Hall

I've never had a Wagamama experience that didn't feel cheery and fun. The space is minimalistic and very well-lit (the stuff of facebook profile picture magic, I'm not even joking) and my servers have always been upbeat and buzz-y, willing to volunteer menu suggestions while writing numbers on your spiffy paper place mat. \r \r I'll be honest, the dishes can be on the anglicized side, but if (tender) breaded chicken and (delicious) brown curry doesn't make you flinch, you'll be fine--and even if it does, you can probably pick around for something more traditional. The duck gyoza are worth a try, and I don't like most asparagus, but I like Wagamama asparagus. \r \r The cafeteria-style dining might not be everyone's style, but it's a great late lunch during a marathon shopping session. Pros: apple lime juice, tasty for lunch more

The chicken ramen that I ordered to go was PURE CHICKEN FAT instead of chicken stock floating on top of my noodles. Definitely did not taste like any other ramen I've had before. Instead, it was a hot, thick, slippery layer of fat on top of overcooked noodles. Inedible. Also pretty poor service, did not even get a spoon for my takeout even though I specifically asked for it. I would not go there again, hugely disappointing. Pros: Choices Cons: Service, price, taste more

We love Asian food, so we wanted to give this place a try. People have mentioned the decor - a great touch was a shelf under the table where you can put your bags or purses and have them safe as well as out of the way. There's an open kitchen along one wall, and each station has a big monitor where they receive the orders from the wireless handhelds used by the wait staff. As we were seated, we were warned that all of the food was made fresh to order, so things would not all arrive at the same time or in a specific order. It was pretty clear that what this meant was each station was working independently, so if you ordered something everyone else wanted too, you were going to wait longer than you would if ""your"" cook wasn't busy. The menu clearly labels all of the ingredients, including shrimp paste, which is useful for people with allergies or kosher issues.\r \r In looking at the menu before choosing the place, we thought ""plain chicken and noodles or rice, apple juice - that will be an easy sell to the kids"". It wasn't quite: the mini chicken katsu (grilled chicken with a sauce on the side) was dry without the sauce, the corn on the side was unexpectly chilled, and the noodles were gummy. The kids hated the apple juice, which seemed to be foamed from some sort of base.\r Gyoza - the veggie ones were bland, and the chicken ones tasteless. Even the dipping sauce didn't help.\r I started with the ginger chicken udon - fine, not fabulous. I was already nearly half done by the time my husband's chicken chili men arrived, so we swapped and he started on the udon. He found a flavor in it that he really didn't like, so we swapped back. The chicken chili men came across as spicy chicken cacciatore.\r \r Dinner took over an hour, mostly due to time spent waiting for the check and then waiting for someone to take payment. The food is not worth returning for, and the service was erratic - bad when you're there with three kids 6 and under. Look elsewhere for umami. Pros: funky room design, shelf under table for bags and purses Cons: bland food, spotty service, distant bathrooms more

I first got hooked on this place in London. This fun and upbeat restaurant uses handheld devices to shoot your orders directly to the kitchen as soon as you make them and ensures the freshest of food. The Japanese style noodles are delicious and guilt-free as all food is non-gmo. The group-dining is great. Two thumbs for Wagamama! Pros: all non-gmo, made and served fresh Cons: can never decide what i want more

Well-it's definitely a ""no thrills"" experience.Yes I suppose it's different than other places in the respect that your food comes out hot as soon as it's ready.I however don't look at that as a plus.Other restaurants still manage to get your food out to you hot and all at the same time so that you can enjoy dinner with your guests which is usually whats intended when you go out to dinner with friends right?Anyways on some other notes: \r a.The servers are running around all over the place and don't ""care"" for you like other servers at other restaurants do.You just feel like another number(I would compare the customer service to that of Burger King) \r b.They restrict you to alter ANY dishes(oh wait - unless you want to remove items from a specific dish, yeah the server told me they have time to do that but no time to add anything - well jeeze I didn't realize I was wasting your time)the food that you pay money for can only be altered in ways that are convenient and cost effective for them\r c.They claim to be a healthy place to eat with no msg however after informing my server that I have an allergy to msg they found it a little difficult to give me what I wanted and had a list of few specific dishes to choose from?\r d. Food is not authentic - funny enough they rave about how affordable they are but really....have they ever been to an authentic japenese noodle house?The food is tasty, they don't lie to you about their ingredients (what you see is what you get) and dishes are 1/2 the price of Wagamama.\r e.They do not take reservations and although I didn't have to wait long in line, when we were seated we were seated at a big cafeteria table with hard wooden seats that are extremely uncomfortable with no backs and we sat with about 15 other strangers\r f.No music, no tv's - just the sound of a room full of people in an empty cafeteria-like atmosphere. reminded me of high school which for most is not something we care to re-live\r Long story short: NEVER would go again! Pros: Place to go if you want to re-live your high school cafeteria scene Cons: Service,Atmosphere,Food more

Wagamama has to be one of my favorite destinations close to my job. If your in a hurry or not its a good option. When I have gone on a lunch break I can be in and out in less than 30 minutes, without rushing through my meal. The staff is very unique and attentive. The menu has many great choices, healthy and the not so healthy but tastes soooo good. My favorite dish would have to be the chichen katsu curry! If you go this dish must be had! Pros: cool atmosphere, fun team of workers Cons: cant make reservations more

even the japanese people does not likes this place, i have lots of japanese frens, and they went their last night, like I was very eager to try their food before, they felt the same. they told me the food tasts horrible, Some of the dishers are cheaper comparing to other restaurants ,but really not worth it. Its like wasting money. thier place is really uncomfortable, and they try to rush you all the time. you do not get what you paid.\r and thier deser is mos high priced and wacky. So all you peeps, think twice before you visit this place.\r \r peace out ! Pros: good looking decorative foods Cons: tasteless foods more

My sister came up to visit and is temporarily extremely limited to many foods for health reasons such as soy, wheat, zucchini and is allergic to raw foods, nuts, fruits, can't have dairy...etc. She chose this place after reading about it online and while we were looking over our menu, our server decided to get addition help because there didn't seem to be anything on the menu she could eat. An extremely knowledgeable and professional looking gentleman came over to help. He informed us that everything cooked on the menu is cooked with soy oil so that cuts out nearly everything! However, after spending a good 15 minutes with us and my plate had already arrived, J was kind enough to send down a plate catering to my sister's needs. I've worked in restaurants and have never seen exceptional service as the one I witnessed that day. (I personally would find my sis to be a pain in the butt!) but aside from the quick and friendly staff, my dish was delicious, I would take my friends here. Thanks J for your time and assistance, my sister and I seriously felt that you totally listened and gave her a mean that met her unique needs. Hopefully, when she's all better, she can have a decent meal again, and the first one in Boston will be at Wagamama! Pros: Friendly and quick service, delicious comforting ramen noodles.... Cons: Restroom outside of the restaurant but's that what you have to expect @ Quincy Mrk Place more

yeah, $10 (more + than -) a bowl of ramen at cafeteria style dining hall (long configuration of tables and benches), though somewhat japanese (fact that you're rubbing elbows with strangers in public place), is not having a lot value for money. the place started off as gimmicky (my personal opinion), i was tempted to try hoping to prove myself wrong. i mean americans may appreciate the modern look and adapted menu, but as an asian and a fan of authentic japanese food, i didn't feel particularly thrilled about this place in terms of food, decor, price, etc.\r \r food was ok but not spectacular. most disappointed at the ramen soup base. wth, it's like water! are they really calling themselves a ramen place without knowing that the soup base is the soul of it all?\r \r waiter service was unexpectedly great: attentive, friendly, humorous, and honest. we flagged down another person in the passing for utensils and was served regardless. bus service was a little... hmmm. numbers were written down on each of our place mat, yet, stuff came and they had to ask who's having what. so the point of writing it down was....? \r \r just being picky here, the free green tea thing... while well appreciated, i have a slight problem with them ""refilling"" by bringing a fresh cup in addition to the old. while it may create a potential congestion on the surface area, it also doesn't sound very ""environmental"" to me, seeing them specifically making a point of how they use chopsticks that's made out of real bamboo, which is an easily recyclable material. i wonder how much more energy (water, soap, electricity) is required to clean these extra cups, which could have been saved if they would have someone carry a jug to refill instead?\r \r despite the seemingly ""negative"" review, i am not vehemently loathing this place (like i do others!). if chance happens, i would certainly return.\r :) Pros: $2 off a nearby garage, simple decor and design, in the ""greenhouse"" section of fanueil hall (enough natural light during the day) Cons: food is not authentic (enough). (pro: they have a basement level which can accomodate more!) more

The noodles were gummy and made the dish mediocre. The vegetables, fortunately, were fresh. The dessert was stale. I would have definitely returned if the restaurant was like the UK ones, but it wasn't. The service was friendly enough and decor was ok. Pros: price, nostalgia for UK Wagamama's Cons: gummy noodles, stale cake more

When I first heard about Wagamama, I laughed because I grew up in Aomori, Japan the first 10 years of my life and my parents would always tell me not to be 'wagamama'. So when this restaurant called Wagamama opened in Boston and I heard it started in the UK, I was a little curious/doubtful. I didn't make my way over there until this fall, and I have to say I really liked it and have been back a few times since. It's obviously not authentic Japanese food, but it's really good. I could totally taste the different spices that you find in Southeast Asian food, and as someone who has traveled a lot, it was really cool picking up on that. I was also really impressed at how fast the service was and the open kitchen looked really clean.\r My favorite dishes are the ebi lomen and the yasai katsu curry. That curry sauce totally reminds me of the curry my mom made, only with a little more spice. Really good. Pros: really good fusion, fast, clean Cons: no restroom in restaurant- have to use the public one in Faneuil Hall more

I've been wanting to try Wagamama since it came to Boston. I'm always excited when new Asian restaurants open up in town...well, because I'm Asian. Anyway, I was looking forward to a steamy bowl of ramen because that's what Wagamama is known for. So a few pros first: I like the simplistic decor and the open kitchen. It's so enjoyable to watch busy chefs chopping and stir-frying. The service was also fantastic. Really attentive wait staff. I think the restaurant did a great job training their staff. Now the cons: if ramen is supposed to be their ""speciality,"" i think that the restuarant really need to reassess the way they cook their main ingredient. Ramen is supposed to be bouncy and bit chewy. Unfortunately, my noodles lay their lifeless, a bit soggy and mushy. Ramen soup is also supposed to be important, if not almost more important than the noodles themselves. My soup was a bit too salty (I ordered the spicy chicken ramen). I would say skip Wagamama and go eat pho or other soup noodles in Chinatown. Pros: Great service and decor Cons: Limp, lifeless ramen more

For Quincy Market , this is not a bad place. It is clean, quick and inexpensive. The outdoor seating is pleasant and not cramped. The service is polite. There are many worse options. Just walk down the HALL of BAD FOOD inside and you will know what I mean. The ramen soups are good , but over priced. Stay away from the spicy soba noodles. (chili men)..they are overcooked, soggy and covered with a poor underspiced rendition of chile sauce that looks like something a 4th grade class threw together . Stick with the stir fry noodles .... .. seem to be the best option . Dumplings are passable..but every table seems to have them. Pros: Clean , easy and nice outdoor seating Cons: Poor attempt at Asian food ... but better than what is inside Quincy Market more

The people who say that they go to this place for the food, seriously need to get their taste buds tested. It is one the worst tasting lunches I have had. There seems to be no sense or proportion to the use of spices. Most of the food is bland and tastes like cardboard. I had the Chilli Chicken Men; it was more like wheat flour chicken. I guess people go there because it is cool and a sucess in Europe. But if it is good food you want, go elsewhere. Most of the japanese restaurants in town serve far better Udon. If you like paying $9 for a bowl of noodles, which you can buy 5 to a dollar at the supermarket, this is the place for you. I would give it Zero stars if permitted. Pros: Quick Service once you get in Cons: Tasteless food more

I was really looking forward to eating here based on the reviews I've read but I wasn't impressed. Altough the service was outstanding and the place is really clean the noodles were mushy, really salty and I got a really severe headache after I was done. I think they use a lot of preservatives or something. Pros: service is great Cons: food is terrible and you're going for the food more

I really love ramen which I ate a lot when I was visiting Japan. Even though the ramen and all noodles are amazing there, I still enjoy a bowl of instant noodles too. \r \r I've had instant noodle that was better than Wagamama's. Yes, the ingredients are fresh. But the focal point of all the dishes is supposed to be the noodles, which were soggy and limp. They had no flavor and for that matter, neither did the ingredients. \r \r Wagamama is a fun-looking place and different from most of the food options at Faneuil Hall. But I wouldn't go there to get good noodles or good Asian food. I would go there because I had to be at Quincy Market for something and I didn't want to eat American seafood. Pros: Cool design, different from food options in the area Cons: The flavorless food, the soggy noodles more

Don't mistake this for a Japanese restaurant - it's more pan-asian fusion (whatever that is) marketed for westerners. I think the hype is due to good marketing & design. The place itself is not amazing, but it's still a welcome break from nasty Quincy Market/Fanieul Hall fast food, and the space is nicely done but not over the top. The ingredients are fresh and you get a great variety in every dish, especially the vegetarian ones. The ""chili-men"" dishes are a bit heavy-handed with the sauce and not really spicy enough for the asian palette. Again, if you're not expecting authentic anything and take it for what it is, it's not bad. \r \r I HIGHLY RECOMMEND the fish salad - it is the best dish on the menu. A sizable filet of grilled barramundi (I'd never heard of this fish before) on a bed of delicately sliced vegetables in a delicate, tangy dressing. $9 is overpriced for a bowl of noodles but you can get this special dish for only $11 - a great deal! The desserts were disappointing though - I went with a big group one time and so I got to try almost everything on the menu.\r \r The waitstaff seem to take the hype a bit far with their super enthusiastic dispositions and overly casual friendliness. One time I went, the waiter picked up my friend's cell phone from the table without asking and began comparing it to his. On a different visit, the waiter at the next table over put his foot on the bench so his knee stuck up over the table, and leaned in to take his order. They're taking the young and hip thing a bit too far for me, but with good intentions, not enough to offend or prevent me from going back there for the FISH SALAD!!! Pros: Fresh & varied ingredients, FISH SALAD!! Cons: Hype, disappointing desserts more

Finally got over to Wagamama today for lunch. It was awesome! So yummy! The best time to go, if you're going for lunch, is either before 12pm, or close to 1pm. It gets crowded quickly. The only con to the place is that the food doesn't come out all at the same time. As soon as someone's dish is done being cooked, it comes out. Even if the other people in your party's dishes aren't done. There was about 10 minutes in between the last two meals coming out. And really, who wants to eat in front of their dining companions? Pros: Great food. Good prices. Fun atmosphere. Cons: The difference in timing of everyone's food coming out. more

I find that the UK has much better chain restaurants than the US. The shared tables can be a pain but the modern and airy atmosphere is somethings thats hard to find in a place like Boston. Wagamama has some great noodle dishes. The Yakisoba is great, as are the salads and appetizers. I only wish it was in the back bay. Pros: Food, Atmosphere Cons: Communal table set up more

Check this place out -- delicious food and speedy service. We grabbed a bite here and then headed over to The Institute of Contemporary Art. Pros: inexpensive, fast, good food Cons: parking more