Little Donkey

4.7

2102 Reviews

$31 to $50

Tapas / Small Plates

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 25, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 40 times today

Experiences are available.

Good for special occasions
Lively
Neighborhood gem

We’ve only got one rule: there are no rules. Our menu is an eclectic mix of global flavors, inspired by our chefs’ travels around the world. From Istanbul meat ravioli to ramen cacio e pepe, our menu is always unique and forever evolving. With a full raw bar, vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options, we’ve truly got something for everyone. Owned and operated by James Beard Award Winning Chef Ken Oringer, Little Donkey has been serving global tapas in Central Square since 2016

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Tapas / Small Plates, International, Dessert
Hours of operation
Bar Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(617) 945-1008
Website
http://www.littledonkeybos.com/
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Casual Dress
Executive chef
Ken Oringer
Private party facilities
Little Donkey offers family-style options as well as a la cart, specially selected to accommodate any occasion. Our culinary and beverage teams will work with you to come up with the perfect wine, beer and artfully crafted seasonal cocktail selections to suit your needs. Please visit our website or email jai@littledonkeybos.com for more information

Location
505 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139
Neighborhood
Cambridge
Cross street
Norfolk Street
Parking details
Currently street/meter parking. There are also parking lots on our block that are incredibly convenient such as Green Street Parking Garage, Franklin Street Garage, Metered lots on Bishop Allen Ave in between Essex St and Norfolk St and Norfolk St and Douglass St.
Public transit
Easily accessible by the RED LINE at CENTRAL SQUARE or the Number 1 BUS.
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Experiences

Valentine's Weekend with LD
$85.00 per person
Feb 14, 2025 - Feb 15, 2025
Come spread the love with the Little Donkey family! This four course per person chef's tasting menu will sweep you off your feet. Options will include new and exciting dishes only available for this night. Surprise giveaway at the end of your meal included. $85 per person. Tax, kitchen wellness fee, and tip not included.

sturgeon caviar*$6.00
add caviar to any oyster
clearbrook*$4.00
plump, seaweed, touch of sweet (Wellfleet, MA)
pleasant cove*$4.00
salty and kelp, mushroom and chicken bouillon (Damariscotta, ME)
jolly select*$4.00
of savory sweet with a bright sweetness of grass and root veggies (Dennis, MA)
cold bottom*$4.00
a kiss of sea salt with a touch of chicken bouillon on the finish (Plymouth, MA)
pink moon*$4.00
perfect balance of salt, creaminess, and a pleasant mineral finish (New London, PEI(CAN))
countneck clams*$3.00
plump, meaty, buttery
oyster shooter*$9.00
chef selection with a shot of bloody mary
donkey platter*$95.00
assorted shellfish + crudos with traditional & non traditional accompaniments

crudo

tuna & salmon belly tartare*$19.00
crispy sushi rice, tobiko (add caviar +15)
salmon crudo*$19.00
salsa macha, carrot, chilies, lemon
scallop crudo*$19.00
coconut dashi, hakurei turnips, annatto, sesame, finger lime
tuna tostada*$19.00
charred tortilla salsa, avocado, radish, hatch chili crema
whitefish ceviche*$17.00
leche de tigre, aji panca, cilantro, sweet potato, crispy choclo
hamachi sashimi*$17.00
white soy, ginger, grapefruit, cucumber, trout roe
snow crab*$17.00
lemongrass, thai chili, sesame leaf

snacks

caviar sandwich$25.00
grilled martin’s potato roll, whipped butter, sturgeon caviar
blt lettuce wraps*$15.00
lamb bacon, pimento cheese, tomato jam, pickled red onion cheese
wagyu steak tartare*$22.00
brazilian steakhouse style, brown bread
parker house rolls*$8.00
sesame seeds, smoked cultured butter (add pimento cheese +5)
venison heart satay*$18.00
peanut sauce, ginger tare
shrimp toast bao buns$16.00
scallion, sesame, spicy mayo
spicy duck wings*$19.00
crispy smoked duck wings, thai chili jam, black garlic ranch
yum cha $15.00
spicy chinese braised tripe, ginger, scallion
empanada*$12.00
jamaican beef, peas, mango and pepper jam mayo
crispy pork belly*$18.00
thai flavors

veggies

kowloon fried cauliflower$16.00
chili garlic, sesame
brussels sprouts*$17.00
red curry, sultanas, ginger lime
roasted beets*$19.00
burrata, kale wakame salad, gochugaru honey
roasted carrots*$16.00
pepita mole, apple cider honey, herbs, avocado crema
honeynut squash*$15.00
vadouvan spice, zhug, crispy kataifi
grilled eggplant*$16.00
miso glaze, tzatziki, almond dukkah

grains

bangkok street noodles*$18.00
roasted pork, rice noodles, fried peanuts, herbs (add egg +4)
mushroom fried rice*$19.00
gv shiitake, maitake, king trumpet, egg, szechuan (add crab +8)
crab* mac n cheese*$26.00
gf blue crab, cheddar & parmesan fondue, green tabasco, korean rice cakes
manti meat ravioli$21.00
garlic sour cream, red pepper butter
pupusa*$16.00
squash, heirloom masa, curtido, chihuahua cheese
cacio e pepe miso$22.00
ramen noodles, parmesan, black pepper

meat & fish

fried chicken sandwich*$15.00
pickled jalapeños, papaya slaw, avocado ranch
burger*$17.00
dry aged beef, buffalo pickles, onion soup mayo, foie gras, jalapeño chips, cheese
hanger steak*$26.00
mushroom escabeche, crispy shallots
branzino*$25.00
grilled mediterranean sea bass, puttanesca, shallot, lemon
grilled octopus*$22.00
peruvian purple potato, aji amarillo, quicos

Cocktails and Mocktails

PSLD$18.00
pumpkin spice espresso martini
Fall Sangria$13.00
kleos mastiha, brandy, citrus, clove
White Lotus Gin$17.00
vermouth, bitter bianco, grapefruit, bitters
Pink Donkey Club$18.00
gin, aloe, raspberry, lemon, thai basil
Mangos After Dark$17.00
vodka, rum, mango, lime, greek yogurt
Papayas on the Dancefloor$18.00
tequila, apricot, papaya, grapefruit, lime, topo chico
Ode to Pablo$18.00
mezcal, aperol, spicy ginger shrub, lime
Quincey Girl Bourbon$18.00
angostura amaro, quince, orange, lemon
Primer Corte$17.00
rye whiskey, maple, lemon, ginger beer, laphroaig rinse
Alaska Gin$17.00
yellow chartreuse, bitters
High Tide Rum$18.00
blend, coconut milk, lime, pineapple (dairy free milk punch)
Blu Wu Vodka$9.00
triple sec, lime, pandan
Nat So Scary Aperitif$12.00
lemon, agave
Stair Car Grapefruit$11.00
lemon, cinnamon, hoppy refresher
I Carried a Melon$11.00
honeydew, lime, tonic
Topo Chico Sparkling Mineral Water$3.50
Athletic Brewing Co. 'Run Wild' 0% IPA$8.00
CT

Wine by the Glass

Azimut Cava Brut Nature$14.00
Penedès, Spain
Gaspard 'Bulles' Brut Rosé$16.00
Pineau d’Aunis, Touraine, Loire, France
Quinta de Raza Arinto$13.00
+Vinho Verde, Basto, Portugal
Domaine Daniel Seguinot 'Chablis'$18.00
Chardonnay, Burgundy, France
Christina Gruner Veltliner$21.00
Burgendland, Austria
Vincent Caille 'Le Fay d'homme' Melon de Bourgogne$16.00
Muscadet, Loire, France
Garalis 'Terra Ambera' Muscat$17.00
Limnos, Greece
Judith Beck 'Pink'$15.00
Blaufrankisch, Burgenland, Austria
Forlorn Hope 'Queen of Sierra' Co-Ferment$16.00
Sierra Foothills, California
Folk Machine Pinot Noir$18.00
Central Coast, California
Corazon e Paterno 'Il Corzanello'$15.00
Sangiovese +, Tuscany, Italy
Kate Arnold Cabernet Sauvignon$16.00
Columbia Valley, Washington
Gut Oggau 'Cecilia' Field Blend Rose$20.00
Burgenland, Austria

Beer+

Bunker Brewing 'Machine'$12.00
Czech Style Pilsner, ME
Finback 'Rolling in Clouds'$12.00
IPA, 7.1%, NY
Oxbow 'Farmhouse Pale Ale'$13.00
PA, 6%, ME
Winter Hill Brewing 'Dr. Leo Marzen'$11.00
Marzen, 5.2%, MA
Tecate Mexican Lager$6.00
4.5%, MEX
Miller High Life$6.00
American Lager, 4.6%, WI
Allagash White Wheat Beer$9.00
5.2%, ME
Jacks Abby 'Smoke & Dagger'$8.00
Black Lager, 5.6.6%, MA
Oeronaut 'Hop Hop and Away'$10.00
IPA, 4.6%, MA
Athletic Brewing Co. 'Run Wild' 0% IPA$8.00
CT
Shacksbury 'Arlo' Cider$9.00
6.0%, VT
Ambuki Himawari Junmai Gingo$14.00
150ml
Yuki No Tenshi 'Snow Angel' Sake$12.00
Nigori, 180ml

What 2,102 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.7

4.7 based on recent ratings

4.6Food
4.7Service
4.6Ambience
4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

Little Donkey in Cambridge offers a "unique menu" with "delicious combinations" that delight diners. The atmosphere is warm and inviting, with a "friendly, festive vibe." The "kindest and friendliest staff" ensure a memorable experience, while the ever-changing menu keeps visits exciting. It's an "amazing" spot for eclectic cuisine and "outstanding" service.

2,102 Reviews

OT
OpenTable Diner
Greater Boston
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 2
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Menu looked amazing. We’re very excited. Huge fan of chef owner… Every dish was beautiful presentation, crestive ingredients etc… unfortunate, every dish was extremely overloaded with sodium . Tried very hard to like each dish but could not.
Is this helpful?
B
B
Greater Boston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Great place for good food and good music with a group of friends
Is this helpful?
Z
Zach
Greater Boston
250 reviews
5.0
250 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We returned again this week and tried some of the new menu items. As usual, the food was as amazing as our server. It is great to return to a restaurant that offers great choices, great service, and a great atmosphere.
Is this helpful?
L
Laurie
Greater Boston
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined 4 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Delicious and interesting small plates! Attentive but relaxed service. A bit loud, but we enjoyed the bustle.
Is this helpful?
L
Lisa
New York City
3 reviews
3.0
3 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 3
2. Food 3
3. Service 2
4. Ambience 4
Very overrated. Service was terrible but bus staff were fantastic and quick. The tuna on crispy rice was ok tasting but the display of it was not appealing, the Bangkok noodles were good, the pork belly was good but it was small pieces fried could not tell it was was pork belly. The best part of the meal was the dessert pastry with eggnog ice cream. Fancy menu, good vibes but not a winner for dinner.
Is this helpful?
M
Melody
Tallahassee
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined 7 days ago
1. Overall 4
2. Food 4
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Delicious food, small plates were amazing! I got the burger for dinner and the presentation was 2/10 compared to all their other plates. It was quite surprising when they brought it out because it didn’t match the vibe of all the rest of their plates. My partner and I audibly laughed that that was the burger they brought out. I thought it was from the kids menu! The bun looked like they just pulled it out of a Hawaiian sweet roll bag, threw in a patty and placed it on a tray. All of their other dishes had implicit thought put into the plating of the food. But overall flavor of the burger was 7/10. Patty was thin. Small plates, oysters and drinks 10/10
Is this helpful?
S
Sov
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 17, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Loved the food and ambiance. Fav dishes included the noodle dish and toro dish which blew my mind. Always one of our fav restaurants
Is this helpful?
Z
Zach
Greater Boston
250 reviews
5.0
250 reviews
Dined on January 14, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Little Donkey has been a great find for us. The service, food, and atmosphere are all phenomenal. We found a new favorite in Central Square.
Is this helpful?
J
Jeffrey
Greater Boston
38 reviews
5.0
38 reviews
Dined on January 11, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Always enjoy the delicious food, excellent wait staff and overall experience. Lighting is a bit too low to read the menu.
Is this helpful?
C
Charlotte
VIP
Greater Boston
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on January 11, 2025
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Other than being a bit too noisy for comfortable dinner conversation, this establishment is a win! Delicious food and very warm and vibey ambiance.
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FAQs

Little Donkey offers delivery in partnership with Uber Eats. Little Donkey also offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (617) 945-1008.

Little Donkey is rated 4.7 stars by 2102 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Jan 25, 2025

7:00 PM

Booked 40 times today

Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

505 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
Norfolk Street
Neighborhood
Cambridge
Hours of operation
Bar Fri, Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–9:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
Tapas / Small Plates, International, Dessert
Dining style
Casual Dining
Dress code
Casual Dress
Parking details
Currently street/meter parking. There are also parking lots on our block that are incredibly convenient such as Green Street Parking Garage, Franklin Street Garage, Metered lots on Bishop Allen Ave in between Essex St and Norfolk St and Norfolk St and Douglass St.
Public transit
Easily accessible by the RED LINE at CENTRAL SQUARE or the Number 1 BUS.
Payment options
AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Ken Oringer
Additional
Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Delivery, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.littledonkeybos.com/
Phone number
(617) 945-1008
Private party facilities
Little Donkey offers family-style options as well as a la cart, specially selected to accommodate any occasion. Our culinary and beverage teams will work with you to come up with the perfect wine, beer and artfully crafted seasonal cocktail selections to suit your needs. Please visit our website or email jai@littledonkeybos.com for more information

Little Donkey

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Dining areas

Additional information

Valentine's Weekend with LD

raw bar

sturgeon caviar*$6.00

clearbrook*$4.00

pleasant cove*$4.00

jolly select*$4.00

cold bottom*$4.00

pink moon*$4.00

countneck clams*$3.00

oyster shooter*$9.00

donkey platter*$95.00

crudo

tuna & salmon belly tartare*$19.00

salmon crudo*$19.00

scallop crudo*$19.00

tuna tostada*$19.00

whitefish ceviche*$17.00

hamachi sashimi*$17.00

snow crab*$17.00

snacks

caviar sandwich$25.00

blt lettuce wraps*$15.00

wagyu steak tartare*$22.00

parker house rolls*$8.00

venison heart satay*$18.00

shrimp toast bao buns$16.00

spicy duck wings*$19.00

yum cha $15.00

empanada*$12.00

crispy pork belly*$18.00

veggies

kowloon fried cauliflower$16.00

brussels sprouts*$17.00

roasted beets*$19.00

roasted carrots*$16.00

honeynut squash*$15.00

grilled eggplant*$16.00

grains

bangkok street noodles*$18.00

mushroom fried rice*$19.00

crab* mac n cheese*$26.00

manti meat ravioli$21.00

pupusa*$16.00

cacio e pepe miso$22.00

meat & fish

fried chicken sandwich*$15.00

burger*$17.00

hanger steak*$26.00

branzino*$25.00

grilled octopus*$22.00

Cocktails and Mocktails

PSLD$18.00

Fall Sangria$13.00

White Lotus Gin$17.00

Pink Donkey Club$18.00

Mangos After Dark$17.00

Papayas on the Dancefloor$18.00

Ode to Pablo$18.00

Quincey Girl Bourbon$18.00

Primer Corte$17.00

Alaska Gin$17.00

High Tide Rum$18.00

Blu Wu Vodka$9.00

Nat So Scary Aperitif$12.00

Stair Car Grapefruit$11.00

I Carried a Melon$11.00

Topo Chico Sparkling Mineral Water$3.50

Athletic Brewing Co. 'Run Wild' 0% IPA$8.00

Wine by the Glass

Azimut Cava Brut Nature$14.00

Gaspard 'Bulles' Brut Rosé$16.00

Quinta de Raza Arinto$13.00

Domaine Daniel Seguinot 'Chablis'$18.00

Christina Gruner Veltliner$21.00

Vincent Caille 'Le Fay d'homme' Melon de Bourgogne$16.00