Kao Jiu is a very beautifully designed Chinese restaurant. The interior is decorated very traditionally Chinese, with dark, lacquered wood, red lanterns, and Chinese art all around. Their menus come in the form of scrolls, which I thought was very cute and creative.I came here for the lunch special though, that's available Mon-Fri 12-4pm. The place was empty - only us in the restaurant, so service was quite fast.The lunch special came in a square wooden box with an appetizer, a choice for protein, a choice of veggies and a staple food. I came with a friend, so I was able to try 2 of everything. :) And despite initially thinking it wouldn't be filling, it actually was.The chicken kebab was the fan favorite. It was soft and moist, and had amazing seasoning. The beef kebab was a lil hard to chew with all the fat. The potato chips were my second favorite, as they were thinly sliced, very crisp and nicely seasoned. The fried tofu, oyster mushrooms, and the egg fried rice were all pretty good as well. The only thing that was slightly lacking was the lamb burger, as it did not have much meat inside and lacked a bit of flavor.
Jing L.
Kao Jiu is a Chinese BBQ restaurant that integrates numerous elements of Chinese traditional history. As I walked into the place, the air was filled with the melodies of traditional Chinese music played on the Chinese zither, and Classic Chinese poetry adorned the tables, with iconic red lanterns on the ceiling symbolizing reunion, adding a touch of tradition, which creating a relaxed atmosphere to me. Furthermore, the Memorial-style Menu meticulously designed enhances the sense of historical immersion and the Chinese ancient murals adorning the walls transport me back into a historical world. These elements create an experience that makes me feel imperative as I step back into Chinese history. Being an immigrant student from China, I would rate this restaurant a scale of 3 based on the decorations that are related to Chinese history to those who appreciate Chinese culture. However, on the other hand, I found the portion sizes of each dish to be relatively smaller compared to other Chinese BBQ restaurants in Boston, and the prices were comparatively higher. Hence, I deduct 2 points from these aspects, and would not encourage people who are not interested in Chinese culture to try this restaurant.
Dong H.
If you like cumin-based dishes, this is the place for you although not every single dish has cumin. We selected Fried Tofu w/ secret sauce (excellent), cold wheat jelly salad (excellent), lamb haggis soup (good but I don't think many people would like this one), big squid (excellent), eggplant (ok), and Kaojiu lamb (excellent). I also really like the interior decoration which is very Chinese.
Sherry F.
Kao Jiu is a very beautifully designed Chinese restaurant. The interior is decorated very traditionally Chinese, with dark, lacquered wood, red lanterns, and Chinese art all around. Their menus come in the form of scrolls, which I thought was very cute and creative. I came here for the lunch special though, that's available Mon-Fri 12-4pm. The place was empty - only us in the restaurant, so service was quite fast. The lunch special came in a square wooden box with an appetizer, a choice for protein, a choice of veggies and a staple food. I came with a friend, so I was able to try 2 of everything. :) And despite initially thinking it wouldn't be filling, it actually was. The chicken kebab was the fan favorite. It was soft and moist, and had amazing seasoning. The beef kebab was a lil hard to chew with all the fat. The potato chips were my second favorite, as they were thinly sliced, very crisp and nicely seasoned. The fried tofu, oyster mushrooms, and the egg fried rice were all pretty good as well. The only thing that was slightly lacking was the lamb burger, as it did not have much meat inside and lacked a bit of flavor.
Xin Zhang
FoodThis is a great restaurant if you are looking for nostalgic Chinese street BBQ. The reason I gave a four star is because many dishes had the same flavour profile, so I felt like I was eating the same dish over and over again with different ingredients.Everything elseThe restaurant had a great atmosphere and cool setup. I loved their menu design.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lamb Ribs, Lamb Kebabs
Jay C.
Food is very interesting and unusual. I have not been adventurous enough to try the dishes that contain lamb haggis or other offal, but I have tried a number of the bbq dishes, and they are excellent. The lunch special gives you a chance to try a number of different things at once. I love the fried tofu with secret sauce, the bbq shrimp - I eat the whole shrimp including the shells - various mushrooms, bbq cauliflower, and the noodle soup. The bbq lamb ribs are amazing - tasty, smoky and spectacular. Service is excellent, and the variety of teas is interesting. It's a sophisticated restaurant with a very interesting menu.
Maria G.
Thank you Yelp for guiding me here! What a great find! I wanted to find a restaurant with ample seating, parking, and not fast casual. This restaurant appears to hit all the marks! Its interior is beautiful, the menu is interesting, and the food was great! There is paid metered parking in front of the restaurant. The maximum parking is 3 hours. They have an extensive cocktail and wine list. The signature dish is the lamb hot pot, which is great. They can refill your broth, which is nice. Service was great. They do have an 18% automatic service charge added to parties of 5+. I came during off-peak hours, so the restaurant wasn't busy. The indoor air quality was great, since it wasn't crowded. Looking forward to visiting again when I'm back in the neighborhood!
Po-Hsiu Chien
Lamb ribs hot pot is so tasty and lamb kebabs are fantastic!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lamb Ribs
Jason Ziegler
Amazing food and atmosphere! What a treat for the Chinese New Year! I can't wait to come back!
Check in, grilled foodAfter hearing about this store for a long time, I finally checked in. The atmosphere and service are full of sincerity. The grilled lamb chops, beef skewers, and giant squid that I ordered were all highly praised. You can try other dishes next time you come.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: fried tofu w secret sauce 秘制炸豆腐, herbal jelly w taro 芋圆龟苓膏, grilled scallops 含沙射影烤扇贝
Kevin Z
Absolutely fantastic dining experience. Great food, very nice decorations, and friendly service. One of the best bbq restaurants in the area!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
lisa v.
Gorgeous atmosphere, beautiful decor, down to the gorgeous scroll menus and detailed wall murals. The food is out of this world: we had lamb ribs, and they were succulent, cooked to perfection, flavored with, if I recall correctly, cilantro or cumin. So much better than ribs that are all too often shellacked with sticky sugar sauce. The sound level was just fine, not too clattery, perfect for an intimate dinner. The service was splendid: kind, helpful, efficient. We will absolutely be back! It's a hidden gem. Don't hesitate to try out this restaurant. What a find!
Psyche L.
Beautiful venue specializing in Northern Chinese cuisine. Try the Liang Pi (cold wheat jelly salad) and the hot pots. Drinks are great too
Melanie W.
The food here is so so.. not worth the price. The dishes are over seasoning and the service are slow. The cocktails aren't that great.
Kao Jiu is a very beautifully designed Chinese restaurant. The interior is decorated very traditionally Chinese, with dark, lacquered wood, red lanterns, and Chinese art all around. Their menus come in the form of scrolls, which I thought was very cute and creative.I came here for the lunch special though, that's available Mon-Fri 12-4pm. The place was empty - only us in the restaurant, so service was quite fast.The lunch special came in a square wooden box with an appetizer, a choice for protein, a choice of veggies and a staple food. I came with a friend, so I was able to try 2 of everything. :) And despite initially thinking it wouldn't be filling, it actually was.The chicken kebab was the fan favorite. It was soft and moist, and had amazing seasoning. The beef kebab was a lil hard to chew with all the fat. The potato chips were my second favorite, as they were thinly sliced, very crisp and nicely seasoned. The fried tofu, oyster mushrooms, and the egg fried rice were all pretty good as well. The only thing that was slightly lacking was the lamb burger, as it did not have much meat inside and lacked a bit of flavor.
Kao Jiu is a Chinese BBQ restaurant that integrates numerous elements of Chinese traditional history. As I walked into the place, the air was filled with the melodies of traditional Chinese music played on the Chinese zither, and Classic Chinese poetry adorned the tables, with iconic red lanterns on the ceiling symbolizing reunion, adding a touch of tradition, which creating a relaxed atmosphere to me. Furthermore, the Memorial-style Menu meticulously designed enhances the sense of historical immersion and the Chinese ancient murals adorning the walls transport me back into a historical world. These elements create an experience that makes me feel imperative as I step back into Chinese history. Being an immigrant student from China, I would rate this restaurant a scale of 3 based on the decorations that are related to Chinese history to those who appreciate Chinese culture. However, on the other hand, I found the portion sizes of each dish to be relatively smaller compared to other Chinese BBQ restaurants in Boston, and the prices were comparatively higher. Hence, I deduct 2 points from these aspects, and would not encourage people who are not interested in Chinese culture to try this restaurant.
If you like cumin-based dishes, this is the place for you although not every single dish has cumin. We selected Fried Tofu w/ secret sauce (excellent), cold wheat jelly salad (excellent), lamb haggis soup (good but I don't think many people would like this one), big squid (excellent), eggplant (ok), and Kaojiu lamb (excellent). I also really like the interior decoration which is very Chinese.
Kao Jiu is a very beautifully designed Chinese restaurant. The interior is decorated very traditionally Chinese, with dark, lacquered wood, red lanterns, and Chinese art all around. Their menus come in the form of scrolls, which I thought was very cute and creative. I came here for the lunch special though, that's available Mon-Fri 12-4pm. The place was empty - only us in the restaurant, so service was quite fast. The lunch special came in a square wooden box with an appetizer, a choice for protein, a choice of veggies and a staple food. I came with a friend, so I was able to try 2 of everything. :) And despite initially thinking it wouldn't be filling, it actually was. The chicken kebab was the fan favorite. It was soft and moist, and had amazing seasoning. The beef kebab was a lil hard to chew with all the fat. The potato chips were my second favorite, as they were thinly sliced, very crisp and nicely seasoned. The fried tofu, oyster mushrooms, and the egg fried rice were all pretty good as well. The only thing that was slightly lacking was the lamb burger, as it did not have much meat inside and lacked a bit of flavor.
FoodThis is a great restaurant if you are looking for nostalgic Chinese street BBQ. The reason I gave a four star is because many dishes had the same flavour profile, so I felt like I was eating the same dish over and over again with different ingredients.Everything elseThe restaurant had a great atmosphere and cool setup. I loved their menu design.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lamb Ribs, Lamb Kebabs
Food is very interesting and unusual. I have not been adventurous enough to try the dishes that contain lamb haggis or other offal, but I have tried a number of the bbq dishes, and they are excellent. The lunch special gives you a chance to try a number of different things at once. I love the fried tofu with secret sauce, the bbq shrimp - I eat the whole shrimp including the shells - various mushrooms, bbq cauliflower, and the noodle soup. The bbq lamb ribs are amazing - tasty, smoky and spectacular. Service is excellent, and the variety of teas is interesting. It's a sophisticated restaurant with a very interesting menu.
Thank you Yelp for guiding me here! What a great find! I wanted to find a restaurant with ample seating, parking, and not fast casual. This restaurant appears to hit all the marks! Its interior is beautiful, the menu is interesting, and the food was great! There is paid metered parking in front of the restaurant. The maximum parking is 3 hours. They have an extensive cocktail and wine list. The signature dish is the lamb hot pot, which is great. They can refill your broth, which is nice. Service was great. They do have an 18% automatic service charge added to parties of 5+. I came during off-peak hours, so the restaurant wasn't busy. The indoor air quality was great, since it wasn't crowded. Looking forward to visiting again when I'm back in the neighborhood!
Lamb ribs hot pot is so tasty and lamb kebabs are fantastic!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lamb Ribs
Amazing food and atmosphere! What a treat for the Chinese New Year! I can't wait to come back!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Lamb Ribs
a little bit pricy but food is
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Check in, grilled foodAfter hearing about this store for a long time, I finally checked in. The atmosphere and service are full of sincerity. The grilled lamb chops, beef skewers, and giant squid that I ordered were all highly praised. You can try other dishes next time you come.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: fried tofu w secret sauce 秘制炸豆腐, herbal jelly w taro 芋圆龟苓膏, grilled scallops 含沙射影烤扇贝
Absolutely fantastic dining experience. Great food, very nice decorations, and friendly service. One of the best bbq restaurants in the area!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Gorgeous atmosphere, beautiful decor, down to the gorgeous scroll menus and detailed wall murals. The food is out of this world: we had lamb ribs, and they were succulent, cooked to perfection, flavored with, if I recall correctly, cilantro or cumin. So much better than ribs that are all too often shellacked with sticky sugar sauce. The sound level was just fine, not too clattery, perfect for an intimate dinner. The service was splendid: kind, helpful, efficient. We will absolutely be back! It's a hidden gem. Don't hesitate to try out this restaurant. What a find!
Beautiful venue specializing in Northern Chinese cuisine. Try the Liang Pi (cold wheat jelly salad) and the hot pots. Drinks are great too
The food here is so so.. not worth the price. The dishes are over seasoning and the service are slow. The cocktails aren't that great.