Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
Little Donkey, Cambridge, MA

Little Donkey

Visa logo badge

Visa Dining Collection

4.6 (2197)
$31 to $50
Tapas / Small Plates
505 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 24 times today
Experiences are available.

About this restaurant

  • Great for creative cocktails
  • 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

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
  • 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
  • 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

  • Chef's Tasting Experience

    $75.00 per person

    Multiple dates available
    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. Our tasting menu takes your taste buds around the globe with classic Little Donkey staples to fun new dishes that you'll dream of. Oh did we mention caviar? Since we are a tapas restaurant, these dishes are shared. Menu changes frequently, feel free to call us at 617-945-1008 to find out more. Limited daily reservations are available.
    Chef's Tasting Experience Photo

What 2,197 people are saying

Little Donkey reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.5Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.1Value

NoiseModerate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Little Donkey offers a vibrant dining experience with a "fun and upbeat atmosphere," featuring an innovative tapas menu and "phenomenal food." The diverse flavors and "attentive service" make it a must-visit for those seeking "creative and delicious dishes." While some find the noise level high, the overall experience is "fantastic."
2,197 Reviews
  1. Ted VIP

    New York City19 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 2 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    This place is one of our favorite restaurants!Always creative dishes on the menu, geared towards the season. Food is excellent. Service is excellent. We love the vibe! Big shoutout to Siena and Rachel - great service as always!

    Is this helpful?

  2. Monida

    San Diego2 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3
    We had reservations at this place on a Friday evening. We arrived ~20 mins before our reservation time and were seated immediately. It's tapa style and this is what we ordered: the house rolls, shrimp toast bao buns, branzino, burger, manti, empanada, and the dubai chocolate sundae. Every item we received was delicious. The branzino was my favorite! I love the tangy, umami sauce and the fish was so soft, flaky, and buttery. My least favorite was the manti - I would have liked more yogurt with it. The ambience was dark and a bit casual. Service was nice and attentive. Overall, good experience!

    Is this helpful?

  3. Fletcher VIP

    Greater Boston6 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This place is excellent. We sat at the bar and ordered appetizers and small plates. Each dish was excellent - shrimp toast, empanadas, salmon & tuna on crusted sushi rice, etc. The drinks were great, and the staff (bartenders, etc.) was friendly and helpful. Great, welcoming atmosphere. Had never been here before, but it's now on our list of places to visit in Boston.

    Is this helpful?

  4. John

    Greater Boston1 review

    4.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    First time dining here , overall food was great, waiter great only thing was didn’t have Jack Daniels , but would definitely recommend and eat here again

    Is this helpful?

  5. usmani

    Greater Boston2 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 4 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 5
    Great fusion of eclectic taste, Mediterranean culture, new age dining and premium ingredients. A must try are Burger, chicken sandwich, tuna/ steak tartare, mushroom rice, MANTI (much better tasting than one will find even anywhere in Turkey) blt lettuce wraps with Lamb bacon, . Highly talented mixologist. Best to try a few drinks to get an enriched flavorful flow of drinking experience. Wished deserts could be outstanding but most are average. Overall great place to dine!!

    Is this helpful?

  6. Juan

    Unspecified1 review

    5.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food came out quickly and was made fresh. Excellent flavors and we were seated quickly.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Zach VIP

    Greater Boston294 reviews

    5.0

    Dined 7 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had another fantastic meal with amazing food, service, and an energetic atmosphere. We are always treated so well at Little Donkey and it keeps us coming back for more.

    Is this helpful?

  8. Louis VIP

    Greater Boston6 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on July 12, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 3
    We've been going to Little Donkey for eight years, since we moved to Boston. Over the last few visits it's become clear that the quality has been dipping. This last meal might be the last time for us, which is sad because we absolutely loved this place. Food quality is not as it used to be, service more blase and menu less innovative. It's almost as if they are deliberately seeking a different, less exacting clientele. Maybe we'll give it a long break and come back and see if things have shifted. We really hope they do.

    Is this helpful?

  9. Henry

    Greater Boston1 review

    5.0

    Dined on July 9, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Wonderful experience! I especially loved the blt lettuce wraps and the empanada

    Is this helpful?

  10. Sophie VIP

    Greater Boston10 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on July 5, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 2
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Food was just okay. Came out very quickly (less than 5 mins from ordering). Everything tasted like it was pre-cooked. nothing great, nothing bad. Same size dishes.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Little Donkey does offer 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 4.6 stars by 2197 OpenTable diners.

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

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Greater Boston
  4. Boston
  5. Cambridge

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 24 times today
Experiences are available.
Google Map for Little Donkey

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
  • Phone number
  • 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
OpenTable
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Press
More
Businesses
  • Restaurant Management Solutions
  • Restaurant Reservation Software
  • Restaurant Marketing Software
  • Restaurant Event Software
  • OpenTable For Restaurants
  • OpenTable For Restaurant Groups
  • Restaurant Resources
  • OpenTable Pricing & Plans
Join us on
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2025 OpenTable, Inc. 1 Montgomery St Ste 500, San Francisco CA 94104 - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo