The Neighborhood Restaurant & Bakery

I came here solely for the cream of wheat because I was intrigued as to why people were so gung ho about it in the reviews. I was able to order a large cup to-go for $4. The ordering process was a bit weird because there is no front desk/register when you walk in, so I had to awkwardly wait at the entrance next to people who were eating. This place is also cash-only so keep that in mind if you come.

I will preface this by saying that I have never had cream of wheat before, so I did not know what it should taste like and how it would compare elsewhere. I was able to eat about a third of the generous portion that they gave me. It tasted like a cinnamon-y congee: chunky, warm, and sweet. I was a bit iffy about the taste at first, but it grew on me the more I ate it. The sweetness did get overwhelming, though, which is why I couldn't finish it in one sitting, but I can see why this is comforting for so many people.

Overall, I liked it. I can't speak to anything else on their menu, but I'll probably be back one day.

The food was amazing! The service was impeccable! Shannon our server was Great, she made us feel at home. Did I say that the food was AMAZING? It was! My daughters and I had:
1. ( baked apple)Chicken sandwich with fries. At first my daughter ordered a breakfast plate (she is not a breakfast person),she asked Shannon if it was too late to change and get a chicken sandwich instead, Shannon told her not to worry about it and ordered her the chicken sandwich - My Daughter was grateful!
2. ( baked apple) Gingerbread pancakes,linguica and hash browns
3. ( To die for Cream of wheat) Eggnog French Toast, 3 eggs over easy and hash browns. We were so hungry we forgot hot to take pictures.
This is place is a mystery for anyone who wants good tasting food.) They don't take credit cards so come prepared with cash or Venmo! SHANNON Thank you! We will be back ( in my Arnold Schwarzenegger voice)

Not bad. They were fast and we got the food shortly after we ordered.
We ordered from speciality menu , i got the garden omlete which was good. Lots of ingrediants; spinach, broccoli and cheese.
The portion was good and more than enough.
There is a side dish come with it called wheat bowl... i didnot understand it .. when u taste it first is salty but then when you swallow it is sweet.. i cannot say i liked it but i also cannot say i didnot like it. But i wont ask for it.

A few weeks ago on a Saturday at around 9 in the morning, I came here with a friend expecting the typical weekend crowd already and was pleasantly surprised to be seated rather quickly. The inside of the restaurant has a humble, unpretentious interior that's not aimed at the Instagram crowd, which was honestly kind of refreshing.

The service was competent, thought not particularly energetic, but that's understandable given the ungodly hour they have to be at work. The coffee is standard and nothing to get excited about. I ordered a Spanish omelet which had a generous portion to it and the other side items - so much that I barely touched the lovely slices of bread that came with it. While the omelet was hearty and filling, it didn't particularly stand out in terms of quality - it felt like something you could expect from a seasoned home cook. The standout part of the meal was actually the potatoes which hit me with more flavor and texture than I expected.

Reading a few of the reviews here, I saw a lot of buzz about the cream of wheat, which I sadly did not try. Given the chatter, I'd really consider a return visit just to see what I missed out on.

Don't forget that the restaurant only accepts cash or Venmo and that there is an ATM inside.

Free drink with lunch check-in. They let me get a juice instead of a soft drink.

Venmo or cash only. There's an ATM.

The Portuguese breakfast is a ton of food. I ate a lot and yet the leftovers are another full meal.
- I didn't even touch my eggs.
- I got their famous cream of wheat, unsure what could make it so rave-worthy but it was lightly sweet creamy deliciousness.
- Of the meat, fish, and shrimp cakes, I liked the shrimp the best. There was a whole shrimp in it.
- The hash and rice & beans were fine.
- I wasn't wild about the sausage but I'm just not a sausage person.
- Cornbread was very moist and enjoyable.
- Melted buttered toast was excellent on its own, and the homemade jam was delightful too.

Friendly service. Cozy vibe. Seems to not go together with all the family photos but I found the Alice in Wonderland bathroom decor fun and funny.

A great spot for a Delicious and hearty Portuguese breakfast. The sausage and croquettes/ empanadas was full of flavor. We arrived right at opening time so it was pretty empty and the food came out quick. The breakfast special came out to $20 but coffee was included. Good portions when you add in all the bread plus fruit or cream of wheat. Cash only but they also take Venmo.

I wish this was my neighborhood restaurant, but atlas, I do not live in Somerville. The best time to dine at the Neighborhood Restaurant is during months where you can dine outside under the grape vines. You walk through the double iron gates leading to the side yard outdoor dining area and wait to be seated. There are plenty of seating, even for larger families. The atmosphere, family friendly and relaxed. My family have been here three times now and watched the grape vines matured over time. Sitting outside under the shades of the grapevines is why we keep coming back to this charming restaurant. Next would be the cream of wheat. I have never had cream of wheat but I am now a huge fan.

There are probably two go to breakfast items I would highly recommend. The first is my husband's favorite, steak tips, 3 eggs, home fries and toast. If I could sneak in a small bottle of A-1 sauce then this would be 5 stars. My favorite breakfast item has to be the Portuguese breakfast special, 2 eggs, linguica, morcella, cod cake, shrimp cake, meat cake, rice and beans. There was nothing that I did not like on that plate, very tasty. Both menu item came with choice of cream of wheat or a bowl of fruits. I recommend going with the cream of wheat. The only dish that I have tried and do not recommend so far is the crab cake egg Benedict. The crab cake was mushy and tasted like it was previously frozen, thawed, and then reheated.

The restaurant only accepts cash or you can use the QR cash app to pay, a tad bit inconvenient. There is a good amount of street parking in this part of Somerville so parking is not too much of a concern. Overall, great customer service, family friendly atmosphere, and most importantly, delicious food. See my pictures.

Great local diner. Fair prices and good sized portions. Just come early since they have a wait.

Came in during the recent arctic blast and had a great meal that kept me warm during the cold snap.

Their Cream of Wheat which may appear normal, was anything but that... It blew my mind with its balance of sweet and savory.

Definitely coming back the next time I visit New England

I've been told by countless people that the cream of wheat is delicious. It was! What is not delicious, is their unbelievably apathetic attitude towards a customer having an allergic reaction.

None of the waiters knew what was in the bread and I had to deliberately ask a server to go check with the chef. Who said, "There's no peanuts in anything."

But my friend currently in the emergency room begs to differ.

They didn't offer to comp the bill, didn't ask if she was OK, actually weren't concerned at all, and simply said "Do you need boxes?" As we hurried to pay the bill and rush out to the hospital.

When I called the restaurant after to speak with a manager the girl who picked up the phone said "There isn't one." Then when I asked to speak to whoever is in charge, she said, "No one is." And hung up. Then hung up on me again when I called back.

Not sure anyone there is trained in allergy safety. And they definitely don't disclose their allergens, and possibly even lie when asked. Pretty sure both of which are required by MA law as of 2010. How interesting.

We came for breakfast and there was quite a long wait (over an hour and 30 minutes). This is typical though on a weekend. But we waited and the food was pretty good. The portions were decently sized and the cream of wheat was a nice add to have. The servers were very attentive and friendly, and it was nice and cozy inside. I would come back again if there wasn't such a long line, but not sure if it's worth the hour plus wait.