Kasuga Cafe

As someone who's not exactly Newbury St. chic or white collar but works in the Back Bay, I usually have a hard time finding a place in the area I can enjoy a nice lunch at without breaking the bank. It is indeed more of a hole-in-the-wall type establishment as like o mentioned, but it does fill a niche for people who are looking for non-sushi Japanese fare. If you want better ramen bowls, I'd recommend Ken's over at the 88 in Allston, but if you're in the area and are bored with the Boloco, Scoozi, and other "cooler" Newbury St. spots, try Mentei.

The ramen is probably the main feature here, and although it's not as good like you'd find at St. Mark's in Manhattan, it's still worth a stop if you're looking for cheap lunch (<$10) after shopping on Newbury.

This place is really not for non-Japanese people. I mean you really gotta like Japanese food to like this place. Fans of pho and other noodle soups will like it, but those looking for chicken teriyaki or sushi will be disappointed.

I love this place because it reminds me of my mom's cooking. Dishes are Japanese staples that are difficult to find in the US (e.g. curry rice). The food is not particularly good nor cheap, but in Boston I'm just glad to find this w/o having to go to Porter Square. The staff there is really nice and it's definitely a predominantly Japanese clientele. I will say they annoyingly do not take credit card there.