Bytes At University Park

There’s not much I can say about this little mom-​and-​pop place that other reviewers haven’t said. I went with a few out-​of-​towners and we all really enjoyed the food we got. It’s very similar to Pita Inn (if you’re from the Chicago suburbs) but with a more homemade taste to it. It was actually like comfort food for me which was much needed while I was traveling. The rice and shawarma had great flavors to it and went well with the salad. I would definitely recommend this place if you are looking for a quick place to grab lunch and you work/​live close by because there is absolutely no place to eat in there.

Mouth-​watering Mediterranean food with a Senegalese twist! I order the vegetable plate which consists of rice pilaf, green dal, hummus, Falafel, spicy chutney, green salad and chopped cucumbers and tomatoes. Sometimes they provide me with black beans instead of green dal. All in all, it is a healthy, vegan meal.

Great little very well hidden gem. Very tasty breakfast sandwiches and if your looking for unique cuisine this mom and pop serving food from Sengal is a great stop. Owner operators couldn’t be nicer and customer focused.

This is perhaps the only lunch place open to the public in that immediate area. It is a small place, not much larger than a hole in wall. But the menu there changes, the food and price are an okay.
Overall it’s an okay lunch place for people who work nearby.

Senegalese specialties and hearty, reliable American and Mediterranean cuisine, in a convenient spot for a reasonable price, by a caring and responsive family. What’s not to like?
Bytes is a tiny but well established hole-​in-​the-​wall eatery, presided over by the friendly and formidable Chef Mamadou Berry. A mom-​and-​pop shop, the family has produced excellent quality handmade breakfast and lunch for over a decade in this same location. Built into the University Park development, the location is easily accessible on foot for residents and workers in the area, and only a half-​block walk from the street for others. (The location faces a private alley but opens onto a pleasant pocket park.)
Mamadou can produce an array of standard takeout American breakfast fare in the morning and tasty American and Mediterranean offerings at lunch. Since its all assembled before your eyes by Mamadou & crew from the morning’s prep work, you can customize as much as you want. (This made me a loyal breakfast customer for many years.)
The glory of Bytes, though, is Mamadou’s Senegalese specials. (Call ahead — not everything is made every day!) The spicy peanut chicken stew is excellent, as are several other over-​rice options. The crowning glory is his Yassa Stew, a delicious mustard-​lemon-​onion concoction spiced to perfection. I could eat this twice a week for a year and be happy!
Bytes is take out only, but numerous surrounding pocket parks provide the seating that isn’t found in the store. Homemade teas are sometimes available, but otherwise canned and bottled waters, sodas, milks, and brewed coffee are your only beverages. You won’t care though, as the entrée will make your day!

First time here for a quick lunch and I will definitely be returning. Couple things:
1) Extremely friendly
2) Quick, which makes it a great lunch spot during work.
3) The menu looks very tasty. I ordered the special which was an onion curry with chicken over rice. Under $ 10, is priced perfectly. The food was amazing, great flavor, tender big pieces of chicken. Couldn’t ask for anything more from a spot like this.
Try it out, you will not be sorry.
4 Swords.

Just finished a big order mac and cheese, with chicken kabobs. First off the smell of everything was amazing even before going in, everything was fresh and hot. I didn’t know what allot of the food was so they gave me samples because they love the culture of their food and wanted me to make sure I not only get something I haven’t tried before but something I would like.
The pasta was great, not soggy and the cheese was a nice blend, and had a bit of kick to it! The chicken was well cooked, big chunks, and juicy in the middle, falling off the stick with each bite. If I wasn’t so full, I would have gotten more!
]price was good, cheaper than some other places in had around here. My advice… try the curry!

I wish I’d learned about this place sooner – the food is delicious and the service is wonderful!
I got the maafe with rice along with a tomato and cucumber salad for lunch. They didn’t skimp on the chicken in the maafe, and overall the portion size was more than fair. A great place to go if you’re craving flavors of West Africa/​North Africa/​the Middle East, or if you just want to interact with very friendly people!

They came and visited our Fort Point building doing on-​site lunch via Fooda. The Yaasa was scrumptious!

Eight months later and I’m still a daily visitor to this great lunch take-​out restaurant. There’s always something new to try, like today’s steak teriyaki with vegetable stir fry. It was awesome, tasted fresh and clean, and not heavy or unhealthy like a lot of other places can be. I’ll upload a pic. I’ve been on a paleo diet for a few months, and Bytes is always happy to accommodate. Don’t want rice? Extra hot sauce? Just ask! Super friendly and great food. Try out a special. Ask what smells so good and try it!

This place defines the meaning of «hidden gem» when it comes to places to eat.
It’s tucked away around some office buildings, literally a «hole in the wall», but that doesn’t prevent the food from delivering on a big level. If you’re looking for a great lunch spot in Cambridge, then look no further.
While you probably haven’t heard of Senegalese food, it’s definitely something you should try. Every day features a new special, like the yassa (a delicious dish of chicken and onion with a hard to describe mix of spices that you’ll just have to try) and a chicken peanut butter stew that has just the right amount of spiciness or items like the beef shawarma which are available every day. On top of that, each of these plates is served up with rice and salad, so you can have a nice balanced meal that doesn’t drag you down throughout the afternoon. If you’re looking for something more portable, you can always get a shawarma or felafel wrap, among other things, which are also quite good.
It may be hard to find, but when you do, I promise you’ll be back.

Local. Delicious. Friendly. Awesome.
Hidden off Sidney St in a back alleyway, this place is small on space and big on taste. Ever had Senegalese food? Mr. Senegal himself (owner/​operator) serves you with a smile… think lots of chickens, rices, delicious sauces… and some great veggie options. Inexpensive and good as it gets, the 4-​way falafel wrap (ask for spicy!) is huge and satisfies. Be lucky enough to go on a day with Samosas (pastries, baked or friend, with a meat mixture inside), and you’ll be the happiest guy/​gal returning to the office that afternoon.

Dude, you know what I’m craving right now for lunch?
Exactly. I live right next to this place and I never it until yesterday. This is straight up comfort food right here. I was having a shitty day, but the flavor in the beef shawarma made me feel so cozy. It was like a big ass teddy bear came up to me and gave me a hug. No homo.
There isn’t any room to sit, but the idea is to just eat outside or take your food back home or work. Sure, I made a mess eating it on the bare carpet, but given the color of the carpet I don’t think anyone will be able to tell. The succulent beef shawarma just melted in my mouth, and I must be crazy, but I’m thinking they used beef tenderloin for this. I wasn’t aware that you could get shawarma spicy or mild, but I went with the spicy and was pleasantly suprised to find out they din’t just put some sriracha sauce on it and wrapped it. It was spicy and a bucket of flavor. The veggies and greens were fresh as well, and you got the expected crunch from the crispy green lettuce.
All around, I was highly impressed with what they could accomplish in such a small space. I’m disappointed that their hours don’t extend a bit more into the afternoon/​evening and that they are closed on the weekends. But I don’t mind taking a 10 minute drive from work to go back home and enjoy some delicious food.
The owners are super friendly, and they genuinely care about your experience. Don’t hesitate.

I work in the area and frequent Bytes. I’ve only ever had their daily curry special, and every time it has been delicious! It can be super super spicy, so definitely ask for a taste if you are sensitive to spice. The owners and help are very sweet and kind. The only downside is they don’t take credit cards. It is hard to find, but not hard to get to once you know where it is.

I’ve had their $ 4 vegetarian wrap twice, it’s huge! The cost-​to-​nutrition-​and-​weight value is amazing. The only thing I would improve upon is the dryness of the wrap, I understand that it’ll drip if it’s too saucy, but at least put some sauce over the falafels. I’m a big fan of African peanut soup, and I can’t wait to try here that sometime.

Nice lunch spot. The specials are always good. I enjoy going here when I get tired of eating sandwiches every day.
The rice can be inconsistent (sometimes under cooked), so I try to avoid having that and opt for extra salad instead.

A total miniature dive lunch counter surrounded by huge MIT-​owned, pharma-​rented buildings! Very friendly owner and helpers from Senegal. No seating, bring it back to your place of business or eat outside if it’s nice out.
Breakfast until some reasonable hour (10am?), standard breakfast wraps and such– I haven’t tried it yet.
For lunch, ignore the big board on the back wall and look at the hand-​written daily menu. They usually always have beef shawarma and falafel wraps, but the Senegalese hot dish of the day changes– sometimes it’s the Yassa other posters mentioned, sometimes a different stew or curry.
By the way, the ubiquitous tomato-​and-​cucumber salad or «chutney» everyone refers to is called «fatouche» or «fattoush»… It is often served over lettuce and toasted flatbread, with certain herbs and sometimes onions. A classic Middle Eastern or North African dish.
Drinks selection is limited but they have basics such as Coke, Sprite, and chocolate milk. Chips and dessert selection also limited. But who cares, the real reason you come here is the warm & tasty main dish or wrap!
Totally fair prices on the wraps, which are huge, and cheaper than nearby gourmet sandwich joints. Other dishes come with sides and are quite filling. I don’t understand the poster who said it was expensive– this is Cambridge, baby!

The funny thing about this place is that from the sign and the name, you would expect it to be a generic corporate lunch place, but that really could not be farther from the truth. Instead, it’s a tiny little takeout place with quite varied homemade lunch options, American, Mexican, Middle Eastern, and even African.
That said, I think the featured attraction here is the Yaasa, a yummy Senegalese chicken stew served over rice and with a side tomato cucumber salad. It was my first time trying it, and I really enjoyed it.
Very friendly service. Also, the address is confusing, as it’s actually not on Sidney Street but instead on the other side of the big brick building at that address.

Not a bad little spot to snag a bite to eat. It’s a bit off the beaten path… not über close to the T, and it’s tucked away between various buildings. I think they probably get most of their business from the worker bees around here… at least that’s how I found out about this spot!
Cash only, subs, wraps, breakfast foods. I was told they were an «African» place, but they had a bunch of different options that I would say is not just African by any means. Not sure how I would classify them… but definitely an ethnic twist.
It’s super tiny, no place to eat inside. So… go on a nice day, grab your food, and then go enjoy the sunny tables in the courtyard immediately next to the building. Just remember your sunblock!

Bytes is my favorite tiny take-​out in Central Square! It’s a Senegalese food place that also makes standard breakfast and lunch stuff like wraps and subs (I don’t say subs, they’re all grinders to me but sometimes people look at me funny). All the food here is tasty and I could live off the cucumber/​tomato salad that comes as a side with all the dinners. I really like the Senegambian dish «Yassa» which is out of this world. In fact, this place is so cool I simply walk in and tell the owner to «gimme something good» and he always does, I suggest you try this.
Other things about Bytes: The staff is super friendly and polite, the owner likes to talk about soccer and they only accept poppy, cabbage, bread etc.