Cystic metastasis in the neck from pharyngeal cancer has often been mistaken for either primary squamous cell carcinoma of branchiogenic origin or branchial cleft cyst. The distinctive histological and clinical features of cystic metastasis reviewed after its correct indentification can lead to the discovery of an unsuspected primary lesion and result in specific treatment options. Recendy, the authors experienced three cases of cystic metastasis in the neck from pharyngeal cancer ; one was from nasopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma and the other two were from tonsillar squamous cell carcinomas. This report summarizes our experiences and review of the literatures.