Alma Cantina

Came here a few months ago with my boyfriend while on a day trip. We started off with chips and salsa which were good. I didn’t like it at first but the more I ate it, the more it grew on me. I don’t remember the name of our appetizer but we both liked it. For our meal we had birria tacos. They were pretty good. The service was great, our server was so nice and welcoming to us. I would come here again.

Love it. Fun cocktails, although I’d be embarrassed to say most of their names aloud. Nachos were awesome! I really liked the bartender — a no-nonsense kind of guy who is obviously very good at his job and can mix a drink in about 10 seconds flat. The place was all decorated for Christmas during our visit, which was lovely.

Stopped by this Mexican spot while walking the Freedom Trail near Faneuil Hall—great late-night find! We ordered the shrimp burrito bowl, birria tacos, and a shrimp burrito. The bowl was fresh and flavorful, with perfectly cooked shrimp and just the right balance of toppings. The birria tacos were absolutely delicious—juicy, rich, and packed with flavor. I would’ve loved the shrimp burrito more if it didn’t have the heavy layer of tomato sauce on top, which overpowered the rest a bit. That said, the staff was friendly, the vibe was casual and welcoming, and it’s open late—a major bonus for Boston. Overall, a solid experience

Sat at the bar and had a great time! The birria tacos were delicious and the perfect portion, had the red sangria with that and it was perfect. Rueben was the bartender and made a killer espresso martini for me to pair with the churro cake! Pricing is amazing with the quality of the food/drinks, definitely recommend! Didn’t take pictures of the birria tacos because they were gone in less than five minutes lol

Very tasty Mexican food, one of the best I ever had, especially the ribs, crispy but not dry. The shrimp ceviche also ok, except the tortillas were a little too hard. Chicken in the taco is very well tuned and tasty.

used to love this place when they had street corns, I used to go almost every day for it. I went one night to get the street corns like I always do. But the bartender was miserable I asked what happened to the street corns he answered “do you see it on the menu” I responded “no” he said “so we don’t have it” after that I never went back to this place. Only thing that would bring me and all my friends back is the street corn (even tho the service was bad I’m giving 4 stars because the food was amazing)

OK food. Went before dinnertime and the bartender had to do double-duty of tending to drinks and tables. Music was terribly loud.

If you want something different yet AMAZING than the rest of the area (only pub food or Italian/north end), come to Alma! Best AUTHENTIC Mexican food in downtown Boston, HANDS DOWN! The birria tacos & quesadilla are my fav, but also, don’t sleep on their Ramen! Finally some fairly priced drinks, with service that doesn’t make you wait a crazy amount of time. The staff make you feel seen and take the time to explain what items are instead of saying “good”. They just added Golden Tee, which is a great way to spend an hour. In an area of so many tourist traps, this spot and its regulars more resembles a Boston bar than any other cheap trick that falsely claims to be th oldest or first blah blah blah, when it’s simply just not true.

Lunch here. Good Mexican done well nice array of traditional Mexican dishes and some cool spins like Birria Ramen. Service was great and the beer list was decent having some local craft on tap as well.

On my recent trip to Boston, when I was craving to try good Mexican food near the North End, I discovered Alma Cantina, and voila, I was happy to see some vegetarian options. This cantina tucked right in the lanes while walking towards North End has a great connectivity to the T-station and downtown area. the I entered, and the live music impressed me. The whole vibe of the golf to keep engaged was fantastic. Talking about food and the service, it disappointed me to the core. For god sake, who on earth forgets my guac order and when trying to see a server, we get to see no one for at least 30 minutes. The sweet potato taco and the corn dip were decent, but the service was something I would recommend getting in check. And again, for paying for our check, we waited for over 15 minutes, when the restaurant wasn't too busy. It ruined my whole experience.

Was looking for a fun spot for drinks and a bite with friends so walked in this spot. We were seated right away on a weekday dinner time for a group of about 6. Service was friendly and patient as we took some time to decide our order. We ordered chips and chicken wings with our drinks. The chicken was too spicy for me but the chips were crispy and quite good. Whole vibes were bright and lively, the music was way too loud and in the end had a hard time hearing even from folks right next to me.

Stopped in trying to give the east coast a chance with Mexican food lol. Ordered a Paloma it was made well except I forgot I prefer it with squirt. But I was able to drink it down. Cute decor music was just the right level. Ordered some shrimp ceviche and I was pleasantly surprised. It was also just the right size for me! I kinda wish they offered free chips and salsa but I was a happy the ceviche was good. It was a lot of shrimps which isn't always the case at other restaurants. Servers were quick and friendly. Will for sure visit on a visit out here to Boston.

This was such a shame. We walked in, and it appeared that online the food looked delicious. My husband has never been known to not eat something and we both couldnt even attempt to force ourselves to eat the queso fritas. The cheese almost tasted rotten. The elote only tasted of lime. The nachos appeared with fresh ingredients but the meat had no taste. When our food arrived, we noticed that there were about 3 to 4 mice crawling through the walls under the table across from us. Our server was super nice, but I watched him clean his face and scratch his head with the towel that he was using to clean items at the bar on top of that. He went to pour a shot and I overheard him say "that's disgusting" because there was something floating inside of one of the alcohol bottles which he then threw away the entire bottle. Needless to say, I think they need to make some changes. I give 2 stars for just presentation of food.

Alma Cantina brings bold flavors and good energy right into the heart of Boston. The vibe is vibrant and colorful -- perfect for a fun night out, but still cozy enough to settle in and enjoy your meal without rushing. The food was fresh, flavorful, and full of personality. From the tacos to the sides, everything felt thoughtfully made and packed with that perfect balance of spice, texture, and comfort. Whether you're there for a full dinner or just some small plates and drinks, Alma delivers a solid, satisfying experience. It's one of those places that makes you want to come back and try everything on the menu -- and honestly, I just might.

Great service and so accommodating to food allergies and dietary restrictions. Fun vibe, good portions.

We stopped in this place simply because we were in a hurry and this place did not have a wait. And we were glad we did! The nachos with carne asada were probably the best nachos I've ever had. The Tex-mex wagyu tacos were delicious also. Even the wings were top notch!

We had food here late in the evening as we had just flew in and it was one of the few places still open. The bartender was pretty short and not super friendly. We ordered some tacos and they were surprisingly tasty and just the right size. Given we have plenty of spots in SF, I did feel it pricey but you quickly forget when you see the portions and taste the flavor. In terms of the bar, nothing out of the ordinary.

Place looked very nice and clean. The bar tender was by herself for the entire restaurant. There wasn't that many people it was late afternoon. Food was ok. You do get a lot of food. I was a bit disappointed that the chicken was very pink. Flavors were great on everything but couldn't finish the chicken quesadilla once I saw the meat.

Megan was the best , the Birria tacos were amazing . And the old fashioned's were spot on , made with love . I'll be back ... they haven't seen the last of me

Not sure how to feel about Alma. My tacos were really good (loved the tacos al pastor) but a friend's birria tacos were really dry. We agreed that the Baja fish tacos were amazing though. Drinks were good, too! Service was quick and friendly and the place had a great atmosphere overall.

Got the nachos and the fish tacos along with a coconut and strawberry margarita. The margaritas were so delicious and refreshing. The nachos are good but didn't have many toppings, the fish tacos were delicious when topped with Valentina. the ambiance was nice but the music is quite loud inside. The service was friendly too.

Alma Cantina is located amongst a multitude of different options near Faneuil Hall and Government Center. I stopped by with a friend after seeing the positive reviews and was not disappointed. The staff was friendly and overall the service was great. We were promptly served our drinks (no alcohol this time!) and enjoyed the conversation to some great songs. I ordered the smothered burrito and it was incredibly tasty and flavorful. The food was ready in very little time, which is great for people trying to find a quick spot for a good bite to eat. There is plenty of sauce and they do not spare on the fillings! Definitely worth checking out and especially kind service!

I enjoyed my dinner of tacos here. The food is good and affordable. There weren't too many people the day I arrived for an early dinner. The space is a dim cavern. The staff is pretty nice. I'd visit again when in Boston.

Good late night spot with good happy hour prices also Meat in tacos a lil too fat tho Good service Shepherds pie empanadas was fire

Desperate for some late night food and alma pulled thru- we were rushing and asked what would come out the fastest. We got the chicken nachos to go and they came within 3 minutes despite the place being decently busy. The chicken was well done, queso was a bit bland but the chips weren't drenched in it like some places will do. Would come back!

Highly recommend the food at this cantina. The birria tacos with consume was delicious. My Hubby had the carne asada fries and we shared the elotes. We got there in the later part of the evening so service was a lot quicker and we give our server a 5 out of 5. By that point we had to hurry as after a certain time the menu is very limited. We sat near the window to enjoy the ambiance of the street also. Cool vibes and the music was pretty good. No complaints, our appreciation to the cocinero muchas gracias!

Very happy that we tried this place, because the food and the drinks were very good. However, the service was average. They weren't overly busy during the time that we went, however, I do only recall seeing two people, and every table was full. So perhaps that is why. I forgot to take pictures of the food, because we were so hungry, hungry, but we took advantage of the Tuesday night, taco special, and the smothered burrito, and the burger. All were very good, and would highly recommend anybody ordering. The chips were absolutely delicious, however, I will say you don't get very much salsa and queso when you order the appetizer. Overall, definitely worth trying.

Seems like a solid spot for the area. All of the bars nearby are irish pubs/dive bars. This one is similar but has mexican food. I had a good experience while in the area with a friend on a saturday night and I would go back! FYI, its very loud in there so please bring your best, loudest voices and full lung capacity if you intend on actually having conversation across your table. Nachos were OK (it was drenched in some sort of cheese sauce which I wasn't a fan of), street corn was pretty good! No complaints. I think some nights they also have a live band that plays in the venue which would make it a great choice for a date night or a fun night out w friends.

Great margaritas, service, and atmosphere! Definitely going to make this a place to go when I'm back in Boston.

Based on the reviews I was expecting this place to be better, but my friend and I had a lovely time nonetheless. We came here on a Tuesday lunch, we were the only ones, must be more of a dinner place. Tuesday is taco day so you can get three tacos for $14. I ordered the fish, shrimp and carnitas. The carnitas was too heavy on the meat, the fish was a bit soggy, the shrimp one was pretty good. They brought us a choice of three different hot sauces which I appreciated. We also had a side order of seasoned fries, the serving was generous and the fries were delicious, fresh off the fried and seasoned with what seemed taco seasoning.

The margaritas here are so delicious! My friend and I stopped by at night for a drink and were able to get a table right away. I got the blackberry margarita and loved it! The staff that work here are also very sweet. I highly recommend checking alma cantina out if you're in the area!

This place was great! Came here for a private party and we had a blast. Staff were very efficient and handled drinks + food for about 90 people. I had one of the best strawberry margaritas of my life here, and the chips & guacamole complimented it beautifully! We had some space to dance here and room to mingle too - we'll certainly be back if we're in the area again!

We have traveled to A LOT of states, especially along the souther border. Alma Cantina is killing it with their tacos and nachos. It is an oralgasim for the sense. Absolute flavor explosion. Can't even post pictures because we devoured the food so quick.

Late night in winter comfort food winner! This is the place in Boston to come after 11 pm to get that burger or in my case Carne Asada fries. Amazing service, vibes, music m, sports and people who are in town for work, travel or whatever. Check it out.

So mad! I went there for APPS and two drinks paid, and decided to have two more and recharged us for everything in total.

Food was top notch, nachos were some of the best I've ever had service was good and the ambiance was great outside.

The ambience of this place was bizarre for lunch. Seems more like a dinner/drinks place. The food wasn't great and tasted a little funky. The guac was really good though. Service was great and our server was wonderful, which was arguably the best part of the experience. The music was absolutely awful. Sad club music by the same artist over and over again. You can only listen to autotune for so long. I feel sad to write such a bad review, but considering the other reviews, I wanted to be accurate.

I've never had worse experience in my life and I work in the same industry. I've never posted yelp reviews before, so I decided to do it for this place. Bartender was the worst. She came over to a table and said: "you ready". After that she threw drinks at the bar and waited on us to go and pick it up on our own even though we were sitting at the table. I've never experienced something like this in my life. So rude and unprofessional, it's insane. Do not go there! I just wanna make sure you know it was Monday 23rd, 9:55 and female person was being the bar

Amazing 4-5 tacos. The prime rib and pulled pork were delicious. Also loved the standards Margarita as week as the mango beer

Best nachos I ever had! The queso was to die for. Drinks were yummy. Can't wait to go back!

Went for drinks after a graduation. We made an excellent choice with this place. Margaritas were top notch (go spicy). Topped it off with Birria Tacos which had a softish flaky shell with tender savory beef and delish consomé. Party atmosphere which was very neon but go there. Open late too.

We stopped here because we left Fenway Park and were hungry. There were a lot of bars open, but most stop serving food by 10 PM. They were desperate and were just happy to have a meal, but this place is legit! We ordered street tacos. The soft tacos were amazing! Yum!! we tried to get in two days later to watch the Celtics win the championship, but they were packed and had a line going out the door. Great place to watch a game and grab a snack. It's not too far from the TD garden.

Located among Irish pubs and sports bars, this Mexican restaurant offers a different feel. That said, it was underwhelming at best. No regular salsa, only verde, which is better than most verde. Tacos lack flavor. Burrito bowel was very basic. The street corn was smothered in cheese in an overwhelming manner. There is much better Mexican in Boston.

The house sour mix in the margaritas makes them fantastic! It is a guarded secret recipe, and it does run out. Therefore, it's a great place for spring day drinking. The margaritas have excellent variations like the spicy cucumber variant. The shrimp ceviche was perfect. The chips are flour, salted and peppered, thus addictive. Enjoy the view of Faneuil Hall from the outside tables.

In Boston for work and I was looking for a quick place to grab lunch. Alma had their door open so I popped in. Their kitchen didn't open for another half hour but they graciously told me to come in and they'd take care of me. My food arrived super fast and all of the staff were very friendly and accommodating. The food was really good too. I'll definitely drop by when I'm back in town.

Completely lost my appetite...spotted a mouse running from the other end of the restaurant around and under my table. Was given the excuse that it was because the door was open and then handed my check. Pretty disgusting :/

Loved the outdoor seating and the food was delicious! Recommend the huge nachos!

My favorite spot to hang out in Haymarket area! Service and ambiance is pretty great! And one of the best things is that they are open late. Food is also one of the reasons I come here, you can beat $4 tacos!

Wow! All I have to say is WOW! My taste buds are literally screaming with delight! My friend and I were visiting from Cali and were hungry after midnight and had finally decided we were going to McDonalds or something of the sort. However, we came across Alma Cantina. I looked at my friend and said we'll at least the food will be edible. Being Mexican and from Cali we didn't expect much. We were BLOWN away!! I had the pork belly tacos and they were pretty much the best I'd ever had. My friend had the chicken tacos and I know what you're thinking... their chicken??! But no! It was the seasonings and how tender and moist the chicken was. We also shared the street corn and as my friend said... it was delightful!

Staying overnight for a cruise and we decided to give it a try. We decided on the nachos, we weren't very hungry. They were really good! The server, big bearded, handsome guy, was great!

This place is horrid.We walked in &we weren't greeted at all.A customer went behind the bar to get glasses So unsanitary.We ordered Carne Asada Fries and it was disgusting the meat was so chewy &it had a whole onion on it. A lady had left the bar &everyone in the joint (even workers) started to talk about her even though she was only minding her business,very rude.Once we were sat with food we were forgotten about we got the check &we had to walk up to the bar ourselves (forgotten about again) to pay & still waited?? Horrible service &food.

Ordered some chicken enchiladas. Were not good at all. The chicken felt moist and did not enjoy taste. Service was quick. The carne asada fries were made well done and tacos de carnitas were tasty per my girlfriend. Thanks.

Had the cantina burger on special night. Really good for a great price. The place is in a good location, so it was surprising it was so empty. It was nice to go out to eat in Boston without spending a fortune, and the ambience is cool. Bar like atmosphere.

I really enjoy this place, and anyone knowing me would say I can't be objective ( because it's great). However, I live nachos. And have tried them in several places. All ranked well. Tonight I had them here. Hands down, best! Huge portion, and fantastic cheese. As well as all ingredients. I have enough for at least another meal, and because everything is so fresh, maybe two. Thank you Won't let me add stars. 5. Across the board I'm in

Funny story about this place. We stumbled in here cause it was pouring rain and we wanted to wait out the rain. Long story short we had some drinks and food. Great place in Boston! The food was phenomenal and they had great drinks such as margaritas. We got the carne asada fries and pollo nachos and holy moly it was delicious. If you are in the area please check it out! Plus the service was amazing.

Stopped in for the first time late night for a bite to eat. I settled on the carne asada. More than I could eat and very scrumptious paired with a margarita!

Tacos were whack. Chris was cool though I like Chris. He's the kinda guy you'd invite to your bachelor party or a road trip.