Cantina La Mexicana

Friends took us to Cantina La Mexicana on our trip to Boston and I'm so glad they did! The restaurant has a relaxed vibe, with several different seating areas. Service could have been quicker, but overall was congenial. Food overall was outstanding. The salsa was tasty, chips crunchy, and margaritas strong. The beef quesadillas were particularly delicious - definitely get them. Excited to come back!

Excellent tacos Al pastor (my favorite ) excellent margaritas , such personalized and friendly service , and a great low-key vibe. I loved it and will be back again. The owners were like family!

Food was tasty, the atmosphere was a little weird. One person was working at the register and brining the food to the table. They disappeared for 20 minutes so we just had to wait until they came back to get to go boxes. Honestly the food was worth the wait and would have even waited longer if necessary!

The food was tasty and delish but the atmosphere was weird. It was a Sunday afternoon and I was the only person eating there which is highly unusual because I heard that this place is busy on weekends. But at least the owner/waiter was attentive.

Great place if you are a vegetarian looking for mexican appetizers. Authentic vibes. We ordered 3 appetizers : Flautas, tamales and gordas grandes. Fulfilling and delicious. Enough no. of veg-friendly items.

Super tasty tacos. The steak was our favorite, but Baja fish and al pastor were both solid as well. The chicken empanadas were also definitely worth getting. The burrito wasn't my favorite, so I think I'll come here for the tacos mainly. The staff was super nice, and the vibe of the restaurant was fun!

The customer service was a little off not too friendly but overall a good experience for $4 tacos it wasn’t too bad. Grilled vegetable taco and Chorizo potato taco. Almost tasted like chili, potentially good but not very authentic tasting although the environment as well as staff make it seem like a more authentic Mexican restaurant experience. Service was fast, might I mention!

So glad to see this place is still here! Moved a little ways away a couple years ago and have missed it. Their patio out back is really cozy and their margaritas are as good (and strong) as I remember! Food was fast and tasty too.

Excellent tacos Al pastor (my favorite ) excellent margaritas , such personalized and friendly service , and a great low-key vibe. I loved it and will be back again. The owners were like family!

Came here on a Friday evening and the place was relatively empty at around 8pm. We came for takeout anyway and went to the counter to order - the process was efficient, although I will say that the person we talked to wasn't the nicest or didn't seem the most patient. Nonetheless, we got our food quite quickly and we waited outside in the meantime. They have a nice sitting area in front of the restaurant and the inside decor was pleasant - very warm and homey. The tacos themselves were really delicious, I found the filling plentiful and the flavor impactful. The pork was well seasoned and cooked well! I wouldn't mind coming by again to try their tacos or anything else in the future.

This place is really good for what it is : solid Mexican, Tex-Mex dishes made fresh with good ingredients. The owner is not too friendly but the waiters are great. Full bar is a plus! A favorite neighborhood joint.

Really good tacos! We got the potato and chorizo, al pastor and carne asada. While it was a little expensive, we were very happy with them glad we checked it out.

The food and the drinks at la Cantina are absolutely amazing! Thanks Bob for keeping everything so authentic

I've known this place since 5. I'm so glad it survived the pandemic. The horchata is refreshing, not overly sweet. Just perfect! My all time favorite item on the menu are the pork tamales!! But their nachos, fajitas and pork al pastor tacos are all really delicious. The chef is not only amazing at what she does but she's a delight to talk with. Ivan the waiter is pleasant and friendly. Oh and the sandia loca!! You just have to try it!!

Was here to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a couple people. I left disappointed with both the food and the service. Somehow it's not surprising reservations were available a couple days before, and weren't already booked up months in advance. Cantina La Mexicana had a special Cinco de Mayo menu! Tacos at the top of the list, with an included house margarita to boot! There was no way I was going to go for anything else. I opted for the Al Pastor variant of tacos. The table was started with chips and salsa. The chips were nothing to write home about, but the salsa was a disgrace. It seemed like something a college freshmen would make using canned tomatoes. Lacked any kind of freshness or punch. They do have four hot sauces, three of which I believe are house-made. One of them had a pleasant, delayed burn, they others didn't do much of anything for me or anyone else at my table. Also - be aware some of these cost money. The three tacos were small, and had a fair amount of meat for their size, but a teeny amount of finely diced onion and even less cilantro, and nothing else. The meat itself felt like it had come from a hotel pan, and lacked any kind of vibrancy. The onion brought a little freshness, but not enough to bring the tacos above a drab mediocrity. The house margarita was pretty run-of-the-mill, nothing remarkable, but strong enough to taste the alcohol within. I also had the tres leches for dessert. It was just about the only thing, except for one of hot sauces that had any redeeming qualities. It generally had good flavor, a lot of sweetness (almost too much), and it was absolutely soaked (though I think this might be normal). All of this is bad enough, the final nails in the coffin came from the service. I will give them props for being kind, but that's about as much props as I can give. The service was remarkably inattentive in more ways than one, or even two. We had to flag down our server for just about anything from placing our drink order, and getting water refills. Worse still, two other people at my table ordered the taco special, and did not get the margarita which is included with their meals. Smaller service issues I will mention also: when placing a taco order I wasn't asked which variety I wanted, had I not remembered to tell my server before he departed the table, I don't know what I would have gotten. When asking for the hot sauces, and requesting all four, one of them was forgotten, and I only found out later they were not free. If there is any day when a Mexican restaurant has to make sure they impress, it's Cinco de Mayo, and this was a miss on all fronts.

This place is great!! The owner was incredibly nice, and gave us some tacos that they're debuting next week, and they were SO GOOD. We also got the chicken enchiladas, and my boyfriend cleaned his plate, so I'm assuming he liked it. I got the steak chile rellenos and they were FANTASTIC! We'll definitely be going here again. The margaritas were also so so good! Only thing is to make sure you order from their website and NOT the grabull that pops up on google since then they don't get their tips through that website!! All in all, we'll totally go back and we'll recommend it to anyone who loves good mexican food!

I had a wonderful dinner here this past Saturday night. My party showed up late in the evening and despite that fact we were quickly seated. The food came out right away and was excellent. After our meal the owner came over and treated us to a tasting of their home made salsas, cookies, and other delights. I think we probably sat there chatting with him for over an hour until we left full and happy. 10/10, great time and can't wait to go back to visit our new friend Robert.

Kind service, great food! Had the steak burro and the steak was fantastically seasoned, great amount of sour cream too!

Wonderful neighborhood spot that's been around since 1995. It should have a much bigger crowd in each night. Really great, authentic food options and a yummy expansive drink list. Definitely stop by if you're tired of getting let down by the 'trendy' Cambridge/Somerville options that never seem to stack up with the hype.

After a few years of consideration. This is the one restaurant that lives rent free in my head for being the worst place I've ever eaten at. Yes it's been 4 years since I've been there.

I love this place. The owner is very friendly and he is always around to help us with anything. My favorite dish is the chicken enchiladas. Can't wait for the summer to enjoy the outdoor patio.

They always have amazing margaritas, great food and the excellent service. The owner is a great guy! I go hear at least once a month.

Probably the last time I trust "good reviews" on Yelp. Ordered what was probably the most flavorless burrito I've had in my life. Ordered a large steak and ate what can be only described as mouthfuls of papier-mâché. The meat had no flavor and that was only offset by the mild taste of the guacamole at best. A little salt wouldn't have killed. Hell, even chipotle is a step up. It was really that bad. Pretty disappointed. Order from amigos burritos or Ana's Tacqueria; they are a thousand times better.

Need to come to this place more often. The food is great and the owner is incredibly nice. There is a decent sized patio in the back if you're looking to eat outside, or there are usually a few tables out front.

Great food -- best burrito in Boston! But the guy working at front won't wear a mask despite the many signs posted throughout the restaurant mandating it.

Learned recently they have a GoFundMe for the restaurant about times being tough during COVID. Well, Robert the owner, maybe you should wear a mask instead of having it hang under your chin, before begging for money due to COVID.

This place is good but kind of pricey. Entrees start at about $26. They have a nice lil set up outside. We ordered some tacos the steak tacos are phenomenal. The shrimp ones I didnt like so much because it had cabbage in it. But I just took the shrimp and added to one of my steak tacos and it was delightful. We ordered pineapple sodas and they came warm she gave us cups of ice but we had to leave and the cups were an inconvenience

I'll admit that I'm a little sentimental about this place since I've been coming here since before I could say "guacamole." It's not worth eating in the restaurant, just roll up to the counter and load up on the delicious Mexican food you know you've been craving. I'm obsessed with the nachos here! Maybe the chips lose a tiny bit of their crunch on the drive home, but the meat is always that awesome combination of crunchy and fatty, and the tomato sauce is great. (Just realized how crazy it is that I repeatedly shell out $7.50 for nachos... but that just tells you how good they are!) The salsa is definitely heavy on the onion, but I don't mind (at least until I try to brush my teeth). Even the rice and refried beans are full of flavor! The beans are kind of liquidy--they're almost like a bean sauce?--but then you can mix them around with everything else on your plate. Go to Anna's if you want a burrito, come here if you want a feast of enchiladas, chiles rellenos, tamales... I like to get a combo (like the appropriately named "Union Square Gringo" = 2 enchiladas, 2 flautas, 2 tamales) to savor a little bit of all of the above.

We love this place. It's always delicious. And the owner is terrific. We brought my brother here the night before a bike race and he says the burrito was the reason he finished!

I've been here a couple times Complimentary chips with salsa are irresistible. MOLE SAUCE- I found out recently that you can ask for it with a variety of dishes, and I highly recommend that you do. There is another spicy sauce (the name escapes me at the moment) that is also good. MARGARITAS- By the pitcher. Do it. I would come here over El Potro (the other burrito joint in Union Sq.) 9 times out of 10.

Cantina was my first outdoor dining experience in the pandemic, and I couldn't have been happier! Their outdoor seating feels very safe and the service was amazing. Their drink menu is fantastic and their chips are my absolute favorite. This spot is a local gem!!!

I'm a Mexican from California so I know for a fact to not expect too much of Mexican restaurants out here. I am extremely cautious when going to a "Mexican " restaurant not because I am a snob but because having crappy Mexican food just makes me regret not cooking it myself plus it just truly hurts my soul. The service was OK and the food did come pretty fast. The biggest issue was basically the false advertisement. I ordered an Al Pastor burrito, it was not Al Pastor. I'm really hoping the restaurant sees this because what I got was shredded meat? If you know Al Pastor you know that the way that it is cooked and cut is basically the whole point. Al pastor should never come shredded. It basically didn't even taste have a hint of taste of its necessary marinate. It was truly disappointing and cold as well. Like I said I know finding really good AUTHENTIC Mexican food out here is hard. SO if you at least want anything close to the real thing do not waste your time here.

Must try if you are in Union Square area. My friend and I sat at the bar and the bartender even let us try a new cocktail flavor - fresh strawberry and mango with tequila. I had a small appetite and did not try their signature dishes. The tacos were authentic and filling. My friend loved his entree too. Nice ambience and very good service.

I had a nice enough meal this evening. But after we paid, with 3 or 4 other tables in the restaurant, one of which was actively eating, my friend told me that none of the bathrooms were open so we had to leave because she needed the restroom. I was flabbergasted. There were at least 12 people still in the restaurant. We left about an hour ago (and yelp says they are still open). Before we left I asked our waiter, who was just sitting at the bar with another employee, and the waiter said that everyone paid so all of the bathrooms are closed. What? Seriously wtf? I turned and saw that the two top to my left was still eating. I had to ask again, clearer, and got the same response. Even after I said that my friend needed the restroom. Seriously, not cool. They couldn't have cared less. I wish I could've taken back my credit card slip to give no tip. And I wish that I could give zero stars.

Artificial tasting margaritas that were way too sweet, didn't like the food either, cold chips and salsa that didn't look homemade, wish I could get my money back :(

Took my gf here per recommendation from a friend from Mexico (usually a good sign). I will add a caveat that this is 5-stars for Boston/New England Mexican food, as I grew up in CO and had some pretty great authentic Mexican there, so I'm kind of spoiled. The real test will be sending my friend from San Antonio here to see what she thinks, I'll try to update the review with her thoughts. To start, the margaritas were amazing! They put a lot of heart into these (not just a pre mix) and the flavors are awesome! between the two of us, we had a mango habanero and a Rosemary ginger, both were spot on. You can tell they mean business because they have a whole page in the three page menu dedicated to tequilas! The food was great as well, good chips and salsa, chips weren't warm but homemade salsa was perfectly spicy and chunky and more than made up for it. I think chips were homemade too, nice and thick. We each got fajitas (a shrimp and a chicken) and both were delicious. Service was also great. We'll definitely be back!

5+infinityandbeyobd#Dear Santa Thank you for letting me know TexMex is real authentic here in midst of a classic winter season. Food arrived tasting real, warm, clean and true. Simply yum. Idk app used for delivery; chips and salsa crisp w fresh guac, and tamales enchiladas and tacos perfectly warm. I promise to change review if I get hives. Love you! No pictures bc well it is yummy! How about pecan sandies and tres leches all natural on that menu?

The food was delicious and the owner was very helpful and came to the table to give us free food and drink and have fun conversion. We split a nachos but it was soooo much food that we took moat of it home. Delicious

The best DRINKS, Mexican food, and service in Somerville for sure. Unassuming atmosphere + great burritos, tacos, chilaquiles, bloody Mary's, excellent margaritas. Love sitting at the bar. Highly recommend this place.

The guacamole is served as large chunks of avocado and not mashed. Enough said. Food is otherwise consistently lacking flavor and margaritas are too sweet.

After dining here recently for a friend's birthday, I now have 3 reasons for a return visit. 1. MARGARITA PITCHERS. The house flavor was the best (and lowest-priced). My friends also enjoyed the jalapeño. The "smoked cactus" flavor had mixed reviews - good if you're into smoky cocktails; I personally wish the pureed pear ingredient was more pronounced. 2. Complimentary CHIPS & SALSA. *Warning: highly addictive!! 3. PORK AL PASTOR tacos. Perfect combination of flavor, texture, and fresh toppings on toasty tortillas. *Bonus 4th reason: MOLE SAUCE. Special request this and pour it over your rice. Fun fact: the secret ingredient in mole sauce is dark chocolate :) Service was efficient for our group of 12, but could've been more personable esp. since we were celebrating a special occasion. Atmosphere was casual and quiet for a Friday night. Public parking lot right in front.

Okay, so did you see the pic of the "Made to order" guacamole that I posted? As far as I know, that was not guacamole. I mean I have no Mexican roots whatsoever, so maybe I have absolutely no idea what I'm talking about, but I have never seen guacamole that looks like it is basically chopped up avocado mixed with pico de gallo. And honestly, I probably would not have been so upset about it if it actually tasted good. I know, you're thinking what could possibly be bad about chopped up avocado? Um... the fact that it is not ripe and pretty much still hard and virtually tasteless for $11!!! Ugh, I am annoyed just thinking about it. I mean if you had at least mushed it up maybe the texture would not have been quite so noticable? Anyway, the rest of the meal was not much better. The pulled pork was dry, though once smothered in sauce, it was slightly more edible. the grilled avocado, was again, a hard, unripe avocado that had been slight warmed. My mixed plate of a taco, enchilada and chile relleno was fine as all three items were pretty much drowning in cheese, and there wasn't much else you could taste anyway. All of that and a couple of beers for upwards of $50 and we left knowing that we would never be back. There is nothing I hate more than spending good money on mediocre food.

We ordered delivery (Yelp Eat24) as we were busy with school work. The order form had a separate area for choosing red or green sauce. Simple enough you would think, however, both dinners that were selected to have green sauce and both which clearly showed up on the order, were wrong. The "custom burro" and the chile relleno both had arrived with a dark sauce that was not very good. This was a bummer as we then needed to find some food after waiting 90 minutes for the incorrect order. I will say this, Eat24 has been fantastic correcting orders so far. You just email them, I usually include photo of whatever the issue is and they promptly take care of it. The custom burro was large bit mostly just rice and very little fish, more like the pez pequeño burro. Eat24 is like the Amazon.com of food delivery! See photos.

Tacos here are delicious! The service is good and the man who ran the place was really friendly and fun to talk to. We sat in the back patio which was really cool, kinda hidden. Walked by at first and didn't even know it was open because the lights at the corner door weren't on but when we walked around we saw a bunch of people eating at the back patio. Also has street side seating but didn't try that. Good place and I recommend trying it!

Had the chicken and steak enchiladas.....Yummmmmmmmmm! I lived in Texas for years and this food reminds me of good ole Mexican food. A true gem and worth going to. I will come back for more the next time I am in the area.

I've been at your Restaurant twice, and Alyssa has waited on us. I have to say that i have NEVER been so Well treated in my entire Life like She did with us. This waitress is very very Kind and She knows How to make a Client feel like a King or a queen!!! Thanks for having such a Good Service ! Best regards, Aida Anasagasti

We came here a little while ago with a Groupon, and had a truly delightful experience! Let me start with the clear highlight (this one is a no-brainer) - the margarita I had was incredible. I literally just ordered a "classic on the rocks," but what I ended up drinking was pure margarita gold. It was certainly not skimpy on the alcohol (while still having great flavor), which I consider to be a very key attribute of a good margarita... The food was tasty as well - I ordered the chicken enchiladas, and was given the choice of red vs. green sauce (I went with the green, and was satisfied with my selection). The portion sizes were generous, and I had plenty of leftovers to accompany my very fully belly as we left the restaurant. I also really appreciated the ambiance of this place - we went on a weekday night, and it was quiet (but not dead), and it had just the right amount of festive vibes, while still feeling intimate. I don't think I would have discovered this place if not for the Groupon, but I'm very glad that I did!

Portions are small and they'll most certainly rip you off if you order online through grub hub. These dudes stiffed me. Basically paid $25 for a tortilla, some dry chicken, and 1 ounce of guac. Was missing portions of my order and they wouldn't answer their phone to handle the grub hub issues.

I love going here with my friends and getting a pitcher of margs. Get the mango margs (and spicy if you're into that)! The food is really decent and the staff are so kind and friendly.

Great place! Nicely divided into an area for takeout and a nice dining room for sit-down meals. Really love the Chiles Rellenos!

The drinks are amazing and the chicken fajitas are so good! The only thing I would say is to add more vegetables to the fajitas! The portion was perfect and they give you sour cream and avocado with the plate which is a huge deal for me! Most place charge extra but it was complimentary! Must go here!

All the dishes were very fresh. Fresh ingredients, platted very well and not thrown together even though they were very busy. The place was packed (it was Cinco de Mayo). The salsa was definitely hand made (a bit spicy) but delicious none the less. The staff were very friendly and inviting. Drinks were strong, but good. Great drink selection. Menu was limited, but all you needed. I would go again.

Ill keep it brief. I enjoyed the food, atmosphere and options of the menu. Ive stuck to one Mexican place prior to this because I like their vegetarian options and Ive never been enticed by another restaurants vegetarian options but this place had a great veggie torta!While I was there I seen they g Have vegan options as well so next time I will be trying that out! I also enjoyed my blood orange margarita! I think Ive found a new spot!

Dined here a few weeks ago with my daughter. To cut to the chase, the food tasted terrible. I've never in my life had bad Mexican food. I didn't think it was possible. I ordered the fish tacos and as soon as my plate was placed before me I could smell the fish odor. Fish should not smell. I reluctantly took a bite and it was as bad as I feared. I asked the server to return the dish and said something was wrong with it. Meanwhile, my daughter who NEVER has a bad thing to say about restaurant food leaned toward me and said her steak enchilada did not taste good either. They get two stars because they replaced my order (which whatever it was, don't care to remember), did not charge for either of my meals, and profusely apologized. Not sure how most folks who eat here "stomach" the food. Must be the drinks??

Had al pastor and chicken tacos from here and both were good but the al pastor was really flavorful and delicious! I've also had their baja fish plate which was solid. The service is always fantastic and the owner is very friendly. Highly recommend!

We brought my girlfriend's mother here for a mother's day brunch with a group of eight people and were promptly seated. The chips and salsa that were brought out were tasty and fresh and our servers were attentive throughout the evening. I appreciate that they let me customize my chilaquiles to have the addition of carne asada that made for some delicious bites along with the egg yolks and red sauce. I felt that the pitchers of red and white sangria that we got went quickly amongst so many people but that they were very strong and refreshing. I would definitely come back again for a hearty, delicious Mexican brunch.

I have been meaning to write this review for a long time. My wife and children have been coming here for over a year and when we walk we are treated by the owners daughter and she makes us feel right at home! The service is perfect and we always get the pulled pork tamales, the are perfect every time. Ask for a little extra green sauce. I am from Chicago and have lived in Boston area for 9 years and I did get spoiled with great Mexican food living in Chicago, but now I am spoiled again in Boston ! Thank you La Cantina! We will see you soon.

Randomly stopped by here on a Wednesday night and the owner who was behind the bar was extremely friendly and greeted us with a sample of one of his signature drinks. Talk about great customer service. This might be my new favorite Mexican joint in Boston. They have a a takeout location next door to their sit down restaurant. The restaurant appears to not have been renovated since the late 1980's but I think that adds to the character of this place. Here is a quick list of what we had: Berkshire pork shoulder tacos - outstanding! perfectly tender and marinated in some kind of red sauce. It was a little oily but that didn't take away from how awesome it was. Tamale - one of the best tamales I've had outside my own kitchen Shrimp plate - The lady really liked it, so I am taking her word on this one.