Picante Taqueria

Very nice taqueria, located on a main street with metered parking. Pleasant and colorful interiors, clean restroom. Good service, fresh and tasty food. They also serve tortas (sandwiches) which is not something you see in every taqueria. The birria tacos are pretty tasty but they are greasy and not filling for lunch, you may wanna also get chips and guacamole or rice on the side.

Came here for a quick bite after the Tufts college visit. Was recommended by a former tufts student and was pleased. It’s a very short walk from the campus and the food was very well prepared and flavorful. Would definitely recommend it

DELICIOUS, chicken quesadilla was incredible, everything was so fresh and cooked perfectly. Churros also 11/10!!! Love Picantes, they were so kind and service was very fast. Highly highly recommend

What a cute and local shop! Walked in and loved all the colors and beautiful decorations. I was welcomed right when I came in. Both workers were extremely kind and made my food great! Had a chimichanga, it was fresh ano made right before my eyes. It honestly is probably one of the best l've had. I took it home to eat and got the queso on the side. I can't wait to come back here in the future! Lots of Great options.

Fantabulous Mexican food. Fresh as fresh can be. Great service with a smile. Must visit.

The food and service here are top-notch! I'm always greeted with a smile, and I've never had a bad experience with the food. I always grab a bowl on my way into the city when I'm short on time, and it's just the perfect portion. 10/10!

We came in town from Memphis Tennessee for a congress. I wanted good tacos and according to the reviews I thought this place would be a good fit. I’m not sure if it’s a northern thing but people are just rude! Walked in and not acknowledged whatsoever. Just looked at up and down and not a single word said to me. I walked out. I don’t care where or how you’re raised but as a business owner myself, customers are always acknowledged and greeted.

Wonderful restaurant with some of the best Mexican food in Somerville-single-handedly feeds the entire Tufts student population

Came in to grab a late dinner for my niece and myself: we got chicken quesadilla, chicken burrito, steak al pastor tacos, and a carnitas chimichanga. Everything was delicious, the tacos were good and the tortillas held up well. The quesadilla was one of the favorites, I found it weird that it came wrapped but it was outstanding nonetheless. My niece had the burrito but ran away to eat in her room and simply said "thanks, it was good" which probably means more than good. The Chimichanga didn't get eaten until 16 hours later for my lunch at work---I ate it cold and it was bomb.com. I added jalapenos--which offered more of a kick than I anticipated but did not disappoint. Overall--high quality--great serving size and decent value for cost. The only downfall was I got guacamole and for $3 they are not that generous. Also I always get a small bit of refried beans on the quesadilla and it always makes me smile when I take a bite. I will be back but hold the Guac. It is a casual spot, counter service but plenty of tables to eat there. Ambiance is what you would expect at a walk in counter service establishment--it was very clean.

Recently went to Tacos Ayayay in Denver, which made Yelp's top 100 Mexican list in USA, and it wasn't as good as Picante. Try the Birria tacos or the enchiladas, but can't go wrong with burritos or quesadillas either

Quick and fast service, delicious tacos. Had the beef tongue - yumm! Chorizo taco - tasted ok and smushed, I prefer more texture rather than so ground up. My brother was pretty happy with his. Very clean and cute place. We'll be back.

The tacos were pretty bad. They do warm the tortillas and give you two, but it still fell apart. Meat wasn't tender. My al pastor had an odd seasonings. Staff were friendly and hardworking though.

Good food in a casual atmosphere. Friendly service. One of the better options for a quick bite if visiting Tufts University.

Ordered today from DoorDash the burritos I ordered were great first time ordering here fresh ingredients seasoned very well the only thing I didn't like is on the app you can't make any changes or special instructions are not allowed because I wouldn't have gotten certain things on the burrito but other than that it's my new place to order from for great burritos I suggest you try them asap you won't be disappointed /Day 2 OK now since my food was so good yesterday reordered again today both burritos were supposed to have extra meat they should have been the same size instead one is so big and the other so small I don't understand the inconsistency very disappointed on today's order

The veggie quesadilla is good. However, they should improve on their packaging because the paper rollups don't really prevent spillage and sauces dripping out of the tacos.

Ordered a Tongue Bowl, Carnitas Bowl, and Steak bowl on Doordash on 8/1/22 and it came out to $34.41 after tax (but without delivery/service fee or delivery tip). Prices in the restaurant are very likely cheaper, and I think this is an excellent price for delivered food anyways, so no points off for this. I came across Picante Tacqueria because it was the quickest place when I needed to order some lunch for a group last minute. They definitely made the food FAST, I've never gotten delivery that soon after ordering. Ended up getting 3 bowls for 4 people who weren't too hungry and it ended up being enough food, I think one bowl per person would be a perfect amount of food for a regular meal. I'm a big fan of tongue, and the tongue here was DELICIOUS. Seriously, one of the best places I've had it in the Boston area. Super tender, not chewy at all, and full of flavor. Unfortunately, the steak was a little overcooked and the carnitas was VERY overcooked, neither of them was particularly juicy. The bowls do come with rice, black beans, salsa, and sour cream along with the pretty generous meat serving, so there's definitely a variety of flavors besides the meats. Will definitely be back to try some of the other things on the menu, but hopefully they are closer to the tongue (which earned this place a re-visit by itself) than to the steak and carnitas.

Burritos (3.5/5) are okay here, I prefer their Al pastor over the other meats. Their quesadillas (2/5) and tortas (2.5/5) are not good. This place is wildly overpriced because it is close to Tufts. The students at Tufts think this place is really good but it's just your average burrito spot that is located in a convenient location. The atmosphere is solid for burrito spot and it is very fast unless there is a long line. I'd give this spot 3.25/5 in total (give like chipotle 2/5 as a reference) so just your average mom and pop burrito spot.

I ordered a steak quesadilla with no cilantro, instead I got a half rolled burrito with barely any steak and tons of cilantro. The first photo is literally what it looked like when I opened the tinfoil, I did not unroll it. Took me a minute to realize it was supposed to be a burrito. Plantains were fine, if a little bitter from being over-friend.

Queso lovers, be ware! I ordered the chips and queso and they told me they were not just out of cheese, but that they never had it! They had given me guacamole instead which was pretty disappointing since I was expecting warm cheese delight. I won't be coming back here because I now have trust issues that what I order won't be what I get. Disappointing to say the least. I picked up the food because the interior ambiance leaves some room to be desired, and now I know their communication and customer service does too.

Great food, great price, great service. What more can you ask for?! We usually go for the chicken and veggie bowls. The guacamole is really good and the carne asada plate is also highly recommended. Buen provecho!!!

Ordered a Torta Mexicana and watched the server pull out a torta that had been previously started and wrapped in aluminum. I should have been more assertive and insisted on a fresh one. Don't know if I want to go back.

Great local place, awesome food, good and friendly service. Good value for the money

very yummy, a little pricey but worth it. I really enjoy their chicken burritos and the guacamole is good too.

Amazing food and fantastic service! They handled a large order for us FLAWLESSLY and all of the food was warm and delicious. Will definitely be ordering again and highly recommend!

Picante is the hero of my new office lunch. Now that I work in Medford, I miss my downtown options - this makes me miss it a little less so. My go-to here is a fish taco with an order of plantains and guac. It's fresh, fast, delicious, and decently priced. Plus I like that there are places to sit alone or with a group, and they crank through a line in short order so you're back by your 1:00 meeting. This has become the only place I go for my lunches out, and I love it!

Very good food but a bit pricey. Also not a sit down restaurant if thats what you're looking for. There is seating but no waitresses and waiters you order your food at the register. Every topping costs extra making it expensive.

This place is so good and authentic (from what i can tell). I love their tacos of course but if you come here you gotta get a torta. The combination of flavors is just incredible and the bread is so soft and yummy. So so good and for such a good price.

Picante is a Tufts University favorite and for good reason. The service is quick and friendly. Ordering at Picante is Chipotle style, you pick which dish you want and customize it from there. Picante does have a pretty wide menu, but I find that the soft tacos with chicken are always a go-to. I recently went with a friend who got a burrito bowl-- also delicious. To top off your meal, don't sleep on the chips and guac! In addition, the prices are relatively inexpensive for the area. Although the restaurant is a little small and doesn't have much seating, I've never encountered an issue finding a table. TL;DR: Next time you're craving Mexican food, skip Chipotle and eat at Picante!

My go-to when I'm in the mood for burritos! Generous portions, tastes like homemade (like, someone else's homemade -- not my pathetic excuse for cooking). I especially love their pico de gallo -- tangy, but they leave the spice up to optional chili sauces. Great for takeout or dining in (when viral conditions allow). Also, they serve beer! Yay! What more could you want? Kind of wish they had cow tongue. I found a place that serves that does that and it's the ONE THING that's missing from all other burrito places now :( But they do pork, beef, and chicken in all possible combinations!

My new favorite place for burritos and tacos. Saw it on a drive-by and stopped. Super cute place with an authentic menu. I was torn between a Torte or a burrito. Wound up getting a burrito. It was awesome and worth two meals. next time I will try the special Torte. Recommend a stop by!

I had a pretty upsetting experience with this restaurant after being a frequent customer. The food has always been great and the staff always friendly, but incidents happen. The owner of the retainer and was quite attentive and we did receive a refund for our food so I edited my initial review. I have since come back to this restaurant and I was pretty satisfied with my meal. Their veggies were well seasoned, glove free and the service was quick. The Agua de Jamaica was super good too. I would recommend considering their improved consistency in good service.

The BEST experience EVER with a catering company. Easy and smooth process and you could trust them the whole way through from booking to showing up and providing top notch service! I threw a boat cruise for a company party with over 100 people, Maria and her daughters Ingrid and Veronica showed up early, were polite, took care of everything without even a question and provided the best service ever. The guests couldn't stop complimenting them and the fabulous food! Full taco bar option + quesadillas bar. We will be booking them again for sure!

My carne asada tonight looked like it had been shaved off on a mandolin slicer. Maybe 2 ounces of steak tops. Had no flavor whatsoever, not even any salt. The salsa and the rice were excellent though. Hope this place improves as I live around the corner and was hoping for a better experience.

The best spot in the Medford/Somerville area. Their quesadillas are to die for. Ingredients are super fresh and flavorful. I am literally always craving it. They even gave my dog free rice and water to snack on!!!!

When Picante opened last year, they were a new favorite place of ours. I craved their nachos on a regular basis. Though, I have to say, our last few orders from them were increasingly lackluster. We ordered nachos again last night and they were extremely unimpressive. They almost looked like cafeteria nachos. It was a small portion of pork, with some cheese, a huge portion of sour cream, and a few round slices of tomato. I really hope they get back to their original awesome-ness at some point.

Tacos were delicious --carnitas well prepared, and counter staff was friendly. The prices are very reasonable and with two tacos that are generously filled, I was stuffed. I also love that you can get Oaxacan cheese on your taco. I will have to try their tortas next time. The inside decor was also appealing and seating was plentiful. On a hot day the air conditioning was working well. Nice addition to the Medford/Somerville area especially if you want to grab some authentic Mexican food near the Tufts campus.

Great food and everyone who works there is very friendly. It's all fresh and really fast too. Definitely authentic and our kids love it too! Many places to sit and walking distance from our house. A favorite!

Good food but nothing stood out as amazing. My favorite of their tacos was the chicken - the char was lovely. The beef had some spice. Didn't think a lot of the fish or pork. Good plantains.

Picanté is AWESOME. Easily the friendliest, best tex-mex food experience you will have in your life. These people are extremely kind and caring for their customers, and you can taste it in the food. I absolutely love everything about this restaurant, and you won't find better burritos, bowls, tortas, or people around. (try the Torta a la Mexicana )

YUM! Two veggie tostadas for about $9 - super delicious and what a good deal! The place itself isn't huge, but at the time we went there were only a couple other people in there. I would come again next time I'm in the area!

Just tried this place-very clean, really good service and amazing food! It is a low key atmosphere, easy takeout but also nice for sitting.

Fantastic food! Great staff for in-person orders and delivery, and food always arrives quickly. As an avid lover of Mexican food, this place is a favorite

Amazing amazing amazing lol I go here 3 times a week lol they are super quick the food is AMAZING, idkkk what else you can ask for lol

This place is pretty decent, an alternative to Anna's Tacqueria. Their carnitas quesadillas is good, though it would be even better with a little more seasoning. The taco salad is tasty. A little over priced. The place itself is dark and claustrophobic , but good location and popular with the college kids.

Stop everything that you're doing and go here. This is hands down the best combination of tacos/guac/plantains I've ever had. The atmosphere in here is lovely (with a gorgeous mural by the amazing Laura DeDonato). And most importantly, the food is super fresh. Next time I need to try the burrito, and will be getting the plantains again. Would love to see more of these family-run restaurants near Tufts!

It's a surpassing. Taste with a good price. Definitely would stop by again if you are in the area. The tacos are worth the cost and i would recommend the margaritas when they are available. It is something worth trying especially if you are still making yourself familiar with the food in Cambridge. If you are new to Cambridge i would recommend this spot, it's a good place for friends and for newbies to enjoy

Awesome food but please fix setting on uber I've ordered multiple times and they never get the toppings right on my tacos.

This has been a takeout staple for us since we moved to Medford! The food is delicious (especially the burritos and bowls) and the delivery is insanely fast. Would 100% recommend.

Pretty good food I would recommend in person but we ordered through Uber Eats and our food never arrived. We called the restaurant and they refused to make it right or even help contact the driver. Don't order from this place! If you can't find another Mexican restaurant then at least go inside.

Picante has amazing tortas! I've had them 2 or 3 times now and they never disappoint. I've ordered catering from them twice for corporate events and they are always great to work with. I've never actually been inside the restaurant, but the food and staff are awesome.

My newest favorite grab-n-go food joint in my neighborhood, hands down!! Ingredients are super fresh and delicious, no matter what you order. This place is very clean, the staff are courteous and friendly and I may very well subsist on this restaurant for its quality and value for the foreseeable future. Gracias Picante!

This place is amazing. Healthy tacos to Heavy Chimichangas, everything is great. Their churros are filled with custard too :))

Sleek presentation with a traditional feel. Good ingredients and service. Does the basics well. Not exceptional but certainly better than most in scratching the itch for the real thing from your Abuelita's kitchen

I love this place, it was much needed on Boston Ave! Fish tacos are delicious.

Amazing food with great staff. Food always tastes good, filling, and cheap! I typically get their super chicken burrito, and everything from the chicken to the sour cream has great taste.

This place is so good!! Decently priced and great service:) they have the best quesadilla I've had in a while! If you're a near tufts, this place is a must-try.

We just had awesome breakfast burritos from Picante. So good, super fresh, and nice staff. We will be back!

Just ate probably the best burrito ever, with tinga chicken. Sizable but so light, thin tortilla, good beans and rice and corn inside. We usually get tacos, also excellent. Guacamole is fresh and tasty. We love this place!