The Painted Burro - Harvard Square

Had a team dinner here and the staff were amazing! Maria managed our hectic party flawlessly! The drinks were delicious, but the food was just okay. I really enjoyed the tres leches!

We were part of a large group so we had the basement. It was a really cool place, interesting artwork, beautiful decor, very clean. Service was excellent and the food was incredible. We had the classic and cucumber margaritas, probably one of the best margaritas I’ve ever had. We had the cilantro chicken, blackened mahi mahi, crispy fish, and buffalo cauliflower tacos and there were so good, and filling!

If you were looking to eat bottomless brunch, this is the place to go. All you can eat bottomless brunch for $25 per person. Food is amazing. Server is phenomenal.

Food was delicious, although the entree portions were on the smaller side. Got the roasted chipotle chicken enchiladas, guacamole, tres leche cake, and churros. Churros were absolutely delicious, and enchiladas were tasty too. I feel like the chips were a little stale, but overall Guac was good. Also tried the sangria, which was good but not very strong. Would go again to try out the tacos.

brunch was absolutely DELICIOUS and not expensive at all. howeverrrr their menu had an item that they dont even serve anymore?? and they didnt have any horchata?? booooo. otherwise i would recommend coming here

The food, service, and atmosphere is amazing. The chips and salsa was great, and the salsa has the perfect amount of spice to it. I got the cauliflower tacos which were great, and it is good that they have vegetarian options. The mocktail that I had was very good as well.

The Painted Burro replaced Border Cafe after they closed. Border Cafe was one of my favorite place to go in Harvard Sq so I had to go. My sister and I went in for a meal and it was very disappointing. I ordered 3 tacos and my sister ordered the chicken chimichanga. The rice that came with the taco and inside the chimichanga was not cooked properly. It was hard and feels grainy in your mouth. All three tacos was salt especially the barria taco. The only one I could actually eat was the carnitas. When I told the server he was apologetic and stated that he will let the chef know and asked if I would like to order anything else. I decline to order anything else. My sister ordered tres leches to go and they gave it to her for free since the meal was a disappointment. When the bill arrived I laughed at the 5% kitchen appreciation fee. I just showed appreciation for a meal that was not edible. The drinks was ok, bar had good tequila selection. The atmosphere was nice and they did a really good job renovating the restaurant.

I came here within the last two weeks to order queso. They sell their chips in commercial bags to go and I am trying to understand why...or how? The bag of chips I received were so stale, they were probably an appetizer offered at the Last Supper. I opened the container of queso....did I order Child size? I would be exaggerating if I quantified the portion as 2 cups worth. I spent restaurant costs on an amount that was Qdoba/Chipotle -adjacent sized. The worst part of my 1st experience here: this was some of the best damn queso I have had and I 'queso' frequently. Yes, I also did not see the plot twist approaching. It was creamy and flavorful, which only highlighted the inadequate portion. Even with inflation and the current administration's economic resolves, receiving a cup of queso for an adult is hard to accept. I want to try other items but am afraid I will receive a Toddler amount of food again. Damn shame.

This review is long overdue - my girlfriend and I stopped by for dinner one night and we were very impressed! The service was quick, despite it being rather crowded. We were seated served very promptly and weren't rushed. We started with delicious chips and guac, which were super good but the portion could have been a bit larger. For the entrees, I opted for a fajita, while my girlfriend got a chimichanga. Her entree was cooked perfectly, fried but not overwhelmingly heavy. So good! Mine was also super good, the warmed tortillas enhanced the flavors of the delicious chicken and vegetables. They were perfectly seasoned and the fajitas were served with delicious sides! In particular, I have to compliment the bathrooms. They wowed us! Stocked perfectly with items for any sort of emergency, spacious, and so clean. Everything was impressive! We will be back!

Really great spot for Mexican food in Harvard Square in a beautiful ambiance. My girlfriend and I stopped by for a midweek dinner-- I have been to the Brookline location for the all-you-can-eat Brunch special a few months back, which was pretty standard but nothing out of the ordinary, so I came here with the same expectations. Boy was I pleasantly surprised. The restaurant venue is absolutely beautiful, with multiple dining rooms and clean bathrooms. The food is excellent, slightly above its sister restaurant's. We started off with some chips and guacamole, which was really good but I wish the guac portion was a bit larger. For entrees, I ordered the chicken chimichanga and my girlfriend got the chicken fajita. The chimichanga was great, perfectly fried but not too heavy. I was able to eat the entire thing without feeling bloated afterwards. Great tasting, but the ratio of the ingredients inside was a bit off, I would've preferred more salsa and greens. My girlfriend's fajita was quite tasty as well, and was accompanied by cheese and sour cream, which I ended up snagging to add to my chimichanga, this would make it even better. The service was quick and pretty solid, which made the night an even better experience.

What a great deal -- $21 (as a rewards member) for all you can eat tacos and appetizers! Though the quality of the food wasn't mind blowing, each taco was unique and pretty tasty. We definitely worked to get our money's worth, and we definitely left with a full and happy stomach. Their service was quick and attentive, but the most noteworthy part of our dining experience was the interior design. The restaurant is a spectacular work of art and I'd recommend walking around and taking a trip to the restrooms just to admire the lovely setup!

We had reservations for a Friday night at 7pm. the table wasn't ready when we checked in so we sat at the bar for a drink, the place seemed lively. When our table was ready they took us to the basement, passing by several open tables to seat us at what I can only describe as a broom closet cut off from the rest of the basement where they apparently store extra restaurant furniture, right outside the kitchen doors. It was a joke. my husband who had stayed to pay up at the bar couldn't even find the table and he had to go back upstairs to get help. And the food sucked.

This review is solely for the Weekend Brunch! If you love Saturday or Sunday brunch then The Painted Burro is for you! The endless food, attentive service, and wonderful ambiance did not disappoint on any level. And for $25/person the delicious food we had came at an amazing price tag. Everything we ordered was delicious! And we ordered a lot! We had huevos rancheros, chilaquiles, brioche french toast, kale salad, breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, papas frites, tortes, and cucumber salad to name a few. If we weren't so stuffed, we would have worked our way through the entire menu. I highly recommend this brunch if you are in the Harvard Square area.

Came here for dinner not realizing it was "Mucho Monday." We didn't fully understand what it was (essentially all you can eat with an added charge if you want to tack on a full-sized entree) and unfortunately as a result we didn't realize everyone would be automatically charged for the all you can eat menu. One member of our party ordered an entree thinking he was opting out of the "Mucho Monday" option, when in reality it's adding an entree cost to the base Mucho Monday price. We didn't realize it until after leaving, otherwise would've clarified with our waiter, who was very nice. I view this partly as our fault for not clarifying further with our waiter from the beginning to understand what Mucho Monday actually entailed. The space is cool, comfy, and chic, and feels very much a different restaurant than the space's former occupant, the Border Cafe. We enjoyed most of the menu's offerings, with the highlights being the beet salad, Baja style fish tacos, and carnitas taco. The zucchini croquetas and tuna ceviche were great too. The Buffalo cauliflower taco was my least favorite of the evening, as the cauliflower was still a bit raw and didn't taste cooked. All that said, I'd come back, especially now that I've got a grip on the Mucho Monday situation, which is a great bang for your buck if you're looking for tacos and apps.

I came here with a group of friends on a Thursday evening. There was plenty of space for any walk ins throughout the night. We opted to do the AYCE dinner menu - which has a special promotional price during weekdays. The server was really nice generally. We experienced a jarring moment when, after five of us women had mentioned we'd get all of the appetizers to split, just as we started to order tacos, he warned us that we should hold off on ordering anything more. Of course, once the apps came out (they were super tiny), we crushed them in 5 minutes and were ready to order the previously alluded to tacos. Perhaps we provided a bit of a wake up call to our kind server and he quickly adjusted to our appetites. Anyway, the food was all decent - nothing mind blowing, but nothing bad. It's a good deal for the price. He handled Apple Pay smoothly. I'd go back.

Place looks clean and elegant, server was friendly, bathrooms (down a flight of stairs) are stunning. Food wasn't very good. I had the chicken milanesa torta. Chicken was rubbery and undercooked. My friend ordered the "Burro Salad" which was supposed to have romaine, cherry tomatoes, corn and black beans--didn't have any of these. Just some finely shredded argula, carrots and radishes, the same salad mix as came with my sandwich. She order grilled shrimp as an add on to the salad. Those were good.

Okay, disclaimer: me and a group of friends came for the Mucho Mania deal, but DAMN was it worth. First, parking in Cambridge is always a nightmare but the area itself is lovely. The restaurant has fun, funky vibes and we were seated very quickly. And we had a great server (I think his name was Jesus?) and he had fabulous nails and awesome recommendations. Drinks were a must. I got the Beautifully Ordinary. It was definitely beautifully strong - not ordinary whatsoever. Double stack tacos were good, but I really loved the corn ("cholo" esquites). Nachos are a non-negotiable and the empanadas are also worth a spot at the table. Tbh, with a price like this, you can get a sample of everything!! I think the deal is ending soon (like, by the end of August) so hurry and enjoy!

I came to the Painted Burro with a big group for brunch. I've been to their Somerville location before, also for brunch. You really can't go wrong, since it's just $25 for "bottomless brunch." Given it's Boston, that means all you can eat, but not all you can drink! The menu is quite extensive, with lots of tacos, traditional breakfast items, and Mexican dishes. Make sure to get there on the earlier side, because the kitchen closed earlier than we anticipated. The space is really nice and I'm sure it could be a good date spot in the evening. There's also lots of seating, including a downstairs area. I'd definitely come back again for brunch!

Trendy decor and delicious tacos! I got the steak taco with rice and beans. The taco was delicious! The rice and beans were good and seasoned well but I regretted getting them instead of a second taco.

It was a weekend when we were near Harvard square so we decided upon Mexican. We sat at the bar where I ordered a hamburger. I had never had one with a Mexican twist. They were out of rolls so I went with a swordfish and a shrimp taco. The shells were soft flour shells. They were definitely small. I order beans and it was a smart move as I was still hungry after the tacos. The beans were filling made with black and pinto beans. The room was well lit with lots of natural light. The bad was white stone while the room was painted white so there was a nice ambiance. The decor made me feel I was at a Mexican restaurant. Based on the size of the portions I had to mark down the number of stars. I found the menu limited as they just had tacos, enchiladas and hamburger. If I was in a pinch, I would go here but otherwise I would explore other restaurants at Harvard Square.

Just reviewing the bar. We came for drinks here before seeing a performance at Club Passim. Ambience is awesome and way nicer than Border Cafe so major upgrade there. The rosemary Paloma was pretty good: $11 each. We had to wait a bit for someone to take our order but once we were served the service was good. The 5% kitchen surcharge, which does not seem to be disclosed anywhere except the final bill, though left a sour taste. Just raise prices on the menu. I find this so practice so disingenuous.

I had a wonderful birthday dinner at Painted Burro-Harvard Sq last night. This restaurant is right in the center of Harvard square which means it is very easy to access by using the T red line(the stop is Harvard); if you are not taking the train you can find little to no street parking, but lucky right across the restaurant there is a parking lot (not completely sure about the hourly rates). As soon as we entered the restaurant we were greeted with smiles and immediately sat at our table. The first thing that came to my eye once entering the restaurant is how nicely decorated it was, the details are incredible and the bar gives a very casual/elegant vibe. This restaurant has two floors, with a bar on each floor. As soon as we were sedated our waiter, which name was George, immediately greeted us with a big smile and kindly explained the menu to us which was very helpful. He brought chips and guacamole to our table, the chips tasted so fresh as well as the guacamole which flavors were on point. My two friends and I decided to order 3 different margaritas. The presentation for the drinks was great and the margaritas all tasted incredible and I would say that they were strong too (I recommend you to order the Matcha coconut margarita, it was just delicious). For our entrees we ordered: birria tacos with side of beans and rice, the fajita classic and the burro burger. The food did not take long to come out, I would say approximately 20 minutes. The presentation of the entrees was very nice and the food tasted just as good as it looked ( for the price you are paying you are getting a very good portion of food). Since it was my birthday we had to get dessert, we opted for the tres leche and the churros. I would say they have some of the best tasting tres leche I ever had in my life, you can only try it and see for yourself. Overall I had an amazing night at Painted Burro. George was the best server I ever had, very attentive and very helpful. I am very grateful that he made mine and my friends night so special. Can't wait to be back!

Surprisingly beautiful, unique, and tasty! A wonderful new spot in Harvard Sq. offering something different for once, lol. The restaurant design was beautiful, with clear attention to detail. Our server was so attentive and kind, I forgot her name but she had long wavy hair! My friends and I enjoyed the grande sized margaritas (so many tasty flavors), appetizers, and tacos. Being from socal, I was tempted to give this place 3 stars, but for a spot in Cambridge of all places (where it's impossible to find authentic Mexican), I was impressed by the flavors, if not by the authenticity. The apps we chose were tasty (guac, corn, ceviche), though small-portioned for what you're getting. Watermelon salad was not to my taste and would not recommend, so definitely come here for the tacos. It was a truly beautiful and special place in the square, and I'd come again for the unlimited brunch, or a date night!

This was a very disappointing meal. There was no flavor to any of the dishes. The chips and salsa offered before the meal were bland. The margarita even with added jalapeño had no taste. The birria taco was very oily and the refried beans and rice were cold and flavorless. The service was good but everything else was lacking. It was a disappointing experience.

All you can eat brunch - say less! I recently tried out this new restaurant's $25 bottomless brunch. Their menu is extensive and the portions are small, which makes it easier to try multiple dishes. For all you can eat, the food quality is reasonable, and the servers are friendly and attentive. They also have a beautiful, large space downstairs that can be rented for private events. We were impressed by the decor, beautiful drinks, and attention to detail (they even have mints, dry shampoo, floss, setting mist, and bobby pins in the women's bathroom). My friends and I had a great time and would definitely come again.

Best cocktails in town, amazing and very eclectic menu that's delicious. Love their bottomless brunches.

My friends and I did the bottomless brunch for $25 each and honestly I think that it was worth it! I really liked how the dishes came out with the serving size for 1 person because it felt less overwhelming with the concept of "all you can eat". I would say the food quality was pretty solid and they were easy to eat and also share! The waitress was also nice and checked in on us many times to see if we needed to order more or not. The place itself is super nice, clean, lots os space, and the bathrooms are also very nice! Would certainly come again!

Definitely the worst and most overpriced Mexican food in Harvard Square. First, the chips. We had 3 baskets. They were gross -- all stale and soggy, and one basket was clearly from the bottom of some large container because the chips were all broken and unusably small. Not sure if they're made in-house or not. You know it's bad when they're serving chips like that. Second, the entree. Got the carnitas enchiladas. At $24, the 3 unremarkable enchiladas should come with rice and beans on the side. But it doesn't! It's only the 3 enchiladas for $24. Rice and beans cost extra. Better off at El Jefe's, Felipe's, or maybe even Chipotle. Even Border Cafe was better. Service was good, though -- nice server.

I'll start with the positive - the decor inside is nice, very vibey and chic. But in no way does that make up for the poor food quality and hygiene practices! For one, the food is highly overpriced - $8 for a single taco? Unacceptable. I am coming from LA tho where I can get a 100x better taco for $2. Second, the food came out cold! They are not making their dishes fresh back there. I was afraid I would get food poisoning bc the food is probably back there sitting at room temp. And lastly, but most importantly, there was a hair in my friend's taco! They remade the dish but I would not trust their hygiene practices.

This is the newest reiteration of a Tex Mex restaurant in Harvard Square, formerly the Border Cafe occupied this space for many years. It's a popular spot for the many students and their families in the area, so it's always full. There's bar seating in two levels in addition to many tables of different sizes in both floors. There's a $25 all-you-can eat brunch on weekends. We stopped by to have a cocktail before attending a concert at Club Passim. We sat in the upper level bar for a while before we were served. Our chosen cocktail was the Rosemary Paloma, a tasty mezcal concoction, although a bit weak and over sweetened. These were $11 apiece, but to our surprise, there's a 5% "kitchen appreciation fee" that we were not advised about, and with a 15% tip for the server our tab added up to $27, which we found a bit excessive.

TLDR: food is subpar, service is horrible - very rude manager. I have never experienced such disrespect in my life. I made a reservation online for the patio. Then I called to confirm that at this location, there is a patio and dogs are allowed. They said yes. Once I arrived, the manager said dogs are not allowed on the patio. I said my dog is a service dog and he proceeded to claim that "service dogs are required by law to wear a service dog vest in Cambridge" and therefore, we couldn't sit in the patio. Not only is that untrue, it's also a violation of the ADA (American Disabilities Act). By requiring that my dog wears a vest, the manager was requiring me to basically signal to everyone that I am disabled. He ended up "making a one-time exception" and allowing us to sit in the patio, but it left a bitter taste on my mouth (even worse than their food). When I explained to someone at the front desk later that they had violated the ADA and were discriminatory, they stayed quiet. Clearly, they have no care. They're clueless and heartless. Plus, they opened themselves up to a lawsuit... Lucky for them, our waiter was really sweet. She's honestly the one good person there and deserves a raise. She even brought my dog a makeshift water bowl. The food was meh. Some of it is premade. The guac is bland, the lemonade is powder, and the quesadilla was premade and then they just heat it up. 10/10 do NOT recommend. It's a shame because it was beautifully decorated, but full of ugly personalities. Perhaps it's called the painted burro because it's run by a bunch of burros.

I had their margarita flight for margarita week and wow??? Some of the best margaritas I've ever had. I really hope they add the açaí coconut margarita to the official menu. Also the interior of this place is really meticulously decorated and I loved the almost 20s style lighting fixtures and dining booth. Definitely could have a cute instagram picture with a drink! The servers were very attentive and the food came out insanely fast. I didn't get anything, but my friends were pleasantly surprised at the spice and flavor of the tacos they had.

This location is also great though less desirable because of its location in the Harvard Square area. Tasty tapas style Mexican in a lovely space almost makes you forget that you're in one of the more overpriced and touristy areas in Boston. You'll be well attended by the staff and they are excellent at accommodating food sensitivities/allergies. I'd recommend the location in Davis Square area for a more chill experience.

Unfortunately have to give it a low rating because I'm still trying to digest their "loaded quesadilla" that I ate last night. Honestly I thought I would be safe ordering a quesadilla with beef and cheese but apparently not. The quality of the ground beef was pretty terrible, Taco Bell is 100% better.

So disappointing...I miss the Border Cafe after this visit and the Border Cafe was extremely mediocre in terms of food. But this place...I didn't realize it was a chain, so I'm not surprised...they are trying to be some kind of upscale Mexican place, no burritos...beans were like a sludge of mashed black beans, chips and salsa extremely bland...tacos bordered on the d word. Then there was the service...I think all restaurants are struggling with service and I was used to the Border Cafe where you were served as soon as you sat down and the food came out almost immediately... Why can't there be any just decent, straightforward Mexican food in Boston, I just don't get it?

I'm not sure why this place doesn't have a higher rating because it was AMAZING. I went for the $25 all-you-can-eat brunch on Sunday and everything about it was perfect. Service was great (thank you Liz)! Food was SO good and I love the small plates so you can try a little bit of everything. Atmosphere was beautiful. And come on--all you can eat for $25 in Cambridge!!???!! What more could you ask for?? I'm already planning to go back next Sunday :)

Just a great Mexican restaurant with polished twists on traditional foods in an elite style environment (with normal prices). Tried brunch, lunch and dinner before writing a review. Food, service and environment was high quality each time. Good for local students with some cash to spend, casual biz meals and adult get together all the same. There's a $25 all you can eat (certain exclusions) brunch on the weekend with tapas size dishes. New favorite!

Came for the all you can eat brunch and it was delicious - smaller portions so you can sample a lot.

Very nice atmosphere. We loved the Border and were delighted to see a new restaurant in the space. Renovation is lovely and much more upscale. They redid the lower level and it's 1,000 times nicer but still feels like a basement. The lower level bar is gorgeous. Actually, the whole restaurant is very beautiful. Bathrooms are far superior to the Border and offered floss sticks and mouthwash. Immaculate too. Excellent service. No complaints. We sat in the bar area after declining a table downstairs. The bartender was our server and was friendly and helpful. Chips and salsa came out quickly and water was refilled frequently. Spicy margarita was great! We also had chicken fajitas and the two taco meal. I had the fish and a shrimp taco. Food was ok. I didn't like the shrimp taco (my own fault, it has mango and I don't like mango...) but my fish taco was good. Vegetarian beans were much better than the regular beans. Rice was delish. Overall a decent meal and we will likely return.

Third location for Painted Burro is impressive. They've done a great job creating an upscale atmosphere throughout the restaurant, upstairs and downstairs. Attentive service, drinks and chips were on our table in no time. I got 3 tacos: the birria, crispy fish, and short rib. All very good. Bonus points for mouth wash dispenser with paper cups in the bathroom!

I went to the painted burro yesterday for my friend's birthday dinner. I've been to the place a couple of times over the past year and have always raved about it and introduced so many friends and colleagues to it. Sadly, the food quality seems to be dropping, but the ambience is great, so we continue going there giving it the benefit of doubt. Wouldn't be the case anymore as their service hit a new low yesterday when a server came to clear our dishes and accidentally spilled my entire drink on me. She was super apologetic and came thrice to my table to apologize and I told her very calmly each time that it was absolutely okay and it was just a mistake. It was nice of her to bring me a new drink once I got back from the washroom after cleaning myself up, since I'd only had about 2 sips of my spilled drink. But it took us by surprise when our waitress got our check in the end and had charged me for both the drinks. When I very calmly told her that you've charged us twice for the drink and if she could remove it, she replied back very rudely, almost yelling that "it was you who ordered the second drink and I'm not removing it. You spilled it on yourself. Talk to the manager. I'm not removing it - it was your fault." I'm usually the calmest person in the group, and I get that you might not know the story, but there's a way to talk and you don't cross your limits, be it with customers or waiters. She went inside the kitchen and we ended up talking to the manager, telling him it was the server who spilled it, and he went back inside to fact check as the server was inside. I'm sure he got her version as well, as another waiter came out with a revised check removing that extra drink. Of course, our rude waitress never came out of the kitchen. No apologies for the rude behavior from her or the manager. No decency of owning up to your mistake after wrongly and rudely accusing others. Simple advice to the team - BASIC training of your employees on how to talk to people. Might save you some customers.

Service was terrible and they felt like every dish needed 16oz of cream sauce drizzled on it. Atleast it was clean and they had a big bar.

Atmosphere is nice, large multi-floor space. Went for brunch. They have a bottom less brunch for 25.00. This issue is that everything is single ( 1 taco or 1 small pancake). The waitress comes back around and then you order again. It feels kind of awkward to keep ordering. My recommendation is that you order the number of pancakes (3) that you want first time. The pancakes are the size of a coaster. The Belgian waffle comes a quarter of a whole. I think the waitress should have explained the portions when we first ordered. Food was okay, nothing special.

All I can say is "It was ok". Went for lunch a bit after noon. I remember this location as the vibrant and fun Border Cafe. Alas, The Painted Burro is so far removed from its predecessor in both atmosphere and service. I tried one of the tacos, chicken, and made it a meal with rice and beans. We shared a small container of chips (tiny little things) for two people. The chips and salsa were just ok. The taco was good, the rice was a bit undercooked and the beans were just ok. (The beans and rice were an extra $5 and for the size of the portion, maybe looking at a buck of food if that.) The taco was good and had some flavor but honestly I can grab a taco from the two other places in Harvard Square which are just as good. The service was slow (the service at Border Cafe was amazing - you sat down, someone took your order, boom, basket of chips/salsa, boom, order right there before your could blink) but the server was polite. Our table was wobbly (please make sure that your tables do not wobble, managers!) so I had to keep my foot on it to make sure it would not wobble. The atmosphere, while some would probably say it was lovely, I found it bland and boring. It is like they took the Border Cafe and sucked out its soul. In regards to non-alcoholic drinks, they had very little to offer, and what they had was quite expensive. And the only soda they offer is Mexican coke for $5. Would I go back? Probably not. The biggest thing in both the upstairs and the downstairs was the bar. So that told me that, first and foremost, this is what they are selling - hanging out at the bar and ordering very expensive drinks with a bit of food on the side.

This is the best Mexican food I've had in the Boston area. Coming from Colorado, it's not the best Mexican I've ever had but most definitely the best Boston has to offer. All of the servers and bartenders are friendly and helpful. The restaurant itself has comfortable seating and isn't too loud for a date night.

New location for one of my fave restaurants. Totally renovated the old Border Cafe space and it looks amazing. Food, drinks, and service were great as always. Note that it's not on the website (yet) but they are doing the same weekend bottomless brunch as the Davis location.

Went for a bottomless brunch. Best brunch ever. We tried soooo many things - all were delicious. Had a good mix of veggie and non-veggie. And, great service. The restaurant is new - I predict it will be a staple in Harvard square for a long time

The menu looks appetizing. You order and then just keep waiting. Either they are short-staffed or have some i ssue in the kitchen. Ambience only gets you so far,you still have to serve food on time.

Birria taco is bomb as fuck but for some reason (I think I just went there when the restaurant was dead) we were given straight lime juice instead of a drink and I asked what I should do about it after getting served a second drink (after complaining and it still only had lime juice) and I was told to leave a review because I'm not gonna ask for a third drink that's clinically insane and for what to get more lime juice? We ordered three tequila shots and poured them into our drinks. Anyway, Birria tacos: yes alcohol: no

Delish food! Great selection of drinks and food options. Service was fast as well. Chill relax vibes.

First time coming here wasn't the best but I've decided to give another chance just to have the most humiliating experience at this restaurant and I just want to express my disappointment. The manager Alex arguing with me in front of my guest about me paying for a drink that I didn't receive CORRECTLY it was so embarrassing and rude. I won't be back ever again.

Let me start by saying that I never write reviews for anything. The only reason I am writing this is because even though I came here months ago it is still the story I tell people as my worst restaurant experience ever, and the butt of my jokes. Unfortunately I will never come here again, not even because of my experience but how it was handled. We were sat around 8 at night, and the kitchen closes at 10:30 or 11 I believe. We confirmed this with the host. After we were sat, we waited 20 minutes for a waiter to come up to us to even greet us. And we knew they hadn't forgotten us because two waiters were gesturing to us and clearly arguing who was going to take us. It took about 40 minutes to get water and our order taken, which then was by a completely different waiter. The restaurant was not busy at all either. We ended up going up to the host to make sure everything was ok since it had been so long, and after an hour and a half we got our food, at almost 10pm, and all of it was wrong. We felt bad but ended up talking to the manager because the waiter literally did not care that it was wrong and just said "ok" and took it back. The manager then told us to "just leave" because it was already 11pm and we had expressed that it wasn't right we had been there for now 3 hours and were barely even being acknowledged. The manager told us we didn't have to pay and just went back to laughing and talking with some girl. We wanted to like this place so bad since it's such a beautiful restaurant and we live right down the street. I was very excited to try it but unfortunately cannot recommend this experience to anyone. Wishing this business the best of luck.

Very authentic food. And the environment is very classy. My husband super happy. We are from TX although they do not have my favorite mole chicken enchiladas but the taco is amazing.

It is quite frankly a travesty what happened here. They took a retail space from an incredible spot - The Border Cafe - and turned it into a yuppie gentrified over decorated eyesore where you can spend $8 on one taco on the advice of your friend with horrible taste. Skip it and go down the corner to Felipe's, or better yet take a trip up route one and go to that Border Cafe location, or even Taco Bell would be a better deal. A hard skip and quite frankly a symbol of what Harvard Sq has become, and maybe even a stain on the great country of Mexico. Waitress and staff were lovely.

The waitress was nice and attentive. Drinks (two margaritas) were pretty good. Chips were bland but fine...my wife opted not to eat them. Salsa was decent. Ordered queso which came out as a paste spread on a plate at room temp. Maybe I missed the memo and this is some kind of new age queso but I expected melted/hot cheese. It was not good and left most of it on the plate. Then, when looking to order dinner, I noticed the 5% kitchen fee on the menu added to all orders. I cut my losses at that point and went elsewhere.

Beautiful renovation of the old Border Cafe. Attractive staff and good food, simple menu. Only complaint- tortilla chips came from a bag instead of warm, fresh and oily :)

ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE!!! Watered down cocktail that took forever to arrive. Very poor waiter service. Overcooked and dry carnitas. And then a 5% "KITCHEN ADMIN FEE" added to my bill. When I asked about it, I was told it's a gratuity for the kitchen staff, because they don't get tips. WHAT??? You are charging me a fee to pay the kitchen staff to cook the food that I am already paying for??!! Either pay your staff a decent wage or split the tips all ways. It is not my responsibility to pay your kitchen staff. I will NEVER go back, and I will tell everyone I know to watch out for your admin fee SCAM