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Cantina La Mexicana
- Nearest Transit:
-
Somerville Ave @ Prospect St (86, 87)
30 Prospect St (91, CT2)
Washington St @ Washington Terr (86, 91)
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 12 am
- Attire:
- Casual
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Price Range:
-
$
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
211 reviews for Cantina La Mexicana
Review Highlights
"The tamales are excellent, and as Pete S."
(in 57 reviews)
"My favorite is the chiles rellenos."
(in 10 reviews)
"oh, taqueria la mexicana, how i love you."
(in 48 reviews)
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211 reviews in English
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Review from Lisa S.
Loved!
We headed to Cantina La Mexicana on a Saturday night. It was surprisingly on the empty side, but maybe it gets busier a bit later. The servers were really friendly and helpful, and the owner was behind the bar. We ordered a pitcher of Patron margarita ($36), and the owner came out and told us about some other kinds of flavored organic tequila he had that we might like for a bit cheaper. Eventually, we decided just to go with the Patron margarita, but he brought out the other type of margarita for us to taste (it was flavored), and it was good! Definitely interesting, and we appreciated him coming over to tell us a bit more about other options he had that were cheaper. When our pitcher did come, he also brought us over a small shot glass of something spicy for us to add to the margarita, if we wanted it a bit spicier. Overall, he was really sweet and he made it a lot of fun. They brought us out chips and I ordered some guacamole- which other reviewers didn't like, but we thought it was tasty.
We weren't that familiar with some of the choices on the menu, but I decided to go for the barbacoa de puerco ($12.95), which is pulled pork (that was almost done in a BBQ style), avocados, tortillas, rice, etc. It was really good, and I could only finish about 2/3 of my plate! I've actually been craving it since we ate there- I will definitely be back to eat it again! My friends were also happy with their dinner choices. Everything was moderately priced and the menu was interesting- definitely not what you see at every other Mexican restaurant. We left full, happy, and a little bit tipsy.
Overall, 2 thumbs up! The service was awesome, the food was awesmoe, and the drinks were awesome. What more can you ask for? -
Review from Ed M.
10/19/2011
Came in here for take out with 3 others while passing through Union Square. Nachos were terrible, soggy and bland. The guacamole was mediocre, the salsa was decent but the tortilla chips were really great. They were still crunchy and nice a couple days later. The Barbacoa plate was good and the tacos were decent.
Nothing that would keep me away, but I would not order the nachos again. Would probably come back and sit down next time. -
Review from Jeff F.
10/8/2011
We headed in here last weekend as part of our search to find the best Mexican food in Boston and were thoroughly disappointed:
- (D-) Guac - if I was drunk and had one hand, I could make better guac
- (B+) Barbacoa plate - solid, but not enough for me to get back there
- (C) Burro off the specials menu
2 stars sealed with them running out of salsa. Probably have eaten at a few hundred Mexican restaurants and have never heard of a Mexican restaurant running out of salsa - absurd. -
Review from Beth G.
Somerville, MA
Updated - 12/20/2011
They just catered our office holiday party - we don't have the budget for a fancy shindig, but ordered some platters of tamales, bocoles, and assorted meats in addition to rice, chips and guac. Oh, and a couple of half gallons of margaritas (fig margarita? fer reals? it was amazing!).
It all disappeared. In fact, I think someone hit the guac with a shovel because a large tub of the stuff was gone before I could go back for seconds. They got rave reviews all around, and people are already looking forward to finding our next excuse to have them cater.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/1/2008
I've been to SoCal once, and Texas and Mexico never, so I won't pretend to know whether or not this… Read more »
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Review from Vanessa P.
Somerville, MA
12/16/2011
My husband is Mexican so we have high standards but this didn't come close. My brother in law highly recommended this place and I am not sure why. It tastes like mine and my mother in laws cooking which is good but I do not like to pay for my own cooking. I got chicken tacos and no sides for $10. My husband's chicken mole wasn't bad but it was cold. Not bad But horribly disappointed.
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Review from M. L.
Boston, MA
8/23/2011
I picked this restaurant off the reviews on Yelp. It definitely didn't disappoint!
We had a group of 8 and they were very accommodating. (My sister had cupcakes brought as dessert and they were totally fine with that.) The decor is nice enough for you to bring a date. It's small and quaint; hence, the "intimate" description for the ambiance.
The food is delish and reasonably priced. I know for sure I always get the margarita. Yum!
**Note: I started off this review last year but never finished it. Oops! So, right now I'm trying to remember what I ate and what I did while still living in Medford. I know that I miss Cantina La Mexicana now that I'm all the way in the S. Shore. Boo. -
Review from Jules H.
Boston, MA
5/16/2011
Favorite Mexican in the city now, for serious. Really reasonably priced, DELICIOUS food. (I like to order the Gringa, which is a sampler of a couple of delicious bits...)
Cocktails are great, and I love this place also because it is almost NEVER full, so it is an easy place for either a quiet date, or weekend comfort food, or bringing a group of people. The servers are extremely polite and attentive, and really, the food is just out of this world. -
Review from Gary G.
Winchester, MA
10/29/2011
Pretty good choice. Great rellenos, good tacos, good cheap margaritas mon -thur (5). Great owner. Try it.
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Review from Toni M.
Somerville, MA
4/11/2011
I was hesitant to have dinner here bc of some of the reviews, but I'm glad I did. Being mexican myself, I am extra picky when eating at a Mexican restaurant. I went on a Friday night, so the service was a little slow. But the food & drinks were worth the small wait.
Definitely the BEST MARGARITAS I've had in the area! I had the enchiladas with beans&rice. Everything was so delicious, I didn't want it to end!
I will say, the food was pricey. So I sadly can't make this my go-to place, for after work drinks. But I will be back many more times. -
Review from Mary G.
Cambridge, MA
3/22/2011
This is the first food place I have given a 1 star review, and I am very hesitant to hand such things out. Just as 5 stars generally tends to mean that I couldn't think of ways a place could be better, 1 star tends to mean that I couldn't imagine things being worse.
In all fairness, I suppose things could have been worse. I suppose my fish burrito, or "buro", could have actually been moldy, as opposed to just tasting moldy (three out of three eaters agreed!).
Rather than lightly dusting our burritos with cilantro, salsa, beans, cheese, et. al they could have forgotten such components all together.
They could have charged more than 9.50 for their tortilla and white rice product.
They could have taken longer than the 15 minutes or so we stood around waiting for our burritos in their empty walk-in take-out area.
When we asked if we could have some salsa along with our burritos (as opposed to offering), they could have looked at us as if we were asking for a squeezable mayonnaise...
So yeah, it could have been worse. I could have gotten food poisoning.
I am mostly speaking for my burrito experience.. My friend got the carnitas, and in all fairness the carnitas was pretty good (by that I mean the little they put on didn't taste like decay). However, it was still 20 dollars with tax and tip for 2 burritos that we would have been happier never getting to begin with.
My friend was really disappointed, considering he had really fond memories of hitting this place up in his grad school days.
If it is a good burrito you are looking for, go to Taco Loco up the street... Their burritos are cheaper, better, and faster.
Honestly, I will possibly go back to this place again to try the chile relleno or some other dish... But the burritos? No, no, no, and no. -
Review from David S.
Middlesex, MA
10/1/2011
Nice place, friendly, good food. My favorite is the chiles rellenos.
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Review from Dereck B.
Philadelphia, PA
3/19/2011
Went to the Cantina with a friend after moving back in to the area after 3 years out. This place has really changed, for the better.
I had the Fajita special. Perfectly marinated chicken breast (organic!), authentic hot salsa, all homemade ingredients! I was really surprised at the level of quality this place has achieved.
Service was EXCELLENT, I am not sure what happened with reviewer Debby K.s experience but our waitress was super awesome and funny. Very attentive and no issues.
Authentic Mexican food. Thats what you're getting here. No oversized too much to eat plates. Everything is priced pretty fair. For those one star reviewers that think this place is going to be like Margaritas, you're better off going to Margaritas. They have Chimichangas there. Chimis arent Mexican food.
Also: FAMILY FRIENDLY. We went at 730pm and there were 3 or 4 families there! YAY! -
Review from Sarah G.
11/24/2010
Thanks to Daniel M. for finally taking me to a place that makes a real strong margarita just the way I like it and a pretty good mole sauce too!!
Our waiter here was funny. He said he just moved here from Arizona and when I asked him his honest opinion on their mole sauce, he said that he grew up eating mole one way his whole life, but after working at this place their mole here became his new fav! With that type of recommendation, I had to try this mole. So chicken mole it was! And the sauce was actually the best mole sauce I've had in Boston, so hooray!! But the real winning part of that entree?
CACTUS SALAD. Man. I would marry their cactus salad just to have some every day. If I had just ordered a giant bowl of cactus salad I couldn't be much happier. It is topped with some fresh jalapeños that add the spice I've been missing in my life in Boston. I wish I had some of this dish right now, just to experience that amazing flavor and spice combo again.
Free chips are a plus and the way it should be, but their free salsa needs a little work. It tastes fine I guess, just not up to par with that mole or that cactus salad, so if they fix that this place will be a winner even more!! -
Review from Susan M.
Somerville, MA
Updated - 2/16/2011
I love the taqueria-turned-cantina. It was the first place that I found in Boston that served decent, authentic mexican food and is still the best I've found.
I'm a regular at the taco shop but this particular review is about the Rockin' NYE I had there with my husband and two friends. The Cantina was a steal - $25 for all you can eat buffet + a MAGNUM bottle of champagne if you were a party of 4+. On top of all of that, we got a free pitcher of margaritas.
I love the food here so I was pleased - though I have to admit, I prefer ordering for myself than having it buffet style. We also came with someone who has severe food allergies (for real, sesame seeds are the devil) and they kindly added his food allergies to all the little signs so he could be sure the food was safe. Seems to have worked out cause he rang in 2011 and is still kicking.
The place was a good time, loud and fun without being out of control. The food was delish and you didn't have to line up for days to get it. The music was entertaining, if not fantastic, and I had a great time.
Only problem? Full belly makes it harder to drink enough bubbly to really enjoy NYE.Listed in: Places to Order Takeout From…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/25/2006
I moved here from San Diego 6 years ago and have always lamented the lack of mexican food. This… Read more »
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Review from Meghan K.
Somerville, MA
3/17/2011
It is so hard to find good Mexican in the Boston area, so I was really excited to try Cantina La Mexicana after reading some of the positive reviews. I wasn't completely blown away by the food, but it was definitely above average.
The chips and salsa are good. Although the chips weren't warm, they tasted homemade and were soo addicting. The salsa was pretty good too--good amount of spiciness.
We also got some guacamole, which I probably wouldn't order again. It was different than typical guacamole in that the avacado, cilantro, onion, etc. wasn't "mashed" together, it was served in chopped up pieces. Although it was really good, the big chunks were kind of hard to get onto the chips.
I do have to say I was pleasantly surprised at how good the margaritas are here! I was nervous they were going to have that gross artificial sour-mix taste, but they were soo delicious...and strong! We spilt a pitcher between two people and could definitely feel it by the end of the meal :)
For our entrees, we chose the Pollo En Mole (chicken in mole sauce) and the Barbacoa De Puerco (pulled pork shoulder served w/ tortillas). We thought both dishes were pretty good, but not excellent. I think both could have been made at home and tasted the same...we weren't blown away. One complaint is that the rice that comes with your meal looked liked regular brown rice. I would have preferred Mexican-style rice instead.
Given the good chips & salsa, tasty margs, above average food, and the affordable prices, I think this is my new go-to Mexican spot! -
Review from Jose A.
Austin, TX
11/14/2010
So my name is Jose, and I've spent the entire 24 years of my existence in Texas, save for 3 years suffering through Cambridge weather. I'd like to think that gives my review of a Mexican restaurant some credibility.
My wife and I had some enchiladas with rice and refried beans, some horchata, and a "bases loaded" plate, which includes a chile relleno, tamale, taco and flauta. We almost wept.
I'm not going to pretend that it was the best mexican food I've ever had, but for New England fare it was practically divine.
We were so happy to find actually palatable (and authentic tasting- yes, the chile relleno is spicy, it's CHILE) mexican food within a mile radius of our home that we ordered some caldo and half a dozen tamales to go.
It's a family run business that recently expanded into a decent-sized restaurant. The prices are also extremely reasonable for the quality.
Thanks, La Mexicana, for making this town just a little more tolerable for a frozen Texan. -
Review from Debby K.
Middlesex, MA
3/4/2011
We were excited to try this place in Union Square and were even more delighted to find a decent size parking lot out front! (Meters end at 8pm on weekends.) We met some friends there for a cheap, lowkey dinner out. It was cheap. But terrible. The service was really, really, reallllyyyyy bad. Slow, but also super unattentive. There was only one other table of people in the entire restaurant when our waitress took our orders and she still forgot our appetizer, silverware, etc. Frustrating.
The food left a lot to be desired. I had the chicken tacos, which were simple but well-seasoned and delicious. However, there was nothing else on the plate - no rice, no beans, no pico de gallo, no garnish. Strange. My husband had the enchiladas (3 to a plate) and they were very small. Again, no sides. He ordered them spicy and was pouring hot sauce on them just to give them some flavor. Our friends were less than thrilled with their meals, as well. Nothing special here.
And then the DJ started with a strange mix of tunes VERY loudly and someone got up to sing karaoke and we were glad to be finishing the meal. It was a strange place - we won't be going back. -
Review from Aboud Y.
Cambridge, MA
8/17/2010
Tu y Yo? This place is Tu y Yo y Tu Madre Tambien!
The food here is great...fresh, authentic, and delicious. Add in a nice atmosphere / ambiance and great service and you have a winner...er ganador! -
Review from Soda Pop C.
Boston, MA
3/4/2011
I ate here a few months ago and I really liked the service and speed that the food got to the table but the food wasn't as good as I though. It was good but I wasn't blown away.
The chips and salsa were great at the beginning of our meal- our server even brought over more without us asking. The salsa tasted very fresh and the chips were crispy and salty.
I ordered the "bases loaded" plate, which includes a chile relleno, tamale, taco and flauta. They were all tasty but I wasn't blown away. Maybe I went on an off day?
We had the flan for dessert which was HUGE and should have been split between 2 people. It was very good. -
Review from Julie R.
6/17/2010
The food here is decent but I expected better from the rave reviews. The beef torta was the best thing in the meal. The bread was soft, the meat was tender, the seasonings and sauces were perfect. The best torta I've had. It was huge too for $5.
The fish tacos were lackluster. For $9.50 I expected better quality and portion. The portion came with 2 small tacos, rice and beans. The fish fillet inside was thin and tiny. The fish tasted like cardboard. I do not recommend these!
The gordita was an improvement. It looked like a large waffle covered with pork and sauce. It could serve as a light lunch.
Service was awkward. When we got in no one was around, then a young guy yelled to sit wherever we want from across the room, as another server was seated eating lunch. It felt like an inconvenience to dine in. It would be nice to start with a better first impression like walking over to guests and greeting them face to face with a warm tone. The food took a while. I was surprised they didn't even bring any chips to the table to munch on during the long wait. I noticed as I'm reviewing, that other rewiwers had gotten them free. Things like that are a nice touch in Mexican places, please be consistent.
The whole experience was just blah. Not their fault but parking in that area is a pain. Once you get in and there are no spots, there is no way out unless you reverse..but there is most likely another car behind you..the intersection needs a traffic study.
The atmosphere of the place is very colorful. I would suggest they get some mats for the doorways. It was raining out and people trekked water across the hardwoods, leaving them slippery. Cause they make a super torta I'll give this place an OK, otherwise this would be 2. I still favor the Mexican at the little joints in Eastie.Listed in: Fish Tacos
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Review from brett o.
Astoria, NY
10/11/2010 1 Check-in Here
Got the vegetarian burrito to go. The burrito was decent, lots of grilled vegetables and beans and cheese, as you'd expect. Nothing special. What I did like, however, was that the burrito weighed a TON and was super cheap. I ate that thing and I was full ALL DAY.
So, nothing special, but good bang for the buck. You could do a lot worse. -
Review from Justin S.
Somerville, MA
6/21/2010
I walked in hoping to find a replacement for the Forest Cafe (sad face) since it's right in my 'hood and there's many positive reviews out there. So maybe my bar was set a little high.
Start with the positive- chips were greasy but yummy homemade and we didn't have to ask for a refill. Pretty neat art on the walls and overall good decor/vibe inside. Staff was pleasant and adorablez and the manager/owner guy thanking us out front was a nice touch.
So with that out of the way, here's the negative- We got a pitcher of sangria that had no fruit and tasted like cheap red wine with lighter fluid floating on top. I got beef enchiladas that were cooked well and fairly tasty but there was no choice of sauce. Cheese was mostly absent too. The rice tasted like the New Balance outlet store! (I don't know what you can add to rice to make it taste like sneakers besides actual sneakers.) The refried beans were the best thing on my plate but they were just ok.
Despite the smiles and cuteness the service was slow even though they were dead (on a Friday night!) My biggest service pet-peeve is not bringing food out at the same time... two of us had to stare at our plates while we waited at least 5 minutes for the rest of our meals to come out.
A few tweaks and this could become my go-to Forest Cafe replacement, but for now it's not cutting it. The search continues... -
Review from Renée P.
Somerville, MA
7/19/2011
Delicious authentic mexican food - i got white sangria, gaucamole, chips salsa and fish tacos and all were delicious authentic and reasonably priced. Love it here. Will be back VERY soon
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Review from Jenn M.
Somerville, MA
1/16/2011
After a wonderful afternoon building snow forts, we needed to warm up. Since CLM was so kind to provide Mexican Hot Chocolate for the Snow Art Flash Mob we headed over to show them our appreciation.
A large group of us ambled into the bar and were greeted by Roberto, the owner, who instantly made us feel right at home.
Best Margarita I've had in years! Looking forward to dinner next time. -
Review from Andrea M.
Somerville, MA
2/11/2009 ROTD 3/9/2009
Cantina, mi vida, mi corazon, te amo. You are one of the lucky few to earn my scarce dollars in these lean economic times. Not just because you are inexpensive, but because you are utterly delicious and fabulously friendly.
As previously mentioned by Corey F., we took our Japanese friends here as part of their tour of the most authentic international cuisines around Boston. My standards were high on the Mexican stop of the tour, and I'm glad that Cantina did not disappoint. As we walked in, the waitress/hostess even practiced some of her Japanese with our friends, which was so awesome.
Robert totally hooked us up with an a la cart sampling of basic, traditional Mexican fare, because it would give us the best bang for our buck. The chiles rellenos were *perfect*, chock full of meaty goodness, just the right amount of heat, with only a sprinkle of cheese. The yellow pepper salsa was amazing, and a welcome change of pace from the typical chopped tomato. Our tacos, tamales, rice, and beans rounded everything out, and not a morsel was left on any plate.
The pitcher of sangria was big and more sangria than ice (as it should be!), and the giant free sample of white sangria was an excellent touch. And Robert was absolutely friendly.
Flan! Eat the flan. Srsly. After all that food, we somehow made room for dessert, and it was totally worth it. The brown, rich top of burnt sugar, syrup that isn't so sweet that it ruins it, firm custard with all the right flavors. It's a protein source, right? I could totally live on it... right? I'll find a way...
With money so tight, it's hard to bring myself to eat out. I almost feel like I cheated Robert: what we got for what we paid was an amazing value, and, more importantly, an amazing experience. At some point very soon we need to hit their ~$6 weekend brunch! -
Review from Daniel M.
5/26/2009 5 Check-ins Here
Yessssssssss!
So good. I am ridiculously happy about learning that this is within walking distance to my house. So happy that in the past two weeks I may or may not have eaten here four times. What? Have you had the Mexican food in this area? blech. But no more, I've finally found a home in Cantina La Mexicana. Is it truly authentic? Probably not, but in all honesty I like a little Americanization to my food so hey.
Service is always friendly and it's nice to see the owner walking around chatting up the patrons. On my first visit I saw an issue at one table that was handled quickly and to the customer's satisfaction. Always a good sign.
Above and beyond anything else I could possibly mention is the food. Oh man, the food. After eating the crap at that Mexi-Cajun joint and the myriad 'burrito as big as your head' spots I was delighted to walk in and see this menu. Not only can most things be made vegetarian but they have chilaquiles! Now, seeing these makes me want breakfast but they are equally suitable as a lunch/dinner item. Their tacos are yummy but could definitely use a second tortilla as they started to fall apart toward the end. Salsas are pretty tasty but could be considerably hotter for me. Maybe they have hot and I haven't yet to experience it? They also do the staple beans and rice (veg-friendly!) well. That right there is a sign of quality.
There's so much more that I want/need to try and luckily since their prices are incredibly affordable I won't break the bank doing so.
Finally, to all the "I'm from...and this isn't..." people. This is Massachusetts, you're not going to get the food you're used to from "..." so shut the eff up, this place is fantastic(o).Listed in: Mex-I-Can
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Review from Virginia su m.
Boston, MA
HA!!!!! someone down there just complained that the food here is OVERPRICED. he must live on the isle of silly, atop mount coo-coo, where the natives all wear hand crafted crazy pants and feed on wild nuts.
our meal:
2 cheese enchiladas,
salsa,
chips,
pacifico,
dos equis amber,
3 pork tacos,
side of rice,
another side of rice,
side of beans,
another side of beans-
26 dollars.
overpriced? simply put- no. it most certainly is not. my fella and i left complimenting their generous portions and pricing, impressed that there's an entity out there that still cares about the survival of truly affordable family dinners.
i stand by my original review, and i withhold my final star for a few simple, tolerable reasons:
1. wait staff very mediocre- (but super nice!!)
they forget to give you silverware [which is tough when your plate of cheese enchiladas, rice, and refried beans are sitting in front of you and you haven't had a meal with over 5 grams of fat in SIX solid months], they wait till you ask for the check to give it to you, that sort of thing- no big deal when you're at an establishment that feeds 2 adults for under 30 dollars. am i right?
2. chips and salsa just so so - chips are thick and heavy, need salt, never served hot that i know of. con.
important note: although there seem to be some "authentic" items on the menu, in my view, being from tennessee where the tex-mex rules all- this is more tex-mex than authentic. as such, it totally rocks the shit, because there IS NO tex-mex in boston worth a flying flip- except for this place!
i couldn't be a bigger fan.Listed in: mexican
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/9/2009
this is the tex-mexish, family friendly restaurant that i have been looking for for the 5 years that… Read more »
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Review from Tracee D.
Boston, MA
1/5/2009
oh, so it's this hilarious entity that I don't like Mexican food. But I like my friend whose birthday it was, so I graced the table with my presence. The owner waited on us. He was super accommodating. We had a few beers. Pacifico's, tecate's, negro modelo's, corona's etc..the usual suspects. I ordered (the) La Mexicana combo to share with my novio. We also ordered a burrito. The sangria was awesome. You can actually taste the infusion of what appears to be muddled berries. soooo good. All in all it was a nice dinner with great service in a cute little "typical" mexican painted dining area.
3.5 stars. -
Review from Chantelle K.
New York, NY
Updated - 6/30/2008
A visit to Taqueria La Mexicana has pretty much become tradition when I head back to Boston to visit the parents. And by tradition I mean I throw myself on the ground and start crying if we don't go.
I mixed it up this time and got the chicken tamales with green verde sauce. Just over $6 bucks for 3, delicious homemade tamales?! Uh, yes please. We also got a round of Coronas and yes, I did get IDed. Again. Even with my parents. I guess I shouldn't take offense to it seeing as I had a slight nervous breakdown at the last b-day (which I got over quickly after a round or 8 of shots).
In a nutshell, this place deserves 6 stars. Food, price, service, ambiance. They have it all and make me wiggle my tail just at the thought of biting into one of those tacos (tamales, enchilidas, ceviche, etc)Listed in: Some of my favorite things…, The Best (and the worst)…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/14/2007
All I can say is my family is originally from California, my parents moved to Boston around 5 years… Read more »
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Review from Vanessa C.
Boston, MA
5/15/2008 1 Check-in Here
when I crave mexican food, I dont eat burritos. I put burritos in a separate category with "corn dogs" and "ice cream sandwich" and other food anomalies like that.
when I want a heaping plate of tamales and flautas and refried beans, FAST and CHEAP, this is without question THE spot.
now dont get me wrong, I love Tacos El Charro (especially since I can practically see it from my window) but lets talk bulk for your buck - Taqueria goes beyond value. if you order a combination plate, be prepared for the most serious food coma of your life - its that deep.
Some of these reviews complain about service but every time I have come, the people have been very nice and patient. I'll be honest, I can be a real pain in the ass sometimes when I order & I ask a lot of questions. if you cant speak english & you STILL try to go out of your way to answer my inane battery of questions, I'd say that is excellent service!
I have not been since the expansion so I am excited to check it out. I usually get take out anyway, but if you're having a lazy weekend afternoon or need to nurse a late-breaking hangover, wear your fat pants & head over to the taqueria. then waddle back home for a nap!Listed in: VX Favorite Boston Eats!
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Review from B P.
Los Angeles, CA
10/2/2006
Taqueria La Mexicana is everything that everyone says it is. Way to live up to the hype!
I was actually prompted to visit by Ryan W.'s adorable story about the owner (Yelp strikes again), but I don't know what I was waiting for because I love authentic Mexican and it's so close by.
I highly, highly recommend the burro, which is filled with everything that anyone ever wanted to be put in a tortilla. The tamales are excellent, and as Pete S. pointed out, they have very delicious tamales, a most labor-intensive food, for an unbeatable price. The last time I had tamales this tasty was as a kid in Chicago, when my mom was a teacher in Pilsen, and her student's family, who owned their own place, would bring them in for her every week. Nothing like your first tamale...
I'm not usually an adventurer when it comes to food, sticking by the basics I know I'll like, but I went "wild" the last time I was there and ordered the torta, which is somewhat like a burrito in a french bread bun. It was really odd-tasting, but not bad.
But, in the end, I say: bring on the burro (it is really the full donkey)--I'm ready for him. YUM. -
Review from Sarah G.
Somerville, MA
12/5/2006
**Update 3/2/08 - they're expanding into the once nasty hole that was Irish Eyes Pub and have done a beautiful job! We had lunch there today and the owner came out, gave us some samples from the new menu, and walked us through the nearly finished dining room of the new expansion. They'll have sit-down service and a bar, which I am extremely excited about. All of the samples were amazing and I can't wait - check the website for the grand opening info, should be happening in a few weeks.
Excellent, cheap, filling...really just see all reviews below. However, horchata is NOT good when I've had it - the cinnamon tasted like artificial cinnamon chewing gum and it was a bit chalky. Otherwise, everything here is wonderful. -
Review from Beth M.
5/29/2008
TaQueria La Mexicana serves probably some of the most authentic Mexican food I've had in the Boston area. I think. I mean, I'm not Mexican. But I've been to Mexico several times, so I'm basing my previous statement on that.
Anyway, recently this place has developed a bit of a split personality...the taqueria side exists as always, serving up tasty takeout enchiladas, burros, tamales, tacos, etc. But now there is a nicer cantina side as well, offering a more extensive dinner menu and bar area. And it's really pleasant! My husband and I came here to get take out recently, and were lured into the cantina area and decided to eat there instead.
Basically it's the same great, authentic food, but you can sit, have a drink and stay a while. I'm glad to see more of this kind of thing happening in Union Square! The service is really great too-- the bartender, acting as a server in the bar area, went out of his way to make sure we were happy and had everything we needed. Our quesadilla and burro were delicious. We left happy and full of Mexican food...yay!Listed in: So many squares, so little…
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Review from Ryan W.
8/19/2006
I had such a positive impression of this place, even before I heard that it's one of the most hyped underground Mexican joints in Boston. It's so unassuming and sits in the midst of so many other good restaurants, like India Palace, its counterpart in Indian food. But last night, as we searched around for a quick late-nite bite before a gig at PA's Lounge (another great place), I'm glad we pushed on to La Mexicana.
As we perused the menus, I had a crisis I don't usually experience: there were so many vegetarian options that sounded delicious that I had trouble choosing: tamales, taquitos, tacos, or all three on a combination plate? Enter Robert, the owner, who is a genuinely sweet man. "You're a vegetarian, honey?" he asked as he stocked the soda refrigerator for the night. "I have lots of vegetarian taquitos that will go to waste tonight--I give you all of them, and some vegetable tamales too. I'll just have you give me, say, four bucks."
Four bucks for a meal! I gave him five, then realized I needed a drink. "Don't worry about it," he said, leaning over so I could reach a bottle of water. My friend Dan ordered a passionfruit juice, and proclaimed it his favorite drink EVER.
Robert also gave my friends an entire Styrofoam container of salsa to go with their chips, and some freshly made guacamole. The tamales were completely satisfying, the taquitos a bit dry but very spicy and crisp.
Later Robert came over to talk to us, halting his closing duties to talk about the future of the business, of which he's very proud. "Fifteen years in the same spot. Not too bad!" he said.
I think we saw several reasons for this--and I hope he'll stay on for 15 more!Listed in: Good for Groups, Conspicuous consumables, Slummerville No More!
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Review from Devon M.
10/14/2007
So update of this joint: They've expanded greatly! And have a bar! I have a crush on this place now. Jesse, Micah, and I went in here last night, and I needed to drive after and had to restrain myself heavily from going insane with their awesome margaritas. I had port enchiladas which were out of control. The boys both had steak quesadillas, which were both delicious. I will get steak anything now after trying a bike of theirs, because it was so moist and perfectly grilled.
I think we'll be spending a lot more time here now.
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So Taqueria La Mexicana had a stand out for the Union Food Fest this past weekend, and I stopped there and got a chicken platter, which was rice, black beans, veggies and chicken, as well as an AMAZING chicken tamale...it was wrapped in the corn husk and was out of this world. The tamale was soft and moist, and I should have just gotten another one of those instead of the platter. They seriously get the third star purely for that reason. The chicken platter was tasty, but nothing that really shocked my monkey. The chicken was really moist and it had good flavors, but I would be interested in trying their other creations.
It was good and cheap, as Mexican food should be, and I will be back again to see the actual menu.Listed in: These are a few of my favorite…
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Review from Corey F.
Somerville, MA
2/10/2009
When our Japanese friends said they wanted to try authentic Mexican food before heading back overseas, so they wanted to go to Chipotle...well, Andrea M. and I just could NOT let that happen. Instead, we scooped them up and whisked them away to Cantina. We actually intended to take them to TaQueria, not even yet knowing about their expansion/sibling restaurant, so we were pleasantly surprised. I expected good food in a cute little hole-in-the-wall, but the Cantina is actually gorgeous. It would have been easy to ride that renovation right into gaudy, but they actually nailed it with bright colors contrasting dark wood and sweet lighting all around.
We got ourselves seated and set up with some red sangria while we pored over the menu, trying to figure out how to make sure our friends got to try all the major dishes, and all the major fillings (since just about everything is offered with any of the various meat or vegetarian fillings. Along came the owner, Robert. He brought us some chips while we waited -- real, fresh-fried tortillas, with what I thought was cheese but turned out to be a delicious yellow pepper sauce. And he saw we were drinking the sangria roja, so he brought out a big glass of the pear for us to try. (Both tasty, by the way, more fruity than wine-y, and you can taste the rum in the latter.) Then I tell him what we're trying to do, and he just says, "leave it to me, and don't worry, you won't pay a lot" and off he goes.
In comes wave after wave of food, with all the tacos and flautas and chiles rellenos and tamales we sought, all delicious and stuffed with tender pork and tasty beef and juicy chicken and spicy chorizo (he made sure none of us were vegetarian first). Robert of course came back to check on us and to chat. It was excellent, both in terms of quality of food and quality of service. Not only were we well-fed and entertained, but the cultural excursion was complete. If only we had known about the Friday mariachis, we could have watched our friends' heads explode. -
Review from lora v.
Somerville, MA
8/26/2006
Oh, thank goodness. Real Mexican in Boston. This is *** not *** Tex Mex! (I don't dislike tex mex, but its just not the same thing).
After living in Logan Square in Chicago, where there were 2-4 taquerias per block & the only grocery was Mexican, I've finally found a place in Boston that's as good as my old haunts. This is not Anna's or a burrito joint--- get the tamales or chile rellenos or flautas. Since its hard to choose between these , I usually get a combo plate, which is good for dinner & brunch the next day ($7!!).
Decor is basic, I'd recommend getting takeout. Be sure to check out their menu online (http://www.lataqueria....) - if you click on the item there's a picture of the prepared dish. -
Review from Shane F.
Cambridge, MA
12/26/2006
Great food! I always get a combo plate because I can't decide. The flautas and enchiladas are excellent. The flautas are small and very crispy. The tamales are a little heavy for me but they are tasty.
Be sure to order some pico de gallo with your meal.
Update: Nix the last two things I said. The tamales are perfect and never mind the pico de gallo. I mean, unless you want some pico de gallo. Then you should get some. Just don't go out of your way on my say so.Listed in: Tacos
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Review from aaron t.
Somerville, MA
12/8/2006
I decided to walk over here today in the frigid semi snowing weather(23 degrees), hence I was craving one damn good meal.
I ordered the Mexican combo, which included 2 tamales, 2 enchiladas, and 2 tacos.
Ordering was simple, you pretty much just yelled out what you wanted, and ate before paying, though for some, ordering and paying might have seemed awkward if your a newbie there...like me..
Anyooots, back to the food. It came out Hot, very hot, and seemed soooo good. Service was fast.. I started out with the tamales, which were very very good, but then again, it's been ages since I'd had one. Tender, hot, and warm. Chicken.
Next came the tacos, which came with double soft shells which I enjoyed, though, I'll admit the tortillais were not the freshest....they were good, but they didnt taste like they were made that hour. The meat inside was a bit rough, and pulled out everytime I bit down. The tomatoes were very fresh though. The hot sauce was also a delight.
So now the yummy tamales and the "ok" tacos had been devoured. The enchiladas were left which i read and heard about from YELP.. In short, the meat inside was very tender and tasty, but again, the shell/tortilla didnt seem that soft, fresh. otherwise, it was the best of the 3, but very close to the tamales.
Overall, for the price of the food, this place is awesome! I wanted to give it a 3.5, but decided on a 3 cause I've had better mexican food around town, ole mexican, though the price is 2x. I'm a picky foodie, and cant give 4-5's to every place i eat. I dont even thik i've given 1's or 2's out.
This is a place, to go eat by yourself, grab a quick yummy bite during work lunch, or with a few friends. Great food, but nothing to send you bouncing off your chair and craving for more. I dont mean to sound picky, but this was just my experience. I'd go back since the prices rock, but otherwise, it's not something I'd be taking my visiting friends to if they were here for a few days since boston has so many other good food spots.Listed in: Great Eats!
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Review from Cecilia L.
Cambridge, MA
1/16/2008
This place is awesome and cheap.
Bf and I had it on our list for a while, but the night our urge for good Mex seized us was also the night of the shittiest weather. Food is important to us, though, so we mucked over slushy curbs the mile from Central to Union Square. The walk was actually pretty fun and after a couple near pedestrian deaths we arrived. We ordered the chicken taco plate with beans and rice, the beef enchilada plate (4 of them), blackberry juice, mango juice and a side of guac from the taciturn counter boy. Tacos are authentically seasoned with chopped onions and cilantro. Enchilada sauce and beans are yummy and the guac chunky. The fresh juices are awesome and huge for just $1.50. By the time we were ready to pay, the jovial owner had arrived. He listened to what we had ordered, contemplated a minute, then charged us $15 when it should have been more like $20: "Sometimes I'm a nice guy."
Then he told us about Taqueria's new sitdown restaurant, which will open in a month, and in a somewhat bizarre addendum to our meal led us back through the kitchen and on a tour of the unfinished annex next door. According to him, there will be a bar and more seafood, but prices will stay pretty much the same, and the current takeout place will remain unchanged. Then, beaming, he said, "You know what the ladies love?" With great pride, he gestured toward the narrow alcove that would become the men's room, then to an expansive area intended for the women's. Bf and I were cracking up.
Watch their web site for the sitdown restaurant's opening.
