Border Café

The best margaritas around. Seriously! Tasty food and fun, fun environment.

I love this place a super duper amount but wanted to share my frustration that there should be some kind of dessert options on the menu. My best friend and I love coming here but she needs to have her dessert. It could be churros or something Mexican, just consider offering it please!!!

I’ve changed my mind. This place is not good anymore at all. In fact, it’s the opposite.
The last time we came, the wait was over 20 minutes, even though there were a ton of tables open. Seemed really disorganized and hectic. In addition, the service was quite slow and inconsistent. We were brought incorrect things at certain points. Finally, the food was awful. The chips were way overcooked, and the main courses themselves (which took way longer than normal to cook), were overly salty and completely inedible because of it. I had two bites and took mine home. And then I left it in the fridge for a few days and threw it out since it was inedible. Completely inexcusable, and I don’t think I’ll be returning.

Everything is delicious and seems homemade. The service is perfect and really can’t get any better. You get a lot for your money here with low prices and large dishes.

I really, really liked the food here. Flavorful and varied menu. The staff was extraordinarily friendly, which I don’t always associate with Boston. Great place to bring your family if they’re visiting you in Cambridge — there’s something for everyone and prices are really inexpensive for Harvard Square. Close to the T and to campus!

Let me start off by saying the service was great! Nice attentive servers always makes happy customers! The food is very affordable and the portions are big. I especially love the freshly made nachos. Definitely recommend this place if you’re looking for good Mexican food!

Nice place to go with friends on a weekday to get food and margaritas. Weekends are over crowded and wait is really long and not worth the wait. Their jambalaya is pretty good.

Easily my favorite restaurant in Cambridge. Endless chips and spicy, coriander-​heavy salsa. Strong, fruity sangria. Nicely seasoned, chunky guacamole. Perfectly cooked mesquite grilled steak. After I go to the Border Café I can’t eat for at least 12 – 16 hours. too stuffed.

Border Café gets an applause from me. I don’t know any other Mexican restaurant I could get 2 strong margaritas, one FRESH salmon salad, 4 huge empanadas with jambalaya, and chips and salsa all for $ 32. The quantity to quality here is well balanced unlike most Mexican restaurants.
Our server was extremely attentive. We were seated almost immediately. My citrus grilled salmon salad was amazing. The salmon was fresh and beautifully cooked. The salad was healthy and refreshing. I requested my dressing on the side. My husband ordered the corn and bean empanadas with jambalaya. I had a bite of the empanada which was delicious. I would skip the jambalaya though. It was dry and tasted like salty rice with dehydrated pork. The margaritas were out of this world. I had one drink and left buzzed! And those chips… those chips are like crack. I couldn’t stop eating them!

I have a friend who really adores this place. Border Café has been mentioned a bit in our foodie conversations, so I knew I had to try it someday! Last night I came here for a spontaneous, spur-​of-​the-​moment catch-​up with a few old friends I happened to spot across the train platform when I was on my way home.
The vibe of the interior was very laid-​back with dimmed lights and colorful décor. The music was kind of loud but not loud enough to disrupt conversation. We were seated promptly and our waiter was very nice and accommodating. All of us ordered margaritas and we had two baskets of complimentary chips with dips to share. I had the Margarita Grande (frozen) and it was really good. The taste of the lime juice was very prominent and the tequila was very, very faint. I took a sip of my friend’s Strawberry margarita and it was amazing and so flavorful.
This is a place I’d definitely revisit sometime!

Good food. I started hating Mexican food lately cuz thats the only good option near my university (being a Bolocco or Qdoba which closely resembles the taste of my country), and i started having them daily.
I din knew any dishes when i saw the menu and was confused, saw a verbally good option called Rio Grande. Ordered it and for soothing the taste in my mouth i had a coke, making my mouth ready for having the food. Rio Grande is a mix of blackened and grilled chicken in which grilled chicken/​beef is an option. Adding to that you will get a bowl of rice, black beans, cheese, sour cream and fresh and hot tortilla. You have to make your own mix for each tortilla strip and can have it in style. I really enjoyed the food and is satisfied.
I vote for the burger, the salmon and prawn fish as well as i had a chance to taste it.

Ate here last night and had the best service I’ve received at any restaurant in quite a while. Shoutout to our really attentive and kind waiter, Eric H., as well as the manager on duty, who both made an extra effort to make sure my meal was lactose-​free and substituted other items (like free guac) to make sure it was still a substantial and delicious meal. We stayed for a long time and never felt like we were being hurried out; our waiter actually brought us more waters after we had paid our bill and when I forgot my to-​go box on the table he came outside in the rain to give it to me.
Also, the iced margaritas were delicious as always!

Food: 3.0÷5.0
Service: 3.5÷5.0
Value: 3.5÷5.0
Décor: 3.0÷5.0
Overall: 3.0÷5.0
Mediocre food but with decent pricing, huge portions, great service, and awesome chips and salsa (don’t fill up). Probably the most ‘college town’ spot I can name in Harvard Square. Be prepared to wait 30 – 60 minutes during Fri/​Sat/​Sun evenings.

Came in on a Saturday night with a group of 10. Went to the bar to grab some margs while we waited for our table. Ordered 4 house on the rocks and was pleasantly surprised that they were only $ 6 each! Love that! I’m used to $ 10 – 12 so game on!
When seated we were greeted with salsa and warm chips. Also ordered the guac which was great. I ordered the steak and chicken fajitas and shared with my gf who ordered chicken enchiladas. Overall the food is probably 2 stars. Just your typical Mexican American. Nothing that really stood out. Everything was good, just nothing was really great either. Large portions and plenty of food though.
3 stars for the friendly service and reasonable drinks! Great spot for a large group looking for some fun.

Came here late night with some friends for dinner since we were craving Mexican food, and we wanted to celebrate national margarita day. The décor was festive and had a Texan theme.
They came out with complementary fresh warm chips and salsa, which they refilled for us quite a good amount. We also added a side of their homemade guacamole, which was good and had lots of chunky avocado.
We then ordered margaritas and food. The portions even for the drinks looked humongous. I tried all my friends’ margaritas (strawberry, Grande, Suava gold iced). The slushie one was delicious and so was the strawberry; they weren’t too sweet which I appreciate. You couldn’t taste the alcohol that much for those two though. As for the food, my friends ordered the swordfish tacos veracruz, corn and black bean empanadas, and enchiladas with marinated chicken. I didn’t try but they all enjoyed their dishes. I ordered the beef fajitas with black beans and Jose’s rice. The fajitas came out on a sizzling plate with lots of onions and with warm tortillas. The spices were just right and the rice was perfectly cheesy. I had everything I needed to build a fajita. I couldn’t finish my food, so they boxed it up for me.
On top of the delicious food, the service was amazing. I would definitely come back here again.

NOTE: I have posted the same review for the Burlington branch and the Cambridge branch because I have the same opinion about both of them!
I’ve been here a couple times now and I reallyyyyyy like this place. It may not be authentic Mexican or Cajun but the food always hits the spot.
First the drinks. Their frozen strawberry margarita is delicious. I’m not normally a huge margarita fan but I can down one of these in ~10 minutes. I pleasantly surprised that the normal frozen margarita was really good too.
Things I’ve tried here: Enchiladas with marinated chicken and pulled beef, chicken quesadillas, and the chicken and chorizo étouffée. I loved all of them!
The enchiladas had a really good flavor and the pulled meat was delicious. I also thought there was the right amount of cheese — not too much and not too little. The quesadillas were loaded with melted cheese with a crispy and slightly blackened tortilla and they were sooooo gooood. Finally I had no idea what to expect from the Cajun food but it was savory and spicy and delicious too!
I’m not claiming this place is authentic and the decorations are definitely cheesy but love it and frequently crave the food. I will definitely continue to come back!

I have changed my mind about this place. Sometimes you work late and you’re in Harvard Sq or passing through… that’s me, a lot. And there is no place that fills you up and treats you as well on those late nights as Border Café.
So, for that reason, and the late-​night menu pastelitos and cilantro sauce (how did I miss that?; it’s all I want from there now), I’m a fan.
That’s even before margaritas + chips and salsa, folks.

Oh Border, how I love thee. Probably the best Mexican food in Harvard Square. As soon as you are seated, you are greeted with a basket of fresh, hot tortilla chips that were literally just scooped out of the fryer, and a bowl of salsa. The tortilla chips are lightly salted and pair perfectly with a margarita. Speaking of the margaritas — definitely get one. They are strong, cheap, and delicious! I like the frozen ones that come almost like a slushie. There are different flavors as well.
The entrees are large and delicious. My favorites are either the beef burro or beef enchiladas. The beef is very tender, flavorful, and juicy, and I like it better than the chicken. Both dishes come covered in melted cheese (mm… Heaven). You also have the choice of adding jambalaya on the side for free.
I come here whenever I have a craving for Mexican. Be careful though as on Friday and Saturday nights the place gets packed and there is always a wait, so get there early!

Came on a Wednesday night. Border, I love your food but please improve your service. Our server was so slow, took him forever to pick up the check, and completely forgot about one of our orders.
Through the countless times I’ve been here, I feel like it’s always hit or miss when it comes to service…

Hemos cenado en el Border café y la verdad que nos ha sorprendido para bien. Un lugar lleno de gente joven y con una decoración acogedora. En todo nuestro viaje por los Estados Unidos es el restaurante que mejor relación calidad/​precio hemos encontrado. Además el personal es amable y atento. Un lugar que recomiendo si estás por la ciudad de Boston.
Ah, es restaurante Mexicano… Así que la comida pica in poquito.
Disfrútenlo y que viva México!

La nourriture es tout simplement parfaite!!! Le gumbo est goûteux et bien épicé. Les enchiladas au bœuf sont sublime et le riz est un des meilleurs que j’ai mangé!

Went to the Border Café for a friend’s birthday and had a fun time.
This place is hopping. It’s clearly catered to Harvard students with the oversized margaritas and insanely cheap prices (though I’m used to NY prices, so take this with a grain of salt.)
I ordered the seafood enchiladas with a side of jambalaya and a southern-​style strawberry margarita. The enchiladas exceeded my expectations (super fresh crab and shrimp) and the jambalaya was great, but the margarita was weak. My friends all enjoyed their quesadillas and burritos. Oh, and the free chips and salsa are addicting. Fair warning!
While Border Café may not be top of my list on my next Boston visit, (I can’t say I enjoy restaurants exploding with college kids) it’s a safe bet for a lively casual dinner or drinks with friends.