Without any doubt, this place is incredible!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It should get 10 stars. First of all, who does HOT chips, fresh from the fryer and great salsa. No one besides these guys. Huge portions, great drinks and quick service. What more can you want for cheap prices. Oh, almost forgot - GREAT FOOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hot, fresh and delicious. Consistent every single time I've been there. My only complaint is no takeout. I'd go twice as often. If you've never been GO there, you don't know what you're missing. And to those who ranked this less than 5 stars, grow some taste buds!!!!!! read more

Everyone loves hanging out at Border Cafe not just because they have good foods and drinks but also they offer a low-key and relaxing environment where anyone can come and wind down after a long day at work. Their foods and drinks are very reasonably priced eg. $6 margarita, gourmet Mexican burger for $11. Portions are huge so I always take leftovers home for next couple of meals. One downfall is average waiting time is 20-40 minutes for most nights. read more

I love this place. They give you complimentary, bottomless tortilla chips and salsa as you sit down. The chips are even served warm. The menu is full of great options, all of which are very inexpensive. It's always packed, so on Friday/Saturday nights the wait can be pretty long, so be prepared. During the summer they have outdoor seating, however it's pretty loud outside since it's on RT1. read more

microwave microwave microwave another lazy restaurant who rather then train cooks to cook the train them to push buttons on a microwave. whats even more surprising is that locals who have some of the best food in the world at there door step still choose to wait in line for food defrosted and nuked. read more

I eaten here for years. Once they moved across the street the service and food have good down. The bartenders always had attitude but now it is extreme. I had basically no service I had to ask for napkins and utensils. I usually get a quesadilla always a safe bet. Not this time. It was greasy soggy and loaded with salt. No one was around to speak with. I picked at my dinner then requested the manager which said very little. I paid the bill. Yes. They did not comp my dinner. Don't waste your time. Go somewhere else. read more

Though not an authentic tasting Mexican/Cajun cuisine, Border Cafe is a great no frills place the whole family can enjoy. I had the Cadillac fajitas, dad had the beef fajitas and the boy had the Jim Bowie style fillet. All were tasty. NO complaints. Be sure to try a cup of the Louisiana Gumbo... I had never had gumbo and I'm glad i gave it a whirl. It was seasoned beautifully with a tiny kick of spiciness. Oh, and if you need a tasty beverage to wash down the spicy food, try a giant iced tea, or even better, a margarita! read more

Seriously, how does that girl that just got fired from your restaurant standing in the service bar area take precedence over me,a paying customer? Don't most places have a policy that if you're fired you can't come back for so many days? Well, 2 bartenders, 11:00 on a Saturday night....(I'm old, but isn't 11:00 still early??) we had to flag them down for everything! Finally it was so difficult to get their attention (at this point they're stocking beer and talking to each other at the other end of the bar) that I had to get a server (who was standing around talking to two guys) to get us a to go box. Aargh!!! My husband and I eat out ALL of the time and our base for tips is always 20%....this night? Take-out container girl got $5 and the bartenders nothing. I explained my reason to them and they actually seemed sorry and like they understood! They probably talked about us the second we left, but I sure felt better about the situation. Oh, the food was fabulous, as always, and we will go back! We had the Gumbo and then Pastelitos which were amazing! They had chicken and cilantro and then an awesome chimi verde sauce on the side (oil, cilantro, basil and parsley)!! In my books if the food is good and I can't get it anywhere else I'll go back no matter how bad the service. Here's my rationale.... Unique OR Great food + Bad Service = will go back Average food + Bad Service = won't go back Average food + Average service = only if it's the only place open Average food + Great Service = will go back Bad food + Great Service = only go back to drink Bad food + bad service = that's a no-brainer! read more

Hands down the best Tex Mex food in the Greater Boston area. The salad dressings are made in house and are delicious. Jose's rice has just the right amount of heat and flavor. The Chicken Taco's are very reasonably priced, tasty, and very filling. There is nothing i can say bad about this place. I've been going here for years and have never had a bad food item and am always more than full when i leave. read more

you know, i always liked this place enough. i've never been super inspired by their menu but enjoyed whatever i ordered. i think i liked the chicken soft tacos the best... probably the least interesting thing on the menu, but very delicious. the drinks were always decent. i've always had to wait so long to get in there. not a huge deal cause you can go to the bar, but still, i'm not huge on waiting 30-45 minutes to get tacos. so yeah, i never had anything bad to say about this place until the last time i went. once i got home i threw up all night. it wasn't like i had 75 drinks or anything. i seriously had one margarita that i couldn't even finish until the icy bits melted because it was too sweet (maybe that was the problem). i wasn't excited to revisit the meal i'd just eaten, and i'm also not excited to go back. read more

Great place to meetup with a group of friends. It gets pretty crowded and tends to be very loud so maybe not a good date place. The food is good for a mexican chain. read more

It's not real Mexican , but it's not bad. You can do worse for the money.

I've been coming to this place for a while now and have a great experience each time. The vibe inside reminds me of a place I went to when I was in Mexico. Bright colors, string lights and a beachy feel is what you'll get when you come here. The food is pretty good and always comes out quickly. I usually get the chicken soft tacos because they're so good. I love the spice blend that they marinate their meats in. Staff is always friendly and the food here is cheap! My only complaint is that unless you come here early there's usually a wait when you go for dinner. Guess that's what happens when you have good food at good prices :) read more

Can't get enough of the blackened chicken fajitas - so flavorful, spicy and overall delicious. These alone are worth the drive and the wait when you first get there. My boyfriend usually gets the swordfish tacos and they almost look too good to eat - but you have to, because they also are super tasty. The portions are pretty big, too; I think if we didn't fill up on their chips and salsa, we may be able to finish our meals, but the leftovers from there always make me happy the next day. Two thumbs up. read more

The service was decent, the food was nothing special, so this place get's a meh from me. I couldn't find carnitas (pork) on the menu for any of the dishes! There were only beef and chicken -- I usually order pork for my tex-mex meals! read more

Hands down the best chicken quesadilla in the country. I won't eat quesadillas anywhere else. Something about the sauce or chicken or cheese. UNREAL!!!!!!!! They do a great skinny marg too! Chips are always delish and guac tastes very fresh considering it is kind of a chain. The wait is long but waitresses are very quick to get you drinks while you wait. read more

Been there only once, but I loved whatever I had and would love to go again. It was some Cajun style Catfish served with rice and beans on the side. The fish was fried, topped with I don't know what kinda sauce, but it enhanced the flavor for sure, and seasoned with walnuts. I know... sounds weird but this was probably the best Catfish I've had in a long time. Now the place was nice and clean but packed, it was a saturday night. Prices are very reasonable, and you get complimentary chips and salsa like most other Mexican places. read more

This place is always packed, and there are always a lot of kids in the dining room. The atmosphere isn't bad if you can get past the noise. I've probably been here close to 15 times and I have never once had slow or bad service. The chips are always hot and I love the combo fajitas (steak/chicken). I finally turned 21 and the margaritas aren't incredible, but they're pretty darn good, and the sangria is good too! I'll definitely keep going back. read more

I like the place but most ppl i know dont like it since their veg dishes are not up to the par. I usually eat only chicken fajita here and they are they best i have had . so for that 3 stars read more

A place I never had a bad meal at! The chips and salsa to start off is delicious. The food is always fresh and outstanding. I love the Catfish Royale, any of their salads, fajitas, etc. Nothing on the menu has disappointed me. Great relaxing, casual atmosphere. Prices are very reasonable as well. read more

Ok, I still love the cheap and tasty food here but the crowds are getting a little ridiculous. An hour and forty minute wait at 9:30pm on a sunday for a table of 2? Come on people! This place is getting too popular for its own good. Down 1 star for annoying drunk people and millions of loud children hogging up the wait area. read more

The adjectives cheap and good come to fruition at Border Cafe. Although we had to wait over an hour on a Saturday night at 6pm, we ordered drinks and stuck it out. You can eat like a king for around $10 and the food always comes out quickly. The service was good, and the waiter was always nearby. Plan to wait a while on a weekend evening, but make a night out of it and it will be fun! read more

Great fresh food. Great tavern like atmosphere. The prices are really fair and you get your money's worth. Every dish one the menu is better than the other. read more

Great place for cheap mexican food with fast table service. Massive waters and endless freshly made tortilla chips.

The only reason I'm not giving the Border 5 stars is because there is almost always a wait. And I mean like, 95% of the time, and you can't go in here without seeing somebody you know. This doesn't seem that bad except for when you're a socially awkward person like myself that hates small talk. Anyway, I crave their chicken quesadillas on a daily basis and theyre big enough to split with someone. This is perfect when youre looking for a $5 meal to fill you for the rest of the day. Also, I am obsessed with fountain soda and they have the largest soda cups in the world. Also, try their delicious little crunchy French fries. The only other con I can think of is that they don't let you order to go. They should really consider this because it would make my entire life. read more

Some of the best Mexican food I have ever had! Cheap and delicious hot food. The service is always fast! The strawberry margarita is incredible. Fresh chips and salsa, can't beat it!! read more

My favorite restaurant!!! Everything is amazing from the drinks to the food!! Oh, and how can you not love the warm chips they bring you for an appetizer?! read more

I'm from the south this is the only restaurant I've never seen. The service is awesome and the roof tops and the charts

One of my all time favorite restaurants ever. I love their frozen strawberry margaritas. However most importantly I love their chips and salsa! My sisters and I always suggest they make some chips and salsa to go since we love them so much. Their service is very good as well. I was there one day with my sister and nephew who is 1 and 1/2 when my nephew tripped himself and hit his nose off a barstool. A server immediately came over and offered us ice for him. Always a friendly setting and kid friendly. It's perfect to go as a family since loud children is never and issue there!! read more

This place is crazy busy and crazy popular! It is very loud and cramped and I don't know what the huge deal is but the jambalaya is great! My favorite is the seafood enchiladas! I'd only come at a totally off time though like lunch or late night. The food is Cajun, a ton of people mistakenly refer to the place as a Mexican restaurant. It's tex mex at best. read more

The service is often lacking -- the staff is very confused and both times I have been here they have screwed up seating my party. The first time we were given one of those infamous "wireless buzzers" only to have like 3 parties before us be called because they said, "we buzzed yours and no one came forward" Believe me -- I watch the buzzer like a hawk and it never went off. Fine, honest mistake. But, I return a second time to have them proceed to actually seat us at a table and then say, "oops, we seated the wrong people" and physically have us get back up and return to wait ... haha ... Because the food is decent and well-priced, it was kind of worth it, but, until they get their staff a little more "together", will stay away. read more

Great food!! Great atmosphere!! Service was ok, ordered water and margarita was brought to table with no straws. Waiter said there not good for environment I get it. But I look around and everyone else has straws. When he came back I said looks like I'm the only one saving the environment , he said yes I believe this was the servers doing. I know some restaurants don't use them any more. But either you use them or you don't it's not up to server to decide. read more

I love this place for Mexican. It is the only place I go and the Chicken Fajitas for 2 for $19 is the best deal around. It is so tastey and filling. I can't speak highly enough of this place and if you are looking for good Mexican and killer margaritas, then this place is the place to go read more

This Border Cafe has me hooked on their Catfish New Orleans dish....wow! The flavors that melt in your mouth after that 1st mouthful. Followed by an ice cold Hurricane, woo-hoo! Other favorites: Crawfish Ettouffee, and the drinks! Good portions, decent prices, definitely recommended. read more

I love the Border Cafe. The location is perfect. I love that I can go there for a date with my husband, for dinner with the kids and even out for a night with the Girls !!! Great service, great food and great prices. Can't be beat. read more

I mourned the old Saugus location for a long time after it closed, having not been to this new location. I met a friend here for lunch the other day. It's much bigger than the old location, with more convenient parking and the same food. read more

This place is somewhat unique, there aren't too many small Tex Mex chains around here. It's really loud and crowded, not a great first-date place. I like the food I have gotten, they do use a lot of salt I guess but not an offensive amount. The service is pretty good, it's one of those places that does a good job of getting you in and out quickly, especially if you have a small group. I've had a couple not-so-great waitresses, but nothing that ruined my night. Definitely worth trying out if you've never been there. read more

I haven't been to the Border Cafe since it moved. This was nothing special Luckily there is no other good Mexican in the area

Great food great prices addicting fries love the french quarter chicken all the salads are awesome cheap lunch under 20$ for two people i eat here way to much i wish it wasnt so good read more

Sat at the bar. Got a well made Margarita. Had a chicken dish with some kind of cream sauce, pretty good. Service was good. Place is clean and busy. Food prices are cheap. read more

We came here 2 years ago and had a blast drinking margaritas but now that we came back to this restaurant, it has changed. The hostess didn't seem fine to let us have a seating area of four when we told her that it was going to be two of us for now and we aren't sure if our other two was gonna come. She tells us they don't usually do that, like do what, the place is empty. The margaritas were weak, didn't even taste any alcohol nor was the margarita garnish with salt or sugar on the rim. It was smaller than what we remembered. I don't know what happens to the place but it seems like the place was dying. Maybe that's why our drinks are smaller and there's no alcohol in our drinks. We ordered 2 soft tacos entrees and the food was salty. Like really salty. It was ok. Whatever. We just want to go out and make the most out of it, but would I come back here I think not. Plus, our waitress seem like she was rushing us when the place was empty, like come on. Don't get me wrong, she was nice but a little pushy. read more