I don't get it...this place was packed on a random Tuesday night and the food was not that good. The chips tasted oily and were kinda crunchy, it was weird. I like my salsa spicy and this one was very mild to my taste. Ordered the fish tacos which was smothered in cheese and some mayo based sauce, it was definitely a calorie bomb! I had to scrape it all off to eat just the fish and beans. Hubs ordered a chicken burrito which was huge and the chicken was dry. Also the restaurant felt dirty and it's very dated. Will not be back. read more

This place is awesome!! Hands down my favorite Mexican restaurant in metro Detroit. The bf and I have been here for both lunch and dinner, and our favorite dish to share is the combo fajitas (steak and chicken)...not for two, but for one. This is because the portions are HUGE here! For $13, we are both stuffed full from the combo fajitas for one. What a deal. They have a good selection of margaritas and Mexican beers as well. When we vacationed in Cancun, we were expecting to find Mexican restaurants like Border Cantina, but somehow we just couldn't find restaurants that were as "Mexican" as Border Cantina lol. Decor here is nicely warm, and the service is friendly. My favorite Mexican restaurant in metro Detroit - try them if you haven't yet! read more

Two things would easily improve this rating to five stars: one, bigger TVs and two, better chips. I want to be able to watch the Tigers' games on a respectable TV, not a 19" box TV (and I'd probably order a lot more beer and margaritas, too!). Half the time, the chips are stale and just "eh." The entrees are delicious, and portions are enormous. Sometimes I have qualms with the fajita meat, but it's tender and well-seasoned here. We've had quite a few different servers, and all have been top-notch friendly and quick. Overall, this is a pretty decent neighborhood joint. read more

Thought I would give this place another shot as it is less than two miles from my house and friends have given good reviews. Took my family in on a Friday night - and was told we would have about a 15 minute wait. Not a problem... except that for the entire 15 minutes I stared at a variety of open tables including the one we were eventually seated at. Once seated, we sat for about ten minutes before I finally flagged down a waitress to let her know that they must not have assigned a server to us. Finally one came, took drink orders, and brought some bowls of chips and salsa. The chips were gone quickly, and despite asking, never refilled. The food was ok. For the six orders we had, probably 5 were good - it is just hard to pay attention to the food when our drink cups were empty and the chip bowls never refilled for the entirety of our stay. I know Fridays can be busy, but it seemed like Border Cantina was shocked at how many people were in their restaurant and very much unprepared. There are better options in Novi for Mexican. read more

I wasn't too impressed with this place. It seems that they focus on quantity not quality. I wouldn't ever go on my own nor suggest it as a place to eat. And they put yellow cheese on my tacos. The salsa was alright. read more

Chips yum, salsa yum, top shelf margarita yum... Service was fast. Steak and chicken fajita was ok- too much onion and not enough charred grilled goodness on the chicken / steak- steak was lame and was lacking in flavor. They weren't horrible but I've had far better. 3 taco meal looked yummy. read more

The queso dip is litteraly just melted velveta cheese. Chips with the chips and dip were stale. Not just the worst mexican food ever, just the worst FOOD ever! One positive, you get really large portions of really crappy food.. avoid this place at all costs. read more

Went here recently. I still say it is one of the best little hidden spots around. You get allot of authentic food and the various Margaritas will knock your socks off. read more

I have dined at Border Cantina before. I went there on this day for dinner because they offer a free meal on the day of your birthday. I usually eat lunch at this restaurant but chose to go to dinner this time. They were busy because it was a Friday night. I never noticed that there is a happy hour in the bar area from 3pm-7pm with half off all appetizers. Since there was a wait for a table in the dining room and a couple just left their table in the bar, we chose to eat in the bar area. Knowing I would get a free dinner, my husband and I couldn't resist the half off specials and ordered 2 appetizers. My husband ordered the Tex Mex Hat Dance, with a chicken quesadilla, texas torpedoes ( jalapeno peppers stuffed with cheese and deep fried), and juicy bbq ribs. It came with a side of sour cream, pico de gallop and guacamole. I chose the Botana, which has beans, chorizo, cheese, tomatoes, chilies, onions, green olives, avocado slices and sour cream. My appetizer came on chips. I was disappointed because I had read the menu incorrectly. I mentioned to a worker that I thought it was with soft corn tortillas. He was very kind and brought me a stack of soft tortillas and extra chorizo sauce. I was very pleased at how he went out of his way to accommodate me. There was more food then we could finish. Be we also ordered my FREE birthday meal. I got the Combo Uno; crispy beef taco,cheese enchilada and chicken burrito with a side of rice, beans and a corn cake. Everything was delicious. Needless to say, we took home many boxes. read more

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Very rude server. Had to be told by cook to bring us the extra side of quacomole only she did was take our order and get drinks and wants to come outside as we are getting into the car to bitch about our tip. you did nothing read more

Had dinner tonight at an old favorite restaurant after being away for awhile and it was as good as we remembered. We were greeted as soon as we walked in. Waitress was friendly and attentive. Had the fajitas and they were very good with large portions. Came out from the kitchen quickly as well. We'll be back soon. read more

Have not ordered from this place in a number of years and now I remember why. Order was ready 20 minutes later than I was told, ordered beef burrito and they gave me chicken, and ordered a fajita taco salad w/chicken and got a caesar salad with one strip of guacamole. Took order back and was told that's what I ordered. Won't be back, too many other good choices elsewhere. read more

This is my favorite Mexican join in metro Detroit. Food is absolutely killer here. I've since moved away, but any time I'm in town I make sure to stop by for a meal. read more

Oh Border - you are my favorite. To the reviewer who called it run-of-the-mill Mexican - hilarious. Border is FAR and away better to it's Northville/Novi area counter-part, On The Border (gag...terrible heartburn inducing drinks, bland salsa, beans that look like brown mud - as opposed to another color of mud?). That place is the epitome of run-of-the-mill commercial junk). This place is straight up fresh, house-made mexican and oh my god the salsa? LOVE. If you like spicy/hot, definitely ask for a side of the Salsa Verde (green salsa) to compliment the red table salsa. I have no doubt in my mind they make both of them from scratch and the verde adds extra kick and oomph that the regular salsa lacks (which it does, I will admit - but holy crap is it wonderful when you spice it up) The dishes are HUGE. I have eaten here probably 40+ times over the past 10 years and have never once been able to finish my whole entree. I get two more left-over meals EASY out of their portions. Great value. Also they douse your food in fantastic mexican cheese and their dishes reheat to first-time-bliss. I get the trio enchiladas and my fiancee loves their taco burrito. Both come with a delicious corn-cake and guac or sour cream and two sides. Their rice is fluffy and never dry, the beans are straight up refried goodness. The staff is always helpful/accomodating to any extras or side items you need, their Margarita (specifically the classic Sauza) is drool-worthy and you can sit on the patio in the summer. How much better can it get? This is not some kind of fancy establishment, very casual and the atmosphere is fun and laid-back to boot. Run of the mill? Pshh. read more

Quality and price has changed over the years. Quality of the food and drinks have gone down and the price has gone up. We along with all of our neighbors used to frequent regularly since it is across the street from our sub however no one goes up there anymore. The happy hour is not what it used to be so it is off the radar for the locals these days. read more

We went there last night and had a great meal. Fajitas for two. Steak and shrimp and the plates was plied high. Enough tortillas, salsa, cheese and guacamole so we didn't need to ask for more. Loved the corn fritters. We stuffed ourselves and brought home enough for another meal. We sat at the bar and Maria the bartender was great. Very friendly and poured the perfect glass of beer. read more

We have always enjoyed this restaurant but we went last night and it was PACKED! I know restaurants are struggling but they should he 50% capacity, right? Every table was seated and the bar was standing room only! Love the food, but I want a restaurant that follows the rules. read more

We kind of forgot about this spot even know it's in the area. Stopped in this weekend for dinner and the food is still excellent as always. Traditional Mexican dishes and many others. Highly recommend. read more

Service is fast, atmosphere is nice, but the food leaves a lot to be desired. The chip appear to have come right out if the bag, no salt. The salsa was bland and so was my dinner. I had three margaritas, they tasted ok at the time, but this morning I was completely hung over. Why? Cheap tequila if course. Not sure I would completely recommend this place. It's just ok. read more

Went here with my family for the first time in about a year. This place has really gone down hill. Found hairs in our cold chip basket and the chips were obviously from a bag. Our meals were very bland and average. Lunch fajita portion was generous. Lots of other Mexican choices out there, so we will probably not return. read more

Whenever I'm craving for some Mexican Food, this is the place that comes to mind!!! Their portions are huge!!! My friend and I usually order a couple of different dishes to share and take the left overs home for lunch the day after. Some of my favorites are their "Grill Beef Fajita", "Chicken Fajita Quesadillas", "Buffalo Wings" (we usually ask for the sauces on the side, and "Chicken Fingers". Definitely worth a try if you've never been there. So far, all the different visit I had, service has been very good. Staffs are very friendly and helpful. Also, food comes fairly quick after we placed our order. I took off one star, b/c sometime the grill chicken for the fajita can be a bit dry, therefore my favorite is the grill beef. read more

I went on Cinco De Mayo with my friends. The service lacked but the food was good. The chips and salsa were a tad runny but flavorful. The margarita was perfect and had the right amount of alcohol. My dish was delish. I added some of the salsa to it. If you like cilantro you will like the salsa. I would definitely visit again. read more

Popped in a whim yesterday with two teenage girls. I love that they still have a filling, reasonably priced lunch menu and quick service. If the food isn't particularly authentic, it is still good, and teenagers seem to love this place. Each of us had our own enchilada lunch combination, one each of shredded beef, ground beef, shredded chicken. The meat in these fillings is flavorful and delightfully tender. I still wish they had better chips! read more

I will never order from this restaurant! Called to place a Taco Tuesday order and the female that answered the phone was more than rude ... even huffed in the phone as if my call was a bother. She then hung up the phone on me when I asked for a manager. Can't imagine what they do to your food if they employ this type of person to be customer facing!! read more

This is about average, maybe a little above average, for Americanized suburban Mexican food. If you like hamburger or shredded chicken covered in inches of cheese, this is the place for you. I knew I was in trouble when I asked if they had carnitas. The hispanic waiter literally said "this is Novi, Lady." I pondered the tamales, but they were stuffed with beef. Meh. After consulting with him for a moment, I ordered grilled soft tacos with steak. They were decidedly ok. Not spectacular, but not sucky either. I has to ask for onions and cilantro, and resigned myself to the river of cheese. The chips and salsa we decent. I had a green horny margarita, mostly because the name was fun. It was ok. When I told my waiter that my drink needed less green and more horny, my request was promptly accommodated. The service was awesome. The waiter was attentive and funny and kept the margaritas coming. read more

This has been one of my favorite mexican restaurants since I was just a little boy living in Novi, Michigan. Going back there as a distinguished figure from Orlando, Florida...It was just as amazing as I remember. Delicious food, great atmosphere, and wonderful company. Chicken chimmichanaga is my jam! It is so delicious with shredded chicken and cheese inside a deep fried tortilla. Who can resist!! read more

Border Cantina definitely has some good aspects to it. The service is almost always prompt and friendly. The margaritas are great, especially a double gold on the rocks (my go-to 'rita when having mexican yummers). The food comes out quickly, which is usually a plus. However, sometimes in the rush to get it out, they sacrifice ample cooking time and you end up being served lukewarm food. To me, that is probably the worst slip-up a restaurant can make, because not only does the food not taste the best it can, but it becomes a food safety issue. That being said, if you can manage to get piping hot food here, it is usually pretty good, if a shade bland. The servings are ample, and most of the entrees come with a delicious scoop of homemade skillet cornbread. My personal favorite is the chicken flautas, and I always have enough for lunch the next day. Their fajitas are a major draw and probably the best I've had in Michigan. I always tell myself that next time I'll try their ribs, which smell insanely good. Really gonna try to get those ribs soon. The place is generally packed on weekends, and wait times can be a bit too long for me then. There's seating on the porch in nice weather. The bar area is a bit dark and stocked with regulars. The 2 dining rooms are much lighter with ample space. Not a bad place to go with a large party. read more

Dinner last night....I must say the Margarita had some tequila in it......the taco burrito was cheesy and tasty...the refried beans on the side were covered in cheese....my favorite is the sweet corn cake mini scoop on the side...yummy.....The interior is very nice and our waitress was very friendly and attentive.... read more

Border Cantina - Inside the restaurant - Mexican Near Me - Novi, Michigan

Very good food. Waiter Jack was excellent.... smiling, efficient, gracious, accurate and accommodating. Hostess was not welcoming at all, but Jack made up for her lack of good customer service read more

6-1-14 @ around 4 PM, was seated rather quickly, had more than one server taking care of us, so what times we were not sure who to ask for condiments napkins. Other than that very good service and most servers were attentive. Ordered jalapeno poppers for appetizer (they call them Texas torpedoes) can be called armadillo eggs, LOL. Those were good and made with real cheddar. friend ordered steak fajitas, and I ordered three soft tacos, food came out in a good amount of time, good portion of steak onions light peppers, steak seemed a little overcooked and chewy and lacked some flavor. But it was not bad, better than most places I've eaten, I had soft tacos with ground beef, seasoning of the beef was average at best, I am not trying to knock them but I've had much better. I had a good experience, good service but food was average, since I lived out west maybe I expect too much... That was my first experience, I may try again but definitely will try something different. read more

Border Cantina - Me leaving SLC Utah. - Mexican Near Me - Novi, Michigan

This place ROCKS!!! I'll elaborate, but this really does describe the Boarder Cantina experience. Fun, friendly atmosphere, great for families or just a night out with friends. The food is great as well as the service. There can be a little bit of a wait during dinner time, especially on the weekends, but that's just because this is a great place and everyone want to go there. Definitely worth it for the money. Not pricy at all with full portions and lots of sides. Been there many times. If I was on FourSquare, I'd probably be the mayor! Boarder Cantina gets the Key to the City from me! Highly recommended. read more

I am vegetarian and during a recent visit found out that they add chicken broth to their sauces. In spite of checking many times, waiters confirming its vegetarian in my previous visits, I found out that it is not true. The food here is average anyways... so we are not going back there again. read more

During a less than half filled lunch time, I sat for 15 minutes with no one asking me if I was ready to order. No drink, no chips and salsa. Wait staff walked by me and never paid attention. Only reason I went was for convenience. No more below average Mexican food for me. read more

On Mothers Day, we ordered carryout over the phone. We were told by management, that they did not dispense salsa with their meals. After 25 years of being a customer of dining in and carrying out, we will no longer be loyal customers. Even Taco Bell gives out copious amounts of sauce. Manager not very nice! read more

We've been regulars here for years. The service has always been excellent and the food is delicious - depending on what you order. My favorite things about this place: 1.) you can get black beans instead of re-fried (with no upcharge - same for upgrading to flour chips) 2.) the little "corn cake" balls that come with the entrees - yum! 3.) the margaritas are fantastic - Mercedes Margarita, on the rocks, is one of the best around IMO 4.) good chunky house made guacamole 5.) food always comes out fast - so it's great when you're on a time crunch 6.) Huge water glasses for us thirsty people! The negatives - the tortilla chips are overly thick, hard, unseasoned, and consistently overcooked. The chips are the only reason I'm not giving 5 stars - I'd love to see a thinner, salted and seasoned chip. Definitely ask for the flour chips instead if you order guacamole. Also, once I ordered the fish tacos and it literally looked like shredded canned tuna and smelled awful, had that been my first experience with the food here I would not have returned. Service was still great that occasion and I was able to send it back for something else no problem. My husband loves the Chile Relleno entree (note: he always adds beef) and uses it as a benchmark for the dish at other Mexican restaurants... he has yet to have a Chile Relleno on par with Border Cantina's in this state, so he recommends it to everyone! I also like it but get it vegetarian. I've tried most of the entrees and my favorites are the nachos (ask for flour chips and get black beans instead of re-fried to make it awesome, trust me), the Enchiladas Rancheros (I always add jalapenos to give it a kick, slightly bland without), and the Mushroom Jack fajitas. Despite the negatives, it's still the best in the area in my opinion. We've moved in the past year and still make the now 30 minute drive since I've yet to find anything as good closer (and I am obsessed with trying them all!). read more

Border Cantina - Nachos - ordered vegetarian, substituted regular chips for flour chips and black beans instead of the standard refried. YUM! - Mexican Near Me - Novi, Michigan

The food here is terrible and not the least bit fresh. Both the husband and I felt a little queasy after eating here. The server was very attentive and service was quick but that only gets you so far when your food is terrible. read more

This was by far the worst Mexican food I've ever seen. Enchiladas were 2 dry tortillas with cheddar cheese that wasn't melted on top. Horrible. read more

Border Cantina - Mexican Near Me - Novi, Michigan

I haven't been to this place in years. So I had a taste for Mexican food so I thought I'd stop by for lunch. I don't know if this place changed owners or cooks or what but the food was terrible. I'd give it one step above Taco Bell. Their food use to be good. Don't know what happened. Not going back. read more

I'm adding a fourth star to what would otherwise be a mediocre review because of the very friendly staff and because my appetizer was half off during happy hour. The Baja combo came with a chicken quesadilla which was very good, but the taquitos had little to no filling and tasted like the fryer oil hadn't been changed lately. Very flavorful and fresh pico de gallo and smooth, tangy salsa. read more

I'm obsessed! As a salsa/guac aficionado it gets my stamp of approval. I was SHOCKED to get my check and see that the margaritas are ONLY $8 each!! Another round on moi, please! Shelly is the best around, it's like if you had a server that is a supermodel with a heart of gold. I am looking forward to coming back here ASAP and will definitely request Shelly. Cheers! read more