SERVICE: We went on a wednesday afternoon and there weren't many groups inside so the service was quick. He let us seat ourselves and brought over salsa and chips. FOOD: The chips and salsa were a great start! We loved it so much we asked for extra, and kept some salsa to put on our food. I got the shredded beef El Potro Chimichanga. There was a lot of beef and cheese inside, and the beef had a lot of flavor! It was not crunchy outside but I didn't mind since it was yummy. My friend got the vegetarian enchiladas which had an assortment of vegetables inside including squash, zucchini, and carrots. Another friend got the nachos with chicken, which were each individually dressed! OVERALL: It is a cute restaurant and we all agreed that the food was very good! Definitely would come back. read more

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Listen... we all know Cinco de Mayo is a busy times for these restaurants but I have never been to one that has been so ran well with what they have. I am an avid goer to this place and I know the staffing has not always been easy. They really did their best with what they had and the resources. This place was Packed! and well deserved. Most places on this day do first come first serve and I do think they handled that very well. It is not their fault people are impatient on one of the busiest days of the year for them. Keep being amazing, keep pushing through. I appreciate the staff and the atmosphere here. Great on non busy days too! read more

Just stopped in for the first time since this place changed from the Highland Cafe. I wanted to catch the last five minutes of the Patriots game. The interior of this is place is absolutely amazing! You will feel like you are in Mexico. Very colorful with lots of hand made Mexican tiles adorning the walls. I didn't have time to explore the menu (I also didn't have my glasses) but once I got back to my car I checked it out! The variety is off the charts and the prices seem very reasonable. Pleasantly surprised that they also carried my favorite non-alcohol drink: A Robert Parrish! Otherwise known as Heineken 00 for you Celtic fans! I'll def have to go back soon but not without some of my Mexican connoisseurs! Hope to see you soon! Tell the friendly fellow behind the bar that El Marco (Big Papa Gillis) sent you! read more

Stepping into El Potro is like stepping into a restaurant in Mexico. They thoughtfully curate the decor and dining furniture with handcrafted and hand painted tables, chairs, artwork and even the tiling of the arches! Their meticulousness is all for bringing a sense of authenticity to their diners. El Potro also source fresh ingredients and make everything from scratch - their chips, guacamole, even sour cream! It is truly a treat to have a full authentic Mexican dining experience. Fresh and authentic dishes, beautiful and inviting vibes, and always being greeted with big and friendly smiles. read more

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I have only ordered takeout but have experienced the ambiance when running in to grab my meal. The setting is traditional Mexican aesthetic, vibrant colors, nice paintings and with a sizable bar in the center. The food hasn't been a miss yet which is great, especially for takeout where in my experience, less effort is put into the order. I order the mojarra frita which is a whole fried fish served with rice, French fries and a salad. I can't get enough. read more

El Potro Mexican Grill - Mojarra Frita - Mexican Near Me - Malden, Massachusetts

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Service was phenomenal, food - seriously lacking any type of flavor, atmosphere would have been fine except another large party had 4 children running throughout the dinning area. Again, great service - less than satisfying; shrimp fajitas simply had no taste. The is for the service read more

El Potro Mexican Grill - Salsa - Mexican Near Me - Malden, Massachusetts

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We gotten take out a couple times now, always great food and a smooth process. Unfortunately, no online ordering so you have to call them to place a pickup order. They do get you a more accurate ready time that way. The tacos de adobada and enchiladas verdes are two of our favorites. Prices are okay, about $20 for a plate of 3 tacos with a side of rice and refried beans. Not cheap by any means, but there's not many options around for Mexican. The inside is huge and there's always people but never packed full. There's a convenient parking lot right across street. I'll definitely try more of their dishes because everything I've gotten so far has been great. read more

Great experience. Food was amazing. Chips were great. Tasty drinks. I've been to the Somerville location and the service was even better at this one. Appreciated the chip refills and attentiveness. Meal came out fast, was delicious, and the lot made parking stress free. Can't wait to be back. read more

El Potro Mexican Grill - Grilled chicken quesadilla Chips - Mexican Near Me - Malden, Massachusetts

From the food, ambiance, and service, everything was so amazing!!! Our server Jaime was amazing! We ordered the chicken soup, pescado de la casa, and tres comprades. And can't forget the tres leches for dessert. So authentic and delicious read more

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A must-try: Magarita Azul, Coconut Margarita, Taquitos Fiesta, Chicken Fajita, Chimichanga Tejana, and don't forget the heavenly Fried Churros with vanilla ice cream! The service was quick and prompt! And as you walk in you'll notice the beautiful and colorful decor! Parking is available at the Malden location which is always a plus! Do yourself a favor and go check this authentic Mexican restaurant out! read more

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Food was delicious good portions, great music, waiter was so nice and attentive, shout out Kevin read more

El Potro Mexican Grill - Tacos Al Carbon plate - Mexican Near Me - Malden, Massachusetts

Definitely one of my top favorite Mexican places. Great food, ample portions, and killer margaritas. I recommend the shrimp tacos. They're bursting with perfectly cooked shrimp that it well seasoned and delicious. read more

Came here for quality Mexican food, which is hard to find in Boston sometimes, it did not disappoint!! Starting off with the chips, salsa and queso - amazing. Free refills that were put to good use as we ran through these very quickly. The spicy sauce is 10/10. The queso is great too. We ordered traditional Mexican steak tacos, they hit the spot. Great quality ingredients, which leaves you completely filled and satisfied (and with leftovers!) Service was good, frequently checking in to make sure the meal was going well. Very traditional looking restaurant, authentic Mexican style with paintings. Pricing is very reasonable, highly recommend - will be returning! read more

El Potro Mexican Grill - Beef Tacos Al Carbon, chips and salsa, queso - Mexican Near Me - Malden, Massachusetts

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Can't go wrong with El Potro when you're craving Mexican! They start you off with excellent chips and salsa that I highly recommend pairing with their house margarita. Their menu offers a wide variety of options for you to choose from. HUGE portions so you won't be leaving hungry! The inside of the restaurant is nice. You can sit at the bar, a high top or a regular table. One of my go-to Mexican places in the area! read more

El Potro Mexican Grill - Burrito asado - Mexican Near Me - Malden, Massachusetts

If you want to experience authentic Mexican food without going all the way to Mexico, have I got the place for you. El Potro in the north shore have 4 convenient locations in Lowell, Chelsea, Somerville and Malden, which is where I went. Upon arrival, you will feel like you walked into "Little Mexico". Each table and chair are hand crafted and shipped over from Mexico. Each piece of furniture have a story behind it, overall, the atmosphere and ambience is truly amazing and I haven't even sat down yet. The Menu carries the crowd pleasers like tacos, burritos, enchiladas like most Mexican restaurant, however, this is where El Potro sets itself apart from other Mexican restaurants. Their signature dishes. The Bistec a la Mexicana, grilled ateak with peppers and onions with a light tomato sauce served with rice, beans and tortilla. Pescado de la Casa, fresh tilapia topped with grilled shrimp and sautéed peppers and onions with a house pink sauce served with rice, beans and choice or corn or flour tortilla are just some of the example of their family style entrees to share or not. Lol. Be sjre to try their fiah taco as well serve with home made black beans from scratch, not from opening a can. And of course, you can't miss their birria taco, it is to die for. Everything is made fresh with daily delivered ingredients, from guacamole to the sour cream, nothing is frozen and you can tell with the very first bite. Check them out and you will not be disappointed. Last but not least, try all their fun types of magaritas and house cocktails and thank me later. Enjoy read more

El Potro Mexican Grill - Fish tacos - Mexican Near Me - Malden, Massachusetts

I highly recommend this place for Mexican cuisine. Food was great! I got the combo #1 and it was delicious. The portion sizes are great! The enchilada was my favorite. The only thing I was not the biggest fan of was the tamale was okay, not enough pork in it and a little mushy. I ended up eating them along with my chips for the perfect crunch. The service is overall AMAZING!! They go above and beyond to make sure your dining experience is great. They are wonderful people. The ambiance was lovely. The decor and inside is beautiful! I love the tables and how they tile! I definitely recommend going here! read more

El Potro Mexican Grill - Tamale Appetizer - Mexican Near Me - Malden, Massachusetts

Found this place kind of randomly and it did not disappoint. They give free chips and salsa when you are seated. The salsa is really good. They have a very large menu with a lot of options. I had the potro burrito with ground beef and it was delicious. The sauce they put on the burrito was great as well. The food came out really quick. They also have margaritas which looked very good as well along with a large selection of draft beers. The restaurant also has a parking lot across the street which was very convenient. read more

El Potro Mexican Grill - Potro Burrito - Mexican Near Me - Malden, Massachusetts

Hey, just wanted to share--I'm of Mexican descent and these restaurants here totally reminded me of my parents' hometown: colors, sounds, aromas and charm. Maybe you'll feel the same way! The service was awesome and the food had great flavor, though I wish it was a bit spicier. The music was really good too, so if you want to soak in the vibe and sounds of tradition Mexican town, this is definitely the place to check out. read more

Nice spot for a quick bite. I recommend the steak burrito or steak quesadilla. Staff are so friendly and kind. Plenty of room and parking across the street. Coconut margarita is delicious! Not a dessert place though read more

Always great and friendly service. The drinks are delicious. The food is fresh with many options!! Looking forward to going back!!

great service prices and locations medford,lowell excellent food. medford has parking lot. so makes it very easy read more

On the "Good-Meh-Suck" scale, this was a solid "Meh". Nothing spectacular but not bad. Just average. I usually can tell by the salsa if it will be good or not. This was not. It's not bad but I am not running back anytime soon. Good luck read more

I've gotten takeout from here a few times and their food has been consistently delicious. I finally came here for dine in and found that this place not only has delicious food, but has impeccable service! You have your waiter/waitress, but there would be other staff members who would check in and ask if you need more chips or anything else. Everyone is super friendly and attentive, without being overbearing. As soon as we sat down, our waitress gave us complimentary chips and salsa. We asked for hot sauce on the side. The chips were warm and tasty. They kept us satisfied while we waited for the entrees. I got my usual, Tacos de Adobada. The pork was perfectly cooked and seasoned well. All the ingredients in the tacos worked really well together. I usually don't like radish, but it gave the tacos a nice crunch. I loved the rice and beans - they were out of this world! Overall, I had a great experience here. I can't wait to come back to try other things on their menu. I heard their margaritas are pretty good. read more

El Potro Mexican Grill - Complimentary Chips with Salsa and Hot Sauce - Mexican Near Me - Malden, Massachusetts

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Food was good but I was charged a completely different price from what was on the menu. read more

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I went to El Potro last night to celebrate my Dad's birthday. We wanted to try some place new. I can't believe I have lived in the area so long and never thought to check it out. I have definitely been missing out!! The service was easily the best service I've ever had at any restaurant. Sady was the nicest person and made my Dad's birthday so special. He brought us things on the house and was just so unbelievably kind. He made us feel at home. You have to try the margaritas. We had a huge passion fruit margarita that was so perfect and not overly sweet like at other places. The food was amazing and had the best, most authentic flavor. We had chips with the dip trio, the appetizer sampler, and for my dinner I had the Camarones al Potro. I couldn't believe the size of the dish for the price. Such great value. It was absolutely delicious and there were so many big pieces of shrimp! I was so full I was able to take some home and will get at least one more meal out of it. After dinner, Sady brought my dad a cake and a put a sombrero on him. It was so sweet and so much fun. This is definitely going to be my new neighborhood spot. read more

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El Potro has a great vibe with great Mexican food. They don't have sangria on the menu, but will make the best one around for you. read more

This is for their Somerville location. Really fun spot - the ambiance is a super traditional Mexican restaurant feel with the furniture and colors. The business manager explained that they are handmade in Mexico, making them one of a kind. The food is what you would typically expect at a place like this. The quality of the food is fresh and flavorful. I really enjoyed the carne asada and jalapeño cheese dip! The staff is friendly and welcoming. Joe was especially accommodating and kind. It's definitely not a place to be slept on. That mango margarita is calling me back already! read more

El Potro Mexican Grill - Corn tortilla tacos - Mexican Near Me - Malden, Massachusetts

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The severs are top notch very nice attentive and hard working. The bartender's are beyond great. I never wait for a dribk. The food is always good the patio is nice Greateeeeeee place. I always recommend people go here read more

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A real off-the-beaten-path restaurant for Mexican food! Malden barely has any pedestrians walking around, but it seems every fam knows to go here for dinner that night, with many people seated by the bar. Decor was festive, with illustrations even on the tables. The young man serving us was really friendly. We ordered the Quesadilla de Asada and the Shrimp Tacos. Chips & Salsa were on the house but if you want Guac, it's a whopping $8. The Chips w/ Guac & Salsa was fresh and delicious! You can tell the condiments were homemade. The Guac was not worth the $8 price tag though! Our entrees took a bit to come given the customers, but this starter sure kept us, especially my boyfriend, busy! The Quesadilla de Asada ($16.95) is always a must-order Mexican dish for me. I've had my fair share of them, and they do them right here. Not overly charred, both bouncy and flavorful, the steak in these quesadillas were plentiful and huge! You bet I utilized every drop of sour cream, guac, and salsa to accompany them. The Shrimp Tacos ($19.95) were so fun to eat! The shrimp were perfect pieces that offered a bouncy chew in your mouth, served with a spicy green sauce, and rice and beans. Usually the shrimp tastes bland, but not here! The tortilla shells were too dry and lackluster for me though. For being our first meal in Masachusetts, this place sure set the standards high! I thoroughly enjoyed this comforting meal, and highly recommend here for fresh and savory Mexican food! read more

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Great authentic Mexican food at its finest! Great service w/a possible shot of tequila when you pay your bill! Very pleasant wait staff. And the ambiance of being in Mexico is surrounding the entire restaurant. They use to have Mariachi band which was so cool but haven't seen that for a while. read more

Everything went well!!!! When our plans changed and we knew no Chinese restaurant could accommodate a party of 4 adults and 2 children at 5:00 PM on NYE, we got a reservation at El Potro and we were not disappointed. Can't wait to go back. read more

Times I have been here, the food tastes precooked and dry. Convenient restaurant due to its hours. Called ahead and was told kitchen and bar closed at 1. Arrived at midnight and was told they decided to close early, but can stay for drinks. Often stay at nearby hotels and frequently swing by el Potro , but they seem to make their own hours. Wasted over $30 in Ubers getting here and back. Kitchen has closed earlier many times as well. For food after 10, though they will tell to come in over the phone, try somewhere else. read more

Didn't come here with high expectations, but I was happily proved wrong! The steak fajitas were delicious and the employees were sooo nice!! We'll definitely come back next time we're in Boston!! read more

Margs are bowley goodness and the tortilla chicken soup warms the soul. Always worth the wait to get a seat

I loved the shrimp and steak in the tres compadres, chicken was alright. Quesadilla was fire. $3 or $4 for a quarter cup of shredded cheese is crazy though read more

El Potro Mexican Grill - Tres Compadres Combo - Mexican Near Me - Malden, Massachusetts

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I recently tried El Potro for dinner and WOW - what an awesome dinner experience! I was greeted at the front of the restaurant by Joe, the Business Manager, who was extremely friendly and welcoming. Upon being seated, I was taking in the sights of the beautiful decor inside. What stood out to me the most were the wood carved booths and chairs, which I was told were all handcrafted in Mexico! We started off with tortilla chips and some dips including salsa, queso, bean dip, and guacamole. The queso was my favorite with the homemade guacamole coming in at a close second. The chips were perfectly crispy! Then we had a house margarita which was super yummy and classic, followed by a mojito. I was surprised at how fresh and delicious the mojito was - it reminded me of how they make them in Miami (SO good). We then dove into a plate of the Super Nachos, which were basically loaded nachos with meat....so hearty and good!! I loved how the nachos maintained their crispy outer edges even after being piled on with all of the yummy toppings. For our main course, we ordered the El Potro Chimichanga, one with shredded chicken and one with beef. They were both AMAZING. The filling had a great ratio of meat to cheese. And for the grand finale, we tried both the churros and fried ice cream. The fried ice cream was a knockout!! It had a warm crispy exterior with creamy vanilla ice cream on the inside, all sitting on a fried tortilla...YUM. And as for the churros, I will absolutely be ordering those again too. Truly a special dining experience in part due to the amazing hospitality we experienced, and of course due to the delicious food we enjoyed! We will definitely be back again! Thank you El Potro for a special meal! P.S. They have a good sized parking lot directly across from the restaurant for those driving there. read more

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I've been here a handful of times and my opinions remain the same each time. As the food is authentic, their service could improve. I always order the chipotle tacos ($13.95); it comes with three tacos with chicken, sour cream, guacamole, rice and beans. My boyfriend orders the al carbon taco; it comes with two tacos with grilled steak, lettuce, guacamole, rice, beans and pico de gallo ($14.95). They offer a wide variety of drinks, from beer to margaritas! I would recommend the frozen mango margarita! The servers are always circled in the back of the restaurant (towards the restroom) chatting. I always end up having to wave and/or get up to get their attention. One occasion in particular, a female insisted us to seat ourselves and that she would be with us in a second. 10 minutes go by and no one helped us with menus or water. A male (I'd like to believe the manager) came by and asked us if we've been helped and we said no. He apologized for the wait and said he would get the server right away. The server helped us momentarily. Our food took an awfully long time (we almost wanted to ask the server to cancel the order) -- it took about 50 minutes for our food. We had to ask for a second basket of chips and salsa due to the long wait time. There is a traditional music group that comes around to play music, but if you're not interested, you could kindly deny. Parking is super easy and convenient -- it's across the street. I almost always find a parking spot. read more

El Potro Mexican Grill - Tacos Al Carbon, Tacos Chipotle, Tropical Frozen Margarita Mango, Tropical Frozen Margarita Passion fruit - Mexican Near Me - Malden, Massachusetts

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Large bar and restaurant with ample seating. Parking lot available across the street from restaurant. Staff super nice and food comes out quickly. The portions are enormous. While there are a few standouts on the menu most of the food is just ok. This may be due to being picky about Mexican food coming from the West coast- but nothing blew my skirt up. Decent food and the booze situation is good. Great place to have a beer or cocktail and watch the game or would be good if you have last minute dinner with a lot of people. read more

Regular tortilla soup, the fajitas are good, the bad thing is that they give a flour tortilla and not corn The waitress should say what kind of tortilla she would like if it is made of hariana or corn and she does not ask me read more

El Potro Mexican Grill - Steak Carnitas - Mexican Near Me - Malden, Massachusetts

Craving Mexican food but what really initially drew me here was the fact that parking wasn't a pain in the rear!! A rarity in Boston!! Plenty of parking in the lot and surrounding streets. I wanted a beef dish and asked what the server recommended. He suggested the carne asada or the fajitas. I opted for the carne asada and it did not disappoint. The meat (a generous portion) was tender and very flavorful. It came with rice and beans. The chips and salsa were sooo good too. Warm thin fresh chips (I don't like thick tortilla chips) filled me up even before my main dish was served but amazingly I was able to finish everything because it was THAT good!! Glad I found this place. Highly recommend it read more