More than any other Latin American restaurant I've been to in Boston, the food at Mi Tierra has that indescribable "authenticity". It tasted like it came from a far-off kitchen, where the cooks use foreign ingredients and foreign techniques. I've never been to Guatemala, but I was taken back to my Mexican vacations, where people work magic with corn, lard, beans, chiles, and the sun. The guacamole spoke of what great things were to come. Simple, fresh and creamy but with some essence that lifted it to the realm of greatness. The chips were the flaw in the avocadoey ointment. Some cheap stale institutional wedges no doubt poured out of a giant bag. The tamale appetizer was masterful-- a light, moist, rich masa enveloping a perfectly-spiced shredded pork filling. The masa:filling ratio was a bit higher than expected, but I didn't even mind because the masa was so delicious. Then I got my fisherman's platter--broiled fish, shrimp, scallops and clams served with rice, sauteed vegetables, and a couple of thick, handmade tortillas. The seafood was so fresh and buttery and tasty, I knew after the first bite I would return to this restaurant. The sauteed veggies were well-seasoned and delicious, not the obligatory throwaway side. The rice was moist and cooked just right. The tortillas were substantial and toothsome and used more like bread as they were too thick to roll. But none of this prepared me for the side of refried black beans I ordered. It was presented as a smallish block of black mush on a plate. But these cooks! Heavenly was the only word I could think of. Like the masa, the black beans were light, moist, and rich. Addicting was the other word that eventually came to mind. After all that, the carne asada was so disappointing. Tough, chewy, overcooked, and flavorless. And the service is cordial but slooooow. I really wanted to give this place 5 stars, and I could have overlooked the crappy chips and "laid back" service, but the terrible meat was just too much. read more

We've been getting takeout from here for a couple of years now too, and it's so good. Their cheese pupusa platter comes with black beans, a plantain and rice and is one of my favorite things for take out. They make their own hot sauce and we buy a bottle every time we go in (if you bring back your previous empty bottle, they'll give you a discount). I love my hot sauces, and this one is just perfect for eggs, we go through it just quickly enough to be ready for another takeout dinner. read more

I was excited to try this place - coming from a Colombian background I love this kind of food and always enjoy trying the food of other Latin American countries. I went with a co-worker on a Tuesday afternoon and we were the only customers. We were kindly greeted and well taken care of by our server. For appetizers we started with the plantains (which were delicious) and French fries (my co-worker's order, not mine! I did not try these). We both got one of the meal combinations - I believe it was #4 (steak, homemade sausage, rice, beans, potato salad and two corn tortillas). The steak was seasoned perfectly but a little chewy for my taste, still delicious though. The homemade sausage was quite tasty, although a little suspect in appearance. It was slightly spicy, but I am kind of spice wimp, so it would not be spicy to those who enjoy spicy food! The fried black beans were excellent, mainly due to the slightly crispy top layer of fried goodness. The rice was good - a little clumpy - but good. The side potato salad was delicious but my favorite part of the meal was actually the corn tortillas. They were just the right combination of crispy and soft and the flavor was amazing. I ordered a couple of the cheese pupusas to go for my wife, which she had for dinner (and I of course tasted). They were good but they had what we think is jalapeno or green chili in them, which we did not expect. They were not spicy, but they definitely had that jalapeno or chili pepper flavor, which we found to be a little surprising. I definitely plan to return to Mi Tierra and sample more of their menu. I'd like to try the mixed pork and cheese papusas for sure! read more

Street parking only at this unassuming, no frills diner. A variety of Latin American options. I liked the grilled pork chops, carne adobada y carne asada, and pupusas. The strawberry licuado was also good. Friendly and polite service. read more

First, I feel the need for a disclosure. I am not Guatemalan or Salvadoran. I am, in every respect, save for the whole religious part, your WASP next door. In addition to not being associated with either of these ethnicities, I have disliked all of the fundamental ingredients of this type of food for the greater part of my life. The closest I would get to this type of cuisine was grilled chicken and tomatoes in a taco salad bowl with lots of sour cream. That was my "Mexican" fare. Hold the beans, salsa, rice, cilantro, cumin and coriander, please! Within the last six months however, my palate has changed. So when I saw the reviews for Mi Tierra, I was excited to expand my culinary horizons. I was intrigued by the menu and really anxious to try their black beans since this is one of the ingredients that I have recently fallen in love with. For the appetizer we ordered the corn tamalitos with cream and cheese. I was in love. They were sweet, moist and incredible when eaten with a bit of the cheese and sour cream. For my entree, I had the Pork Chicharrón with Avocado. The dish was well-presented with delicious white rice, to-die-for black beans, a half of a perfectly ripe avocado, two warm corn tortillas and the fried pork. I was under the impression that Chicharrónes were fried pork skin but this dish was fried pieces of cubed pork meat. Eating this pork made every turkey I have ever eaten at Thanksgiving seem moist. It was so incredibly tough and dry that some pieces I couldn't even cut, never mind chew and digest. If I had to intepret the sahara desert through food, it would be this pork. The taste was not bad, but I was expecting something crispy and this was not crispy, the meat was dry as a bone. But I am still giving Mi Tierra four stars because my husband's Papusa's were delicious and my son's fried chicken (C'mon what did you really expect a 13-year-old WASP to order?) was sublime. The service was prompt and extremely friendly. The restaurant itself is not fancy, the decor leaves a bit to be desired, especially those little glass chandeliers that were considered very posh in the 80's, but can still be found in households where people cover their furniture in plastic. But I liked the bold wall colors and most of the wall hangings, aside from those framed posters that look like the ones you can win at the local carnival- you know the ones, usually of 80's heavy metal bands or women in thongs washing cars . . . the ones at Mi Tierra weren't featuring thongs or bands, but landscapes of Central America. So, all in all, I really liked this restaurant and aside from my pork (which could have been a totally traditional preparation that I just didn't care for) everything was delicious. For one appetizer, three entrees, a soda and three beers, it came to about $55. So the value was also pretty good. I'd recommend heading a little further down Moody and giving them a try! Oh they also serve Breakfast all day! read more

Hungry? Don't have a lot of money? Like flavor? Like friendly service?... I found a place for you! Head over to Moody Street in Waltham, MA for some excellent Guatemalan and other Latin American cuisine at Mi Tierra! At first glance, the place doesn't look like it would offer much. It's a small place tucked away on Moody Street. It doesn't have glitz and glamor, but what it lacks in appearance, it more than makes up in food. My friend and I came with our appetites ready to savor the delicious food. We started our dinner with an order of guacamole and tortilla chips. The guac was heaping serving of a yummy flavor blast at only $3.99! Next, we ordered our meals. We both ordered pupusas y platanas. I had mine with pork; my friend had hers with cheese. When the order came, we quickly realized that we would have not only tonight's dinner, but tomorrow's lunch. The serving was huge! The delicious pupusas filled our stomachs and the beans and rice were delicious. The plantains were mouth-watering and heavenly! Mi tierra makes their own hot sauce. Don't leave until you've tried it! Our waitress was very friendly (although a little slow on the check...we had to go up and ask for it). I have already recommended this place to several people and will continue to do so. Mi Tierra gets 5 stars!! read more

I heard about Mi Tierra from several different people raving about their authentic Guatemalan and Salvadorian cuisines. And when I realized that this place is literally right around the corner from my house, I decided I needed to give them a try. Picked up their menu one day and ordered from them a couple weeks later. Much to my dismay, I was actually not at all impressed at all. Of course, I should probably make it known that I am from NY (LI to be exact), where there are a lot of Latin Americans around which includes Guatemalan, Salvadorian, Puerto Rican, Mexican, Dominican, Brazilian, Chilean (is that a word?), Argentinian, Venezuelan, well you get the point. So maybe I was bias because I know of the cultural flavors and pretty much grew up around it. While the staff is super friendly, please note that I had ordered take out for my meal, and so I can not review of their sit-down service. My meal was $9.95 and there was in fact a ton of food. However, quantity does not make up for quality. I had gotten one of their traditional combinations: "Aguacate Y Chicharrones" - which basically was fried pieces of pork, white rice, refried beans (which I didn't touch because it was like a block of beans and had no flavor at all), and half an avocado. This also came with a cup of watered down salsa and 2 fresh made corn tortillas (which were pretty thick and wasn't all that good - I ended up taking 1 bite and throwing the rest out) and a couple of limes. The only way this dish was edible was throwing on some hot sauce on the fried pork, mixed it up with the avocado and squeezing the lime over it. The pork was very bland and hard to chew on and definitely needed to be jazzed up. Good Latin food should not need to be covered up by any other flavors, but unfortunately, this was one of those times. I don't think I'm gonna be back, since I can find better Latin food elsewhere and probably for cheaper. read more

This is a nice and casual Central American restaurant near the end of the Waltham Moody St. restaurant strip. It's worth the extra hike, but be sure you have time to spare! Service is... slow. I don't mean like relaxed slow. I mean like taking half an hour to get the bill slow. When it's lunchtime and you need to get back to work - this is not good. You know what is good though? The food. Everything I've had there has been great. Their vegetarian options are pretty limited - but I've gotten by. Prices are fine - I'll normally squeeze by at under $10. Now - I hope this doesn't label me as some immigrant hating gun toting redneck (I'm not) - but when I call a restaurant - I expect somebody that speaks English to be available to ask questions of. I really don't think that that is a lot to ask. The one time I made the mistake of calling - a lady answers in Spanish (or Portugese? I can't tell) - then I ask her in English if this is Mi Tierra - and she says "yes" then launches into another language again. I ask another question - she answers in another language. Thanks. That helped me a lot. However - the food has always been at least good, and normally it's closer to great. Atmosphere is super relaxed, though they don't do a good job heating in the winter so you might want to keep your coat nearby. read more

Despite living around the corner for years, my wife and I just discovered this place and it's already our favorite new spot. Nice atmosphere, futbol on the screens, and just a nice general neighborhood place--where friends hang out after work, families come by, or someone just randomly stops in for a drink. read more

Let me first explain what went wrong here: - There was a dead bug in my fiance's ice. He is not disgusted very easily but this was very clearly a dead bug. - Before bringing our food to us, they set it on the bar. The plates sat there for more than five minutes while a photographer set up his camera. Then he took several pictures of our food, in some cases moving the plates and sort of playing around with them. After that, our waitress picked them and brought them over. When I asked why our food was used for photography she said "It's not a big deal." Our food was lukewarm after sitting there modeling. Having said that, the food was good. I'm not sure I'd be back every week but it was good. read more

Food is great but service and wait is SUPER LONG. It's not worth it - even though it's good, by the time the food comes you're too angry to enjoy it. Okay food was SO GOOD!! I just edited my review to 3 from 1. For takeout this is 5 STARS PLUS! Xcaellent!! But for eating in it's way too long of a wait. Such good food though. read more

Best Guatemalan food in Waltham! Clean and friendly environment to bring family and friends. You have to try "Caldo de Res" beef and vegetables soup, delicious! read more

Mi Tierra - Caldo de Res - Beef and vegetables soup - Salvadoran Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

My husband and I love this place! Everything we've ever ordered has been delicious and the staff is always so friendly and welcoming. The food truly tastes like it was made for you by someone who loves you and the pricing is beyond reasonable. We suggest their Micheladas, papusas revueltas, and the pollo asado but you can't go wrong! read more

One of the few things I miss about living in Waltham is having Guatemalan/Salvadorian/Latin food so close to me. I've been here a few times and i've been pretty please with the service and food. I've tried their Yuca con Chicharron and their Pupusas. Although it wasn't anything amazing, it satisfied my cravings. What did disappoint me a little was their Chicharron though - I expect deep fried fatty parts of the pork and not deep fried lean parts of the pork that end up being dry. read more

Good food for a good price. The meats are marinated well. Their plantains are just right too and with the sour cream, yum! My friend loves their guacamole. It's not open on some random day, I think Wednesday. I always find parking right in front of the restaurant, but I think they have a lot in the back too. read more

2.5 stars.. Not bad food. We went here for pupusas, but like the ones at Mi Pueblito (http://www.yelp.com/biz/mi-pueblito-restaurant-boston) better. The other food was ok. I did like their cold cheese. The portions are big. The ambience is nothing to write home about. Very simple. Seems like locals like to come here to eat. read more

Delicious, fresh, tasty, amazing. My only issue is the service - it can be very slow at times, even if you're the only one in the place. read more

Absolutely fantastic food! I was highly impressed by the authenticity, along with the fantastic prices for what you're getting. I was able to get a filling breakfast dish for $9, which even came with their homemade cheese! read more

After reading the reviews, I was expecting smashing food. I was disappointed. I ordered the much-lauded mixto papusas, which were dry and hard to chew and kind of tasteless. The fried plantains tasted good, but were dripping with so much oil I was feeling too unhealthy to really enjoy the flavor. As an upshot, the black beans were great. My boyfriend got a shrimp dish in which the sauce was relatively tasty and the number of shrimp was generous. Plenty for me to have lunch the next day, but not for him. We recently came back from a trip to Guatemala, so I can confirm the authenticity of this food... which means it's not deliciously spiced up yet sweet at the same time a la Chipotle. It's authentic, which in this case means a bit dry and plain. read more

I was really happy to find such a hole in the wall gem. I got the Fisherman's plate and it was fantastic. Not only was the seafood well prepared, fresh, seasoned just right, there is a lot of food on the plate. I loved everything.... 5 big shrimps, a lot of big scallops as well as small bay scallops, 1 very tender whole Tilapia filet,, as well as 3 clams. I may have missed the count here and there. The only minus was the clam, which was broiled in the half shell and came out rubbery from over cooking. All others were done just right and very flavorful. The sides were rice (even though it's just white rice but this had a soft delicate texture compared to Asian rice) and a big heap of salad consisting of lettuce, tomatos, & pickled onions. It also came with 2 homemade corn tortillas that are thicker than what I've seen before. I also got the tamale ($3). It is the biggest tamale I've had, and it's a little diff than what I've had in Mexican restaurants - this one is a lot bigger, more moist, and is wrapped open ended in banana leaves (not corn husk). I think the way it was steamed imparted a lot of water into the masa, but not in a soggy way. The meat to filling ratio was kind of low, so I'd only recommend this to someone who likes to eat mushy food (which I'm a fan of). Overall, no one should be complaining about being hungry after eating here. What makes this standout is the quality of the ingredient.... the cook really wants his customer to leave happy. read more

Mi Tierra - Fisherman's plate: $25. very good value. - Salvadoran Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

Fantastic Guatemalan food. The inside is accommodating and has enough room to sit. My only issue is that they are closed on Wednesdays and often they go on vacation and close for weeks on end. It's nice that they take everyone on vacation and close but it's terrible to have to wait so long to have more delicious food. Parking is available on the street outside. They give you a lot of food as well, even when taking out so prepare to eat it twice. The pupusas are amazing as well and great starters. They also make fried plantains better than anyone in the area, so I'd recommend getting a side of those as well. read more

Amazing. I have only fantastic things to say about Mi Tierra. I had never eaten Guatamalen food prior to coming here but a coworker suggested I try it. This place is absolutely amazing and SO CHEAP!! The guacamole is the most amazing I've ever had - it was so smooth and creamy! The pupusa platter is also amazing! The portions are HUGE. The pupusa platter came with the most amazing refried bean, a plantain and rice. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it! I will definitely be going back again! read more

Everything was delicious!!! I highly recommend this place for authentic Salvadoran and Guatemalan.

This authentic Guatemalan restaurant is sitting right there on Moody Street who would've known?! Very good food in a very clean and friendly environment. This place is great for breakfast or a heavy lunch or dinner. Many marinated meat dishes; and yet, a vegetarian can also have a tasty colorful and balanced meal (They have beans done with vegetable oil not meat derived fats). It may seem such a small thing but they give you avocado, and sour cream. They also make unusual fruit shakes and excellent plantain. The walls are swimming pool blue and the decor is very reminiscent of what you'd find if you were there. read more

Ok, now I'm officially disappointed. Got the churrasco again for dinner tonight (take-out), but it was seriously different from the first time. My steak was beyond well-done (I requested medium). The meat was crumbling off and little dried bits of meat were just falling off like sawdust as I sliced each piece. My green onions (grilled scallions) were more like re-constituted scallions that were once visibly dry and off-color. The two puny stalks left me wondering... Was my first time really so much better than this, or is my memory playing tricks on me? Was I just extremely hungry my first time? Or was the steak truly cooked perfectly, charred just enough on the outside to lend a noticeable textural difference with a crunchy seasoned crust and chewy juicy meat on the inside. Were the scallions then truly green and luscious and bigger, grilled to a yummy blend of smokiness and onion essence? I am left without answers, as I seek solace in the only thing done correctly.... piping hot, steamy, moist, chewy tortillas. Dipped in the true stand by - le crema. The once-again smushy plantains prove last night's visit a disappointment, and I wonder what I can do to ensure the delicious churrasco plate I had tasted my first time. read more

How would you like me to heat up some frozen latin dinners for you?Disappointed as you know I hate chains and love to support small business.The service kinda off kinda slow then fast then slow,oh I didn't have that good of a time. read more

Mi Tierra - A little Twin Peakish - Salvadoran Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

I have been caving central American food, I ordered take out from this place. I found everything neatly packed. The food tasted good, although I did found some food a little bit salty and overly fried. I will eat from this restaurant again. read more

My husband and I decided to try Mi Tierra after reading the many reviews on Yelp. We had never been to Moody Street and weren't sure about the place when we drove up, but that didn't stop us. The ambiance isn't much. The walls are painted nice bright colors and there are pictures of Guatemala around you. I decided to order the pupusa platter (after reading so much about it on here) and my husband tried the steak and chorizo special. Wow!!! The food was amazing. First off, the black beans and rice they serve was absolutely wonderful. They were not greasy at all and the flavor was amazing. My pupusas were delicious and the plantains that came with it were really good. My husbands meal was just as amazing. The steak was perfectly cooked and seasoned and was eaten with their homemade hot sauce. Plus, the chorizo was fantastic. Overall, the food was great and the price was even better! This one is definitely going on the rotation! read more

We ordered takeout for 2 on a slow Sunday night. Food was pretty good and I'd like to go back again to try more of their menu. Between the two of us, we ordered three plates: the papusa plate ($8), the veggies in garlic sauce plate ($8), and the guacamole tostada plate ($8). The highlight of the meal was the guacamole tostadas. Although the tostadas were super greasy, the guacamole was delicious and matched well with the crunchiness of the tostada and the tasty black beans. The plate also came with some rice, black beans and two fried plantain halves. The plaintains were quite large and also fried wasn't too greasy. There wasn't a lot of carmelization on the plantains and could have been better. The veggies in garlic sauce plate was a little disappointing. The veggie mix had broccoli, carrots, zuccini, and squash. This was cooked in a garlic butter that I didn't like. There was hint of garlic but mostly the butter taste just came through and excess of the buttery sauce turned me off to the plate. The rice and bean accompanying the dish was good. The same black beans had a unique smooth texture and I was glad it wasn't too salty which they can often be. The papusa plate wasn't bad. The papusas were good and kind of standard. The shredded pork inside barely came through but I did like the white cheese that matched the papusa quite well. The vinegar based cole slaw was good ... crunchy and not overpowered with vinegar. The plate came with the same rice, beans, and plaintains. I have a particular love of guatamalan food due to a place I used to love in Chicago. While Mi Tierra didn't live up to those expectations, it was a nice restaurant and had some culinary hits and misses. Their menu is vegetarian friendly and I'm eager to explore more of their offerings. read more

My son and I stopped in for dinner last night, we hadn't been in there since he was pretty young, maybe with his "father" who has long been deported back to El Salvador, but she remembered my son....interesting. We both got the pupusa plate, he got pork and I got mixed, which came with beans, white rice and platanos. I had forgotten how good their pupusas were!! My son ate just about everything on his plate, so apparently he enjoyed it too. Glad they got the beer and wine license back, nothing like a cerveza fria con pupusas! Que bueno..... read more

Mi Tierra - plato de pupusa - Salvadoran Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

I've been going to Mi Tierra since I moved to Boston in 1999. It's incredible food, great service. I could not recommend it enough - this is a must go to restaurant! read more

I tried this restaurant based on the reviews here. I must agree the pupusas are fantastic, as is the pickled cabbage. I wasn't a fan of the mashed beans and rice, however. The carne asada was good around the edges, but a bit dry inside. My biggest problem with this restaurant was the service. It was very quiet (three tables). The staff sat at another table chatting and counting change (from what I could hear) - and a wall separated them from the area I was sitting in. My order was taken, food was brought, and that was the extent of the service. I sat a LONG time before the waitress peeked over the wall to see I was done and finally asked if I needed anything else. Just the check please. read more

Very good, hit the spot for Guatemalan food. Menu could have some more choices. Pickled onions were amazing!! read more

Mi Tierra - Combo # 1 - Salvadoran Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

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Very authentic (not that I've ever has an authentic experience enjoying food in Guatemala, but I'm still gonna go with authentic as the word of choice). Great selection, taste and price. Not fancy, but clean and delicious. read more

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Love Mi Tierra. The food is interesting, delicious, fresh and fairly priced. Each time I go, I try something new and end up really enjoying it. There are so many gluten free choices for my Celiac daughter! Bonus - parking is easy for pick-up! read more

This place is AWESOME. Clara, one of the women who runs the restaurant, is friendly, down to earth and wonderful. The food is simple but super tasty. My wife and I go here a lot with our 3 year old daughter. The papusas are really yummy, as are the huevos rancheros. And if you like strawberry milkshakes, get yourself a fresas con leche-- basically delicious strawberry milk. The ambience is relaxed, so don't go if you're looking for a romantic or impressive spot for an upscale date. Don't get me wrong, this place isn't loud at all, it's just that it's simple. But as soon as the food hits your mouth, you'll know exactly why you came. The stomach never lies. The prices here are very good. You can stuff yourself for $10 or $15. Mi Tierra has booths and a juke box with Latino music. If you want an authentic and unpretentious taste of Waltham, come here. Great, simple, affordable grub!! And it's on Moody Street, so there are plenty of shops and other window-peeking opportunities nearby. read more

I have to say, I'm generally not a fan of Central American food. But this, being Guatemalan, is just different enough from Mexican that's it's new and different enough. Their refried beans are the best I've had, and their burritos are also the best I have ever had. And everything is cheap! I don't usually like guacamole, but damn, this place has amazing guacamole! My main complaint about this place is how slow it is. Our chips and guacamole come out quick and our orders are taken quickly; it's just that the food takes 35+ minutes to come out, which is excessive. It is consistent as well, a group of us have been here over 3 times. I will go here again for sure! Highly recommended. read more

I've been missing my grandmothers home cooking and this place satisfies all my cravings. I won't say it's better than the Salvadorian food she cooks but it's pretty close lol. There isn't anything bad on this menu. read more

OMG! A-MAY-ZING! I needed some pupusas in my life this week, so I found Mi Tierra online and went down to get the pupusa combo plate, which was 2 pupusas, beans, rice, salad, and plantains. Loved it. Loved it. Loved it. Everything was perfect and you get a ton of food. I'll definitely be back. It should be noted that while some of the names of the food resemble popular Mexican food, this is Guatemalan and Salvadoran food. My coworker ordered the chile relleno and it was not at all what he expected. read more

Mi Tierra is amazing! The food is about as good as it gets for central american fare, and the homey feel of the place only adds to the experience. The papusas are great. We ordered 3 to split, but quickly realized why everyone calling in their take-out order was getting them by the docena. The carne asada, chile relleno, and grilled pork were our favorites. It is true that we have waited a relatively long time for our food when we went at 7 pm on Saturday night, but other times have been fast. Otherwise the staff are very friendly. read more