I've literally never heard of this place until my girlfriend mentioned it when I kept bugging her to come up with a place to go to for lunch. She said her friends really enjoyed the chicken masala so we were really looking forward to that HOWEVER they don't serve chicken masala during the lunch period. So instead of that, we both got a taco plate which comes with two tacos with a side of rice and salad. I decided to be extra fat that day so I got an extra taco in addition to the plate. The three choices of meat I decided to get on my tacos were beef brisket, grilled shrimp and fried fish. My favorite was the fried fish. We also got some chips and guac as a starter which was surprisingly very good. read more

Mission Cantina - taco plates and chips and guac - Mexican Near Me - Amherst, Massachusetts

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Another great meal here plus the jalapeño app was delicious, almost a meal with black bean avocado and salsa I ordered Shrimp tinga with spicy mango sauce. Fantastic spicy dish balanced with green rice and black beans. Flavor was unique and just spicy enough. Beautiful fresh shrimp. Oh and yes the chips with a trio of fresh salsa varieties is worth $5. Chips were warm and crispy. It's a great place and they get extraordinarily busy, fast. Go at opening to avoid the wait read more

Mission Cantina - Mexican Near Me - Amherst, Massachusetts

A little confusing? We made our first indoor visit to Mission since before the pandemic last night. For some reason, none of the front of house staff were masking, in spite of Amherst's mask mandate still being in effect and cases soaring. On a positive note, food is consistent and delicious, service is quick and efficient. read more

Fabulous street tacos and the nachos are insane. Recently moved from California without high expectations of Mexican food in the area but boy were we wrong. So stoked to have such great Mexican food nearby. read more

I love them! I have been coming here with my family for years. Roughly around 2012 when they were still the small little restaurant. All of their food is really great and I'm always happy with whatever I get. The servers are always very friendly especially the ones that have been there since the beginning. I only knocked off one star since they stopped having a steak option for a meat choice. Really great restaurant, with great staff and food. This is the spot I always bring my guests from out of town to. :) read more

Not happy with this place so I'm updating my review. Looks like something changed over the last couple of years.. Not sure covid is to blame or just a change of ownership? Chips alone are 3 bucks.. With nothing else. And they weren't even good. Then each sauce is an extra $1.50 with guac MP. HUH? WHAT'S THAT i heard the guest next to me at the same picnic table say, echoing my thoughts. But I already knew the answer.. "Market price" like lobster or some expensive halibut. So how much is that.. "l'm not sure" said the waiter. Very strange. Watered down drinks, and only bottles of spring water? The blackened swordfish was very tasty though. But there was a long wait for the food to come out, and it was everyone at the same time waiting. Nothing came out to any table and the waiter had to apologize for what he called "a mystery what's happening in the kitchen". Suggestion: get rid of some of the picnic tables and add some two seat tables. No one wants to hear the next party's conversation while eating. Won't be back. read more

I went on a Friday night close to closing and they were running out of food which makes sense honestly. The tacos were okay, we got grilled shrimp, chorizo, and braised beef. The best one was chorizo but even so, it wasn't ~that~ good. We also got margaritas, they were overpriced, small, and not that tasty. It's a cute place but there's nothing that makes me want to come back. read more

I have come here twice and loved it both times. Their nachos are these giant chips with a hefty serving of meat but accompanied by some refreshing lettuce, my idea of perfect. I had a shrimp burrito with refried beans and my friend had the beef tacos, both of which were great. Planning on taking another trip there soon read more

Burrito Ahogados are the best item on the menu hands down. This place is my favorite. The loaded nachos are also great though I think they got taken off the menu because of COVID :( I also used to love their chicken enchiladas with red sauce but they don't allow you to mix and match fillings and sauces anymore because of the condensed menu from COVID. The salad dressing is also great. read more

This used to be my go to Mexican but quality and atmosphere have definitely dipped in recent years - long wait time and expensive

Hands down the best mexican food in the valley! The staff is all casual, confident, and friendly making the atmosphere and experience of sitting down here super enjoyable. The food is outstanding. I always start with the chips and 3 salsas, each of which are unique in flavor and spice. Totally worth it. Then I usually opt for tacos, as the fillings of these are superb. The portions are perfect, and because of the delicious taste of the food, I am usually able to clean my plate! Furthermore, the margaritas here are handmade and simply outstanding. If you're on the fence about where to go for dinner tonight- Mission Cantina is the place! read more

Totally authentic Mexican , some of the best I've ever had. Also great authentic cocktails Mezcal margarita etc. Enough said you'll love it read more

Mission Cantina - serious Tacos asada on fresh corn tortillas with so nice nice..! - Mexican Near Me - Amherst, Massachusetts

I quite simply don't understand how this place only has 4 stars. If no restaurant is perfect then this place at least deserves 4.5. Food was literally so much more flavorful than what I had considered "good Mexican food" previously. I wish I had more photos to tbh, we just kinda demolished everything they put in front of us. Service was 10/10. In and out of a waited table in 45 min. Food took 8 min from order to delivery at the table. There was one small error, but the server noticed before he got the food to us and had already put in a correction w/ the kitchen. Honestly, for a cantina style Mexican bar, 5 stars end to end. read more

Mission Cantina - Chicken Taco ( Loaded ) - Mexican Near Me - Amherst, Massachusetts

1) the food is always to die for! Fresh, flavorful and as close to authentic as you're going to get in the valley. 2) their drinks are amazing and they don't skimp on the alcohol 3) the servers and bartenders are always pleasant and knowledgeable about the menu. I love going here and I can't wait until we can actually dine in! It's been way too long! read more

Excellent spot. Small and can get a bit noisy but excellent margaritas and home style Mexican. Very nice salsas and freshly made tortillas. We had the blood orange and Diablo margarita with huevos and Chilequiles. All very nice and our server was excellent! read more

This place gets a 5 stars for their amazing food. The service is pretty terrible. The "ahogado" sauce spice level is diffrent every time, and one time mine had baby corn and carrots in it. Did someone throw their leftover lomein in here? I still get flashbacks to this day about biting into a chipmunks dinner Order takeout on the weekend? Feggetaboutit, too busy read more

Best Mexican food in western mass! Hands down! The tacos, the burritos and everything in between are always fantastic! It's a real treat whenever I get to come here for dinner. The specials are always worth checking out. The fish tacos are out of this world! Great beer and drink selection as well. Stay is always friendly, bartenders are fast and attentive. The establishment is always clean! They've got a darker more intimate sort of vibe. Prices are what you'd expect from a Mexican restaurant that has their offerings. read more

This is our go-to spot. We loved eating at the bar when it was open, esp to watch basketball, and now we take out regularly. Sometimes there may be a slightly off day but generally we are extremely happy with our tacos (chicken, crispy fish, shrimp), with rice, beans and pico. Love the many salsas they have, and the margaritas are excellent and there's always a new flavor. The only issue with takeout is you can be on hold forever on the phone and there's usually a wait so plan in advance! We discovered that you can order online the day before, as well. Truly one of our top spots in the Valley. thank goodness it is here! read more

Great food, great service and an awesome atmosphere. Can't wait to eat here again. Had an awesome brunch here will visiting my son at Amherst College. read more

Tacos! Hells yeah, they're good here. Margarita came in a plastic cup, kinda small but flavor and liquor were there. My lady had salad with a side of chicken. No complaints from her. Outdoor dining patio was good, spaced out and had music piping. read more

We started off with the loaded shrimp tacos. They were pretty close to the best ever. The warm fresh tortilla chips were an excellent compliment to a smooth, creamy, delicious guacamole. We ordered shrimp tinga, which hubby declared top- rate, good -sized shrimp, well flavored, and yummy green rice. And chicken mole. The chicken had a nice crisp skin, was well-seasoned , and paired well with the delicious mole. I'd have liked more mole though. The margaritas weren't great, and service was mediocre. read more

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Good food, terrible service. The owner and the waiter were both very passive aggressive to their customers.

the fish tacos are my favorite snack. they made me smile a lot. the lime it comes with is nice. they played really sweet music and i was forced to move my body to the beat. i love the outside dining. the staff are really sweet and the waitress even complimented my earrings (she also reminded me of one of my favorite actresses). and i left feeling really satisfied and satiated... wait i forgot one thing. the BLUEBERRY MARGARITA WAS PERFECTTTT!!!!! yummy and tangy and had some nice amount of alohol and the bottle it came it was cute. moral of the story: order a fish taco and u will be set. read more

Mission Cantina - fish 1 Taco - Mexican Near Me - Amherst, Massachusetts

This is one of the best Mexican restaurants I have been to anywhere. The menu is simple, and delicious. I have had the taco plate, burritos and chicken mole. They are all my favorite! The chips and salsa is served with 3 interesting salsas, the queso fundido is also a good starter choice. They have a good selection of tiquilias and knowledgeable bartenders. Just a great place to visit. If you go in the evening, go with the expectation that you will be waiting an hour. It is a good opportunity to have a drink while you are waiting and catch up with friends. The place will be completely packed. Parking is an issue as well, because everyone wants to eat here. read more

Mission Cantina - Lunch menu, burrito. - Mexican Near Me - Amherst, Massachusetts

Wow! The food here is spectacular. So fresh and tasty. I've loved everything I've ever ordered and there's been a lot. It's a place we are always excited about and can't wait til we get to go back. The fish tacos are the best anywhere. The nachos are so tasty. I can't figure out how they get so much flavor into their food without dousing it with tons of sauce or cheese like a chain would do. The drinks are wonderful and strong! The decor has a "day of the dead" theme and is done well. The only negatives I can think of are that there is ALWAYS a wait and it's pretty dark in there, so reading the menu can be tricky, but I have it memorized now! We are on our way there tonight and are super excited about it! read more

Mission Cantina - The exciting moment when your burrito arrives! - Mexican Near Me - Amherst, Massachusetts

Omg best Mexican I've EVER had outside of California and Mexico. Got the shrimp tinga. There was a party for my tastebuds. Que rico!!!! read more

Mission Cantina - Mexican Near Me - Amherst, Massachusetts

Possibly the best darn Mexican food East of the Pecos! I had the 3 taco plate with 1 ea of the bbq pork, braised beef and crunchy fish (wowza!). I ordered them "loaded" and I assumed that meant loaded with flavor, as they were. My 8 yr old son had a single bbq taco and happily consumed it which is a big win because he's finicky like his m... well anyway let's say kinda discerning. Anyway, I washed it down with a cherry lemonade Margherita and we left the scene full and satisfied! I highly recommend this place! read more

You will not believe this. We used to come here all the time. First off, staff was incredibly rude. We asked for water and we're told we could only buy bottled water because of covid. (Huh?) Why should we be forced to buy bottled water? What does covid have to do with it, especially considering none of you guys have masks on?? It's bad for the environment and it totally rips off your customers. Second, we were told that we could not sub out the red sauce for green sauce on the enchiladas because the menu had to be streamlined because of covid and it's dangerous for the cooks to have to make substitutions. But we could purchase the green sauce for an extra charge and pour it on ourselves at the table. AGAIN, ALTHOUGH NO ONE HAS A MASK ON including the cooks in the back. Then when our meals came the person who dropped them off casually said "we are out of rice so we just gave you salad instead". No word prior, no sorry about that, nothing. Really? We are at a Mexican themed restaurant and you guys don't have rice? You served us beans with salad and just a shrug? What did you think we came here for? Do you think we came for a bean salad? I think not having rice is an important detail to mention at a Mexican restaurant especially how serious this restaurant takes substitutions. So at this point I question the server about this to which she responded that the "rice is made in a big pot in a morning which takes hours and hours to make. The rice burned this morning so we don't have enough because whatever we make in the morning is all we have for the day" so I said "I make rice all the time. It does not take hours and hours to make." And then I questioned the water bottle rip off, substitutions, etc. for her to then lie and say she never said that, although she said so in front of our entire table. MOST HILARIOUS PART: we asked for the check after our table was aggressively bussed and she leans over our table and says that the meal is on them and they are just asking we never come back. If I didn't know better, I would have thought it was a practical joke. What is going on with this place? read more

some of the most rude staff i've ever encountered, none of them were wearing masks despite the mandate. The whole atmosphere felt unclean. I won't be coming back. read more

Subpar food and terribly rude service. Just go across the street to el comalito, significantly better food and friendly and competent staff

We've been regular patrons of Mission Cantina for years. They do have tasty food. But so do alot of other resturants! I am glad to hear they are being fined for non-mask compliance and the article in the Gazette explains why they are losing customers. (its not because of the pandemic and mask rules) Its because the owner doesn't believe in science and defies rules meant to protect everyone. The last time we went there they were totally rude and had the attitude they had so much business, they didnt need to follow rules or be kind to customers. We watched numerous parties get irritated waiting to pick up their meals. Service was incredibly slow. Their seating policy of seating people ONLY when their full party is there, is why they lost us as customers. They lost money from us by not allowing us to drink while we waited for our last person to show up. After waiting 30+ mins for a table and my husband was 2 mins away, they refused to seat 3 of us. They immediately sat a party of 4 that just walked in the door, stating "you're just in time". My husband showed up 1 min later and we all had to wait another 10+ mins for a table to open up. We were told that was their seating policy. Well, no masks, ignorance, and rude treatment of customers is why the Mission Cantina is losing business. read more

On a recent trip into town a friend and I ordered dinner for a meal in our car! It was perfect- the service on the phone was clear, and friendly. The meal came perfectly packaged making it manageable for our car dine in experience! Thank you!!!! read more

I just came back home from a late night dinner here and seriously Mission Cantina blew me away! From the awesome service that offered James, the bartender, to the ever most exquisite Mexican food I have ever tasted in my life, this place deserves more than just 5 stars! The ensalada cantina with shrimp was heavenly! What amazed me most was the taste of the grilled seasoned shrimp! And then the queso fundido... AMAZING! Also the pear margarita that James recommended was the best I have ever tasted in my life since I turned 21! Mission Cantina really rocks and it is now rocking my world! read more

Mission Cantina - Ensalada Cantina y queso fundido! - Mexican Near Me - Amherst, Massachusetts

Stands up against some of the best West coast Mexican Great atmosphere (think dark, funky, creepy cool southwest style) and top notch fresh and unique tasting food. The three salsas that came with the chips were all excellent in their own way, the guacamole was creamy and fresh and the warm chips were just about perfect. Enchiladas and Burrito (order it with sauce and cheese!) stood up to the best I have had living in CA and WA. Now, if Mission can use some poetic license and "borrow" the recipe for the short rib burrito from El 42 Cantina in Issaquah, WA I would eat here almost every day! read more

By far my favorite Mexican restaurant. The drinks are really , really good (watermelon margarita ) , chips and trio of salsa are also so good, and the guacamole is fresh and very tasty . I'd recommend that for starters . If you're really hungry, try the Queso Fundido. If you love cheese and some spice as much as I do , this is your jam. I get the same thing everytime I go and I'm definitely not upset about it - Braised beef quesadillas with pinto beans . One of my most favorite meals ever. The atmosphere is chill, it's kind of dark and cool but relaxing and fun. It's a great place to go on date night or for a night out with friends . And also , The bartenders are always so nice, recommending different drinks or tequila. I can't say enough good things about this place . read more

Favorite Mexican spot in western MA! Food is amazing. Consistent, delicious and authentic. Fantastic staff. Drinks are creative, fresh, well crafted and always evolving. Highly recommend! read more

Food was not impressive. I get better Mexican food at taco bell. Place crowded and dark.

This place has the best Mexican food in the valley. Everything from the chips, tacos, burritos, and enchiladas to the items on their breakfast menu is incredible. Anything they make with chorizo is especially good. That being said, their customer service is absurdly bad. They will go out of their way to make you feel like the most unwelcome, burdensome, slow ordering patron they have ever met. It's uncanny how well they tailor their toxic attitude to each person in your party. They don't simply treat everyone like crap; their methods are the most nuanced negging I have ever seen in the restaurant business. This is perpetuated by the fact that Amherst has an endless revolving door of students and parents who will put up with their crap long enough that all of this doesn't have an effect on their bottom line at all. If you do decide to try their food, or are pressured into going there by other people in your group, be prepared to be told that there's an hour+ wait while unseated tables are in plain sight, being gaslit into thinking that whatever you ordered may taste off to you, but is perfectly fine according to their staff, or having your food take 50 minutes to come out, but somehow your waitress can get a beer or margarita to you in 3 seconds. read more

We waited over an hour from the time we ordered until having to ask for everything to go. No check ins by the server in that hour and when asking for the check, the server said "I've been working here for 7 years and when we're busy it always takes 30-40 minutes for food." Couldn't even a fake an apology. It was a Wednesday night, they were not busy, and I have been coming here for 10 years and never seen him in my life. I caution those of you who went to school around here and love and miss Mission, it's not the Mission you remember. All of the friendly-faced veterans are gone and their replacements couldn't care less about the reputation they are ruining daily. I will never go back. read more

Sorry, Mission Cantina, but my last experience just wasn't as good as the first. This time, the fish in my fish tacos were overfried and tough and none of my other tacos were anything special. Rice and beans were okay but a bit bland. The enchiladas with carnitas that the bf ordered were pretty tasty though and stuffed with meat--it makes for a pretty big meal. We did order the chips and salsa at the beginning ($4.50) and although all the salsas were good, I'm surprised they charged so much (after all, Mi Tierra and many other sit-down Mexican restaurants outside of the five-college area give complimentary chips at the beginning of the meal.) Tortas are now gone from the menu. The food just lacked the necessary oomph that would make me really want to go back. read more