The food was absolutely amazing, and the service was excellent! The staff here are always friendly, welcoming, and respectful. They know me whenever I call to order food, and every time I walk in, they greet me with a smile, give me a fist bump, and say things like, "What's up, Philip?" or "What's up, buddy?" That kind of service really makes you feel welcomed and appreciated as a customer. This place is honestly amazing, and the recognition it has received speaks for itself. It was named one of Yelp's Top 100 Restaurants in the U.S. and was also named Massachusetts' best hole-in-the-wall restaurant. It is widely celebrated for its authentic, flavorful, and incredibly affordable Mexican food, and after eating here myself, I completely understand why. In my opinion, this is easily one of the best restaurants around. The food is consistently delicious, the staff are incredible, the prices are great, and the overall experience is excellent every time. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone. If you haven't tried it yet, you are seriously missing out! read more

Awesome, authentic Mexican food! Love their tacos and salsa!! Don't sleep on this spot.

WOW what an amazing genuine local find! Everyone else dining in was Spanish speaking -- a tell which was confirmed by the absolutely outstanding food! The Chorizo Burrito is among the best I've ever had, with just the right balance of heat & flavor. Steak platter is expertly prepared, befitting a high end restaurant. There are only 4 tables for dining in & they were all taken -- for good reason! read more

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Food was great and service was quick. We got it for takeout. Ordered the carne asada and the Al pastor tacos and an Al pastor torta. All were good but I preferred the tacos. This place doesn't disappoint and the spicy salsa is very good with the tacos! read more

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Another bruins game and another stop at Taqueria el amigo cor. I really enjoyed the beef tounge tacos. Fantastic flavor tender and so satisfying. Also an ordered a cheek taco. So flavorful with the addition of their homemade hot sauce.. my wife ordered a burrito with pork fillings. It was moist, tender and stuffed. Definitely a value. Great food and friendly people. Wish I lived closer!! read more

Taqueria El Amigo - Menu - Mexican Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

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Food is super fresh and this place is recognized globally for top 100 food in the USA (I believe) or something like that. We waited about 30 minutes for two burritos and chips/guac with my roommate. The taste itself is super fresh as stated, but some ingredients were under-seasoned. Also no rice in the burrito which is authentic but a bit unexpected. I would probably come here again and give it another shot, but it doesn't beat El Pelon in Brighton for me. read more

Tacos tacos tacos!! Finally Mexican food in the East coas! Haha or close to Arlington, MA. We have been looking for good Mexican food ever since we moved from California and we finally found the spot for delicious tacos! The place is pretty small with only a few tables and you order at the counter and they bring your food. The tacos hit the spot!! So good! Yum! And they also have aguas frescas such as horchata and jaimaca! The meat is super flavorful and taste fresh and cooked perfectly! The tortillas are very good and I think they make them here. I love tacos so I am super happy this place is here. I really like the vibe cause there is always people waiting to either pick up or to be seated and they have Spanish band music always bumping! Love this place! read more

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Good tacos, especially for the Boston area! I got the carne asada tacos especiales and they were really good. The tacos themselves were just alright but the hot sauce it came with made them taste soo much better. The interior of the restaurant is really small and even though we came at a weekday, it was still crowded so be prepared to either wait or grab takeout instead. read more

I think this is probably 3.5 stars. I definitely don't agree with all of the hype reviews that say this is the best Mexican restaurant in Boston. Granted, the bar is pretty low because Boston is not known as a destination for good Mexican food. I did like that the woman who answered the phone was friendly, and the food was prepared quickly. I'm not sure if it's a great value, because at $42, I got an enchilada platter, a quesadilla, and one single taco. I think that's a little bit expensive. The actual food was OK. The quesadilla was nothing to write home about, but the taco was tasty and I thought that the enchiladas were pretty well seasoned. The beans and the rice that came with the enchilada we're both pretty tasty. However, I take issue with the tiny shrimp that they had in the quesadilla. Very, very small shrimp. I'm glad I came here to form my own opinion. Parking is not the easiest, but they happened to have a spot right outside of the restaurant so I lucked out. read more

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I had high hopes from this place. I liked the cozy interior and the service. Unfortunately, I wasn't a fan of their tacos. We had a sampling platter of sorts (asada, lengua, al pastor, birria, chorizo, carnitas, and pollo). I wasn't taken aback by any of them. I lived in Maryland for years and the tacos there had way more flavor. Every taco was just shy of the mark. The tres leches cake was overtly sweet as well. I found this taco joint to be average. read more

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Just order tacos. The rest of the options are pretty bland and lack salt. Not your typical Mexican food. Use tomatillo which is good. I could micro talk about things I did t like but these people were friendly and attentive. Small place FYI. read more

Taqueria El Amigo - Front of store! Only has 5 tables - Mexican Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

Still fantastic! Best carnitas I've had in years. Friendly service, the place feels like the real deal. Love it! read more

Taqueria El Amigo - Carnitas and Al pastor tacos - Mexican Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

I had a hankering for Mexican. This is another place if you blink, you would drive by but they have a sign. They have some tables but their main business is take out. The waitress directed me to a table where she gave me a menu and water. The meal started out with chips and salsa which were good. They charged me 1.50 for them. I thought they were complimentary. I had chicken and a piece of flank steak, refried beans which were tasty. I finished the steak but I was not too keen on the chicken. The whole bill was 23.00 which I thought was reasonable. Their china needs to be upgraded. I would return. read more

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". A Gem" They have a parking lot not metered next door . They have seating inside but the place is very small . However the food is exceptional. We got steak tacos and steak nachos and it was delicious, tasted fresh and good flavors . The price is good for the portion size. The value is excellent. The staff is friendly. The service is good. . read more

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We love ordering takeout from here, especially the taco specials (4 tacos). It's a great price for high quality, authentic tacos! The horchata is great too. read more

Taqueria El Amigo - Al pastor tacos - Mexican Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

Tacos were fresh and delicious. Looking forward to trying other dishes next time. It gets busy so you'll most likely have to wait. Took us 20 minutes for a table. read more

Great Mexican food and our go-to place when we're in the mood. We got beef nachos, a chicken burrito, a lengua quesadilla, and a kids quesadilla. We've also had their enchiladas in the past. The service is quick and friendly, too. We typically pick up since it's a small restaurant (always packed, too). But it's so very good. read more

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Very overrated. Flavors were rather bland. Would not return. Better mexican options around.

Busy and nice find but doesn't live up to the hype or perhaps not what it used to be. Tight and small inside. Very busy with lots of folks coming in for takeaway when deliveries come through it's very tight space and folks often had to move where they were sitting at tables. They do wild fast business. Service was fairly good. If they forget and screw something up they just give you more of whatever you ordered. Friendly folks. Food was actually just okay. The platters were of large size but really lacked flavor. Tons of iceberg lettuce. Lacking salt too. Some of the tacos were pretty good but nothing amazing. Looking back, nothing memorable and just okay. Prices aren't high but seem to have crept up over the years and with popularity. Can't blame them but for the same price can get more flavorful or just as flavorful options at the same volume from lots of decent (albeit not great) Mexican restaurants and taquerias. read more

Taqueria El Amigo - Nachos with guacamole. Huge! - Mexican Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

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As a long-time patron of Taqueria El Amigo, I am thrilled to see the well-deserved recognition the restaurant is receiving lately. Having been a loyal customer for years, I've often recommended this gem to close-friends, keeping it somewhat of a hidden treasure, but it seems the word is rightfully spreading. My go-to order has always been their tacos especiales with onion, cilantro, and salsa. Consistently, these tacos stand out as the best and most authentic I've had in Boston. The flavors are unparalleled, and each bite is reminiscent of the flavors I grew up eating in Mexico and subsequently Texas. Recently, I decided to explore their breakfast menu and was treated to the delightful huevos rancheros. The dish was a symphony of flavors, complemented by a fantastic green salsa that added just the right kick. While I've sampled various lunch specials, including the outstanding mole, the tacos remain the stars of the show. No visit is complete without indulging in their horchata, a refreshing and delicious choice that perfectly complements the food. The place is small but cozy. Recently, there's more people which means sometimes you have to wait a little (or place an order ahead of time via the phone). However, the food is worth the wait. Congratulations to El Amigo Taqueria for the well-deserved notoriety. It's heartening to see a local gem receive the recognition it has earned over the years. read more

Taqueria El Amigo - Mexican Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

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I tend to favor the tacos and chicken sandwiches, but lately I've been including Birria in every visit. Good food, good people.

This Yelp top 100 spot has been a favorite of my friends and I and a go to for tacos cravings for the past year! Although the store only seats 4-5 tables, the friendly staff serve you complimentary chips and salsa along with our favorite taco especiales (2 tacos per special order) or large plates While my boyfriend raves about the al pastor and cabeza taco specials, I stick to my plato loco that comes with two choices of meat, rice, beans, onion, coriander, and salsa verde which is enough for myself and (happy leftovers to take home!!!) If you're looking for a new taco spot, Taqueria El Amigo is the one‼ read more

Tiny little hole in the wall. Can only speak for the tacos which were great. Anytime someone asks if you want more hot sauce the only acceptable answer is oh yes please. Nice people good food. Suggest you give it a go. read more

Busy little Mexican spot. Heard how great it was, so decided to give it a try. Thought it was good - not great. Service was helpful and friendly. A few tables inside, but there was a wait by the time we left. read more

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Can't get enough of taqueria El Amigo! After seeing this restaurant on Yelp's 100 list I have eaten here at least six times. The tacos are so good! The service is great and quick. The inside is small and can get crowded with people either waiting for a table or takeout. Depending on the time day, you will wait at least 10-30 minutes for a table. I've seen people just order takeout instead of waiting but I think it's a better experience to sit down and eat. I love the chips, guacamole, and salsa. The guac and sala are always so fresh. The horchata is my favorite drink to order. It's not too sweet and refreshing. For an entree I always go for the tacos especiales. It's definitely enough for one person. If you eat with another person, you can trade different tacos. Can't wait to come back! read more

Taqueria El Amigo - Mexican Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

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My husband and I had a few minutes for a lunch date and decided to try out Taqueria El Amigo, which is in a commercial area of Waltham by the Watertown and Newton borders. They do a lot of business. It is a bit of a hole in the wall. You can order to go or sit down for table service. We were served chips and salsa at the table. The chips were hot and crunchy and the salsa was fresh and flavorful with a hint of heat. We ordered the tacos especiales with pollo and with carne asada. They come with four in each order. They were definitely legit and brought us back to our honeymoon in Mexico. It's not exactly convenient for us to get here, but I would definitely come again if I am in the area. Highly recommend it if you are in search of authentic Mexican street food. read more

Taqueria El Amigo - Front of business - Mexican Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

These tacos had great flavor and texture. The tortilla was soft, and the meat had a smoky taste I really enjoyed. The toppings were fresh and crunchy. It's a no-fuss kind of spot but the quality of the food stood out. read more

Taqueria El Amigo - Mexican Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

Loved this place! Most likely my fav taco place so far. Loved that they offered beef tongue / cheek Tacos and is the first time I've tried it in taco form. We Asians use it in our cuisines in BBQ. As for communication, it was a bit difficult as they don't speak that much English, but that means it's very authentic. The store itself is small. Will definitely be back and will write a more in-depth review the next time we're in Massachusetts. read more

Taqueria El Amigo - Mexican Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

Great customer service, great tacos! So good! The restaurant was a little small but the food was super good! read more

Taqueria El Amigo - Tacos - Mexican Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

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You know this place is good when a lot of customers were Spanish speaking. It's a small place with only ~4 small tables. Street parking only. I heard it used to be cash only but they do accept credit cards now. They make your food to order. So if you order there, know that you have to wait a bit. I heard about this place for years but never tried it until this past weekend. I went around 4pm thinking it will be off hours but it was still crowded. And there was still a flow of take out orders. I ordered the cabeza and lengua taco especiales which came with 4 tacos. It was very filling and super flavorful. I didn't see a drink menu but they have horchata on tap and I think some agua Fresca. They also have bottled drinks. One of the best tacos in the area! Can't believe that I slept on this gem for so long. Can't wait to go back and try their other tacos including the birria. read more

Well just a heads up. This place is fricken packed! The line is out the door. The taco shop looks like a hole in the wall type shop. But it was definitely bustling. Now. All the waiting and stuff made me extremely hungry. I did t even take a picture of the tacos. I just threw myself at it. But the tacos were great! Best tacos I've had in MA so far. Flavor was great. Moist. My problem was the torta. Do not get it. Everything else was awesome! Chicken , was my favorite! read more

Taqueria El Amigo - Mexican Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

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This is a standout restaurant in the bleak Mexican food scene of the Boston metropolitan area. We started off with an order of chips+salsa for only $1.50! It's only that cheap if you dine in. The salsa that comes with the chips is delicious and fresh-tasting. The chips are really crispy! Definitely definitely order this if you dine in. If you buy the taco special, you get 4 tacos at a discounted rate. We got the cabeza tacos ($10) and al pastor tacos ($9). Those are actually some really cheap prices, as it seem most restaurants are charging around $3-4 per taco. If you buy them individually they are quite a bit more expensive. The cabeza tacos are delicious. They are really tender and fatty. The same with the al pastor! They use pretty fatty cuts of meat. I highly recommend both of them! The hot sauce they gave us was also really tasty! The only drawback about these tacos is that, although the fatty meat was rich and delicious, it got a little too decadent at the end and I felt a little gross. Luckily, we ordered a horchata to wash it all down. A small horchata is only $2.50 and they give you a good amount! It tasted great, although the vanilla was a bit too powerful and there could have been more cinnamon. The inside of the restaurant is small (5ish tables?), but we didn't have trouble finding a table during lunch. Service was really fast. In summary, great food at GREAT prices. Fast service. read more

Taqueria El Amigo - Al pastor - Mexican Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

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What we ate/drank: Chorizo taco, Al Pastor taco, Lengua taco Would recommend? Yes Authentic street tacos served with fresh corn tortillas and flavorful hot sauce make Taqueria El Amigo a great choice for taco lovers in the Boston area. The chorizo taco was spiced and juicy, while the al pastor was deeply flavorful. While the lengua taco was tender, it didn't quite live up to the boldness of the other tacos. The fresh tortillas really brought everything together, holding up well against the hearty fillings. The hot sauce was a great kick, adding the perfect amount of heat. With limited seating and a lively vibe, Taqueria El Amigo is a solid spot for a casual meal. Service for takeout was quick, even in a full restaurant. read more

I discovered Taqueria El Amigo about 7 years ago, its a hole in a wall with amazing simple tacos and Mexican cola! they stayed consistent over the years. read more

Big fan for awhile. Voted one of the best Mexican food joints in the U.S. Few tables so mostly take out. Parking can be limited on the side street that it is on. Hoping they move to a larger location. read more

Taqueria El Amigo - Menu - Mexican Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

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This place is awesome. It's the best Mexican food and tacos I found in Massachusetts. read more

Taqueria El Amigo - Regular menu - Mexican Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

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Small authentic Mexican spot. Tacos are their specialty. 4 orders per plate & you can choose 2 different meats. My go to are Al Pastor & carnitas. Burritos are very big & messy to eat without a fork & knife. Always busy at lunchtime. Be prepared to wait for take out or dine in. read more

This food was so delicious. I went once in 2020 but I think it's gotten better. Their service was great and we got complimentary chips and salsa which was delicious. The tacos were so yummy and stuffed with meat and so filling. The Plato mexicana was also a great deal and they give you so much food for a good price!! It's a pretty small place but I'd definitely return even if it's just for takeout. read more

Best tacos in waltham!!! Small sit area (two 2 person tables and two four person tablesrecommended take out during busy lunch hours. When you sit to eat they serve you and you get fresh salsa that has a kick to it. Very friendly staff!! read more

Taqueria El Amigo - Fresh sala and chips - Mexican Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

I got takeout on a Saturday, beef tacos and nachos and chorizo burrito. They were fantastic. The seasoning was unique, vegetables fresh, tortillas home made. The place is small. Fits about 14. The food was ready in about 10 minutes. My only regret was not eating here sooner read more

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