Food was great! I love big plates and filling dishes! Service was ideal. Ambiance: there isn't that many people so it doesn't get full read more

Taqueria El Carrizal - Mexican combination Mexicana Combinacion, Salvadoran combination, quesadillas and other with Jamaica drink - Latin American Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

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We were in search of good pupusas not too far away from where we live. This was a win! It's a pleasant sit-down experience. They have lots of good beverage options- my bf Francisco P. & I had horchatas and our dinner companion had a papaya shake. On request, they can prepare the shake with water instead of milk. You can see the female chef in the kitchen preparing the food lovingly by hand. I tried the bean and cheese pupusas, which were very good. Our companion also tried the chicken pupusas, which she said were also very good. We thought they tasted freshly made, to order. I love that the pupusas had the bits of crunchy cheese that form when some cheese leaks out the side. I was also glad to have the red sauce and pickled cabbage for putting on top. Maybe next time I'd order more of that because I love the pickled cabbage, or curtido. My bf had a Salvadoran combo plate- that had a pupusa, a Salvadoran tamale, and a Salvadoran enchilada (which closely resembles a Mexican tostada). I had a taste of the tamale, which had chicken, & which I thought was really flavorful, and different in consistency than a Mexican tamale- softer. read more

Taqueria El Carrizal - Bean and Cheese Pupusas - Latin American Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

A hole in the wall more people should definitely know about! As it is more of a spot for locals to hang out, they don't get too too busy so you're usually able to snag a table for walk-in. Service is okay, but they are more attentive to the tables with locals who stop by. Chips and salsa are free for the table, but you need to ask them for it since sometimes they don't bring them to your table automatically. The tacos here are decent and the Tipico Montanero plate is pretty good loaded up with food. However, I usually come here for the pupusas and nachos! Definitely come here for dine in since the pupusas get soggy and wet if you get them for takeout. Once, I ordered pupusas for takeout and for some reason the bag soaked through everything and onto my hands I couldn't hold onto the bag anymore. Overall pretty good spot, but can be more cognizant of the service they give to customers who are not locals. What I've tried here: - Pupusas - Tipico Montanero Plate - Tacos (beef tongue is pretty good) - Steak or chicken nachos - Horchata read more

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Recently my mother came over to visit from Mexico. She has tried pupusas on a previous trip, which are hard to come by in Mexico, so she asked if we could get some. After some research on Yelp, I came across Taqueria El Carrizal. I lived in Allston a while back but this is the first time coming to this place. I can honestly say I had been missing out! This place has some standout items and is reasonably priced for the area. I tried a Salvadoran plate that had a pupusa, a tamal, and a Salvadoran enchilada (which resembles a Mexican tostada). The pupusa was my favorite. We could see and hear the lady making them through a small window in the kitchen. You know that you're in for a treat when you hear the kneading sounds from making the pupusas. The curtido and the sauce were delicious and the portions of each were appropriate per pupusa. The tamal was the most surprising part of the meal. It was softer and sweeter compared to the spicy and savory Mexican tamales I'm used to. I enjoyed it very much, and I was happy to experience a new kind of tamal. Lastly, the tostada was okay. It had a lot of cream for my taste and I did not have any sauce to pour over it. I had an horchata. It was certainly not the best I've had but I'd rate it as the standard kind you may acquire in Boston. My mother was trying to consume non-sugary drinks. Unfortunately, there were not many options. However, the waitress offered to make a sort of papaya shake for her without any sugar. I hear it was not the best but we appreciate their willingness to improvise to meet her needs. Parking around the area is horrendous. It took a while to find somewhere to park. I may have to try other items like the Mexican plate in the future. Nonetheless, I think this will be my go-to takeout spot for pupusas moving forward. read more

Taqueria El Carrizal - Salvadorean Combination - Latin American Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

One of the best in the city. This restaurant he's it running like a clock. The food and drinks are phenomenal!

A hike to get to but totally worth it! This is a no frills place and the food was excellent. I had a horchata that was delicious. Not too sweet and just the right amount of cinnamon. We ordered tacos and the Plato montanero ($21) for our entrees. The beef tongue tacos were so good!! Basically the same as CDMX which is hard to find around here. The meat was super soft and the flavor was great. They were market price so $4.75 per taco. I also had a fish taco that was not so good (but not bad either). Wouldn't get that again but worth trying. The plato montanero was the best! A huge plate with perfectly seasoned steak and all the sides. The plantains were so sweet, they might be the best ones I've had in Boston. We usually go to east Boston for this plate but it was nice to find a spot in Allston that has the same thing! The service couldn't have been better and we will definitely be back. read more

This may be an unusual review so strap in! The platanos dulces are the perfect amount of crispy outside and custardy within so you need to order those! The sopa de pollo will arrive with an entire leg in there to let you know they aren't messing around! But i also need to highlight that I caught my first shiny pokemon in years here! It's no coincidence it was a Tauros being that the steak here is amazing! It was around 5:10 pm so that might be when the lucky energies are strongest, so I recommend coming here for shiny hunting or even lotto ticket scratching around that time. Sorry about the unrotated photo of soup read more

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I've been living Allston for about two years now, and I didn't know this amazing place was around the corner! Service was prompt, and we got our food relatively quickly. The pork and steak tacos were extremely flavorful, and the portions were big. I'd love to come back here another time to try their pupusas. read more

Taqueria El Carrizal - Taco Combo Plate - Combinacion de Tacos - Latin American Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

Charming spot with quality food! The ambiance is fun, with great ranchero music playing, and the service is really friendly. They serve a wide variety of authentic dishes from Mexico and Central America. You can find the classic Tex Mex items, but also the special dishes that are rarer in the US--pupusas, flautas, maduros, etc. I had a combo dish of Salvadoran food, and enjoyed it all very much. My friends dining with me also enjoyed their Mexican dishes. The place seemed pretty popular too! Highly recommend :) read more

Taqueria El Carrizal - Pupusa, tamale, tostada - Latin American Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

Resturant: Was well kept, clean, and had plenty of indoor seating. They played Latinx classic jams and displayed new latinx and hispanic music videos on a TV. Parking: street parking outside but we walked to it. Food: We ordered for 2 and got complimentary chips and salsa, 1 tostada ceviche (perfect appetizer for 1 or 2 people), sweet plantains with cream, and 2 order for for Chilaquiles dish heads up the tomato sauce is spicy and not for the weak! [I did not finish mine but it was delicious] Everything was steaming hot fresh, homemade yumminess !! Such great seasoning and flavor the only spicy thing was the tomato sauce on the chips for the Chilaquiles dish which we were not expecting based on the description so I would ask in case you are not a fan of spicyness for what may or may not be spicy. Service: Our server was handling 1 or 2 other tables between ours and was very efficient. She made sure we had refills, asked how we were doing or needed anything else a few times and was open to answering questions. read more

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Amazing food brought my Family here and Loved it will definitely recommend to others to come eat here INGRID the waiter was incredible thanks so much !!! read more

Taqueria El Carrizal - Me and the love of my life !!! - Latin American Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

This restaurant has been here for years and I finally decided to try it. They start you off with chips & salsa, but the chips tasted kind of stale. We ordered a side of Guacamole, which was more expensive then what the menu said because they hadn't updated it. I ordered the Vegetarian plate, and the vegetables were nicely steamed and the rice and beans were also good. My friend said his plate was good as well. Service was just okay. There was a language barrier, and she just didn't seem happy to be there. I probably won't be back because there weren't a lot of vegetarian options, and the pescatarian options didn't sound that good. read more

Taqueria El Carrizal - Vegetarian Plate - Latin American Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

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This is the type of restaurant every neighborhood needs and should do whatever necessary to keep in business! Family run, homemade, delicious, and affordable food that you'll come back for. Everything we had was delicious and came out quickly. The service was very friendly. Even their tortillas are made in house and you can tell. We split a pupusa and a tostada as appetizers. For dinner my wife and I each got our own types of entree platters so we could try different things. The platters came with a ton of food and our final bill before tax was about $40, an absolute steal in the Boston area. Run here! read more

Food was very good. Margaritas were sub par - super sugary, definitely a premade mix. Cute little spot in downtown Allston. Free chips and salsa! Good service. read more

Taqueria El Carrizal - Quesadilla Chicken - Latin American Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

My rule of thumb for restaurants: if working men patronize the place, it must be good. Right! All of the other customers this lunchtime were latinos. I ordered the Salvadoran plate, which included one pupusa, one tamale, and one taco. The pupusa and the curtido (a cabbage slaw) were the best I've tasted in Boston. The pupusa was slightly crunchy, and the curtido delivered a complementary kick with a strong dose of vinegar and black pepper. For the first time, I tried atol, a hot corn drink. Thick and sweet, it had a hint of cinnamon. My server, Ingrid, chatted with all the customers and me, making me feel welcome. read more

The restaurant is a casual setting. Very friendly staff. Big menu to choose from. Authentic taste. read more

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I have been here a few times now and it is now my favorite place to stop for Mexican. I have all three of the pupusas -- pork and cheese, bean and cheese, and loroco (an edible flower from Central America) -- and enjoyed them all. I have the Torta with pork, Burrito with steak, and a Flauta with chicken .. yum, yum, and yum. Of the three, I felt the Flauta was the weakest choice ... they are rolled with chicken in it and fried. I feel there was not enough chicken to fried tortilla ratio. Whenever I have gone in, it has been quiet and it is a large spot for that area but looks like they do a lot of takeout. read more

I like this place friendly service, tasty food and cold drinks the owner is a bit of a tool and his picada plate is a rip off. So feel free to order anything except the picada it is tiny for the 30 bucks they charge for it. read more

Excellent! All around the best! Service was excellent, food was perfect, and prices are reasonable! This Miami girl and family loved it! read more

Taqueria El Carrizal - Pollo a la Plancha - Latin American Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

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I've come here for years. Carrizal has great service, great food, and sits in a perfect location. My usual is the camarones al ajillo. Their tacos are pretty good, I've had better, but these do just fine for me. The servers are wonderful! I've called my order in before and they automatically know it's me because of my picky order. This is a great spot to come to any day of the week. Their breakfast plates hit the spot all the time! Hungover on a Sunday? Order their sopa de mariscos (seafood soup), or ween it off with their micheladas. This will always be my spot read more

Taqueria El Carrizal - My favorite breakfast/brunch here - Huevos con jamón - Latin American Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

I was getting a haircut nearby and had just enough time to stop by for a quick meal. I got a combination plate that consisted of a pollo asado taco, a pupusa, and an enchilada. Everything was pretty on point. I wouldn't say it's the best i've had on the East Coast but it ranks above average for sure. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a picture because my hunger got the best of me....whoops. Food took about 25 minutes, and chips + salsa were free if dining in. The place is modest and cozy. Can definitely use an interior upgrade but who cares if they serve good food right??? Stop by if you're in the area! read more

Taqueria El Carrizal - Free chips and salsa! - Latin American Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

I go for the pupusas and so far have tried pollo and queso con loroco, which are both very good. Would also recommend getting the platano empanadas, which are a good size and also yummy! read more

My favorite for tacos and coronaritas Try the sopa de res .... hearty, filling and delicious read more

I would've rated this much higher, but eh, I dunno about my last visit. My boyfriend and I are both Belizean and we were so happy when we found this place. It's impossible to find a Belizean restaurant, but sometimes we can find a restaurant that serves food that tastes like something pretty close to home.Well, here's what I thought of the following: -Chicken tamal was pretty good. However, it was overly salty once. -Tamal de elote is pretty good, however a little dry. -Pupusas are okay -- definitely had better. -Tacos - really awesome, they give you a lot of meat per taco, it is a bit dry though; -Tostada - eh, it's alright -Micheladas - amazing! best I've had in the U.S. -chips and salsa - great! tastes pretty authentic to me! I love the freshly fried tortilla chips. I'm rating it a little low because I really wanted to make this place my usual. However, I came in here with my boyfriend and my other Belizean friend, raving about the food. The service was fine. But at the end of our meal, I asked the server if we could split the bill between two parties. My question apparently was a ridiculous one to her because she said sternly: "No." Before I could respond, she said that we could pay with multiple credit cards. So we wanted to split our food literally between two credit cards. When she brought the bill and I told her this, she got upset, didn't respond to us and stormed away. She came back, handed a pen to us roughly and said: "Write!" and walking away. So we had to do the math ourselves and wrote how much to charge on one card and how much to charge on the other. It was a really confusing experience because I paid me and my boyfriend's bill plus extra to account for the tip, and my friend paid for less and was supposed to tip more. However, I'm pretty sure by the end of it, we under-tipped by accident. She kind of treated us like children, which was pretty damn awkward. She turned something positive and made it weird. And that's because this was at least our third or fourth time going to this restaurant. Not sure if we're going back to this spot. We'll be looking for another Central American spot. If you do decide on trying this place and want to split the bill, just know it might get complicated. Maybe it's different if you tell them beforehand? read more

Really good food. Any place that has Taco Tuesday is a winner in my book. $2 tacos BTW The tacos were so filling and had the right amount of spicy. The margaritas which are super cheap ($7-$8) were really good although I wish they were stronger. But they have great flavors, my friend absolutely loved the coconut margarita. DEFINITELY will be back. If you want real authentic Mexican, go here. (You're welcome) read more

The food was perfect I ordered a shrimp in garlic sauce, it was perfect. The best thing is they were the only place open during Christmas. read more

I only noticed this place yesterday and got so excited about eating here that I took my coworkers to lunch here today. The inside of the restaurant has ample seating, and the waitress was very friendly even though she didn't speak very much English. We ordered two Mexican Combination plates and one Columbian Typical Plate. The Mexican plate consisted of an incredibly delicious chile relleno unlike any I have ever eaten: it was almost like a beef stew inside a chile. It was so great that even though I finished eating 30 minutes ago, I want to go back and eat another right now. The Mexican plate also had a flauta in which the chicken therein was sadly a little dry from the flauta being deep fried for a bit too long. There was also an enchilada and a really tasty salad with guac and a huge portion of rice and beans. This is a LOT of food for $10. The Columbian plate was just as good but a lot more interesting. It had chicharron (pig skin with some pork attached to it), a really tasty steak, a fried egg, fried ripe plantains, beans, rice, and salad. Hard to go wrong with a combo like that. I was not expecting to be nearly this impressed with this restaurant. I will be coming back and bringing as many of my friends as possible. read more

Finally got back here with someone not so darned picky. We split 2 pupusas (meat & cheese), a burrito supreme and a torta. The pupusa's were good but I feel like we got a bean and a cheese instead of a meat and a cheese. Either way they were yummy. The burrito was awesome and huge. The torta was good but didn't meld it's flavors as well as other places. Not that it was bad, just that I've had better. The torta came with fries. Still haven't tried the alcoholic drinks here. Usually up here for workshops in the area which don't lend themselves to alcoholic beverages (need focus!). The waitstaff is friendly and service is decent. Prices are good This place makes my short list for any Allston trips. read more

Authentic Latin American food with Mexican lean. Terrific pork burrito, shrimp and garlic entree, best beans in the city. Terrific service with a smile and fresh avocados. Go! read more

I think this place is over rated. I was surprised it has 4 stars. The food isn't anything special, and a bit expensive compared to what other similar places are offering. We got the steak burrito and the mexican combo. The combo is pricey for what it is, and nothing too special. Was surprised there was beef in the chili relleno. The steak burrito was ok, the tortilla didn't seem steamed which isn't great. Overall, not too impressed. read more

AYAYAY! I'm sooo tired of places claiming to make Mexican food in this city! URRRRGH. We came here on a Saturday and decided on Chilaquiles. MAN! I was CRAVING some chilaquiles. Fried tortillas, sauce, queso fresco, rice and beans....mmmmmm.,.... WELL, not at Taqueria El Carrizal! It tasted rancid. We couldn't even finish it. The waitress (who took 25 million years to get me my coffee) asked us if we didn't like it. Um, obvi. Sorry, not going back. read more

Are you from SoCal and miss the authentic, simple tacos that only have meat, onions, cilantro and hot sauce? I am and did, until I found this place. Highlights: 1) Get the tacos. Amazing. Simple. Unadulterated. Delicious. Pork ones are the best in my opinion. Chicken is a little dry, but the steak ones are also very good. 2) Hot sauce accompanying the tacos is superb. 3) You're first greeted with crispy tortilla chips with just the right amount of salt coupled with their homemade, delicious salsa. 4) Because of the authenticity of this place, the waitstaff isn't very good at social skills when dealing with an English party. Prepare to speak very clearly and try to not complicate your order - unless you speak Spanish of course! 5) Atmosphere is surprisingly very nice and clean. They have a TV usually playing some futbol (soccer). 6) I wouldn't recommend for groups because I believe they only have one cook most of the times. I just went this evening (my fifth time there), and it was just me and a friend and it took about 15 minutes for both our meals when there was only one other table there so I'm assuming a larger party would take quite some time. 7) Nice selection of beers such as Modelo, Modelo dark, etc. 8) Very fresh and yummy margaritas. They literally have one blender and make it like at the counter for you - haha. Delicious though. Overall, very pleased with this place. It's a great taste of unadulterated California tacos that I simply have not found anywhere in Boston. Definitely worth a try. Plus, it's very affordable especially for a decent sit-down with fresh food! read more

So gross and EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING. Salsa wasn't salsa. Nachos queso was 4 chips coated with cheese. Shouldn't have bothered. My stomach is not doing so well. What a waste of money. read more

Taqueria El Carrizal - Salsa - Latin American Near Me - Allston, Massachusetts

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Sure, it's not in Allston Village, so you have to trek the few blocks down Brighton Ave for this Mexican/Guatemalan joint, but it is definitely worth it. Prices are cheap and the food is good and filling, without making you feel like a bloated whale. I got the enchiladas verde and the sangria, both of which I would recommend. Can't wait to go back and do a little barhop: Deep Ellum-Model-Sillhouette. Mas, por favor. read more

Breakfast doesn't get any better than a platter of pupusa's and a traditional colombian plate, eggs, pork rind, and all. This has pretty much become a regular saturday morning ritual for me and the mans, and there are never any regrets. If savory breakfast is not your thing, grab a pineapple smoothie (with milk, duh) on your way out and take your complaints to the non-carnivorous. I will claim my throne amongst the salty goodness that is the entire breakfast menu. Service is attentive, albeit strongly disinterested. Everytime we go, I expect the prices to be cheaper, but the money matches the portions so there isn't much to complain about. Basically if you want to dine frugally you can, and if you want to splurge, then drop your money honey and feast. I've seen tons of people grabbing the soups and stews and while i haven't had the chance to devour them myself ( or rather, swim in them because holy portions batman), I've definitely got that seafood soup on my radar. Come hungry, leave happy, and also with a few extra pupusas for later. read more

Among all of the international eateries around Allston, Taqueria el Carrizal definitely holds its own. The last time I went here I got: -Yuca Frita con Chicharron (surprise, surprise) -Plantanos con Crema (again, huge surprise) The fried yucca was a little bit dry for me, but the chicharron was a tiny bit under-fried and cut into bite sized pieces (I prefer it in a long strip so I can gnaw on my deep fried pork belly). The crema in the plantanos con crema had the same saltiness that I've come to know and love, but came in a semi-melted form that made it easier to dip as opposed to the solid form I'm used to. The rest of the entrees are also delicious, both M. and I were never disappointed in either the food or their prices. Will definitely be back, especially for the plantanos. read more

After 13 years of living in CA, one thing I knew I was going to miss was Mexican/Latin food. However, I was surprised to see the amount of taquerias that popped up in the Boston area. And slowly, I was disappointed by every single one. El Carrizal has fast become my husband and I's favorite joint for some good, authentic Mexican/Latin food. We took so long to try it out because it looked like a more formal, sit down restaurant (instead of a fast, to-go type taqueria). Yet, the prices are extremely affordable, the food is plentiful, and the service is warm and wonderful. On my first visit, I had the Combinacion Salvadorena, which included a pupusa (of choice), salvadorean enchilada and chicken tamal. All for $7.99!! It was amazing. However, the "simple" rice & beans of Latin cuisine is my favorite and El Carrizal really hits the spot with theirs. It seems like such a simple dish, but I am amazed at how bland and terrible other places can make them. My go to dish is now just 2 pupusas and a side of rice & beans ($8). Their tacos and burritos are wonderful too because their meat is good. Once again, I've been so underwhelmed by other taquerias. It's not like a taco has that many ingredients. The star is clearly the meat and it needs to be flavorful. And when it is, you don't need to load things like sour cream, salsa, or even guacamole to make it taste wonderful. Thanks for bringing simple and beautiful Latin food into Boston! read more

More like a 3.5. This place is solid. Good location in Allston for locals who are craving Mexican/Latin American. Menu is very authentic, and the food is cooked hot and fresh to order. The servings are HUGE and the prices are reasonable. The food didn't blow me away but it was definitely good, and we had more than enough to take a doggy bag home. A big bonus - the free and unlimited chips and salsa here are awesome. Don't bother ordering any of the drinks - the smoothies and juices don't seem very fresh (as in, they probably add water and call it a day). Interior is pretty plain, nothing special. Service is okay. You're definitely paying for the big portions. read more

This place has decent Central American dishes that one might not generally order. I had a fish dish here that was quite good and the portions were excellent. However, for your standard taco or Burrito, both of which I've had from this place, I would look elsewhere. Just down Brighton Ave are two places that make these Tex-Mex staples with better ingredients and more flavor. All in all it's just okay. read more

Went back with a couple of friends from California, got the same old same old and they enjoyed it! So now I know I'm not the only Californian who enjoys this place. Also they just got listed in Boston Magazine as one of the best cheap eats for Mexican! http://www.bostonmagazine.com/restaurants/article/2014/01/28/cheap-eats-boston/ read more