Eloquent space in the former location of Border Cafe, which this is decidedly not. Center bar is fairly large, with tables along the windows, the back ledge, and in an area a step down from the center space. The service was excellent. The pork carnitas enchiladas worked really well. The molé sauce was decidedly chocolate-flavored, the pork was cooked gently with a proper crispness on the outer surfaces, and the tomato / cilantro bechamel had a nice subtlety to it. My only reservation was that it was somewhat lukewarm when it got to the table. The chicken chimichanga had nice individual flavors with the various sauces and insides, but all together meshed into a blob that obliterates the care taken to share the different flavors. For example the ranchero sauce, guacamole, baja crema and chipotle mayo were each interesting in their own right (esp. the ranchero) but all together don't quite work. In general the flavoring could be spicier. I concur with other observers that the menu is less varied than in years past. read more

A perfectly OK-place in the heart of Harvard Square! We came here after being rejected by WuSong Tiki Bar during the height of the Holiday season so we were definitely happy to see a large open space like the Painted Burro has and was even happier to be seated right away. However, perhaps because it was during the holidays and it was the earlier dinner time, the restaurant was severely under-staffed and the service was slow. Servers were friendly but there were definitely some verbal arguments hurled from other customers about the wait to order/receive food and the vibe wasn't as good as it could've been. Pros, we randomly ended up coming during their happy hour time so all tacos and apps were half off! Cocktails also took forever to get, but again, not bad. Is there better Mexican food places? Absolutely. Will this place be non-offensive, have booze and any kind of Latin-esque cuisine you may desire? Yup. read more

The Painted Burro - Harvard Square - Fish taco and birria taco - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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I went here for dinner last night and had a fabulous time! The restaurant is very cool and trendy inside. There's a modern style rectangular bar by the door. The downstairs area is sometimes used for private events and is where the bathrooms are. For food, we started with the Barro Salad which was light and refreshing. The nachos de la case was a highlight. It has a ton of ingredients and is a busy dish but was very delicious. The chips were crunchy and the guac was just right. I would also recommend the birria (beef) and shrimp taco! They came with their own delicious sauce and the tacos were a punch of flavor. The service was good and attentive. She checked on us a couple times and the food came out at a good pace. FYI there are lots of specials here! They have ayce with limited menu on Mondays (Mucho Mondays), five tacos for $15 on Tuesdays, bottomless brunch on the weekends, and daily happy hour from 4-6pm with half off appetizers and $5 tacos. There is no reason to pay full price in this economy! read more

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Third time visiting this location of The Painted Burro, and it is now a favorite. The staff is friendly, the place is spacious and clean, and the food is terrific. I've had nachos, enchiladas, tacos, but this time I ordered the pan roasted salmon, which was perfectly cooked and so tasty. The non-alcohol sangria was very nice. read more

The Painted Burro - Harvard Square - Pan roasted salmon with rice, crema and frites. - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Made a reservation 2 weeks ahead for dinner with our son and his gf before a show. They seated us downstairs in a booth in a hallway with a view of nothing but the door to the kitchen, completely disconnected from the restaurant. Finally as we were contemplating walking out, we got a waiter to get us a better seat. Slightly better atmosphere, but food no better than meh. Won't go back. read more

Super cute ambiance with adorable decor. We went between 3 and 4 so the entree section wasn't available hit the appetizers and tacos were. The quesadilla was pretty good. The drinks were fast and tasty- I had a passion fruit mojito and my friend got the sundial. There is an upstairs and a downstairs so it's pretty big and more chances to get a table. there is a paid parking lot across the street and limited street parking. read more

The Painted Burro - Harvard Square - Tequila sunrise and the passion fruit mojito - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Delicious! Love the range of options and the idea of bottomless brunch. The decor is very cute and the servers were friendly

What a great deal -- $21 (as a rewards member) for all you can eat tacos and appetizers! Though the quality of the food wasn't mind blowing, each taco was unique and pretty tasty. We definitely worked to get our money's worth, and we definitely left with a full and happy stomach. Their service was quick and attentive, but the most noteworthy part of our dining experience was the interior design. The restaurant is a spectacular work of art and I'd recommend walking around and taking a trip to the restrooms just to admire the lovely setup! read more

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This review is solely for the Weekend Brunch! If you love Saturday or Sunday brunch then The Painted Burro is for you! The endless food, attentive service, and wonderful ambiance did not disappoint on any level. And for $25/person the delicious food we had came at an amazing price tag. Everything we ordered was delicious! And we ordered a lot! We had huevos rancheros, chilaquiles, brioche french toast, kale salad, breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, papas frites, tortes, and cucumber salad to name a few. If we weren't so stuffed, we would have worked our way through the entire menu. I highly recommend this brunch if you are in the Harvard Square area. read more

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This review is long overdue - my girlfriend and I stopped by for dinner one night and we were very impressed! The service was quick, despite it being rather crowded. We were seated served very promptly and weren't rushed. We started with delicious chips and guac, which were super good but the portion could have been a bit larger. For the entrees, I opted for a fajita, while my girlfriend got a chimichanga. Her entree was cooked perfectly, fried but not overwhelmingly heavy. So good! Mine was also super good, the warmed tortillas enhanced the flavors of the delicious chicken and vegetables. They were perfectly seasoned and the fajitas were served with delicious sides! In particular, I have to compliment the bathrooms. They wowed us! Stocked perfectly with items for any sort of emergency, spacious, and so clean. Everything was impressive! We will be back! read more

Really great spot for Mexican food in Harvard Square in a beautiful ambiance. My girlfriend and I stopped by for a midweek dinner-- I have been to the Brookline location for the all-you-can-eat Brunch special a few months back, which was pretty standard but nothing out of the ordinary, so I came here with the same expectations. Boy was I pleasantly surprised. The restaurant venue is absolutely beautiful, with multiple dining rooms and clean bathrooms. The food is excellent, slightly above its sister restaurant's. We started off with some chips and guacamole, which was really good but I wish the guac portion was a bit larger. For entrees, I ordered the chicken chimichanga and my girlfriend got the chicken fajita. The chimichanga was great, perfectly fried but not too heavy. I was able to eat the entire thing without feeling bloated afterwards. Great tasting, but the ratio of the ingredients inside was a bit off, I would've preferred more salsa and greens. My girlfriend's fajita was quite tasty as well, and was accompanied by cheese and sour cream, which I ended up snagging to add to my chimichanga, this would make it even better. The service was quick and pretty solid, which made the night an even better experience. read more

Visited the painted burro in Harvard square at 4pm on Sunday evening. They were not busy . We were seated immediately and given our waters and menus. However, we waited about 25 minutes and no one came to take our orders. There was a waitress who was serving guests two tables down. I waved her down and she said she would get someone. However we continued to wait another 10 minutes while no one still came to take our orders. We got up and left and will not be returning. We will also let all of our Cambridge friends know about the horrible service or lack of. read more

We almost got glutened...service is very friendly, and they were careful with our allergies when we first ordered. We asked for extra corn tortillas though, and they brought us flour ones....thankfully, we saw it right away Food is delicious, service is friendly, but oof! on the care needed with food allergies read more

I came to the Painted Burro with a big group for brunch. I've been to their Somerville location before, also for brunch. You really can't go wrong, since it's just $25 for "bottomless brunch." Given it's Boston, that means all you can eat, but not all you can drink! The menu is quite extensive, with lots of tacos, traditional breakfast items, and Mexican dishes. Make sure to get there on the earlier side, because the kitchen closed earlier than we anticipated. The space is really nice and I'm sure it could be a good date spot in the evening. There's also lots of seating, including a downstairs area. I'd definitely come back again for brunch! read more

The Painted Burro - Harvard Square - Interior - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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I came here with a group of friends on a Thursday evening. There was plenty of space for any walk ins throughout the night. We opted to do the AYCE dinner menu - which has a special promotional price during weekdays. The server was really nice generally. We experienced a jarring moment when, after five of us women had mentioned we'd get all of the appetizers to split, just as we started to order tacos, he warned us that we should hold off on ordering anything more. Of course, once the apps came out (they were super tiny), we crushed them in 5 minutes and were ready to order the previously alluded to tacos. Perhaps we provided a bit of a wake up call to our kind server and he quickly adjusted to our appetites. Anyway, the food was all decent - nothing mind blowing, but nothing bad. It's a good deal for the price. He handled Apple Pay smoothly. I'd go back. read more

This was my first time here and I was pleasantly surprised at how good the food was. I am a Georgia girl and this place made me feel at home . Jesus was phenomenal. His service was top tier. I will return when I am in town. read more

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Mediocre and overpriced. A picture of modern Mexican restaurants in Boston. 24$ for 3 small enchiladas with no sides? That's just insulting. Go to El Jefes or Felipe's and get a real meal. Border cafe is dearly missed. read more

Not happy with a meal I recently had at the Painted Burro in Harvard Square. A friend from out of town and I had dinner at that location, and at the time everything was great. Very tasty tacos. But 24-36 hours later each of us independently came down with severe vomiting and diarrhea. Horrible. Since he was from out of town and the only time we spent together were the two hours at the restaurant, we believe our dinner was the cause. A few days later I contacted the restaurant via their web site about our experience, but they didn't bother responding. Definitely not a restaurant I would recommend. read more

Came here for dinner not realizing it was "Mucho Monday." We didn't fully understand what it was (essentially all you can eat with an added charge if you want to tack on a full-sized entree) and unfortunately as a result we didn't realize everyone would be automatically charged for the all you can eat menu. One member of our party ordered an entree thinking he was opting out of the "Mucho Monday" option, when in reality it's adding an entree cost to the base Mucho Monday price. We didn't realize it until after leaving, otherwise would've clarified with our waiter, who was very nice. I view this partly as our fault for not clarifying further with our waiter from the beginning to understand what Mucho Monday actually entailed. The space is cool, comfy, and chic, and feels very much a different restaurant than the space's former occupant, the Border Cafe. We enjoyed most of the menu's offerings, with the highlights being the beet salad, Baja style fish tacos, and carnitas taco. The zucchini croquetas and tuna ceviche were great too. The Buffalo cauliflower taco was my least favorite of the evening, as the cauliflower was still a bit raw and didn't taste cooked. All that said, I'd come back, especially now that I've got a grip on the Mucho Monday situation, which is a great bang for your buck if you're looking for tacos and apps. read more

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Food was great, Jesus was our server he was the greatest. Vibes are nice and the decor is fye. read more

The Painted Burro - Harvard Square - Blackened Mahi Mahi Taco Gulf Shrimp "Diablo" Taco Blackened Salmon Taco - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I don't know what was going on but they said they were basically out of all the plates that we came here for, and the plates we did have were terrible, there was no flavor and they were very overprice small portions. Also after we got our food, a plate that they SAID they were out of- which I saw with my own two eyes -was given to a different table and there were also bigger portions than the plate portions we had. Furthermore they were slow, which I would be understanding if they were busy but they weren't, and they kept forgetting our orders. Overall, don't come here unless looking very small portions for a doll. read more

I used to enjoy this restaurant but I found this evening that it has gone downhill. The food was very bland, the menu changed to have fewer selections and higher prices, and the service inattentive. I will not be back. read more

Just reviewing the bar. We came for drinks here before seeing a performance at Club Passim. Ambience is awesome and way nicer than Border Cafe so major upgrade there. The rosemary Paloma was pretty good: $11 each. We had to wait a bit for someone to take our order but once we were served the service was good. The 5% kitchen surcharge, which does not seem to be disclosed anywhere except the final bill, though left a sour taste. Just raise prices on the menu. I find this so practice so disingenuous. read more

The Painted Burro - Harvard Square - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

We had reservations for a Friday night at 7pm. the table wasn't ready when we checked in so we sat at the bar for a drink, the place seemed lively. When our table was ready they took us to the basement, passing by several open tables to seat us at what I can only describe as a broom closet cut off from the rest of the basement where they apparently store extra restaurant furniture, right outside the kitchen doors. It was a joke. my husband who had stayed to pay up at the bar couldn't even find the table and he had to go back upstairs to get help. And the food sucked. read more

The Painted Burro - Harvard Square - Dank corner where we sat-- basically in the broom closet--in the basement on a Friday night. - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

It was a weekend when we were near Harvard square so we decided upon Mexican. We sat at the bar where I ordered a hamburger. I had never had one with a Mexican twist. They were out of rolls so I went with a swordfish and a shrimp taco. The shells were soft flour shells. They were definitely small. I order beans and it was a smart move as I was still hungry after the tacos. The beans were filling made with black and pinto beans. The room was well lit with lots of natural light. The bad was white stone while the room was painted white so there was a nice ambiance. The decor made me feel I was at a Mexican restaurant. Based on the size of the portions I had to mark down the number of stars. I found the menu limited as they just had tacos, enchiladas and hamburger. If I was in a pinch, I would go here but otherwise I would explore other restaurants at Harvard Square. read more

Good margaritas and food. We go for office lunches often. Love their empanadas and birria taco

Surprisingly beautiful, unique, and tasty! A wonderful new spot in Harvard Sq. offering something different for once, lol. The restaurant design was beautiful, with clear attention to detail. Our server was so attentive and kind, I forgot her name but she had long wavy hair! My friends and I enjoyed the grande sized margaritas (so many tasty flavors), appetizers, and tacos. Being from socal, I was tempted to give this place 3 stars, but for a spot in Cambridge of all places (where it's impossible to find authentic Mexican), I was impressed by the flavors, if not by the authenticity. The apps we chose were tasty (guac, corn, ceviche), though small-portioned for what you're getting. Watermelon salad was not to my taste and would not recommend, so definitely come here for the tacos. It was a truly beautiful and special place in the square, and I'd come again for the unlimited brunch, or a date night! read more

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All you can eat brunch - say less! I recently tried out this new restaurant's $25 bottomless brunch. Their menu is extensive and the portions are small, which makes it easier to try multiple dishes. For all you can eat, the food quality is reasonable, and the servers are friendly and attentive. They also have a beautiful, large space downstairs that can be rented for private events. We were impressed by the decor, beautiful drinks, and attention to detail (they even have mints, dry shampoo, floss, setting mist, and bobby pins in the women's bathroom). My friends and I had a great time and would definitely come again. read more

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Okay, disclaimer: me and a group of friends came for the Mucho Mania deal, but DAMN was it worth. First, parking in Cambridge is always a nightmare but the area itself is lovely. The restaurant has fun, funky vibes and we were seated very quickly. And we had a great server (I think his name was Jesus?) and he had fabulous nails and awesome recommendations. Drinks were a must. I got the Beautifully Ordinary. It was definitely beautifully strong - not ordinary whatsoever. Double stack tacos were good, but I really loved the corn ("cholo" esquites). Nachos are a non-negotiable and the empanadas are also worth a spot at the table. Tbh, with a price like this, you can get a sample of everything!! I think the deal is ending soon (like, by the end of August) so hurry and enjoy! read more

Good food and nice vibes. Salsa was tasty and the steak fajitas were very good! Overall a nice experience

We had a wonderful engagement party here. I highly recommend this restaurant for any private event. The entire staff is organized and friendly, and the food and drinks were delicious. The restaurant is beautiful and I can't recommend it enough! Thank you especially to Janelle for helping to organize such a wonderful event. read more

Best cocktails in town, amazing and very eclectic menu that's delicious. Love their bottomless brunches. read more

The Painted Burro - Harvard Square - Bottomless brunch items. - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

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Trendy decor and delicious tacos! I got the steak taco with rice and beans. The taco was delicious! The rice and beans were good and seasoned well but I regretted getting them instead of a second taco. read more

The Painted Burro - Harvard Square - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Definitely the worst and most overpriced Mexican food in Harvard Square. First, the chips. We had 3 baskets. They were gross -- all stale and soggy, and one basket was clearly from the bottom of some large container because the chips were all broken and unusably small. Not sure if they're made in-house or not. You know it's bad when they're serving chips like that. Second, the entree. Got the carnitas enchiladas. At $24, the 3 unremarkable enchiladas should come with rice and beans on the side. But it doesn't! It's only the 3 enchiladas for $24. Rice and beans cost extra. Better off at El Jefe's, Felipe's, or maybe even Chipotle. Even Border Cafe was better. Service was good, though -- nice server. read more

The veggie fajitas was a lukewarm bowl of boiled cauliflower and brussel sprouts without a bit of sizzle or sautee to it, and the chicken had the flavor of cardboard, cocktails were too sweet. Our group if 11 people was disappointed read more

I'll start with the positive - the decor inside is nice, very vibey and chic. But in no way does that make up for the poor food quality and hygiene practices! For one, the food is highly overpriced - $8 for a single taco? Unacceptable. I am coming from LA tho where I can get a 100x better taco for $2. Second, the food came out cold! They are not making their dishes fresh back there. I was afraid I would get food poisoning bc the food is probably back there sitting at room temp. And lastly, but most importantly, there was a hair in my friend's taco! They remade the dish but I would not trust their hygiene practices. read more

This is the newest reiteration of a Tex Mex restaurant in Harvard Square, formerly the Border Cafe occupied this space for many years. It's a popular spot for the many students and their families in the area, so it's always full. There's bar seating in two levels in addition to many tables of different sizes in both floors. There's a $25 all-you-can eat brunch on weekends. We stopped by to have a cocktail before attending a concert at Club Passim. We sat in the upper level bar for a while before we were served. Our chosen cocktail was the Rosemary Paloma, a tasty mezcal concoction, although a bit weak and over sweetened. These were $11 apiece, but to our surprise, there's a 5% "kitchen appreciation fee" that we were not advised about, and with a 15% tip for the server our tab added up to $27, which we found a bit excessive. read more

The Painted Burro - Harvard Square - Outside signage - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

I had a wonderful birthday dinner at Painted Burro-Harvard Sq last night. This restaurant is right in the center of Harvard square which means it is very easy to access by using the T red line(the stop is Harvard); if you are not taking the train you can find little to no street parking, but lucky right across the restaurant there is a parking lot (not completely sure about the hourly rates). As soon as we entered the restaurant we were greeted with smiles and immediately sat at our table. The first thing that came to my eye once entering the restaurant is how nicely decorated it was, the details are incredible and the bar gives a very casual/elegant vibe. This restaurant has two floors, with a bar on each floor. As soon as we were sedated our waiter, which name was George, immediately greeted us with a big smile and kindly explained the menu to us which was very helpful. He brought chips and guacamole to our table, the chips tasted so fresh as well as the guacamole which flavors were on point. My two friends and I decided to order 3 different margaritas. The presentation for the drinks was great and the margaritas all tasted incredible and I would say that they were strong too (I recommend you to order the Matcha coconut margarita, it was just delicious). For our entrees we ordered: birria tacos with side of beans and rice, the fajita classic and the burro burger. The food did not take long to come out, I would say approximately 20 minutes. The presentation of the entrees was very nice and the food tasted just as good as it looked ( for the price you are paying you are getting a very good portion of food). Since it was my birthday we had to get dessert, we opted for the tres leche and the churros. I would say they have some of the best tasting tres leche I ever had in my life, you can only try it and see for yourself. Overall I had an amazing night at Painted Burro. George was the best server I ever had, very attentive and very helpful. I am very grateful that he made mine and my friends night so special. Can't wait to be back! read more

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I had their margarita flight for margarita week and wow??? Some of the best margaritas I've ever had. I really hope they add the açaí coconut margarita to the official menu. Also the interior of this place is really meticulously decorated and I loved the almost 20s style lighting fixtures and dining booth. Definitely could have a cute instagram picture with a drink! The servers were very attentive and the food came out insanely fast. I didn't get anything, but my friends were pleasantly surprised at the spice and flavor of the tacos they had. read more

So disappointing...I miss the Border Cafe after this visit and the Border Cafe was extremely mediocre in terms of food. But this place...I didn't realize it was a chain, so I'm not surprised...they are trying to be some kind of upscale Mexican place, no burritos...beans were like a sludge of mashed black beans, chips and salsa extremely bland...tacos bordered on the d word. Then there was the service...I think all restaurants are struggling with service and I was used to the Border Cafe where you were served as soon as you sat down and the food came out almost immediately... Why can't there be any just decent, straightforward Mexican food in Boston, I just don't get it? read more