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

See all

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

This was a very disappointing meal. There was no flavor to any of the dishes. The chips and salsa offered before the meal were bland. The margarita even with added jalapeño had no taste. The birria taco was very oily and the refried beans and rice were cold and flavorless. The service was good but everything else was lacking. It was a disappointing experience. read more

My friends and I did the bottomless brunch for $25 each and honestly I think that it was worth it! I really liked how the dishes came out with the serving size for 1 person because it felt less overwhelming with the concept of "all you can eat". I would say the food quality was pretty solid and they were easy to eat and also share! The waitress was also nice and checked in on us many times to see if we needed to order more or not. The place itself is super nice, clean, lots os space, and the bathrooms are also very nice! Would certainly come again! read more

See all

Just a great Mexican restaurant with polished twists on traditional foods in an elite style environment (with normal prices). Tried brunch, lunch and dinner before writing a review. Food, service and environment was high quality each time. Good for local students with some cash to spend, casual biz meals and adult get together all the same. There's a $25 all you can eat (certain exclusions) brunch on the weekend with tapas size dishes. New favorite! read more

See all

TLDR: food is subpar, service is horrible - very rude manager. I have never experienced such disrespect in my life. I made a reservation online for the patio. Then I called to confirm that at this location, there is a patio and dogs are allowed. They said yes. Once I arrived, the manager said dogs are not allowed on the patio. I said my dog is a service dog and he proceeded to claim that "service dogs are required by law to wear a service dog vest in Cambridge" and therefore, we couldn't sit in the patio. Not only is that untrue, it's also a violation of the ADA (American Disabilities Act). By requiring that my dog wears a vest, the manager was requiring me to basically signal to everyone that I am disabled. He ended up "making a one-time exception" and allowing us to sit in the patio, but it left a bitter taste on my mouth (even worse than their food). When I explained to someone at the front desk later that they had violated the ADA and were discriminatory, they stayed quiet. Clearly, they have no care. They're clueless and heartless. Plus, they opened themselves up to a lawsuit... Lucky for them, our waiter was really sweet. She's honestly the one good person there and deserves a raise. She even brought my dog a makeshift water bowl. The food was meh. Some of it is premade. The guac is bland, the lemonade is powder, and the quesadilla was premade and then they just heat it up. 10/10 do NOT recommend. It's a shame because it was beautifully decorated, but full of ugly personalities. Perhaps it's called the painted burro because it's run by a bunch of burros. read more

I'm not sure why this place doesn't have a higher rating because it was AMAZING. I went for the $25 all-you-can-eat brunch on Sunday and everything about it was perfect. Service was great (thank you Liz)! Food was SO good and I love the small plates so you can try a little bit of everything. Atmosphere was beautiful. And come on--all you can eat for $25 in Cambridge!!???!! What more could you ask for?? I'm already planning to go back next Sunday :) read more

Very nice atmosphere. We loved the Border and were delighted to see a new restaurant in the space. Renovation is lovely and much more upscale. They redid the lower level and it's 1,000 times nicer but still feels like a basement. The lower level bar is gorgeous. Actually, the whole restaurant is very beautiful. Bathrooms are far superior to the Border and offered floss sticks and mouthwash. Immaculate too. Excellent service. No complaints. We sat in the bar area after declining a table downstairs. The bartender was our server and was friendly and helpful. Chips and salsa came out quickly and water was refilled frequently. Spicy margarita was great! We also had chicken fajitas and the two taco meal. I had the fish and a shrimp taco. Food was ok. I didn't like the shrimp taco (my own fault, it has mango and I don't like mango...) but my fish taco was good. Vegetarian beans were much better than the regular beans. Rice was delish. Overall a decent meal and we will likely return. read more

See all

All I can say is "It was ok". Went for lunch a bit after noon. I remember this location as the vibrant and fun Border Cafe. Alas, The Painted Burro is so far removed from its predecessor in both atmosphere and service. I tried one of the tacos, chicken, and made it a meal with rice and beans. We shared a small container of chips (tiny little things) for two people. The chips and salsa were just ok. The taco was good, the rice was a bit undercooked and the beans were just ok. (The beans and rice were an extra $5 and for the size of the portion, maybe looking at a buck of food if that.) The taco was good and had some flavor but honestly I can grab a taco from the two other places in Harvard Square which are just as good. The service was slow (the service at Border Cafe was amazing - you sat down, someone took your order, boom, basket of chips/salsa, boom, order right there before your could blink) but the server was polite. Our table was wobbly (please make sure that your tables do not wobble, managers!) so I had to keep my foot on it to make sure it would not wobble. The atmosphere, while some would probably say it was lovely, I found it bland and boring. It is like they took the Border Cafe and sucked out its soul. In regards to non-alcoholic drinks, they had very little to offer, and what they had was quite expensive. And the only soda they offer is Mexican coke for $5. Would I go back? Probably not. The biggest thing in both the upstairs and the downstairs was the bar. So that told me that, first and foremost, this is what they are selling - hanging out at the bar and ordering very expensive drinks with a bit of food on the side. read more

Unfortunately have to give it a low rating because I'm still trying to digest their "loaded quesadilla" that I ate last night. Honestly I thought I would be safe ordering a quesadilla with beef and cheese but apparently not. The quality of the ground beef was pretty terrible, Taco Bell is 100% better. read more

Third location for Painted Burro is impressive. They've done a great job creating an upscale atmosphere throughout the restaurant, upstairs and downstairs. Attentive service, drinks and chips were on our table in no time. I got 3 tacos: the birria, crispy fish, and short rib. All very good. Bonus points for mouth wash dispenser with paper cups in the bathroom! read more

The Painted Burro - Harvard Square - Short rib "double stack" taco (left) and birria taco (right). - Mexican Near Me - Cambridge, Massachusetts

Came for the all you can eat brunch and it was delicious - smaller portions so you can sample a lot.

Place looks clean and elegant, server was friendly, bathrooms (down a flight of stairs) are stunning. Food wasn't very good. I had the chicken milanesa torta. Chicken was rubbery and undercooked. My friend ordered the "Burro Salad" which was supposed to have romaine, cherry tomatoes, corn and black beans--didn't have any of these. Just some finely shredded argula, carrots and radishes, the same salad mix as came with my sandwich. She order grilled shrimp as an add on to the salad. Those were good. read more

This location is also great though less desirable because of its location in the Harvard Square area. Tasty tapas style Mexican in a lovely space almost makes you forget that you're in one of the more overpriced and touristy areas in Boston. You'll be well attended by the staff and they are excellent at accommodating food sensitivities/allergies. I'd recommend the location in Davis Square area for a more chill experience. read more

This is the best Mexican food I've had in the Boston area. Coming from Colorado, it's not the best Mexican I've ever had but most definitely the best Boston has to offer. All of the servers and bartenders are friendly and helpful. The restaurant itself has comfortable seating and isn't too loud for a date night. read more

New location for one of my fave restaurants. Totally renovated the old Border Cafe space and it looks amazing. Food, drinks, and service were great as always. Note that it's not on the website (yet) but they are doing the same weekend bottomless brunch as the Davis location. read more

Service was terrible and they felt like every dish needed 16oz of cream sauce drizzled on it. Atleast it was clean and they had a big bar.

Went for a bottomless brunch. Best brunch ever. We tried soooo many things - all were delicious. Had a good mix of veggie and non-veggie. And, great service. The restaurant is new - I predict it will be a staple in Harvard square for a long time read more

Atmosphere is nice, large multi-floor space. Went for brunch. They have a bottom less brunch for 25.00. This issue is that everything is single ( 1 taco or 1 small pancake). The waitress comes back around and then you order again. It feels kind of awkward to keep ordering. My recommendation is that you order the number of pancakes (3) that you want first time. The pancakes are the size of a coaster. The Belgian waffle comes a quarter of a whole. I think the waitress should have explained the portions when we first ordered. Food was okay, nothing special. read more

Birria taco is bomb as fuck but for some reason (I think I just went there when the restaurant was dead) we were given straight lime juice instead of a drink and I asked what I should do about it after getting served a second drink (after complaining and it still only had lime juice) and I was told to leave a review because I'm not gonna ask for a third drink that's clinically insane and for what to get more lime juice? We ordered three tequila shots and poured them into our drinks. Anyway, Birria tacos: yes alcohol: no read more

Delish food! Great selection of drinks and food options. Service was fast as well. Chill relax vibes. read more

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

The menu looks appetizing. You order and then just keep waiting. Either they are short-staffed or have some i ssue in the kitchen. Ambience only gets you so far,you still have to serve food on time. read more

I went to the painted burro yesterday for my friend's birthday dinner. I've been to the place a couple of times over the past year and have always raved about it and introduced so many friends and colleagues to it. Sadly, the food quality seems to be dropping, but the ambience is great, so we continue going there giving it the benefit of doubt. Wouldn't be the case anymore as their service hit a new low yesterday when a server came to clear our dishes and accidentally spilled my entire drink on me. She was super apologetic and came thrice to my table to apologize and I told her very calmly each time that it was absolutely okay and it was just a mistake. It was nice of her to bring me a new drink once I got back from the washroom after cleaning myself up, since I'd only had about 2 sips of my spilled drink. But it took us by surprise when our waitress got our check in the end and had charged me for both the drinks. When I very calmly told her that you've charged us twice for the drink and if she could remove it, she replied back very rudely, almost yelling that "it was you who ordered the second drink and I'm not removing it. You spilled it on yourself. Talk to the manager. I'm not removing it - it was your fault." I'm usually the calmest person in the group, and I get that you might not know the story, but there's a way to talk and you don't cross your limits, be it with customers or waiters. She went inside the kitchen and we ended up talking to the manager, telling him it was the server who spilled it, and he went back inside to fact check as the server was inside. I'm sure he got her version as well, as another waiter came out with a revised check removing that extra drink. Of course, our rude waitress never came out of the kitchen. No apologies for the rude behavior from her or the manager. No decency of owning up to your mistake after wrongly and rudely accusing others. Simple advice to the team - BASIC training of your employees on how to talk to people. Might save you some customers. read more

First time coming here wasn't the best but I've decided to give another chance just to have the most humiliating experience at this restaurant and I just want to express my disappointment. The manager Alex arguing with me in front of my guest about me paying for a drink that I didn't receive CORRECTLY it was so embarrassing and rude. I won't be back ever again. read more

Very authentic food. And the environment is very classy. My husband super happy. We are from TX although they do not have my favorite mole chicken enchiladas but the taco is amazing. read more

Let me start by saying that I never write reviews for anything. The only reason I am writing this is because even though I came here months ago it is still the story I tell people as my worst restaurant experience ever, and the butt of my jokes. Unfortunately I will never come here again, not even because of my experience but how it was handled. We were sat around 8 at night, and the kitchen closes at 10:30 or 11 I believe. We confirmed this with the host. After we were sat, we waited 20 minutes for a waiter to come up to us to even greet us. And we knew they hadn't forgotten us because two waiters were gesturing to us and clearly arguing who was going to take us. It took about 40 minutes to get water and our order taken, which then was by a completely different waiter. The restaurant was not busy at all either. We ended up going up to the host to make sure everything was ok since it had been so long, and after an hour and a half we got our food, at almost 10pm, and all of it was wrong. We felt bad but ended up talking to the manager because the waiter literally did not care that it was wrong and just said "ok" and took it back. The manager then told us to "just leave" because it was already 11pm and we had expressed that it wasn't right we had been there for now 3 hours and were barely even being acknowledged. The manager told us we didn't have to pay and just went back to laughing and talking with some girl. We wanted to like this place so bad since it's such a beautiful restaurant and we live right down the street. I was very excited to try it but unfortunately cannot recommend this experience to anyone. Wishing this business the best of luck. read more

It is quite frankly a travesty what happened here. They took a retail space from an incredible spot - The Border Cafe - and turned it into a yuppie gentrified over decorated eyesore where you can spend $8 on one taco on the advice of your friend with horrible taste. Skip it and go down the corner to Felipe's, or better yet take a trip up route one and go to that Border Cafe location, or even Taco Bell would be a better deal. A hard skip and quite frankly a symbol of what Harvard Sq has become, and maybe even a stain on the great country of Mexico. Waitress and staff were lovely. read more

The waitress was nice and attentive. Drinks (two margaritas) were pretty good. Chips were bland but fine...my wife opted not to eat them. Salsa was decent. Ordered queso which came out as a paste spread on a plate at room temp. Maybe I missed the memo and this is some kind of new age queso but I expected melted/hot cheese. It was not good and left most of it on the plate. Then, when looking to order dinner, I noticed the 5% kitchen fee on the menu added to all orders. I cut my losses at that point and went elsewhere. read more

Beautiful renovation of the old Border Cafe. Attractive staff and good food, simple menu. Only complaint- tortilla chips came from a bag instead of warm, fresh and oily :) read more

ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE!!! Watered down cocktail that took forever to arrive. Very poor waiter service. Overcooked and dry carnitas. And then a 5% "KITCHEN ADMIN FEE" added to my bill. When I asked about it, I was told it's a gratuity for the kitchen staff, because they don't get tips. WHAT??? You are charging me a fee to pay the kitchen staff to cook the food that I am already paying for??!! Either pay your staff a decent wage or split the tips all ways. It is not my responsibility to pay your kitchen staff. I will NEVER go back, and I will tell everyone I know to watch out for your admin fee SCAM read more

Nice atmosphere and pleasant staff but, I found the food bland and tasteless. Both my wife and I had the Double Stack Short Rib Tacos. We both found them tasteless (and I love short rib.) Our friends both had the Chimichangas and their comment was, "they taste like Italian food." The only saving grace was that the margaritas were good. We will not be going back. read more

Brunch was OK. A few items ordered never showed up and the waiter pretty much ignored our table until 3pm when brunch was over. I was only able to get a chicken and waffle and 1 taco. So many better places to go in Harvard Square. I miss Border Cafe. read more

The foods just Okay not at all what I was expecting. ordered enchiladas. sat st the bar and the hearing s was bowing cold are. it's winter.... and then it was blow cigarette smoke somehow. the staff was very nice and helpful. I asked to have all 3 types of enchiladas, they could not figure out how to make this happen. the asked the kitchen and was given the go ahead only thing I could only have on sauce which they chose again just ok read more