Mission Cantina
485 W St, Amherst, MA, 01002
Mission Cantina Menu
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Address :
485 W St
Amherst, MA, 01002 - Phone (413) 230-3580
- Website https://missioncantinaamherst.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:30 am - 10
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : No
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Garage
Bike Parking : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : No
Outdoor Seating : No
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : Yes
Waiter Service : No
Caters : No
Categories
Mexican Cuisine
If you enjoy Taco Tuesday, then you have officially fallen in love with the Mexican Food. The main grain of Mexican cuisine is maize. Also known as corn, maize is grown for the past 9000 years after the crop was discovered by the people in Mayan civilization. Mexican empire flourished when they started growing beans, tomatoes, chili pepper, sweet potato and cactus. Till this date these ingredients are used in cooking authentic Mexican dishes and drinks.
Great use of spices, fresh chili pepper dishes like fajitas, tortilla chips, corn chips, salsa, chimichangas, burritos, nachos and quesadillas are invented in America. But when you are looking for authentic Mexican food then you must find a restaurant in the city that serves Rajas con Queso, Garbanzo in a Guajillo Chile Sauce, Pork Filled Chiles Rellenos, Chiles en Nogada, Molcajete Salsa, Pico de Gallo and Frijoles de la Olla. An eye-opening fact – Mexican don't like their food hot. They use fresh chili and other spices to create a flavor that lingers in your mouth.
Mexican food is great for those who are Gluten Intolerant as they use Corn instead of wheat in most of their dishes. Also, you can easily find many beans based Mexican dishes. Another dish which didn't get similar glory as tacos or nachos is the Mexican hot chocolate. If you love something hot on a chilly day, then go for Mexican Hot Chocolate. On merry days, you can enjoy the authentic Mexican Drinks like Tequila, Mezcal, Tecuí, Sotol, Bacanora, Charanda, Posh O Pox, Puebla and Pulque. Mexican Cuisine is for people who enjoy strong drinks and hearty meals.
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Random R.
the salsas are delicious...the atmosphere is hoppin' - always busy and fun. Great Habiscus margaritta and taco selection. Service was fast and efficient.
(4)A M.
To the people who complain about prices: would you rather be eating Chipotle or Taco Bell? Prices really aren't that bad because the food is absolutely worth it. Your paying for quality, fresh, made to order food. The blood orange margarita's with a sugar rim are officially my favorite drink of all time. Note: they do not use sour mix or any pre-made mixes in their margaritas! Its all 100% fresh fruits and veggies, and really good liquor! This place will get packed on weekends, which is a clear indicator that the place is good. So service will naturally be a little jammed up when you have a full house. In all my experiences, none of the waitstaff, hostesses, or even bus boys have been rude- its just sometimes it might be a little slower than usual. Favorite restaurant in the Valley, and probably one of my favorite Mexican restaurants of all time. Don't change Mission Cantina
(5)Nicole S.
It may be the "best Mexican food in the Valley," but that is only because its like, one of two, and the other is a chain. Food is ok. Fish tacos are the best thing on the menu, and the queoso fundido is usually pretty good if they get it to you in time. Generally overpriced. Service is slow, which during lunch is especially annoying if you work locally and are on a time crunch. As an enthusiastic drinker, I am most disappointed by the cocktails. If I am paying $10 for a margarita, I would like it to be able to differentiate from the sugary sour mix drivel you can order at a Chili's in the airport at two for five bucks. Have also used their catering service for work functions and it, too, gets a solid "meh."
(3)Vivianna A.
Their takeout is the worst. They always skim out on the rice and beans, like every darn time. AND the meat in the quesadillas! I only ever find like 3 pieces in one if the quesadillas triangles! To eat there is way better than to get take out from there and i wouldn't say it's the greatest Mexican food. I'd have to go with El comalito for that one. It's not as appealing to the uppity white people looking to absorb culture but it's a lot more authentic to the Mexican taste.
(2)Kate V.
I've returned to Mission twice with a group of friends for work events now. I have had the combo taco plate ( fish tacos, yes!) Living bi-coastal in Texas gives me the in on good Mexican food, and I feel like Mission really gets it. The prices are much higher than any authentic Mexican in Texas or Mexico would be, and the margaritas are pretty pricey as well but they are really spot on for freshness and flavor. Prickly pear and watermelon margaritas went down so quickly. So I cough it up and am never let down on the outcomes. Service from both bartenders has been great these times as well. Thanks for showing me the mission way.
(4)Corey T.
went here on a date, place was packed and there was a 20 min wait. But after the meal I'm glad we did. Excellent food, awesome margaritas and tequila. this place is great for making a good first impression and is quite fun to be at.
(5)Adam S.
How does this place not have a solid five stars? My go to restaurant -- Never bad service, never bad food.
(5)Paul S.
I visit mission cantina maybe once a month. The food is always very good and the drinks are pretty good also, the only problem I have with the set up is the seating policy. I understand they are busy and don't take reservations however many times I have come and put in my name and had a table come available and 3 out of 4 of our party are there ready to sit order drinks and food while the last member of the party is still on their way. They won't seat you, they actually give up your table to the next group when that next group is only 3 people too. I have to laugh at this but it's very frustrating and not the best policy in my opinion. Other than that not bad.
(4)Amber S.
This place is every bit as great as the best reviews say. I took a to-go of the pinto beans and ate them cold for lunch on the road the following day and even those were dr my jaw and smack my fist good! The fish tacos were a heavy favorite in my group and for good reason. The service was great and we went at an off time so there was no wait. It seems most of the older reviews were negative due to a wait - that's what happens when a place has bomb food! Check out my pictures to see the food - it was amazing and the prices are not bad either!!
(5)Pat F.
Tries hard but misses the mark. Guacamole has a stretcher in it and sweet. Marguerite mix has a strange taste. Service was excellent. Just wish the food was worth coming back for. Burrito is mostly she'll and rice. Very little meat. Very disappointed.
(2)J. L.
The drinks here are fantastic. They have a large drink menu. The passion fruit mojito is outstanding. The food menu is ok. It's small so choices are limited. The food prices are sort of expensive. For example, chips and salsa is not included like many other Mexican restaurants and costs $4.50....To get a side of guacamole that's also $4.50.... The service was good. We had a large group and they were attentive to us. The waitress was sweet too. I'll definitely be coming back for the awesome drinks!
(4)Amanda S.
I love this place. The staff is professional And friendly, and the new floor manager has a wonderful personality. My favorite is their fruit flavored margaritas and you cannot go wrong with their nachos !!!! Best in town!
(5)Kara B.
A few good bites among the bland and boring... Shrimp taco was best thing we tried. Braised beef taco meat was tough and underseasoned. Enchiladas nothing special. Posole was pretty good and hearty. Guacamole was tasteless and over-processed...needed texture and some lime or something to lift it up. Tasted like it came from a synthetic avocado. Salsa trio...two tomato based and one pineapple...tasted canned. No fresh tomato flavor, crisp veggies or anything vaguely resembling home made. Chips were good, though, and not too salty. I'd rather eat at El Comalita any time!
(2)Elizabeth M.
I've tried going here for dinner in the past and there are always about a million people waiting for a table. Today I went in the mid afternoon and got a table easily--and I finally found out why all those people wait to get in here. The food is really exceptionally great. They've also got a pretty good selection of draft beers. I will be back.
(5)Mr T.
The tacos and guacamole are great, but the service is less than pleasant. I went with two other people for late lunch. Trying the food for a first time, we ordered small then later placed more orders with the waiter. However, the hostess came back with the check , explicitly told us we couldn't stay for more than the half hour we were there, and charged us for the food we ordered but never received. I won't be going out of my way to make a return trip.
(3)Debbie B.
Tonight Mission Cantina did not disappoint. My husband and I were able to walk in and get 2 seats at the bar. Tuesday around 6pm. Place was hopping for sure. I started with the Jalepenos Rellenos appetizer. Extremely spicy but I like that. Followed by the Salada Cantina with chicken. One of my usual choices. The chicken was seasoned and grilled perfectly. The salad was piled high with fresh lettuces and vegetables and avocado. My husband enjoyed the flour steak quesadilla. It came with a generous portion of black beans and rice and a side of guacamole. We left with a fish taco platter to bring for my daughter at home and plenty of left overs of the appetizer and chips and salsa. Delicious and filling as usual. Thanks again!!
(4)Jason S.
Something has changed here. The salsas are all still incredible, but the rest of the menu is pretty blah. Do NOT fall for they lie that is their mole. It's like the classic restaurant one-liner: "It's not very good and the portions are so small". In this case that statement is correct; my enchiladas were basted in mole, not swimming in it like I expected.
(2)Amy L.
Another freakin delish spot. You can't really go wrong here. For a recommendation: carnitas/pork nacho appetizer and any margarita speciality they're whipping up for the evening.
(4)Christopher G.
I have been to Mission Cantina twice, both for birthday dinners, and was underwhelmed both times. The restaurant is tiny (and, as a result, is always packed on Friday and Saturday nights), very dark, and uncomfortably loud. Service ranged from slow to unacceptable when I ate there, but that might have exacerbated by the large size of my party and the busyness of the entire restaurant. The decor, on the other hand, provides a fun, hole-in-the-wall type atmosphere, contributing to the authentic Mexican feel. The food is very good, but overpriced. Chips come with the meal, but be prepared to pay $4.50 for the salsa trio or $8 for the guacamole if you want any dip. The combo taco plate is my favorite entree (and the best value, by far) because it allows you to sample three of the ten fillings, all of which are unique and very flavorful. Margaritas are Mission Cantina's specialty and their drink list is extensive. Be careful when ordering a fruity or "exotic" margarita, as I found these to be unpleasantly sweet. While Mission Cantina may have the best Mexican food and margaritas around, the prices and service make for a unfulfilling experience.
(3)M S.
I want to give this place 5 stars, and every time I go there (it's been about 5 total) I look forward to it but am ALWAYS disappointed. It has a great reputation, is always packed but I think we all need to honestly review their food. Okay, so yeah the atmosphere is fantastic. You feel like you were suddenly transported to another country, where it's beachy and sunny out those doors rather than a strip mall in Amherst, MA. It has warm lighting, a laid-back atmosphere, with great design details and now an expanded space. But, plan on waiting, and unless if you get there before 5pm basically any night of the week, you will wait for a table. The drinks are fabulous! I've had a variety of margaritas plus a shockingly delicious ginger mojito, definitely worth it for that. I always order the chips, which come with 3 salsas, all yummy. But seriously what's up with the waitstaff? Not only are they aloof, they're generally unhelpful and only seem interested in getting your order as fast as possible then giving you your check as fast as possible after that. Yea, we know you guys are busy and all, but come on, we're paying for this. Really unpleasant. And is it just me, or do you all really think the food is that good? Everyone raves about the fish tacos which I've had 3 times, the first great (keep in mind this was atleast 2 years ago!), then the others, just okay, and honestly kind of dry with not much of that "crema" whatever they call it. You know who has better fish tacos, La Veracruzana in Northampton. I also tried the shrimp ones which were kind of gross honestly and a poblano one, again nothing special at all. Also, overfilled to the point where I had to use a fork and knife after the tortilla broke. My friend enjoyed the chorizo tacos, so maybe some of the other meat options are worth a try. The rice and beans that are an optional side are also just OKAY, nothing to rave about. I just get the sense that now that they've expanded, they rush the food in the kitchen and try to get everyone in and out as fast as they can. Not much love there. I'm definitely one that wants to love it too. Will I go back? Probably, for a drink and some chips at the bar!
(3)Chris L.
Wow! Just wow. I've heard of Mission Cantina before, but I never ventured out to South Amherst to give it a try. For some reason it seems further away. I understood it was a Mexican restaurant, but I figured it would be similar to a Veracruzana, where the food is the attraction. People go there for Mexican food, right? Eating at Mission Cantina was an EXPERIENCE. I went there for the food, but I'll be back for the entire experience. The just remodeled interior is fashioned with "Skull Art", which is that classic Mexican art where the skeletons are personified. The light fixtures hanging from the bar are tinted glowing skulls. Glowing skulls hang from the ceiling! That's awesome! This adds to a dim atmosphere, with just the perfect amount of light to compliment the darker decor. They have a variety of Mexican and Hispanic beers, along with a good list of margaritas and other hard drinks. The food was absolutely killer. We ordered the Jalapeno Poppers thinking they would be the typical poppers you would get at a Chili's. I've never been happier to not get what I thought I ordered. The poppers were there, but they were covered in beans, sour cream, chopped tomatoes and some other stuff to complete one giant plate. This was such a great place and I can't wait to bring more friends here in the future. Also, the sound track they have playing couldn't be any better either. A solid mix of Rolling Stones, Sublime, Weezer, and some others most people love.
(5)Duane G.
Slowest service ever. Seated... 10 minutes... Drinks, chips and salsa order... 15 minutes... Re-ordered chips and salsa...
(1)Ivan R.
Went with a friend and I really didn't enjoy my visit here. It all started with us waiting around 45 minutes to get seated when we were told that it's going to take 30 minutes. After that, we've been presented with a menu that really has nothing special to offer so we just went with shrimp burritos as an option that is really difficult to mess up. Didn't get the salsa since it's extra because "they make it fresh in house everyday". It seems that this place really, really wants you to buy drinks and drinks are the focus here, instead of food. After about 20-25 minutes of waiting for our burritos we've been presented with 2 mediocre sized burritos that instantly fell apart. It's like they didn't even try to make them stay in place. Oh, do I need to mention that even though we've been sitting at the bar, not once did we get a refill on our water? The burritos were pretty bland and had really small shrimp in them, it was obvious that they skimped out. One of the burritos had shrimp that wasn't properly prepared and had the shell still intact. After we were done eating, we didn't get a check for another 10-15 minutes. It was obvious that we were done eating and we weren't getting any drinks but I guess they didn't care enough to let us get on with our day. In short - this place has food that is of generally the same quality as El Comalito across the street, but you have to wait an hour and deal with poor wait staff to get it at Mission Cantina. Would not come back here again, as this place is one of those local businesses that has a cult following with the townies. Poor wait staff Mediocre food Very crowded and overrated
(1)Bumble B.
One of my favorite restaurants in the valley. I like to start with the chips that come with 3 types of salsa, then get the poblano rajas quesadillas - nice smoky flavor and the tortillas are great. Unless you go really early or late, there is usually a wait.
(5)Jennifer B.
Oh, so sad to have a mixed bag of a second experience after such a great first visit. This time I ordered the tacos, which I have to say were just awful: served open-faced on rubbery, flavorless corn tortillas with dry fillings, topped with so much chopped raw onion and sandy minced cilantro (not rinsed well) that they were virtually inedible. My husband's carnitas enchiladas with green sauce were amazing, however. So good! Lucky for me he shared. Still nice service, great drinks, and cool ambiance so I'm averaging it out at 4 stars. Definitely avoiding the tacos next time, however. Yikes!
(4)Gregg S.
Best Mexican food in the valley. The fish tacos are great as are most things on the menu.
(5)Sarah O.
Mission Cantina's fairly small dining room all but guarantees you'll have to wait for a table on most weekends, but it's worth it! The margaritas are great, as are the burritos. Prices are reasonable as well.
(4)Fox E.
+++ Staff is super friendly. Food is fresh. FISH TACOS. REALLY GOOD FISH TACOS. They always have tasty specials! Good drinks! --- The places gets packed super quick so come early!
(5)Gail S.
Very disappointing! We went on recommendation of friends. Maragaritas sounded adventuresome but lacked tequila and the home are mix was awful! We had a burrito which was to be filled with carne asada and topped with cheese and spicy sauce. It was served only slightly warm with a bland sauce, no cheese and almost no filling! A lot of excessive flour tortilla. The guacamole was diluted with I dunno what! Mayo? Sour cream ? Very little avocado taste. We left half of our first margaritas, almost all of the guac and two of the salsas! Lots of limp tortilla as well . We will not be back! This area needs some decent food ! We much prefer Besitas in West Hartford CT. But then we have actually had real Mexican food! Too bad as the staff is extremely efficient and very nice!
(2)Jessica M.
The food is really good overall, however, the chorizo taco is very greasy. And they charge you over $8 for chips and salsa, when they are nothing that special. As well as overcharging for an 8oz margarita. The bbq pork tacos are really good though!
(3)Julia M.
I'm sad to say that my favorite Mexican restaurant is not longer that. Prices have increased by 2 dollars across the board, food portions have shrunk, and the quality of the drinks have clearly declined. I don't know if they've gotten too busy, too big, or too arrogant, but I rarely visit Mission anymore. :( My heart breaks every time I crave their old fish tacos.
(3)Harris M.
Definitely over-hyped and way too crowded but the food is decent.
(4)Louise B.
I love this place, my friends and I are certainly regulars. Their tacos are fantastic, and they do crispy fish tacos that are gluten-free, which is AWESOME. Their homemade salsas are great, and the sangria is my favourite. I'm told the margaritas are also a win. A definite go, if you like Mexican food at all.
(5)McKinzie K.
What a great place! We came from Chicago where we had some really delicious Mexican food but I have to say, this place rocks! We have eaten here three times and each time it gets better and better. We love their chips and salsa (which comes with three distinct kinds), their mole enchilada and their crunchy fish tacos! Seriously to die for. Also, this part is probably my favorite. We took out the last night and they have 100% compostable containers. That sealed the deal for me. Not only do they have outstanding food but they care about the environment too. Thank you guys for the great food and taking care of the environment.
(4)Phil S.
Place always seems busy Very interesting and delicious meals
(5)Jojo D.
Great food, yes. 5-star food. And as locals, we would love to see this place succeed in the college food desert of Amherst. However, the service is horrible, so so bad. We went once without the kids and had a great meal, then have attempted a number of times to get take out-- either they lose our ticket or take upwards of 45 minutes to make a dang burrito or I'm told rudely on the phone that the specials that I saw advertised on Facebook are only available to dine-in customers. Just sick of the gruff treatment we get there constantly. I was hoping that the expansion would help matters, but a poorly managed business doesn't need more space, it needs better management.
(2)Lauren C.
I've got to take my fellow Yelpers to task here - three stars for this place? Really? I've been twice and have left very impressed with the atmosphere, the service, and THE FOOD. They make the best fish tacos I've ever had at a ridiculously reasonable price. The drinks are strong, the menu is simple and the bartender is the friendliest you'll find in the Valley. The wait can be long, but that's because any reasonable person knows that this food is amazing. So let's talk about the complaints listed on Yelp. Yes, it's true that your take out can sometimes get cold on your way home. Yes, some people prefer flour tacos to corn. And yes, sometimes it's cheaper to buy tacos from a truck in LA. But does anyone notice that WE'RE IN WESTERN MASS, where cheap and delicious Mexican food seems to be practically impossible to come by? We've got chains like On the Border being voted best Mexican, and bland, cynical options like Mama Iguana opening multiple locations in the Valley. Maybe no one around here can identify quality, local Mexican when they see it?
(5)Stacy K.
Oh yeah! Hubby & I each ordered a taco combo plate and shared all 6. Wow! Flavors are explosive! He loved the special recipe black beans. Rice was nothing to talk about but tacos - incredible! He says Lagunitas IPA is a must-drink, too. We'll be back.
(5)Nathan F.
Between the rich and filling enchiladas, the music that took me to the southwest, the traditional art, and the fresh sangria, this was probably the most authentic Mexican dining experience I've ever had. If you're in Amherst and you're an adventurous soul you need to go.
(4)Jay D.
I highly recommend the Carne Asada Burrito or the Fish Tacos. The margaritas are good (and strong). The only problem with this place can be the wait, particularly on Friday and Saturday nights.
(4)Amy R.
Great ambience! Is the food the best Mexican food that you have ever had? No. But it's the best in the Amherst/Noho area.
(4)Silvia S.
The drinks taste horrible here the sangria was ok but the mixed cocktails have no tase. The food is like a C- very average and hardly any flavoring. This place for some reason is always packed so be prepared to wait a good 30 min.
(2)Catherine J.
I am honestly surprised to find that Mission Cantina does not have more stars here on Yelp. I have been here several times since I first heard of them through a friend. Everything on the menu is absolutely DELICIOUS!!! They are also usually running a special, but you better come early, they tend to run out of their specials quickly! The Margaritas are the best I have ever had, they use freshly squeezed juices and they have a top-notch selection of tequilas and mescal. The service varies from each visit, but when it is slower, the restaurant is usually packed with an hour plus wait time! I'm not overly demanding, so it doesn't bother me one bit. The bartenders and servers are very friendly and accommodating. I usually ask them turn my tres alarm margarita into a dos alarm margarita (using only 2/3 habanero tequila and 1/3 standard tequila) and after a quick chuckle about my request, they do it with a smile. The nachos are cheese HEAVEN! There may not be a huge heaping portion of nachos on the plate, but each individual nacho is topped with a very generous portion of cheese and toppings. Mission Cantina is easily the best Mexican food restaurant in The Valley!!
(5)Westernmassgal A.
My first experience was awesome, however, my second time - not so great. True, it was a Friday night, but the hostess said about a 30min wait and it was really 1 hour! Some time mid-way she offered to seat us at the bar and we asked if we could move to a table once they have one available and they said once you sit at the bar, they cross you off the wait list! And it is not like it was prime time, it was between 8-9 pm that we waited to be seated. Updated 03/25/15: I really love the food there, but I guess be prepared to wait at least 30 minutes if you go Friday or Saturday night. The menu is limited for sure. I wish they had fajitas, but whenever I'm in the mood for fajitas I can always go to Noho I suppose. I love Mama Iguana's fajitas.
(4)Courtney R.
Mission Cantina is amazing. I am a fussy eater (if you don't already know this from my other reviews) and everything here is simple and you can take ingredients out or put them in. I love the shrimp tacos as well as the fish tacos, the homemade chips with three different types of homemade salsa (including pineapple!) are to die for! The margaritas are strong and they will prepare them "top-self". The service is fine - nothing special, but they are polite and attentive. Can't wait to go again!
(4)Holly G.
I wanted to love this place, but they were overpriced and had a limited menu. The rice and beans were flavorless. My veggie burrito was stuffed with nearly raw carrots and zucchini. Husbands open face chicken taco had parts that were inedible due to overcooking. One item on the kids menu. Seriously....one item. It was packed beyond belief...which led to high hopes...but ended out not much more than a really long wait.
(3)Madeleine H.
I'm generally not a fan of Mexican food. I've had too many experiences with food that was low in quality and given too much spice to try to make up for the lack of flavor in a dish. When someone suggests Mexican for a meal, I usually try to nudge that person toward something else. This time, I failed, and I found myself driving down to Mission with three friends of mine. Bolstered with the memory of some classmates getting takeout and enjoying it, I decided that it would be worth the attempt. I'm so glad I did! The sangria ($5/glass) was tasty but not overly sweet. We ordered the loaded nachos ($7.95) as a group. They were really delicious and the tortilla chips tasted homemade, but 8 really large chips smothered in topping on a plate does not really qualify as "loaded." Oh well. I opted for two fish tacos (loaded, $2.95 each) instead of a trio ($8.95). I didn't realize that ordering tacos à la carte denied me rice and beans, but didn't care enough to change my order. What I had was really delicious, but not quite enough to satisfy my hunger. My friend, on the other hand, ordered a veggie quesadilla ($8.95) and had way more on her plate than she could finish, so she offered me some of hers. It was cheesy and amazing. I'll just go for that next time. I can't imagine what the wait would be during a more reasonable dinner hour. I may stick to takeout for this place from now on, so I don't have to find out. We got there at 4:30 and managed to get the last booth as soon as we walked in. I was also distracted by the huge TV on the wall -- it seems inappropriate for an otherwise intimate place.
(4)Sandy W.
Take out, but the tacos stayed crisp. The fish tacos are excellent. Better than the ones I had on a recent trip to Southern California (admittedly LA, and not SD). Have also had the chicken mole, and it is the best I've had since La Casuella closed.
(4)Matthew L.
This restaurant was very comfortable and very cozy feeling. We are from the area and know how busy it can get. One thing you should be prepared for if coming from out of town. The wait can be long and there is not much around to occupy the time. The restaurant is a little dark but it fits with the theme. The music that was being played was great. The wait staff was very friendly and accommodating. We had plenty of time to review the menu. The choice of food is somewhat limited. There is only one side of an 8.5" x11" paper with food choices, but there are a lot of drinks to choose from. The mojito was delicious. I ordered the special for dinner, which was three enchiladas. The dinner special was more expensive than anything else on the menu and didn't come with any more food. The enchiladas were delicious and there is also the choice of beans along with any plate ordered. The food was warm and delicious, and after eating I didn't have room for dessert. After eating, we chatted for a little while and felt no pressure to leave. Although as we were leaving the crowd began to show up. This restaurant has great food and a great atmosphere as long as you can get in early enough to get a seat.
(4)Adam S.
On our first attempt we we foiled by having two hungry kids and a long wait. The next night, we were able to get the sans kids. Apparently, every night is busy at Mission Cantina and I can see why. Margaritas were excellent - although the bartender was a bit pretentious. When my father ordered two margaritas with gold tequila (yes, I know it's terribly quality, but I don't drink it), rather than just apologize for not having it and offering an alternative tequila, he sort of sneered "we are way above that." In fairness, he's right, but still... It's one of those the customer is always right things. At any rate, the ubiquitous basket of tortilla chips isn't free, and the menu is very limited, but entree prices are cheap, portions decent (not huge as is often the case with Mexican), flavors were excellent and reasonably fast service given how busy they were. We will be back, but probably never with the kids.
(4)Tim A.
Underwhelmed. This place gets a lot of rave locally and I can see the lure. But I guess I am missing something. Meals are reasonably priced and portion sizes are decent. The fresh guacamole with the chips & salsa good. If you're ordering tacos you can order as many as you would like and they start at about $2.70 per taco. They come on what look like 5" flour tortillas. At this meal I got 3 tacos and rice. The carne asada meat had good flavor but was tough. The crispy fish with the special crema was good. The BBQ Pork looked sloppy but tasted ok. Avoid adding anything with cilantro to your meal unless you love it. The amount of cilantro they add really over powers the taste of everything else. The rice served with the tacos wasn't anything to write home about other than it was dry. Service: Expect to WAIT. When they say you'll be seated in 30 minutes, they really mean an hour. After we got seated we noticed that the wait staff looked miserable. Our waitress didn't take all of our drink orders before she left. The wait time for chips & salsa was average but the wait for our food was about 45 minutes for our party of 4. Hopefully you're not thirsty when you are there because you will wait a while before anyone will check in on you to refill your drink. Overall: If you want to wait a long time for almost average food with mediocre prices in an overly crowded restaurant with miserable wait staff and unique decorations, go for it.
(2)Katie D.
As someone who eats a lot of mexican this was by far one of the best meals I've ever eaten. Would definitely return
(5)Su-Yee L.
Sorry, Mission Cantina, but my last experience just wasn't as good as the first. This time, the fish in my fish tacos were overfried and tough and none of my other tacos were anything special. Rice and beans were okay but a bit bland. The enchiladas with carnitas that the bf ordered were pretty tasty though and stuffed with meat--it makes for a pretty big meal. We did order the chips and salsa at the beginning ($4.50) and although all the salsas were good, I'm surprised they charged so much (after all, Mi Tierra and many other sit-down Mexican restaurants outside of the five-college area give complimentary chips at the beginning of the meal.) Tortas are now gone from the menu. The food just lacked the necessary oomph that would make me really want to go back.
(3)Darcie S.
Some of the best, fresh, Mexican food I've had outside of San Diego! Great tequila and beer selection. I promise you will not be dissapointed!!
(4)Thomas W.
My most recent visit I was treated very poorly but the hostess and one of the bartenders. What kind of place reserves seats at the bar??? I had to leave because they wouldn't let me sit at the half full bar! I'll still come back because I know the one bartender is good, but the other staff sucks!
(4)Nick L.
This place is the bomb! The atmosphere is awesome. I have been there twice. I have ordered out over 10 times. I also get the same dish. Cane Asada with refried beans. I have heard a rummer that some of their sauces are not authentic. But hey this is Amherst Massachusetts. They are doing it right.
(5)Tammy L.
Love this place every time! There is a great vibe inside. Yes one side is dark (the newer side to the right not so much) and there are lots of conversations going on around you and it's generally very busy BUT that's why people go! The food is very good, the margaritas excellent as is the beer selection! At the very least, if you prefer a quiet location, order ahead and bring your food across the street to the Moan & Dove and order a local beer to go with a taco combo plate! LOVE the fish tacos!! The quickest & least busy time is right around 4/4:30. Hope you give it a try!
(4)Erik B.
For the Pioneer Valley - which utterly lacks in any kind of palatable Mexican food (I'm looking at you, Bueno y Sano and Mama Iguana) - this place is a revelation. Pros: -- consistently good food. Good chips (altho a little heavy on the salt), yummy salsas. The fish tacos were delicious, as was the al pastor and carnitas tacos, even if the al pastor is more of a reinterpretation than authentic. But good food all around. -- Nice atmosphere -- Friendly service Cons: -- WAY too small. Only 4 booths and some bar seating. The wait can get ridiculous really fast. They're expanding into the adjacent space, so this will hopefully be a moot point soon. -- Drinks (meaning margaritas) are too small and too heavily iced for the price. All in all, a real find and we'll be back!
(4)Luna K.
The servers are rock stars. Food is awesome. With the new expansion, no waiting! Yes! Does James still work here? Because that man is an ANIMAL! Best server, hands down!
(5)Karl T.
Quality of food was great. I had a Variety of tacos and they were so very tasty. Friendly service and nice atmosphere. The drinks are great and prices are very reasonable
(4)Matthew G.
Food superlative. The wait terrible. Pricey for me but food will not disappoint. Your call.
(4)Ryan C.
Worth the wait for a table! The pineapple and jalapeno salsa is delicious. The servers and decor were warm and inviting. Great place to grab a bite with friends.
(4)Chelsea G.
This place has gone completely downhill. The food is inedible and the waiters are apathetic (not that I blame them, given the crap they must serve). Their margaritas are OKAY but definitely not worth the hike all the way down 116. (Plus, if you're near this place and need a drink, GO TO THE MOAN AND DOVE) Yeah the decorations are cool, but the country hits station blasting kind of clashes with the tacky ambiance.
(1)Jess W.
I was so surprised to come back upon the insistence of a friend and his credit card to find that I was completely and utterly...correct. Yes, nothing has changed. Food is poorly timed (one entree arrived twenty minutes after the other) awfully expensive and the drinks (tried the cocktails this time) were weak and mainly ice. It's true that there are chain restaurants in the Valley that shouldn't be praised because they're the only best option, but jeez, at least they deliver a cheap and consistent product. Can't say the same for Mission, unfortunately. Real Mexican can be had about a mile down the way at Ecuador Andino or at either of the La Veracruzana locations.
(1)Jack B.
Gone in twice now... Loved it both times. The taco platter is a great deal, very tasty (like the fish and various beef/pork options for the tacos). Chips and salsa are good- but you have to pay for them (it would be nice to have a freebie here- as is the convention with most cantinas). The three salsa varieties are nice, albeit mild and/or sweet. Something hotter/spicier would be cool... The beer selection is so-so. They had Troeg's imperial amber (an IPA really) which is a treat on tap. Can't speak to their margaritas, though I hear they are good. Service is pretty good- friendly, understanding staff. While they've doubled their size recently, they still have LONG waits by most accounts- so disgruntled reviews are likely to arise here on yelp from the common long, frustrating waits amongst large crowds. I hear they've open up in Boston, though given management's challenge with keeping the Amherst location working fluidly on most nights (the crowds, again!) I would be hard pressed to believe they are having as strong a showing in Boston... good food makes a good restaurant when you can deliver it with a consistent, quality experience... Which can be had in Amherst if you hit it at an off time.
(4)Elle V.
The food is very good and (since we're in W Ma) I would rate it a solid 4. The fish tacos are great as are the shrimp tacos (try them with the mango and pineapple salsa)! Beef enchiladas with red sauce are delicious. We've had a wide sampling of the menu and these are the top and consistent performers. Now, sadly, I must turn to the service. Service is awful. There is no restaurant management in Mission Cantina. They cannot manage the bar or tables. Putting your name on the list doesn't mean anything. Depending on who is taking names, it could be 30 min or it could be 2.5 hours, regardless of how long they say or how many people are ahead of you-physically or on the list. In Sept 2012 they hoped to have the new space open by thanksgiving, then by the New Year, Cinco de Mayo... I don't even know what the next target date is. We've stopped going. This is the third time I've tried to stop. I'm from SoCal, so I REALLY miss good Mexican food and once every few months I weaken, think happy thoughts, and have a snack before we go. I you're hungry, please don't go. If you want service, please don't go. If you are prepared to wait, wait and wait, then go.
(1)A B.
The wait can be a little crazy but that comes with a growing business. The bartender said they were expanding next door in the next few months. The bartender (I think Greg) was beyond knowledgable and really took the time to explain the different qualities of tequila. The selection is extensive. The food was excellent and brought out in a timely manner. The fish tacos were unreal! Also, they have a special on this blood orange margarita that is unreal! It usually has a cool crowd with some interesting folk.
(4)Gwaitre M.
It is true that its hard to find good Mexican food in the northeast. But the food here is drastically overpriced, slow -- oh my god, SO SLOW, it's Mexican food and there are only about ten items on the menu! -- to arrive and, really, only a little above average. The place is jammed with the area hipoisie, who are tiresome in crowds, and in such a crowd you should expect to wait, drinkless, chipless, for up to two hours before you are seated. Once seated, expect another hour before you see your enchiladas. The bill comes pretty quick after that. They like you to finish fast. If you want good Mexican, fast, with no hipster fooferaw, go to Verscruzana. It's better. Way, way better.
(1)Steven P.
What a bad dining experience. Slammed with an hour wait for overpriced Mexican food, received a hefty bill for said unremarkable food, and gave me a minor case of food poisoning later. Needless to say, that evening was NOT pleasant whatsoever. Seriously, two out of the six tacos I ordered with my friend were inedible. For the two that were actually edible, they were tolerable at best. They weren't astounding by any degree. We also got the chicken mole which was good, but only if a bite of chicken was taken with the sauce itself to balance it off. It was way too strong for my palette. Also, $4.50 nachos with sauce? C'mon. Do yourself a favor and head next door for the pizza. Or, if pizza's not your thing, you might find better food options at the Hess station across the street. Just don't waste your time with this place.
(1)Deniz A.
Giving this place 5 stars is not doing them justice. They deserve way more. Excellent service, amazing margaritas that will make you go back for more and the food...well their fish taco is incomparable to any other but you really can't go wrong with anything here. Try the refried beans.
(5)Paul C.
Great food. Get there early when it opens - it fills up fast. Margaritas are great. As are the appetizers. I would totally come here again.
(4)Fauzia I.
Always a long wait with few places to sit in the meantime. I have gone twice now and while the first time was good, in the intervening year, things have changed. Part of it is me I am sure but it also seems to be a response to the crowds, success, whatever, Others have covered the basics in detail, so I'm just going to add my own personal observations in the hope they might help someone else. Because I'm more a fan of flour tortillas, and you can't get those with the tacos (sadly) I like the burritos, and especially how there is not (yet?) an upcharge for shrimp. The nachos are very good, and again you can get all fillings for the same price. Each chip comes covered so you don't have to worry about scooping fillings, etc. You get about a dozen per order. However, compared to before, the quantity seems a lot less. Biggest thing - the drinks are good, with a unique selection of spice, but way overpriced. I asked for a margarita easy on the ice to avoid it being mostly ice and the glass came 3/4 filled. Seriously, 9.50 for a [special] margarita and the regular ones in the $7 range? Between 2 people, it's easy to spend $40 on drinks alone, and in a college town? Would love to know how much profit is actually being made on these? I also wouldn't advise takeout as it gets nasty by the time it gets home. This all said, it's a good place to kick back. Just skip the alcohol if you're on a budget.
(2)Jocelyn H.
Okay, I'll agree with SOME of the things other reviewers have said about the food at this place "not being Mexican." But really, for being SO FAR from our friends down south, this place has a pretty great atmosphere at not-so-bad prices. My friend and I went early and sat at the bar, had a couple local beers--mine was Narragansett summer ale, def recommend it--the loaded nachos with carne asada--again, fantastic seasoning and crispy chips--and shared a taco plate. We payed ~$35. Alright, the tacos were a bit pricey relative to what I'm used to ($1.50/taco at the taco trucks in SoCal vs. $2.70 here) but the crispy fish taco is TO DIE FOR, and they'll top this one for you. The other taco I chose was the grilled shrimp classico style, and I felt it was a tad bland for having so much cilantro/onion in it. Slightly disappointing. But the bartender was a cool cat and the atmosphere is fun. Will probably go again.
(3)Smiley H.
YUM!!! That about describes it. Sam, the owner, has been a friend for several years and he has done an amazing job with Mission Cantina! The bartender was amazing, he was so friendly, chatty but not to much :-) and he made amazing drinks! I highly recommend the Mango Mojito! I had an amazing chicken burrito with refried beans and rice. It was the best I have had and my husband had three different kinds of tacos, chicken, fish and beef I think, he said the fish taco was out of this world! They have a great, laid back atmosphere here and definitely friendly and inviting! Highly recommend and we can't wait to go back!!!!
(5)Daisy R.
I've been to Mission Cantina occasionally and always thought the place was a decent Mexican, but apart from that basically overrated. Face it, the food in the Valley tends to the mediocre, there isn't much competition for Mexican restaurants, and there's not much else happening in South Amherst. Tonight's meal, however, was disgusting in that I suddenly found myself chewing on a piece of PLASTIC. Yes, an inch-long, piece of gray plastic that was shredded at one end. I called over the manager, who took the piece and went over to the kitchen ostensibly to find out what the heck it was. He never deigned return to my table, sending over instead a ditzy waitress who came claiming that it was from the jar that contained the guacamole. When I pointed out that I hadn't eaten guacamole, she switched stories assuring me that it came "from one of the containers where they prepare the food". An obvious lie from a staff too lazy to find out what the hell was in my food and too blase to do anything about it. Yes they comped the meal, but that's not what I wanted. I wanted to know WHAT THE HELL HAD I SWALLOWED, which I never did find out. This place should fail their next Dept of Health inspection. DO NOT GO TO MISSION CANTINA BECAUSE YOU WON'T KNOW WHAT THE HELL YOU'RE EATING!!
(1)Mark F.
I have made this place my top favorite in the valley for Mexican. The food is amazing, the service is fast and friendly, the people that go there are always interesting. I've never been there and not met someone at the bar that was interesting to talk to. You'll almost always wait, but don't let that get you down people, it will be worth it!
(5)Meg H.
My boyfriend and I tried this place out a few months ago and we were really pleased after our first experience. We got take-out and ordered loaded tacos and an appetizer. The food tasted fresh and it was hot. We felt it was a great addition to our neighborhood since we usually drive to Mi Tierra (which I prefer). We raved about our experience to friends and family thereafter. I have gone back three more times since our first experience and I have been disappointed each time. My family came out from Boston, and I was slightly embarrassed to have recommended this place. We dined in that day and their food tasted mediocre, close to something you'd find at a franchise, non-authentic Mexican restaurant. We got enchilladas, burritos, and nachos, which were warm/hot. (I have learned that their tacos are their best item.) Although the bartender was friendly, I didn't much care for the margarita I ordered. I thought that take-out might be their strong suit since I had such a good first experience so the next time I opted for this instead. First of all, the girl on the other end told me it was an HOUR wait for our food. I was surprised, but ordered anyway. I was glad that they were experiencing a great surge in patrons, so I wasn't too much bothered by it. We arrived exactly an hour after we placed our order. The food was ready and we departed for home. Okay...so let me start off by saying that we live less than 3 minutes away. We got home and opened up our bag to find our food was soggy and cold. We ordered nachos and loaded tacos. The "melted" cheese had solidified, almost everything was mush, and the food tasted as if it had been sitting on their counter for at least 30 minutes. I was upset and called back to see if we could get at least our nachos replaced. The girl who picked up the phone was rude, but said she could replace our nachos for us. She told us to come right away. When we got there, the girl ignored us and was unapologetic. Not one staff member tried to improve our experience, acting arrogantly as if replacing the cold food we had already paid for and making us come back again was somehow our fault. We ordered take out again another time because I desperately wanted to believe that I just had a couple bad experiences. They told us a more reasonable wait this time: 15 minutes. We arrived before that time and our food was ready. Brought our loaded tacos and sandwich home (again, we live less than 3 minutes away) and everything was cold again. Although cold, the food still tasted alright. Is that the temperature that they want their food to be at? I expect the meat filling to at least be HOT if nothing else. It's a total shame, but I give up. The owner, who we met once, seems like a really nice guy but that doesn't make up for the fact that the food is never hot (warm is not the same as hot) and most of the staff is rude and unfriendly. I have worked here and there in a handful of restaurants since I was 17, so I know a thing our two about restaurants and operations. Sorry, Mission Cantina, I'm no longer interested. Makes me think that the cooks just pull all the ingredients from the refrigerator, stuff them inside their tortilla/bread/whatever and microwave it. I am being generous by giving them two stars opposed to one because I feel like if they could get their food temperatures right and hire more capable people, they could have a chance at being a good restaurant.
(2)georgr f.
Outstanding! Fresh everything. best fish tacos outside of San Diego. Hard to get in. Closed on 4th of July weekend, unfortunately.
(5)Jamie G.
This is one of the best low-cost restaurants in the area. Their shrimp and fish tacos stand out and are very authentic. They closely resemble the flavors of typical tacos in Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. They have really great chips and salsa but you must pay extra for those. Small menu - very taco/burrito oriented but the food is great!
(4)Ajay S.
Small Menu, but good food. Lots of drink options. Small place and get crazy busy on weekends nights and friday nights.
(4)Jess C.
I've never eaten here, personally, so I can only attest that their margaritas are AMAZING. When we get out of work, my coworkers and I love to pop over their for a few drinks. The bartenders go in hours before their shift to squeeze FRESH fruit juices for their cocktails. It really makes a difference. I had a Passionfruit margarita recently that blew my mind. They do a lot of infusions, I tried a cranberry jalapeño margarita with jalapeño-infused tequila that was so delicious. The staff is great, very welcoming and friendly. The restaurant is expanding so it can only get better :)
(5)Renee P.
How have I not heard about this place sooner?! Went to Mission on a Wednesday evening with some friends and it was packed. I enjoyed the overall ambiance of the restaurant, it's very relaxed, cozy, and dimly lit...perfect to sit back and sip on my mango margarita. I was equally impressed with my food selections. I'm gluten-free and they were able to accommodate corn tortillas for my customized tacos. Do yourself a favor and try the shrimp and crispy fish...absolutely delish! The shrimp taco had a spicy "kick" to it and the crispy fish had nice texture, not greasy. My group also split the loaded nachos appetizer with BBQ pulled pork which was very tender and flavorful. Why only 4 stars? I was not impressed with the service...mediocre at best. The hostess was very accommodating, however our server and the other staff members were not attentive and lacked charisma. It was also very cold throughout most of the evening...I'm glad I had a sweater. I will definitely give it another try because you just can't beat the value and variety that Mission Cantina offers. It's a great restaurant pick for students on a budget looking for something unique in the Amherst area.
(4)Jen A.
Decent food, great drinks
(3)Jenny L.
Delicious tacos, yummy cocktails, and great atmosphere!
(5)Jim B.
This place has awesome tacos. Nuff said.
(5)Julie D.
I love mission cantina. I'm mostly vegetarian and their veggie/fish options are awesome. And the drinks!! My friends and I go once a week because the food is delicious and it's a fun atmosphere. Also, drinks...really good and I'm not usually a margarita fan. I feel like a lot of the negative reviews have to do with the wait and service, it's a fun place the waitstaff and bartenders are always having a good time which adds to the atmosphere so if you're looking for speedy service so you can get in and out go to mama iguanas...or suck it up and have a drink while you wait. They only have three tables so theres pretty much always some wait, but I heard they're extending to the space next door which should help with that.
(5)Kristen V.
Cute little sort-of-hidden gem. Dimly lit and charmingly decorated in an early 90s Jimmy Buffet parties hard during a Day of the Dead celebration style. Also, as it turns out, a great place to give a cute intoxicated stranger two hours of really misguided relationship advice. Get the fish tacos! Four and a half stars!
(4)Mike T.
The waitstaff is great, the food is fresh, and the ambiance is interesting. Having said that I was underwhelmed by the food. I've had much better Mexican food, but not necessarily in New England where the food seems to be, well, bland. Kind of pricey for what you get.
(3)Archer L.
Great tacos and margaritas! Always worth the wait! Nice atmosphere. Sometimes the service is lacking but they are always packed.
(4)Lamar G.
As someone who fancy's mexican food and on a few recommendations, I dropped in with my boy yesterday. I like how they treat their pepper dishes here. We had the Jalapeno rellenos and we both had enchiladas. I had the enchiladas with peppers and my boy had them with pork. They did everything really well. I'd recommend to anyone interested in good cookin'. Once getting past the initial line to actually be seated, service was great. The place is definitely packed, as I was warned....... I will definitely return here.
(4)Q. C.
We trolled West Street while our daughter caught up with friends at her college. We were looking for something really close to Hampshire that was walkable for her (we figured try something new, and then she has a new resource), and fun for us. We drove by Mission Cantina and though it looked like it would fit the bill, the parking lot was jammed so my heart sank. However, we decided to park and just see what was going on. Hard to believe from this strip mall facade with a small sign and not much fanfare, we opened the door to a very nicely laid out small restaurant with a meandering bar, booths, cool music (not the traditional mexican restaurant mexican music), and a simple but great offering on the menu. It was basically tacos (3), enchiladas (3) or a burrito with nice options as to the meat or veggies inside. The service was quick, responsive and great and we settled in with margaritas (many different ones on the menu than the standard) to wait (not very long). The food was hot, fresh and delicious. The green sauce on my delicate enchiladas was wonderful and savory. Every bite a delight. My son, a fish taco aficionado was hesitant but ordered the fish tacos and was delighted with the freshness and how they did it right (he measures all fish tacos from his numerous plates of them in Los Angeles). My husband had the salad which was chock full of avocados, cheese, onions etc..so every bite had flavor, texture and abundance. And when the bill came, we were beyond delighted as it's affordable as well as delicious. Hurray for Mission Cantina! Hurray for another great Amherst restaurant!
(4)Andrew J.
This place is okay. Stinks of gringos. A shockingly small to absent population of Spanish speakers in the kitchen, which is a rarity in ANY restaurant, let alone a Mexican one. It tastes like recipes I would make at home. I suspect there is no rendered pork lard in anything, which is unacceptable. Not terrible, but certainly nothing to write home about. I would go again if nearby and it was a Monday (when Mi Tierra is closed) or after 9pm (when Mi Tierra is closed). I do like the cave like atmosphere; this is a good feature to justify getting drunk in the afternoon. I guess the margarita was boozy, but not nearly as good/boozy/large/delicious/inexpensive as Mi Tierra's; certainly better than Mama Iguana's, though. I give it a pass, I'm sure I'll end up here again. Maybe the braised meats are good, we'll see.
(3)J.D. H.
I'm writing once again to verify that this place is indeed ridiculously great. I've visited three times since my last review and every experience has been just as good as the first. I've sent tons of my friends there and they're all hooked!!!! Anyway. just wanted to check in, and say it loud, say it proud: This Place Rocks. And hey, there is NOTHING wrong with waiting for food this good.
(5)José T.
I had a very difficult time getting the hostess's attention when I arrived. Then we had to wait at least 25 minutes to get a margarita to drink while we waited. And had to wait an hour to seat 2 people on a Thursday at 7pm. I ordered the taco plate and it was decent. The fish on the fish taco was overcooked by a long shot (leathery and dry). The margaritas were okay but kinda weak. I think this place is relying too much on being the only edible Mexican restaurant in the area.
(2)Daniel B.
My wife and I are Southwestern food aficionados seeing that we now live in Taos, New Mexico. Naturally, coming back east to find such fair is disappointing. But the relatively new Mission Cantina restaurant is the nearest thing to Southwestern perfection for both ambiance and food offerings. Although the menu is small in terms of choices, the mole chicken, tres enchiladas and the tortilla chips with the trio of fine salsas are exquisite. The guava mojitos and margaritas will make you a believer as well. All for some of the lowest prices you will see at a restaurant these days. Although the new addition isn't as cozy as the original space, it is a necessity because the lines here start early. And for good reason; Mission Cantina is a treasure and a delight.
(5)Dan M.
We love this place for date night. It used to have a crazy long wait, but they have expanded! Be safe and call first, but even with a wait, the food and atmosphere are well worth it.
(5)Tracy D.
this place is a hidden little jewel, had the best Mexican food ever. The margaritas were fresh and delicious. The wait that all the other reviewers speak of exists, but the food more than made up for it. There are four booths, and the rest of the seats are at the bar. We were given a choice to sit at the bar,and our wait was less. The bartender, was quick to serve us, and get our order taken, she was also great with suggestions. The only person I saw that did little or nothing, was the hostess that night. The wait staff were awesome, and actually jumped in and took our names for the wait, because the hostess, was either tired, or too over worked, rolling silverware up in napkins, for the wait staff. I had the crispy fish tacos, they were fresh delicious, the corn tortillas soft and warm, the black beans and rice I had were perfectly cooked, We also had the chips and salsa while we waited, the pineapple salsa was very delicious. My girlfriend had the carne asada burrito, and loved it. We also had the Ruby Coyote Margarita, and they hit the spot. We will return often.
(5)William F.
Not enough tables, longer waits, but....oh my god is it good! I've stood outside waiting for a table in the snow - I would buy stock in this place if I could. NEVER LEAVE US MISSION CANTINA! ;)
(5)Jenn X.
I preface this with I am from the southern U.S. where authentic Mexican food is plentiful. It is a valiant effort for Western, MA and hands down is the best Mexican in the valley (it might loose a star if in another region). I liked the food, but was bit put off that patrons were required to be on a wait list for seats at the bar.
(4)Lisa S.
I want to love this place but the food is really inconsistent and, sometimes, not very flavorful. last time I had enchiladas with braised beef they were very dry and the meat was tough, but the time before, they were great. The burritos are ok, but need a little more oomph in the flavor department. The guacamole is consistently yummy, though, and the dressing on their house salad is outstanding. In terms of attitude of the staff: very lackadaisical and, if you're doing takeout, chances are they will not have your food ready when promised nor do they seem to feel like they need to make an effort to get your order to you. I hope it doesn't get worse with the expansion and that the management does a better job of training and quality control 'cause this place has the potential to be great. C'mon Mission Cantina, convince this California transplant that there can be excellent Mexican food in Massachusetts!
(3)Ernest B.
This is my favorite restaurant in the area. Great atmosphere, great food. As a former food snob from San Francisco, I had accepted that I wasn't going to find good Mexican food out here, but Mission Cantina has proven me wrong.
(5)Sandra G.
Tuesday night 4 pm drinks after work with the girls... $85 bill dinner and drinks rushed by the waitress, Melanie, pushy and rude. Asked to leave after an hour so she could seat someone else. Dinner and drinks not worth the rudeness! Go to Mama iguanas instead.
(2)Bill B.
Something has changed here in the last 2-3 months. I've eaten here every 2-3 weeks since they opened, and back in November, 2011, I gave them 4 stars, and thought the taco plate was excellent...the marinades were good, flavor was good, tortillas and filling arrived hot ... and the food sang....the last 4 times I've eaten here, none of that execution was present, most recently last week. I like the ambiance, and the people, but that alone won't keep me coming back if the food stays as it 's recently been. I was in Spencer MA recently, and ate at a new place there, called Mexicali Grill....it's simply outstanding...layout, food, drinks, service. I don't get to Spencer as a rule, but actually tried to find a reason to make the trip back, just to eat there again. Everyone's food was excellent.
(3)Eileen C.
I always have the tacos and make sure to include at least one al pastor, always amazing, though the other fillings are also good. The margaritas are not my favorites here, so I get wine or beer instead. Great atmosphere! Prepare to wait for a table on most nights, but once seated, service has always been good for me. If they have the pozole on the day you visit, order it! Heavenly.
(4)MIchael S.
Local hole in the wall joint that SAVED my wife's birthday after Tabella's inept staff did their best to ruin it. Awesomely reasonable. Very good margaritas, esp. the mango margarita. Very very good salsas (they could be spicier in my opinion - but so far all the mexican food I've had in Mass has been somewhat blander than expected, so perhaps it's a regional taste). Excellent fresh chips. Passable guac - again: good, but not mind-blowing. Service? Brilliant. Attentive and on the ball. Main courses? Amazing. We each had the 3 tacos: I had fish, braised beef, and carnitas. My wife had fish, carne asada, and chicken. Fantastic. And so cheap (in Minneapolis the same 3 tacos of comparable ingredients would cost almost double). Decent low-end wine list. Small - packs up fast. But a good sized bar. All in all a FANTASTIC neighborhood joint for eating in, take out, or just a drink at the bar. Such a welcome addition t my new 'hood!!!
(5)Rob S.
I love trying such unprepossessing joints. We were warned that it gets jammed fairly early and even arriving an hour after opening at 5:00 didn't save us from a 30 min wait. To shorten our wait we grabbed seats at the bar. This place MUST expand next door, as others have yelped. There really isn't enough space to wait without breathing on someone's guacamole. But man it is GOOD Guac! Enjoy it with the salsas and chips - an excellent start. I loved the asada, chorizo and fish tacos. Will return soon. And let's hope they do lunch someday.
(4)Emilene R.
The Cantina came highly recommended. Billed as a small Mexican restaurant with a reasonably priced menu and excellent service, the Cantina delivered exactly what it promised. For a place that's only been open a few months, they do a good business and people are willing to wait for a seat.
(4)Stephanie B.
Ever since I saw the signage go up a couple months ago, I have been anxiously awaiting a chance to try out this new Mexican restaurant in the Pioneer Valley (of which choices are somewhat limited). As a pretty much dyed-in-the-wool Texan, who grew up on weekly Tex-Mex food, I am pretty particular about my ratings. This place is still new and working out the kinks, but there is a lot of potential. Let's start from the beginning. We arrived around 6 pm to an already crowded, very atmospheric small restaurant. Nice big bar, several booths, and plenty of Dia de Los Muertos decor kept my skull-seeking eyes quite busy! The greeter and wait staff were very friendly, and happily conversed while we waited for a table. Plenty of different margaritas, local bottled and canned beers, mojitos, and fancy basil-muddled limonadas were on the menu. I very much enjoyed my Basil Limonada, and husbie enjoyed his Modelos. Although we were told it would be around a 40 minute, we were seated probably after about 25 minutes. We promptly ordered the chips and guacamole (unfortunately, any chips cost at least $4.75. In Texas, I am accustomed to unlimited free chips and salsa). The chips do not seem like they are made there, an unfortunate and perhaps important oversight. The guacamole also was not as tasty as other restaurant guacamoles, and was a very small portion, leaving us with many leftover chips. I then ordered the salsa, to finish up the chips, and there found my bliss. Salsa comes as a trio, with a more traditional red salsa, a green tangy salsa, and a fruity flavored (maybe peach?) salsa. These salsas were incredible! I just wish the chips were a little fresher or more homemade. I then ordered the cheese enchiladas (enchiladas come in threes...I had wanted to get one with beef filling, and 2 filled with cheese, but that wasn't possible). When the food came out, I was brought chicken enchiladas rather than my order of cheese. I let the waitstaff know (I am really not a fan of chicken, unless a juicy drumstick), and after the order was checked, they brought me a new plate with cheese enchiladas, beautifully presented. The enchiladas were in corn tortillas, a little fried, with black beans (you can choose pinto or refried), and with Mexican rice. Green sauce, and more shredded cheese, covered the enchiladas. The enchiladas were definitely more of the Californian or southwestern style - much less greasy than Tex-Mex - healthier portions, very fresh ingredients. I think mine were finished after a few big gulps, they were that tasty. The rice could have been a bit more flavorful. Husbie ordered chicken quesadillas (they used corn tortillas) and thoroughly enjoyed every bite (very reluctantly gave me a bite to try). The staff and maitre-d were quite apologetic about the order mix-up and not only comped me an additional alcoholic limonada, but also comped my enchilada meal!!! With the excellent and friendly service (despite the mix-up), delicious enchiladas, tasty beverages to try, and festive decor, this may be my new Friday hang-out. I just may forgo the chips until they get tweaked a little (but I love the salsas!!!).
(3)Helen T.
After seeing their parking lot packed for the last 2 weeks since they opened, I decided to get some take out and I wasn't disappointed! I ordered the Cantina Loaded Nachos with carne asada and they were delish! Fresh guacamole was included with my order (more than I've ever seen at any restaurant that had nachos!) All the flavors in the nachos melded perfectly; spicy, creamy, salty, crunchy and savory. The steak was cooked to perfection. I plan to go back and eat in soon, and order one of their margaritas too. It's so nice to have a good restaurant in South Amherst. If the full parking lot is any indication (even on a Tuesday night!), they should be around for a long time. **We went back on 9/4/2011 to eat in. Food was even better, and the atmophere was great! :)
(4)Jessica W.
Spectacular. Authentic. Great service. The long waits, lack of space for waiting, and quirky rules for how and where to queue are off-putting, but an so thankful that this wonderful restaurant has joined the food scene in town!
(5)Sanford L.
Amazing fish tacos and killer raspberry chipotle margarita. Great ambience, a little bit of a long wait but worth it. Yum.
(4)Pete K.
Small place but big on service a food quality. There is a reason that on most nights people have a 45min wait outside to get in. The food is fabulous and reasonably priced. Can't wait to go back
(5)Mary S.
Loved it. Not a huge fan of Mexican, but this was good. I had the special, sea bass. The best and half the price of what i pay elsewhere. Small though so be prepared to wait and standing in front of people
(4)Joel F.
That this pathetic strip center excuse for a tex mex restaurant gets multiple stars on Yelp and is packed to the gills nightly is sad testimony to the state of restaurant food in the Valley generally and any purported breed of Mexican or tex mex specifically. Having heard it was decent I finally wandered in around 9 on a Saturday.night. The space itself is cute enough, they seem to have kind of done what they could with the location. But there were a bunch of drunk middle aged people (never a happy sight) yucking it up with the bartender at the bar which certainly did not add. Menu is very standard tex mex, burritos tacos enchiladas margaritas etc. Since this was a first visit I stayed extremely basic and safe - margarita, no salt, chips & salsa, chicken enchiladas. The first warning sign came with gestapo like restrictions on ordering from the attitudinal woman server. Margarita, on the rocks only, straight up forget it. Combination fillings on the enchiladas? Absolutely not. Margarita came first with salt of course, sent back (no apology from server), some ok margarita mix and standard bar tequila. Then the chips for which they charge $4.50. Chips ok, out of the bag, with an artsy three salsa bowl filled with . . . what? Salsa # 1 - some kind of weird sugary version of pico de gallo. Salsa # 2 - salsa verde (excuse me, per the menu, "green sauce") with nada de picante or any other taste except, vaguely, salt. Salsa # 3 - unidentifiable but appeared to be watered down barbecue sauce. Finally, the chicken enchiladas. These were filled with extremely dry tasteless minced chicken, not even a hint of the awful "green sauce" on top, very standard sides of rice & refried beans and a wilty side green salad with strange white dressing tasting of chemicals. Tab for this unappetizing feast? $24 not incuding tip. The owners of this joint are printing money but I sure won't be back.
(1)Katharine K.
Really good food. I would definitely recommend this place to my friends and I'll be back when I'm in the Amherst area next.
(4)Yedi G.
Skip the chips (too salty) but choose the shrimp tacos. Inexpensive and really tasty. Great array of choices. Memo to owners: Rent the empty place next door. My husband and I too often have to leave because you're too full!
(3)Gina J.
The food is amazing, try the loaded nachos, and the Margaritas are amazing!! the staff is all super friendly (so are the owners). they have a great selection of beer and tequila, and the atmosphere makes you feel like you are on vacation =)
(4)Scott W.
This is one of the best Mexican restaurants I have been to anywhere. The menu is simple, and delicious. I have had the taco plate, burritos and chicken mole. They are all my favorite! The chips and salsa is served with 3 interesting salsas, the queso fundido is also a good starter choice. They have a good selection of tiquilias and knowledgeable bartenders. Just a great place to visit. If you go in the evening, go with the expectation that you will be waiting an hour. It is a good opportunity to have a drink while you are waiting and catch up with friends. The place will be completely packed. Parking is an issue as well, because everyone wants to eat here.
(5)Rachel E.
Best Mexican food I've ever had. I drive out from the Boston area once in awhile and Mission is always a must-visit, despite the fact that Amherst and the surrounding towns are filled with places to stop for tasty and unique food. My favorite is the taco combo plate with carnitas, carne asada, and fish tacos. Each taco has different layers of flavor; spicy and sweet with crunchy slaws and pickled onions. Their margaritas are perfect -- not too sweet and they always have a delicious special flavor to try if you want to change up a classic. Service has been super friendly and pleasant every time I've gone! It's one of my favorite places in MA.
(5)Tracy G.
4.5 stars simple mix-n-match menu, sides fresh, flavorful food potent cocktails, microbrews chips come out hot, the guac is smooth gluten free tortillas (ask for them) AND gluten free fish tacos (yay) fun ambience and decor *always* a wait because it's muy popular parking is tight the special blackened swordfish tacos were perfect; rice/beans kinda bland tho def be back!
(4)Adam C.
Best Mexican food in the valley that we've had. The loaded tacos with BBQ Pork Carnitas are my favorite. My wife loves the smothered burrito. The pineapple salsa is also a favorite. Great beer selection. After trying every Mexican restaurant we could find in the area and having very "meh" experiences, we were beginning to think maybe we just didn't like Mexican food. This place showed us that we do, we just hadn't found food that was worth liking.
(5)Iris B.
Meh. I was happy when they first started opening for lunch but quickly became bored with their menu and annoyed by the slow service.
(3)Vijay S.
Love their drinks and atmosphere! Best place to have fish tacos. Also worth the wait is their chicken mole, deliciously cooked to perfection, very tender meat , loved it!
(5)Emily R.
The food here is amazing! Good margs too! A small place so there's usually a bit of a wait and not enough parking.
(4)Alex P.
Delicious delicious tacos! I always order three tacos, a la carte. You really can't go wrong, but I particularly love the carnitas. It's my go-to place for food that reminds me of the Mexican food I grew up eating in California. Con: they often have a wait, especially on weekend nights. Get a seat at the bar, if you can score one, and have a drink while you wait.
(5)Emily B.
Outstanding food. We ordered loaded nachos with braised beef and they were to die for. I ordered a taco combo plate with chicken, carnitas, and braised beef tacos and every single one was amazing. Service was relaxed, helpful, and super friendly. I cannot wait to go back.
(5)Theo B.
This place is kinda amazing. Many times I am happy to eat here or better yet see there black day of the dead food truck saving me from having to eat hot dogs at an event on the commons. Amazing fish tacos.
(5)Chris B.
My wife loves this place. One of her favorites in general. Arguably the best "Mexican" food in the Valley. There are better tequila selections and sometimes the wait is brutal but food and atmosphere overcome those set backs.
(5)Ky M.
Amazing food at a great cost! We went on a night where the special was whole belly clam tacos, and omg they did not disappoint so flavorful and fresh! We also had the nachos as an appetizer and they just melted in your mouth so full of different zesty flavored and just plain deliciousness. My boyfriend had a watermelon margarita and loved it, and I do not drink and the bartender graciously made up a flavorful and non alcoholic beverage for me. Atmosphere gets and A+ and so does hospitality. We can not wait to go back!
(5)Laura V.
We had a great dinner at Mission Cantina. The fresh peach-ginger margeritas were terrific, and our tacos of various sorts were delicious . Our server Reid was attentive and very helpful!
(5)Ellen R.
This place is awesome. Food and drinks are always very tasty. I've had their quesadilla, tacos and enchiladas. Sometimes the wait is long but it is worth it!
(5)Dan R.
This past weekend we stopped in at Mission Cantina to have some food and drinks with friends and have to say that we like their new addition. When we arrived on Sunday the place was packed as usual but luckily our friends had shown up a little bit earlier and secure a seat. As usual the staff was really polite and outgoing. Our waiter did an incredible job of taking care of us and he was also hilarious! We started off our meal with chips and guacamole which we thoroughly enjoyed. Both My partner and I got sangria which we thought was delicious as well. Our tacos were good, our favorite being the pulled pork. Overall the quality and service is great here, but coming from an area with really great Mexican food, I have to say that Mission is pretty average. The food quality is great, the staff is incredible, but the prices are a little high. That being said we will definitely be back because it is one of the better Mexican restaurants in the area.
(4)Robert B.
To eat here is to know there is a God and She wants you to be happy. Start with the chips and salsa and move on to the taco combo plate. Crispy fish tacos are an absolute work of art. Life is short and you must have variety which means chorizo in one of the tacos even though you'll want more of the fish taco. Be brave. The only trouble is finding a table si sit at the bar. There is so much happiness to soak in, but beware that locals are very possessive and do not want this place to move to a larger location somewhere else.
(5)Pat A.
Best Mexican I've had in awhile. The menu is small and simple and everything's good. The combo taco plate is my personal favorite with at least one fish taco and a margarita. I'm always looking forward to going back to Mission.
(5)Donna H.
Yummy quesadilla. Probably the best quesadilla I've ever had. Interesting atmosphere. A good mix of people and amazing drink options. We also had the chorizo dip and chips. Yum yum! I highly recommend. I'll visit again soon.
(5)Heather R.
Mission is by far the most authentic mexican food in the north east, we always try other places and are dissapointed. Classic fresh Mexican food and drinks. Fresh squeezed sour mix each day, fresh guacamole and salsa too. The bartenders are fantastic and will cater to your liking if you care to inquire about the more adventurous drinks on the menu. Have been going there for over 2 years, been to Mexico and back and it Rivals mexican food in California. Yes you will have to wait a while cause it is typically busy, order some drinks and relax, if you are in a rush and cranky do us regulars a favor order take out.
(5)Jamie C.
The food is flavorful, the drinks delicious, the seating arrangement awkward and uncomfortable. Not the place to go if you want to carry on a conversation with your date (or avoid sitting on top of the customers around you). Hard to avoid sitting next to kitchen door or bathrooms. Hopefully they can expand soon with all the business rolling in. Until then I may just go back for take out orders and mix my own margarita at home for better ambiance.
(3)Mariya V.
Best Mexican food in Amherst! I've tried the other Latin/Mexican joints in town and I've never been hooked. I always find the flavors to be too bland, but mission cantina gets it right. The loaded nachos are delicious, filling, and don't make you hate yourself after. The fish tacos and burritos are my favorite and never a miss. Go for the loaded taco plate and try out a few different fillings. Another plus, lots of different types of margaritas! My personal fav is a spicy pineapple one (not sure what it's called). This place definitely gets busy, so either call ahead or go early if you're trying to avoid a wait!
(4)Stephen O.
First visit last night, the food was great, drinks were great, and the bartender was knowledgable, friendly, and welcoming. Looking forward to my next visit.
(5)Sam M.
This is one of the most authentic Mexican restaurants I have ever eaten at and as a Mexican, my standards are very high! I was shocked by how good this place was in the middle of no where Mass! The tacos are amazing, as are the margaritas. The only reason I can't give it 5 stars is because it is always packed, the prices have continuously gone up, and I don't like having to pay for chips and salsa at a Mexican restaurant (though they are delicious here). Staff can be hit or miss too. Definitely recommend it if you're not starving and are patient enough to wait for a table.
(4)Karin O.
I went here with a party of 6 on a Sunday afternoon. We arrived about 20 minutes before their opening time on a hot, sunny afternoon. Although the doors were open (for a breeze) and the staff was in, we were told we had to wait outside. Not a big deal, but if it was my restaurant, I would have offered cold beers/ drinks to my patrons while they were waiting. Why not take advantage of your captive, thirsty audience?) When they opened we were promptly seated and our orders taken. Kind of lame that they charge for chips and salsa at the table while you are waiting for your food, but the chips were fresh and good. I got the special of the day which was lobster tacos (Lobster, bacon, avocado = a trifecta of deliciousness). The portions were on the small side, but I was full, so it's all good. Others in the party had enchiladas, burritos, tacos. Nothing but good comments about the food. They had a nice selection of beers on tap and in bottles. Prices were reasonable. I see some previous comments about the staff being less that warm and welcoming, and I would have to agree. The hostess was not very friendly, but our waiter was fine. On a previous visit, they refused to split my son's check among a few cards. They weren't asking for the check to be totaled by person. Just - here's a few cards, divide it evenly. Really, they can't do that? It's not like it's rocket science. Can improvements be made to make this place a bit more "customer friendly"? Absolutely. Would I return? Probably.
(3)