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Name: Border Cafe
Address: 128 Middlesex Tpke, Burlington, MA, 01803
Telephone: (781) 505-2500
Price range: Under $11
Rating: 3.52

Border Cafe

128 Middlesex Tpke, Burlington, MA, 01803

(781) 505-2500
Store is closed

Border Cafe Menu

Cajun Appetizers

Cajun Popcorn

Blackened Chicken Fingers

Camptown Shrimp

Crawfish Ettouffee

Louisiana Gumbo
Mexican Appetizers

Guacamole

Pastelitos

Chorizo Mexicana

Chorizo Flambado

Chili Con Queso

Tejas Chicken

Border Chili
Vegetarian Appetizers

Vegetable Quesadilla

Guacamole
Salads

Mesquite Grilled Salmon Salad

Shrimp And Crawfish Caesar Salad

Caesar Salad

Blackened Salmon Caesar

Mesquite Grilled Chicken Fajita Salad

Route 66 Chop Salad

Steak And Bleu Cheese Salad

House Salad

Tostada Grande
Vegetarian Salads

Black Bean Tostada Grande

Caesar Salad
Vegetarian Entrees

Vegetable Fajita

Corn And Black Bean Empanadas

Bean Burro

Cheese Enchiladas

Vegetable Jambalaya

Eggplant St. Charles
Burgers

Hamburger

Cajun Burger

Mexican Burger
Mesquite Grilled

Mesquite Swordfish

Chicken Bandera
Fajitas

Beef Or Chicken

Blackened Catfish

Vegetable Fajitas

Rio Grande

El Pueblo
Cajun Favorites

Chicken And Chorizo Etouffee

Blackened Salmon

Blackened Swordfish

Filet Mignon Jim Bowie Style

Crawfish Etouffee

French Quarter Chicken

Eggplant Royale

Catfish New Orleans

Blackened Chicken

Blackened Catfish

Gulf Coast Seafood Enchiladas
Mexican Specialties

Gaucho Chicken

Chimichurri Steak

Chicken Guadalajara

Salmon San Sebastian

Corn And Black Bean Empanadas

Burros

Soft Tacos

Enchiladas

Taco And Enchilada
Quesadillas

Quesadilla

Vegetable Quesadilla

Shrimp And Crawfish Quesadilla
Sides

Jambalaya

French Fries

Mixed Vegetables

Corn Bread (2)

Sour Cream

Pico De Gallo

Sliced Avocado

Black Beans

White Rice

Jose's Rice

Cheese

Flour Tortillas (4)

Healthy Meal suggestions for Border Cafe

Cajun Appetizers

Cajun Popcorn [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Blackened Chicken Fingers [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Camptown Shrimp [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Crawfish Ettouffee [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Louisiana Gumbo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Mexican Appetizers

Guacamole [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pastelitos [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chorizo Mexicana [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chorizo Flambado [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chili Con Queso [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tejas Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Border Chili [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Vegetarian Appetizers

Vegetable Quesadilla [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Guacamole [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Salads

Mesquite Grilled Salmon Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shrimp And Crawfish Caesar Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Caesar Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Blackened Salmon Caesar [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mesquite Grilled Chicken Fajita Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Route 66 Chop Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Steak And Bleu Cheese Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

House Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Tostada Grande [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Vegetarian Salads

Black Bean Tostada Grande [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Caesar Salad [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Vegetarian Entrees

Vegetable Fajita [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Corn And Black Bean Empanadas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Bean Burro [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cheese Enchiladas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vegetable Jambalaya [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Eggplant St. Charles [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Burgers

Hamburger [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cajun Burger [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mexican Burger [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Mesquite Grilled

Mesquite Swordfish [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Bandera [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Fajitas

Beef Or Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Blackened Catfish [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vegetable Fajitas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Rio Grande [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

El Pueblo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Cajun Favorites

Chicken And Chorizo Etouffee [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Blackened Salmon [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Blackened Swordfish [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Filet Mignon Jim Bowie Style [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Crawfish Etouffee [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

French Quarter Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Eggplant Royale [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Catfish New Orleans [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Blackened Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Blackened Catfish [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Gulf Coast Seafood Enchiladas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Mexican Specialties

Gaucho Chicken [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chimichurri Steak [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Chicken Guadalajara [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Salmon San Sebastian [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Corn And Black Bean Empanadas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Burros [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Soft Tacos [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Enchiladas [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Taco And Enchilada [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Quesadillas

Quesadilla [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Vegetable Quesadilla [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Shrimp And Crawfish Quesadilla [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]
Sides

Jambalaya [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

French Fries [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Mixed Vegetables [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Corn Bread (2) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sour Cream [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Pico De Gallo [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Sliced Avocado [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Black Beans [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

White Rice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Jose's Rice [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Cheese [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Flour Tortillas (4) [ Carbohydrates (ms): 0, Sodium (s): 0, Saturated Fat (ms) : 0, Calories: 0, Sugar (ms): 0 ]

Visit below restaurant in Burlington for healthy meals suggestion.

Chili’s ( 108 Middlesex Tpke )

Johnny Rockets ( One Burlington Mall, Sp. 1079,Burlington Mall )

Visit below restaurant in Burlington for healthy meals suggestion.

Chili’s ( 108 Middlesex Tpke )

Johnny Rockets ( One Burlington Mall, Sp. 1079,Burlington Mall )

Write An Anonymous Review

Melissa A.

Their food is sooo good... I wish they had take-out. :/ They offer their food for dining in only.
(4)
Jessica M.

I love this place. Yummy cheap mexican/cajun food! The service can be a bit iffy at points, but overall, totally worth it! Try the margaritas! Yum!!
(4)
Cynthia E.

Great Mexican food. Some of my friends don't really like it here, but I always like my meals. Usually a burrito or rice and beans with chicken. I love their margaritas as well. We got an extra shot if tequila on the side to throw into our margaritas for that extra kick.
(4)
David C.

Lori and I eat here quite often and this was our favorite place for Mexican food. (notice I said was) Now to be fair the number of times we ate her without incident far outweigh what you will read in this review, but it always strikes me that they may have new management and this is the reason. Anyway the Last time we ate here two weeks ago we arrived late lunch ear;y dinner time. The place was packed and the waitress, new to us, was agonizingly slow. We were in the main dining room and usually eat in the booths in the bar area, so we weren't pleased but sort of shrugged it off as they were busy, we were in the main dining room and that was that. Tonight we went and sat in the bar area. This time the place was nearly empty. The hostess sat us, got us our pita chips and salsa and said your waitress will be right with you- she wasn't- in fact between ten and fifteen minutes elapsed before she showed up to take our drink orders and then just disappeared for another ten minutes. I neglected to mention it was the same slow woman we had on our last visit. The two people behind us were leaving and asked her to package up their food to take with them and this seemed to be approached as a monumental task. another waitress went by the bar asked if the drinks on the bar were ours and gave them to us. we then watched another ten minutes while she fretted over the packaging of food and finally she came over and took our order. Lori wanted another drink so she put her empty beer bottle at the edge of the table- nothing. Our intrepid waitress had seemingly disappeared. fifteen more minutes maybe twenty went by and another waitress brought us our food. she asked if we needed anything else loris asked for another drink she said oh ok who is you waitress, so after describing her off the new waitress went after another ten minutes I had had enough. I walked to the front and asked to talk to a manager. a woman stepped forward and said yes i asked if we could be waited on and explained the mysterious vanishing of our waitress, by then seeing the ruckus the second waitress hotfooted to the bar and brought another beer to the table. Now I must say that all of this nonsense ruined my meal Lori felt the same- but here is the rub. But first-let me state this. It always bothers me when I get bad service at aplace , complain and they say we won't charge you. I never ask for this and i certainly don't go looking for problems to get my meal comped and I said to Lori if they offer to comp the meal I want to pay for it and just get out of here but guess what. Not only did they NOT offer to comp the meal- they never ever expressed any sorrow over our inconvenience- we were treated like dogs and they couldn't care less. No apology by anyone in management- only the incompetent waitress fumbled and stumbled a half baked apology. We wont be back here for a while because despite years of patronage they apparently have no use for us.
(1)
Jackie C.

We get the same things every. single. time. Queso, Blackened chicken w/ fries (extra marmalade), Seafood enchiladas w/ rice & beans. The only thing that changes, in regards to the food, is how much blackened seasoning they put on the chicken, but that doesn't bother me, i love the stuff. The service on the other hand, is lacking. I've been sat at my table on numerous occasions and waited 5-10 minutes before someone came over. And then I seem like the bad guy because I am slightly annoyed, very hungry, and just want to order. All while seeing the server we ended up with hanging out against the ice machine. Whatever, that's not going to stop me from going back. The chips are crispy, the salsa is decent, and the food is good.
(3)
Larry C.

Ok, Border Cafe seems to have gotten a bad rap for not being a good Mexican joint here. Hello people...it's called BORDER Cafe, NOT MEXICAN Cafe...thus the Border like mix! That's why Jambalaya can meet Tex and Mex! Praise them for not rolling the same old boring 3 ingredient Mexican menu in 20 different dishes! Here's the good: Hot, addicting chips served with moderately spice salsa. Very good tasting Margarita's (only get on rocks, frozen is weak slush). Nice, hot variety of very good entrees. Ridiculously reasonable prices. Every time I get the bill I need to recheck since I think they must have made a mistake. The bad: Mostly ice in the Margaritas and it can be a bit loud. Overall, that's just a little bad! Lots of surprise menu options like the Eggplant. This is a great dish! I've never found it made like this anywhere and never done as well. Most won't come here to get Filet Mignon, but don't hesitate to try it. Very flavorful and not your classic big chunk'o'meat either. The Fajitas are very good. Fresh ingredients and the meats are moist, not all over dried like some places. The atmosphere is a big open room with a, somewhat, cheesy bunch of bayou meets Texas meets Mexico random stuff. I love that the gas lamps are truly gas flame lamps. The outdoor seating is very nice when the weather is good. Not many places around here have outdoor seating at all! About 50% of the wait staff are very nice and friendly. The other 50% are just doing their jobs. None seem to be rude or anything, but they are very, very busy so they are just doing what's needed to keep up. Anybody who compares this place to Chipotle has lost their mind. It's not even close. They're just a bunch of whiners who can't do any research and realize this isn't you're standard run of the mill Mexican joint. For a chain, this place is VERY good. Menu gives some really nice variety and all the dishes I've tried have delivered. Again, the best of all is the price. Crazy reasonable, especially for the kids... oh, btw, the kids meals (significant portions for kid size too) are under $4 and they come with a candy treat at the end.
(4)
Karl F.

I was first introduced to The Border CafÃ© about 20 years ago in Saugus. I have to say that I love it as much today as I did then. I tend to get the Chicken Guadelajara almost every time because it is so good. My wife gets seafood enchilada every time for the same reason. I have been to all of their locations and I think this one is clearly as good as the other ones. I think that if someone doesn't like this place they are just not a fan of good food or just a negative person.
(5)
Gregory P.

My favorite tex-mex type restaurant. The chips and salsa are excellent and the blackened chicken fajitas are the best fajitas I've ever had. I've been here probably 50 times over the last three years. Not everything on the menu is as amazing as the blackened chicken fajitas though. Most items are delicious though. Excellent prices on just about everything. Two can easily eat for under $30 here. For having such great food at low prices, this place deserves my 5-star rating.
(5)
Uday S.

This is one of my fave places to go. great food all year round. Try the Blackened Chicken
(4)
Melissa A.

Well, let me start out by saying that our service was not great, at first. It is all in the way staff react to problems that get my vote of confidence at The Border! It was Friday night after 7pm. I arrive to a 30-45 minute wait which is totally expected. My friend and I find two seats at the bar so we decide to stay at the bar for dinner. It was very busy at this time (around 7:30-8:00). We are so hungry that we know what we want straight away. We place our order and I, being the picky eater that I am, order my meal to be prepared a specific way, i.e. no sour cream or onions. After about 45 minutes and one and a half margaritas I realize that we still haven't gotten our dinners which is weird because this place sends food out like it's a Chinese take away. So, in my happy state I yell to the bartender "where the heck is our food!" jokingly but serious too! The bartender (a super sweet kid) was surprised and looked into this immediately. He came back and apologized and said that our food would be right out. It did come out pretty quickly after that. Although the food was delish they neglected to prepare my meal as requested. I figured that this was just a bad night and putting things into perspective: this would prevent me from overeating is my thought-process. Well, my friend decides to speak up on my behalf and the bartender looks horrified. To make a long story short (too late, sorry) the manager Brendan comes out and apologies and offers us our dinner at no charge and a voucher to come back. I hold service people to a very high standard as I am in customer service and have been known to rip into people for under servicing me. I just want to point out that no one is perfect and that includes service people and mistakes do happen from time to time. It is how mistakes are handled which dictate the outcome. In my opinion, this mistake could not have been handled any better. I have never had a problem at The Border cafe before and I know that if I do ever have one again they will handle it correctly and end up making me like them more :)
(4)
Alicia S.

I love this place. Great atmosphere, excellent drinks, good service and very tasty food. The prices are reasonable too. I know it's not authentic Mexican food, but it's delicious. Sometimes I'll go and just have a few appetizers, other times I'll have an entree. The tacos are great with a side of jambalaya. The fajitas are good too.
(4)
Bob S.

Been here a couple if times now, once for a work function and this time with my friend Dan. Both times were comparable experiences over a period of a few years so I give them credit for consistency. Went here most recently on a Wednesday night and it was slammed, even though we got here a little after six pm we had to use the overflow parking up the hill and there was a small line which was considerable larger when we left. One of the things I like about this place is that it attracts a real diverse crowd, from large family gatherings to kids hanging out to business folks looking for a bite after work. Staff is pleasant and professional (and proficient given the pace). For starter this time we had the Blackened chicken fingers and a cup of the chicken gumbo. The chicken strips would make a great meal in and of themselves; I highly recommend them. The gumbo was good, and I liked the southwest take in a creole classic. Might be too much of the same for a bowl, but a cup was perfect. The chicken enchiladas were good as well, nothing notable or exceptionally different, but the jambalaya served with it was almost more like a hash and not what I expected. Have also had the black bean and corn enchiladas here before during the 3.5 days I thought I wanted to be vegan, and those were excellent. Affordable, chips and salsa are great; all in all a solid choice for Mexican and tex mex food with a hint of Louisiana thrown into the mix.
(4)
Chandler B.

Great drinks , poured strong. Blacked chicken anything is very flavorful. Fun place with great bartenders.
(5)
Kathleen F.

I love that the Border Cafe is so big and can definitely cater well to large groups. They also have delicious chips and salsa and lots of semi-healthy options involving seafood and veggies for those that want a healthier taste on Mexican. Food is yummy and service is fast (think they've had some practice since they are always so busy). I would definitely recommend hitting this location up if you are meeting w' friends who live all over there area, it is nice and central and has plenty of parking!
(4)
Kathy S.

I have mixed feelings about this review... The place is enormous! Plenty of parking and tons of room inside! We went on a Saturday night at 8:45 p.m. I was with 17 people and called to make a reservation earlier in the day. NO Reserverations. Which is just really dumb on their part with such a large party. So we went in anyway and I have to give this place credit. Within 15 minutes we were seated. It was incredible! So kudos to them for seating us that quickly. The inside decor is pretty cool, too. But, while we were waiting to be seated we sat in the waiting area and it was really dirty with empty salsa dishes, empty chip baskets, cups and napkins on the floor. We get seated pretty quickly in a nice corner and our waitress was fantastic. Very sweet and amazing. I just had a chicken quesadilla . I have to tell you it was definintely, by far, the WORST chicken quesadilla I have ever had. The chicken was fine. It was this sloppy red mess they had all inside of it. It was like they opened a can of campbells tomato soup and poured it all inside of my quesadilla . It was disgusting. I hated it. AND...you ask for a side of guacamole and they give a scoop the size of a quarter..that you have to pay extra for. I definitely will be in no rush to go back here...I'm totally disappointed for sure!
(3)
Ron Y.

Just had a great dinner at Border Grill. Visiting from SF area & it just LOOKED like a good place to try. Plus many good Yelps! Service on this very busy holiday night was excellent. Loved the chips & salsa, but my eggplant/crab entree was unusual & outstanding! Highly recommend.
(5)
Marvin J.

Got in town late and this was one of the only places open around the hotel. I was not particularly craving tex-mex, but I ended up ordering the chicken enchiladas. They were good, but this place definitely goes heavy on the sodium. Salt, MSG or something. I have had better, but again, they were open so I have to give them props for that.
(3)
Irwin F.

Cue bad country music. Add screaming children. Check outside to see if your car is being towed from the landscape island you parked on because all the spaces were taken. Ah...the Border Cafe. The Border Cafe is not for everyone and it doesn't pretend to be. If you hate kids and noise, go elsewhere. If you want pretentious, fancy food that is overpriced and served in small portions, there are plenty of places in Boston that will gladly take your money. If you are looking for that old-fashioned Mexican dish that you had when you were backpacking through Monterrey, this is not the place for you. Now that we've gotten that out of the way, I will tell you what the Border Cafe is. It's a place to grab a quick weekend lunch or to chill after a long day at work. The atmosphere is cheesy, but in a fun, cool way. The service is generally good and no better or worse than anywhere else, and it is always very fast. The prices are reasonable and I never leave hungry. The food itself is delicious. Fajitas are the thing to get and they do them very well. I get what they call jambalaya and put it inside of the fajitas. The french quarter chicken is also very good. Fresh chips and salsa to start and free refills on sodas make this place one of my favorite places to eat.
(5)
Tom X.

Must say, haven't been to the Border in years and I happen to drive by this one every day on the way to work, so my brother and I decided to stop in for lunch before heading to a movie. Glad we did! I always have had good memories of this place from years ago when I used to frequent their Route 1 location. The Burlington Location is very clean and bright. We ordered the Cajun popcorn shrimp app and had the delicious free chips and salsa they have always served, great as usual. I of course, had to order one or three of the always excellent Margheritas! I believe my brother ordered the Crawfish Etoufee and I had the Blackened chicken with rice and black beans. As I stated before, hadn't been here in a long time and happy that they are as good as I remember. I also had to give shout out to our server Nick. He was seriously one of the best servers we have ever had. Very attentive, always there if you needed a refill or anything else, too bad there couldn't be someone like him in every restaurant! Overall excellent time. Would highly recommend to others and will definitely be back. good prices and portions to boot.
(4)
Stephanie K.

I was in Massachusetts for business and staying at a hotel located near the Border Cafe. Decided to stop in after briefly looking it up on yelp. Being a Texan, I'll eat Mexican food anywhere I go and be happy about it. I couldn't get a seat because it was so busy and because some Yankee broad decided her purse needed its own bar seat. Whatever, I left. This ended up being a blessing in disguise as it lead me to discover Wegmans, which might be the best grocery store ever graced with my presence. Later in the week I decided to give Border Cafe another go. There was no host at the host station so I seated myself at the bar. Now yelp calls this place a Mexican restaurant and judging by the dos equis, corona, and tequila bottles I spied behind the bar, I felt confident that this was a Mexican establishment. I quickly realized that this place only serves bottles beer. No. Beer. On. Tap. Weird, but ok. I opened my menu and discovered that Border Cafe couldn't figure out what it wanted to be when it grew up. There were Mexican options, sure, but the majority of the food options were creole. Not that I'm complaining here, because both of these should be on the food pyramid in my opinion, but again, weird. The bartender served me chips and salsa, which lacked heat, but tasted ok. I ordered the eggplant royale, which is fried eggplant topped with lump crab and cheese. I also got jambalaya as a side. This was a gamble on my part, because a lot of things can go very wrong with a dish like that. My gamble paid off though. The food was delicious. Very glad I paid this confused establishment a visit.
(4)
Dana S.

Safe tex mex food. Like kids? Then you should come here. Food is cheap. Filling. Free chips and salsa It can get crazy busy on the weekends. On the earlier side of things. Because of course people bring thousands of kids. But it is open later so that's good too
(4)
Jeff M.

Border Cafe should just be renamed "Value Cafe". Not much is authentic here (although the gumbo can make a pretty solid case). I don't go here though to be whisked off to some remote Mexican village or the Bayou....I go for no frills, cheap but still decent food and drinks. I prefer this location over the Route 1 or Harvard Square haunts. I was actually in Harvard last weekend and there was still over an hour wait at 9 PM! Forget it on the weekends on Rt 1 as well. Now, a random Tuesday or Wednesday night after say 7:30 PM and you won't need to wait any longer than 15 minutes here, wait until around 8:30 and there shouldn't be a wait at all. I'm not a big booze drinker but Border pulls me in with a margarita and I don't feel any less manly ordering a non beer here than if I was at some swanky bar. Nothing wrong with a little wait for dinner when you can go and order one of these delicious, $7 concoctions and start the night off right in the waiting area or at the bar. And if I do want to stick with my usual beer choice, Modelo is one of my favorite from over the border (well at least in name, they are "Mexican"). Free chippies and fresh salsa are at your table within 30 seconds of sitting down every single time, always a great touch. If you don't start everything off with a $2.50 cup of gumbo well then there is no hope for you. Save some of the chips and top them with the gumbo, added bonus! Watch out though, if everyone at the table didn't order one with you and ask to try it, it's going to disappear a lot quicker than you'd like. Why didn't I just get the bowl again? While the catfish etouffee has been my go to entree the past seven or eight times, I did try the seafood enchilada during my past visit and it will now compete for my heart each time I'm here. Stuffed full of crab, shrimp and crawfish with a tinge of spice, I savored every bite. The portions of beans & rice could be a tad bigger or were at least smaller than I remember, they were adequate and well seasoned. I skipped the salad altogether, a few tomatoes and iceberg made me yawn. Service has always been professional and courteous even if a little flaky at times. I get thrown off by the white coats, did the chef just come out to greet me? I timed pieces of our entire last visit and here is what I came up with. Time to be seated from checking in until we were: 13 minutes. Time it took to receive chips/salsa: less than 1 minute. Time it took for entrees to arrive to the table after ordering: 11 minutes I struggled between four and five stars but settled on the most because there are few things wrong with BC and just the time frames above are what put me over the top and keep us happy. Keep doing what you're doing, keep the prices low and we'll keep piling through the doors like cattle.
(5)
Eloise M.

This place is the change up for our usual trip to the Chilis down the street if we plan to spend a little more for slightly tastier and more creative Tex Mex. I love the fajitas. All the ingredients are fresh, the guacamole is delicious and I love the pico. They have options of sides of beans or rice, which are both standard nothing crazy. The drinks are moderately priced. I thought the standard margaritas were more sweet than would be expected and next time I will be having beer as they have the typical dos equis and whatnot inexpensive. My mexican obsessed friend had the enchiladas and said they were standard affair but definitely good. Atmosphere wise, this place can be crowded and it is typical a pretty loud and bustling place. However service always seems to be reasonably quick, even if we have had to wait for seating on occasion.
(4)
william w.

Very Busy Very Crowded ordering recommended fajita for 2; blackened chicken fajitas & steak; jambalaya & french fries sides dishes best
(4)
Cory H.

Very nice Tex-mex restaurant, but if you're looking for truly authentic mexican, not quite what you're in for here. Nice menu selection with great flavorful foods (love the Shrimp & Crawfish Quesadilla). Service is friendly and easy going. This place is very busy, but service is generally quick so they move people through the restaurant very well. Beverages are also quite large (Yes, even the alcoholic ones!). Overall nice experience and good food. You'll probably have leftovers too!
(4)
Local E.

Gone nearly every Friday night for years. Arrive at 5:45 so you have a prayer of finding parking. Madhouse exactly at 6. Staff won't seat you until you're all there. And, no, they will never recognize you as a regular. Factory. Bad points: the food is extremely salty. Good points: French Quarter chicken, filet Bowie style, salads w salmon, fajitas Gone downhill: crawfish Ã©touffÃ©e ever since the BP / Gulf of Mexico disaster Mystery: no burritos
(3)
Steve W.

1st off its very,very noisy. Add screaming kids and u will want to bring earplugs. Other than that the foods great. Good portions and all the chips and salsa u can devour.
(4)
Michael T.

Chicken quesadillas with no chicken in it and very soggy. The remade it and the same thing. F- service. No tip. Very inconsiderate.
(1)
Clara S.

I went here for the first time with some friends I was visiting that had been here plenty of times. The drinks are actually pretty decently priced, I got a frozen margarita to start, and it was delicious. The decor is fun but not too overbearing, and there's plenty of seating. My favorite thing about it was the salsa. It was so good. I would purchase jars of this to take home with me if I could.
(4)
Brian S.

The chips and salsa were great, but that's about it. The beans tasted like seafood (how does that happen?) and the rest of my food was just bland. I don't know how the wait for this place is so ridiculously long sometimes; it just isn't worth it. In addition, the interior feels way too "commercial". It kind of feels like walking into a Chili's. You've got 6 locations in the US, Border Cafe, there's no need for them to look exactly the same. On the plus-side, the service was friendly and the prices are reasonable.
(2)
Robert C.

This place has a selection of food you can choose Mexican food Tex Mex food and Cajun food the food here is great and the service
(4)
Gaby C.

Great place all around! Amazing service, really took notice to that. Great food for great prices. GET THE GUACAMOLE- it's homemade and it's delicious. No complaints here. Would definitely come back.
(4)
Sebastien T.

My girlfriend and I make a point to visit this fine establishment at least twice a months. Service staff are professional and friendly, even on those really crazy Saturday nights! Free chips and salsa are always good! Chicken fajitas are reasonably priced and delicious. However, we have noticed that the amount of chicken have been getting smaller and replaced with more onions! Please don't skimp on the chicken!! As for drinks, your frozen margaritas are worth dying for!!
(4)
Elizabeth Y.

I love this place and can't wait to go back! The main thing I want to emphasize here is value: the prices are low and the food tastes great. I love the unique blend of Tex-Mex, Mexican and Cajun food. This is not the place you want to go for authentic Mexican, but that's what I love about it. It's different, and all the combined flavors and dishes work well together because the different cuisines are all from the Gulf region. Chicken Bandera is my favorite! The shoestring fries are awesome. I could knock off a star due to the long wait that I'm always subjected to, but I won't, because I'm never disappointed.
(5)
Linda P.

I worked in Burlington for many years and my "going away" party was at the Border CafÃ© - we had a blast! We managed to secure a spot in the front near the fireplace (it was January) - the service was a bit spotty but that can be expected - we had a group of about 30 people. Excellent food and great drinks - highly recommend this restaurant.
(5)
Anthony C.

Got here early around noon. Got seated right away. There was maybe 7 tables. We waited a good 10 min before anyone came over. Not good. Food okay. Margaritas watered down.
(3)
Shannon T.

My brother recommended the crawfish Ã©touffÃ©e here. It is sooooo yummy and the ultimate comfort food. The cornbread is light and and fluffy inside and crisp outside. The kids meals are priced just right and they gave the biggest basket of fries to my daughter, it dwarfed her!
(5)
Michael B.

Food is good (especially for the price), mostly doing this review because yelp currently says they do take out and this isn't true. I've called a few times to ask about take out and they don't do it. However...you probably could go to the restaurant, sit at a table, order food and then immediately ask for it to be packed up to go and that'd be ok.
(3)
Amanda M.

It's the only place I will order a margarita. I get strawberry because they muddle fresh strawberries and use large sea salt flakes on the rim. Delicious food also. The chips are perfect. Just the kind yet get from an authentic Mexican restaurant, but the authenticity stop about there. I've had the chicken fajitas and they were delicious.
(4)
Dave M.

Consistantly good. Blackened chixken (both the dinner and the fajitas) are my favorites. Gumbo keeps me warm and the beer selection is vast. Hidden gem is the house salad which feeds three and ihas a nice balsimic dressing. The place is noisy and always crowded but thats what reasonable price and good food gets you. If you like loud active places with good food, this place is for you. If you want quiet conversation and linen table clothes then don't come here. Only complaint is the removal of the pasta orleans, a powerful spicy pasta dish.
(5)
Jeanne G.

Should be one star but our servers were good. Everything is over salted - and I say this after drinking a margarita with a salt rim! Chile con queso is just microwaved Velveeta and Rotel. Enchilada sauce a bottled Old El Paso. Rice is probably Zataran's. Black beans just dumped on a plate, no garnish, no taste. Salsa looks and tastes like jarred. Bar is lively but the margaritas are lightweight. Just go to the supermarket and make your own dinner.
(2)
Victoria T.

My favorite mexican spot. I love the chicken burro - it's my absolute favorite. I could eat it every day. I have always had exceptional service when I go there. Never once have I had a problem with my food or waitstaff. An A+ all around.
(5)
M d.

It should be noted that although it is listed on Yelp as a "yes " they do not offer food to go. I wasted my time driving here only to be told this. They get one because of the attitude when this information was presented.
(1)
Michelle C.

French quarter chicken!!! love it! creamy, peppery lemon cream sauce....and their fries are soo good. Get the ranch dressing to dip them in! Usually go to the Harvard Square location, but didn't feel like dealing with the parking there. The Burlington location has plenty of parking and the food is exactly the same.
(5)
Teresa S.

I love border cafe! Its good for families, date nights, and girls night out! The ambiance is nice, very loud but low key. Everyone can have conversations and not hear someone else's cuz they're just as loud. Chips and salsa are served pretty much as soon as you're seated. I always get the gumbo to start then it's a difficult decision between the corn-black bean empanadas, the seafood enchiladas, or the quesadilla. Food comes out quickly, even during peak hours. This place has great service, good parking, and usually never too long of a wait because there's just so many seats!
(5)
Patty M.

Great Tex Mex, food was delicious and the portions were large. We had steak fajitas, steak quesadillas, and veggie jambalaya. They are open till. 11:00 and the service was excellent. Very affordable. We all had left overs and had four drinks for $75.
(4)
Heather L.

I have eaten here twice now because it's right next to the hotel I stay in when I come up to Burlington on business. I'm really kicking myself for not taking a picture of my food because it is so delicious. First time I came with 3 other people and we all got different things and shared some apps. We got the "pastelitos" which are like these little baby empandas filled with shredded seasoned chicken and cilantro. They give you a cilantro/oil dipping sauce that has a little bit of red onion, green onion and some other things I couldn't identify but it sweet and has such a kick ass flavor. Their guac is out of this world good. Their chips are hands down the most amazing tortilla chips I have ever eaten. Ever. I talked to the waiter when I was there last and he said they actually have a chip cook that all he does all day is cook orders of chips. They come out of the fryer melt in your mouth good but they're not greasy. You get complimentary chips and salsa, order yourself some guacamole as an appetizer and you're all set! Their margaritas are pretty good- no ice chunks, strong enough to taste the tequila but not too strong that you're falling all over after 2. I tried the melon this time which wasn't overwhelmingly melon-y. Their chicken fajita was fresh and delicious as were there black bean and corn empanadas. In all honesty, you could get a meal and split it with someone and still be full. I got 4 empanadas with my dinner along with seasoned Mexican rice and black beans with cheese. The service has always been good both times that I have come and the bathrooms are really clean. My only complaint was that if you want sour cream, they charge extra and then you get a tablespoon of it in a cup. I like my sour cream and at the rate they charge I would get stuck paying $5 just for some darn sour cream for my food.
(4)
Tiff D.

I'm a fan of border cafe. I like their menu and their food. And prices are decent. No, its not Mexican. If you read the menu, you'd realize that they dont claim to be. It says "tex-mex and cajun cusine". They offer solid dishes like mesquite chicken with mango salsa and crawfish etouffee. Other than the service sometimes being subpar, I generaly like Border Cafe.
(3)
Andrew Q.

Do you like smelling like Mexican food? Well, if you come here, you better. And that's not the only thing you have to prep yourself for. Border Cafe offers cheap, decent Tex-Mex food with filling portions. Their chips are complimentary and endless, which helps you through the short wait for your food (markedly faster than other restaurants, I thought). Our server was friendly and very helpful, but it was near impossible to communicate with her simply because the atmosphere was too noisy. We resorted to awkwardly yelling at her as she maneuvered around the table. The food was quite good, in my opinion. I'm not a fan of pulled beef, so it was probably a mistake to order the pulled beef quesadilla. I enjoyed my mother's shrimp and crawfish quesadilla, however. Honestly, this place is remarkably cheap and very good for the price. Just be ready for the noise and smelling like Mexican food, and you'll have a great time.
(4)
T N.

An update to my review from 2014: yes, I said I would never return. But for some reason, I thought coming back a year later would yield better results. Alas, it did not. Our waitress tipped over the tray of water glasses, getting my friend's pants and jacket wet. She disappeared for almost 10 minutes (presumably to get the manager). In this time, another nearby waitress saw our dilemma and came over with paper towels and knelt on the floor to wipe up all the water. The manager came by and first asked if my friend's PHONE was alright. I guess they did not want to pay for a wet cell phone! luckily it was. They didn't offer to give our meal for free, though my friend's salad was taken off the bill.
(1)
Karen M.

The service here is very good: friendly, quick and professional, so they get one star for that. And the beverages are very large and they keep bringing refills, so another star for that. Otherwise the food is salty and fatty, and I just don't see any reason to seek it out.
(2)
Lc C.

I had only eaten here once and wasn't impressed by the food. However since the experience was years ago I decided to give it a second chance. Boy was I sorely mistaken. When we got there we were seated immediately by a friendly hostess. Waters were served all around and we ordered different drinks/ food not long after. To start the waitress gave us chips with salsa. The chips were warm but lacked flavor and the salsa was missing something. I ordered a chicken quesadilla with guacamole figuring it was an easy meal. The quesadilla was huge and looked delicious. What was really disappointing was the sour cream and guacamole. The quesadilla was huge but the portion of guac and sour cream looked like it was dispersed with a melon baller. If I'm paying extra for something I think I should be given something more than thimble size. The quesadilla was just as disappointing. It was very soggy and could not be held. It fell apart every time I tried to eat it. When I finally started using my fork to eat the chicken I decided to just eat when I got home. Aside from the hostess the service wasn't really friendly either. I don't think I'd ever eat here again.
(2)
Christine J.

tried it for the second time and this time I found it super delicious... i had the blackened chicken fajita. bf had enchilada.. both were really good and authentic! much better than the border's I remembered from the past. the service was also excellent! we had a lil girl with us and the waitress was so nice to her, gave her chocolate M&M at the end. had a good time!
(4)
Jenn T.

I heard this place was good in Harvard square, so I decided to check this one out nearby the hotel. Luckily the place wasn't too crowded for a Sunday night and was able to get a seat right away. They have a fairly large menu of mexican dishes and lots of choices for beer on tap and bottle. They supposedly have great amazing margaritas, but unfortunately I don't drink tequila, so I didn't try it. I got the enchilada + taco dish with a chicken taco and shredded beef enchilada. The enchilada was slightly overcooked, with a rubbery taste to it but once I got into the middle, it tasted ok. The taco was just simply a tortila with just chicken inside and thus slightly disappointing. It came with rice, beans and pico de gallo. I also ordered guacamole as an extra. Overall, the food was ok, good for cheap mexican food, but not great quality. The service here was good though. I really liked the homemade chips that they give you to munch on as well as the salsa.
(3)
Mike R.

This place had decent low end mexican food. As long as you know where you are and what you are getting, it is well worth the trip. The service will be hit or miss... the food will not be great, but it will be okay.... but it will also be priced well. My favorite dish (and the best value) are the chicken fajitas for around $10. Grilled chicken with tomatoes, lettuce onions and a side of beans... you really cant mess that up... The chip are good and the salsa is really spicy. Also, the table side guacamole is really good... it is something like $8 but it is the exact thing you get at much better mexican restaurants and they will charge something like @12. Essentially, they cut up fresh avocados right in front of you and add in all the other things that make it good guacamole... The best part of this place are the happy hour drinks... they have mexican beer for $2.50 per. And a bunch of apps for anywhere from $2 to $4. This is a solid choice for lunch or an after work spot to grab some drinks and apps without breaking the bank. Although be careful, all the frozen margaritas are $10 or more... And they don't put the margarita prices on the menu... They do make my favorite summer drink.. a frozen margarita - with a meltdown (with an extra shot of tequila).
(3)
Amanda S.

I'll start this review by saying that a Cajun/Mexican restaurant wasn't what I was expecting, but it was decent. I recently moved to Massachusetts from Texas, and I was pointed in the direction of Border Cafe by some coworkers who obviously have no idea what Mexican food is (I'm amused more than anything, guys). The service was great. I was a little confused by the atmosphere at first, but once I got over that, I enjoyed it. The guacamole was fresh, but sweet. Not bad. My girlfriend ordered chicken enchiladas which were also pretty good. We were amused by the option of jambalaya or rice and beans on the side. She should have chosen the jambalaya, as the rice and beans were lacking flavor. My swordfish tacos were excellent. They were actually better as leftovers the next day as I wasn't full of chips and salsa and guacamole and beer the second time around. Like I said, not what I was expecting, but I'd probably go again if the opportunity came up.
(4)
Ed L.

Simply put, this is a great place for the family to dine. We were seated the minute we walked in. The waitress was very professional, friendly and prompt. The food was delicious as usual. We ordered the guacamole, chile and gumbo for appetizers. For the entree we had the pulled beef quesadilla, corn and beans empanada and the chicken fajita. Everything was great.
(4)
Meredith D.

The chips and salsa were great. The chips were nice and warmed up. Only a few select bottled beer but that's ok. There are a lot of tables in there and it's very loud but it was fast and good service! The menu was good I got chicken enchiladas with rice and beans and I though the portion was good and the price right. Although if I wanted sour cream and guacamole I think you had to add on 99 cents each so I skipped it. My husband got steak fajitas and he said he enjoyed it as well. I'll defiantly go back again and try out another item from the menu. Overall I gave it 4 stars and I recommend going.
(4)
Lauren B.

Love the Border! every time i go i always have enough to take home at the end because they give you big portions. The food there is delicious and the margaritas are sooooo good! I've never had a bad experience here. all my waiters/waitresses have been very friendly and food has come out pretty fast. I've also had come at all different times and never really had to wait for a table which is good because normally by the time i get there i'm starving.
(5)
Mary C.

My boyfriend and I have been to this place twice now.. and its fantastic!! The atmosphere, the bar, the food, the waitresses.. everyone is so nice, they enjoy being there and its a very nice place to unwind, have great food, and good company. :) We got the Pastelitos both times as an appetizer cuz they were great.. I had a few margaritas and each was fabulous.. Everything we have ordered has been delicious.. I had the crawfish quesadilla which was great, and the fajita salad which was awesome. My boyfriend had got the enchilada which looked great too. We sat outside both times which was really nice with the nice weather, very comfortable.. It was really nice to find a place where the staff genuinely enjoys being there, you get big, delicious portions, great margaritas and they keep a high standard. Will go there many times more. :)
(5)
Mike S.

I meet friends here for lunch a few times a month during the week. The service is quick and the food comes out fast. It's not real Mexican food but it's still a great lunch spot with usually no waiting. Try the Tostada Grande with Chicken - Delish!
(4)
Molly Z.

Border never ceases to impress me. I've been going there frequently since my first time in 2010. It's perfect for a hungry belly and a tight budget, however my only complaint is that when it's very crowded it gets VERY loud which is hard for my hearing-impaired relatives. But I mean, you can't blame them for being crowded. They're delicious and consistent! I'd give it 4.5 stars if possible.
(4)
Mr. M.

Border Cafe, no good. Chips served broken. Burrito was cold. Mrs. Miyagi's eggplant was burnt. Given bill after 5 minutes, very rude. Servers decided the Miyagi's did not want dessert. Mr. Miyagi ALWAYS wants dessert. Overall it was a very unwelcoming, unpleasant experience which unfortunately cannot be undone.
(1)
Marcy K.

Mr K has wanted to try this place for a long time, but it's always packed, especially for dinner. I had the opportunity to meet a friend here for lunch, so lunch it was, albeit a bit early. We met at 11:45, and the place was fairly empty, but at 12, it was hopping. Lots of businesses in the area along Middlesex Turnpike and off the highway. Good thing we got here when we did. There's an outdoor seating area, but we opted for a booth, which provided a fairly quiet area to schmooze. The rest of the place was very loud. The attentive waiter brought really salty chips and a good salsa, but when I commented how salty, he brought the salt-free ones instead. They were good and fresh. I ordered a vegetable quesadilla, with lite cheese, which came with salsa, lettuce, and sour cream. The quesadilla was a little crispy on the outside and pretty decent. I didn't study which vegetables were inside, but I believe there were mushroom, peppers, cauliflower, and onions. My friend ordered a salad with blackened chicken and enjoyed her meal, too. I have plenty of leftovers, which is also a plus. The tab came to less than $20, with tax. They have a long list of margaritas, but we didn't partake. Will be back, but it will have to be for an early lunch or dinner. First come, first served. I'd say 3.5 stars but will round to 4.
(4)
Amy R.

I love Border Cafe. Even with a packed waiting area on a Friday night, we were sat in less than 15 minutes. Our server was decent and didn't keep us waiting. I got the cajun burger, a favorite of mine. It was a tad dry this time but I love the fresh poblano peppers in with the cheese.
(4)
Pamela P.

Never disappointed. They have a limited repertoire but what they do is terrific. I had the Seafood Encnhiladas and hubby had the Blackened Swordfish. So reasonable too!
(5)
Anne W.

Somehow this place has a good reputation.. I have no idea why. It's huge but always has a wait for a table. This place isn't really Creole or Southern.. it's just kind of fake with Southern names. Didn't taste like real gumbo or jambalaya. The prices are easy on the wallet but I think most people who go here are families. Nah... I'll pass next time.
(1)
Tracey M.

Margaritas seem to be consistently weak, as in not sure that there is any tequila in there. Just looking for a basic house margarita nothing too potent, but at minimum what I am paying for. On one occasion, I told my server that this was the case. She nodded her head sympathetically and apologetically, and remarked, " That's just the way the drinks are here." I am sorry she has accepted the below minimum standard for her place pf business. Otherwise, the servers are nice enough, and the food is pretty good, and pretty consistent with other Border Cafes. I do not believe the weak drink policy is consistent with all Border Cafes. I may give them another try this summer to see if they have changed at all.
(2)
Mimi W.

I freaking love this place. I always get the catfish, and the fish is so big, you'd think it came from that show, River Monsters or Hillbilly Handfishin'. Not to mention the fact that it also comes with a cup of black beans, rice, and a piece of corn bread. I think it's the best deal on the menu because it actually works out to be 3 meals for me (I'm small though). I love the chips and salsa there because they are endless, and because the chips are nice a hearty -- good for scooping. When my food arrives, it's a free for all because I'm using the chips to scoop the rice, beans, and salsa all onto one thick chip. GOOD EATING.
(5)
brian c.

This restuarant is perfect at what it does, which is providing quality drinks and solid, inexpensive Tex-Mex food. Ive been here several times and I have never once had a problem with anything. Staff are always pleasant, never had a complaint about the food, and the atmosphere is fine. I like the Chimichurri Steak dish the best. You get fresh chips and salsa for free too. Really, you cannot go wrong here.
(4)
Ram K.

The minute you step in there, you feel Ike a REAL TEX MEX place. Full of people and so noisy. Hahaha. I like that for casual lunch. I do not think this would be a good place for family dinner or romantic encounters. :) That is all about ambiance. Meal: Lunch Order(s): Egg Plant St. Charles & Chicken Fajitas The egg plant dish was filled with cheese and very good. I would be able to appreciate it much better with less cheese since the vegetable was cooked very well and had some roasted texture. Chicken Fajitas were awesome. The best blackened chicken in that area. Overall: Good food, and decent drink menu selection. Go there with some buddies. If you are from the South and felt like missing something you find there, go HERE once. I liked their Cajun menu, since I am from Louisiana and love their food. Sure sure, go there once if you like Mexican food.
(4)
Christina S.

This place is one of my favorites - awesome food and drinks for a super cheap price. I love their fresh homemade chips and salsa (has a nice kick to it). The number one reason I come here is for their queso appetizer. I haven't been able to find anything like it anywhere else. Their quesadillas are full of cheesy deliciousness and their fish tacos are amazing.
(5)
Food Hunting T.

I went to this place many times with my family. It's price is fair and dishes were fine. I cannot find out other places are more reasonable than this, if you can, please let me know.
(4)
Danielle F.

It's boisterous. The decor is a bit tacky. But you really can't complain when you get a warm meal with lots and lots of cheese for about $8. Border Cafe is a place that I've returned to again and again. As busy as it can get there, especially on a weekend, I've never waited more than 10 or 15 minutes for a table. I've also never had bad service; the waiters and waitresses here are prompt, friendly, and attentive. To start a meal at Border, you get a small dish of salsa with a bowl of tortilla chips. Often, the tortilla chips are too hot to eat because they've just been cooked. Of course, it wouldn't be a proper Tex-Mex-Cajun-Creole meal without a margarita. Border offers a variety of them. My personal favorite is the strawberry margarita. Unfortunately, the bartender forgot to put salt around the rim when I ate there last night, but this is the only time that's happened. More often than not, I order the Eggplant Royale, which consists of two fried pieces of eggplant coated with a creamy lump crab sauce. You also get cornbread and a choice of jambalaya or black beans and rice. Sometimes, the eggplant is cut on the thick side, and when this happens, the dish is a little disappointing. However, most of the time, the eggplant is cut exactly right. A recent new favorite is the Bean Burro. It's a vegetarian dish featuring a tortilla filled with black beans and covered with melted cheese and spicy ranchero sauce. Like the Eggplant Royale, it comes with rice and beans or jambalaya for sides. The portions are generous, and the food is delivered very hot. The food at Border Cafe is simple, but it works. It's hard to mess up dishes that mostly consist of beans and cheese. If you're looking for an authentic Mexican dish, this is not the place. But if you want something good and cheap, Border is a great choice.
(4)
Alexis J.

Found chicken in my specifically vegetarian dish. The waitress had even asked me if I was a vegetarian when I ordered off the vegetarian menu. While I was grossed out, I will say that the manager was genuinely apologetic. He said they set up a separate cooking station for veggie dishes. Obviously, that wasn't working out to well for them. :-/ They did comp only my meal in apology. Food wasn't good enough to make me overlook that mix up. The staff was very nice though.
(2)
April T.

Overall, a pleasant experience. We were visiting the area and had margaritas at the bar while waiting for our table on a busy Saturday night. The bartender was helpful and friendly and the drinks were tasty and made to order. Once seated, we were served salsa with house made chips to enjoy while we waited for our dinners to arrive. When trying out a new place, I tend to order a menu item that is standard fare- for Mexican food it tends to be fajitas or enchiladas. In this case, I went with the grilled chicken fajitas. The tortillas were made there and there were just enough (4). The chicken portions were nice big chucks of breast meat. The ingredients were a bit "off" from the norm- they served the fajitas with onions only, rather than with onions and peppers, and the side plate contained salsa, sour cream, and iceberg with shredded cheddar on top of it. Where's the guacamole? A bit odd, but still acceptable. My only complaint is that the grill platter seemed overly seasoned, a bit salty to my liking. I had to leave the last of the grilled onions behind because of that. The pricing for everything was what I would expect to pay and I would definitely go back for drinks and (probably) food if I lived nearby.
(3)
Adele F.

Always packed with people. Food is good. Happy environment. Fav dish is the captown shrimp in appetizer. Recommend it!
(3)
Winston C.

If you're looking for cheap Mexican/Tex-Mex food that's actually good, you need to come here. The thing about the Border Cafe is that it really is much more Tex-Mex and Southwestern than it is Mexican, though there are traditional things like burritos, enchiladas, and tacos on the menu next to fajitas and a variety of grilled fish and meats. The place is huge inside, so if you want to bring a bunch of people for some margaritas and good food, this is your place. Service is generally spot on, and the chips and salsa keep coming to the table until you tell them to stop; Their taco salads and Mexican fare (which is what I've had most) are really good, not too salty or overly sauced, and very reasonably priced. The cheese enchiladas with rice and beans are awesome, and one of my favorites. If you're looking for authentic Mexican, you may be a bit disappointed as this place tends to try to wear many sombreros as it were, but the variety of food they cook, they cook well. You won't regret it.
(4)
Warren C.

Damnit did I just come all the way to Boston to eat Mexican food? I couldn't get that in socal or Dallas? Silly me. Anyways, this place is decent. I'm slightly biased since I entered the premises working long hours and was also extremely hungry. The queso dip was pretty bomb. Steak was good. I didn't pay much attention to much else, but there's only like five restaurants in this area, so I'll probably revisit.
(4)
Sarah F.

Yum! Affordable and delicious with a lot of good options. The salads are HUGE and very good. I especially like the chicken fajita salad with ranch dressing. The ranch has dill in it and is soooo yummy. Be sure to fill up on chips and salsa and your entree because they don't serve dessert. Drinks are also very large! Prices have some weird cent values (ex $6.47), but the low prices are very appreciated. Good, cheap locale for a weeknight dinner or happy hour. Lots of kids and families and the huge location make it not the right spot for a romantic date. Is a good option for dinner before a movie.
(4)
Jim S.

Let me confess up front that the only Mexican food I've had is the Tex-Mex American variety. So I am hardly qualified to say if Border Cafe's food is genuine. But I will say this - it's good. We live in Burlington and probably go every couple of months. We went at about 5:30 Saturday night and it was packed. There were only two of us and so we got seated in about 25 minutes. My wife and I had both had margaritas, hers strawberry. Tasty. She had a really big salad and I had chili. Chili was good if not particularly spicy. They had a nice hot sauce on the table which jazzed it up a bit. For some reason they serve it with chips and salsa which is overkill because they already brought chips and salsa. My wife frequently gets blackened or Cajun swordfish. Nice, very moist, tasty. I got swordfish tacos which came with an avocado that had a nice cilantro taste. Overall the combination of flavors was excellent. In fact I don't think we've ever had a meal here, lunch or dinner, that we didn't enjoy. Thumbs up!
(4)
Nore M.

So the food was great, loved the empanadas. This review isn't about food or atmosphere or anything like that. I wanted to get food from here and take it back to my office but when i asked the host (presumably the owner or manager? 40-50s, button up shirt) about getting an order to-go, he said "we don't do to go orders." I chuckled thinking he was joking, but he told me with a straight face that they don't do to go orders, that they don't even have to -go containers. I thought this was weird, but because i had my heart set on the empanadas, i just sat at a table and ordered from the waiter. The portion was larger than I could finish in one sitting, so I asked the waiter, "what am i supposed to do with this if I can't finish" still under the impression that they "don't even have to go containers" and he said, "i can wrap it up for you, of course. it's your food!" I was very confused. The waiter came back a few minutes later with my food IN TO GO CONTAINERS!!! what is this about? I just don't get why the host/owner would lie to me about something so dumb.
(3)
Lorin P.

This is one of my favorite restaurants of all time. I have been to Border Cafe dozens of times over the years and I have absolutely NEVER had a bad experience. I've recommended this place to everyone I know and frequently bring coworkers and family here for lunch and dinner. First off, the atmosphere is great. The walls are covered with brightly colored murals and neon signs and upbeat country music plays through the speakers. Every meal begins with a basket of piping hot chips and salsa. I've had a lot of the options on the menu but here's some of my recommendations I frequently get. The Corn and Black Bean Empanadas. They have a perfect flaky crust and come with the best dipping sauce I've ever had. I also recommend the jambalaya as a side. The cesar salad with blackened chicken, or just the blackened chicken dish on it's own is also great. Its really well seasoned and I've never had it served overcooked or dry, like chicken can often be. My final recommendation would be the Chicken Guadalajara. Its a chicken breast infused with cheeses and a side of mexican rice. Its one of the best chicken dishes I think I've ever had. tldr; Border Cafe is an excellent choice. With low prices for large amounts of great quality food and drink, you can't go wrong!
(5)
Sarah T.

Border cafe -- my FAVORITE restaurant, hands down!! I am obsessed, and I mean obsessed, with the chicken fajitas here. Border has tasty, fresh guacamole. Delicious. Also, fresh, tasty salsa. Sometimes you can't stop eating the hot tortilla chips and salsa and fill up before the meal comes. The chile con queso is also good-- hot and cheesy. All three dips, the guac, salsa, and cheese compliment each other and make for a very satisfying appetizing course. As for dinner, you know how I feel about the fajitas. I rate this place 4 not 5 stars because despite being my fave restaurant and serving my fave meal, all batches of food are not the same. I've had an occasional less-than-fresh guac and salsa. I also don't appreciate the pale, not-well-flavored, and lacking-in-onions fajitas I've received every now and then. Can't tell yet if it's certain days or chefs on duty that influence this. That being said, there have been absolutely delicious batches that make you keep eating and eating, and then eating leftovers... I also applaud Border for having frozen margaritas. Quite thirst-quenching, and a perfect accompaniment to the chips& dip. Coronas do the trick, too. Yum! Also, this place is super popular. It is right across from the mall, after all. Anytime between 5pm and 8pm is crazy hour. Expect to wait, sometimes up to 45 minutes (yikes!) For the sensitive diners or those on a date, be aware that the atmosphere is ripe with cheesy country tunes and noisy children. Bottom line: Unless it's an off night, Border is quite delectable. Just get a margarita to enjoy during the wait, then finally, dig in!
(4)
Tom O.

I've been here a number of times, mainly because a friend loves the place, and I can tolerate it. These guys state that they're Tex-Mex - and there is no pork. WHY DO YOU HATE PORK?! Anyways, bar service is typically mediocre during the lunchtime rush. There are no beers on tap and their bottle selection is minimal. Table service is typically good, but there's always a time where you get an over-tabled server who doesn't have time to be attentive. I've had either a burger, chicken burro or chicken caesar salad each time I go. The burgers are nothing special, the burros have so much cheese that you go through a pound of it, before hitting the burro. The caesar salad, is, well, a caesar salad. As others have mentioned, the chips & salsa are good. I guess as long as I have a buddy that works in this area (like I do), we'll continue to go - but I put up a stink each time.
(2)
J.R. S.

I love this place. Its right by my work. I always... always... always get the the Chicken Burros, black beans and rice with guac and sour cream. I always say i'll get something different. Always end up getting the same thing. IT's amazing and giant portians for 10 Bucks. The sauce they use i wish i could buy and take home. This place is cajun and tex mex food. The chips and salsa are home made and the chips come out hot everytime. Order up a giant margarita and you ready to go. When my wife was preggers with my first kid we came to border 3 times a week. She loves this place. Only con is that they don't do take out. But if you go to the bar order what you want and ask for it to be wrapped up then its pretty much just ordering take out.
(5)
Ellen H.

I'm not huge on chains, but I am huge on Mexican. Literally. I eat Mexican, I get huge. Obsessed with the queso dip.. and I eat the whole bowl (hence the huge-ness). Service here was pretty standard, boyfriend's fajitas were pretty good, everything is good-to-go, nothing to write home about (except that queso.. hot damn).
(3)
Jenna P.

Abolsutely love the Border Cafe for a few reasons, they have quick service, delicious food and GREAT prices! I always get the chicken burro with black beans and rice. At $7, this can't be beat! Love the margaritas too!
(5)
Amanda C.

I stopped in here after work with a co-worker who suggested the place. I will definitely be back. I had a taco salad bowl, which was excellent. The atmosphere is fun and is definitely a weekend night hot spot. The drinks and food are reasonably priced. My initial impression was very positive, hopefully my future visits will be just as well.
(4)
Meredith F.

They should have been closed as they had no working restrooms! That's unacceptable- will not be going there again! We left and enjoyed dinner at Chili's instead. Why would the Burlington Board of Health allow a restaurant to remain open without working facilities?
(1)
Jesseca R.

The margaritas are a bit sweeter than I prefer and the salsa tastes like it came from a can, but the chips are fresh and pretty good. The food itself was not so great. I got the enchiladas & taco combo and they were very bland and the rice and beans were just so weird for Tex-Mex. It was black beans and some rice with lots of stuff mixed in that were not remotely what I expected. We also tried the jambalaya and were unimpressed.
(1)
Delilah A.

Not so hot on this place. Tastes fried fried fried. Wont be going back as the atmosphere as average too.
(2)
Steven C.

Went with the chicken and chorizo Ã©touffÃ©e and crawfish Ã©touffÃ©e. They both were great and so were the margaritas.
(4)
Barbara Jean R.

I love Border CAfe, and this location in particular is my favorite. the harvard sq. location is too much hassle to get to and I have always had better service here than Saugus, although that one is ok in my book. I chose to review this one because its my fav and the one i most often come to. I love their quirky menu, they have interesting and unusual items to try, i had a shrimp and crawfish quesidilla and it was amazing. drinks are not too expensive, around what I would consider a good average. Waitresses are always super nice and accomodating.
(5)
Eunice E.

Sure, it's chintzy and cheesy, but hot damn, their chips and salsa are tasty. The more I come here, and the more I learn (e.g., you can order raspberry-flavored margaritas even though they're not on the menu... you're welcome), the more I love it. The chips are strangely addictive, and I couldn't tell you why: they're pretty standard corn tortilla chips, but there's something about them and that tomato salsa that just really does it for me. And they're free! Then, order your entree, and by entree, I really mean fajitas. Because, well, they're the best thing on the menu. I don't think you really need to order anything else. Just get your fajitas with a side of jambalaya, and let the magic happen. Stuff your tortilla with your sizzling meat, onions, and peppers (brought fresh on a scalding skillet right to your table)... sprinkle in some pico de gallo and top it off with some of that salsa from the chips. Take a bite. Close your eyes. Sip your margarita. I'm pretty sure you're in Mexican food heaven, 'cause I'm right there with ya. MmmmMMMmmmmm. So it's not the most authentic Mexican cuisine. No big. It'll fill you up, please your taste buds, AND be kind to your wallet. Tripe threat combo right there. For whenever I don't want to hit the bougie scene in Boston, I'd happily take fajitas and margaritas here in Burlington.
(4)
Michelle A.

What a surprise! I didn't expect such fast and friendly service in such a busy loud restaurant. The food had a Cajun spicy flavor to the Mexican style dishes. We had a great time and had great food. We would definitely return and try to find one in our area ( Northern New Jersey) or somewhere else in our travels.
(5)
Urmy M.

Great food!! Lively place for Mexican food! Great service! Great food and great ambiance! Good for groups! Loved everything that we ordered, from the frozen sangria to the blackened chicken fajitas to chicken quesadilla !
(4)
Catherine H.

Good Tex Mex and "Ritas"it's kind of loud, but service is good and it's the best Mexican in the area.
(5)
Aaron K.

Border Cafe gets the job done. Is it authentic Mexican food? No. Is it as loud as a zoo? Yes. Once you get past these two things it's hard not to like Border Cafe. Frozen Margaritas with plenty of booze and good flavor at 7$ a pop. Swordfish Tacos each have 2 strips of grilled swordfish topped with a spicy/juicy mango salsa. The mango salsa es excellente. Sides aren't lackluster either. Grilled avocado was just as good as the tacos and their was a nice side salad included on the plate. For 12$ I was thoroughly impressed. The beef fajitas came with a bunch of toppings but the beef and grilled caramelized onions themselves made the plate. Everything was seasoned and cooked well. Service was efficient and friendly. Is the food authentic mexican? No. But it is creative and tasty. We will definitely be back for some frozen margaritas and good food.
(4)
N D.

I've been to the Burlington and Cambridge locations, and I enjoyed my food at both locations, though I think that the service was better at the Cambridge location. Our wait at the Burlington was long, and the staff blamed it on lingering tables before us. The service was OK (not particularly fast or attentive but not terrible either - the server was definitely doing the minimal required for a decent tip but not much more). The food is great at both locations. I love the wide range of selection (especially for vegetarians and those who are gluten free), and the prices are fantastic. There are other Mexican places in the area, but this is definitely the best food for the best value.
(3)
Raul G.

Delicious Border Cafe. Whenever I need a fix for some Mexican food, I head up to Burlington for some Border Cafe goodness. Is it the best Mexican in town? No. But they give you tons of food and its pretty tasty. Grab yourself a margarita and some fajitas and you won't be disappointed. For those looking for healthier fare, the fish tacos are a solid hit. The wait times can be discouraging, but its worth it.
(4)
Dannie W.

I like border. It is one of our routine restaurants to go. The one in Harvard square is the best. For the Burlington location, it is good except that I had a very bad experience in my first time visit. I ordered seafood enchilada, and the crab meat on the top was still cold. I asked to get another one, and the size shrunk half the size :( but then after several months I went there several times, the quality remained good. You get large amount of tasty food with a low price. And their freshly squeezed orange juice is healthy and tasty too.
(4)
David L.

Cheap food and very large portions. That said, most of the customers in this place probably aren't familiar with PX90. In fact, you may feel like you're in a casting session for "The Biggest Loser." Nonetheless, we like this place because it's a good spot to grab a bite to eat before a flick at the Burlington Cinema. Thus far we've experienced no issues with the food or service, but observing the clientele - 90% of them seem to have type 2 diabetes - may cause a loss of appetite.
(3)
Tamar O.

Exceptionally loud and service was terrible. Ordered guacamole to start. A sign that a restaurant does NOT have it together is when the main course arrives seconds after the appetizer. We knew after waiting twenty minutes for our app that this was going to be the case but when i called the server over to remind her we had not yet received it she assured me it would be out imminently. Sure enough, it was. As were our entrees all of three minutes later which is when it became clear that she either forgot to place the order or that it had just been sitting there and she neglected to pick it up. Either way it was a misstep which warranted some acknowledgement or apology neither of which we received. I ordered Argentinian flank steak medium which arrived brown on the outside and gray in the center. On a positive note my kids liked their french fries (two stars for decent fries). Worst part of the meal happened at the end when the server came to clear and did so by dumping all the dirty dishes onto the plate in front of my husbands face. Gross.
(2)
Sam H.

Great food at a very reasonable price. Margaritas are also very good. Best part is the service. The manager and hostess made sure we were well-taken care of at the bar while we waited to be seated outdoors, where eventually Jessica, our server took very good care of us
(5)
Jeanie M.

We went for a New Year's Day lunch. It was pretty decent. Frozen margarita was very good, typical large glass not too much booze. The soft drinks come in a huge glass (kept looking for the gold fish since it was the size of a small aquarium!). Way too much diet coke. I had the cheese enchilada & beef soft taco with jambalaya rice. Very good except the beef in the taco (shredded btw & I am sure used in all the shredded beef Mexican dishes) was SALTY & I love salt. The rest was great esp the jambalaya side. Husband had the gumbo which was delish plus the shrimp etoufee (sp?). Both very good. Chips were hot, salsa needed some kick and the con queso came out like soup & also needed some kick. Extra hot sauce added helped. Bottom line: Noisy, fun and ok. Not authentic Mexican or Cajun but good stuff-just stay away from the shredded beef. Service was very good and attentive.
(3)
Jen S.

I was skeptical to come here at first because I have not really liked Mexican food in my 5 year tenure of living in MA (I grew up in the south!). But this TexMex place is decent! Not flavorgasmic, but decent! I ordered the chicken soft tacos with avocado on the side. The Hub ordered chicken fajitas. I have to say, I've never had such good flour tortillas in my life. Not an exaggeration, just a testament to my experience with Mexican places in my 29 years of living. The fajitas are MUCH better than the tacos though (I generally prefer what my husband orders...). Taco meat here (like at EVERY OTHER place in MA) tastes like how I think cat food would taste. I had to take the meat off the tortilla and just eat the tortilla. Thankfully I love the tortillas. Otherwise I would have rated this place 2 stars. The rice is SO flavorful- so delicious. My husband got the jamalaya. He really enjoyed it. Will definitely come back! I liked this location. I wonder how it differs from the Harvard Sq. location. I thought the staff was friendly and attentive. And very easy to get to by foot if you're staying in the Candlewood Suites in between leases during moving season :)
(3)
JA C.

Not worth the trip Loud .. Noisey atmosphere Not so great service Shrimp quesadilla had lil canned Shrimp and was barely editable Soooo Greasy and hard to even cut!! Yuck yuck yuck Barely unable to converse The chips were good but the salsa as another Review mentioned tasted like it came from A can!!! Why do some places play loud music on top Of the LOUD Noise? Oh, did I mention how HORRIBLE Of an experience ... Could not even finish My food ... And NO I did not take it home! Will I revisit this establishment? GUESS LOL!!!!!
(1)
Misses D.

BEST fajitas on earth!!
(5)
Leo F.

I've been here a few times for business lunches. It's a decent restaurant for Americanized Mexican style food. It's not bad if you like that sort of style. However, I thought they've put too much cheese into everything.
(3)
John C.

This informal, friendly restaurant offers a creative combination of Mexican and Louisiana Cajun cuisine. The menu includes a wide variety of salads, sandwiches, Mexican-style main dishes, Cajun entoufes, and fajitas. The burgers are great, with some of the world's best french fries. One of my favorites is the Chimichuri Steak, which is generous and flavorful without being overpowering. Don't miss the Gumbo soup, which is thick, hearty, and spicy. The prices are very reasonable, and the drinks are large. Excellent for lunch or dinner. Enjoy!
(4)
Vanilla P.

Okay, the Border Cafe in Harvard Square has so much more personality... If that's at all possible for a chain restaurant. This location is spacious, clean, and boring as an empty tequila bottle. My typical order (the bean and cheese empanada) is usually fabulous, but in Burlington? Well, I think fabulous must stop at the mall across the street. My empanada's red pepper sauce tasted soapy AND salty, so I gave it to my husband and stuffed myself full of chips and ice cubes. El suspiro.
(2)
Debbie C.

The best margaritas around! They changed their menu and I miss the seafood enchiladas, but the food is very good. It's a loud place, but with young kids that is a good thing. We've been going for years (Saugus too) and when our kids were young (and loud) it was the perfect spot because they didn't disrupt anyone's meal around us with their chattering!
(4)
Maria D.

Food is great - unfortunately no skinny margaritas @ Burlington! Boo!
(2)
Jane H.

BEWARE: Anyone with allergies or dietary restrictions!! Do not dine here... you could end up in the ER!! My meal was prepared twice, the second time with the assistant manager's supervision in the kitchen. Both times, ingredients I cannot eat were in my meal! Cross contamination? Carelessness? The assistant manager/ cooking staff could not explain it. I am so sick. The manager refused to give me contact information for the corporate office, and I cannot find their information online. Makes me wonder what they have to hide! I will NEVER step foot in this restaurant again. Feeling ill, and hoping not to end up in the ER tonight! :(((
(1)
Grace M.

Delish- I just love this place. I used to be a bit turned off by the fact that it's a chain, but that's become a plus in my book as of late. You always come back and get the same, consistent experience. Chips & salsa? Perfection- they're warm and thin and perfect. Vegetarian options? A+ (they even have a vegetarian section on the back of the menu- thank you!). Ability to customize entrees/sides? Yes & yes. Black bean & corn empanadas are out of this world (though probably 8000 calories). Salads are hearty and on point. Fajitas come with house-made flour tortillas that are nice and thick. This Burlington location is my favorite (vs. the busy, busy Harvard Square). It's so spacious and parking's not even an issue! Love it.
(5)
Donna T.

Consistent, reasonably priced, tasty food. What more do you need? I always get the two enchiladas. One beef one chicken. Good balance of sauce and cheese and the meat is flavorful. Always order the Jose rice. It can be wicked spicy, depending on the chef but I love it. Recommend!!!
(4)
Roger M.

I always enjoy coming here -- except for the crowds, which can be crazy. But, if you are up standing (literally) to be called and being in a noisy place, you will enjoy the food. They somehow have achieved the mix of both a busy bar scene with a restaurant that has lots of kids. The unlimited chips and salsa start things out well. They clearly make the chips continually as every basket I have ever eaten here has been piping hot. The salsa is chunky with clearly defined ingredients. The guacamole is also flavorful and chunky -- just not unlimited or free. I personally enjoy the very large plate of fajitas. Ask for extra veggies. (Or, get the vegetarian fajitas.) The Camptown Shrimp appetizer and the Jambalaya are also really good choices.
(4)
Morgan D.

My boyfriend and I were looking for somewhere to eat in Burlington other than the Cheesecake Factory (weird right?) and we stumbled upon this restaurant. They have many Cajun dishes and a lot of seafood options. I got the swordfish tacos which were a recommendation from the waitress and they were awesome! The swordfish was slightly blackened, served with chipotle cole slaw, and fresh mango salsa. My boyfriend got the half chicken and half steak fajitas and he said the steak was the best he'd ever gotten in fajitas before. The guacamole was the perfect consistency and had good flavor. My only complaint is about the strawberry margarita I got. It was tasty but had a weird fizziness to it. I've had my fair share of margaritas and this one certainly wasn't great which is disappointing coming from a Mexican inspired restaurant. The food was awesome though!
(4)
Eduardo L.

They don't have a full bar. If you are into margaritas/beers only then you're fine. Food is good and cheap. Not my favorite mexican restaurant but still good. We tried to order a cider (Angry Orchard) and they didn't have it, so then my wife asked for a Mojito and they said they don't have mint lol. We ordered fajitas and quesadillas and they were both pretty good.
(3)
Mario C.

Had lunch with co-workers and enjoyed their Fish Tacos. The service was great and their house made nachos and salsa is great. So about the tacos... The fish was excellent! The salsa and ingredients are very good. Overall it's very tasty but my only gripe is something that so many restaurants seem to do. They drench the tacos with salsa and don't strain the liquid out... This basically amounts to a very messy and soggy experience. I will ask for them to strain for me next time - this sloppy method of assembling the tacos is the only thing preventing me from giving this dish more stars.
(3)
Pooja D.

We love going here! The place is always so lively and never fails to cheer me up. Our favorites are the blackened chicken (with orange marmalade that is so yum!), chicken banderas (comes with grilled avocado and a delicious sauce) and the corn, bean and cheese empanadas (oh so good). A tip - this place is pretty packed on weekends till about 7:30 pm, so we usually go in on weekdays or after 7:30 pm on weekends.
(4)
Derek M.

Pros: The service was great and fast. Very friendly wait staff and our waitress was on the best of her game. Total drink ninja. Food came out pretty fast. Cons: The food was equal to microwaved frozen dinners, except the frozen dinner would actually taste decent. Overall: I give it a five star on service and a 1 on food, so it averages to a three.
(3)
Jay L.

I visit this location frequently. Not to be confused with On the broader. Similar name but the two chains couldn't be more different. Im impressed with the level of customer service and hospitality at this location. The staff are personable and helpful. I appreciate that they take my food allergy serious when i inform them. One time i ordered my burger well done and the burger arrived medium well. Within minutes a NEW burger was brought out cooked well done. I hate when restaurants they take the previously sent burger and put it back on the grill! Its so cheap and tacky! I was pleased at the professionalism and problem solving initiative . I will continue to eat here. Keep up the good work.
(4)
Wei W.

This water hole was packed for a Wednesday evening; who knew that there were so many local Tex-Mex fans savoring an evening of margaritas and guacamole! Kudos to our server, Mel, for keeping up with our food and drink orders, and for entertaining our requests for dessert, even though this is a course that isn't offered on the menu. +1 star for decently priced food (although it's a stretch for authenticity) The $7 to $9 margaritas are fairly standard: $7 for well tequila and $9 for patron. The appetizer and salad portions were enough for a full meal, and the entrees were large enough for two meals. Our group ordered $80 worth of food: - Guac for dipping - Crawfish ettoufee (a bit salty for my liking, and the crawfish tasted somewhat off) - Steak and bleu cheese salad (filling for a salad) - Shrimp and crawfish quesadilla with extra guac (large enough for lunch the next day) - Chicken fajita (pretty filling with the additional soft tacos) - El pueblo beef and chicken (enough for lunch the next day) The plates were massive and the entrees all came with sides of beans, rice, and jambalaya. We also got three refills of chips, especially because the guys were munching on them throughout dinner. +1 star for attentive service You might think that we're high maintenance, asking for food to be cooked a certain way or requesting that our first margarita come out on the rocks with salt, and then the second margarita come out with no salt, and the third to be frozen. You might think we're annoying for chatting you up for a few minutes and holding you as a hostage in our conversation, therefore causing you to ignore your other tables. You might think that we're crazy, ordering far too much alcohol (and drinking it all, by the way) and eating everything in sight. But we thank you for putting up with us. Seriously, our server was fantastic. She never once told us that something couldn't be made a certain way, and even offered us margaritas that weren't on the menu. (Try the watermelon margarita - it's like a light jolly rancher mixed with top shelf tequila!) She also knew to leave us alone when appropriate and when to appear with water / drink refills. +1 star for not being ridiculously cheesy. Oh, there's the convenience factor too. There's the usual string of colored lights and Tex-Mex paintings everywhere, but we are grateful that you don't have a live mariachi band playing in the middle of the dining room, with some drunk guest trying to steal the maracas out of the singer's hands. (Yes, I've witnessed this before.) Being located on the Middlesex Turnpike helps alleviate some of the parking problems that people might experience when they visit the Cambridge location. It's also nice that this Border Cafe is located near route 3 and I-95, and right near the Burlington Mall. It isn't perfect, but at least this water hole isn't poisoned.
(3)
Kevin L.

Came here for lunch. This place gets packed! Chips and Salsa were extremely salty. No bueno. I ordered the chicken quesadilla and it was mediocre. This place isn't for me
(2)
Marie S.

One of the worst Mexican meals ever! Started with a strawberry margarita asked for it frozen, got it on the rocks! Cold chips & salsa that tasted like vinegar. Mexican burger that was totally over cooked, asked for bacon on it, there was none! The French fries were also overcooked& hard. Enchilada & taco dinner was horrible. Chicken enchilada & beef taco were difficult to tell apart. Both were flavored with the same spices....which were disgusting. The rice & beans had NO flavor at all. Sorry to say I would never recommend this place!
(1)
Steve D.

I love Border Cafe. I wanted to make sure that I started my review just putting it right out in the open. Border is literally my favorite place to eat and I could go there every night of the week and wouldn't have a problem with it. I used to frequently visit Jose Tejas back when I lived in NJ and I was happy to find that Border Cafe and Jose Tejas are the same restaurant, just operating under different names. The experience is always consistent when I go to Border - A cheap, delicious meal with unlimited fresh tortilla chips and liter size drinks. You won't leave Border hungry or thirsty, let me guarantee that for you. I will say that Border does get quite crowded on any given night, and it's for the simple reason that the place is awesome. Like I mentioned above, you can have as many baskets of freshly fried tortilla chips as you can handle. They usually come out piping hot and the salsa is one of the best that I've ever had. My favorite are the chips that are all stuck together and give you a super salty greasy mega crunch when you eat them. Mouth watering stuff, if you're into that sort of thing. There are multiple go-to dishes that I could eat at any given time, but my #1 is the blackened chicken. This dish is literally the juiciest, most flavorful chicken breast you will ever have. The seasoning on the outside is the perfect blend of spices and the inside is just pure marinated juicy chicken goodness. Pair it with a side of jambalaya and you are good to go. Some of my other favorites are the gumbo, the chicken and black bean empanadas, and the chicken quesadilla. Let me touch on the quesadilla for a moment - This isn't your ordinary Taco Bell quesadilla. This is the definition of a quesadilla. The pulled chicken is super juicy (like the blackened chicken), the blend of cheeses is just right, and the salsa on the inside is a really nice touch. The tortilla is always nice and crispy as well, it's just perfect. There really isn't anything bad I can say about Border, every time I go everything is consistently great. The service is always fantastic, drinks are ALWAYS refilled without me having to ask and the food comes out VERY quick and its CHEAP. Go to Border Cafe.
(5)
Manfred S.

Although Blackened Catfish with Jambalaya is awesome here, the lunch service was subpar. A real issue are the awesome Margaritas. I have to drive to get home.
(4)
Melanie J.

Hostess with attitude, incredibly loud, food was just ok, bathrooms weren't clean. Manager had to come to our table twice because the kitchen got the orders wrong. Waitress was great though. Won't go back.
(2)
Becca P.

The service was good and that was the only positive thing I can say. The food was inedible, the restaurant was intensely loud and the tables were too close together. My boyfriend and I ordered the same meal and they didn't even look similar. Mine was burnt and his was undercooked. The chips had a weird taste, when you could taste them cause most were just salt. The chicken inside the quesadilla said seasoned but it tasted like pasta sauce. It was odd and disgusting. We wanted to try this place for a long time cause every time we drove by, it was packed. We were so disappointed and won't be back. The other customers must not know about On The Border in Woburn or La Caretta in Nashua.
(2)
Meghan D.

One of my best friends is obsessed with Border, and so I have frequented here many times, and each time I like it more and more. Salsa and chips are always fresh, and their 3.95 house salad is a must. Three of us can share it and it feeds us well. Their dressing, vinagrette I think?, is so good. Splitting a salad and an app makes a great meal its always reasonable. Do not drink the wine here, it is not good at all, if you are going to drink go for a mixed drink or beer.
(4)
Casey W.

I like this location. I usually go to the one in Harvard square but came to this location yesterday with my co-workers. I love their house salad and blackened chicken. I order them together and make my own salad concoction. Their enchiladas are good as well but anything with massive amounts of cheese is going to taste good. The service was decent, it was quite loud but that's the atmosphere here so it's OK. I'll be back when I am craving the blackened chicken and delicious dip that it comes with. YUM.
(4)
Heather L.

Different vibe than the Harvard square location, probably in part due to the more abundant lighting, which I am a big fan of. The chicken quesadillas are always a popular choice and they are so big, you will definitely be taking half home for later. On the other hand, the house salad is only $4.98 and is more than big enough to feed a person, especially in combination with the endless chips and salsa. Drinks wise, you have to get a strawberry margarita (slush) or try the sangria.
(4)
Patrick P.

This Border Cafe is just like the other two. While the food is just ok and the drinks were fine. There is one major problem however. They serve all the food at once. We ordered Quesadillas for an appetizer. We had not even finished half of them, when our entrees arrived. No room on the table and all the food slammed down. By the time we finished the appetizer,( a course served BEFORE the entree), the fajitas were ice cold and the meat was dry as a bone from sitting on a hot platter all that time. Couple that with a waitress who really had an attitude and Border Cafe is now officially off the list. On the Border in Woburn is much much better than this.
(2)
Jeffery F.

My family and I were seated and preceeded to wait 23 min before we were ever spoken to. After the mix up was identified by me the manager simply apologized for the mix up. I don't expect freebies all the time but this instance, it was warrantied. The chip as an appetizer were well overdone for liking but edible. The loud atmosphere rivaled a Las Vegas Casino on a Saturday evening with a big fight in town. If you want a quiet atmosphere go somewhere else. The chips were freely flowing however, I suppose I am required to ask for additional salsa. So approximately 45 minutes after arrival we receive our food. My son ordered a hamburger. He received a hamburger patty and bun. That's it, no condiments Nada. My daughter seems to be enjoying her quesadilla however her meal came just short of an hour after our arrival. My steak fajita was a solid 3 of 5 stars. It could easily be mimicked during a backyard BBQ. My wife's plate was luke warm at best, but tasted okay. Bottom line, if you do not want to cook dinner order a pizza and do not come here until they get their stuff together.
(2)
Scott H.

Short wait at 6:30 on a Thursday. Good service and great food. I was particularly impressed with the price.
(5)
Taya A.

I have been coming here for years. The food is always delicious, affordable, and quick. Its one of the places that I know i'll leave satisfied every single time. Last night I met my parents here to catch up over some dinner. I had the blackened salmon meal. It was cooked to perfection and absolutely delicious. But I felt compelled to write this review because our waiter Andrew was the single nicest, most pleasant and most accommodating waiter I've ever had in any restaurant in my 26 years of life. It was truly a pleasure to be waited on by him. Unbelievably exceptional service from the moment we walked in until the moment we left. He brought us more chips before we asked, he always had a huge smile on his face, and at the end of the night when we asked for boxes, he brought them to the table and then proceeded to box everything up for us right there. He was truly fantastic. Thank you!!
(5)
Kim K.

Great - just like all the Border locations! Fast service, delicious food, good prices, fun atmosphere!
(4)
Sherrie C.

I'll create a better review after I eat at Border Cafe, but do want to share that I just called the BC on Middlesex Turnpike (Burlington, MA) and the lady on the phone said you can order GF specifically to the waiter and they are careful to not cross contaminate your food. Good to know! Would love BC to create a GF menu for folks that suffer from gluten allergies.
(3)
Michelle B.

Love Border Cafe! Great guacamole, delicious black bean and corn empanadas, and good margaritas (I like the hornitas margarita). The line can be long if you don't get there early, and they don't take reservations :( This place is kind of big and noisy, and it can be hard to get the server's attention sometimes. The prices are very reasonable. Overall, I highly recommend the Border Cafe!
(5)
Adam W.

Went forlunch, the place was crowded but we were seated without a wait. My 3 swordfish tacos were delicious, and came with a half avocado filled with mango salsa - all for $11. Add the free chips/salsa they give you and I was full!
(5)
Lyndsay K.

I was confused as hell when the bartender handed me the menu and it was half Mexican, half Cajun...and there was country music playing in the place. what the what?!? Chips and salsa were on the blah end for me, so I had low expectations for anything else. I didn't know what to order, but the bartender assured me the fajitas were the best I'd ever have. That's a hell of a promise, so I had to bite. At $11.48 for 1/2 chicken, 1/2 steak, they were certainly cheap, so I expected little. But wow! They were actually really, really good! I don't know if I can go with best ever, but damn good. I'm still too confused by the Mexican/Cajun/Country stuff, though, so I can't go for 4 stars.
(3)
Doug G.

Hey its run of the mill tex-mex. Foods not bad nor is it great, It was a good place for lunch by the Mall. I am still looking for good Mexican food In Mass/Boston.
(3)
Stefanae S.

Love it here. Have been at least five times and service/food was always great. Highly recommend blackened chicken fajitas and the guacamole.
(5)
Ralph S.

You can't beat this place for the price. The chips are outstanding, always hot and tasty. I've had a number of different entrees and all have been worth it. I particularly like the blackened salmon salad and the fajitas. Multiple people deliver food and appetizers so they mess up the orders sometime that's the reason for a 4 star rather than 5 star rating. It is noisy and you often have to wait on the weekends but what popular place doesn't have a wait on the weekend.
(4)
Abby H.

yum! good drinks & love the buffalo wings
(4)
MS S.

This place gets hopping. Busy at lunch and dinner because it's friendly service and decent Mexican food. Provides a lot of food in each platter. Good bang for the buck here.
(3)
Robert D.

Biggest surprise of my week-- The Border Cafe in Burlington, MA was excellent. Based on its position on the far end of the Middlesex Turnpike, in the dark shadow of the mall, sharing block-space with Chili's and the Macaroni Grill, I thought it would be terrible. Aside from all of the above, it's a new location of a restaurant whose success at its primary location in Cambridge had more to do (I thought) with its proximity to the T and cinema in Harvard Square and fairly excellent sangria & margaritas than to its food. The restaurant is sunny, inviting, and surprisingly easy to talk to your table-mates at, despite its large size. They won't seat incomplete parties, which I find irksome, but once we were all there we were seated quickly. The initial basket of tortilla chips was---how can I say it?--exciting! I remember the chips from the Harvard Square location as crumbly, cold, oil-laden affairs, but these were hot off the fryalator, salty, crispy and DELICIOUS. The salsa was fresh and the experience was almost new-- have I never had chips and salsa before? When the second basket was empty (our waitress kept a close eye on us) I started to worry, but my worries were groundless. There was always another hot, delicious batch close by. I had the chicken Guadalajara (great low-carb, high-fat option, if you're looking for that), and people at my table had the burro, Fajitas and fish tacos. They were all above-average and surprisingly good. No surprise, we all left feeling over-salted and full of oily chips, but it was a pretty good feeling. Reminder, this is a Tex-Mex restaurant, not a Mexican restaurant. One of my table-mates was concerned because he couldn't find the taco-burrito combination. (smirk). Also, though we were there at lunch, that the bar did not look like it boasted the latest and greatest in high-end tequilas. But that's not a fact, just an observation.
(4)
Riley M.

Great atmosphere! The drink sizes are huge! The service was slow but our waitress was very apologetic. We will defiantly be back but hopefully on a less busy night!
(4)
David G.

Yeah, I go here a lot. Best Blackened Chicken I've ever had.
(5)
Dap P.

I've been going to Border Cafe since I moved to Massachusetts in '91. I came here from California, so yeah, I a Mexican food snob. And, honestly, most of what passes for "good Mexican" in Massachusetts is total crap, though things have gotten better since I first moved here. At any rate, let's start with the disclaimer: The Border Cafe ain't a real Mexican food establishment. They suggest it's Tex-Mex, and that's closer to the truth... But what is also true is that the food is mostly tasty and the prices are ridiculously reasonable. Leave your South of the Border expectations at home (if you know what that mean) and you'll have a good experience. My recommendation is the fajitas. I know of no local place that does them better. Heck, back on the West Coast most places don't do them this well, and the places that do sure as heck don't serve them to you for $11. The meat is well marinated, the portion is generous, and the tortillas that come with them are fresh, albeit a bit on the small side (they used to be bigger). The black beans are blah, as is the rice (or jambalaya if you choose), but the cheese/pico/sour cream plate is fresh and tasty. I've ventured to other parts of the menu, and rarely have I been disappointed, although again, I come at this with the idea of finding something tasty, not something authentically Mexican. But ultimately, I am drawn back to the siren fajitas. The chips used to be great (fresh, tasty). But the last couple of times I've been there, they're been WAY off: Thin, burnt and old tasting. Definitely not a good thing. I complained to the waitress the last time I was there and she acknowledged they'd changed their supplier for the raw (uncooked) chips. Bad move guys. The salsa is definitely a weak link here. Not very spicy, not even very tangy. And thick and tomato paste-y. Adequate, at best, to dip those chips in, but certainly not something you want for your entree. Years ago, The Border Cafe had this cool tray that featured tons of different hot sauces that they'd bring to your table if you asked...not anymore, sadly (bring it back, guys!) Bottom line: Check "real" Mexican expectations at the door and order the fajitas, and I think you (and your wallet) will be pleasantly surprised...
(4)
Nick C.

My new favorite Mexican restaurant. Seriously, I can't believe I hadn't been here before. The atmosphere was awesome, almost like a cross between a Mexican restaurant and a German beer hall. The food and service was awesome. When we first got there the waitress dropped off chips that were hot like they were just out of the oven and fresh salsa. We had the empinadas and chilli and chips. Both came out hot and excellent. I had the chicken fajitas which were excellent. Chicken was really well seasoned and not over cooked at all. My buddies kid got something from the kids menu (chicken fingers which were huge) and their sodas were huge.
(5)
pete k.

Star #1 - CHEAP! Crazy cheap. Like, fast food cheap. Star #2 - Free Chips n Salsa, to fill you up before your cheap food. Star #3 - Umm.. big chairs? "Atmosphere?" Ok - look. You don't come to the Border Cafe expecting life altering food - and I didn't. The bar waiting area always sucks (this one's not quite as bad as Cambridge), its loud as all hell, and everything seems to be doused in salt. Salty salsa, salty chips, salty drinks, salty meat in your meals. Its just a decent place to get some crappy beers (nothing on tap?? come on!!), large (mixered down) drinks, and 'stuff' to eat. Nothing is special - but man is it cheap. "Cheap is dear" as my grandfather used to say. And this is proof - you don't get sour cream or guac with your dish. Its extra, of course. Hence.. the cheap. You don't get an overwhelming amount of food, either - but for $7 I don't expect a dozen soft tacos. A quick review of my Beef Soft Tacos. The Pico de gallo leaked all over the plate and everthing was.. wet. Kinda gross. The beef in the tacos was "shredded" stew meat (aka, shreds on its own) with "special seasoning" (aka, salt). The rice and beans left MUCH to be desired (overcooked rice and plain as heck beans). The rest of the dishes on the table looked similar - they had ups and downs. When half the menu items are "blackened" its pretty hard to screw that up anyway. Service is fair - distracted at best. You don't get alot of attention. The major cons: - no waters? distracted service meant almost no drinks of any sort. - LOUD LOUD LOUD - no dessert? when we asked why, the server said "oh because the portions are so big". uh.. getting a bit cocky there, Border. I ate another half bowl of chips after my tacos. But hey, really - its cheap eats. It could be alot worse.
(3)
Brad B.

Mexican value meal? Sure...i'll take it. HUGE restaurant for family's that just want to get in, eat and get out. The food is good. Highly recommend the fish tacos. The margarita's are great. I only gave it three stars, cause it's nothing to write home about. They shuffle you in, you eat, and you leave. Its a "sit-down fast food" joint. But, I have been here about 4 times, so they must be doing something right. Or putting crack in the food.
(3)
dee a.

My BF and I eat here probably two or three times a month. We always order the Vegetable Fajitas because they fill us both up and we alway get another meal out of the left overs. We ate there last night and I was impressed with our waitress. Unlike our other visits, our waitress Katie is incredibly knowledgeable about the menu. Katie knew off hand how to veganize the menu. We were very impressed with her knowledge and the care she used when placing our order.
(5)
Sarah C.

This is the absolute best place to go for lunch! Love the tasty food and the price is right! They get you in and out in less than an hour. My only complaint is that the room is really big, so it is extremely loud all the time.
(4)
Katie A.

Chicken Burros are the best. Side salads are large and fresh. And the chips are way better than Chili's next door. This place tends to get quite crowded with families, but the wait is never that long. The food has great days and ok days, and the service is almost always quite good. They don't do take out, which I find a little strange.
(4)
Rob D.

We go here all the time. The chicken burros are awesome and cheesy. Dont go here if you are watching your cholesterol. Salsa is great. Its noisy, gets packed on weekends very quickly and if you are larger than a party of 4 with kids they will always try to cram you into a table that is not appropriate for you. Servers have always been nice, food is good value and tasty. Not authentic mexican but still our favorite. Margaritas are GREAT. Expect long waits during peak times. Arrive 5PM or before on Saturdays if you are a party larger than 4. Why they have no takeout, and no dessert is beyond me. Seems stupid.
(4)
Topher D.

if you like border, you'll like it here. Food is solid, drinks are huge, value is incredible. Basically a carbon copy of the border in Saugus and just as good. They did seem to change the chips a little, which made me sad, otherwise all is good. Service is friendly and quick.
(5)
Jamie L.

If you would like to have a superb experience at the Border Cafe, hit up the one in Harvard Square, Cambridge. This location disappoints me more everytime I go, what started off as a ho-hum experience has progressed to downright painful. This last time (and may it please forever be the last time), I got the veggie quesadilla. All of the veggies were squished into the middle part, leaving me 2 1/2 to 3 inches of un-filled tortilla flat and hard. I could count the chunks of vegetables easily, 3 carrot slices, 2 cauliflower tops, 1 broccoli top and a few scattered pieces, 2 1/2 mushrooms, and the center of an onion - yes, that's right, the center of an onion in two pieces intact thanks to the bottom that was not properly cut off. That bite killed my appetite perfectly. If you've ever seen how big their quesadillas are, you would know by my veggie count how pathetic it looked. Now I realize food can be good one day and off its game the next, but the service is what makes this particularly horrid. At one point this past evening, I literally stared at every person working at the time and still couldn't get just one person to notice me. The two who did notice me staring did so out of the corner of their eyes and then did a duck and cover (one was the manager). Yes, I see you goofing off, but that is not why I am staring. Good service does not need to be afraid, if you see a customer looking at you, smile - don't hide your face in shame, even if you should be ashamed of your questionable work ethic. I ended up getting up and going to the bartender to ask for help. There were probably more people "working" at the time than there were customers, so I couldn't toss them the probably-just-busy bone to justify the lack of assistance either. This, of course, was the worst service here yet, but past experience didn't set my expectations too high to begin with. Luckily for me the Harvard Square location is much closer anyway!
(2)
Charles W.

This is one of a few restaurants I'm willing to regularly eat at. The food is a Mexican & Cajan style, but I usually sample the Cajan food, as I can get Mexican food much easier in other locations. The portions are large. The drinks are plentiful. The decor is nice. I've never had bad service. There are a few minuses, however. They usually are busy on a weekend night, so the wait can be 30 minutes. Also, the venue is not friendly to groups of people where individuals come and go; they insist every party-member be present before you are seated; thus it's not good for a large after-work group.
(4)
Tim S.

Go here all the time for lunch. Blackened Chicken Caesar Salad there is incredible. they give you drinks in large portions which is nice, and there are always chips and salsa there to munch on. Great place for lunch at a relatively cheap price.
(4)
Joanna M.

This place is really good at serving hordes of 20-30 late on Thursday nights, and the servers don't seem to hate us too much. :) This Border Cafe is pretty much just like every other one that I've ever been to in the area in terms of food, but I've been consistently impressed by their servers. I do, however, crave their black bean empanada, and their tortilla chips are frequently warm which is an improvement over other locations. They're open reasonably late in the evening, which is nice, and their margaritas are palatable.
(4)
Tough C.

If you are looking for an authentic Mexican dining experience, look somewhere else. Having said that, this Tex-Mex restaurant serves large portions, that taste pretty good, at reasonable prices. The wait staff is very helpful and friendly. If I happen to be back in the area, I would happily dine with them again.
(3)
Mike D.

Border cafe is a great Mexican restaurant. The prices are cheap and the food is consistently great and comes out of the oven piping hot. The place is usually very busy and loud but it is part of the environment for the style restaurant. Service is always great!!
(4)
Jason B.

This place has very reasonable prices and good food. I think they make their money on alcoholic drinks but if you get a meal without them, you're going to get a great deal. My wife and I have been many times and consistently have received good service and no complaints about the meals. It is loud in there but as long as you're ready for that, it's not too big of a problem. They also make you pay extra for guacamole and then give you a very small portion of it. I like the large glasses they use so you rarely run out of liquids. The chips and salsa that come with every meal are very good. I like hot salsa better but for the mild variety they offer, it's very flavorful. I'm a fan!
(4)
Adrian F.

Nice decor, good chips and salsa, decent sangria. The issue I have is that I ordered catfish fajitas and instead was served a blackened white fish. I am not sure if they are purposely serving the wrong fish to save money or if it was an honest mistake.The taste and seasoning was good, but disappointing if the restaurant on the whole is trying to con it's customers
(2)
Jace F.

I think the Border Cafe is a solid Mexican joint to dine at. much more so over a "On The Border", "Margaritas" or "Casa Blanca". Free chips and salsa start the night off right, I am a huge fan of their blackened chicken fingers for apps [they are charred and spicy!]. For entrees, the chicken burro is amazing, albeit a simple dish. Chicken, various melted cheeses, and rice. Yum yum. The alcohol is pretty weak here, so don't expect to get belligerent cheaply. Maybe tie one on before you dine and get a Corona with your meal. I dunno. Dine here for a consistent, lively meal. And if it's warm, grab the patio!
(4)
Michael K.

Within walking distance of the Candlewood Suties. Great chips and salsa. The fajitas were exactly what I was looking for!
(5)
Brendon E.

Food is excellent! Service is amazing! Didn't have to wait a long time to be seated. Also didn't have to wait long to get our food. Our waiter was a very nice gentleman. Would definitely come here again!
(4)
Ross G.

One of my favorite Mexican spots. Been here many times, other locations as well. NEVER have had a bad meal here. Food reasonable priced, always served hot. As many nacho chips as you can eat with salsa. Nice tall waters (required for spicy dishes). The catfish bites were amazing (where did they go?) Along with the catfish fillets, and the blackened chicken fingers (sauce is amazing) You guys rock!
(5)
Mike C.

So pretty good Tex-Mex and Cajun grub if your looking for that sort of thing (which I DO from time to time). Some items on the menu are really pretty tasty (Camptown Shrimp app, Jambalaya, Fajitas, Guacamole and chips to name a few) and some maybe not so much (Crawfish Ã‰touffÃ©e - maybe try this dish closer to the source - sorry folks some things needs to be fresh i.e. Crawfish). Beers / Drinks and especially the Margaritas are cold, strong and tasty. Food and service is quick and good. Make no mistake this is no linen tablecloth eatery but it's not a fast food joint either. Give it a shot for drinks or grub it a good value.
(4)
Tricia C.

Very nice wait staff. The food was brought quite quickly. The problem was the amount of salt. I got a salad with some beans and chicken on it, and even that was salty.
(2)
Betty W.

I love this place and go here a lot! The food is always good but what stands out to me is the customer service. I was there today for lunch and our server Taylor made our day even better. She is attentive and fast and very funny. I love that I can count on the food being so fresh and delicious. What can sometimes be a hit or miss is customer service - but not here. The wait staff work so well with each other. The smile to each other as they pass each other ... yeah I love to people watch. I even saw the manager give one of his employees a hug. That stuff is very cool. You can tell when the management is good because the people working are happy ... that translates to the people coming there to eat. Good job managers!! Taylor - I hope somehow you see this. You are a gem! We will be back soon!!
(5)
Ricky Eric M.

Place is filthy but food is good. I wiped down the old wood table with a disinfectant wipe for my kids and the wipe was black with grime and filth. Absolutely disgusting, human toilet, gross.
(2)
Jesse J.

This is very good casual dining. It has a good vibe, and the service is excellent. While our party of five was waiting for our meals, someone came from the kitchen to apologize that they had run out of white rice, which accompanied my entrÃ©e, and did I want to wait until they made more or accept a substitute. That level of service for inexpensive casual dining is exceptional.
(4)
D H.

Fast, good, and very reasonable. Is it he best texmex I have had? No, but it is the best of the chains. Great deal for kid's meals, but get their early. Quick turnover of tables, which is a good thing. No desserts. Rice and beans can be spicy. Wish they had takeout. Love the Border! .
(5)
Ethan B.

For a chain, this is about as good as it gets. Mostly great food, very inexpensive and generally attentive waitstaff. A couple things to keep in mind, they do Cajan and Tex-Mex better than they do straight Mexican. I dislike the Quesadillas, Tacos and Enchilladas, but their Fajitas, Chile Relajano, Chicken Guadalajara are spectacular. Also, their Gumbo is great!
(4)
Cameron W.

Overall I like this place. It's cheap, and it's good. I order the blackened catfish and it's very tasty, as is the jambalaya. It's also a good place to go if you have kids. I've never had to wait more than a few minutes to be seated. On the other hand, the atmosphere is pretty loud. And the last time I went, service was a little slow (but not excessive). If you're looking for "healthy" food options, you may want to look elsewhere. Luckily for me, I don't have that problem. I'll be back.
(3)
C C.

My wife and I really liked this place. It is cheaper the food was good. I'm a fan of the tostada grande salad, though its hard to finish. The things I don't like: It's loud! Often my wife couldn't hear me from across our small table and I'm a loud guy. Is seems dirty, the tables are all unfinished wood which fits the theme I guess but they are sticky like the were wiped with a already dirty cloth (I've been there a bunch so its not just the one time). It's kind of one big room, all the tables are crowded in there so if you against the wall, expect to get little attention, if your near the kitchen, expect to have waiters/waitresses whizzing by you.THE FOOD IS GOOD!! but the place has its faults.
(3)
Jeff K.

Just a good lunch the 4 of us had for under $45 was impressive! Good chips, nice and salty. Good all around.
(4)
Aaditya S.

It is a great place, to have drinks and eat good mexican food! For vegetarian too, many options and good food! Veg. quesadilla was really best of all I had so far, just not cheese (fajita veggies), chips and salsa served are freshly friend (warm and fresh tortilla chips)
(4)
Rocco R.

Went there not long ago. I ordered the chicken quesadilla and found a piece of thick white plastic in my food , it looked like the top to a food pouch/ package. I did swallow a small piece and pulled out a piece about the size of a nickel. I told my waiter and the manager came over and said sorry, that was it I was still charged for my meal........I felt like no one cared. I haven't returned since.
(1)
Chas K.

My experience at this Border CafÃ© location for lunch last Wednesday was a first; and not in a good way. It was my first disappointing meal here or any other Border location ever over the course of many years. As luck would have it, I had a skeptical client in tow. His reluctance was predicated on thinking Border Cafe was On the Border, a big Tex-Mex chain that he dislikes. While our food came out quickly, service at the bar was inattentive and unfriendly even though it wasn't busy. I had to stare at the bartender, hoping to get his attention and a refill on my iced tea; ditto for my client. He never asked how our meals were. If he had, I'd have told him that the skirt steak in my fajitas was flavorless and chewy. When I asked for the check - which I didn't notice was on the bar the whole time - he just slid it across the bar without a word. On this day, service and food needed serious quality control. I noticed an unusual spate of negative reviews lately. Seems this location has staff performance problems in the front of the house and the kitchen. Management should address them or risk losing longtime customers - as in many years at the Harvard Square location - like me.
(2)
Robert B.

Not only have they dropped a lot of items from the menu, but they took away my wife's favorite drink, the melon margaritas and the chambord as well!!!! The bar has only two shelves and they are not to big! !!!
(3)
David T.

This was my first time here the atmosphere was friendly and inviting. The staff cool and attentive. The tex mex was on point.. felt like being back home. The jambalaya was ok but u can't get your hopes too high this far north... All in all a good spot.
(4)
Jon S.

Eh, it's ok. Good drinks, but food was just ok.
(3)
Jule M.

Great food and cheap! Love the blackened chicken fajitas! Salads are great Margaritas are very tasty. Frozen strawberry or regular on the rocks. I worked at the Border Vafe in Daugus many years ago, for many years then at the Burlington location when it first opened. I can report that the kitchens are clean and the food is very fresh. Only downfall is no dessert....unless you count the birthday ice cream cake. They do that, along with have uncomfortable chairs so people are in and out. Weekdays my family is in and out in less than an hour Outdoor seating, weather permitting
(4)
James R.

I work and live down the road from The Border Cafe. When this girl at work first told me about this place, I literally thought that she was referring to the bookstore that is just down the road from there...which isn't Border's at all, but Waldenbooks. I was like...wow, they have a cafe and it's THAT good? I know what you're thinkin'? Plenty of blonde-moment blunders in that social transaction. Like, I know, right? She was all like and then I was all like...then she was all like 'Doy'...and I was all like...two words for you...what-ev! *bites lip to keep from telling a blonde joke or seven...begging to be told at this point... *starts to tremble...must resist...trying to hold back No...let's continue with the review. Despite various opinions on this place, whether ya love it or hate it, the place is always, undeniably packed. If you're going for lunch, try and get there for 11:30am. If you're going for dinner, get in there before the Dinner hour. The dining room is pretty big, but it fills up fast. The place is very "festive" in decor...and the staff are quick and proficient. I usually favor the fajitas here. The mixed grill of steak and chicken is my fave...and you can pair this up with some beans and rice...or jambalaya...along with some nice usual sides, grilled onions, lettuce, salsa, pica de gallo, guacamole... Even the chips that come out ahead of time will be warm and crispy...with a pretty decent salsa to boot. Huge cups of soda w/ free refills if that's your bag... Or a nice drink from the Full bar...if you're wanting be half IN the bag when you go back to work. Have had a few other dishes, like some of the salads and such...and all of them have been pretty good.
(4)
Jodi and Ryan Y.

One of our favorite places for a value meal. Border Cafe is definitely "no frills dining," but the food is solid especially for their prices. Likes: - the complimentary tortilla chips and salsa - consistently good service and food - good portions Recommendations: (1) Fish tacos (2) Catfish fajitas: the mango salsa is a refreshing balance (3) Blackened catfish salad
(5)
S D.

The food was fine. But the service was sub-par. I took my daughter to the bathroom and they bussed our table! I get back and ask the server if that was our table. His reply: "Yeah I though you skipped the bill". No apology or nothing. Then he hands me the bill. My daughter was halfway through her burger! I asked to speak with the manager and his response was no better. I told him I didn't feel comfortable paying for her burger while she was still hungry. They made her another burger in a to-go container, which was handed to us by some random person from the kitchen. I think the customer service was horrible, the manager should have apologized and tried to make it better. We will not return.
(1)
Andrew L.

I have been going to the Border for years ever since Harvard square opened. In general, over that time I have been a fan, pretty consistent food at really decent prices. However, I recently had lunch at the Burlington location and well, the food was not so good. Ironically, our server was terrific, she was upbeat, friendly and attentive without being overbearing. In general, almost everything we had was way too salty! I mean way too salty, all I could think was that along the chain of food prep everyone decided to add salt. The cook added it before cooking, then another round when it was cooked, and then whoever assembled the plates gave it another seasoning and the server of course had to add a dash before bringing it to the table. Bluck! We had the corn and black bean empanadas, pork enchiladas and fish tacos. The fish tacos were very disappointing to me as they were just pieces of heavily battered and fried fish stuff in a tortilla, nothing else. The margaritas are still good though. Border, please take a hard self reflection and get some of your pride back.
(2)
Andrew N.

Better then other local alternatives like On The Border. The food is a little more creative in preparation then other Tex/Mex places I have been to but the ingredients are always the same. It is not unique or adventurous but it can hit the spot if you are in the mood for this type of cuisine. The service is good and there is a bar to get a drink if that is all you want. The tables and chairs could not be more uncomfortable if they tried, a park bench would be better to sit in then these rigid boards. I did not try any of the alcoholic drinks and would make a return trip to do so. I will not go out of my way to eat here again but I would if I was in the area.
(3)
Salina T.

Just after I moved to the area, I started frequenting the Border Cafe in Harvard square. My husband and I became regulars, going about once a week. The hostess and wait staff knew us, and what we wanted to order. Life was good. Then we moved... And a few years ago, the Burlington Border Cafe opened, the closest to us! We're not the regulars we once were, but we go every couple of months, if not more often. And the food is incredible! The Border Cafe has a vegetarian section to their menu, which gives them huge points in my book. On top of that, the food is always good. For years I've gotten the Corn and Black Bean Empanada, until recently, when they changed the menu. Now I get a Bean Burro with Empanada (red pepper) sauce, which is almost as good. I still miss the old Empanada though. If you're ever there, get the bean burro with black beans, peppers, and cheese, and the red pepper sauce on top, and you'll see how good the old Empanada was. The corn relish they added a couple of years ago made the 'new' Empanada to vinegar-y tasting for me. My husband LOVES the Chicken Guadalajara, he gets it almost every time we go. The 18 minute cook time is worth the wait! We've both had other dishes, the salads are very good, well, everything is very good. I haven't had anybody join me there be disappointed. I've even convinced co-workers to drive 30 minutes each way to go there for lunch! The chips and salsa are both fresh (made on-site) and wonderful. I'm hoping some day they'll start selling the salsa and red pepper sauce in local markets. They do sell pints and quarts during Superbowl time, and possibly other times during the year, although I haven't asked. If I could go to the Border every day, I would.
(5)
Mad C.

Restaurant just recently opened, but it's the same chain as in Cambridge/Saugus. Service is still getting up to speed, but the food was top notch. This location was much less crazy than Cambridge (which sometimes is insane). I had the blackened chicken dinner, and it was really really good. A good blend of spice and taste, coupled with a lone star beer and a low price....overall a great deal. My wife had a steak and blue cheese salad, which also was great. I'd def recommend you check it out, and make sure to try the blackened chicken!
(4)
Jonathan W.

A nice group of 12 twenty-somethings, all nicely dressed with decent foreign-made vehicles pull into the parking lot. A normal wait staff would think "awesome", but at Burlington Border Cafe, they actually did everything in their power to piss us off. For my best friend's birthday, we ventured on the BC and much to my dismay, I found we couldn't call ahead, and certainly couldn't even put our names in until ALL MEMBERS OF THE PARTY WERE PRESENT. Well fabulous, thanks for ruining the birthday surprise. THEN, we witnessed on a Sunday night, several empty tables next to one another and the two hostesses standing around talking to each other. We were hungry. We asked "when will we be seated?" They said "our manager is trying to figure out what to do with you." We waited a total of 45 minutes when we got the same response. Apparently the manager isn't sure what to do at all. We were sure, though. We left and went elsewhere. I will likely never go to Border Cafe again, and the same song rings for my 11 friends who also wasted an hour of our lives waiting among bad country music and tacky decor. Thanks for nothing, hombres.
(1)
Scott F.

First things first. Why does everyone say that "it's not authentic Tex-Mex/Mexican?" Geez kid, - you're in Boston. We do chowdah, lobstah, and beeyah. If it doesn't end in an -r we can drop, we are nevah an authority. The Bordah Cafe knows this. They gives us wicked huge drinks in humongous glasses, and fill us up with chips 'n' salser. The faheeters are pretty good, but does it mattah? The drinks are freakin' huge and the chips 'n' salser are free. Get ovah theyah, and eat decent food. So what if it's a chain - so's Kelly's Roast Beef. You want real Mex - go to Mexico.
(4)
David H.

I actually went here one night when I was just in the worst mood ever, and I left even more upset by the end. I was turned off by the inside; the atmosphere was just not Tex-Mex at all. The floor was wood, the walls, everything! The place resembled a log cabin, or... dare I say it... a Bugaboo Creek. Anyway, besides that, the food was terrible. Nachos, which I am very critical of, were not on par here. If I remember right, the chips were too salty! Nacho Commandment #8: thou shalt serve nachos more on the unsalted side, rather than overly salted. Give the consumer control of the salt (via the nearby salt shaker), and we will have no problems. I don't think I ordered an entree, but my friends did. The burritos didn't look freshly prepared at all; they looked soggy as hell. The toppings on the burrito were too much, and the burrito itself couldn't hold up well, and crumbled apart every time they were cut up. Burrito Commandment #2: Thou shalt roll a burrito tighter than a Cuban cigar at all times! The drinks are the only reason I'd go here. Cheap, tall, and worth it. Too bad I wasn't 21 when I came here!
(2)
Wally C.

I love the one in Harvard Square, but this place was loud, too crowded and the food was pedestrian at best...everything was overly salted and spicy but not in a good way, will never come back... THE SERVICE WAS REALLY BAD... Such a bad experience, specially since I was that picked it for my birthday... :-(
(2)
Sarah P.

The Border Cafe is a decent standard chain. The salsa is delish and the chips are served really warm, which I love. The other thing I love about Border Cafe are the really large drink glasses. I tend to drink a lot when I go out to eat, so the large glasses are great in that I don't need to ask for a refill often. The meals aren't spectacular, but they are definitely satisfying if you are looking for standard tex-mex.
(4)
Kelley E.

It's definitely not authentic Mexican food, but it is great Tex-Mex (and there's Cajun/Creole stuff on the menu too, but I haven't tried much of it). It's a chain, which I generally don't like, but the food quality is very good. It's pretty cheap too. The place is almost always packed, and you should expect a long wait if you go on a Friday or Saturday. The corn&black bean empanadas are good but they sit in my stomach like a brick. I usually go with veggie fajitas or enchiladas. It's pretty vegetarian-friendly - they have a veggie section on the menu, and the black beans and white rice are vegetarian (but not the spanish rice - you have to clarify). Drinks are served in ridiculously gigantic glasses, which is nice because I almost never need to flag a waiter down for a refill.
(4)
William F.

I like this place, the service is generally good and the menu is varied. I've not had REAL mexican food but I find that the food here is comparable to many mex places I have been to. I like the chips and salsa. The guacamole is also good. The atmosphere is loud and casual, usually filled with the afterwork crowd during the week and suburbanites on weekends. Two can eat here well for about $40 including drinks.
(4)
AnnMarie H.

My coworkers and I came here for a goodbye lunch. It is a spacious, clean and well-themed restaurant. We were greeted by a friendly host and seated immediately. Our waitress Melissa greeted us warmly soon after we were seated and got us settled with nachos, chips and drinks. I ordered the grilled salmon salad. The salmon, while a little bit small, had great flavor and was cooked perfectly. The portion was perfect for lunch. My coworker got the grande salad and loved it. My other coworker got a half and half fajita and said it was very tasty. The prices were also very reasonable. If you like Mexican food, this is the place to go. Great food, great service. I will definitely come back!
(5)
Jennifer W.

By far not the best Mexican restaurant I've been to, but as for overall experience (cheap prices, good food, free chips and salsa and quick decent service) it is always a good lunch spot, especially for those who work around the area! I also love getting a side of veggies, such a good portion at a very reasonable price!
(4)
Shannon D.

Just as excellent as the Saugus location. We may end up making the Burlington location our regular, being that we have had less than great service in Saugus our last few visits.
(5)
W G.

The best things about the Border are that it's big and loud (so kid-friendly), inexpensive and conveniently located near the Mall. However... the food is so super salty it's almost impossible to eat. Good thing the sodas are gigantic. My kids like it but I think it's because no one can hear their noise and each $3 kids' meal comes with a whole pack of M&M's. So, if you have similar standards, you'll love it. If not... well, I wish i could offer you an alternative... but this isn't LA.
(2)
Shoeless J.

Giving up crack would be easier than having to eat there again! From a food perspective this place could not be worst. I only give it a star because the wait staff was efficient and prompt. It started with stale old chips mixed in with the fresh ones the sparrows canvassing the outdoor patio would not eat them. Then a dry breast of chicken hidden under a make believe cream of something soup. I lived in Arizona, I'm still in therapy based on a lack of fresh Cod, but I know Mexican. Not happening, no way, no how. Save your cash go to Baja Fresh it's tried tested and like the sign says fresh.
(1)
Keith M.

Lunch with the chopped salad, warm chips and salsa and some plantains. I wouldn't call this an authentics tex-mex, but you get exactly as advertised. Reasonably priced mex-like food in large portions.
(3)
Bill M.

In an earlier review of the Cambridge location I voiced my displeasure with this chain of restaurants. Welp this new location is right down the road from my office and I have had the pleasure of eating lunch there a few times and I have been quite impressed. I don't know if it is because the place is new and the staff is on their best behavior but every time I go I am impressed at the quality of service. Top notch for a kitschy Tex-Mex joint. The menu is the same as all the other Borders and you still get their tasty chips & salsa as soon as you sit down and the Burro is still my favorite thing n the menu.
(4)
Chu C.

Border Cafe is a well-known Tex-Mex chain in the Greater Boston area. This location is where the old Victoria Station place used to be; it is simply huge, and has a good deal of parking available. Still, it fills up during peak weekend hours, and is way better than Chili's, right up the street. Prepare for generous (and reasonably priced) portions, and all-you-can-eat chips and salsa to kick off the meal. Most entrees are average to above average in quality, though nothing is really authentic (I'm from Texas, so I'd know). The chile relleno was a pleasant surprise. Border is going for the slightly grungy, south of the border look, and partly succeeds. But it never really loses its chain restaurant feel (maybe late at night?). The food does take a little time to come out, but nothing too unreasonable. The service was very attentive here, with people who were very helpful even when my little one vomited during the meal.
(4)
F. B.

Very nice crowd, this is a good gathering place to hang out with friends. The food is tasty and good with ample portions reasonably priced. The beer selection doesn't hit the spot for me. Radio Advertising and super-highways going back some decades seems to have ruined my fellow Americans' beer expectations. Otherwise, this establishment provides a congenial atmosphere not usually found in New England, which is enhanced by the engaging country music selection.
(4)
Gregory B.

The Border Cafe is a fun and inexpensive place for lunch with the family on the weekend.
(5)
ChianWen T.

This place was laden with kids on a Friday night. By kids, I don't mean teenagers, I mean the squealing-diaper-wearing kind. That's because the restaurant offers gargantuan kids meals for $2.99. Makes me wanna pop a few out just so I could order the kids meals. It was not the kids that bothered me. It was the bad service. I know that baseball is a huge deal in the Boston area but there was no one watching the game except the bartenders. When we asked one of them to switch to the Olympics, he flatly said no. The food was not particularly good so I don't see myself coming back for the abuse. 1 star for being inexpensive.
(1)
Pam H.

I don't know if it was the location, or if all Borders have become like this - the worst service ever. I am not a huge fan of tex-mex/Mexican, went with a friend so I am not going to judge the food except for the fact that I asked in advance if something was spicy, was told no and my mouth was on fire! That was only part of the horrific service. We had two young kids with us - a 2-year old and a 6-year-old. Somehow the waitress served the adults our sodas first and then it was another 15 minutes before the kids' milks were brought out! Who does that. They were thirsty and the 2-year-old who is a super well behaved boy got cranky because he was so uncomfortable and thirsty. The 6-year-old was fine but - never serve the adults first. I have never seen any waitress do that. Our food came out first too, so the kids filled up on the nachos case they were starving and didn't really eat the real food. The worst service ever is all I can say.
(1)
Aaron R.

Was at the Borders at Burlington Mall and was hungry for Mexican so we went to this Tex Mex-Cajun chain. It was Friday night and the place was jammed. It must seat over 150 people in an open area with wooden tables. Many families with kids and I can see why. They delivered decent salsa and fantastic hot tortilla chips (Best I have had in Boston) but the service was slow to order, but then the food came out fast. My friend has the Guacamole appetizer that was big enough for four people and delicious although a bit salty for my taste. I had the Steak Fajitas and she had the Fajita Salad. Both were large servings and we could not finish either after all the salsa and guacamole. The Margaritas are large and very popular and a good value. I had the jambalaya as my side dish and it was delicious. The only complaint is had is the excellent flour tortillas for the Fajitas were very small and I could not put all the ingredients in. To finish all the fajita filling one would have to eat all the tortillas so I just passed on them and ate the filling off my plate. They serve this dish with delicious grilled onions not peppers, as is usually the case. Great family place, decent and large servings of well prepared food. I would go back, but not on Friday or Saturday night.
(3)
denise d.

they do not do take out!
(2)
Stan D.

Not bad at all - for a Tex-Mex place. People don't come here expecting a five-course, five-star meal - Border Cafe promises decent food cheap, and it delivers. The French chicken was absolutely a-mazing. The sauce was right on the money, so much so that I asked our waitress to thank whomever made it.
(4)
Bill D.

This is just like all the others in the chain. The chips are from the factory and salsa ok. The food comes from a giant extruder - with way too much cheese. Get there early or wait, wait, wait.
(2)
Ken M.

Remember, I judge based on expectations, not on how great a place is. This location is the newest of this mini-chain and they had the opportunity to do so much with the space once occupied by Victoria Station. I honestly do not understand why they would make the parking lot so limited as to have a server standing at the entrance telling people to pull into the business park behind the restaurant instead. Also, the waiting area is small, and made smaller by the drunken (at 7pm on a Thursday) people eating in the lounge chairs that are intended for people waiting for real tables. The food was what I was expecting, except the Jambalya recipe seemed off. For comparison, the Saugus location would get five stars and the Harvard Sqaure (original) would get four. I've not been to the Jersey or Delaware locations.
(3)
Mats K.

I've been here. This place is very very similar to another place I've been, so I might as well use a modified version of the same review: Can't say I was impressed. It is always full with a suburban greater Boston after-work crowd. This is like the Applebees and Chilis of Mexican food. It is way too loud, and the food is just about as Mexican as what you might find at Taco Bell. There ought to be laws against Calling Tex/Mex, Americanized Mexican food "Mexican". If you like Applebees and Chilis, you'll probably be comfortable here. Personally I feel that I might as well microwave my own food.
(2)
Selene K.

Inexpensive wonderful tx mex. try a margarita!! I had the eggplant with crab, it was outstanding!
(5)
Renee H.

Great restaurant! Food was fantastic....drinks were nice. Decent sized. I had the veggie quesadilla (which was huge) I only ate half. For a Saturday night it was very full but we only had to wait 10 min for the table. Our waitress wasn't the best but the food and atmosphere made up for it! Plus for a $7 quesadilla that will feed me for 2 meals it was A+
(4)
Jason W.

The Border Cafe is a weekly staple for my group of friends. It's clean, friendly, and the quality to price ratio is right on target. The waitstaff checks on things regularly, the food comes out in a timely fashion, and the free chips and salsa taste fantastic. Definitely a recommendation.
(5)
Zachary S.

This place could be a lot better, IMHO. The service is usually pretty bad and I always feel like an outsider here for some reason. The food is meh. Everything is TOO cheesy (literally) and greasy for me but I've had a few average burritos here...nothing great. Drinks are kinda weak, decor is typical...basically one huge open room with a small bar near the front door. I wouldn't really recommend going here except to maybe pre-game for a few margaritas.
(2)
William F.

Decent chain-like Mexican place. The chips are good, salsa average.
(3)
Kristen W.

Pretty solid food, pretty solid drinks, pretty solid prices. This location is a carbon copy of the Saugus locale (except that the bar area is slightly larger). This place is great for families with kids & groups. Weekend evenings are pretty packed with 20, 30, 40-somethings out for a night out. The location off of Rte 3, Burlington Mall area is convenient (if not crowded during this Christmas season) and this BC outpost has what appears to be adequate parking (at lease better parking than the Saugus and Cambridge locations. The menu is pretty standard across all of the BC locations - no surprises. The salsa and warm chips they serve are far superior to any of the Mexican chain establishments that I have been to in the northeast. Fountain sodas come in big generous icy glasses; margaritas are somewhat weak unless you order the more high end varieties. Some "hidden jewel" non-standard items you may not think to try are: 1) Crawfish popcorn - smoky sweet with a little heat and a yummy sort of honey mustard sauce on the side. It has gotten to the point where we don't go to the BC without getting this as an app. 2) tejas chicken - like buffalo tenders but not friend and a bit more spicy as opposed to vinegar-y. 3) any of the 2 eggplant dishes (one is vegetarian and one has lump crabmeat) both are fantastic and unexpectedly hearty 4) catfish with lemon pepper sauce - YUM I find the BC to be a reliable place for some not too commercialized Mexican and southwestern/creole inspired food.
(4)
Munchie B.

Very good service. Good chips and salsa. Okay entrees. Lotta fat. Lotta salt. Feeling gut-shot. Must. Lie. Down.
(3)
Dee H.

This is a family favorite, as the food and dining experience is enjoyed by everyone. They are inexpensive, plus the service is very good. We had the same server as the last time, and she was just as patient and attentive as before. The place is clean too, including the restrooms.
(3)
Jonathan C.

I wouldn't say it's anywhere near athentic, thats why i gave it three stars but real good mexcan style food. Very cheap also. This is another great place to take a group of friends too. Drinks are ok, beer is always fresh. Gotta try the "RIO GRANDE" but be prepared it's alot of food. The employees are also very friendly. Goodtimes!
(3)
C. R.

Gave it another chance. It was still very loud, but the food was better and our server was very very good. The restaurant was clean despite it being Valentines Day. We will try it again to see what we get and maybe they will get a 5 stars!
(4)
James K.

Pretty good food. We absolutely love the blackened chicken. Service is pretty terrible though.
(4)
Jack N.

Come on, people. Your taste buds aren't lying to you. The food here tastes bad. Only one way the restaurant food in the area gets better: when people stop lining up out the door to eat bad food. Expect better, my friends.
(1)
David Y.

Tex-Mex and Cajun food at Border Cafe is as authentic as a Chinese buffet in Texas. But don't let that stop you from coming into this festive jaunt. Its a mini-chain that has plenty of feel-good dishes, most are Mexcian or cajun style foods. I had the Chicken Bandera that came with a dark smoky sweet sauce that I poured over a boneless chicken breast and it came with a mango salad and fried plantains ($8). Very good but not bold flavors. Don't expect the same spice or that special zing from great food in a mom and pop kitchen. Its dulled down and gentrified for the strip mall location. But its still good. I also shared the black bean and corn empanadas ($7). It came with rice and beans. It was similarly lacking a punch in flavor but good nonetheless. Their hurricane was particularly tasty with a nice touch of pineapple juice and some strong rum ($7). The atmosphere is fun and lively here although the crowd is mostly white suburban families. I thought their portions were small and was glad I had ordered a second entre to split. Their tortilla chips were pretty good. I like chips thick and was surprised they don't pre-salt them, which is a characteristic I wish all Mexican restaurant should implement. Their salsa was watery and flavorless. Their fried catfish was awesome and I will try that the next time I'm there. Service was great and apologetic when my empanadas came out a little late. This place is ideal for families or unadventurous eaters looking for a night out. If you're over 40 or have 2+ kids, you've probably already been here. If you consider yourself a foodie or are pretty far away, do not go here cuz you'll bring everyone else down.
(4)
Barb M.

Pretty good tex-mex menu, with a pretty good variety if you're not interested in mexican. I had the salmon which was good. It was super noisy inside (it was a Friday night), but we ended up getting table outside. Drinks are good. Atmosphere is good. Overall, a good experience. Not unbelievable, but good.
(3)
Alexi B.

Sometimes there is a wait to get seated, too bad the bar area isn't bigger. Good food for the price. More Tex Mex, than Mexican. I like the Jim Bowe steak tips, crawfish enchiladas & magaritas!
(4)
Meredith K.

You know.. this is standard chain restaurant tex-mex. It's not bad per se, it's just not that fantastic either. For what it is, it's acceptable. But working in Burlington this location has two things.. well maybe three that keep me coming back: 1: Beer 2: Decent Margaritas 3: proximity to my work Hence, I go here sometimes on a Friday for lunch, or after work for a few drinks. It gets really packed so the times I've gone with friends after work - we make sure to get there a little early to ensure a seat. Otherwise I refuse to wait 2 hours to eat mediocre food, at a chain, in Burlington. The times I've gone there service has always been really nice. I like the chips and salsa to start too. So if you work/live in Burlington sure it's a great place to meet for a drink. If you don't save the trip and go to Harvard Square location (I think the food is actually slightly better there).
(3)
Maurice T.

Great for dinner after work or quick business lunches in Burlington. Try the Tostada Grande Salad - it's the best and most filling salad you'll find for dinner.
(5)
Susan D.

Yummy yummy. I have been moving house into the suburbs and what a cool relief that my husband and I found this place. It is clean, dining room large, outdoor seating on the patio away from the busy, loud Middlesex Turnpike. It is easy to park, easy to sip margaritas, and satisfy yourself with your bottom-less free chips and salsa (unlike some cheapskate places - eh hem chili's). The French chicken is AMAZING. I don't use that term often. Totally unexpected, but the flattened chicken nicely breaded and quickly fried came with an amazing lemon cream butter sauce that will knock your trousers off. Order it with the jambalya rice and you will believe that your meal was made in heaven. I also got the fish tacos, which were aight. But there weren't any coleslaw in there! Way better at Rudy's. 5-stars only because I was super tired from fixing/moving house and the Francais chicken was that good.
(5)
Iska B.

Yet another Tex-Mex chain. Is there anything special about this one? Not really aside from the fact that they also serve Cajun food. Yeah Cajun food...because somehow that makes sense...Mexican and Cajun...right. OK fine, that's their gimmick, it certainly piqued my interest. I came here for some after work drinks and dinner. Heard the margaritas were strong and cheap. Verdict? The margaritas are indeed cheap ($5) and strong as well. I like being able to actually taste the tequila that's in there and not just the mix. That was a pleasant surprise. As for the food it wasn't half bad at all. The chips and salsa were great. Really hot chips (although a bit too salty) and the salsa was also surprisingly spicy. That was what surprised me the most about this place, that there was actual spice to this food unlike so many other Americanized Mexican chains. I ordered the Gulf Coast Seafood Enchiladas because I miss the taste of the crawfish I had in Louisiana. After eating these, I still miss that taste. I mean I know I shouldn't expect much for an entree that costs less then $10 but still. The crawfish was clearly frozen at some point and had absolutely no flavor left. I think they use so much salt and spice because there is no flavor otherwise. It was kinda disappointing though the cheese and fresh salsa were nice. I'm wondering if they salt everything so heavily to cause you to gulp your margarita so fast you have to order another...but that's speculation. Overall, not bad. I think I like it better then On the Border since it has the added Cajun options but seriously don't expect much. Cheap with large portions of middle-of-the-road food.
(3)
Larry B.

Edit: 3/08 after a number of visits, I'd say the growing pains have long since been worked out, and Border Cafe remains one of our favorite places to visit. Good, cheap, and tasty. Authentic? Probably not, but they're pretty consistent at whatever it is they're shooting for, so I'd say they've got their niche pegged down. Since half-stars aren't available, I'm going to round down. I have to second the observation that their service isn't where it needs to be yet, but that's understandable for a new location. In particular, our server didn't seem to be very knowledgeable about the vegetarian side of the menu (as opposed to Cambridge, where our server expressed concern that I was ordering the vegetable fajitas [vegetarian] with a side of jambalaya [which contains meat]). It's a rather large location, with lots of speakers overhead on the walls. Too bad the music was cranked so loud it was hard to talk during lunch!
(4)
Greg H.

solid food, casual friendly atmosphere, great prices, generous portions... simply awesome place. customers range from young couples to families w kids to elderly. they immediately bring out a huge pile of fresh warm chips w salsa. make sure you don't pig out on these and ruin your appetite for the entress (i've done that too many times :( appetizers: everything i've ordered has been tasty, esp these little popcorn crawfish you dip into honey sauce. but chips + appetizers + entrees leave you very uncomfortably full at the end, so watch out. entrees: i love their fish dishes. their fish tacos are very delicious... couple of soft tacos w fresh lettuce and fried catfish inside; comes w side of beans and rice. i reckon these things are not very healthy, but oh well. ever since baja fresh closed down, border cafe is really the only place in boston to get fish taco (albeit their fish is catfish, which is unusual choice for fish taco). i'm not a big fajita/enchilada person, but my friends have said that those are pretty good as well at border cafe. frozen margaritas: very solid, although not the best i've had (i'm from cali and used to do weekly trips to phoenix, so my standards could be a bit high). certainly some of the best you can get in boston.
(5)
Randy G.

My husband and I eat here about 3 times a week. We like to cycle through the menu, with our favorite dishes being the catfish and the eggplant. It is very inexpensive and the food is fabulous. Service is fast, but I recommend you get there early because it always gets crowded. Try the crawfish bites as an appetizer. Yum, yum, yum!....
(5)
N M.

Great food! Try their Chicken Bandera (main course) and blackened chicken (appetizer). Good value for your money.
(4)
Cathy W.

Chucky Cheese with margaritas. We went on a Saturday night with our two teenagers; adults in this place were out-numbered by kids under eight. It was loud and cold. The hipster parents at the next table couldn't be bothered to keep their kids from roaming all over the restaurant and playing with balloons in the impromptu play-area they created behind my chair. I saw one of the kids nearly up-end a waiter, twice, as she pursued her balloon between sets of diners. While the appetizer nachos are good and free, and the $10 entrees are reasonable, nobody seems to be in charge. The emphasis seemed to be on serving the food fast - but no one was walking the floor managing things and telling lazy parents to keep their kids from turning the restaurant into their personal playground. For less money we could have experienced the same atmosphere at McDonalds - actually, McDonalds would be an improvement over the Border Cafe.
(2)
claire g.

Six of us went to this restaurant on Tuesday evening for dinner. Out of the six entrees the waitress brought four that we had ordered and two that we had not. She left with the two incorrect entrees promising to return in "minutes". 15 minutes later she returned with the identical two incorrect orders! When this was brought to her attention she once again requested a few minutes to correct the situation. We asked to speak with the manager- a very young woman came over to explain that "mistakes happen"- when the fact that the identical mistake had happened twice and that the remaining four diners had now finished eating was mentioned she said that the comment was uncalled for!??! A couple of minutes later a man came to our table also stating that he could produce the correct meals in minutes. We explained that we were not interested in eating the meals after the others in our party had completed their dinners & we were not interested in taking the dinners home- we also mentioned that the dinner experience had been ruined for the entire table, all because our waitress obviously was uninterested in writing down what was being ordered. In the end we were not required to pay for the dinners that we hadn't received. I would have thought that our entire bill would have been zeroed becuase of the incompentence!
(1)
Shawn G.

Border Cafe isn't fine dining, nor is it authentic Mexican. Get over that. It doesn't have to be. What it is is delicious, affordable, fast, and a great casual dining experience. I almost always order the Chicken Guadalajara, which is fantastic. The jambalaya rice, various sides and the appetizers, including the pastalitos, chorizo fondues. And Ã©touffÃ©e are excellent as well. And both the service and kitchen are incredibly efficient. My only complaint is the margaritas are relatively weak. Bonus points, however, for being very accommodating to dietary requests and having huge water glasses. I drink a lot, and seriously, it's a big deal.
(5)
Melissa M.

I am so baffled by a lot of lousy reviews with only 1 or 2 stars. Huh??? I have been to the Burlington location at least 2 dozens time and it always deserved 4 or 5 stars. Seems unfair to judge a place based on noise level or that there were too many kids or overcrowded. What? I think the fact that this place is always "jumping" says it all. A lot of people go because it is excellent. Not being busy indicates a lousy resturaunt. This is just the opposite. The Border has no control of kids so it's absurd to comment on this. Country tunes seem to be playing often, as a Yelper pointed out. So? Cool people know that modern Country music "rocks". The Border plays cool tunes, has games on at the bar, killer sangria and margaritas and all dishes are great. Chips are warm and fresh. Good salsa too. Cajun catfish bites are delicious. Loud but fun. If you're a weirdo, you might not enjoy. But if you're a normal human being, then the Border is very cool. Service is friendly and fast, but you never feel rushed. Decent parking. Huge portions and very inexpensive. For the type of resturaunt it is, 5 stars, no doubt. Cambridge location is just as good, but good luck with parking in Harvard SQ. Delicious, cheap, near malls & movie theatre. Two thumbs up. Yelpers that gave bad reviews... are you alright?
(5)
Erica L.

This is my go-to place everytime i come up to visit friends near Burlington. I always get the Chicken Quesadilla and it's great everytime! Their chips are delicious and salsa is great (but a lil spicy for me). Expect a long wait bc this place is always packed!!! The atmosphere is great as well. Wait staff is always friendly and food is made pretty fast. The prices are awesome and thats one of the reasons this place is great!!
(4)
Caitlin G.

Pretty typical chain restaurant Mexican fare, but the service was great and made all the difference. Our waitress was fabulous! I ordered the blackened chicken fajitas and they were surprisingly very good, nicely spiced. The fixings that come with the fajitas were a little on the cheap side though, i.e. no salsa or guac (the stuff you really want) but a mountain of cheese and sour cream. Other than that it was an overall pleasant experience. I always enjoyed going to the one in Harvard Square before this one opened.
(3)
Jennifer M.

Our waitress was really nice -- not fake, please-tip-me nice, but genuinely nice. That's rare. The food was good, my margarita was pretty perfect, and the price was fairly decent. My only complaints: Wow is it loud, and they had people waiting even though there were a number of open tables. I also like the fireplace -- nice touch.
(4)
Robin G.

We actually came to eat here when the wait never seemed to end at the popular restaurant around the corner. Unfortunately this place also had a bit of a wait but not nearly as long, which is why I give it only 4 stars. On a good note the service was great, the drinks were great and the food all around was delicious. I always leave with a leftovers but this time I ate everything.
(4)
Claire N.

The service was good. The place was LOUD. Food and drinks came quickly but the food was really only mediocre. I had the swordfish tacos and the fish just wasn't that good. The tacos were soggy. Wouldn't go back.
(3)
Michael H.

I tried their quesadilla's and was terribly disappointed. The overdid the salsa on them and rather than having a crisp texture, they were soggy. The meat was bland and despite the fact that the restaurant was not busy, I had to wait for 15 minutes to get my check (while the waitstaff stood by the bar and talked).
(2)
Kevin B.

This place is usually pretty consistent on quality of their food and their decent prices. I recently tried the eggplant royale dish wish "reportedly" had lump crab meat and spices with a fried eggplant --- I think I got royally jobbed on this one -- a bland cheese sauce covered the crispy eggplant --- and that's about all I can say --- no cajun spice to speak of and no crab wedged between the eggplant and the cheese sauce --- Frozen Strawberry Margaritas had chunky ice chips in them, making it near impossible to enjoy with a straw. If there was alcohol in it, it may have had a bottle of tequila waved over it -- but there was no taste other than slushy strawberry....which is good if you wanted a Slush Puppie... Service was adequate until the waiter forgot $60 of my change - that kind of ruins the service when you have to at least entertain the idea that the guy "forgot" on purpose - -- This was about my 8th trip to the Border Cafe and I would rate this location at the bottom. Cambridge, cramped but charming, is the one I recommend. This place used to be about a 4.5 star place but has meandered down the road to just about 3 stars. I am now looking for a replacement for this type of restaurant -
(3)
Linh V.

after snowboarding at nashoba valley we were in the mood for border cafe! of which we have always been a fan of (the saugus route 1 one) but this place completely disappointed in every aspect. let's begin with the server JENNIFER R. she effen sucks. she got us stale chips, never refilled them, no cherries in our shirley temples!, never paid attention to us, she wasn't even there to help the food runner hand us our food, we were done with our drinks half way through the meal and never once did she ask us if we wanted a refill and when we finally got her attention to get us a refill she forgot until she saw us glaring at her!. she was apparently way too busy refilling pepper shakers and flirting with the rest of the waitstaff. she needs to be fired. and it wasn't like it was a busy night, we were the only table in her section. and the food.. it was different. completely different. way to salty. is that possible? its a chain.. shouldn't all the food be the same?
(1)
June D.

Hadn't been to the Border Cafe for a while, but was glad to revisit and will definitely make this our "go to" Tex-Mex restaurant. The prices are soooo reasonable and the food is really good. I had the swordfish tacos, and hubby had the combo blackened steak/chicken fajitas. He was very pleased. We didn't have a wait for a Saturday night, and were in and out of there in one hour. We will definitely eat here more often.
(4)
MoreSrirachaPlease C.

This is one of my favorite places, and the prices are extremely reasonable. Great for lunch or dinner. Very noisy, however.
(4)
K G.

Cheap! In a good way...tons of food and drinks won't effect the wallet much here at all. It's humongous and can hold some very large parties of people. Kid friendly and quick service make this among my favorites for cheap, good food.
(4)
Brian G.

I ate here for the second time tonight. It was okay. The waitress was really nice except they barely give any sour cream and I think that is because they want you to purchase more. Who heard of a restaurant making you BUY more condiments?! Anyway the fajitas are good but the blackened catfish was NASTY! Very sportsbarish.
(3)
Chris P.

Border is a GREAT lunch spot. I typically go here 2-3 times a month and always enjoy it! The food is always tasty, fresh and inexpensive. I strongly suggest trying the Blacken Chicken fajitas and the Chicken Bandera. The burgers are huge and only like $6. I would avoid the quesadilla because they overload them with cheese. The Chips are very addictive and always served warm with a rather bland salsa. Get the fresh guacamole as an app. If you go for lunch try to arrive before noon as this place fills up very fast.
(4)
michael L.

I LOVE this place. I was introduced as a kid for my birthday. I have since gone every year on or around my birthday for about 20 years. I started at the original in Harvard Square but the other locations are just about as fantastic. Free chips and salsa might be the best I've had in New England. The sodas are huge. Other drinks are very well made. Service is usually fast and the food comes out quickly as well. All the food is very good. I get the burro with jambalaya usually either with chicken or steak . Love it! The prices are awesome. If you stick with water or even sofa your looking at 25-30 for two including tip. Obviously if you are like me and add a couple(or more) of there great margaritas or an app, it's more but still a great value.
(5)
Ramon P.

This is a terrible spot, you get instant diarrhea when your done eating and they do not include some ingredients listed in the description of the plate. Would never come again nor recommend anyone to eat here unless you want to spend 2 days on the toilet. Service was bad too, if you ask for something they might kick you out beware.
(1)
Ian P.

Pretend Mexican restaurant. For a southern Californian make sure you skip this place. What is carne Asada? What are retried beans? Yeah, no thank you.
(1)
Lawrence Z.

This is my all time favorite casual place to eat. Mix of Cajun, Mexican and TexMex. Very good Margaritas and endless chips and Salsa to start. Recommend the gumbo and guacamole if you want a little extra for a starter. All of their blackened fish are amazing, my favorite is the salmon. Staying with the seafood; their seafood enchiladas are great, with shrimp, crawfish and crab. Other favorites are the fajitas, burros, blackened chicken, steak salad and crawfish Ã©touffÃ©e. All meals served with either rice & beans or jambalaya. Also great place to bring the kids as it is loud, cheap kids meals, and chips munch on.
(5)
Terri k.

I kind of liked this place, surprisingly! Our server was friendly and on the ball for a busy Saturday night! I liked the chips and salsa. One of my weaknesses is guacamole and I have to say the guacamole was pretty good here. But still can't compete with the guacamole in Costa Rica! The atmosphere is a little too loud especially for a first date. Very casual and reminds me of a sports bar/ springbreak bar. (which i'm a little too old for) :-) I had the fish tacos, and I really liked them. Perfect flavor, just the right amount of hot spices. I was very upset when I realized I had left my leftovers on the table! Darn! I hate when I do that! Overall for a chain it was pretty good!
(4)
Alison D.

If you work in Burlington and like freshly made chips - you will love this place. I had some of these today along with a great taco salad kind of thing that arrived in a giant tortilla casing. We could have easily been right in and out quickly if we needed to be - the service was quick. For once though, we weren't and got to linger around and eat a few more of those chips!
(4)
Sandy S.

What a great surprise! Not sure what to expect but Tex Mex and Cajun food mixed menu works in this case! They know how to cook meat, the blackened chicken was fantastic as was the beef fajita meat. My husband had the shrimp & crawfish quesadilla which was excellent! Would recommend!
(5)
Val P.

The one time I was there I got the chicken burrito, it was more like a burro. Very generous serving with authentic Tex/Mex flavors. The (chips with) pico de gallo is really not that hot, I prefer hotter than the norm.
(4)
Meghan O.

I love Border Cafe. I crave their hot chips and mild salsa. The prices are amazing, drinks are good, and I like everything I have tried on the menu. People call it Tex-Mex but it's really half Mex half Cajun fwiw. The blacked items are great. So let me share my many years of indulgence with you: Cheese enchiladas - I like them. They are very basic but I like the flavor. They are what I think of when I think of cheese enchiladas. I should also say that I don't like onions so these are unique in that they aren't onion-filled. Taco salad - comes in a huge friend bowl. I prefer the black bean one because the meats are all shredded and the flavors. The dill ranch dressing is yummy. French Quarter chicken - a friend of mine loves this and I had a bite. Delicious. Eggplant Royale - deep fried pieces of eggplant with a creamy crab sauce on top. I agree with other people, it's loud in there but I have young kids so this is a bonus. One weird fact is that they don't serve dessert. Like at all. For kids they have packs Starbursts or M&Ms - full, big bags! I'm sure I will think of more things to list and describe but these are some favorites.
(5)
Kelly D.

Waited 30 minutes for amazing food. The waiters and waitresses were extremely friendly! The blackened salmon was good, and the black bean+corn empanada
(4)
Ashley H.

In my seemingly neverending quest to find a Mexican restaurant that is anything compared ot my beloved Ohio joints, we ventured to this place last Friday. Chips and salsa were delicious, albeit a bit spicy. I was looking for something that didn't have a huge doughy/fried/wrap element to it and did not want a salad. I ordered a burro which I was fooled into thinking was a giant enchilada, but really it was a giant tortilla with a wee bit of chicken. I ate the chicken, rice and black beans, but was rather hungry because the majority of the dish was the uneaten tortilla. My mom loved her fajita salad and the man ate all his chicken and potato strings (thin fries) after a futile attempt at not eating the entire thing. It was a pretty inexpensive meal for 3, included a glass of wine and a margarita, for about $45 before the tip. I would call it tex mex rather than Mexican, although I won't be calling it anything from now on because I won't be going back. Had I read yelp before pulling in the parking lot on our way to Flatbread, I would have saved myself the hassle of writing yet another review on a failed attempt at amazing New England Mexican :(
(2)
Sangram P.

Good Food, great lively atmosphere!
(4)
Paul D.

Great food, inexpensive, clean and near mall. Centrally located. One major downside is rush hour crowds. It can get really, really clogged up there, so try to work your way around the 5:30 to 7:30 PM crowds. Tables turn over fast and the cajun fare is tasty for Yankee fare.
(4)
Jen K.

I can sum my experience up with 3 words "Not a fan". Service was good but the food, eh, not so much.
(2)
Ali C V.

No, just NO! This is sloppy, ugly, pseudo-Mexican food smothered in sauces and cheese which attempt to give the food actual flavor. My 19-year-old doesn't even eat like this. I once ordered a simple Romaine salad with steak tips thinking it was a safe choice and they even attempted to turn that "Mexican." Newsflash: there's no such thing as a Mexican-flavored salad. Way to ruin perfectly good steak tips. My friend likes coming here sometimes and I go along because he's my friend, certainly not to eat. This is the ONLY place I've been to that's denied me a taste of the wine I was going to order. My waitress literally had to sneak me taste. WHERE is the logic behind this? A taste is about .5 oz. A whole glass of wine is about 6 oz. down the drain if I ask you to take it back and take it off my tab. Hellooooooooooo
(1)
Samantha W.

This is coming from the person who cannot tolerate any spicy cuisines (ie: Mexican, Indian, etc.), but this place is definitely a must if you are around town! Obviously the dishes were still too spicy for me though :( However, I had a great time eating here with my family a couple of weeks ago. This location had huge amounts of space and my mom was still in shock that it seemed to extend until forever. Here's what personally surprised me the most: an entire meal for 4 people including appetizers and entrees plus tax and tips came out to LESS than $50! How amazing is that nowadays? I had steak and guac and both were delicious! The rest of my family definitely enjoyed their dishes as well. The only thing is that since it was such a packed place on a Saturday (we had to wait 50 minutes because they don't take reservations unfortunately), service was cordial, but extremely rushed. If you plan to go here during the weekends, definitely plan to allot some time just for waiting.
(4)
Chris S.

No take out!!!
(3)
Giovanni F.

Border Cafe is fun, affordable, delicious, and uplifting. Border has a loud, lively atmosphere and greasy, fattening Mexican and cajun food. Great place to go with friends. You can't go wrong with the burros.
(4)
Sean M.

So wifey and I were in the area and feeling the urge for some Lone Star so we stopped in. This time I went with the Mexican burger and thought it was pretty good, but personally, I would've went with pepper jack cheese and put the diced poblanos IN the burger patty. The seasoning on the patty worked well though. I will say I wasn't crazy about the shoestring fries, as I think some thicker steak fries withCajun seasoning would've really set it off. Wifey had a completely different experience. She went with the catfish New Orleans and was fairly disappointed. I can see why, as the shrimp and basil cream sauce kinda threw off the flavor, especially since the fried catfish was completely soaked in it. The rice it came with seemed to be a Cajun cousin of Jose's rice and the flavor on that was also not too pleasant. Once again, on this visit, the service was superb. Our guy was incredibly friendly and funny. I would definitely return based on service and previous dishes that I liked.
(3)
Linda J.

Okay so I LOVE mexican food and I would've loved to make this my regular tex mex place BUT I refuse to step in this place anymore....... So I came here with my fiance one early evening. Well something came up and we knew we would have to leave a little early (enough time to eat but no time for dessert or anything). I asked the hostess if we could get some boxes in case we couldn't sit through an entire meal and had to dash halfway through. I knew the waitress might be busy later and it would take extra time for her to get boxes after our food came out. Seems like a reasonable request, right? Well apparently not. The hostess, with the most condescending attitude, says "We don't do takeout, you can take your business to Chili's down the street." EXCUSE ME???? This is how you were trained to treat customers?? WOW. I wasn't asking for takeout. I wanted a doggy bag early on just in case I couldn't finish my meal. But thanks, I guess I will take my business elsewhere. There's no way I'd ever want to come back here. And with that, I left.
(1)
Will Y.

Went here for lunch recently. Casual Tex-Mex spot. I liked the chill western-esque vibe. Didn't have to wait to long for a table or for the food. The food was good, I would say better than Margaritas restaurant or any other Mexican chain restaurant but not as expensive. The chips and salsa were like crack! So good! I crushed 2 bowls of those. Also if you ask for a water or soda it comes in a big ass glass...like old school pizza hut big. Definitely appreciated that. Also noticed they had a little outside patio up near the bar when you walk in...could be a cool spot for after work drinks on a nice day. Solid place..I will be back.
(4)
Tracy B.

Love, Love, Love the Border & I know people are going to revue & say it sucks and its not authentic Mexican... so what... I love the border... Free Chips & Salsa (get Guacamole - they have the best) Cheap Drinks... and then tons of fun. THe place is loud, always packed, but sooo what... Just better to people watch... The menu is cheap, the food is plenty.. Go here you wont be sorry!
(5)
Amanda M.

Great priced Mexican food. Tastes good. Love the gumbo rice. Always busy, either come really early or really late otherwise be prepared to wait. Staff is super nice. Food is always good. Bring the whole family, so noisy no one will mind your kid screaming. ;) kids menu is cheap with big portions.
(4)
Steve C.

Been visiting these establishments since i lived in NJ eon's ago, there was a great place near where i lived called Jose Tejas, well, what do you know, Jose's and Border Cafe are one in the same. Warm fresh cooked, salty tortilla's with excellent salsa to start, i've tried many dishes in here and have never been disappointed, however my go to dish is the shredded chicken burrito. Always excellent, tasty white shredded chicken wrapped in the soft tortilla smothered in a delicious mixture of cheese and sauce. Served with a small lettuce salad with insanely good pico de gallo with your choice of beans and rice or, as i recommend, the jambalaya. Cool looking places with Mexican decor, service was prompt and friendly even though the place was jammed for lunch. Nice that the manager came to the tables to check everything was good, excellent touch! One of the best Mexican "chains" i've been to, i've also tried the ones on Rt 1 and the one at Harvard Square and the food was consistently good at all places. Skip all the other Mexican chains and stick with the Border Cafe (by the way, don't confuse this with "On The Border" as that place is usually disappointing)
(4)
Orly M.

Since it's become so chic in the Boston food scene to hate on the Border, I am going to go ahead and say it : I love the Border. If you are looking for authentic TexMex I recommend traveling to Texas. If you're looking for a lively atmosphere, good service, delicious food and cheap drinks that will knock you on your ass, I recommend the Border Cafe. First of all, the chips and salsa are amazing. I judge a faux Mexican restaurant by its salsa and the Salsa at Border is spicy, fresh, and tasty. The chips matter less to me, they're just a vehicle for salsa, which I would drink if it was socially acceptable but unfortunately it is not. Second of all, order a hurricane or 3, thank me later if you can manage to do it without slurring your words. I do not recommend letting your 13 year old brother "try a sip" and then watching in horror as he gulps down half of your hurricane and says "I'm dizzy." Your Mom will not appreciate that. The margaritas are meh but the sangria is also good and available frozen. Any place that will provide me with a sweet frozen liquory concoction on a hot day is fine by me. My loyalty was to the gaucho chicken, a chicken breast with spicy cilantro sauce, which I ordered with veggies instead of rice and wasn't treated like a weirdo for the substitution. That is, until I discovered the blackened chicken fajitas, my new love. The prices are completely reasonable, with drinks running around $5 and meals around $10. Due to the volume of business they do, they can offer quality food cheap. Obviously, this is not a fancy restaurant, nor is it a destination restaurant. But for a festive night out with friends or family, it can't be beat.
(5)
CJ G.

Border Cafe is one them gems that you find every now and then! I'm glad we found this place. We had some here a few years back with a friend who recommended it. All I have to say is that we missed it! And this past weekend we had a hotel in the Burlington area. So after a night filled with driving we ended up doing a late night dinner here! And let me tell you they did not disappoint in any shape or form. We got sat very quickly! However we got here on the later side (10pm). The staff was still very much on their A game that night! Our waitress was very helpful. She took our drink orders right away and got them to us in less than 5 minutes! The best part was when she took our food order she was just having fun with it! I asked what size the corn was when you order a side of it and she was trying to show me with her hands and one of the other staff members had been laughing at her trying to imitate her! It was pretty funny. It also comes to show the staff must enjoy working there. To me this is a great sign! So service all around was just perfect that night! The food came out nice and hot. Everyone gets free chips and salsa before they bring out your dinners. We each got the Taco & Enchilada combo dinner. All I have to say is wow! It tasted great. One thing I would also like to toss in is that they also use a Cajun spice on most of their dishes. I for one love Cajun spice! Its not over the top spicy but just enough to let you know its there. The pricing for your food is also more than fair! For 2 soda, 2 meals and the free chips and salsa came out to be $23.52! Thats before the tip. So we made sure that we left a big tip! We love this place! I have no issues recommending this restaurant to anyone. The staff is amazing and the food is great! Not to mention the price is more than fair. We will be back again that I promise you.
(5)
Julie S.

I realize that the Border Cafe is in no way authentic Mexican cuisine. Jambalaya and fajitas were never meant to be served together. But if you have a new baby and are looking to get out of the house on a Saturday night, the Border Cafe is the place to be. This restaurant is so loud, you can barely hear an infant screaming. They have slings for infant car seats, and highchairs are plentiful for when your little one gets bigger. My husband and I come here almost every weekend with our now 5 month old daughter. I love it here. We always order the fajitas which are tasty if, again, not authentic. I'm on a milk and soy free diet, and the Border Cafe is extremely attentive to the restricted diet. And they have bottomless chips and salsa, which is just fantastic. Ole!
(4)
Eddie R.

Well its Mexican food in Mass. What can you say I'm from Texas. This place is unique though, tex mex , Cajun food, Argentina steak... the salsa is not as food as people say. I had the seafood enchiladas and they were fantastic. My friend had the Cajun burger and that too was pretty good. Black beans are awful. The chorizo was surprisingly good. They gave it the old college try and I give them 3 stars for that.
(2)
Joe F.

Ordered blackened salmon and it came out burnt. They remade it and the second one was also burnt. Complained to manager and he explains that the salmon is dipped in 'margarine' and that why it becomes blackened. He said this is normal...See uploaded picture of salmon
(1)
R P.

Great Margaritas! We were served with warm chips and fresh salsa as we got seated. The chicken enchilada was very tasty and was served hot. Good food. Great service in spite of the Saturday night rush. Reasonable prices. Highly recommend this place !
(5)
Jamie S.

My husband and I ate here several times. I got the seafood enchilada and oh my word, it's awesome! They have the best guacamole; that's what I craved when u was pregnant with my son.... So I would know who makes the best- just trust me on this one! Always a great time, always!
(5)
Jenn M.

I absolutely LOVE the Border Cafe. The Sangria is refreshing and the food is delicious. And the prices...you can not beat the prices! If I could I would eat here every single night. One of my all time favs for cheap and delcious food!
(5)
Sandra G.

LOVE the Border Cafe! I can't believe I had forgotten about this place. I just recently re-discovered it, and now I am in love again! No, it's not authentic Mexican, and yes, it has the feel of a large, well-run chain similar to On the Border. However, the Border Cafe has a lot going for it: delicious food, incredibly low prices (which don't seem to have changed in 10 years), attentive service, good parking, and a family friendly atmosphere - including balloons for the kiddos! So, this is definitely one of our new go-to restaurants! Now, I am not sure if I went on an "off" salsa day, but I was not wowed by the salsa as many of the other reviewers were. For me, the salsa is a little chunky and jar-like. I prefer more liquidy salsa "fresca" like they have at On the Border. However, the other items on the menu more than make up for the mediocre salsa, and the chips are crisp and salty and great! Even though Border Cafe is primarily Mexican, my favorite dish hands down is the French Quarter Chicken. It is Amazing! The first time we ate here, I thought my husband was crazy to order a non Mexican dish, but as I had my first taste of this chicken dish, I quickly saw the error of my ways. Now, every visit includes an order of the French Quarter Chicken. Do yourself a favor and try it!
(5)
Sarah H.

There is nothing really *bad* about this restaurant from my experiences, although I haven't had anything memorable or particularly yummy. The prices are ok and the menu selection is decent. I saw it referred to as "kitschy Tex-Mex" and that describes it perfectly. It is a big open space with wood floors, which creates a big echo, so it is unusually (and irritatingly) loud. It's a good lunch destination in the Burlington area but I'd recommend a few other Mexican joints, like Anna's or Cafe Azteca (see my other reviews).
(3)
Laura W.

I would really give this place 3 1/2 stars. These are some of the best quesadillas I've ever had and they are HUGE! The margaritas aren't very good-made with a mix, house tequila, and not very much alcohol. Very good service-very quick with seating and food delivery.
(4)
Annmarie A.

What a disappointment! I previously had only good things to say for this solid standby and once-obvious choice over the nearby Chile's. Unfortunately, the service there tonight has pretty much driven me from wanting to dine here again. Everything was fine until the bill came. I had a MasterCard Gift card for well over the bill plus 20%, typical for making sure the card will clear with room for the tip in the restaurant machines. I even opened the gift card package in front of the waitress. "WE DON'T TAKE GIFT CARDS." You don't take legal tender backed by a well known credit card company that you do accept? And you do not list this policy anywhere? Could I please speak to the manager? When the manager came over and asked about not accepting gift cards, she said that they do not have to list their payment policies. (Considering a restaurant is a service driven business where customer satisfaction is of the utmost importance to the success of said business, I felt this was an odd sentiment for a chain restaurant). She then proceeded to rattle off a list of other cards they do not accept, interrupt me when I asked another question, and not offer any remedy to the situation at all. My defense for one star...had the manager not spoken to me in quite so condescending a manner, I would have chalked this up to a strange policy, with the potential to embarrass the customer when it comes time to pay; a quirk in an otherwise decent restaurant. However, the condescending tone, the immediate defensive tone and attitude to my question, and the lack of an offer to remedy the situation has truly turned me off from this establishment.
(1)
Jim S.

It was OK. Cheap. Fast service. Passable Americanized Mex (good luck trying to find anything authentic around here). I tried one of the Cajun dishes (Shrimp Etouffee) and it was OK but very very salty. The Cajun probably requires a little more execution than the Mexican, and I doubt the kitchen is up to it. Stick with the Mex. The large margaritas ($8) are watered. So what else is new in a place like this. It's how they make their money.
(3)
Megan H.

Dining here after a terrible day, quickly swept my winter woes away. What can I say here that probably hasn't already been said? I've been to Border Cafes before and never felt impressed by the food, or anything else they had to offer. Until last night, all of my unimpressed thoughts have totally changed. I can't help but day dream about my Swordfish Tacos. I don't think that any other place could ever replicate my plate of perfection. My mouth waters the thought of every indulgent bite. My plate was full with leafy delicious greens, with an amazing mango salsa and a half avocado. Take a look at my uploaded picture! Simply wonderful!I was truly satisfied with the portion. Three fish tacos was just plenty. Best of all, it wasn't the most expensive menu item. It was $10, and change. My waitress, Allison M, was smiley, completely delightful. She was always on top of her game. Consistently refilling my pail of water and adding two lemon wedges before I even reached halfway, or even a quarter way of my 64 ounce water glass. This is pure attention to customers. This has to be one of the fewest times that I have ever seen such flawless waitressing. She deserves to be on some sort of Wall of Fame. If I could only say the worst part of the dining experience, was the mere 5 minute wait for seating. Trust me. It was worth it! I didn't have any adult beverages, but as I looked at neighboring tables, I saw margaritas all lined across the tables. I doubt anyone went home feeling less than pleasant. To top the night off, the amusing staff let me go home with a fun blue balloon. How can't I be in love? I can't wait for my next visit! Border Cafe, you're terrific!
(5)
Andrew R.

Good sloppy Mexican, not very expensive, very kid friendly. If you're looking for a nice quite date spot it may not be for you but like I said good sloppy mehicano!
(5)
John O.

I'm not usually a fan of chain restaraunts, but I enjoy coming to Border Cafe. The chips are served fresh out of the fryer and the salsa has a good flavor, but it could use a bit more heat. The mix of mexican and cajun flavors are successful if not totally authentic. Great place to come during the work week for a quick lunch. The selection of Texan/Mexican beers is also a nice touch.
(4)
Mrs. M.

I love this place more than anyone should love a restaurant. In the summer time, I wish I could just live there. The swordfish tacos are out of this world. The blackened chicken is my faaaaaavorite meal, and now I order a side of grilled avocado and it could be the best thing I've ever put in my mouth. Love this place!
(5)
Kevin T.

Not what you are expecting. Cajun and Mexican all in one. Food was good, not great, but I'd eat there again. Service was very attentive, which I like, and the margaritas were muy bueno. My once a week taco place!
(3)
Shawn B.

I am giving this place 2 stars based on the host who sat us. As you walk into a restaurant the first person to make an impression is the host...we waited for 15 minutes to get a table, that was cramped in between 2 large parties..no no no...i didn't just wait 15 minutes to get the most terrible table in the restaurant...we asked to be relocated, and received an eye roll from hell..she relocated us...at a dirty table...dropped the menus and walked away...to add, we were close to the front door and heard her continuously talk shit about us...I think almost every person that walks into a restaurant asks for a different table...our server was fantastic and food was delicious...just get rid of the moody Sunday afternoon hostess...I really hope Rich or Nate reviews this and confronts the situation
(2)
Mahesh M.

Best Mexican grill I have ever had! You got to try out blackened chicken. Another appetizer I always try is popcorn shrimps. It's simply sumptuous. For veggie lovers theres empanadas. There is a lot of hustle and bustle in the place. Great place to hang out with friends. Drinks are little costly though.
(4)
Sarah B.

Usually a yummy meal, sadly when I went yesterday everyone in my party ended up sick. Which wouldn't be such a big deal (besides being gross) but I'm pregnant. Food seemed either old or contaminated somehow. I'm quite disappointed. Don't think I'll be back.
(1)
kim s.

Casual environment, friendly service, and very reasonably priced. The chips and salsa are delicious but a bit too salty for my taste. The shrimp and crawfish quesadilla is terrific!!!
(4)
Tiffany K.

Mexican? Not so sure about that... Although the chips and dip are decent, I'm surprised this got such a good review. But I guess that's what you can expect for New Englanders, we're about as far from Mexico as possible. The rice was terrible and the beans practically fell out of the can. The cheese tasted processed, and the service is just okay. The only thing this place has going for it is the atmosphere.
(2)
Eric B.

Good service and seating is easy even with a group. This location has a ton of tables. The fajitas are not so hot as they don't have peppers in them and are salty enough to replenish the oceans if something happened! Overall though some good menu choices and good prices.
(4)

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Address : 128 Middlesex Tpke
Burlington, MA, 01803
Phone (781) 505-2500
Website https://www.bordercafe.com/
Click To Get Directions

Opening Hours

Mon :11:30 am - 10

Specialities

Takes Reservations : No
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Loud
Music : Background
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : No
Best Nights : Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check : No
Smoking : No
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : No

Claim Restaurant

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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Border Cafe

128 Middlesex Tpke, Burlington, MA, 01803

Border Cafe Menu

Cajun Appetizers

Mexican Appetizers

Vegetarian Appetizers

Salads

Vegetarian Salads

Vegetarian Entrees

Burgers

Mesquite Grilled

Fajitas

Cajun Favorites

Mexican Specialties

Quesadillas

Sides

Healthy Meal suggestions for Border Cafe

Cajun Appetizers

Mexican Appetizers

Vegetarian Appetizers

Salads

Vegetarian Salads

Vegetarian Entrees

Burgers

Mesquite Grilled

Fajitas

Cajun Favorites

Mexican Specialties

Quesadillas

Sides

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