Hallelujah! Original French Quarter Chicken is back! During covid, it was taken off menu. When it finally came back, it wasn't the same. It was made with chicken tenders...just no! To my surprise, today it's back and just like original! My picture isn't great due to lightening but it's the same creamy peppery lemon sauce on a thin fried chicken. Heaven! Lots of changes on the new menu since my last visit! - pulled chicken and beef dishes - dip trios & sampler apps! - half orders of fajitas - mocktails Soo sooo happy with the changes and originals back! Even the drink sizes are back to their ginormous sizes! Love that they're going back to what everyone loved in the first place! Giving me Harvard Square vibes! Run don't walk! read more

See all

Border Cafe in Burlington was a pleasant surprise on a busy Saturday night. The dining room is huge and it was packed, but our food still came out promptly and hot impressive service under pressure. They started us off right with complimentary warm tortilla chips and really flavorful salsa that had everyone at the table reaching for more. I ordered a cup of Louisiana gumbo to start, and it was rich, spicy, and delicious. For my main, the blackened chicken with rice and beans was spot-on: generous portion, perfectly seasoned, and super tasty. Our table also shared a half-size chicken fajita (solid and sizzling) and chicken enchiladas (good overall, though a touch salty). Our waitress was attentive and proactive, keeping refills coming and checking that we had everything we needed without missing a beat. If I'm ever back in Burlington, this is definitely a spot I'd hit again. Great value, big flavors, and handles crowds like a champ. read more

See all

Stopped in during off-peak hours for a late lunch and had a great, well-priced meal. I loved the blackened broccoli quesadillas! What a fantastic vegetarian option. My husband got the Mexican burger and enjoyed it. Shoestring fries were fine (not our favorite style o' fries). I also got a couple of house margaritas that were actually good! Not too strong (but strong enough) and not too sweet. Staff was courteous and attentive. Handicapped parking was available right at the entrance. read more

Border Cafe - Margarita grande - Mexican Near Me - Burlington, Massachusetts

See all

I've been coming to Border Cafe for years and it's always been one of my favorite spots, which is why tonight was so disappointing. Several things with the food were clearly off: * The jambalaya rice was burnt and crunchy. * The burrito chicken was extremely dry. * The chips and salsa were over-salted, and when we asked for unsalted chips, the replacement batch was burnt. * The tomatoes on the chicken were mushy, not fresh and firm like they usually are. * The fish tasted frozen, which is unusual for what Border Cafe normally serves. The only bright spot was our waitress, who was incredibly sweet and helpful. We actually felt bad bringing up the issues because she was doing everything she could. It honestly felt like the kitchen quality has slipped, which is surprising for a place that used to be so consistent. I hope management looks into this because Border Cafe has always been a great restaurant, and it would be nice to see the food quality return to what it used to be. read more

See all

Pedestrian Cajun/Mexican food. I had the blacked salmon with jambalaya and a grilled avocado. The fish was a little over cooked but had good flavor. The jambalaya was a joke! I cook it at home and this was horrible. My drink was good. The complementary chips and salsa also missed the spot. The chips were a cheap item and the salsa lacked any pleasant flavors. The big plus was our waiter who was attentive helpful and pleasant. I always feel that the next visit is when they will get it right. It hasn't happened yet. read more

The food is absolutely amazing here and I LOVE ()  the jambalaya (jum-ba-li-ya) here! It's the best and I also really love their fajitas and corn chips!!! The service is bizarre! The waitress was so nice We had a great experience! The place looked so festive and well taken care of on the inside and out. It is very big and decorated, too! They have a great bed of plants that are well trimmed and up to date on the outside. I had a great experience here and having been coming here for 11 years. NEVER let me down. Great every time read more

Border Cafe - Border Cafe - Mexican Near Me - Burlington, Massachusetts

The food is amazing. Authentic mexican food at a great price. No reservations but the place is enormous with ton of tables. The chicken fajitas were perfect. The chicken had a great char while still being juicy and tender. The onions and peppers were cooked through instead of being crunchy and raw. The service was busy but our server was very helpful and friendly. The food came out in maybe 10 minutes it was crazy food. Come here for some great mexican cuisine. read more

Border Cafe - CHICKEN FAJITAS - Mexican Near Me - Burlington, Massachusetts

This place used to be good. I had the salmon tacos with grilled broccoli. Son had the combo fajitas. Skimpy portions. Not worth the $$$ Side of guacamole did not taste fresh. Salsa tasted liked bottled. The tortilla chips were stale. The Margarita was not good. Tasted like a mix and we didn't taste any tequila Restaurant was fairly crowded for a Thursday night. Not sure why? $90 dollars wasted. read more

IYKYK Bostonians, you already know the spot! For everyone else, it's Border Cafe. I've been going here since it was on Route 1 South Bound, back when they had that Christmas tree on the ceiling. It's still great, but since Covid, they've changed the menu a few times, and some of my old favorites are gone. Still, the Camptown is 100% recommended! Chips & salsa: 9/10 (sometimes a bit too salty, but they always come out hot!) Margaritas: 9/10! Guac: 7/10 (could use a little more flavor) Camptown: 9/10 Blackened chicken/caesar salad: 7/10 (wish the dressing had more kick) read more

Got a chicken burro. Crazy salty. Got down half because I was starving. Threw the rest away including rice and beans. Don't waste your time or money going here. read more

We love going here for the past 10+ years. They always have great food, drinks & service and a great atmosphere with the music. Free chips & salsa! read more

See all

The setting of the restaurant was quite nice. But the food was bad. From stale fries and steak to soggy tacos and service was very slow.

Always a great meal. The gumbo here is perfect! We love the Cajun spices and the house margaritas are delicious.

Started off loving the chips and salsa and also loved my shrimp tacos. The chipotle aioli with the tacos was truly "chef's kiss." The margaritas were good, but a bit watered down and on the pricier side. Service was decent. Being someone who lived in Texas, the country music and Texas decor took me right back, especially after visiting the week before. They allowed my friends and I to chat for hours - a gesture we truly appreciated. All in all, a delightful spot for gathering with friends. read more

Border Cafe - a plate of fish tacos and french fries - Mexican Near Me - Burlington, Massachusetts

Louisiana gumbo Couldn't find any chicken or andouille sausage other than tiny pieces. Needed double the rice. Ended up with just a bowl of gumbo sauce that would've been great with rice and protein. Dropped the ball on this visit. read more

I went to culinary school. First time going to this location. Would not return. The chips served were not warm like they usually are. The blackened chicken fajitas was around half of the portion you get from other locations (including the onions and peppers). And the bottom was burnt, not blackened. The broccoli was also half burnt and barely warm, the serving dish wasn't warm at all. Over on the left you can see a very sad amount of limp lettuce and a tiny scoop of guac. Our waters were also not refilled at all (the dining room was maybe 60% full so not crazy busy). Go to Saugus. Or better yet, bring back the Harvard square location. read more

Border Cafe - Blackened chicken fajitas, blackened broccoli - Mexican Near Me - Burlington, Massachusetts

We ordered two food items The first, blackened chicken dilla was so salty as to be literally painful to eat. We sent it back. Yuck. The second was the Carne Asada. It's about $30. There was very little steak. Almost none. Mostly sauce. Also too salty; though not literally painful to eat. The fries, though abundant tasted stale. All in all, not worthy of any restaurant except maybe a dog food restaurant. All in all, a yuck experience that will have us not come again. We used to come a lot, but since Covid (and especially after Covid where one would expect a restaurant to be on their A game); every time we come the food is worse than the time before. In summary, you guessed it: YUCK. read more

I'm giving Border three stars because in some ways, they're great, but in other ways, they really miss the mark. Overall they've gone downhill in recent years. Here are the pros & cons: Pros: - free chips and salsa when you sit down - good basic Mexican food - enchiladas, quesadillas, etc. - fun atmosphere with good classic country music and great outdoor seating area (but con: it's often "closed," even in nice weather) - delicious homemade salad dressings (but con: if you request extra dressing on the side, they charge you for it!) Cons: - prices have increased dramatically in recent years, with many random up-charges - serving sizes have decreased, with way less of everything. Example: If you get a salad with chicken on top, don't expect much of it. - they're inflexible when it comes to making changes on anything and eating outside. They have a lovely patio, but sometimes they don't let you sit in it, even when others are there. "That section is closed now." - inconsistent quality. Example: sometimes the warm cheese queso dip comes out and it's excellent. Other times, it's barely heated, and the chips are burnt. - the area where food comes out is always a MESS! - the male bartenders have attitude, and the bar is also often a mess. Border, I'd love to give you five stars, and would have about five years ago. Please fix the above issues so it can consistently be good, dependable food in generous quantity in a nice atmosphere. read more

I've been coming to borders for years and I've always enjoyed it, but lately it hasn't been the same quality of food. They never really recovered from the pandemic. Also, the lunch menu is scaled down. And even the dinner menu is not what it used to be. The dinner menu starts at 4 o'clock and at 3:45 they would not accept an order from the dinner menu. When we walked in the place, music was blasting loud, we asked twice if they could turn the music down and it was still too loud. If you're going there for good food or to have a good conversation this is not the place anymore. It's sad, but I'll have to move on. read more

There are no zero star. Worst steak fajita ever. Service was good. Food awful. Waste of money. Never to return.

Border Cafe is so precisely calibrated. It's big, friendly, delicious and as consistent an atomic clock. There are plenty of great, accessible things on the menu, but I've been a Border Cafe Fajitas Person for two decades and I don't plan on changing any time soon. It's great every time. The Burlington Border is conveniently located with a parking lot that can handle the volume. And the mall is nearby if you want to walk off the ten pounds of chips and salsa you're sure to eat. read more

Border Cafe - Beef Or Chicken Fajitas - Mexican Near Me - Burlington, Massachusetts

You could improve by placing a menu on your website, rather than the order online option, which isn't available until 4:00 pm. Why do so many restaurants do this these days? I know, because of the pandemic, but there are so many restaurants I avoid because I cannot access a menu to see if I'd consider eating there! read more

Food was very good and a value compared to other Mexican restaurants in the area. Serving size was enough to share a dish or take home leftovers. Service was very good. Recommend read more

Service and food were excellent It was a to go order Picked up at the bar Bartender was very friendly and very busy but still made sure I got everything I needed The food was cooked perfectly and salad was Delicious I ordered Blackened Salmon Salad which I will definitely order again Thanks so much for a great experience read more

This is what a restaurant looks like when it has given up. Slow service, margaritas with practically no alcohol, unimaginative food. Total waste of time and money. read more

I cannot believe how the quality has fallen. I should have guessed when we got there and there was no wait and the place was less than half full. The chips were cold, and a little stale. But the biggest sign they basically don't care anymore was the jambalaya, it tasted(and looked like) bad Chinese fried rice. It was dark brown and super salty. The burro was okay(ish), which was basically the only thing I ate but it was by far the worst one I have ever had. I would say overall it was so disappointing that I doubt I will ever go back. I started going to this place as soon as they opened after going to the OG location in Harvard square for years I even went there every birthday for nearly 20 years. It's sad to say but it's not the same place. read more

Great food and always reliable. Also has a fun vibe and free chips and salsa! Also the frozen strawberry marg is always amazing. read more

Decent margarita- Probably the worst salsa i've ever had- average guac at best, and ridiculously over seasoned/spicy "blackened chicken fingers" to go with a decent Cheese Quesadilla's. .....not particularly good service either. Waited forever for our waitress to come back to take our orders while she didn't look at us once while rolling silverware for almost 10 minutes, and then never bothered to ask us how our food was. I'm used to good mexican food in NC, I would never go back to this place read more

I'm disappointed to say that Border has not been able to return to its former glory after the pandemic. The menu is still limited, many easy and cheap to crank out dishes have replaced old favorites like chicken Guadalajara and french quarter chicken. The service has not been great, many tables sit uncleared, no silverware or napkins when we're seated, nowhere near the old capacity, so prepare to wait. Also the prices have significantly increased compared to 4-5 years ago. We used to be able to get in and out for ~$25, tonight it was $50. Blackened chicken was dry as a bone today, which has NEVER happened in the 100s of times I've been here. Really sad to see this happening. At least the chips and salsa are there for me. read more

Border Cafe - Classic chips and salsa - Mexican Near Me - Burlington, Massachusetts

Nice place. Busy. Smelled nice. I have to recommend, the fajitas. Particularly the beef fajitas. The flavor. The juiciness. The smokiness from the grill, the beautiful char and char flavor. What a beautiful pairing. I will definitely recommend anyone in the Burlington area to try out this place. Top notch read more

See all

We had been here a few times over the last several years and enjoyed it. Large portions, delicious food. Yesterday my wife and I were in the area without the kids and decided to try takeout. I don't know what happened, but they must've dramatically change their menu because the food was terrible. Just awful. My chicken burrito was smaller and had a weaker chicken to tortilla ratio and was drowned in some sort of barbecue sauce. The black beans, which I could swear used to be refried, had the same disgusting sauce. The rice was darker and less flavorful. My wife had chicken enchiladas and had the same experience, but the new recipe is not gluten-free and she has a gluten allergy so that was even worse. The kids ate their quesadillas and said they were good, so there's that. But there are other Mexican restaurants in the area and we won't be back anymore. read more

This used to be my favorite Tex Mex restaurant. They have gone wayyy down hill. I went for a bday lunch and the place is so awful. The quality of the food is horrible. I still have a stomachs ache a day later and the salt they put on the food is atrocious!! read more

Run away from the Border. Bland food blandly spiced with bland sauces and bland sides. The only thing not bland was the Tobasco brand sauce, apparently the only hot sauce they offer. But let's not be so bland in our opinion about the food. Jose's House frozen margarita was also bland, with no ascertainable fruit flavor. I ordered the chicken enchiladas which came covered in tasteless red sauce, and equally tasteless filling. Nothing in this meal stood out . The beans and rice were exactly as described beans and rice in two piles separated as if being served to a toddler. Speaking of which I should add that the service was very good. we also really enjoyed the toddler parade and serenade at the next table. I thought the chicken tenders might quiet them but apparently they were bland too. read more

First visit and we WILL return. We had frozen margaritas. They gave us chips and salsa. We ordered guacamole. The chips were hot and crispy. Salsa and guac very tasty. Entrees were good portions and delicious. Not long wait time for anythin read more

Border Cafe - Blackened chicken - Mexican Near Me - Burlington, Massachusetts

See all

Ben Marvin was such a great server we came in for lunch with my family and he was a delightful human being and even better server his joy he brought to the table made the experiences 10/10 would recommend to anyone who comes here read more

Good service. Crazy that ownership says no dessert options. Not great for a birthday.

Server very nice. Chips and salsa good, guacamole good. My chicken fajitas and rice were so spicy I couldn't eat them. I won't be going back. read more

If you want bright lights, very loud surroundings and burned tortilla chips, look no further than Border Cafe! This joint should be on Abilify because it doesn't know what it wants to be. Is it Mexican? Is it Cajun? Who cares, it's bad. Really, you really should just avoid it altogether. We returned the chips because they were burned. The new batch was just warmer. The salsa could easily be bested by any generic grocery store equivalent; what was fobbed off as 'salsa' was really chunky tomatoes with a lot of watery juice and an onion. No real spice going on in this. The enchiladas were the highlight of the evening. They were merely passable with no outstanding qualities either way. Lots of cheese on them. But the rice & beans that went were a desiccated pile of crusty rice, dried up black beans and a staff who just did not care. The "jambalaya" that was served with one of our entrees was the most vile incarnation of that dish I have ever partaken of. The State of Louisiana should immediately file a Cease & Desist order because this is an affront. read more

I ate there yesterday afternoon and the food and service were both good. But when it came time to pay I was told they don't take discover card. I happened to have enough cash on me so I paid with that. They also don't serve root beer, or dessert. It'll be a long time before I want to go back. read more

See ice was good. Parking good. Menu selections sparse. I had New Orleans haddock with shoe string fries which were terrible. Inedible Complained to me server. She said that many customers have complained about them, but management doesn't do anything about it read more